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Suggested Reading

• FM 5-0, Planning and Orders Production

  • Chapter 4, pages 55-67 based on printed document (PDF pages 67-88)

  • US Army instructions on when and how to use Army Design Methodology

• Link to FM 5-0 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• Connected Study: Slowing Down to Speed Up

• All excerpts below are from FM 5-0 unless otherwise noted

Introduction

4-2. Army design methodology is a methodology for applying critical and creative thinking to understand, visualize, and describe problems and approaches to solving them (ADP 5-0). It entails framing an operational environment (OE), framing problems, and developing an operational approach to solve or manage identified problems. ADM results in an improved understanding of an OE, a problem statement, and an operational approach that serves as the link between conceptual and detailed planning.

4-36. ADM includes interconnected activities that aid in conceptual planning and the application of operational art. There is no one way or prescribed set of steps to employ ADM. However, several activities associated with ADM include—

• Framing an OE.

• Framing problems.

• Developing an operational approach.

• Transitioning to detailed planning.

• Reframing.

4-50. The commander and planning team envision the desired end state based on higher echelon guidance, the current state of an OE, and alternative future states of an OE. The operation’s end state is a set of desired conditions that, if achieved, meet the objectives of policy, orders, guidance, and directives issued to the commander. A desired condition is a sought-after future state of an OE. Conditions are tangible or intangible, military or nonmilitary, or physical or psychological. When determining desired end-state conditions, the team also considers available resources to ensure end-state conditions are feasible.

4-58. A technique for identifying problems begins with two questions:

• What is the difference between the current state of the OE and the desired end state?

• What is preventing the force from reaching the desired end state?

This Week’s Reading, Abridged

4-62. The planning team captures its work in a problem frame that describes the set of interrelated problems or system of problems in a narrative supported by visual models. The problem frame supports the commander’s dialogue with higher echelon commanders and unified action partners in defining problems and developing common expectations regarding resolution. This is vital to develop an effective operational approach to solve or manage identified problems.

4-64. Once commanders and planners agree on the problem or set of problems, they develop ways to address them. They do this by developing an operational approach—a description of the broad actions the force must take to transform current conditions into those desired at end state. An operational approach is the commander’s visualization of what needs to be done to solve or manage identified problems. It is the main idea that informs detailed planning. The operational approach promotes mutual understanding and unity of effort between the force and unified action partners on the way ahead.

4-66. An operational approach is not a course of action—a scheme developed to accomplish a mission (JP 5-0). An operational approach provides focus and boundaries for the development of COAs during the MDMP. A COA is more detailed than an operational approach, including details such as task organization, unit boundaries, and tasks to accomplish.

4-67. Like the other activities of ADM, commanders collaborate and dialogue with their staffs, other commanders, and unified action partners as they formulate their operational approach. In developing their operational approach, commanders and planning teams synthesize early work concerning the OE, the problem, and the desired end state and seek to answer questions such as—

• How to go from the existing conditions to the desired end state?

• What obstacles or tensions exist between the two?

• What broad actions help attain these conditions?

• What type of resources are required?

• What are the risks?

4-68. While there is no prescribed set of steps to develop an operational approach, the commander and planning team use the elements of operational art to formulate their operational approach. Earlier in ADM, the planning team considered end-state conditions. When formulating an operational approach, the commander and planning team consider centers of gravity, decisive points, objectives, lines of operations, and phasing. The following activities help commanders and staffs apply the elements of operational art when formulating an operational approach:

• Determine enemy and friendly center of gravity.

• Identify decisive points.

• Determine a direct or indirect approach.

• Establish objectives and devise lines of operations and lines of effort.

• Refine the operational approach.

• Document results.

4-70. Once identified, planners further analyze centers of gravity within a framework of three critical factors—capabilities, requirements, and vulnerabilities:

• Critical capabilities are the primary capabilities essential to the achievement of the objective.

• Critical requirements are essential conditions, resources, and means the center of gravity requires to perform the critical capability.

• Critical vulnerabilities are those aspects or components of critical requirements that are deficient or vulnerable to direct or indirect attack in a manner achieving decisive or significant results.

4-72. Decisive points are not centers of gravity; they are keys to attacking or protecting them. Some decisive points are geographic. Some examples of decisive points include port facilities, distribution networks and nodes, and bases of operations. Events and elements of an enemy force are decisive points. An example of an enemy element might be the commitment of the enemy operational reserve. An example of an event is the reopening of a major oil refinery. A common characteristic of decisive points is their importance to a center of gravity. A decisive point’s importance requires the enemy to commit significant resources to defend it. The loss of a decisive point weakens a center of gravity and may expose more decisive points.

4-73. Based on an understanding of centers of gravity and decisive points, commanders and staffs consider an approach to contend with a center of gravity. There are two approaches: direct or indirect. The direct approach attacks the enemy’s center of gravity or principal strength by applying combat power directly against it. However, centers of gravity are well protected and are not normally vulnerable to a direct approach. Thus, commanders often choose an indirect approach. The indirect approach attacks the enemy’s center of gravity by applying combat power against a series of decisive points while avoiding enemy strength. Both approaches use combinations of defeat or stability mechanisms, depending on the situation. Defeat and stability mechanisms are not tactical missions; rather, these mechanisms describe broad operational and tactical effects.

4-75. Army forces at all echelons use combinations of four defeat mechanisms:

• Destroy.

• Dislocate.

• Disintegrate.

• Isolate.

4-76. A stability mechanism is the primary method through which friendly forces affect civilians in order to attain conditions that support establishing a lasting, stable peace. As with defeat mechanisms, combinations of stability mechanisms produce complementary and reinforcing effects that accomplish the mission more effectively and efficiently than single mechanisms do alone. The four stability mechanisms are—

• Compel.

• Control.

• Influence.

• Support.

4-78. Normally, there are more decisive points in an operational area than can be attacked, seized, retained, controlled, or protected by available forces and capabilities. Accordingly, planners study and analyze decisive points and determine which offer the best opportunities to attack the adversary’s centers of gravity, extend friendly operational reach, or enable the application of friendly forces and capabilities. The art of planning includes selecting decisive points that best lead to creating end-state conditions in a sequence that most quickly and efficiently leads to mission success. Once identified for action, decisive points become objectives. … Combined with end-state conditions, objectives form the building blocks for developing lines of operation and lines of effort.

4-80. While an operational approach is broad, it describes the commander’s visualization in time, space, and purpose. It also addresses resources required to support the operational approach and accounts for risk. After forming a framework for the operational approach using lines of operations and lines of effort, commanders and planning teams consider additional elements of operational art to refine the operational approach. Additional elements of operational art to consider include—

• Operational reach, basing, and culmination.

• Tempo.

• Phasing and transitions.

• Risk.

4-81. Operational reach is the distance and duration across which a force can successfully employ its capabilities. The skillful positioning of forces, reserves, bases, and equipment extend operational reach. Although reach might be constrained or limited by the geography, enemy forces, and adversaries in and around an operational area, reach is extended by—

• Forward positioning of capabilities and resources.

• Increasing the range and effectiveness of weapons systems.

• Leveraging host-nation support and contract support.

4-83. Commanders consider culmination when developing their operational approach and visualizing resources to support it. Culmination is that point in time and space at which a force no longer possesses the capability to continue its current form of operations. Culmination means a shift in relative combat power. It is relevant to both attackers and defenders at each level of warfare. While conducting offensive tasks, the culminating point occurs when the force cannot continue the attack, and it assumes a defensive posture or executes an operational pause. While conducting defensive tasks, it occurs when the force cannot defend itself and withdraws or risks destruction. The culminating point is difficult to identify when forces conduct

4-84. Tempo is another element to consider when developing an operational approach. Tempo is the relative speed and rhythm of military operations over time with respect to the enemy. Tempo reflects the rate of military action. Controlling tempo helps commanders keep the initiative during combat operations or establish a sense of normalcy during humanitarian crises. During operations dominated by offensive and defensive tasks, commanders maintain a higher tempo than the enemy does; a rapid tempo overwhelms an enemy’s ability to counter friendly actions. Higher tempo is the key to achieving a temporal advantage during operations. During operations dominated by stability tasks, commanders control events and deny enemy forces positions of advantage. By acting faster than the situation deteriorates, commanders change the dynamics of a crisis and restore stability.

4-87. Phasing extends operational reach. Only when the force lacks the capability to accomplish the mission in a single action do commanders phase the operation. Each phase should—

• Focus effort.

• Concentrate combat power in time and space at a decisive point.

• Accomplish its objectives deliberately and logically.

4-88. Transitions mark a change of focus between phases or between the ongoing operation and execution of a branch or sequel. Shifting priorities between the core competencies or among offensive, defensive, stability, and defense support of civil authorities tasks involve a transition. Transitions require planning and preparation before execution to maintain the momentum and tempo of operations. Forces are vulnerable during transitions and commanders establish clear conditions for execution.

4-89. Risk, uncertainty, and chance are inherent in all military operations. During ADM, it is important to identify and communicate risks to mission accomplishment. Part of developing an operational approach includes answering the question, “What is the chance of failure or unacceptable consequences in employing the operational approach?” Risks range from resource shortfalls to an approach that alienates a potential friendly actor.

4-91. A critical aspect of ADM is transferring the understanding and knowledge developed during ADM to others on the staff; subordinate, adjacent, and higher echelon commanders; and unified action partners. The goal of documenting the results of ADM is to capture the tacit knowledge gained during ADM and convert it into explicit knowledge for others to apply. Tacit knowledge resides in an individual’s mind, while explicit knowledge consists of written or otherwise documented information. Explicit knowledge products of ADM include—

• Environmental frame.

• Problem frame.

• Operational approach.

• Initial commander’s intent.

• Planning guidance including operational timings, resources requirements in broad terms, and risk.

• Reframing criteria.

4-95. A reframe is a shift in understanding that leads to a new perspective on the problem or its resolution. Reframing is the activity of revisiting earlier design hypotheses, conclusions, and decisions that underpin the current operational approach. In essence, reframing reviews what the commander and staff believe they understand about the OE, the problem, and the desired end state. At any time during the operations process, the decision to reframe may be triggered by factors such as—

• Assessment reveals a lack of progress or regression.

• Key assumptions prove invalid.

• Unanticipated success or failure.

• A major event that causes “catastrophic change” in the OE.

• A scheduled periodic review that shows a problem.

• A change in mission, objectives, or end state issued by higher echelon authority.

4-96. During operations, commanders decide to reframe after realizing the desired conditions have changed, are not achievable, cannot be attained through the current operational approach, or because of change of mission or end state. Reframing provides the freedom to operate beyond the limits of any single perspective. Conditions will change during execution, and such changes are expected because forces interact within an OE. Recognizing and anticipating these changes is fundamental to ADM and essential to an organization’s ability to learn.

4-98. It is helpful to think in advance about what circumstances, events, or changes require the command to reframe. As such, commanders and planning teams develop reframing indicators. A reframing indicator helps identify a condition in an OE that has changed or that could cause a shift in the problem such that a current operational approach may no longer be valid. … Reframing indicators support the commander’s ability to understand, learn, adapt, and reframe as necessary. Examples of such information include—

• Changes in the original problem statement.

• Significant changes in threat composition.

• Significant changes in the threat’s approach.

• Significant changes in friendly capability.

• Higher echelon headquarters’ policy changes or directives that change the desired end state.

• Unexpected lack of friendly progress toward objectives.

• Shifts in international support or domestic will.

• Key assumptions prove to be invalid.

4-99. The assessment plan incorporates reframing criteria in the form of measures of effectiveness (MOEs) and measures of performance (MOPs) that are used to evaluate completed tasks, achieved objectives, and obtained end-state conditions. An effective assessment plan incorporates the logic used to build the plan. The logic as to why the commander believes the actions in the plan will produce the desired results is an important consideration when developing the assessment plan. Recording and understanding this logic during ADM helps the staff recommend the appropriate indicators for assessing the operation. It also helps the commander and staff determine if they need to reframe the problem if assumptions prove false or the logic behind the plan appears flawed as operations progress.

Questions for Individual Reflection

1. When does your personal strategy waste resources on direct confrontation instead of exploiting systematic vulnerabilities?

2. Reframing indicators often are not included in executive information because they trigger near-term reframing. What early warning signals do you systematically ignore? When is this helpful, when is it not?

3. How do you identify when your operational approach has reached its culmination point?

4. When did reframing a problem completely change your understanding of the solution required?

5. Military planners identify natural tendencies that have momentum and are difficult to change. What forces are you fighting instead of leveraging because they contradict a closely-held narrative?

Professional Discussion Prompts

1. Which systemic problems does your organization or industry avoid discussing explicitly in strategic planning? Why?

2. How do functional silo structures prevent your organization from understanding problem interconnectedness?

3. How often does your organization pursue disconnected initiatives that do not reinforce each other? What is the remedy?

4. Which competitor behavior changes should trigger fundamental strategy revision or reframing in your organization?

5. How (and how often) does your organization track whether strategic assumptions remain valid?

Personal Discussion Prompts

1. How do you handle interconnected personal and professional challenges when it feels easier to address them separately?

2. How does your socioeconomic background frame problems in ways that exclude other perspectives?

3. Which personal beliefs about success and relationships have you never subjected to fundamental reconsideration?

4. When do you seek outside perspectives on problems you think you understand?

5. How do you handle the tension between individual goals and family systems?

Exercises

1. Narrative Deconstruction

   1. Exercise:

      1. Each individual identifies the dominant narrative their organization tells about itself and then deconstructs it using ADM methodology.

      2. Analysis should account for alternative narratives from different stakeholder perspectives.

      3. Examine how narrative choice constrains or enables strategic options.

   2. Debrief:

      1. Which elements of your organizational narrative are mythology rather than analysis?

      2. How do competing stakeholder narratives reveal strategic options your current story obscures?

      3. What would happen if your organization operated from a fundamentally different narrative about its purpose?

2. Visual Thinking Challenge

   1. Exercise:

      1. Each individual creates influence diagrams and causal loop diagrams for a complex business challenge they are currently facing.

      2. Must use visual modeling to identify relationships not apparent through traditional analysis.

      3. Present visual models without explanatory text to test clarity of thinking.

   2. Debrief:

      1. Which relationships became visible only through graphic modeling that conversations had missed?

      2. How does visual thinking reveal assumptions embedded in your analytical process?

      3. What resistance would you face introducing visual modeling tools into your organization's planning culture?

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Suggested Reading

• FM 5-0, Planning and Orders Production

  • Chapter 4, pages 55-67 based on printed document (PDF pages 67-88)

  • US Army instructions on when and how to use Army Design Methodology

• Link to FM 5-0 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• This week’s Study: Slowing Down to Speed Up

• All excerpts below are from FM 5-0 unless otherwise noted

Introduction

4-2. Army design methodology is a methodology for applying critical and creative thinking to understand, visualize, and describe problems and approaches to solving them (ADP 5-0). It entails framing an operational environment (OE), framing problems, and developing an operational approach to solve or manage identified problems. ADM results in an improved understanding of an OE, a problem statement, and an operational approach that serves as the link between conceptual and detailed planning.

4-4. ADM is an interdisciplinary approach to planning and problem solving. It combines military theory, writings on the nature of problems, and the challenges of critical and creative thinking. Some of these concepts, such as operational art, have long been associated with planning. Other concepts such as systems thinking and framing have taken on increased emphasis. Key concepts associated with ADM include—

• Operational art.

• Critical thinking.

• Creative thinking.

• Systems thinking.

• Collaboration and dialogue.

• Framing.

• Narrative construction.

• Visual modeling.

This Week’s Reading, Abridged

4-20. Planning begins upon receipt of or in anticipation of a mission or as directed by the commander. Upon receipt of mission, commanders, supported by their staffs, determine available time for planning and preparation and decide on a planning approach. An important consideration for commanders is how best to integrate the conceptual and detailed components of planning. When problems are difficult to identify, the operation’s end state is unclear, or a course of action (COA) is not self-evident, commanders may choose to conduct ADM. Some questions commanders consider when assessing whether conducting ADM is appropriate include—

• Is there enough information about the situation to conduct detailed planning?

• Are problems and solutions generally self-evident?

• Is there a clear desired end state?

• Is a COA evident?

• Are the known unknowns significant enough to distort detailed planning?

• Are means (resources and force structure) undetermined?

• Are there unexpected effects to actions?

• Are actions falling short of achieving the expected impact?

4-21. When problems are intuitively hard to identify or an operation’s end state is unclear, commanders may initiate ADM before their headquarters engages in detailed planning. This is often the case when developing long-range plans or orders for an operation or a new phase of an operation. When using this approach, a complete evolution of ADM is employed with the resulting products (environmental frame, problem frame, and operational approach) informing the development of a plan or order using the military decision-making process (MDMP). This approach is time consuming, but it provides the greatest understanding of an OE and its associated problems.

4-25. A key aspect of assembling the team is considering the knowledge, skills, abilities, work styles, and personality characteristics needed for the team’s tasks. Commanders consider the scope of the problem and personnel resources when forming a planning team. While individuals are often selected for a team based on their expertise associated to the problem (for example, functional or regional knowledge), individuals should also possess these characteristics—

• Having an open mind for new ideas.

• Having an inquisitive mindset and being curious and eager for knowledge.

• Being comfortable with ambiguity.

• Possessing critical thinking and creative thinking skills.

• Being willing to listen to others and valuing differing points of view.

• Being able to take and offer different perspectives.

• Possessing an investigative mindset and research skills.

• Being able to communicate complex ideas in simple words.

• Being not afraid of having own ideas critiqued by others.

• Being able to think visually and effectively use visual graphics.

4-33. Red team qualified individuals are typically part of the commander’s staff at higher echelon headquarters. Trained and educated to think critically and creatively, red team members help commanders and staffs think from different perspectives. They help commanders and staffs explore alternatives in plans and orders and see things from the perspective of others. Red team members help—

• Broaden the understanding of an OE.

• Identify problems and clarify end-state conditions.

• Challenge assumptions.

• Ensure the perspectives of the enemies, adversaries, and others are considered.

• Identify friendly and enemy vulnerabilities and opportunities.

• Identify areas for assessment.

• Anticipate cultural perceptions of partners, adversaries, and others.

4-36. ADM includes interconnected activities that aid in conceptual planning and the application of operational art. There is no one way or prescribed set of steps to employ ADM. However, several activities associated with ADM include—

• Framing an OE.

• Framing problems.

• Developing an operational approach.

• Transitioning to detailed planning.

• Reframing.

4-38. Military operations occur within a context larger than a single unit’s mission. As such, staffs support commanders in developing a contextual understanding of an OE through framing. An OE is the composite of the conditions, circumstances, and influences that affect the employment of capabilities and bear on the decisions of the commander. It includes portions of each of the five domains (land, maritime, air, space, and cyberspace) understood through three dimensions (human, physical, and information). Included within the domains and dimensions areas are the enemy, friendly, and neutral systems and actors who are relevant to a specific operation. Understanding an OE helps commanders better identify problems; anticipate potential outcomes; and understand the results of various friendly, adversary, and neutral actions and how these actions affect attaining the end state.

4-39. An OE is not bounded by the physical boundaries of an operational area. It is a cognitive tool that helps commanders and staff account for those things that affect their operations within and outside of their assigned area. When framing an OE, the commander and planning team seek to answer questions such as—

• What is going on in the OE?

• Why has this situation developed?

• Who are the relevant actors?

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the relevant actors?

• What are the relationships among relevant actors?

• What is causing conflict or tensions among relevant actors?

• Why is the situation (or the projected future situation) undesirable?

• What future conditions need to exist for success?

4-44. One way to develop an understanding of an OE is from a systems perspective. To develop this systems perspective, the planning team identifies and discerns the relationships among relevant systems and actors in an OE. Once identified, further research and analysis by the team helps clarify the roles and functions of each actor and how actors relate to other systems and actors in an OE.

