Developing Army Leaders Across Components: Assessing Knowledge Similarities and Differences
Abstract
More than ever, it is critical that Army leaders are able to perform leader responsibilities with a high degree of expertise in a variety of skill-sets. Army leaders must demonstrate intrapersonal, interpersonal and organizational expertise in technical, tactical, and leader tasks under ambiguous and constantly changing conditions. Leaders develop their skills through a well-developed system of formal institutional training, experience gained through operational assignment and self-development. However, despite the Army's comprehensive, methodical and standardized system for developing leaders, some are more effective than others. Recent research has explored how knowledge, specifically tacit knowledge, makes leaders more effective. That research was oriented on active Army officer tacit knowledge; this research seeks to measure differences in tacit knowledge levels between active (AC), U.S. Army Reserve (USAR) and Army National Guard (ARNG) officers. In the spring of 2004, 666 ARNG, USAR, and AC Lieutenants, Captains, and Majors were surveyed to measure their tacit knowledge as well as their capacity for self-knowledge. Results showed that there are differences in levels of tacit knowledge between the three Army components, as well as a correlation between individual tacit knowledge and the person's ability to self-assess their own knowledge strengths and weaknesses. Findings in this research can be used to enhance leader development programs by expanding levels of tacit knowledge to facilitate shared mental models of effective leadership in all Army leaders.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA469719
Entities
People
- Teresa Z. Taylor
Organizations
- U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences