Leader Development, Learning Agility, and the Army Profession

Abstract

The current Army Profession campaign makes the case for a re-evaluation and assessment of the Army as a profession and of the attributes of the Army Professional. Leadership entails the repetitive exercise of discretionary judgments, all highly moral in nature, and represents the core function of the Army Professional's military art. Leader development is an investment required to maintain the Army as a profession. The profession is maintained by leaders who place a high priority on leader development and who invest themselves and the resources of the profession in developing professionals and future leaders at all levels. This project outlines a model for leader development that is anchored in learning agility and the notion that learning agile leaders apply previous learning and can embrace learning in new, novel, or ill-defined environments. Learning agile leaders are adaptable. These leaders see actions that are different from the norm and adjust in an appropriate manner. If mission command is the operating principle for the Army, then adaptable leaders are an absolute necessity. Leader development systems must enhance and maximize one's motivation and ability to develop, and the overall Army culture must be supportive of such a process.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 01, 2012
Accession Number
ADA592822

Entities

People

  • Brian J. Reed

Organizations

  • Columbia University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Army Personnel
  • Combat Operations
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Judgment
  • Military Art
  • Military Science
  • Motivation
  • Personnel Management
  • Psychology
  • Students
  • Thinking
  • Training
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Military Leadership and Professional Education.
  • Systems Analysis and Design