Stifled Innovation? Developing Tomorrow's Leaders Today
Abstract
In October of 1999, the Army senior leadership unveiled plans for the Army' s transformation. Almost immediately, the vision of deploying a combat-capable brigade anywhere in the world within 96 hours, a full division in 120 hours, and five divisions on the ground within 30 days grabbed the attention of the force and the public. Transformation became the topic du jour in the Army. Debate over tracks versus wheels, light versus heavy, and Objective versus Legacy dominated briefings, conferences, e-mails, and letters to the editor. Absent from the debate, but included in at least one slide of almost every transformation briefing, was the call for a transformation in the human dimension of the Army. Transforming the human dimension implies that soldiers, and especially leaders, of the future force need to be more flexible, adaptable, creative, and innovative. The leaders in the future brigade combat teams may have to receive the details of their mission en route to their location, put together an ad hoc task force on the fly, or operate for long periods of time in the absence of guidance or supervision. Future forces will require leaders to use initiative within intent leaders who can create cohesive units that thrive in high-tempo, dispersed operations. 1 Future leaders will need to be independent and creative as they craft a plan based on the commander s intent and alter the plan as conditions change. In the absence of detailed guidance from above, these leaders will learn to live with uncertainty, take bold risks, and assume greater responsibility for decisions concerning their unit. In the words of the Army Training and Leader Development Panel, future leaders must demonstrate the competence of adaptability. 2 Descriptors of future Army leaders found in transformation brochures commonly include adjectives such as responsive, agile, and versatile.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA631454
Entities
People
- Leonard Wong
Organizations
- United States Army War College