4-48. Framing an OE includes an appreciation of how an OE may trend into the future. An OE evolves even in the absence of friendly intervention. If no outside actors influence an OE, that OE will change due to inherent tendencies in the system. Tendencies reflect an inclination to think or behave in a certain manner. Tendencies are not deterministic, but they are models describing the thoughts or behaviors of relevant actors. Tendencies identify likely patterns of relationships between actors without external influences. The natural tendencies in an OE have the most momentum, and therefore they are difficult to change. Tendencies can be positive and encouraged or viewed as obstacles that become the focus for change. Friendly actions or activities that reinforce (or at least do not conflict with) natural trends may have the best chance to succeed. Appreciating the natural tendencies in an OE assists commanders and staffs in better defining the desired end state and development of an operational approach to promote or alter identified tendencies.

4-50. The commander and planning team envision the desired end state based on higher echelon guidance, the current state of an OE, and alternative future states of an OE. The operation’s end state is a set of desired conditions that, if achieved, meet the objectives of policy, orders, guidance, and directives issued to the commander. A desired condition is a sought-after future state of an OE. Conditions are tangible or intangible, military or nonmilitary, or physical or psychological. When determining desired end-state conditions, the team also considers available resources to ensure end-state conditions are feasible.

4-51. Time is important when determining desired end-state conditions. How time relates to the desired end state influences the expectation of higher authorities and influences how commanders use forces and capabilities to achieve desired conditions. The commander and planning team use diligence during the planning effort to account for the time expected to achieve desired conditions. They qualify whether the desired conditions are intended to be lasting or transient. This temporal dimension helps commanders and staffs develop an effective operational approach and manage expectations.

4-52. Commanders describe the operation’s end state by stating the desired conditions of the friendly force in relationship to desired conditions of enemy forces, terrain, and civil considerations. Commanders share and discuss their desired end state with their higher echelon commander to ensure unity of effort. Commanders may elect to discuss several proposed end states, and their respective costs, for the higher commander to consider. Planners develop visual models with supporting narratives to capture the desired end state.

4-54. The planning team frames the problem to ensure that it is solving the right problem, instead of solving the symptoms of the problem. The planning team closely examines the symptoms, the underlying tensions, and the root causes of conflict. Tension is the resistance or friction among and between actors. From this perspective, the planning team can identify the fundamental problem with greater clarity and consider more accurately how to solve it. During problem framing, commanders and staffs answer questions such as—

• What is the difference between the current state of an OE and the desired end state?

• What is the difference between the natural tendency of an OE and the desired end state?

• What is the difference between the desired end state of other actors and the commander’s desired end state?

• What is preventing the command from reaching the desired end state?

• What needs to change?

• What needs to be preserved?

• What are the opportunities and threats from a friendly perspective?

• What are the opportunities and threats from an enemy’s and other actors’ perspectives?

4-55. The planning team captures its work in a problem frame that describes the set of interrelated problems or system of problems in a narrative supported by visual models. The problem frame supports the commander’s dialogue with higher echelon commanders and unified action partners in defining problems and developing common expectations regarding resolutions. This is vital to develop an effective operational approach to solve or manage identified problems.

4-58. A technique for identifying problems begins with two questions:

• What is the difference between the current state of the OE and the desired end state?

• What is preventing the force from reaching the desired end state?

Questions for Individual Reflection

1. How often do you or your team deliberately challenge your own framing of strategic challenges?

2. What assumptions about your environment would fundamentally alter your strategy or life plan if proven wrong?

3. What narratives do your peers (or competitors) construct about themselves that you systematically ignore? What are you missing?

4. Which interconnected problems do you or your organization treat as separate issues because your mental model or functional silos demand it?

5. How well do you understand what the people closest to you actually want versus what you assume they want?

Professional Discussion Prompts

1. Which stakeholder groups' framing of your industry challenges does your leadership systematically dismiss? Why?

2. When last did your leadership team last trace current market conditions back to their historical and systemic origins? What did you learn?

3. Which critical relationships in your ecosystem does your organization ignore because acknowledging them would complicate your strategy?

4. What market forces does your organization resist because they contradict leadership's preferred narrative?

Personal Discussion Prompts

1. Which beliefs about personal or professional success have you never subjected to rigorous challenge?

2. How does your relationship with being wrong affect your ability to frame problems accurately?

3. How does your socioeconomic background create blind spots in environmental assessment?

4. Which perspectives do you avoid because they threaten your professional identity or personal narrative?

5. Which family or personal patterns do you observe but avoid analyzing for underlying causes?

Exercises

1. Actor Relationship Mapping

   1. Exercise:

      1. Individuals create detailed relationship maps for their industry ecosystem using military actor analysis methodology.

      2. Must examine relationships from multiple perspectives and identify tensions between different actors' desired end states.

      3. Focus on relationships that traditional competitive analysis overlooks or oversimplifies.

   2. Debrief:

      1. Which critical relationships does your organization's competitive analysis systematically ignore?

      2. How do relationship complexities create opportunities and threats that linear thinking misses?

      3. What actor motivations did you discover that contradict your organization's assumptions about their behavior?

2. Multiple Perspective Integration

   1. Exercise:

      1. Individuals take the same environmental challenge and frame it from three different stakeholder perspectives sequentially.

      2. Must identify how each perspective reveals different aspects of the operational environment.

      3. Synthesize insights from multiple framings into comprehensive environmental assessment.

   2. Debrief:

      1. Which environmental factors were invisible from your initial perspective but crucial from others' viewpoints?

      2. How do different actors' framing reveal opportunities and threats your organization's single perspective misses?

      3. What would change about your environmental assessment if you systematically included multiple actor perspectives?

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Borrow One Idea: Slowing Down to Speed Up

Personal and professional life planning, on an individual or family level, is challenging. The timeline is not fixed, the long-term constraints are variable, and the the penalty for failure is presumed to be high.

The challenge is perceived as either overly complex (there are too many options and unknowns) or overly simple (life planning = retirement planning = financial equation). Entire industries exist to convince us of both.

Life planning is complex (there are, in fact, a lot of variables) and necessarily must include some math equations (finances are important), but it is not rocket science. Life planning is within our intellectual grasp.

And yet, when pressed, would not most people admit that their life plan is to 1) manage the circumstances they find themselves in at present, 2) try to keep a bucket list and financial plan in balance, and 3) assume they will figure out a plan before time and new circumstances make the plan for them.

The overwhelming demands of the present, coupled with a lack of definition (and/or alignment) on what is trying to be accomplished, is the combination that leads to indefinitely pushing off detailed life planning.

The open-ended question that derails most life planning exercises is not scientific, it is personal: what is the desired end state?

What are we actually trying to accomplish?

While no one can resolve the demands of the present, there is a solution to a lack of defined end state.

It requires putting in time and energy to answer the hard question first.

To be slow and deliberate up front in order to then speed up detailed planning (or even make it possible at all).

Businesses invest significant time and resources defining their desired end states and developing the plans to achieve them. Where you find organizations investing the time and resources (strategy, product development, etc), you will frequently observe a methodology being deployed: design thinking.

It’s just not all the rage, it’s been all the rage for some time. More than a fad, more than a buzzy phrase for executives to use improperly, more than a thing to pay consultants to facilitate, design thinking is presented as the interdisciplinary antidote to overly analytic problem solving. It moves beyond the financial equation.

It should not surprise you that the military has thought through the applicability of design thinking to the crafts of leadership and planning.

The purpose of Army Design Methodology (ADM) is straightforward: it helps us figure out what the hell we are trying to do.

4-20. … When problems are difficult to identify, the operation’s end state is unclear, or a course of action (COA) is not self-evident, commanders may choose to conduct ADM. Some questions commanders consider when assessing whether conducting ADM is appropriate include—

• Is there enough information about the situation to conduct detailed planning?

• Are problems and solutions generally self-evident?

• Is there a clear desired end state?

• Is a COA evident?

• Are the known unknowns significant enough to distort detailed planning?

• Are means (resources and force structure) undetermined?

• Are there unexpected effects to actions?

• Are actions falling short of achieving the expected impact?

4-21. When problems are intuitively hard to identify or an operation’s end state is unclear, commanders may initiate ADM before their headquarters engages in detailed planning. This is often the case when developing long-range plans or orders for an operation or a new phase of an operation. … This approach is time consuming, but it provides the greatest understanding of an operating environment (OE) and its associated problems.

FM 5-0, 4-20 through 4-21, PDF page 61

Using ADM is a time consuming process, just like any exercise dedicated an important topic.

Life planning is an important topic; commit to giving it the time it deserves.

This week, borrow with pride and choose to give yourself a slow-down to think deeply: what is your clear desired end state? What is necessary to determine this? How can you create space (time and location) to think and execute a design thinking exercise for your life plan? Who else needs to be involved? What detailed planning (or real time execution) needs to be paused until you have defined the desired end state?

Get Familiar With: Army Design Methodology

4-2. Army design methodology (ADM) is a methodology for applying critical and creative thinking to understand, visualize, and describe problems and approaches to solving them (ADP 5-0). It entails framing an operational environment (OE), framing problems, and developing an operational approach to solve or manage identified problems. ADM results in an improved understanding of an OE, a problem statement, and an operational approach that serves as the link between conceptual and detailed planning.

4-4. ADM is an interdisciplinary approach to planning and problem solving. It combines military theory, writings on the nature of problems, and the challenges of critical and creative thinking. Some of these concepts, such as operational art, have long been associated with planning. Other concepts such as systems thinking and framing have taken on increased emphasis. Key concepts associated with ADM include—

• Operational art.

• Critical thinking.

• Creative thinking.

• Systems thinking.

• Collaboration and dialogue.

• Framing.

• Narrative construction.

• Visual modeling.

FM 5-0, 4-2 and 4-4, PDF page 67

What is your clear desired end state? Have you considered it from an interdisciplinary approach or have you relied on analytics and equations? If not, when will you slow down to properly frame the situation and define your desired end state?

Learn More: Suggested Reading

• FM 5-0, Planning and Orders Production

  • Chapter 4, pages 55-67 based on printed document (PDF pages 67-88)

  • US Army instructions on when and how to use Army Design Methodology

• Link to FM 5-0 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• These materials will be the focus of Thursday’s Guided Discovery

Catch Up: Last Week’s Content

Study: Your Problem Has a Type

Guided Discovery: Problem Solving

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Suggested Reading

• FM 5-0, Planning and Orders Production

  • Chapter 3, pages 45-54 based on printed document (PDF pages 59-66)

  • US Army perspective on structuring and logically addressing problems

• Link to FM 5-0 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• This week’s Study: Your Problem Has a Type

• All excerpts below are from FM 5-0 unless otherwise noted

Introduction

3-1. The ability to recognize and effectively solve problems is an essential skill for leaders. A problem is an issue or obstacle that makes it difficult to achieve a desired goal, objective, or end state. Army problem solving is a form of decision making. It is a systematic approach to defining a problem, developing possible solutions to solve the problem, arriving at the best solution, and implementing it. The object of problem solving is not just to solve near-term problems, but to also do so in a way that forms the basis for long-term success.

3-2. Not all problems require lengthy analysis to solve. For simple problems, leaders often make decisions quickly—sometimes on the spot. However, for complicated problems involving a variety of factors, a systematic problem-solving approach is essential. How much analysis is required to effectively solve a problem depends on the problem’s complexity, the leader’s experience, and amount of time available.

3-5. The art of problem solving involves subjective analysis of variables that, in many cases, cannot be easily measured. Leadership and morale, for example, are difficult to measure, but they may play a critical role in developing solutions to solve the problem. Problem solvers and decision makers make subjective assessments of such variables based on facts and assumptions and their likely effects on the outcome. Leader judgments are enhanced by their professional experience.

3-7. The structured nature of the Army problem-solving process … assists staff officers in identifying and considering key factors relevant to a problem. It also provides other officers with a framework for analyzing and solving problems. The Army problem-solving process helps to ensure that no key piece of information is overlooked in the analysis, thereby minimizing the risk of unforeseen developments or unintended consequences.

This Week’s Reading, Abridged

3-8. Problem solving is a daily activity for Army leaders, and it is often done intuitively. The Army problem-solving process is a systematic way to arrive at the best solution to a problem not easily solved intuitively. It applies at all echelons, and it involves the steps needed to develop well-reasoned, supportable actions. It incorporates risk discussion and risk management techniques appropriate to the situation. Army leaders remain as objective as possible when solving problems. The goal is to prepare an unbiased solution or recommendation for the decision maker, based on the facts. Problem solving is an important Army leadership action. It is essential to good staff work and command.

3-13. Both critical and creative thinking must intentionally include ethical reasoning-the deliberate evaluation that decisions and actions conform to accepted standards of conduct. Ethical reasoning within critical and creative thinking helps commanders and staffs anticipate ethical hazards and consider options to prevent or mitigate the hazards within their proposed solutions.

3-15. Well-structured problems are generally the easiest to solve. This is because with a well-structured problem—

• All or almost all required information is available.

• The problem is generally self-evident.

• Known methods are available to solve the problem.

• The problem displays little interactive complexity.

• The problem is generally easy to recognize and place in categories.

• There is typically a correct, verifiable answer.

3-16. Medium-structured problems are most of the problems Army leaders and problem solvers face. These types of problems fall between the extremes of well- and ill-structured problems. In partially structured problems, problem solvers may find that—

• Leaders generally agree on its structure.

• There may be more than one “right” answer.

• Leaders may disagree on the best solution.

• The problems require some creative skills to solve.

3-17. Ill-structured problems are the most challenging to understand and solve. With ill-structured problems—

• Leaders often disagree on what the true problem is or cannot agree on a shared hypothesis.

• Leaders often disagree on how to solve the problem.

• The problems are complex and involve many variables, making them difficult to accurately analyze.

• Leaders may disagree on the desired end state.

• Leaders may disagree on whether an end state is achievable.

• They may require multiple solutions applied concurrently or sequentially. Problem solvers must sometimes reduce complex ill-structured problems into smaller problems.

3-20. Leaders require facts and assumptions to solve problems. Understanding facts and assumptions is critical to understanding problem solving. In addition, leaders need to know how to handle opinions and organize information.

3-22. … Planners and commanders only use assumptions that are essential for the continuation of planning. In other words, an assumption is information that is accepted as true in the absence of facts, but at the time of planning cannot be verified. Appropriate assumptions used in decision making have two characteristics:

• They are valid; that is, they are likely to be true.

• They are necessary; that is, they are essential to continuing the problem-solving process.

3-24. When gathering information, leaders evaluate opinions carefully. An opinion is a personal judgment that the leader or another individual makes. Opinions cannot be totally discounted. They are often the result of years of experience. Leaders objectively evaluate opinions to determine whether to accept them as facts, include them as opinions, or reject them.

3-25. Organizing information includes coordination with units and agencies that may be affected by the problem or its solution. … As a minimum, leaders always coordinate with units or agencies that might be affected by a solution they propose before they present it to the decision maker.

3-28. When identifying a problem, leaders actively seek to identify its root cause, not merely the symptoms on the surface. Symptoms may be the reason that the problem became visible. They are often the first things noticed and frequently require attention. However, focusing on the symptoms of a problem may lead to false conclusions or inappropriate solutions. Using a systematic approach to identifying the real problem helps avoid the “solving symptoms” pitfall.

3-29. After identifying the root causes, leaders develop a problem statement-a statement that clearly describes the problem to be solved. When the leaders base the problem upon a directive from a higher authority, it is best to submit the problem statement to the decision maker for approval. This ensures the problem solver and decision maker agree on the problem to solve with updated guidance provided as necessary before continuing.

3-31. The third step in the problem-solving process is developing criteria. A criterion is a standard, rule, or test by which something can be judged—a measure of value. Problem solvers develop criteria to assist them in formulating and evaluating possible solutions to a problem. Criteria are based on facts or assumptions. Problem solvers develop two types of criteria: screening and evaluation.

3-32. Leaders use screening criteria to ensure that the solutions they consider can solve the problem. Screening criteria defines the limits of an acceptable solution. They are tools to establish the baseline products for analysis. Leaders may reject a solution based solely on the application of screening criteria. Leaders apply five categories of screening criteria to test a possible solution:

• Feasible—fits within available resources.

• Acceptable—worth the cost or risk.

• Suitable—solves the problem and is legal and ethical.

• Distinguishable—differs significantly from other solutions.

• Complete—contains the critical aspects of solving the problem from start to finish.

3-33. … Well-defined evaluation criteria have five elements:

• Short Title—the criterion name.

• Definition—a clear description of the feature being evaluated.

• Unit of Measure—a standard element used to quantify the criterion. Examples of units of measure are U.S. dollars, miles per gallon, and feet.

• Benchmark—a value that defines the desired state or “good” for a solution in terms of a particular criterion.

• Formula

3-37. Leaders generate options by developing various solutions to the identified problem. Each solution should generally address the following:

• Does the solution achieve the desired end state?

• What actions are required or what objectives must be achieved to reach the desired end state?

• What resources are required for the solution?

• What are the risks associated with the solution?

3-45. Leaders carefully avoid comparing solutions during analysis. Comparing solutions during analysis undermines the integrity of the process and tempts problem solvers to jump to conclusions. They examine each possible solution independently to identify its strengths and weaknesses. They are also careful not to introduce new criteria.

3-47. Quantitative techniques (such as decision matrices, select weights, and sensitivity analyses) may be used to support comparisons. However, these are the tools to support the analysis and comparison. They are not the analysis and comparison themselves. The quantitative techniques should be summarized clearly so the reader need not refer to an attachment for the results.

3-49. A good solution can be lost if the leader cannot persuade the audience and decision maker that it is correct. Every problem requires both a solution and the ability to communicate the solution clearly and effectively. The writing and briefing skills a leader possesses may ultimately be as important as good problem-solving skills.

Questions for Individual Reflection

1. When does your instinct to move fast prevent you from solving the correct problem?

2. What is the difference between a problem that ‘makes it difficult to achieve a desired goal’ versus symptoms, and what techniques do you use to recognize the delta?

3. When does your desire to remain objective in problem-solving introduce bias through what your choice in measurements?

4. How can you tell if you are solving the problem or just implementing a predetermined solution to which you are already attached?

5. How do you balance systematic thinking with emotional intelligence in life planning?

Professional Discussion Prompts

1. How do you distinguish between solving symptoms versus root causes when quarterly pressure demands immediate results?

2. When and why is it ever worth solving the wrong problem well versus solving the right problem poorly?

3. How do you structure problem-solving when the solution requires capabilities you or your team do not possess?

4. How do you evaluated whether a problem ‘ill-structured’ because of genuine complexity versus organizational politics?

5. How do you coordinate with ‘units that might be affected’ when those units are competitors, regulators, or activist investors?

Personal Discussion Prompts

1. What personal assumptions do you treat as facts in your closest relationships?

2. What problems in your personal life are you avoiding because they are too complex? What needs to change?

3. What evaluation criteria do you unconsciously use when making major life decisions? What needs to change?

4. How do you brainstorm family decisions when ‘unrestrained participation’ conflicts with a need to maintain parental authority?

5. What feedback systems do you have for monitoring whether your personal solutions created new problems? How often do you review?

Exercises

1. Problem Statement Reality Check

   1. Exercise:

      1. Each member brings a current business problem faced by them or their team.

      2. Apply the Army's root cause questions: compare current to desired state, define scope, answer who/what/when/where/why.

      3. Rewrite problem statements after systematic analysis.

   2. Debrief:

      1. How many of your problems were actually symptoms of deeper issues?

      2. What changed when you defined scope and boundaries systematically?

      3. Which root causes require solutions outside your direct control?

2. Screening Criteria Development

   1. Exercise:

      1. Design screening criteria (feasible, acceptable, suitable, distinguishable, complete) for a transformation initiative.

