FYL-110-03
13 Jan 06
File
JO LEADERSHIP TRG DAY – FACILITATOR NOTES
INTRODUCTION
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[Instructor to summarize personal leadership background and experience.]
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Reason for JO Leadership Trg.
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2003 AFBSC Study ‘Developing Excellence in Leadership’
---
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No coherent strategy for through-life leadership development.
Strategy now in place with agreed HLTLTOs (RAFLC website)
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Specified performance standards at each stage of career
development.
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TOs for today’s trg taken from 2 sections: officer with 2-3 yrs
productive service and officer with 5 years productive service
(assumes completion of relevant CST).
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Applicability to participants from other uniformed or civilian
services.
---- Principles of leadership common to all working
environments.
-----
Different perspectives and experiences.
---- Apologize for RAF speak and abbreviations (ask if unsure).
---- Pay over £400 per person for similar one-day cse in civil
sector.
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Review Trg Objectives.
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Rules of Engagement.
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Aim: Not to teach you how to be a leader (already leaders) but to
make you think about how you lead others. Also to introduce you to
current RAF thinking on leadership.
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Your active participation is required.
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Chatham house rules: honest and frank discussion.
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I may be deliberately controversial - feel free to challenge anything I
say.
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Ask questions as we go along or contribute with relevant personal
experiences.
ENERGIZER – (Choose energizer)
OFFICERS’ TRINITY
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Conceptual model of inter-relationship of leadership, command and
management.
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Trinity refers to 3 elements existing simultaneously together.
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3 elements enable an officer (or individual) to function effectively
within an organisation.
Definition Exercise (2 teams – 5 mins).
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[Give teams 5 mins to come up with definitions of leadership,
command and management.]
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Leadership
---
Most studied but least understood.
---- Amazon.co.uk: Leadership hits 18,951 (on 26 Jan 06).
---- Nobody can even agree a definition.
---
Review definitions.
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Are good leaders born or can anyone be a good leader?
(nature/nurture).
---- Today’s training would be pointless if it could not be taught.
---- About Personality: All different personalities, but still
effective leaders.
--
Command
---
Review definitions.
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Legal and Process
---- Authority vested in commander by higher authority
---- Where do you get your authority from?
-----
Read extract (Commissioning Scroll)
"And we do hereby Command them to obey you as their
superior Officer and you to observe and follow such Orders
and Directions as from time to time you shall receive from
us, or any Superior Officer, according to the Rules and
Discipline of War, in the pursuance of the Trust hereby
reposed in you."
-----------
QRs.
How do you impose authority without rank? (other
uniformed services and civilian personnel)
Individual command
---- Responsibility to act
---- Liability and obligation to justify proper use of authority and
resources (decisions). (effective intelligence)
---
Organisational command
---- Humans social animals that benefit from hierarchical
structures – same in nature
---- Avoids unnecessary conflict - everyone knows their place.
---- Ensures correct division of labour, authority and control
through departmentalisation.
--
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Management
---
Review definitions.
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Management brings order and consistency to complex and
otherwise chaotic processes, which exist, in a dynamic
environment.
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Easier to teach than leadership.
Relationships.
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Can you be a good manager without leadership skills?
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No. Use of resources, standard performance from staff (less
productivity).
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Can you be a good leader without management skills?
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No. Inappropriate delegation, time management, ask impossible
without understanding resource implications.
Compare Leader vs Manager.
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Anyone disagree with statements?
---- Manager has short-term view?
---- Manager is classic good soldier? (tows line / by book)
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Can you be a good leader without authority to command? C4 ‘Lost’?
Natural tendency to follow a strong leader.
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Yes. Projection of personality, influence others. Leaderless
exercise of peers– what happens? Loud does not mean good.
LEADERSHIP STYLES
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What different styles of leadership can leader employ?
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What makes a leader an autocrat/democrat? (use of authority)
Conceptual model of how leader uses authority (Tannenbaum and
Schmidt).
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The red area represents the use of command (authority) by the
leader.
