WO Mick Stuart
RAF LC Objectives
Leadership is the most cost effective way of improving
operational effectiveness.
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Leadership in the RAF can move from good to
outstanding.
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Our intent is to continue to discover, develop and
deliver means of improving Leadership.
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RAF LC Objectives
By 2010 Leaders at all levels will:
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Embrace Mission Command as an everyday practice.
- Realise the importance of exercising each Leadership
Attribute in achieving outstanding performance.
- Realise the importance of being able to adopt a variety
of Leadership styles and approaches.
RAF LC Objectives
The RAFLC will:
- Provide Leadership Policy for the RAF.
- Align all Leadership Training Agencies to implement a
coherent and consistent Leadership Development Strategy.
- Provide practical support to Training Agencies and RAF
personnel.
- Sponsor education in Leadership and Research into RAF
Leadership issues.
RAF Strategy Document
RAF LEADERSHIP CENTRE WEBSITE
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Accessing the RAF
Leadership Centre Website
http://www.cranwell.raf.r.mil.uk/live/
RAF_Leadership_Centre /Index.htm
MISSION
COMMAND
SCOPE
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Origins.
Use and Development: 1805 to 2006.
Introduction to British Military Doctrine.
Principles of Mission Command.
‘Mechanics.’
Culture.
Threats and Opportunities.
Battle of Trafalgar
21 Oct 1805
Band of Brothers
Nelson’s Orders for Trafalgar
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‘England expects that every man
will do his duty.’
‘No captain will do so wrong if he
puts his ship alongside that of the
enemy.’
Jena and Auerstadt
14 October 1806
PRUSSIA
(Professionals and hot
favourites)
vs
FRANCE
(Upstart peasants –
New Manager)
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE
SCHARNHORST
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‘We fought
bravely enough,
but not cleverly
enough.’
CARL von CLAUSEWITZ
‘On War’
(published posthumously 1832)
CLAUSEWITZ’ LEGACY
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The Fog of War.
The Friction of War.
The importance of speed of
decision making.
Findings of Scharnhorst’s
‘Board of Inquiry’
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The Prussian Army was run as a machine,
with iron discipline, because the morale of the
troops was low.
Officers tried to counter chaos of battle by
using mathematical principles.
Nobody took action without orders.
Highly centralised and process-dominated.
It used ‘Befehltaktik’ – i.e. based on Orders.
Findings of Scharnhorst’s
‘Board of Inquiry’
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Napoleon was able to communicate very
rapidly with his Marshals.
He explained his intentions, as well as what
he wanted them to do.
He expected them to use their initiative.
They did!
The result was a very high tempo – a very
fast ‘OODA loop.’
The OODA Loop
Observation
Action
Orientation
Decision
Reforms to the Prussian Army
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The need for speed of decision making was
recognised.
Officers were trained and authorised to make realtime decisions at low level.
Philosophy that it was better to act now with good
intentions than to wait for the ‘right’ order.
Doing nothing was a greater sin than making the
wrong decision.
Orders from above could not possibly give the officer
on the ground all the guidance he would need.
Field Marshal Von Moltke
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Father of
‘Auftragstaktik.’
“Obedience is a
principle, but the man
stands above the
principle.”
Auftragstaktik
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Senior commanders should not
order more than was absolutely
necessary but should ensure the
goal was clear.
In case of doubt, subordinate
commanders should seize the
initiative.
Franco Prussian War 1870
The Great War 1914
The OODA Loop
Observation
Action
Orientation
Decision
Sturm-Bataillione
(Storm Battalion)
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Storm Trooper
General Ludendorff
Auftragstaktik
Between the Wars
Germany (the Losers!)
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Develops ‘an Army of 100,000 officers.’
Training centred on ‘thinking obedience.’
Trust becomes central to military
doctrine.
Everyone expected to learn, and be able
to do, the job 2 levels up.
Proves very effective in coping with and
using the chaos of the battlefield.
British Army (the Victors!)
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Reverts to ‘huntin’ shootin’ an’ fishin.’
Prefers to try to control the chaos of the
battlefield.
Designs a ‘Master plan.’
Master plan specifies in great detail
precisely what everyone has to do.
Yet, orders are not considered absolute.
Result is a lot of debating and delay
– very slow OODA Loop.
The OODA Loop
Observation
Action
Orientation
Decision
Second World War
Royal Air Force
Keith Park – AOC 11 Gp
Hugh Dowding – CinC Fighter
Command
Trafford Leigh Mallory – 12 Gp
Sqn Ldr ‘Sailor’ Malan
Wg Cdr Stanford-Tuck
Royal Air Force
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Unusually, prepares to fight the NEXT war.
Dowding designs ‘integrated defence
system’ for Battle of Britain (NEC?).
Delegates responsibility for the fighting to
Group Commanders.
Allows for a very fast OODA Loop.
One of the main reasons for the defeat of
the Luftwaffe.
‘In a nut-shell’
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Germany has outstanding first half using
Auftragstaktik from the ‘off.’
Big wins away in Poland, Czechoslovakia,
Holland, Belgium France etc. etc.
Manager substitutes Befehltaktik for
Auftragstaktik just after half time.
Germany loses away in Russia (Stalingrad City).
Loses to new Combined Services (US/UK).
Loses at home trying to play 2 games at once.
A Key Lesson…
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‘If an operating philosophy is to deliver a
strategic advantage its application must
be inculcated, practiced and seamlessly
applied throughout the organisation.’
US Army Philosophy
Invest all authority and knowledge in the
officers
 No need to burden the troops with more
information than they will need for the
immediate future
 Make the officers easily identifiable!