      2. Apply criteria to both incremental and breakthrough solution options.

      3. Identify how screening criteria might eliminate more revolutionary possibilities.

   2. Debrief:

      1. When do your screening criteria embed status quo thinking?

      2. How might risk criteria filter out necessary disruption?

      3. How challenging is it to agree on criteria and why?

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Borrow One Idea: Determine a Problem’s Structure

Making life plans in 2025 is not easy.

Current trends, global events, the pace of technological change, rapidly shifting cultural norms, increasing dramatic socioeconomic turbulence.

In the course of human history has it ever been this difficult to make long-range life plans with confidence?

Yes.

It might have been similarly challenging in the 1940’s, during a world war. Or during the 1970’s, when western countries were flailing. Or during the 1890’s, when communication and transportation advancements were progressing at an exponential rate and immigration to America was restructuring most cities.

Or, maybe it wasn’t. Not because life was not previously messy and complex, but because the individual and societal expectation to make ‘life plans’ did not exist. Maybe people just lived their lives, without a plan?

Perhaps that is incorrect as well, and all then was as it is today: life planning is the provenance of the more financially secure. Perhaps there is just more planning now because increasing human wealth and satisfaction of base needs has naturally resulted in more time to make plans?

I’d hypothesize it is the result of humans having more time, but also having more of three additional ingredients:

1. Increased understanding of available options;

2. Improved information detailing how to access or achieve options;

3. Expanded individual agency to execute plans via structural, regulatory, and educational enhancements.

Life planning in 2025 feels complex for many reasons, but few of those reasons are related to scarcity. Too many options, too much information, and the possible lack of restraints on agency add significant complexity, blurring the lines between distinct problems and expanding the scope of the problems we might need to solve.

The current problems complicating our ability to effectively life plan in 2025 are real, but the actual level of complexity is also a result of how we perceive the problems.

Army leaders are problem solvers and the complexity of problems they address range from well- structured problems to those extremely complex and ill-structured. The degree of interactive complexity of a given situation is the primary factor that determines the problem’s structure. Another factor determining problem structure is an individual perception of a problem. Perception of whether a problem is well, medium, or ill-structured depends on the perceived familiarity and understanding of the problem.

ATP 5-0.1, 4-2, PDF page 41

Right now, as humans trying to life plan, the perception is largely that we are dealing with ill-structured problems. Some problems are truly ill-structured at present, for example, ‘what role will AI play in my child’s career and how do I prepare them for it?’ is an expansive quandary.

More questions, however, only seem ill-structured because humans have a tendency to bundle problems, regardless of whether they are truly connected.

3-17. Ill-structured problems are the most challenging to understand and solve. With ill-structured problems—

• Leaders often disagree on what the true problem is or cannot agree on a shared hypothesis.

• Leaders often disagree on how to solve the problem.

• The problems are complex and involve many variables, making them difficult to accurately analyze.

• Leaders may disagree on the desired end state.

• Leaders may disagree on whether an end state is achievable.

• They may require multiple solutions applied concurrently or sequentially. Problem solvers must sometimes reduce complex ill-structured problems into smaller problems.

FM 5-0, 3-17, PDF page 61

Breaking an ill-structured problem into smaller problems generally results in a larger set of well- and medium-structured problems (the US Army notes that most problems leaders need to solve are of the medium variety).

Problem structure is a result of actual complexity + perception. Perception is a result of familiarity. Right now, humans are faced with problems that are actually complex and that are appearing in contexts that lack familiarity. But this does not mean our problems are entirely ill-structured. It means we need to structure our problems better.

In the coming weeks, Borrowing with Pride will focus leveraging military decision-making and planning processes to build and improve life planning. We’ll begin with basic techniques (Army Problem Solving), then move to methods (Army Design Methodology), and then spend time on process (Military Decision-Making Process) as tools to assist us in developing our personal, professional, strategic and tactical life plans.

The first step is determining what the problem is and how it is structured.

This week, borrow with pride and define the life planning problem(s) you are trying to actually solve. How is it structured? Are there differences in perception as to the problem and/or the complexity? Where do you need alignment or agreement to begin solution development? Does it need to be be broken down into smaller problems?

Get Familiar With: Problem Solving

3-1. The ability to recognize and effectively solve problems is an essential skill for leaders. A problem is an issue or obstacle that makes it difficult to achieve a desired goal, objective, or end state. Army problem solving is a form of decision making. It is a systematic approach to defining a problem, developing possible solutions to solve the problem, arriving at the best solution, and implementing it. The object of problem solving is not just to solve near-term problems, but to also do so in a way that forms the basis for long-term success.

3-2. Not all problems require lengthy analysis to solve. For simple problems, leaders often make decisions quickly—sometimes on the spot. However, for complicated problems involving a variety of factors, a systematic problem-solving approach is essential. How much analysis is required to effectively solve a problem depends on the problem’s complexity, the leader’s experience, and amount of time available.

FM 5-0, 3-1 and 3-2, PDF page 45

What problem are you trying to solve? Do you use the same technique to solve all problems? Do you have a technique? Is problem solving a reactive or proactive process? Do you problem solve for the near-term or in a way that supports long term success?

Learn More: Suggested Reading

• FM 5-0, Planning and Orders Production

  • Chapter 3, pages 45-54 based on printed document (PDF pages 59-66)

  • US Army perspective on structuring and logically addressing problems

• Link to FM 5-0 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• These materials will be the focus of Thursday’s Guided Discovery

Catch Up: Last Week’s Content

Study: Posture

Guided Discovery: Drill & Ceremony

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Suggested Reading

• TC 3-21.5, Drill and Ceremonies

  • Pages 1-1 through 3-5 based on printed document (PDF pages 13-29)

  • An introduction to drill and ceremony, focused on instructions and commands

• Link to TC 3-21.5 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• This week’s Study: Posture

• All excerpts below are from TC 3-21.5 unless otherwise noted

Introduction

1-1. Military history reveals that armies throughout the world participated in some form of drill. The primary value of drill, historically, is to prepare troops for battle. For the most part, the drill procedures practiced are identical to the tactical maneuvers employed on the battlefield. Drill enables commanders to quickly move their forces from one point to another, mass their forces into a battle formation that affords maximum firepower, and maneuver those forces as the situation develops.

1-3. … General Washington … enlisted the aid of Prussian officer Baron Friedrich von Steuben. Upon his arrival at Valley Forge on 23 February 1778, von Steuben … met an army of several thousand wretched, half-starved men in rags. He commented that a European army could not be kept together in such a state. To correct the conditions that prevailed, he set to work immediately and wrote drill movements and regulations at night and taught them the following day to a model company of 120 men selected from the line.

1-4. Discipline became a part of military life for these selected individuals as they learned to respond to command without hesitation. This new discipline instilled in them a sense of alertness, urgency, and attention to detail. Their confidence in themselves and their weapon grew as each Soldier perfected the fifteen 1-second movements required to load and fire their musket. As the Americans mastered the art of drill, they began to work as a team and to develop pride in themselves and in their units.

1-5. Watching this model company drill, observers were amazed to see how quickly and orderly the troops could be massed and maneuvered into different battle formations. Officers observed that organization, chain of command, and control were improved as each Soldier had a specific place and task within the formation. Later, the members of the model company were distributed throughout the Army to teach drill. Through drill, they improved the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the Army.

This Week’s Reading, Abridged

1-14. … There are five classes of bugle calls: warning calls, formation calls, alarm calls, service calls, and ceremonial calls. Some of the most popular and significant bugle calls are—

ATTENTION. This is taken from the British “Alarm,” at which call the troops turned out under arms. Attention is a parade bugle call letting Soldiers know that they are going to be called to the Position of Attention.

ADJUTANT’S CALL. The adjutant’s call indicates that the adjutant is about to form the guard, battalion, or regiment.

FIRST CALL. First call is the bugle call that signals to the troops as a warning that personnel will prepare to assemble for a formation. This bugle call lets Soldiers know to move to the designated formation area.

REVEILLE. Reveille is the bugle call played to signal the troops to awaken for morning roll call and coincides with the raising of the national Color.

MESS CALL. The mess call is the bugle call that signals mealtime.

RETREAT. Retreat is the ceremony that pays honors to the national flag when it is lowered in the evening.

TO THE COLOR. The old Cavalry call, “To the Standard,” in use from about 1835, was replaced by the present call of “To the Color.” This bugle call is played immediately after the playing of retreat.

TATTOO. Tattoo is a popular bugle call that is played later in the evening prior to “Taps” and signals to Soldiers that all loud talking and other disturbances must be discontinued within 15 minutes.

“TAPS.” “Taps” is played on some military installations late in the evening as it signals “lights out” (extinguish all unauthorized lights). “Taps” was adapted by Union General Daniel Butterfield for his brigade back in July of 1862. “Taps” is also played at military funerals and is known to be one of the military’s most recognizable and emotional bugle call.

2-3. To ensure that a Soldier develops satisfactory proficiency during the time allotted and to ensure a complete and consistent presentation by the drill instructor, each movement, regardless of the method used, should be presented using three teaching stages—

• Explanation.

• Demonstration.

• Practice.

2-9. … Note. Notice that when marching, there are five steps in the step-by-step method of instruction: 1–Preparatory command step; 2–Intermediate step; 3–Command of execution step; 4–Additional step; and 5–Action step.

2-10. (Talk-through method of instruction) Demonstrations are combined. Each movement is orally described. In this method, the explanation and action by individuals is executed as the instructor tells the demonstrators what they want them to do and how to do it. The demonstrators execute the movement as the instructor describes it; then, the instructor has the demonstrators execute the movement at normal cadence.

2-16. Instructors could use one of the four formation types when providing instructions to their formation while conducting drill. In all phases of drill, instruction and practical work can best be presented by using the U-formation or line formation. As a rule, stationary movements are taught using the U-formation; marching movements, including squad, platoon, and company drills, are best taught from the line formation. Instructors also have the option to use the extended rectangular and circular formations. Soldiers should be taught in the smallest formation possible to ensure individual attention; however, squad drill, whenever possible, should be taught to squad-size units, platoon drill to platoon-size units, and company drill to company-size units.

2-24. When acting as instructors or assistant instructors, officers and NCOs go wherever they are needed. They correct mistakes and ensure steadiness and proper performance in ranks. When Soldiers shows that they are unable to execute the proper movements or assume the proper position, the instructor may physically assist them.

2-26. To count cadence while marching at quick time, the instructor gives the preparatory command, Count Cadence, as the left foot strikes the marching surface, and the command of execution, COUNT, the next time the left foot strikes the marching surface. The Soldier begins to count the next time the left foot strikes the marching surface and counts as each foot strikes the marching surface—ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR; ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR. To count cadence while double-timing, the procedures are basically the same, except the Soldier only counts each time the left foot strikes the marching surface. To maintain cadence when marching, Soldiers will be allowed to sing, or a drummer’s beat may provide cadence.

2-28. As Soldiers begin to master the art of drill, instructors encourage a spirit of competition among individuals and between units. Although repetition is necessary when teaching drill, instructors use competitive drill exercises to ensure that drill does not become boring or monotonous.

3-6. Supplementary commands are verbal orders, given by a subordinate leader, that reinforce and complement a commander’s order. They ensure proper understanding and execution of a movement. They extend to the lowest subordinate leader exercising control over an element affected by the command as separate element within the same formation.

3-11. When no direction is given, the response is understood to be Forward; when no rate of march is given, the response is Quick Time. Normally, when a direction or rate of march is included in the preparatory command, only the direction or rate of march is given as a supplementary command.

3-12. Directives are oral orders given by the commander that direct or cause a subordinate leader to act. The commander gives directives rather than commands when it is more appropriate for subordinate elements to execute a movement or perform a task as independent elements of the same formation:

• TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR UNITS is the only directive on which a commander relinquishes their command and on which salutes are exchanged.

• Directives are given in sentence form and are normally prefaced by the terms HAVE YOUR UNITS or BRING YOUR UNITS.

3-13. A correctly delivered command will be understood by everyone in the unit. Correct commands have a tone, cadence, and snap that demand willing, correct, and immediate response.

3-14. The loudness of a command is adjusted to the number of Soldiers in the unit. Normally, the commander is to the front and center of the unit and speaks facing the unit so that their voice reaches everyone. The voice must have carrying power, but excessive exertion is unnecessary and harmful. A typical result of trying too hard is the almost unconscious tightening of the neck muscles to force sound out. This produces strain, hoarseness, sore throat, and worst of all, indistinct and jumbled sounds instead of clear commands. Ease of giving proper commands is achieved through good posture, proper breathing, correct adjustment of throat and mouth muscles, and confidence.

3-15. The best posture for giving commands is the Position of Attention. Soldiers in formation notice the posture of their leader: if the leaders’ posture is unmilitary—relaxed, slouched, stiff, or uneasy—the subordinates will imitate it.

3-18. To develop the ability to give clear, distinct commands, practice giving commands slowly and carefully, prolonging the syllables. Then, gradually increase the rate of delivery to develop proper cadence, still enunciating each syllable distinctly.

3-19. Inflection is the rise and fall in pitch and the tone changes of the voice. Inflection is going to change when giving preparatory command, command of execution, and combined commands.

3-20. The preparatory command is the command that indicates movement. Pronounce each preparatory command with a rising inflection. The most desirable pitch when beginning a preparatory command is near the level of the natural speaking voice. A common fault made by beginners is to start the preparatory command in a pitch so high that, after employing a rising inflection for the preparatory command, it is impossible to give the command of execution with clarity and without strain. A good rule to remember: begin a command near the natural pitch of the voice.

3-21. The command of execution is the command that indicates when a movement is to be executed. Give it in a sharper tone and in a slightly higher pitch than the last syllable of the preparatory command. It must be given with plenty of snap. The best way to develop a command voice is to practice.

3-23. Cadence, in commands, means a uniform and rhythmic flow of words. The interval between commands is uniform in length for any given troop unit. This is necessary so that everyone in the unit can understand the preparatory command and will know when to expect the command of execution.

Questions for Individual Reflection

1. When has your demonstration of discipline intimidated others versus inspired?

2. What is the relationship between personal discipline and your ability to command respect?

3. What happens to organizational discipline when you skip the "explanation, demonstration, practice" sequence in implementing new strategies?

4. How do you demonstrate discipline in your communication timing? How do you know when to give a preparatory command versus when to execute immediately?

5. What's the difference between demanding compliance and inspiring disciplined execution and how is it reflected in your leadership style?

6. How do you maintain discipline during periods of great success?

Professional Discussion Prompts

1. What is the corporate equivalent of drill and how do you know when you have too much versus too little?

2. When should C-suite executives personally model procedural compliance versus delegating it entirely?

3. What role should ceremony play in modern corporate culture (board meetings, all-hands, quarterly reviews, etc)?

4. When should executives visibly demonstrate discipline versus modeling flexibility?

5. When does your organization need ceremonial elements to reinforce culture and how do you evaluate the resource needs of such activities?

Personal Discussion Prompts

1. How do you maintain personal discipline in your daily routines without becoming rigid or inflexible?

2. How do you teach your children the value of discipline without crushing their creativity?

3. When has demonstrating discipline in your personal life required sacrificing relationships?

4. How do you maintain personal "formation" when your family dynamics are chaotic or unpredictable?

5. How do you teach your children to respond to preparatory commands versus immediate execution demands?

Exercises

1. Discipline Audit

   1. Exercise:

      1. Write down every disciplined behavior you demonstrated yesterday, hour by hour.

      2. Categorize each as: visible to others, invisible to others, or performed for others.

      3. Identify patterns in when and why you demonstrate discipline.

   2. Debrief:

      1. What percentage of your disciplined behaviors are performed for external validation?

      2. Which invisible disciplines contribute most to your professional effectiveness?

      3. When do you perform discipline that serves no practical purpose?

2. Tradition vs Innovation Debate

   1. Exercise:

      1. Teams debate whether to maintain long-standing company traditions (annual events, processes, values, etc). Take sides.

      2. Estimate and address ROI, employee engagement, and competitive advantage in the debate.

   2. Debrief:

      1. How do you measure the value of intangible cultural elements?

      2. When do traditions become liabilities? When are they strategic assets?

      3. What is the risk of changing too much or too little in organizational transformation?

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Borrow One Idea: Stand at Attention

When I was in fourth grade, I was the ring bearer at my cousin’s wedding. It was a very hot day in a church without air conditioning. I was a 10 year old in a tux. The best man kept telling me to stand up straighter. Even before the vows occurred, I needed to walk off, stage right. I was reacting to feeling woozy…at the time I did not appreciate that there was a real risk of pitching over in dangerous or comical fashion.

The key to standing at attention is to not lock the knees.

Locking your knees reduces blood flow in your lower extremities, causing pooling and reduced pressure through the rest of your vascular system, thereby decreasing the amount of oxygen to the brain.

Which can result in a face-plant.

There is a correct way to stand at attention.

4-3. Two commands can be used to put personnel at the Position of Attention:

• FALL IN is used to assemble a formation or return it to its original configuration.

• The two-part command for Attention is used for Soldiers at a rest position. Assume the Position of Attention on the command FALL IN or the command Squad (Platoon), ATTENTION.

4-4. To assume this position, bring the heels together sharply on line, with the toes pointing out equally, forming a 45-degree angle. Rest the weight of the body evenly on the heels and balls of both feet. Keep the legs straight without locking the knees. Hold the body erect with the hips level, chest lifted and arched, and shoulders square. Keep the head erect and face straight to the front with the chin drawn in so alignment of the head and neck is vertical.

4-5. Let the arms hang straight without stiffness. Curl the fingers so that the tips of the thumbs are alongside and touching the first joint of the forefingers. Keep the thumbs straight along the seams of the trouser leg with the first joint of the fingers touching the trousers (see figure 4-1 on page 4-2). Remain silent and do not move unless otherwise directed.

Note. This position is assumed by enlisted Soldiers when addressing officers, or when officers are addressing officers of superior rank.

TC 3-21.5, Chapter 4, PDF page 31

Even if you do not need to stand ramrod straight in a formation, how you stand and carry yourself matters.

Posture matters.

Standing at attention, with your eyes to the horizon, demonstrates confidence. It allows individuals to interact while conveying hierarchical and interpersonal respect. It establishes presence.

The ability to stand at attention, however we modify it for professional settings, is the result of discipline. It takes actual practice. The tendency is to relax or slouch.

Slouching, to be clear, is not a result of a lack of discipline. Slouchers might be highly disciplined. But they do not look like it.

The person standing up straight, with good posture, is understood to be disciplined. Engaged. Attentive. Ready.

When demonstrated, this discipline inspires emulation from those around you.

This week, borrow with pride and write and focus on your posture. Which of your behaviors and actions are emulatable? How do you carry yourself throughout the day?How do you demonstrate discipline?

Get Familiar With: Drill & Ceremonies

The purpose of drill is to enable commanders or noncommissioned officers (NCOs) to move their unit from one place to another in an orderly manner, to aid in disciplinary training by instilling habits of precision and response to the leader’s orders, and to provide for the development of all Soldiers in the practice of commanding troops.
…

In 1775, when this country was striving for independence and existence, the Nation’s leaders were confronted with the problem of not only establishing a government but also of organizing an Army that was already engaged in war. From the “shot heard around the world,” on 19 April 1775, until Valley Forge in 1778, Revolutionary forces were little more than a group of civilians fighting Indian-style against well-trained, highly disciplined British Redcoats. For three years, General George Washington’s troops had endured many hardships—lack of funds, rations, clothing, and equipment. They had also suffered numerous losses to the superior British forces. These hardships and losses mostly stemmed from the lack of a military atmosphere in the country, resulting in the creation of an Army with little or no organization, control, discipline, or teamwork.