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The green area represents subordinates being able to think and act
for themselves. Where would an autocrat fall on this scale? 5 broad
sub-divisions in this chart sliding from left to right.Tells: Makes
decision and announces it.
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Sells: Makes decision and explains it.
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Consults: Gets and/or makes suggestions, collates all
information then makes the decision.
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Joins: Defines the limits of the task but lets the group make the
decision.
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Delegates: Leader sets broad limits within which the group
operates autonomously.
Where should you fall on this scale as good leaders?
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When might you move left/right of centre?
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What leadership style might you use in this situation? (show video)
Leadership style is not necessarily a function of personality, the task or
situation may dictate the style that is required.
--
As leaders need to be able to switch in and out of different styles
depending on circumstances.
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Be prudent with use of authority: profound effect on human psyche
(60s experiment/Hitler concentration camps. Derren Brown – Heist
(changed perception of what was right/wrong). Maintain sense of
reality no matter what the environment.
Here is another model of leadership styles.
--
--
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Laissez-Faire – “let it do its own thing”
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Content to let things ride, avoid interference or making a stand.
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Let others do their own thing.
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Ignore problems and do not follow up on issues.
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Leads to increased conflict and lack of achievement.
Management by Exception
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The leader intervenes only when things go wrong. “if it ain’t
broke, don’t fix it.”
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The leader might actively monitor performance (MBE (A)) or
might wait passively for errors before stepping in (MBE (P)).
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People will not be challenged and will get stuck in rut
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Output will only meet minimum standard.
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Will eventually affect motivation.
Transactional
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The leader and follower agree on what the follower needs to do
to be either rewarded or punished.
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Offers rewards in exchange for performance (money, status).
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Punishment used to enforce rules.
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Leads to status quo and lack of subordinate initiative.
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Transformational
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Seeks to ‘transform’ people and organisations by changing the
static mindset to one that is forward-looking.
---- Increased understanding of organisation and their part in it.
---- Clear vision of the goal/purpose of the organisation.
---- Increased knowledge of the people and their individual
motivators.
---- Leads to performance beyond normal expectations by
changing how people feel about themselves and what is
possible and raising their motivation levels.
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4Is of transformational leadership:
---- Idealised Influence.
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Power of a person to have profound effects on a
group of followers.
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Characterised by self-confidence and selfdetermination, even when things are going awry.
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Ability to inspire loyalty.
---- Inspirational Appeal.
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Lifts people beyond their own expectations.
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Stirs followers to produce extra effort and inspires a
belief in the cause.
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Creates and communicates a compelling vision of
what is required and builds commitment.
---- Intellectual Stimulation.
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Followers are stimulated to think about their own
situation and to assess their values and beliefs.
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Identify problems by themselves and are involved in
their own solutions. They are consulted.
---- Individual Consideration.
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Consideration for others, in particular, towards their
development.
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Willingness to listen, the readiness to delegate and
the ability to appreciate a job well done.
Comparison Transactional vs Transformational.
---- Transactional: short-term successes, contingent reward,
strict control.
---- Transformational: forward-looking, continuous reward
through inclusion, releases human potential.
---- Review comparison slide.
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Can we be transformational leaders all the time? (different
motivators/some only respond to transactional)
MISSION COMMAND
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MISSION COMMAND – How a leader can use his authority in a
transformational manner. Complex subject but will give a brief overview.
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History.
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Developed from Prussian military thinking of 1800s - Auftragstaktik.
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In 1806, Prussia was defeated by France at Battles of Jena and
Auerstadt.
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--
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Prussians perceived to be better trained, equipped and more
disciplined army.
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Regarded French as peasant farmers trying to rise above their
station.
Scharnhorst’s led Board of Enquiry into defeat.
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Leadership used strict discipline and control; led to inherent
inflexibility in chaos of war.
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Commanders tried to perform pre-set tactical manoeuvres in
midst of chaos.
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Whereas Napoleon had effective communications with
subordinate commanders and delegated authority to ‘act’
according to the situation rather than wait for orders.
