tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293152265787061341.post953412338459691356..comments2024-03-03T05:11:57.603-05:00Comments on Wings Over Iraq: Decentralized Leadership—Easier Said than DoneStarbuckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02013102906896853767noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293152265787061341.post-73627266570385628372010-10-02T11:55:25.777-04:002010-10-02T11:55:25.777-04:00You won't find the answer in doctrine, trainin...You won't find the answer in doctrine, training, leadership, or any other of the DOTMLPF domains. This is a cultural issue. Army culture does not support decentralized decision making, primarily because of our concept of the commander's role as a chess player rather than a leader (Boyd captured this well in his examination of Command and Control vs. Leadership and Assessment).<br /><br />This cultural dynamic is highly influenced by another cultural value: Soldiers do not want to accomplish the mission, and therefore cannot be trusted. This is perhaps best represented by the slogan "Mission First, People Always." Operating from this assumption, commanders cannot trust subordinates and therefore must assume the role of compliance enforcer. In contrast, under the decentralized model, commanders are leaders, and leaders align the purpose of subordinates with organizational goals (mission first=people first), thereby generating trust.<br /><br />Until we change this culture which assumes the false dichotomy between the goals of the people and the goals of the organization, we will never be able to have decentralized decision making.M.L.http://irondice.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293152265787061341.post-75396605867800747502010-09-17T13:36:55.476-04:002010-09-17T13:36:55.476-04:00"could theoretically allow senior leaders to ..."could <i>theoretically</i> allow senior leaders to examine the training records of platoons or even individual soldiers."<br /><br />Your naivete is touching ;) As a PL in an ARNG unit mobilizing for OEF, I can tell you that that is <b>exactly</b> what DTMS is used for. Training doesn't mean shit, just make sure everybody signs the sign-in roster.<br /><br />Oh, and according to my Troop Commander, the new standard at MC3 is for the CO to write his OpOrd down to the squad level. WTF?Tiercenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293152265787061341.post-88597083893274169592010-09-13T15:41:17.567-04:002010-09-13T15:41:17.567-04:00I think that a more decentralized command and cont...I think that a more decentralized command and control structure will be necessary moving forward if we are to continue dealing with open-source insurgencies whose decision making cycles are far more rapid than traditional nation-state actors. However, you raise a good point that much of the motivation for changes in organizational structure may dissipate as our current conflicts wind down.<br /><br />Another major issue is that in order for decentralized command to work you must have the lowest ranks filled with highly intelligent, creative, critical thinkers who have been trained to OODA well. While I'm always impressed with the guys I fly in and out of the AOR, I don't think the military has embraced this type of education and training thus far. Don Vandergriff's Adaptive Leadership Model is an excellent way to fill this void, but it's only now beginning to take hold in certain military circles. Until the military becomes serious about teaching front-line personnel how to think and make decisions autonomously, but within the Commander's Intent (also lacking), decentralized structures will not work.Cameron Schaeferhttp://www.schaefersblog.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3293152265787061341.post-4671999048398879352010-09-09T21:42:36.187-04:002010-09-09T21:42:36.187-04:00Still the best book I've read on the subject t...Still the best book I've read on the subject that addresses these issues and concerns is the USMC pub MCDP 6 "Command and Control."<br /> It starts out with a great vignette that discusses most of the technology and style issues and shows both the positive and negative.<br /> Phil RidderhofAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com