TC 3-21.5, 1-1 and 1-2, PDF page 13

How do you demonstrate discipline? What training or practice in your organization seems minor but has major impact? When does an organization (or you) need to add more control and discipline? When does discipline become rigidity? What drills and ceremonies add to a professional atmosphere of excellence?

Learn More: Suggested Reading

• TC 3-21.5, Drill and Ceremonies

  • Pages 1-1 through 3-5 based on printed document (PDF pages 13-29)

  • An introduction to drill and ceremony, focused on instructions and commands

• Link to TC 3-21.5 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• These materials will be the focus of Thursday’s Guided Discovery

Catch Up: Last Week’s Content

Study: Organizational & Strategic Leadership

Guided Discovery: Write

Subscribe now

Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 9-1 through 10-8 based on printed document (PDF pages 107-122)

  • Applying the US Army’s ten competencies of leadership to organizational and strategic leaders

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• This week’s Study: Write

• All excerpts below are from ADP 6-22 unless otherwise noted

Introduction

9-5. Given the increased size of their organizations, organizational leaders influence indirectly more often than directly. Soldiers and subordinate leaders look to their organizational leaders to set achievable standards, to provide clear intent, and to provide the necessary resources. Decisions and actions by organizational leaders have greater consequences for more people over a longer time than those of direct leaders. Since the connections between action and effect are sometimes more remote and difficult to see, organizational leaders spend more time than direct leaders coordinating, thinking, and reflecting about what they are doing and how they are doing it.

9-6. While organizational leaders primarily exert direct influence through their chain of command and staff, they extend influence beyond their chain of command and organization by other means. These other means include persuasion, empowerment, motivation, negotiation, conflict resolution, bargaining, advocacy, and diplomacy.

9-7. Today’s operations present Army leaders, particularly organizational leaders, with nonlinear, dynamic, and ambiguous conditions. These varied, information-intense conditions challenge leaders to synchronize efforts beyond the traditional military chain of command. Likely mission complexities demand the full integration and cooperation of unified action partners to accomplish missions.

This Week’s Reading, Abridged

9-9. The Army’s organizational leaders play a critical part in maintaining focus on fighting the enemy and not the plan.

9-10. Organizational leaders position themselves with the necessary means to maintain contact with critical elements and headquarters. Proximity to operations provides organizational commanders with the required awareness to apply quick creative thinking in collaboration with subordinate leaders. Proximity facilitates adjustments for deficiencies in planning and shortens reaction time when applying sound tactical and operational solutions to changing realities.

9-11. Organizational leaders prioritize what changes their organization will pursue and guide their organizations through several steps to ensure their initiatives for change last. The steps of the leading change process are—

• Assess the need for change (anticipate problems or identify opportunities).

• Build a guiding coalition.

• Create and communicate a compelling vision.

• Determine how to implement vision (design plan, gather resources).

• Empower others to act.

• Facilitate learning (promote new skill development).

• Goal reinforcement (identify and reinforce evidence of progress).

• Hone the change process through monitoring and reinvesting.

• Institutionalize change (modify policies or procedures).

9-13. Communicating openly and clearly with superiors is important for organizational leaders.

9-20. The demands on leaders vary at different levels. While leader competencies stay the same across levels, moving from direct to the organizational level requires a shift in approach. What may occupy a great deal of a leader’s time at a lower level (for example, face-to-face supervision of Soldiers) involves less time at higher levels. Certain technical skills vital to a direct leader will be of less importance to an organizational leader who must spend time on system-wide issues. Leaders need to accustom themselves to rely on less direct means of direction, control, and monitoring to aid their transition in the scope and breadth of responsibilities.

9-22. Self-aware organizational leaders who know their organizations generally achieve high quality results and do not shy away from asking close subordinates to give informal feedback as part of an open, transparent assessment and feedback effort.

9-27. By circulating among subordinate units, organizational leaders can assess subordinates’ understanding of intent, preparation, execution, and assure successful command and control. Organizational leaders learn about units in the task organization and personally motivate Soldiers by their presence. Organizational leaders work with subordinate units to create shared understanding. Together they identify options of greatest value and manage high-risk actions.

9-32. Building a high-performing staff begins with putting the right people in the right positions. Organizational leaders make time to evaluate the staff and develop them to full capability. They avoid micromanaging the staff while trusting and empowering them to think creatively and provide truthful answers and feasible options.

9-35. Organizational leaders are more likely than direct leaders to provide guidance and make decisions with incomplete information. Part of the organizational leaders’ analysis must determine which decisions to make themselves or push to lower levels.

9-36. During operations, organizational leaders integrate and synchronize available resources. They assign missions and empower their subordinates to execute within the given intent. Effective organizational leaders must be resourcing experts, which requires significant education and self-study.

9-37. Organizational leaders are stewards of their people’s time and energy, as well as their own.

9-40. While a single leader in isolation can make good decisions, the organizational leader needs a creative staff to make quality decisions during continuous operations of long duration.

10-1. Strategic leaders represent a finely balanced combination of high-level thinkers, accomplished Soldiers, and military experts. … They often personally spearhead change. Their policies guide lifecycles and talent management of all Army personnel. They guide the design and employment of technological advances and establish programs that care for Army families.

10-2. Strategic leadership … focuses on influencing Army culture, securing and prioritizing resources, and shaping and supporting organizational and direct level leaders. These goals are realized through directives, policies, programs, systems, and consensus building.

10-3. At the strategic level, senior Army leaders address ends, ways, and means to accomplish global missions.

10-5. Strategic leaders must think in multiple timelines to anticipate change and be agile to manage change. Strategic leaders extend influence in conditions where they interact with other high-level leaders and influential figures over whom they have minimal formal authority or no authority at all.

10-6. They operate in intricate networks of overlapping and sometimes competing constituencies.

10-9. While direct and organizational leaders have a more near- and mid-term focus, strategic leaders must concentrate on the future. They spend much of their time looking toward long-term goals and positioning for long-term success as they contend with mid-term and immediate issues.

10-10. To create powerful organizations and institutions capable of adaptation, strategic leaders and their staffs develop networks of knowledgeable individuals who can positively develop their own organizations. … Strategic leaders adeptly read other people while disciplining their own actions and reactions. Strategic leaders influence external events by providing quality leadership, timely and relevant information, and access to the right people and agencies.

10-12. A truly effective strategic leader understands the organization from multiple perspectives, transcending from an inside perspective to understanding the views of outsiders. Strategic leaders are able to move beyond their own experiential biases to view the environment and their mission objectively. Through formal and informal networks, strategic leaders actively seek information relevant to their organizations as well as subject matter experts who can help.

10-13. Strategic leaders need an acute sense of timing—knowing when to accept risk and proceed vigorously or when to proceed incrementally, testing the waters as they go. Their insight on issues is strong, and they can skillfully sort relevant from irrelevant connections.

10-15. Strategic leaders seek to keep their vision consistent with external conditions, alliance goals, and national strategy. They incorporate new ideas, technologies, and capabilities. From a mix of ideas, facts, conjecture, and personal experience, they create an image of their organizations and the means to achieve desired results.

10-16. The ability to provide clear vision is vital to the strategic leader. The strategic leader’s vision provides the ultimate sense of purpose, direction, and motivation. This vision is the starting point for developing goals and plans, measuring accomplishment, and checking organizational values. For a vision to be effective, the strategic leader must personally commit to it, gain commitment from the organization as a whole, and persistently pursue the goals and objectives that will spread the vision throughout the organization.

10-17. Strategic leaders rely on writing and public speaking to reinforce their central messages.

10-18. Strategic leaders must often rely on negotiation skills to obtain the cooperation and support necessary to accomplish a mission. To resolve conflicting views, strategic leaders visualize several possible end states while maintaining a clear idea of the best end state from the national command’s perspective. Strategic leaders must use tact to justify standing firm on nonnegotiable points while still communicating respect for other participants.

10-19. A successful negotiator must be particularly skilled in active listening.

10-20. To reach acceptable consensus in negotiations, strategic leaders often circulate proposals early so that further negotiations can focus on critical issues and solutions.

10-21. Outside Army boundaries, strategic leaders have roles as integrator, alliance builder, negotiator, and arbitrator. … They focus on the health of the relationships necessary to achieve the end state. Interpersonal contact sets the tone for professional relations: strategic leaders must be tactful.

10-25. Strategic leaders best address complexity by embracing it. This means they expand their frame of reference to fit a situation rather than reducing a situation to fit their preconceptions.

10-26. Resiliency is the product of work-life balance, effective time management, family and peer support systems, along with access to executive health programs and education about stressors.

10-27. Words have international consequences at the strategic level. … One prominent difference between strategic leaders and leaders at other levels is the greater emphasis on symbolic communication. Strategic leaders must carefully consider the enduring nature of all their communications. Strategic leaders’ words, decisions, and actions often have consequences beyond their immediate intent.

10-28. To achieve desired outcomes, strategic leaders commit to a few powerful and consistent messages that they repeat in different settings. They devise and follow a communications plan outlining how to address each audience. When preparing to address an audience, they determine its composition and agenda beforehand so they know how best to reach its members.

10-40. More than a matter of following formats and structured sessions, mentoring by strategic leaders means giving the right people an intellectual boost so that they make the leap to successfully operating and creatively thinking at the highest levels.

10-42. Because they must be able to compensate for their own weaknesses, strategic leaders cannot afford to have staffs that blindly agree with everything they say. Strategic leaders encourage staffs to participate in open and candid dialogue with them, discuss alternative points of view, and explore all facts, assumptions, and implications.

Questions for Individual Reflection

1. Which influence method do you over-rely on: persuasion, empowerment, motivation, or negotiation? What does that reveal about your leadership gaps?

2. If delegation requires convincing subordinates they are empowered, why do most executives struggle to let go of decision-making authority?

3. Why do some executives resist the transition from direct to indirect influence, even when it is required to scale their impact?

4. Strategic leaders are held accountable for decisions made by people they never meet. How might this change your approach to organizational design?

5. How would your leadership style change if you had to influence the senior leaders in your organization rather than report to them?

Professional Discussion Prompts

1. What is the equivalent to unified action partners for your organization and how effectively do you leverage them?

2. How do you balance executing current strategy while building future capability?

3. How do your immediate decisions support or undermine your 20-year vision?

4. When organizational leaders delegate authority, they empower subordinates within commander's intent. When strategic leaders delegate, they create autonomous institutions. Is there a level of delegation that makes you uncomfortable?

5. How would your current decisions change if you were evaluated in ten years?

Personal Discussion Prompts

1. What does your family actually think about your leadership style at home?

2. Who in your personal life challenges your thinking most effectively?

3. How does tolerating ambiguity in professional decisions apply to major personal choices you've made?

4. Strategic leaders subordinate personal recognition to institutional success. Are there personal needs for acknowledgment which you find hard to let go?

5. When extending influence means being judged by standards you did not set, by people you will not meet, how does this change your relationship with criticism?

Exercises

1. Indirect Influence Mapping

   1. Exercise:

      1. Individuals map their current influence networks beyond direct reports.

      2. Create action plans for strengthening weak network connections.

      3. Present influence strategies that do not rely on positional authority.

   2. Debrief:

      1. What gaps in your influence network create strategic vulnerabilities for your organization?

      2. How do you build trust with stakeholders who have competing priorities?

      3. When is indirect influence more powerful than direct authority?

2. Time Horizon Reality Check

   1. Exercise:

      1. Individually, assess what percentage of personal leadership attention goes to quarterly, annual, five-year, and decade-plus outcomes.

      2. Share decisions where short-term pressures compromised long-term positioning.

      3. Examine whether their current role demands strategic thinking or operational excellence.

   2. Debrief:

      1. What would change in your leadership approach if you were evaluated in ten years instead of quarterly?

      2. How do you resist organizational pressure to focus on immediate results?

      3. Which long-term investments are you avoiding because they are politically difficult today?

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Borrow One Idea: Write

“Every man has two deaths, when he is buried in the ground and the last time someone says his name. In some ways men can be immortal.” - Ernest Hemingway (probably / maybe)

The same is true professionally. There is the day you depart a job (voluntarily or not) and the last day your name is referenced within that company, organization, or team (positively or not).

I’m not sure the day Walt Shill left Accenture, it was nearly a decade ago I’d guess, but he is nowhere close to his second Accenture death (he’s also very much alive as a human being).

Inevitably, whenever there are large leadership meetings, you’ll hear Walt’s name mentioned. Sometimes he comes up when Managing Directors are speaking with each other. Occasionally he’ll be held up as an example in a team room conversation. His name is heard.

Not invoked; he was senior but not of that stature. Not in reverence; he was well liked but his persona was approachable, near folksy. Rather in fond memory; an individual as well as a representation of an era in the organization’s history that is remembered kindly.

Walt had decades of experience, so a lot of people knew (and still know) him on a personal level. Walt was a senior leader, so people who did not know him personally might know his name. Neither accounts for the longevity and breadth of his name being spoken at the firm.

The reason everyone remembers and talks about Walt, years after he departed the firm, is his Friday Thoughts.

Walt was a story teller. One of his mediums was writing. On Fridays, obviously, he would publish Friday Thoughts, combining a business story with light coaching or reflections. Most were good, but there were a few home-runs that have lived in the corporation’s Outlook servers in perpetuity. People kept them.

He wrote about personal mistakes and lessons learned the hard way. He wrote about how to best be in service to others, as a consultant and as a human. People remember their favorite stories.

“Always free and worth every penny” was the tagline for Friday Thoughts. There never appeared to be any editing. Walt uses ellipses like he’s paid by the period. People recall how the writing changed how they thought and acted.

Walt restarted Friday Thoughts a few years ago, beyond corporate confines, though without the addition of historical archives (alas). The reestablishing of Friday Thoughts triggered numerous emails and pings throughout Accenture. It’s still available, though has been quiet in more recent times.

Friday Thoughts

Always free and worth every penny.

By Walt Shill

Walt’s name has not died at Accenture because Walt’s reach exceeded his personal interactions. Leading at a time before video calls, for most people in Accenture’s expansive organization, Walt would have only existed as a voice who spoke on conference calls.

Except that he personalized and personified himself and his values in his writing. You knew Walt, even if you did not know Walt.

6-12. Leaders read about, write about, and practice their profession.
…
6-47. Leaders should also take the opportunity to write about their experiences, sharing their insights with others in professional journals or books.
…
10-17. Strategic leaders rely on writing and public speaking to reinforce their central messages.

ADP 6-22, PDF pages 80, 87 and 117

Writing is an excellent way to extend your reach. Writing requires focused time and introspection, things we benefit from in increased quantities. Writing helps us evaluate (and record) our own memories. Writing helps connect people who learn in connect in ways that are less auditory and verbal. Writing can travel beyond the immediate audience. Writing is an excellent way to extend your reach.

So write.

This week, borrow with pride and write about a professional experience that has impacted how you think or act. What feelings do your reflections provoke? Who else can learn from your experience? How do people discover who you are and what you believe when they have not met you personally? How do you extend your reach?

Get Familiar With: Indirect Leadership

9-5. Given the increased size of their organizations, organizational leaders influence indirectly more often than directly. Soldiers and subordinate leaders look to their organizational leaders to set achievable standards, to provide clear intent, and to provide the necessary resources. Decisions and actions by organizational leaders have greater consequences for more people over a longer time than those of direct leaders. Since the connections between action and effect are sometimes more remote and difficult to see, organizational leaders spend more time than direct leaders coordinating, thinking, and reflecting about what they are doing and how they are doing it.
…
10-9. While direct and organizational leaders have a more near- and mid-term focus, strategic leaders must concentrate on the future. They spend much of their time looking toward long-term goals and positioning for long-term success as they contend with mid-term and immediate issues.

ADP 6-22, PDF pages 108 and 116

How do you extend your reach? What is required of indirect leaders to be truly impactful? Does the idea of having the title of strategic leader appeal more than the ambiguity of being a strategic leader? What are your techniques to influence teams you do not directly lead? How do indirect leaders know when they are being effective?

Learn More: Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 9-1 through 10-8 based on printed document (PDF pages 107-122)

  • Applying the US Army’s ten competencies of leadership to organizational and strategic leaders

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• These materials will be the focus of Thursday’s Guided Discovery

Catch Up: Last Week’s Content

Study: Train Your Replacement

Guided Discovery: Prioritizing Development

Subscribe now

Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 6-1 through 7-4 based on printed document (PDF pages 79-98)

  • Reviewing the US Army’s five competencies for developing and achieving: prepares self, creates a positive environment, develops others, stewards the profession, and gets results

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• This week’s Study: Train Your Replacement

• All excerpts below are from ADP 6-22 unless otherwise noted

Introduction

6-2. Leaders develop their own leadership proficiency through deliberate study, feedback, and practice. Fundamentally, leadership develops when an individual desires to improve and invests effort, their superior supports development, and the organizational climate values learning. Learning to be a leader requires knowledge of leadership, experience using this knowledge, and feedback from one’s seniors, peers, and subordinates. It also requires opportunities to practice leading others as often as possible. Formal systems such as evaluation reports, academic evaluation reports, and 360 assessments offer learning opportunities, but the individual must embrace the opportunity and internalize the information. The fastest learning occurs when multiple challenging and interesting opportunities to practice leadership with meaningful and honest feedback are present. These elements contribute to self-development, developing others, and setting a climate conducive to learning.

6-3. Leader development of others involves recruiting, accessing, developing, assigning, promoting, and retaining the leaders with the potential for levels of greater responsibility. Leaders develop subordinates when they prepare and then challenge them with greater responsibility, authority, and accountability. It is the individual professional responsibility of all leaders to develop their subordinates as leaders.

6-5. Committed leaders continuously improve their organization, leaving it better than they found it. They expect other leaders to do the same. Leaders look ahead and prepare subordinates with potential to assume positions with greater leadership responsibility; in turn, subordinates develop themselves to prepare for future leadership assignments. Leaders ensure subordinates know that those who are best prepared for increased responsibility are those they are most likely to select for higher leadership positions.

This Week’s Reading, Abridged

6-9. Successful self-development concentrates on the key attributes of the leader: character, presence, and intellect. … Leaders must exploit every available opportunity to sharpen their intellectual capacity and relevant knowledge. A developed intellect enables the leader to think creatively and reason analytically, critically, ethically, and with cultural sensitivity.

6-12. Leaders read about, write about, and practice their profession. They prepare themselves for leadership positions through lifelong learning and broadening experiences relevant to their career paths. Lifelong learning involves study to acquire new knowledge, reflection, and understanding about how to apply it when needed. Broadening consists of those education and training opportunities, assignments, and experiences that provide exposure outside the leader’s narrow branch or functional area competencies. Broadening should be complementary to a leader’s experience, and should provide wider perspectives that prepare the leader for greater levels of responsibility.

6-15. Leaders develop self-awareness though self-critique and self-regulation. Self-aware leaders are open to feedback from others and actively seek it. They possess the humility to ask themselves hard questions about their performance, decisions, and judgment. They are serious about examining their own behavior to determine how to be a better, more effective leader. Self-aware leaders are reflective, hold themselves to higher standards than their subordinates, and look to themselves first when subordinates are unsuccessful.

6-16. Self-aware leaders understand they are a component of a larger organization that demands both adaptability and humility. They understand the importance of flexibility because conditions continuously change. They also understand that the focus is on the mission, not them.

6-17. Competent and confident leaders make sense of their experience and use it to learn more about themselves. ... Self-critique can be as simple as posing questions about one’s own behavior, knowledge, or feelings or as formal as using a structured set of questions about an event.

Critical questions include—

• What happened?

• How did I react?

• How did others react and why?

• What did I learn about myself based on what I did and how I felt?

• How will I apply what I learned?