Prussian Army reforms lead to victory in re-match.
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General Von Moltke (CinC Prussian Army) re-wrote Field Service
Regulations.
---- Senior Commanders should not order more than is
absolutely necessary but should ensure the goal is clear. In
case of doubt subordinate commanders should seize the
initiative (i.e. commanders to specify what and why but not
how)
---- Choreography replaced by improvisation. Increased
decision cycle to react faster than enemy. Prussia defeated
France in the re-match.
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Principles documented by Carl Von Clauswitz ‘On War’.
---- Considered most visionary military thinking since Sun Tzu’s
‘Art of War’ written in 500BC (plagiarised?).
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WWI industrialised attritionist warfare.
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Industrialised attrition warfare of WWI did not allow for much
Mission Command. Application towards end of war forced Allies
back N Sea coast.
WWII German use of Blitzkrieg tactics.
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WWII saw early German victories across Europe using Mission
Command in the form of Blitzkrieg (Lightning War). Enemy
overwhelmed before they could react (decision cycle).
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As war progressed Hitler became obsessed with control and
often overruled his generals (stifled the initiative). Mission
Command was not allowed to prosper.
---- Eg Hitler’s insistence on personally controlling panzer
reserves prior to D-Day landings delayed their response –
allowing Allies to establish beachheads.
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Cold War: mission command vs numerically superior Soviet forces.
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Theories championed by General Sir Nigel Bagnall.
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Officially adopted into UK military doctrine in 1987.
Mission command is foundation of British Defence Doctrine (inc RAF).
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Led to development of manoeuvrist approach to warfare
(attacking will and cohesion instead of capabilities / avoiding
force on force) and effects-based ops.
Mission Command concept has 4 enduring tenets. Military language but
can be used as a daily practice.
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Timely decision-making.
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Clear understanding of Commander’s intention.
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Must give subordinates intention their own missions and the
context of the mission (example later).
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Define what effect trying to achieve, the reason why it has to be
achieved but NOT how to achieve it.
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Understanding 2 levels up.
Responsibility to act in accordance with intention (or not act when
applicable).
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Ability of subordinate to meet Commanders’ remit (resources,
possible).
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Specify WHAT is required and WHY but not HOW.
Mission Command as corporate leadership philosophy promotes following
benefits:
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Leads to unity of effort (clear sense of purpose).
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Enables timely but decentralized decision-making.
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Accelerates decision cycle (OODA loop, more later).
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Freedom and speed of action.
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Subordinate initiative – encouraged to think for themselves.
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Promotes responsibility and empowerment.
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Allows subordinates to develop faster by unlocking potential.
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Empower individuals to achieve task (freedom of action).
Good leaders create more leaders not followers.
OODA Loop (Boyd Loop).
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Observe
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Receive information through all senses including visual.
Orientate
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Assimilate information (parameters: distance, intentions, likely
outcomes)
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Decide
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Act.
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Then observe results, OODA loop begins again.
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Seek to accelerate your own OODA loop while slowing or breaking the
enemy’s.
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Swatting a fly analogy.
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Select course of action based on orientation info.
Fly has faster OODA loop so first swat may fail, once fly is
airborne human OODA loop gets stuck in Observe-Orientate until
fly lands again presenting another opportunity to Decide-Act.
US OODA Loop: Observe, Over-react, Destroy, Apologise.
Practical Application (example).
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Scenario: You are Commander of Mechanised Infantry Company.
Explain map.
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Traditional Order:
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At 1200Z attack and seize Objective A from the South.
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When ordered, continue the attack and seize Objective B.
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Establish blocking position to deny the enemy the use of A 34
west of the Muddy River.
Was order clear? Problems with the order?
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What if there is no enemy at Obj A? Waste of time/resources,
signals arrival to enemy at Obj B.
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Attack from South – what about terrain?
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When ordered continue – tempo of attack may be broken
allowing time for enemy to re-group.
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Deny enemy use of A34 – what if they find a ford upstream?
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Order does not account for a changing situation.
