Aligning Societal and Military
Culture
September 2011 Strategy Conference
Dr Alan Okros
THE INSTITUTIONAL CONSTRUST
• The Organizational imperative:
• Accomplish the mission through efficient and
effective use of personnel and resources
• The Professional imperative:
• Ensure professional/ethical conduct and broad
social support
THE INSTITUTIONAL CONSTRUST
• The Organizational imperative:
• Do what the government tells you to do
• The Professional imperative:
• In a manner that seen as effective and legitimate in
the eyes of citizens
CIVIL-MILITARY RELATIONS
HUNTINGTON
• A society apart
• Single role: defend the
nation
• Solely focused on political
direction
• Conservative in values,
beliefs and attitudes
• Cautious and slow to
change
• Earns confidence of
government through
obedience
JANOWITZ
• Part of society
• Can perform multiple roles
at home and internationally
• Deeply embedded in larger
society
• Progressive in values,
beliefs and attitudes
• Open and adaptive to
external change
• Earns confidence of
government and society as
a profession
PROFESSIONS
•
Provide a unique service to society
•
Exclusive and identifiable group
•
Apply a theory-based body of knowledge
•
Special responsibility to society
•
Governed by code of ethics
PROFESSIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
•
Provide a unique service to society
•
•
Exclusive and identifiable group
•
•
Expertise
Special responsibility to society
•
•
Identity
Apply a theory-based body of knowledge
•
•
Jurisdiction
Responsibility
Governed by code of ethics
•
Ethos
The Professional Construct
The Attributes
• Jurisdiction
• Responsibility
• Expertise
• Identity
• Ethos
The Construct
MILITARY ETHOS
•
Broadly shared set of values, beliefs,
assumptions and expectations
•
Internalized by all members of the profession
•
Regulated by the profession
•
Accepted as legitimate by society
MILITARY ETHOS
•
Set of values, beliefs, assumptions, expectations
•
The shared military worldview
•
Normative basis for regulating conduct
•
Framework for independent ethical and moral reasoning
•
Informs the implied social contract for individual
•
Internalized by all members of the profession
•
Regulated by the profession
•
Accepted as legitimate by society
MILITARY ETHOS
•
Set of values, beliefs, assumptions, expectations
•
Internalized by all members of the profession
•
Communicated through military socialization
•
Developed through transformational leadership
•
Reinforced through customs, traditions, oral history and
myth making
•
Reflected in operant military culture and unit climate
•
Regulated by the profession
•
Accepted as legitimate by society
MILITARY ETHOS
•
Set of values, beliefs, assumptions, expectations
•
Internalized by all members of the profession
•
Regulated by the profession
•
•
Articulated in behavioural standards
•
Demonstrated through leadership by example
•
Enforced through military justice and discipline
•
Reinforced through reward systems
•
Monitored through mechanisms of voice
Accepted as legitimate by society
MILITARY ETHOS
•
Set of values, beliefs, assumptions, expectations
•
Internalized by all members of the profession
•
Regulated by the profession
•
Accepted as legitimate by society
•
Central values are inferred from visible actions
•
Communicated to government and society in an open and
transparent manner
•
Mediated by mass communication media
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ESPOUSED VERSUS OPERANT CULTURE
ESPOUSED ETHOS
OPERANT CULTURE
(WHAT SHOULD BE)
(WHAT IS)
ESPOUSED VERSUS OPERANT CULTURE
ESPOUSED
OPERANT CUTLURE
CULTURE
(WHAT (WHAT
SHOULD
IS)BE)
ESPOUSED VERSUS OPERANT CULTURE
ESPOUSED ETHOS
OPERANT CULTURE
(WHAT SHOULD BE)
(WHAT IS)
ROLE OF LEADERSHIP
Professional
Concepts
Leadership
Concepts
• Jurisdiction
• Responsibility
• Expertise
• Identity
• Ethos
•
•
•
•
•
Mission focus
Competence
Cohesion
Teamwork
Conduct
Leadership operationalizes Professional concepts
INSTITUTIONAL LEADERSHIP
• Accomplish military objectives
• Developing skills and enabling initiative
• Project values
• Ensuring professional and ethical conduct
• Look after your troops
• Generating commitment and honouring the social
contract
• Comply with government legislation
• Ensuring transparency and accountability
• Reflect society
• Incorporating social values in internal functions
PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP
•
Provide a unique service to society
•
Exclusive and identifiable group
•
Apply a theory-based body of knowledge
•
Special responsibility to society
•
Governed by code of ethics
• Manage evolution of the profession’s jurisdiction
• Develop professional identity
• Manage meaning
• Enable knowledge creation
• Facilitate vigourous debate
• Reflect broader society in internal functions
• Engage in professional self-regulation
• Monitored perceived legitimacy
• Inculcate professional values
ALIGNMENT
• THE PROFESSION
•
IDENTITY
NORMS
CUSTOMS
• THE ORGANIZATION
• DIRECTION
PRIORITIES
CULTURE
• INDIVIDUALS
•
SKILLS
VALUES
MOTIVATION