6-22. Culture is a longer lasting and more complex set of shared expectations than climate. Culture consists of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize the larger institution over time. The Army’s culture is deeply rooted in tradition. Leaders refer to Army’s culture to impress on Army personnel that they are part of something bigger than themselves. Soldiers and DA Civilians uphold the Army’s culture to honor those who have gone before and those who will come after.

6-23. Climate is a shorter-term experience than culture and reflects how people think and feel about their organization. Climate depends upon a network of personalities within a unit that changes as Army personnel come and go. A unit’s climate, based on shared perceptions and attitudes, affects mutual trust, cohesion, and commitment to the mission. A positive climate ensures Soldiers and DA Civilians are engaged and energized by their duties, work together as teams, and show respect for each other.

6-25. Leaders make it a point to dialogue with subordinates about the conditions of their lives and the unit to get a sense of the climate. Communicating goals openly provides subordinates a clear vision to achieve. Communication between subordinates and leaders is essential to achieve and maintain a positive climate. Leaders inspire and motivate subordinates to bring creative and innovative ideas forward and they seek feedback from subordinates about the climate. Openly taking part in unit events and activities increases the likelihood that subordinates perceive leaders are concerned about the group’s welfare and has the group’s best interests at heart.

6-28. Leaders need to continually assess the organizational climate, realize the importance of development, and work to limit any zero-defect mentality. Recognizing the importance of long-term sustainability and sharing and encouraging feedback (both positive and negative) should be a priority for all team members. Leaders create positive climates by treating all fairly, maintaining open and candid communications between other leaders and subordinates, and creating and supporting learning environments.

6-34. Leaders should be able to resolve two kinds of conflicts: work-related and personal. Any given conflict is likely to contain some level of both elements. Work-related conflict can stem from disagreement over a course of action, workload perceptions, or the best steps for completing a specific task. Personal conflicts generally stem from people who do not like or respect each other or some perceived grievance based upon individual behavior. Leaders need to develop the skills to address both types of conflicts as rapidly and effectively as possible. Conflicts that simmer lower the morale and duty performance of those involved and can corrode an organizational cohesion when not quickly addressed.

6-38. Historians describing great armies often focus on weapons, equipment, and training. They may mention advantages in numbers or other factors easily analyzed, measured, and compared. However, many historians place great emphasis on two factors not easily measured: esprit de corps and morale.

6-40. Leaders who foster tradition and an awareness of history build camaraderie and unit cohesion, becoming esprit de corps.

6-46. A leader has the responsibility to foster subordinates’ learning. Leaders explain the importance of a particular topic or subject by providing context—how it will improve individual and organizational performance.

6-47. Learning from experience is not always possible—leaders cannot have every experience in training. Taking advantage of what others have learned provides benefits without having the personal experience. Leaders should share their experiences with subordinates through counseling, coaching, and mentoring sessions; for example, combat veterans can share experiences with Soldiers who have not been in combat. Leaders should also take the opportunity to write about their experiences, sharing their insights with others in professional journals or books.

6-52. Leaders have three principal roles in developing others. They provide knowledge and feedback through counseling, coaching, and mentoring.

6-59. Working in real settings—solving real problems with actual team members—provides challenges and conditions where leaders see the significance of leadership and practice their craft. Good leaders encourage subordinates to develop in every aspect of daily activities and should seek to learn every day themselves. The operational domain includes the three factors of leader, led, and situation and provides real tasks with feedback.

6-60. Good leaders seek ways to define duties to prepare subordinates for responsibilities in their current position or next assignment. ... Leaders can rotate into special duty assignments to give them broad leadership experiences and be given stretch assignments or tasks to accelerate their development.

6-63. Leaders must guide teams through three developmental stages: formation, enrichment, and sustainment. Leaders remain sensitive to the fact that teams develop differently and the boundaries between stages are not absolute. The results can determine what to expect of the team and what improves its capabilities. Understanding the perspectives of team members is important. Leaders understand that the national cause, mission, purpose, and many other concerns may not be relevant to the Soldier’s perspective. Regardless of larger issues, Soldiers perform for others on the team, for the Soldier on their right or left. A fundamental truth is that Soldiers accomplish tasks because they do not want to let each other down.

6-75. Developing multiskilled leaders is the goal of preparing self and subordinates to lead. An adaptable leader will more readily comprehend the challenges of constantly evolving conditions, demanding not only warfighting skills, but also creativity Army leaders who reflect upon their experiences and learn from them will often find better ways of doing things. Leaders must employ openness and imagination to create effective organizational learning conditions. Effective leaders are not afraid to underwrite mistakes. They allow others to learn from them. This attitude allows growth into new responsibilities and adaptation to inevitable changes.

7-2. A leader’s primary purpose is to accomplish the mission. Leadership builds and guides the effective organizations necessary to do so. Leaders require a focus on the future that views building and maintaining effective organizations as critical to mission accomplishment. Building effective Army organizations serves the larger purpose of mission accomplishment. Mission accomplishment takes priority over everything else, especially in combat where their unit may be at risk of destruction.

7-4. Many matters consume a leader’s time and attention. Leaders have obligations that are far ranging and at times are contradictory. Leaders make these challenges transparent to their subordinates whenever possible. Leaders are responsible to create conditions that enable subordinates to focus and accomplish critical tasks.

7-9. When teams stress over high workloads, leaders should intervene to prioritize tasks and mitigate the causes or symptoms of seemingly insurmountable workloads. As a preventive step, planning aids even distribution of tasks—mission prioritization allows followers to know where to place effort or what to delay or suspend. Other measures require leaders to shield or protect subordinates from excessive taskings when possible and to ensure appropriate resources are available. A long-term measure is to develop individuals and train teams through cross training to be capable of assuming high workload levels. Effective communications allows members to prepare themselves to handle greater levels of workload or handle the effects of stress that the workload places on them. Morale-building activities, wellness and resilience steps, and grantingbreaks from operational rigors when possible, can also help address stress. Successful organizations have leaders who understand workload levels and are proactive in mitigating stress or stressors.

7-10. Many leaders struggle with delegation, from the newly promoted to the most experienced who simply take on too much. Moving from an individual contributor to overseeing the efforts of others can be challenging. It requires leaders to spend their time differently and develop different skill sets this includes balancing workloads and avoiding overtasking subordinates. Some leaders may experience the opposite situation by delegating too much. Some basic guidelines apply to all leaders:

• Delegating improperly, or failing to delegate at all, leads to organizational failure.

• A leader’s role is to ensure the task is accomplished, not to complete the task personally.

• While completing daily, weekly, and monthly planning and reflection, leaders ask, “What am I doing that I should delegate?" “What do I delegate that I should not?”

• Leaders cannot develop subordinates without delegating to them.

• Leaders cannot adjust and expand their unit’s capabilities without delegating.

7-12. To accomplish missions consistently, leaders need to maintain motivation within the team. One of the best ways to do this is to recognize and reward good performance. Leaders who recognize individual and team accomplishments promote positive motivation and actions for the future. Recognizing individuals and teams in front of superiors and others gives those contributors an increased sense of worth. Leaders seek opportunities to recognize the performance of their subordinates. They do this by crediting their subordinates for the work they do. Sharing credit has enormous payoffs in terms of building trust and teams.

Questions for Individual Reflection

1. What is the difference between mentoring and developing successors who might replace you? Does it matter?

2. How do you measure the ROI of investing in people who will likely leave for competitors?

3. What is the business case for developing talent that benefits your successor or another team more than you?

4. How do you balance developing high performers versus rescuing struggling team members?

5. When should market volatility override long-term development commitments? How do you evaluate the tradeoff?

Professional Discussion Prompts

1. Which costs more: over-developing talent that leaves or under-developing talent that stays?

2. What is the business case for developing people beyond their current role requirements?

3. How do quarterly pressures distort your development investment decisions?

4. How do you allocate development resources when everyone claims to be high-potential?

5. What is the optimal ratio between internal development versus external hiring?

Personal Discussion Prompts

1. How do you handle feedback from people who matter to you personally?

2. How do you create a positive environment at home after a difficult day at work?

3. How are your children's development needs similar or different from workplace development challenges?

4. How do you balance developing yourself versus being present for family development?

5. What aspects of yourself do you avoid developing? Why?

Exercises

1. Development Audit

   1. Exercise:

      1. Participants individually map their last three direct reports' career trajectories post-departure from the team.

      2. Share findings. Identify patterns in who succeeded, who failed, and why.

      3. Discuss what this reveals about their actual (versus intended) development impact.

   2. Debrief:

      1. What does your development batting average tell you about your methods?

      2. Which of your former people would you hire back and what does that reveal?

2. Delegation Assessment

   1. Exercise:

      1. Individuals identify tasks they should but do not delegate and explore the real reasons why they do or do not delegate.

      2. Share what they're protecting (expertise, relationships, control) by not delegating.

      3. Discuss the cost to their subordinates’ development of their delegation choices.

   2. Debrief:

      1. What are you afraid will happen if you truly let go?

      2. How much of your indispensability is manufactured by your delegation choices?

Share Borrowing with Pride

Borrow One Idea: Train Your Replacement

In 2011, a consulting team began work with a consumer goods company. The team needed a lot of manufacturing and logistics data, which meant they needed to talk to Dale. He was the master of supply chain data at the company. “The systems are complicated and he’s the only one who can really do a good job getting data,” said the COO. “You need to talk to Dale because he won’t teach anyone else how to successfully pull data out of our old systems,” said another manager.

Finding Dale’s desk, within a cube at the center of a warren of high walled cubicles, to ask for data, was a regular pilgrimage. Until the project was done and Dale faded in the memory of the consulting team.

Between 2011 and 2024, the consumer goods company changed hands a number of times, moved headquarters, and greatly expanded its portfolio. The data Dale controlled was still important but was now a portion of much larger data needs. Yet he remained, indispensable, in his own way, for thirteen years…

In 2024, a consulting team began work with the same consumer goods company. The team included one member who had been part of the 2011 team. The team needed a lot of manufacturing and logistics data, which meant they needed to talk to Dale. “The systems are complicated and I’m the only one who can really do a good job getting data,” said Dale.

Dale’s desk was now in an office with windows. The office building at which he worked, designed to hold hundreds, now only had a dozen of full-time employees, its existence owing entirely to its physical connection to a critical warehouse. The cubicles were mostly removed, the large empty space that remained was used for the orientation training of hourly workers at nearby manufacturing plants.

Dale had a better title in 2024. Presumably his comp increased over time. The entire company had moved on, strategically and physically, but his job was exactly the same.

Company supply chain leaders begrudgingly acknowledged that Dale was still needed, that the more narrow set of data he controlled was necessary. For the time being.

I very much hope this is the career Dale wanted, for his own sake, though I do not know (I did not ask).

What I do know is that Dale never taught anyone anything (I did ask, and was told he purposefully would not explain how he was extracting and successfully stitching together the vast quantities of data from the backend of their IT systems).

By jealously guarding his territory, Dale made himself temporarily indispensable and eventually vulnerable (a new CIO finally did what the five preceding leaders should have done and had a tool built to automate the data extraction and interpretation).

But what he also did, by design or default, was get himself stuck. An inability to replace Dale was both a feature and flaw of his role. If he wanted to move on (and up), there was a decade of time to make himself replaceable and available for greater things.

For most people, being stuck with no increased responsibility or improved challenge is not the goal. The goal is the next job or interesting project.

My father’s career involved a lot of what is now benignly call post-merger integration. His company executed a multi-decade roll-up and he was on point for a lot of it, operating as the transition/turnaround lead in newly acquired companies. Apparently it involved a lot of terminations. But it also involved building. Because he would arrive at a newly acquired operation as the temporary General Manager and his job was not complete until there was a new General Manager prepared for the role.

“You do not get the next job until you’ve prepared someone to successfully do your job,” he told me more often than once.

The requirement (from risk averse leaders above us) is not only the demonstration of our own readiness, but that too of someone’s readiness to backfill us.

It is embracing making yourself replaceable.

The best development route to create this replacement readiness is delegation.

Many leaders struggle with delegation, from the newly promoted to the most experienced who simply take on too much. Moving from an individual contributor to overseeing the efforts of others can be challenging. It requires leaders to spend their time differently and develop different skill sets this includes balancing workloads and avoiding overtasking subordinates. Some leaders may experience the opposite situation by delegating too much. Some basic guidelines apply to all leaders:

• Delegating improperly, or failing to delegate at all, leads to organizational failure.

• A leader’s role is to ensure the task is accomplished, not to complete the task personally.

• While completing daily, weekly, and monthly planning and reflection, leaders ask, “What am I doing that I should delegate?" “What do I delegate that I should not?”

• Leaders cannot develop subordinates without delegating to them.

• Leaders cannot adjust and expand their unit’s capabilities without delegating.

ADP 6-22, 7-10, PDF page 96

Leaders cannot develop subordinates without delegating to them. Leaders cannot adjust and expand their own responsibilities without delegating.

This week, borrow with pride and make a plan to train your replacement. What can you delegate? Who is ready to take on more responsibility and how can you help them? What are you doing to prepare your backfill? How do you develop people?

Get Familiar With: Prioritizing Development

Committed leaders continuously improve their organization, leaving it better than they found it. They expect other leaders to do the same. Leaders look ahead and prepare subordinates with potential to assume positions with greater leadership responsibility; in turn, subordinates develop themselves to prepare for future leadership assignments. Leaders ensure subordinates know that those who are best prepared for increased responsibility are those they are most likely to select for higher leadership positions.

ADP 6-22, 6-5, PDF page 79

A leader of people is by default a developer of people. Of themselves, their peers, subordinates, and sometimes even their superiors. Delegation, a critical component of self and subordinate development, is only one of the many tools and techniques advised by the US Army.

How do you develop people? Is ‘People Developer’ a title that feels authentic or is it still an aspiration? Are others ready to take over from you and excel when you leave? Is your development of people limited to training, or is it more comprehensive?

Learn More: Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 6-1 through 7-4 based on printed document (PDF pages 79-98)

  • Reviewing the US Army’s five competencies for developing and achieving: prepares self, creates a positive environment, develops others, stewards the profession, and gets results

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• These materials will be the focus of Thursday’s Guided Discovery

Catch Up: Last Week’s Content

Study: NASCAR

Guided Discovery: Followship

Share Borrowing with Pride

Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 5-1 through 5-16 based on printed document (PDF pages 63-78)

  • Reviewing the US Army’s five competencies for leading: leading others, extending influence beyond the chain of command, building trust, leading by example, and communicating.

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• This week’s Study: NASCAR

• All excerpts below are from ADP 6-22 unless otherwise noted

Introduction

5-1. Leads consists of five competencies. Leads others includes influencing members in the leader's organization. Influence is central to leadership. Extends influence beyond the chain of command involves influencing others when the leader does not have designated authority or when others may not recognize the leader's authority. Builds trust establishes conditions that lead to mutual confidence among leaders and subordinates. Leader actions and words comprise the competencies of leads by example and communicates. Actions can speak louder than words and leaders who embody standards as role models are generally more effective than those who simply talk about standards. Effective leaders clearly communicate what needs to be done and why.

This Week’s Reading, Abridged

5-3. All Army leaders are followers; each reports to someone higher in the chain of command, ultimately up to the Secretary of the Army who answers to the President. Leaders inspire and guide subordinates to follow; subordinates react to inspiration and follow guidance while performing their duties. Leaders assess and establish rapport with followers, and followers act in good conscience to follow guidance.

5-7. Successful leadership depends upon both the compliance and commitment of those being led. Neither succeeds on its own in most situations; rather, there is a blend of compliance and commitment amongst subordinates in each situation. The best leaders generate a sense of commitment that causes subordinates to go beyond achieving the bare minimum. Compliance to legal and ethical orders, directives, and instructions is always required. Willing and eager agreement is commitment.

5-9. Influence is the essential activity of leadership and refers to how people affect the intentions, attitudes, and actions of another person or group of people. Influence depends upon the relationship that develops between leaders and others. Positive rapport and a sense of mutual trust make subordinates more likely to respond positively to a leader’s influence. Examples of rapport building include having genuine interest in a subordinate’s well-being, offering praise for a job well done, and taking time to understand a subordinate’s position on an issue. Leaders indirectly influence others by demonstrating integrity, empathy, judgment, expertise, and commitment. Army leaders employ various methods of direct influence based on audience, intent, and context of the situation. The nine methods listed below represent different ways to influence:

• Pressure.

• Legitimating.

• Exchange.

• Personal appeals.

• Collaboration.

• Rational persuasion.

• Apprising.

• Inspirational appeals.

• Participation.

5-10. When subordinates perceive that pressures originate from their leader’s attempt to please superiors for personal recognition, resentment can quickly undermine an organization’s morale, cohesion, and quality of performance. Pressure is a suitable choice when the stakes are high, time is short, or previous attempts to direct action have not been successful.

5-14. Collaboration occurs when the leader engages with subordinates or peers to apply influence by contributing to the outcome. The leader is making commitment more attractive to followers by stepping in and resolving problems, offering additional resources, or sharing in the work. A collaborative approach works well in many environments. It can increase mutual understanding and clarify commander’s intent while giving subordinates the opportunity to share their ideas and perspective.

5-15. Rational persuasion requires providing a broader context, logical argument, or explanations showing how a request is relevant to the goal and why something should or must be done. This is often the first approach a leader takes to gain compliance or commitment from subordinates and is more effective when others recognize the leader as an expert. Leaders draw from their own experience to give reasons why a task should be accomplished in a particular manner. Rational persuasion is often used in combination with other approaches, particularly collaboration.

5-18. Participation occurs when leaders ask others to join them in determining how best to address a problem or meet an objective. Active participation leads to an increased sense of worth and recognition among subordinates that contributes to unit cohesion. Participation increases the commitment of subordinates to execute whatever is decided and contributes to shared understanding of the commander’s intent. By involving subordinate leaders during planning, the senior leader is helping to ensure subordinates will later be able to pursue critical intermediate and long-term objectives on their own initiative.

5-19. Creating commitment among subordinates requires that they know their leaders are sincere. … Leaders who primarily focus on personal gain or recognition are seen by subordinates as self-serving, which undermines trust and erodes motivation. Honorable intentions wrongly perceived by followers as self-serving will yield mere compliance.

5-22. When leaders experience resistance, the first response is to understand the nature of the relationship and reasons for opposition or non-compliance. Resistance may stem from a lack of trust, lack of understanding, or concerns about well-being.

5-23. Overt acknowledgement of resistance can be the first step in reducing it. Leaders should confront resistance quickly to determine the reasons why it exists and how to address the causes constructively. This may be enough to change negative mindsets and build or restore mutual trust within the organization. Leaders can lessen resistance by acknowledging concerns with their own position or requests. This demonstrates that the leaders recognizeboth the positives and negatives of a given request and that they are approaching the issue even-handedly and fairly.

5-40. Many leaders connect at a personal level with their subordinates, which helps leaders to anticipate and understand individual circumstances and needs. Leaders who take an interest in Soldier and DA Civilian development show they care about their subordinates. It ranges from ensuring a subordinate is given time away from the unit to attend Army schools to finding out about a person’s personal interests. Leaders should provide an adequate family support and readiness network to help families, while at home station or deployed, whether military or civilian.

5-44. People naturally accept the influence of people they trust. When high levels of trust exist among members of an organization, its members are more likely to influence each other up and down the chain of command and laterally with other organizations. Trust increases readiness and is essential for developing the shared understanding of intent that facilitates initiative by everyone within the organization. Trust builds over time through mutual respect, shared understanding, and common experiences. Communication contributes to trust by keeping others informed, establishing expectations, providing feedback, and developing commitment. Sustaining trust depends on meeting expectations and commitments. Leaders and subordinates all contribute to the level of trust that occurs in a unit. Leaders and subordinates earn or lose trust through everyday actions and attitudes.