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Cold War
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Static posturing.
Everyone told what they had to do
(Befehltaktik?).
Not ‘manoeuvre warfare.’
Little need for Auftragstaktik.
But!! BAOR is seriously out-numbered
and so…
Field Marshal Bagnall KCB
GCB CVO MC*
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1986 – Introduces principles of
Auftragstaktik to UK Military doctrine
and influences NATO doctrine.
Doctrine becomes known as ‘Mission
Command.’
Great idea!
……but nobody knows about it.
Principles
The 4 Enduring Tenets
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Timely decision making
The importance of understanding the
senior leader’s intent
A clear responsibility to fulfil that intent
An ability on the part of the subordinate
to meet the superior’s intent
Required Leadership Styles
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Decentralised decision making
(formal delegation/empowerment)
Freedom (and speed) of action
Initiative
Required Followership
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There is a fundamental requirement
on everyone’s part to act (or decide
not to act, if that is the right thing to
do) within the framework of the
Senior Leader’s intent
Waiting to be told is not an option!
Required Followership
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designed to facilitate effective
action under chaotic and confusing
conditions.
Is based on trust.
Is intended to unify autonomy and
alignment – ‘unity of effort’.
The Basic’s
Telling someone
‘What to do’
AND Why?
NOT
‘How to do it’
Mechanics
Mission Command
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The Commander:
• Briefs his intent to 2 levels down.
• Explains the limitations, e.g. time,
boundaries, must do, mustn’t do.
• Allocates resources.
• States WHAT is to be achieved, not HOW
it is to be achieved.
• Gives decision-making criteria.
Mission Command
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The Subordinate Commander:
• Understands ‘my role in his plan’ 2 levels up.
• Devises his own plan to play his part in
achieving the commander’s intent.
• Asks for more resources if needed, but offers
back resources not needed.
• Briefs his subordinates 2 levels down.
and so forth…
‘Gladiator’
“At My Signal Unleash Hell”
The Command Chain
Caesar
Maximus
Archers &
Artillery
Roman
Infantry
Roman
Cavalry
Mission Statements
Own Mission: Task(s) + Purpose
Task – The What
Purpose – The Why
Caesar
T: Pacify the German tribes
P: Bring peace to the Empire’s
northern borders
T: Defeat militant
German tribes
Maximus
P: Bring peace to the
northern borders
Supporting
Effort
Archers &
artillery
T: Force German
forces out of the
woods
P: Enable infantry to
engage the enemy in
the open
Roman
Infantry
T: Fix enemy forces
in the open
P: Enable Cavalry, on
the main effort, to
attack the enemy
from the rear
Roman
Cavalry
T: Kill German
tribal leader and
his bodyguard
P: Cause the
culmination of
the militant tribes
Mission Statements
Own Mission:
Task + Purpose
Subordinate 1:
Task + Purpose
Subordinate 2:
Task + Purpose
Subordinate 3:
Task + Purpose
The missions assigned to subordinates, together, fulfil the
mission assigned to the commander.
Achieving Unity of Effort
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The Commander’s Intent
Main and Supporting Efforts
Mission Statements
Maximus’ Orders to his Legions (1)
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Mission: Defeat militant German tribes in order to
bring peace to the northern borders
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Intent: We will force the enemy out of the forest so
we can fix him in the open. Once he is fixed, we
will surprise him by an attack in the rear, striking to
destroy his leadership - the decisive element of the
operation. Once his leadership is destroyed, I
believe we will break the will of the German tribes,
thus eventually bring peace to the Northern
borders
Maximus’ Orders to his Legions (2)
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Main Effort: Killing of enemy leadership by the
cavalry
Scheme of Manoeuvre: Cavalry preparatory move to
FUP in cover, signal once in position. Artillery and
archers then force enemy out of the forest using fire.
Infantry advance into open ground, to lure the enemy
further into the open, and then fix him. Cavalry then
strike from the forest into the enemy’s rear, gaining
shock and surprise, to kill the enemy leadership.
Once enemy is reduced to a disorganised rabble,
massacre as many as possible. Enslave the rest.
Maximus’ Orders to his Legions
Subordinate Missions
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Archers and Artillery
T: Force German forces out of the woods
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P: Enable infantry to engage the enemy in the open
Infantry
T: Fix enemy forces in the open
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P: Enable Cavalry, on the main effort, to attack the
enemy from the rear
Cavalry
T: Kill German tribal leader and his bodyguard
P: Cause the culmination of the militant tribes
Culture
The Culture Required for
Effective Mission Command
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The Commander retains ultimate
responsibility for decisions but:
• He must genuinely empower his people.
• He must trust his subordinates.
Everyone must act as a leader.
A decision to act now in accordance with
commander’s intent, rather than to wait for
orders, is imperative.
What happens if the subordinate’s
plan goes wrong?
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Blame culture?
Who’s fault is it anyway?
What can we do to improve?
What about resources?
What about rewards?
Threats and Opportunities
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The greatest threat to the successful
implementation of Mission Command is
a belief that technology will allow
leadership to be supplanted by control.
The greatest challenge is to use Mission
Leadership in every-day episodes of
leadership at all levels and to become
proficient in its use.
Final Words
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Trust your people.
Empower and give them responsibility.
Let them use their initiative.
Let them get on with it, even if they
occasionally get it wrong.
Task(What)& Purpose(Why) = Mission.
Endeavour to use Mission Command
as a daily routine.
Don’t tell people how to
do things, tell them what
to do and let them
surprise you with their
ingenuity.
~ George S. Patton
Questions?