'You're Fired:' A Decision Framework for Retaining or Replacing Commanders
Abstract
Institutional leaders take innumerable actions in the course of normal operations. These actions are underpinned by complex decision-making processes that often are not clearly articulated. Few acts are more profound for a leader than that of firing, or removing, a subordinate upon whom the leader relies. Militarily, the decision to remove a commander is even more important because the stakes are lives and fates of nations. This paper provides a framework for understanding the multifaceted decision-making process that leaders apply when deciding whether to retain or remove a commander. The framework defines the process from the end state: the leader concludes that the commander should be retained, either because he is desirable or acceptable, or the leader resolves that the commander must be removed or replaced due to low organizational effectiveness or poor leadership performance. This framework also accounts for internal and external influences on the decision-making process, including the timing, feasibility, acceptability, suitability, and risk of the decision in the larger social, political, military, and economic context.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2010
- Accession Number
- ADA521757
Entities
People
- Douglas Douds
Organizations
- United States Army War College