5-51. Leading without formal authority requires adaptation to the conditions and cultural sensitivities of a given situation. Leaders require cultural knowledge to understand different social customs and belief systems and to address issues in those contexts.

5-53. Building coalitions is similar to building teams, but groups maintain generally greater independence in coalitions. Trust is a common ingredient in effective coalitions. Coalitions evolve by establishing contact with others, building relationships, and identifying common interests. An effective strategy for breaking down the barriers among smaller, subordinate group identities is to build or strengthen a common group identity for all members, such as highlighting the common cause shared by all coalition partners.

5-60. Not all partnerships are enduring. Some are intended only for a limited time. Others are expected to last until a specific end state has been achieved. Leaders look ahead, anticipating future scenarios and the conditions under which a partnership will or should dissolve. They help define roles and responsibilities for elements of a post-alliance state to ensure a smooth transition process and set conditions so the desired end state persists after the partnership has ended.

5-64. Displaying confidence and composure when situations are not going well can be a challenge for anyone, but is important for the leader trying to lead others through challenging, stressful, and ambiguous situations. Calm determination reflects confidence and is a key component of leader presence. A leader who shows hesitation or panic in the face of setbacks can trigger a chain reaction among others. A leader who is over-confident in difficult situations may lack the proper degree of care or concern, and risks being viewed as not understanding the seriousness of the problems at hand.

5-68. Having the appropriate levels of expertise is vital to competent leaders who display confidence through their attitudes, actions, and words. Subordinates become suspicious of leaders who act confident but do not demonstrate the competence to justify their confidence.

5-72. Leaders should remain aware of barriers to listening that prevent hearing and absorbing what speakers say. Avoid formulating a response before hearing what the person says. Avoid distraction by anger, disagreement with the speaker, or other things that impede focusing on the message itself.

5-74. When leaders keep their organizations informed, they build trust. Shared information contributes to reduced stress and controls rumors. Timely information exchange allows team members to determine requirements and adjust to changing circumstances. Informing subordinates of a decision and the supporting reasons shows respect and conveys the need for their support and input. Good information flow ensures the next leader in the chain is sufficiently prepared to take over, if required.

5-76. Any means other than face-to-face communication present some risk for misunderstanding due to the lack of verbal and non-verbal cues. Building rapport and trust is an ongoing, long-term effort that occurs during unit formation, individual unit reception, day-to-day garrison operations, and training exercises. … Leaders should use face-to-face communications with subordinates as much as possible to ensure understanding and to observe the feedback cues given by listeners.

5-77. Communication also flows from bottom to top. Leaders find out what their people are thinking, saying, and doing by listening. Effective leaders observe their organizations by circulating among their followers to coach, listen, and clarify. They pass relevant observations to enable planning and decision-making.

5-80. Open communication does more than share information. It shows leaders care about those they work with on a daily basis. Competent and confident leaders encourage open dialogue, listen actively to all perspectives, and ensure others can voice honest opinions without fearing negative consequences.

Questions for Individual Reflection

1. When does your organization confuse compliance for commitment and what does that confusion cost?

2. How do you distinguish between leading through authority versus through credibility when both produce results?

3. When is resistance to leadership a sign of healthy organizational dynamics?

4. How do you lead people who are more technically competent than you without losing credibility?

5. When was the last time you truly followed someone’s lead and what made that experience transformative (versus transactional)?

Professional Discussion Prompts

1. Is building consensus always worth the time or are there situations where directive leadership is better?

2. How do you lead in a cultural environment that questions traditional authority structures?

3. Is it ethical to use emotional manipulation techniques if they genuinely motivate better performance?

4. How do you teach followship skills to executives who have been rewarded for leading throughout their careers?

5. How do you create an organizational culture where intelligent dissent is valued over blind loyalty?

Personal Discussion Prompts

1. How has your relationship with authority changed since you became an authority figure?

2. Which family member challenges your leadership style most effectively and why?

3. When do you struggle most to follow: when you disagree with the direction or when you do not trust the leader?

4. How do you teach children to question authority while still respecting legitimate leadership?

5. How has your relationship with your parents shaped your ability to follow authority figures?

Exercises

1. Followship Style Assessment

   1. Exercise:

      1. Each participant reflects on a leader they followed exceptionally well and evaluates what made them effective as a follower.

      2. Discuss and identify personal patterns when followship comes naturally versus when it's difficult. Explore how these patterns show up in current relationships with superiors and peers.

   2. Debrief:

      1. What conditions do you need to be your best self as a follower?

      2. How does your followship style affect the leaders you work with?

      3. When does your resistance to following actually serve the organization (versus your ego)?

2. Influence Acceptance Reflection

   1. Exercise:

      1. Participants examine their own responses to situations in which others attempted to influence them using the nine methods.

      2. Discuss which influence methods they respond to well as followers and which create resistance.

   2. Debrief:

      1. What does your resistance to certain influence methods reveal about your followship blind spots?

      2. How do you help leaders influence you more effectively?

      3. When does your reaction to influence sabotage organizational effectiveness?

Share Borrowing with Pride

Borrow One Idea: Take Genuine Interest

At some point in my career, I am certain, Dale Carnegie’s ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ was given to me as part of a training program. Unfortunately for Dale (and the global consulting firm that paid for his book), I often ascribed the same level of priority to corporate suggested reading as I did to the required reading of my high school English class.

Show me a person who read Les Miserables and I’ll show you a person who did the essay without opening the book. Which is slightly more impressive because in the olden days we lacked generative AI.

If I’d had genAI when Dale’s book was assigned, I would have just asked Perplexity to summarize it. Then I would have learned there are six ways to make people like me (perhaps I should have read the book, this seems useful).

Obviously, if you want Dale’s secrets, I’d encourage you to go to Amazon and purchase his masterpiece. On the off-chance you decide not to do that, I’ll share just one of his tips: take a genuine interest in people.

Or, you can let the US Army tell you the same:

5-40. Many leaders connect at a personal level with their subordinates, which helps leaders to anticipate and understand individual circumstances and needs. Leaders who take an interest in Soldier and DA Civilian development show they care about their subordinates. It ranges from ensuring a subordinate is given time away from the unit to attend Army schools to finding out about a person’s personal interests. Leaders should provide an adequate family support and readiness network to help families, while at home station or deployed, whether military or civilian.

ADP 6-22, 5-40, PDF page 69

Early in my military career, genuine interest in subordinates was something I avoided, as I felt I was more than likely to 1) learn about something in violation of UCMJ or 2) hear about relationship drama. Uneven outcomes in relating to subordinates aside, I still plenty of opportunities to learn about about people’s personal interests.

For example, my battalion commander in Korea was a beer snob. He brewed beer in his hooch, a memory so specific it now boggles my mind: presumably everything was being shipped in and I have to imagine that was against all sorts of regulations. At officer events, this Lieutenant Colonel would deride anyone consuming what he referred to as ‘NASCAR beer’…meaning if the brand was on the hood of a NASCAR vehicle the drink was beneath him.

Everything I know about NASCAR could fit into a single beer bottle. I have never been, nor am now, a fan. I have no idea what is happening in NASCAR in 2025. What limited information I do possess is time-stamped from late 2007 through early 2009, when discussing NASCAR became a Monday morning ritual at the distribution center I managed.

Because that distribution center was the first time I took genuine interest in people.

In large part, because I did not fit in. People were very suspicious of me. I was much younger than the management team I led, did not speak Spanish, was required (by union rule and legal reasons) to follow a very formal interaction model with the most of the employees, and was replacing a facility manager who had been fired for performance but had been well-liked by the team (because he was lenient).

There was not a lot to talk about in the office. I was not interesting enough to organically spark conversation. I needed to find out what other people were interested in.

Chris, one of the long-tenured supervisors at the facility, really liked NASCAR. A lot. It was not a huge act of discovery for me to learn this about her. Race day was a big deal. Her family paid for the premium TV package that allowed them to listen to racers’ radio communication. They went to the races in the region. She had NASCAR paraphernalia around her office space.

I started following NASCAR. Not through Chris, but for Chris. And me.

I did not pay for the premium TV package, but tracked the results, kept current on the drama, learned the personalities. I knew how her driver did, how her husband’s driver did, and though I’ve long forgotten who it was, how the driver Chris hated did. The third one was very important.

All so that I could ask questions about it on Monday. I never had any ability to hold up half of a detailed conversation on NASCAR, but Chris loved it enough to carry on both sides of the equation. I enjoyed asking the questions and it is always fun to listen to people speak on topics for which they have passion.

You can build an authentic relationship on being curious. Chris knew I was making an effort. And appreciated the effort occurred in her field of play. From that genuine interest we could build the rest of the relationship.

Leader-follower relationships do not need to be personal, but it usually helps. Taking a genuine interest in people is not just about getting people to like you, it is a step in the process of encouraging them to trust and follow you.

You might lead some people, but you follow others. It is no less important to take genuine interest in peers and those above you. It’s better for them too.

This week, borrow with pride and take genuine interest in a team member. What are they truly passionate about? What new conversation can you have and what questions can you ask? Do you think about what motivates people beyond work? Why should people follow you?

Get Familiar With: Building Followship

Does having a title or rank make you a leader, or is leadership defined by the act of actually being followed?

Leading others means being followed by others. What is required to build followship?

Leaders inspire and guide subordinates to follow; subordinates react to inspiration and follow guidance while performing their duties. Leaders assess and establish rapport with followers, and followers act in good conscience to follow guidance. Whether serving in the role of leader or subordinate, all are honor bound to perform their duties to the best of their abilities.
…
Context determines when a Soldier or DA Civilian is a leader or follower.
…
The activity of influencing others depends on the followers’ knowledge, skills, and commitment level.

ADP 6-22, 5-3 through 5-4, PDF page 64

The relationship between leading and following is neither linear nor simple. It is not only organizational in nature but is personal and internal: how should we lead and follow, simultaneously?

Hierarchy creates subordinate relationships, but only leaders can foster followers.

Why should people follow you? What techniques work best for you when you need to influence people or build trust? What does it mean to be a good follower? How do you build followship?

Learn More: Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 5-1 through 5-16 based on printed document (PDF pages 63-78)

  • Reviewing the US Army’s five competencies for leading: leading others, extending influence beyond the chain of command, building trust, leading by example, and communicating.

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• These materials will be the focus of Thursday’s Guided Discovery

Catch Up: Last Week’s Content

Study: Own the Room

Guided Discovery: Command Presence

Share Borrowing with Pride

Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 3-1 through 4-5 based on printed document (PDF pages 53-61)

  • Discussing the US Army’s second and third critical attributes: presence and intellect

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• This week’s Study: Own the Room

• All excerpts below are from ADP 6-22 unless otherwise noted

Introduction

3-1. Demonstrating presence is more than just showing up and being seen, although both are important. The actions, words, and the manner in which leaders carry themselves should convey confidence, competence, and a positive example for others to emulate. Presence represents who leaders are and what they stand for.
…
Part of projecting a positive leadership presence is being comfortable in one’s own skin. While leaders should understand that their subordinates are always observing how leaders carry themselves, they should also understand that subordinates can quickly tell the difference between leaders who are trying to portray themselves as something they are not.
…
Remembering that most subordinates want their leaders to be successful is important. When they sense that their leaders are genuine, honest, and willing to learn by putting themselves into positions where they might risk a little embarrassment learning a new skill, their level of respect for a leader increases. Leaders able to do what they ask others to do, who can ‘walk the talk,’ generate a positive reputation that contributes to their effective presence around Soldiers.

This Week’s Reading, Abridged

3-2. Through their presence, leaders show what they stand for and how they expect others to carry themselves. Leaders who routinely share in hardships and dangers have firsthand knowledge of what they are asking subordinates to do, and show their subordinates that they are not above putting themselves at the same level of risk or discomfort. It assures Soldiers that what they are doing is important. A leader’s effectiveness is dramatically enhanced by understanding and developing the following areas:

• Military and professional bearing: projecting a commanding presence, a professional image of authority, calmness under pressure, and control over emotions.

• Fitness: looking like a fit, professional Soldier, having the strength, and endurance to lead others from the front, and being physically able to do what subordinates are expected to do.

• Confidence: projecting self-confidence and certainty in the unit’s ability to accomplish the mission, able to retain composure and demonstrate calm through steady control over emotion.

• Resilience: demonstrating the psychological and physical capacity to overcome failures, setbacks, and hardship.

3-3. A professional military demeanor establishes credibility, sets expectations, and reduces organizational ambiguity. Consistent professionalism strengthens mutual respect among members of the team.

3-5. Operations place physical, mental, and emotional demands upon the individuals conducting them. Physical fitness, while crucial for success in battle, is important for all members of the Army team in all environments. Physically fit people feel more competent and confident, handle stress better, can work longer more effectively, and recover faster from hardship.

3-8. It is a leader’s duty to stay healthy and fit since the leader’s decisions affect the welfare of the entire organization. Fit and healthy leaders motivate and challenge subordinates to become like them. Staying healthy and physically fit enables Soldiers to cope with the psychological effects of extended operations. To maintain peak performance, leaders and Soldiers need exercise, sufficient sleep, nutritional food, and adequate hydration.

3-10. Confidence is the faith leaders place in their abilities to make decisions and take appropriate action in any situation, no matter how stressful or ambiguous. Confidence grows from professional competence and a realistic appraisal of one’s abilities. A leader’s confidence is contagious and permeates the entire organization. Confident leaders who help Soldiers control doubt reduce anxiety in a unit. Effective leaders temper confidence with humility—the understanding that no one is perfect, all knowing, or always correct. Humility prevents overconfidence and arrogance.

4-1. Intellect is fundamental to successful leadership. Intellect consists of one’s brainpower and knowledge. Intellect enables leaders to think creatively and critically to gain situational understanding, make sound judgments, solve problems, and take action. Intellect allows leaders to reason analytically, critically, ethically, and with cultural sensitivity. Intellect is involved in considering the intended and unintended consequences of the decisions a leader makes. Effective leaders must anticipate the second- and third-order effects of their decisions.

4-2. A leader’s mental abilities affect how well they think and lead others. People differ in intellectual strengths and ways of thinking—there is no one right way to think. Each leader needs to be self-aware of their strengths and limitations and apply them accordingly.

4-5. Mental agility relies upon curiosity and the ability to reason critically. Inquisitive or intellectually curious leaders are eager to understand a broad range of topics and keep an open mind to multiple possibilities before reaching decisions. Critical thinking is purposeful and helps find facts, challenge assumptions, solve problems, and make decisions. Critical thinking enables understanding of changing situations, arriving at justifiable conclusions, making judgments, and learning from experience. Critical and creative thinking provide the basis for understanding, visualizing, and describing complex, ill-structured problems and developing approaches to solve them. Critical thinking provides a basis for reflection and continual learning. Creative thinking involves thinking in innovative ways using imagination, insight, and novel ideas. Critical and innovative thought are abilities that enable adaptability.

4-8. Often, leaders must balance facts, question assumptions, and sense intangible factors like morale or the enemy’s intent. Judgment contributes to the ability to compare possible courses of action and decide what one to take. There are times, particularly in combat, where there are no good decisions, only the least bad decision possible in the moment. Sound judgment requires consideration of consequences. It also includes the ability to assess strengths and weaknesses of subordinates, peers, and the enemy.

4-10. Innovative leaders prevent complacency by finding new ways to challenge subordinates with alternative approaches and ideas. They recognize that other people have good ideas and they recognize those who do. To be innovators, leaders rely on intuition, experience, knowledge, and input from subordinates, peers, and superiors. Innovative leaders reinforce team building by making everybody responsible for—and stakeholders in—innovation.

4-11. Effectively interacting with others is a skill that requires self-awareness. Interpersonal tact is a component of professional behavior. Interpersonal tact relies on understanding the character, reactions, and motives of oneself and others. It can be distilled down to the idea of honestly stating one’s views about an idea or another person as diplomatically as possible to ensure it is understood without causing unnecessary offense. Tact should be balanced by professional candor, in terms of saying what needs to be said or done for the good of the mission or the unit.

4-12. Personal perspectives vary within every individual human being and societal groups. Understanding the different backgrounds, qualifications, experiences, and potential of each of the individuals in an organization is an important part of being an effective leader. It is fundamental to knowing your people and harnessing their diverse skills and perspectives to build cohesive teams. Good leaders create conditions where subordinates know they are valued for their individual talents, skills, and perspectives that contribute to mission accomplishment.

4-14. A leader’s emotional state influences subordinates’ emotions. Balancing the right level and mix of emotions for a situation provides confidence.

4-15. Effective leaders can read others’ emotional states to employ the right balance of interpersonal tact and candor in a particular situation. They draw on experience to provide subordinates the proper perspective on unfolding events. They possess a range of attitudes, from relaxed to intense, from which to choose appropriately for the circumstances they face. Balanced leaders know how to convey urgency without throwing the entire organization into chaos.

4-17. Leaders have a moral obligation to those they lead to improve their expertise continuously. Leaders themselves should be open and eager to benefit from others’ knowledge to enhance their own tactical and technical expertise.

4-23. Army organizations operate around the world in a wide variety of environments with different unified action partners representing many different cultures. Leaders should acquire cultural and geopolitical knowledge about the areas in which they expect to accomplish the mission.

4-25. Culture consists of shared beliefs, values, and assumptions. Army leaders are mindful of cultural factors in three contexts:

• Sensitivity to unified action partners’ backgrounds to determine how to best use their capabilities.

• Awareness of the culture of the area in which the organization is operating.

• Consideration of partners’ customs, traditions, doctrinal principles, and operational methods.

Questions for Individual Reflection

1. Does authentic leadership require vulnerability or does this hurt presence?

2. Can you lead effectively if you've never performed the work you're asking of others?

3. When and how does interpersonal tact become manipulation?

4. Should leaders suppress their emotions or is emotional authenticity essential for trust?

5. Does innovation require destroying existing systems or can it coexist with stability?

Professional Discussion Prompts

1. How do you demonstrate presence in virtual environments when physical bearing is invisible?

2. Should executives be required to maintain the same fitness standards as frontline employees?

3. Should cultural sensitivity ever override organization objectives?

4. When should leaders admit they don't know something versus projecting confidence?

5. Is tactical knowledge relevant for strategic leaders or does it create opportunities for micromanagement?

Personal Discussion Prompts

1. How does your family members describe your leadership presence at home?

2. When has your professional confidence masked personal insecurity?

3. What aspects of your self and life do you suppress in professional settings?

4. When has resilience prevented you from seeking help you actually needed?

5. When has your need to appear composed prevented genuine connection with others?

Exercises

1. Presence Reflection

   1. Exercise:

      1. Each participant identifies three people who see them differently (a direct report, a peer, and a superior), then reflects on how their presence varies across these relationships

      2. Share insights about when and why leadership presence shifts and explore whether variations represent authenticity or performance

      3. Discuss whether consistent presence across all relationships is possible or even desirable

   2. Debrief:

      1. What does it mean that people experience different versions of your presence?

      2. Are you adapting strategically or fragmenting authentically?

2. Tact Check

   1. Exercise:

      1. Each person identifies a recent conversation where they chose diplomacy (tact) over directness (candor)

      2. Explore outcomes of that choice and whether tactful communication served the relationship or mission better

      3. Examine cultural and generational differences in how directness is received within their organizations

   2. Debrief:

      1. When does interpersonal tact become a barrier to necessary truth-telling?

      2. How do you calibrate honesty without sacrificing relationship quality?

Share Borrowing with Pride

Borrow One Idea: Stand Up

I’ve been in hundreds of conference rooms. I’ve been in plenty of board rooms. By far the nicest one I’ve spent time in, for quality and features, is on the campus of an oil supermajor in Houston.

This conference room, brand new for the months we were frequently in it, has everything: 20 foot glass walls that can be electronically frosted at the push of a button, a boardroom table with seats for 40 people, integrated catering, big leather swivel chairs, a nice view out the window, and oversized screen arrays to handle the most pointlessly complex PowerPoint. There is also a podium in front of the screen for speakers, but no one ever used it.

Rarely were there actually 40 people in the room, so the normal 15-ish executives (and us, the hired help) would cluster in the seats towards the center of the massive table. Logistically it would have made more sense to aggregate in the front, but the screen was so large that it was uncomfortable to be close to it.

Owing to this odd utilization of the space, everyone always sat during meetings.

If you’ve met senior oil executives, you understand three things:

1. They are all engineers, lawyers, or both (and thus sure they are smarter than you);

2. They are unfailingly polite but extremely pointed in communication style; and

3. None of them got to their level by being patient.

My first day with this company included witnessing the annihilation of a senior partner by a group of clients during a presentation. On a topic about which the partner had literally written a book. The partner was well versed in the subject matter, but his presentation style was Socratic and amiable: he lost the room quickly and the presentation became 60 minutes of devil’s advocacy by the clients. He was picked apart.

Months later, for reasons, our team brought another partner to the oversized board room to discuss a different topic. Having worked with this partner previously, I was fairly certain she would suffer the same fate as the other partner. She looks like she could be a young grandmother, refers to people as ‘bubala’, and does not aggressively project her voice. Also an expert in her field, the mismatch would be stylistic.

That day, probably 25 of the seats were taken. In the hours prior to presenting, our guest partner chose not to sit at the table, but rather in a chair along a side wall (where staff might sit during leadership meetings). She spoke frequently, each time requiring half the room to turn their chairs and the other half to move their head to see between the high-backed seats.

When it was her turn to present, she turned off the projection screen, stood up, and began speaking while standing immediately behind the senior-most client executive’s chair. This required him to half-turn and look up. She then preceded to speak for the next thirty minutes while slowly moving around the table, causing everyone to track her as she rotated.

Here is a cat video to illustrate:

There are plenty of situations where that style might not have been well received, but let me tell you: she owned that room so hard. She established authority through her presence and forced a room of executives, in their own headquarters, to engage with her on her own terms.

It was very impressive.

It was not accidental. She figured out what presence was required to own that room. There were many factors, but standing up, specifically, set her apart physically and figuratively. An action stronger than words.

ADP 6-22, 3-3, PDF page 55

More often than not, demonstrating a professional image of authority includes standing up.

Our childhood experience includes years of modeled behavior equating standing up with authority and expertise: teachers in front of a room, coaches standing above kids sitting the grass, religious/faith figures speaking to a group, etc.

If you are sitting, the person standing is in charge. When you are standing, you are in charge.

Stand up. Move around. Engage with space. Create presence.

This week, borrow with pride and find a reason to stand up. Practice establishing your presence in a manner beyond your words. How do you act when everyone is looking?

Get Familiar With: Command Presence

The three critical leader attributes for the US Army: character, presence, intellect. Who you are (character) and what you do (presence and intellect).

Demonstrating presence is more than just showing up and being seen, although both are important. The actions, words, and the manner in which leaders carry themselves should convey confidence, competence, and a positive example for others to emulate. Presence represents who leaders are and what they stand for.
…
Remembering that most subordinates want their leaders to be successful is important. When they sense that their leaders are genuine, honest, and willing to learn by putting themselves into positions where they might risk a little embarrassment learning a new skill, their level of respect for a leader increases. Leaders able to do what they ask others to do, who can ‘walk the talk,’ generate a positive reputation that contributes to their effective presence around Soldiers.

ADP 6-22, 3-1, PDF page 52

How do you act when everyone is looking? How do you create presence? What does it mean to be authentically intellectual? Are you comfortable with how you project, present, and show up? When you are in charge, how do people know it?

Learn More: Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 3-1 through 4-5 based on printed document (PDF pages 53-61)

  • Discussing the US Army’s second and third critical attributes: presence and intellect

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• These materials will be the focus of Thursday’s Guided Discovery

Catch Up: Last Week’s Content

Study: LDRSHIP

Guided Discovery: Leaders of Character

Share Borrowing with Pride

Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 2-1 through 2-12 based on printed document (PDF pages 41-52)

  • Examination of the values and character of a leader

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• This week’s Study: LDRSHIP

• All excerpts below are from ADP 6-22 unless otherwise noted

Introduction

***We’re trying something different this week: focusing on key excerpts and questions, without as much prose.

2-3. Character consists of the moral and ethical qualities of an individual revealed through their decisions and actions. Leaders must consistently demonstrate good character and inspire others to do the same. The close teamwork demanded to execute military missions at all levels requires that everyone in the Army share certain desirable character attributes. … Character attributes that are of special interest to the Army and its leaders are—

• Army Values.

• Empathy.

• Warrior Ethos and Service Ethos.

• Discipline.

• Humility.

2-5. The Army recognizes seven values that all Soldiers and DA Civilians must internalize. Embracing the Army Values is the hallmark of being an Army professional. Doing so represents a pact with teammates and the American people to be trustworthy and accountable. When read in sequence, the first letters of the Army Values form the acronym LDRSHIP:

• Loyalty.

• Duty.

• Respect.

• Selfless service.

• Honor.

• Integrity.

• Personal courage.

This Week’s Reading, Abridged

2-6. The first order of loyalty is to the Constitution and the ideals upon which it is based. One cannot remain loyal to the Constitution by being loyal to those who violate it. To create strong organizations, superiors, subordinates, and peers must embrace loyalty. One way that individuals demonstrate loyalty is by upholding all of the Army values.

2-7. Duty extends beyond law, regulation, and orders. Army professionals exercise initiative when they fulfill the purpose, not merely the letter, of received orders. Leaders take responsibility for their actions and those of their subordinates…

2-8. The Army Values reinforce that all people have dignity and worth and must be treated with respect. The Nation was founded on the ideal that all are created equal. In the Army, each is judged by the content of their character. Army leaders should consistently foster a climate that treats everyone with dignity and respect, regardless of ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, creed, or religious belief. Fostering a positive climate begins with a leader’s personal example. Leaders treat others, including adversaries, with respect.

2-9. Unselfish, humble leaders set themselves apart as teammates who are approachable, trustworthy, and open to follower input and advice. Selfless leaders aspire to attain goals for the greater good, beyond their own interests and benefits.

2-11. Leaders of integrity consistently follow honorable principles. The Army relies on leaders who are honest in word and deed. Leaders of integrity do the right thing because their character permits nothing less.

2-13. Moral courage is the willingness to stand firm on values, principles, and convictions. It enables all leaders to stand up for what they believe is right, regardless of the consequences. Leaders, who take full responsibility for their decisions and actions, even when things go wrong, display moral courage. Moral courage also expresses itself as candor—being frank, honest, and sincere with others. Carefully considered professional judgment offered to subordinates, peers, and superiors is an expression of personal courage.

2-14. Variation in upbringing, culture, religious belief, and tradition is reflected among those who choose to serve in the Army. Such differences provides many benefits for a force globally engaged around the world. Good leaders value this differences in outlook and experience and must treat all individuals with the inherent dignity and respect due every person.

2-18. Ethical choices may not always be obvious decisions between right and wrong. Leaders use multiple perspectives to think about ethical concerns, applying them to determine the most ethical choice. One perspective comes from a view that desirable virtues such as courage, justice, and benevolence define ethical outcomes. A second perspective comes from a set of agreed-upon values or rules, such as the Army Values or Constitutional rights. A third perspective bases the consequences of the decision on whatever produces the greatest good for the greatest number as most favorable.

2-19. Leaders should not intentionally issue vague or ambiguous orders or instructions to avoid responsibility or accountability.

2-23. Army leaders show empathy when they genuinely relate to another person’s situation, motives, or feelings. Empathy does not mean sympathy for another, but a realization that leads to a deeper understanding.

2-25. Army leaders recognize that empathy includes nurturing a close relationship between the Army and Army families. Army leaders at all levels should promote healthy families and relate to the challenges they face. Empathy for families includes providing recovery time from difficult missions, protecting leave periods, and supporting events that allow information exchange and family team building.

2-29. Discipline is essential to character, just as it is to an organization. All leaders must demonstrate self- discipline—the ability to control one’s own behavior—to do the harder right over the easier wrong. Doing tasks to the established Army standard without deviation reflects discipline.

2-30. At the unit level, leaders maintain discipline by enforcing standards impartially and consistently. Often this involves attending to mundane details, which may seem less urgent than an organization's key tasks, but are necessary to ensure success. … When enforcing standards, Soldiers expect their leaders to do so in an impartial, transparent, just, and consistent manner.

2-31. Humility in its simplest form is the absence of arrogance. It is a sign of a leader being unselfish, working toward something more important than themselves. … For humility to apply, a leader must first have competence and confidence. A leader with the right level of humility is a willing learner, maintains accurate self-awareness, and seeks out others’ input and feedback.

2-32. Humility exists on a continuum.

2-33. It is difficult to judge our own humility.

Questions for Individual Reflection

1. Can a leader maintain authentic humility when pursuing aggressive growth targets or other highly competitive objectives?

2. Is empathy a strategic advantage or an emotional liability?

3. When does discipline become rigidity? How do you recognize that inflection point in yourself?

4. How do you maintain integrity when industry practices normalize ethically questionable behavior?

5. Is character development scalable across global organizations with vastly different cultural contexts?

Professional Discussion Prompts

1. Can respect for competitors coexist with attempting to destroy their market position?

2. When does loyalty to legacy employees become detrimental to organizational transformation? How do you navigate this with honor and integrity?

3. How do you honor commitments when market conditions fundamentally change?

4. When should personal courage include challenging board decisions publicly?

5. Is discipline more valuable than innovation in disrupted industries?

Personal Discussion Prompts

1. What family values have you compromised for professional success?

2. How has your definition of courage evolved since your first leadership role?

3. When have you shown loyalty to someone despite professional cost?

4. How has increased wealth affected your capacity for genuine humility?

5. What personal discipline do you struggle to maintain despite its importance?

Exercises

1. Empathy Erosion Assessment

   1. Exercise:

      1. Participants reflect on their capacity for empathy at different career stages

      2. Share specific examples of when success reduced their empathetic responses

      3. Explore barriers wealth and power create to genuine understanding

   2. Debrief:

      1. Which groups have become invisible to your empathy over time?

      2. How does your lifestyle insulate you from others' struggles?

      3. What practices could restore your empathetic capacity?

2. Service Motivation Archaeology

   1. Exercise:

      1. Individually, dig into original motivations for choosing a career path

      2. Share how these motivations have evolved and what replaced early idealism

      3. Explore whether current work still serves something beyond self-interest

   2. Debrief:

      1. When did service to others become secondary to personal advancement?

      2. Which early motivations would your current self find naive?

      3. How would you redesign your role to serve something greater?

Share Borrowing with Pride

Borrow One Idea: LDRSHIP

Most organizations have a list of values. You can generally find them on the company’s website, which means they must be important.

Can you recite your organization’s values? Or a personal set of values?

When it comes to listing an organization’s values, my bias it that simpler is better. First, for clarity. Second, for creating a kick-ass acronym.

Not simple: including things like ‘Client Value Creation’ and ‘One Global Network’. These are fine values, poorly expressed. They also lead to nonsensical acronyms like CORBIS.

Not the greatest, not the worst.

Simple, effective, and awesome? The Army Values.

The Army recognizes seven values that all Soldiers and DA Civilians must internalize. Embracing the Army Values is the hallmark of being an Army professional. Doing so represents a pact with teammates and the American people to be trustworthy and accountable. When read in sequence, the first letters of the Army Values form the acronym LDRSHIP:

• Loyalty.

• Duty.

• Respect.

• Selfless service.

• Honor.

• Integrity.

• Personal courage.

ADP 6-22, 2-2, PDF page 42

This is an excellent list of values and an equally superb acronym.

They are both individual and collective values. They are applicable to anyone, in all situations.

Only stating values is meaningless; shared and lived values are what matters. But do not disregard the importance of also making the statement. People need to know what our values are. This is what makes us trustworthy and accountable.

If you do not have a personal list of core values, try LDRSHIP for a bit. The US Army’s underlying definitions for each are in this week’s reading, but feel free to frame them in whatever way resonates with you.

This week, borrow with pride and develop, adopt, or reaffirm a set of personal values. Where do your values come from? How do they inform your actions and thinking? Do others know what they are - explicitly? How do others know what makes you trustworthy and accountable? How do you talk about your values?

Get Familiar With: Leaders of Character

Our character is as visible as our clothes and influences everything we do as leaders.

2-1. A person’s character affects how they lead. A leader’s character consists of their true nature guided by their conscience, which affects their moral attitudes and actions. A leader’s personal reputation is what others view as character. Leaders who firmly adhere to applicable laws, regulations, and unit standards build credibility with their subordinates and enhance trust of the Nation they serve.

2-2. Influences such as background, beliefs, education, and experiences affect all Soldiers and DA Civilians. An Army leader’s role in developing others’ character would be simple if it merely required checking and aligning personal values with the Army Values. Reality is much different. Becoming and remaining a leader of character is a process involving day-to-day experiences and internal fortitude. While education, self- development, counseling, coaching, and mentoring can refine the outward signs of character, modifying deeply held values is the only way to change character. Leaders are responsible for their own character and for encouraging, supporting, and assessing their subordinates’ efforts to embody character.

ADP 6-22, 2-1 through 2-2, PDF page 41

The US Army, in ADP 6-22, focuses on three critical leader attributes: character, presence, and intellect. Just like last week’s reading, in which the US Army consistently listed ‘military expertise’ lower on the list of professional characteristics than things like ‘Trust’ and ‘Honorable Service’, character (and presence) preceding intellect is not a mistake.

Leaders are responsible for their own character and for influencing the character of those they lead. When we think of our favorite, most respected leaders, the positive reaction is typically anchored to their attitudes and actions, as well as how they made us feel: confident, able, trusted, accountable, inspired, secure.

A leader of character understands their place in the world and helps others feel confident in theirs.

How do you talk about your values? What is a leader’s obligation to developing the character of others? What does it mean to be a leader of character? Would those from different parts of your life describe your character similarly?

Learn More: Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 2-1 through 2-12 based on printed document (PDF pages 41-52)

  • Examination of the values and character of a leader

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• These materials will be the focus of Thursday’s Guided Discovery

Catch Up: Last Week’s Content

Study: Just Following Orders

Guided Discovery: The Profession and the Ethic

Share Borrowing with Pride

Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 1-1 through 1-14 based on printed document (PDF pages 17-30)

  • Discussion of the Army profession, ethic and expectations of a professional, ethical leader

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• This week’s Study: Just Following Orders

• All excerpts below are from ADP 6-22 unless otherwise noted

Introduction

***We’re trying something different this week: focusing on key excerpts and questions, without as much prose.

1-2. Providing the purpose, direction, and motivation required to inspire others to risk their lives to accomplish missions requires leaders committed to their profession and ethic. To prepare Army leaders to fulfill their responsibilities, the Army profession develops Soldiers and Army civilians who demonstrate character, competence, and commitment…

1-3. The Army has a dual nature as both a military department of government and a trusted military profession. The character of the Army as an institution and a profession are both essential to accomplishing the Army’s mission. However, it is the American people’s trust and confidence in the Army as an ethical profession that grants it the autonomy to exercise the disciplined initiative critical to accomplishing missions under diverse conditions around the world.

1-7. Ultimately, society trusts professions and grants them autonomy and discretion with prudent, balanced oversight or external controls. If a profession violates its ethic and loses the trust of society, it becomes subject to increased societal regulation and governance.

This Week’s Reading, Abridged

1-5. Professionals accept the responsibility to be stewards of the people and resources entrusted to them by society and to advance the state of their profession in anticipation of changes to the world around them. Professions motivate their members to answer a “calling to honorable service,” to pursue lifelong learning, and to cooperate as members with a common purpose higher than individual gratification. A calling or vocation means that the mission is more important than the individual is, which is the basis of sacrifice.

1-10. Five characteristics identify and establish the Army as a profession. These characteristics reflect American values, the Army ethic, and the Army’s approach to conducting operations. Demonstrated consistently, these characteristics reinforce trust between the Army profession and the American people. The five characteristics of the Army profession are—

• Trust.

• Honorable service.

• Military expertise.

• Stewardship.

• Esprit de corps.

1-12. Trust has a direct relationship on the time and resources required to accomplish the mission.

1-13. Trust within the Army profession allows us to rapidly task organize units and build teams where interpersonal relations are not yet established.

1-23. While none of us can be completely prepared for complex, ambiguous situations, we should reflect on the Army ethic, study lessons learned, anticipate ethical challenges, and mitigate the risks. It is expected that Soldiers and Army Civilians, as trusted Army professionals, will do what they believe is right.

1-24. Military expertise is the ethical design, generation, support, and application of land power, and the associated capabilities essential to accomplishing missions in defense of the American people. The Army profession demonstrates military expertise while conducting operations assigned by civilian authority. The Army is trusted to accomplish missions ethically, effectively, and efficiently. The Army profession develops and demonstrates military expertise in four broad fields of knowledge:

• Leader and human development.

• Moral-ethical.

• Geo-cultural and political.

• Military-technical.

1-40. Esprit de corps is embedded in the Army culture, professional organizational climates, and shared identity. Esprit de corps is reflected in the customs, courtesies, and traditions of the Army. Discipline and standards are intrinsic to the Army profession. Armed forces conduct operations with the discipline required by military art and science. Discipline allows Army professionals to choose the harder right over the easier wrong in the face of temptation, obstacles, and adversity. Standards establish acceptable levels of performance and achievement; Army professionals strive for excellence in performance of duty.

1-44. True professions are guided by an ethic that establishes the personal and institutional standards expected of its members. A professional ethic creates a shared professional identity, and provides an enduring set of moral principles, values and beliefs that guide that profession as it provides its specialized service to society. The Army ethic is the set of enduring moral principles, values, beliefs, and laws that guide the Army profession and create the culture of trust essential to Army professionals in the conduct of missions, performance of duty, and all aspects of life.

1-48. Soldiers and Army civilians join the Army profession with personal values developed in childhood and nurtured through years of experience. Diverse backgrounds and perspectives reflect American society and are a great strength of the Army. The oath to support and defend the Constitution unites all Army professionals.

1-51. In situations of uncertainty, where the rules do not provide clear, courses of action, Army professionals base their decisions and actions on the moral principles of the Army ethic.

1-57. Leaders set the example, live by and uphold the Army ethic, establish a professional organizational climate, and inspire their team. Without leadership, there is no profession, only bureaucracy. While the senior leader is responsible for what the team does or fails to do, success demands that all perform duty with discipline and to standard. In this way, leaders and followers are trusted teammates in the exercise of mission command. The consistent demonstration of character, competence, and commitment, with shared understanding and intent, reinforces mutual trust.

1-62. Leadership demands courage, a character attribute and an Army Value. The mission, duty, and life itself require Army professionals to reject cowardice—they accept risk and overcome adversity and their fears. They realize that they risk personal harm in performing their duty and accomplishing missions. The harm may be physical, emotional, or spiritual. Nonetheless, Army professionals communicate with candor and tact, seek shared understanding, and demonstrate courage by doing what is ethical, effective, and efficient despite risk, uncertainty, and fear.

1-63. Some situations exist where leaders may have multiple options that are ethical, but they create tension with one another in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. It is professional judgment gained by experience that helps inform the best decision among choices that are all ethical.

1-67. Every Soldier and Army civilian has the duty to be a leader, follower, and steward of the Army profession. They are accountable to the American people to make decisions and accomplish the mission in accordance with the Army ethic. They hold themselves and others accountable to achieve standards and strive for excellence. They exemplify a life-long commitment to defend the American people and secure the national interest. In demonstrating the Army Values of honor and integrity, Army professionals uphold the Army ethic and conduct themselves in a manner worthy of their professional status.

1-75. Influencing is persuading people do what is necessary. Influencing entails more than simply passing along orders. Through words and personal example, leaders inspire purpose, provide direction, and when required motivation.

1-76. Leaders provide clear purpose for their subordinates. Purpose gives subordinates a reason to achieve a desired outcome. Leaders convey purpose through direct means such as requests, directives, or orders. Leaders inspire subordinates to do their best by instilling a higher purpose that rises above self-interest. They explain why something should or must be done and provide context whenever possible. Subordinates who understand why they are doing something difficult and discern the higher purpose are more likely to do the right thing when leaders are not present to direct their every action.

1-81. How leaders motivate others matters. There are practices that are always positive, while others are good or bad depending on the context of the situation. There are those who can inspire others to act because they respect the leader’s judgment, respect that the leader earned. Earning this type of personal respect takes time, so leaders may need to motivate others initially based upon the authorities and respect inherent in their duty position. In either case, leaders should be judicious about using pressure or threat of punishment when motivating others, because doing so too often or when unnecessary breeds resentment and low morale.

Questions for Individual Reflection

1. When was the last time you disagreed with a superior's decision based on ethical grounds? What was the personal cost?

2. How do you reconcile the situations when your personal values conflict with what's best for shareholder value?

3. Can you simultaneously serve shareholders, employees, and society equally? Is this tension resolvable?

4. What shortcuts in ethical behavior do you privately justify when facing pressures to succeed?

5. If your organization ceased operations tomorrow, would society genuinely mourn the loss of your contribution?

6. Are you influencing others toward a higher purpose or simply executing efficient processes?

Professional Discussion Prompts

1. How do you measure and quantify trust within your organization beyond employee satisfaction surveys?

2. How does your organization's decision-making structure prevent ethical blind spots at critical junctures?

3. How do you distinguish between training that creates compliance versus character building development?

4. What activities or practices genuinely unite your workforce around shared purpose rather than shared paychecks?

5. When stakeholder interests are in conflict, what framework determines priority: shareholders, employees, customers, or society?

Personal Discussion Prompts

1. What would you want your children to say about the way you conduct your professional life?

2. How do you explain to your family when professional obligations require their personal sacrifices?

3. What childhood experiences shaped your understanding of right and wrong in leadership situations?

4. What professional fears do you carry that your family likely doesn't understand?

5. Which of your stated values have you never actually been forced to defend under pressure?

Exercises

1. Professional Identity Beyond Profit

   1. Exercise:

      1. Participants write a 30-word statement defining their professional identity that excludes financial metrics, market position, or competitive advantages

      2. Small groups compare these identity statements with their company's stated mission and values

      3. Discussion focuses on moments when individual professional identity conflicted with organizational demands

   2. Debrief:

      1. When your professional identity conflicts with organizational pressure, which typically wins and why?

      2. How do you maintain personal professional standards when industry norms suggest otherwise?

      3. What would change in your decision-making if you viewed your role as stewarding a profession rather than maximizing returns?

2. The Trust Equation in Business

   1. Exercise:

      1. Participants individually assess their organization's trust levels across three dimensions: upward (with board/investors), lateral (with peers), and downward (with direct reports)

      2. Each person shares one specific example where trust accelerated decision-making speed and one where lack of trust created organizational friction

      3. Group maps the relationship between trust levels and delegation authority in their respective organizations

   2. Debrief:

      1. When you delegate significant authority, what specific behaviors signal that trust exists versus mere compliance?

      2. How do you distinguish between trust earned through competence versus trust earned through character?

      3. What organizational systems inadvertently undermine the trust you're trying to build?

Borrow One Idea: Compliance versus Aspiration

As the marshal shouted “Let justice be done,” Peter von Hagenbach was beheaded in 1474, after being tried and convicted by the first international criminal tribunal. Created by the Archduke of Austria, the tribunal consisted of 28 judges from different states in the Holy Roman Empire. Von Hagenbach, appointed governor by Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, was told to keep order in Austria’s territories on the upper Rhine. In fulfilling the duke’s directive, von Hagenbach terrorized the population.

Charged with violation of “the laws of God and man,” specifically murder, rape and perjury, among other crimes, von Hagenbach used as his defense that he was simply following orders. “Is it not known that soldiers owe absolute obedience to their superiors?” he asked.

Harvard Law Bulletin

Five hundred years later, the rule for leaders (and those who wield power in any form) is still the same: being ordered to do something is not a justification to abdicate one’s own ethical standards and violate another’s rights.

1-16. Army professionals protect the constitutional rights of every American and the basic human rights of all people. Any failure to respect these rights diminishes trust with the American people and with the international community. Such failure can cause great harm to the legitimacy of the Army profession and the Nation. Important insights for all Army professionals informing why and how they serve include—

• The collective rights of the American people to independence and political sovereignty constitute the moral basis for the Army mission.

• Protecting the Nation’s collective rights is the honorable service the Army profession provides for society.

• Army professionals must not violate the rights of others, or they violate their own ethic and erode the trust and legitimacy built with the American people, allies, and partners.

ADP 6-22, 1-16, PDF page 19

If it is not enough to say ‘I just follow orders’, it is also not enough to do things without reasoning. ‘I felt like it’ is not a good answer either. Ethical frameworks are required.

This week’s Guided Discovery will cover the totality of the Army Ethic, but today, focus on the foundations:

Consider the Army’s delineation between and pairing of legal and moral motivations. Following orders is a part of the Army profession, but it does not exist in a vacuum. For every ‘what’ in an order there is a ‘why’.

Kids love to ask ‘why’. They lack foundations. Asking ‘why’ helps build them.

Businesspeople are taught to ask ‘five whys’. To look for root cause…foundational issues.

In both cases, the answer ‘because I said so’ is deemed wholly insufficient. Children will not tolerate this non-answer and in business there are four more ‘whys’ specifically to push past the legal compliance layers and find something deeper.

What is deeper is moral aspiration. Legal motivations are durable and important, but they are still contextual and subject to change.

Moral motivations transcend most situational context. They get to the deeper ‘why’. They are what is beyond following orders.

A strong ethical foundation, balanced between motivations of legal compliance and moral aspiration, provides an enduring ‘why’ for team members.

This week, borrow with pride and evaluate the legal and moral motivations in your life. What is based on compliance? What is based on aspiration? Ask yourself ‘why’? Consider your organization’s ethical foundation and your own. What do you demonstrate as a leader? Are your ethics evident?

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Get Familiar With: The Profession and Ethic

The world needs people who volunteer. We rely on them.

For more than 240 years, the United States Army has protected the people and interests of the Nation. The Army is not alone. The Marines Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, government agencies, and local law enforcement and firefighters all perform similar services to the Nation and its communities. All volunteered. In many cases, they choose to place themselves in harm’s way based on a conviction that personal service makes a difference.

ADP 6-22, Chapter 1, Introductory Paragraph, PDF page 17

The act of volunteering is celebrated (and should be), but that single act does not endow the volunteer with expert capabilities or infallible judgement. Raising your hand is not the last step, it is the first step.

1-1. Enduring the physical hardship, danger, and uncertainty of combat requires an Army that is professionally committed and guided by an ethic that motivates and guides its forces in the conduct of missions, performance of duty, and all aspects of life.

1-2. Providing the purpose, direction, and motivation required to inspire others to risk their lives to accomplish missions requires leaders committed to their profession and ethic. To prepare Army leaders to fulfill their responsibilities, the Army profession develops Soldiers and Army civilians who demonstrate character, competence, and commitment…

ADP 6-22, 1-1 through 1-2, PDF page 17

Leaders and managers are also volunteers. No one is required to continue to move up in an organization. You do not ‘need’ to be in charge of anything. It is always an accepted choice.

Volunteers, leaders, managers, and all those who serve and exercise authority in any capacity, must be held to the highest of ethical and professional standards. They must because we are relying upon them.

Are your ethics evident? What does it mean to be committed to your profession and ethic? How does an organization (or individual) develop character, competence, and commitment? What are your ethical foundations?

Learn More: Suggested Reading

• ADP 6-22, Army Leadership and the Profession

  • Pages 1-1 through 1-14 based on printed document (PDF pages 17-30)

  • Discussion of the Army profession, ethic and expectations of a professional, ethical leader

• Link to ADP 6-22 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• These materials will be the focus of Thursday’s Guided Discovery

Catch Up: Last Week’s Content

Study: Take Notes

Guided Discovery: Battle Rhythm

Share Borrowing with Pride

Suggested Reading

• FM 6-0, Commander and Staff Organization and Operations

  • Pages 4-1 through 4-25 based on printed document (PDF pages 67-91)

  • Discussion of the processes and actions for effective and efficiency management of command posts

• Link to FM 6-0 on the US Army Publishing Directorate

• This week’s Study: Take Notes

• All excerpts below are from FM 6-0 unless otherwise noted with preceding hyperlinks

Guided Discovery

One more time.

What is rhythm (besides a dancer)?

Britannica: Unlike a painting or a piece of sculpture, which are compositions in space, a musical work is a composition dependent upon time. Rhythm is music’s pattern in time.

A pattern in time.

4-1. The battle rhythm is a deliberate daily cycle of command, staff, and unit activities intended to synchronize current and future operations.

Precious time available to leaders.

The battle rhythm is how time is allocated, used, and consumed by leaders.

Music can exist without harmony or melody, but rhythm is required.

Complex organizations and operations can function without many components, but battle rhythm is required.

Creating rhythm demands an understanding and appreciation of its elements, in music or your leadership role:

• Beat

• Tempo

• Time

• Polyrhythm

Arrhythmic sounds and organizations try our sense of order and create discomfort. People need a sense of order and comfort to understand their roles in a complex organization (or world). Order and comfort is created through rhythm, via thoughtful consideration of issues as important and banal as meetings.

4-1. A headquarters’ battle rhythm consists of a series of meetings (to include working groups and boards), briefings, and other activities synchronized by time and purpose.

Beat, tempo, time, and polyrhythm are as meaningful to the US Army and us, in business and our personal lives, as they are in music.

Beat

Britannia: The mind apparently seeks some organizing principle in the perception of music, and if a grouping of sounds is not objectively present it imposes one of its own. Experiments show that the mind instinctively groups regular and identical sounds into twos and threes, stressing every second or third beat, and thus creates from an otherwise monotonous series a succession of strong and weak beats. In music such grouping is achieved by actual stress—i.e., by periodically making one note stronger than the others. When the stress occurs at regular intervals, the beats fall into natural time measures.

Not every beat is created equal.

4-2. Understanding the purpose and potential decisions of each meeting and activity is equally important. This understanding allows members of the staff and subordinate commanders to provide appropriate input to influence decisions.

Some beats are emphasized more than others. That does not make the other beats irrelevant.

Masterclass: Rhythm combines strong beats and weak beats. Strong beats include the first beat of each measure (the downbeat), as well as other heavily accented beats. Both popular music and classical music combine strong beats and weak beats to create memorable rhythmic patterns.

The emphasis on particular beats is a decision made by the leader. But team members need to understand why specific beats are emphasized.

4-6. A commander’s decisions ultimately guide the actions of the force. Decision making requires knowing if, when, and what to decide and understanding the consequences of that decision. As such, the development and management of the unit’s battle rhythm must directly support the commander’s decision-making style.

Tempo

Britannia: The tempo of a piece of music indicated by a composer is, however, neither absolute nor final. In performance it is likely to vary according to the performer’s interpretative ideas or to such considerations as the size and reverberation of the hall, the size of the ensemble, and, to a lesser extent, the sonority of the instruments. A change within such limits does not affect the rhythmic structure of a work.

The same is true for battle rhythm:

4-3. The battle rhythm changes during execution as operations progress. For example, early in the operation a commander may require a daily plans update briefing. As the situation changes, the commander may only require a plans update every three days. Some factors that help determine a unit’s battle rhythm include the staff’s proficiency, higher echelon headquarters’ battle rhythm, and current mission.

Tempo is derived as much from internal choices as from external influences. The expectant audience pressure which ratchets up the tempo in a performance is akin to the intensity of an operating environment. There might be a planned tempo, but the actual tempo in real-life performance varies dramatically according to need and constraints.

4-16. The type and intensity of operations are both important considerations when developing or modifying a unit’s battle rhythm. During high-tempo operations involving offense and defense (such as large-scale combat operations), planning and timelines for making decisions are often shortened. For operations dominated by stability (such as counterinsurgency), the planning and times for making decisions are often longer.

Matching the tempo to circumstances and intent, and understanding when it needs to change, is the work of the leader.

Time

Rhythm is music’s pattern in time and is the synchronization of time and purpose, but the use of time and timing in rhythm is a significant factor toward determining whether a rhythm is crisp and clear or cluttered and chaotic.

Masterclass: A musical time signature indicates the number of beats per measure. It also indicates how long these beats last.

For a leader, the question is how much is just enough: how many beats can you get in the schedule before the structure becomes overbearing and counterproductive?

4-19. When developing the battle rhythm, it is important to incorporate additional time for thinking, battlefield circulation, planning, analysis and personal time (including sleep, relaxation, and exercise). A common error in battle rhythm development involves scheduling numerous events where the commander, staff principals, and action officers attend a continuous progression of meetings, working groups, and other events. In this environment, the commander or members of the staff lack the time to think or work on projects. The negative impacts of a “jam-packed” battle rhythm go beyond the commander and staff and affect subordinate units.

Successfully allocating time within a battle rhythm is a result of choices and is not an accident.

4-13. Developing an effective battle rhythm requires detailed planning and analysis. Rarely does a unit start from scratch when developing its battle rhythm. Unit operations normally provide a standard battle rhythm in which the unit expects to operate. … In addition to understanding the commander’s decision-making style and preference, the staff considers the following when developing the unit’s battle rhythm:

• Higher echelon headquarters, support, and supporting events and report requirements.

• Type and intensity of operations.

• Logical arrangement of events.

• Time available.

Time available! Understanding how much time is actually, reasonably, available, is difficult in the best of circumstances. Even more when a higher headquarters requires its own timing and rhythm to be used as inputs and guardrails and the layering addes even more complexity.

4-17. The commander’s guidance and decision-making requirements, an analysis of the higher headquarters’ battle rhythm, and an understanding of the type and intensity of operations all help the staff to identify events for inclusion in the unit’s battle rhythm. Before sequencing events, it is helpful to associate actual time windows to planning horizons and identify major decision-making events associated with each planning horizon. This understanding helps the staff logically sequence events so that outputs from one battle rhythm event provide inputs to others, in support of the commander’s decision-making requirements, by planning horizon.

Polyrhythm

Masterclass: To achieve a particularly ambitious sense of rhythm, an ensemble may employ polyrhythm, which layers one type of rhythm on top of another. For instance, a salsa percussion ensemble may feature congas and bongos playing 4/4 time, while the timbales concurrently play a pattern in 3/8. This creates a dense rhythmic stew and, when properly executed, it can yield incredibly danceable rhythm patterns. Polyrhythms originated in African drumming, and they’ve spread to all sorts of genres worldwide, from Afro-Caribbean to Indian to progressive rock, jazz, and contemporary classical.

Incorporating the beat, tempo and time of multiple echelons of an organization or business to create a unified battle rhythm is intimidating. A musical version of this is polyrhythm. The corporate version is integrated, nested operations.

Both require intense planning and analysis of dependencies to inform sequences.

4-15. A technique for initially developing the unit’s battle rhythm is to analyze the higher echelon headquarters’ battle rhythm, including identifying higher headquarters meetings and reports that require the unit’s participation or input. The staff also identifies information requirements and meetings of supporting units. This helps the staff identify internal meetings and report requirements. It also helps determine the scheduling of internal meetings and reports so staffs can provide timely input to the higher echelon or supporting headquarters. For example, the higher headquarters will require subordinate units to submit target nominations and requests by a certain time per the published battle rhythm. To ensure timely input to higher headquarters, the subordinate staff members perform a time analysis on when they need to conduct their internal targeting working group and targeting board so target nominations reach the higher headquarters on time.

The US Army suggestions a series of checks to determine whether an established battle rhythm is achieving results in a multi-echelon environment.

4-21. The COS or XO may ask the following questions as considerations for approving the battle rhythm and meeting events:

• Does the battle rhythm support the commander’s decision-making style and requirements?

• Is the battle rhythm nested with higher events?

• Does the battle rhythm match the events happening on the ground and the intensity of the operations?

• Does the battle rhythm allow subordinate units to establish their routines?

• Is there time between routine events to allow for leaders and staffs for other activities to include personal time?

The Building Blocks of Battle Rhythm: Meetings

4-24. Efficient meetings help build and maintain shared understanding, facilitate decision making, and coordinate action. To ensure meetings are organized, a unit’s standard operating procedures should address—

• Purpose.

• Frequency.

• Composition (including the meeting’s chair, participants, and note taker).

• Inputs and expected outputs.

• Agenda.

What percentage of the last ten meetings you attended or chaired had explicitly stated structure? I’d guess below 25%.

Part of the reason is that meetings are like vampires…difficult to kill. Pressure test your meetings to determine real value.

4-21. For each meeting—

• Is the meeting necessary?

• Is there a clear purpose to the meeting?

• Does the meeting feed other meetings and ultimately lead to timely decisions?

• Did the staff identify and synchronize the inputs and outputs of the meetings?

• Do those involved have sufficient time to prepare for the meeting?

• Does this meeting avoid duplicating other meetings?

• Are the proper attendees at the meeting?

4-60. There is not a standard battle rhythm for every situation. Each commander has a unique personal decision-making style and staff interaction preference. Different echelons, types of units, and types of operations require commanders and staffs to develop their unit’s battle rhythm based on the situation.

Questions for Individual Reflection

1. When does your "battle rhythm" actually prevent the critical thinking it's supposed to enable?

2. What decisions are you making in meetings that should never require a meeting?

3. Which of your recurring meetings exist primarily to manage your own anxiety about control?

4. What critical decisions are you avoiding by hiding behind collaborative processes?

5. How do you know when your leadership rhythm serves the mission versus serving your ego?

Professional Discussion Prompts

1. How do you prevent your executive team from becoming professional meeting attendees?

2. When does "nesting" with the board's rhythm compromise your ability to lead effectively?

3. How do you maintain strategic agility when your organization runs on predictable cycles?

4. When does operational discipline become an excuse for avoiding uncomfortable conversations?

5. Should acquisition targets be evaluated based on their ability to sync with your operating rhythm?

Personal Discussion Prompts

1. How has your professional "battle rhythm" infected your family time and personal relationships?

2. What personal decisions do you avoid by staying busy with professional coordination activities?

3. What personal relationships suffer because they don't fit your preferred "meeting cadence"?

4. What personal activities do you sacrifice to maintain your professional rhythm?

5. How do you differentiate between leading your family and managing them?

Exercises

1. The Meeting Elimination Test

   1. Exercise:

      1. Teams select their most sacred recurring meeting and design a 30-day experiment to eliminate it

      2. Create alternative mechanisms for information sharing and decision-making

      3. Develop metrics to measure impact on both efficiency and effectiveness

   2. Debrief:

      1. What essential functions did we think the meeting served that actually aren't essential?

      2. How did relationships and information flow change without the formal meeting structure?

      3. What does this reveal about our assumptions regarding how work actually gets done?

2. Tempo Mismatch Challenge

   1. Exercise:

      1. Teams identify areas where their operating rhythm mismatches market or customer tempo

      2. Map customer decision cycles against internal meeting cycles

      3. Propose rhythm modifications that better align with external stakeholder needs

   2. Debrief:

      1. Where does our internal coordination slow down our external responsiveness?

      2. How do our customers experience our need for internal synchronization?

      3. What competitive advantages are we surrendering to maintain operational comfort?