Mission Command Order:
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Seize control of the A 34 West of the Muddy River, in order to
destroy enemy forces attempting to escape from Area Y.
Was order clear? What is difference?
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No time limits or constraints (when ordered).
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You know why you are there (to destroy escaping forces).
---- If enemy find ford, move to engage them.
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Do not have to attack and seize Objs A and B (destroy from
roadside)
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Order allows for tactics to adapt to changing situation (ford
upstream).
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WHAT and WHY but not HOW!
Challenges.
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Philosophy must be adopted across all levels of organisation (Hitler).
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Applying principles as daily practice (skill that requires honing).
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Based on clear communication and mutual trust (up and down).
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Blame culture: unwillingness to act for fear of retribution (Germans
shot for not acting).
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Leaders unwilling to relinquish control and empower individuals.
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Technology may replace mission command with more control
(predator feed direct to HQs).
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Restrictive Regulation: LOAC – target approval process (fear of
collateral/retribution), politically sensitive targets (mosques etc..).
Criminal law, engineering practices (H&S) or working time regulations.
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Mission Command Quotes (optional – depends on time)
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Ex Paper Clip – unlock some potential (optional – depends on time)
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You are the Chief Executive of a company that manufactures paper
clips. Due to the advent of the Internet and email systems, the
demand for paper clips has dwindled and company profits are falling
rapidly. You need to find an alternative product to manufacture using
your existing equipment, which can produce thin metal wire and bend
it into any shape. You now have 2mins to come up with as many
different potential products as you can think of. Questions? Your time
starts now.
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How many ideas did you get yourself? List all ideas and demonstrate
potential of group thinking.
THE LEADER
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Discuss personal leadership experiences (positive and negative).
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Name a good leader and define what made him a good leader (history,
personal experience, fiction).
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Personal qualities of a leader (inc cheerfulness, success and good
followership).
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Followership.
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Do we need to be good followers? Why?
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Amazon.co.uk, guess how many hits? 4 (on 26 Jan 06)
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Omnipotent leader may develop impotent followers.
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Example: Ogatai Khan (son of Genghis) continued father’s
invasion into Eastern Europe (already controlled everything from
Beijing to Baltic and parts of Middle East). Invasion of Europe
suddenly stopped when Ogatai died as his Generals relied on
constant orders from the Capital. This was the only thing that
saved Europe from total Mongol domination.
Importance of responsible followership.
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Need to question illegal orders - use discretion and professional
knowledge.
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Commissioning Scroll (Rules of War).
---- "And we do hereby Command them (Officers, Airmen and
Airwomen) to obey you as their superior Officer and you to
observe and follow such Orders and Directions as from time
to time you shall receive from us, or any Superior Officer,
according to the Rules and Discipline of War, in the
pursuance of the Trust hereby reposed in you".
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Use of authority (Genocide: Hitler/Milosevic Prisoner abuse: Abu
Ghraib).
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Destructive consent:
---- Example: Boss says ‘I think we can move this extremely
heavy container using some of our men and a landrover
rather than waiting for the lifting equipment to arrive. What
do you think?’ ‘No problem, Sir’
---- Requirement to support unpalatable decisions. How many
have said ‘Boss has decided to do this…’
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Exercise constructive dissent then exercise individual
responsibility to support decision.
Attributes of RAF Leader:
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Courageous warfighter.
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Royal Air Force is a fighting service.
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Individuals must understand role in core business (over 60
specialisations): the application of air power to achieve precise
campaign effects at range in time. (not infantryman)
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Warfighter first – state of mind as much as what we do.
---- Determination to succeed despite odds (peacetime).
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Importance of Air Power knowledge.
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Military minded (uniformed civilians is a luxury we cannot afford!).
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Moral courage (do the right thing/admit when wrong/constructive
dissent). Physical courage. Why physical? AT?
Emotionally intelligent.
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Know yourself, know others
---- ‘Know yourself and know others and in 100 battles you will
not be in danger.’ Sun Tzu ‘Art of War’
---- Self awareness and self-management (control of emotions).
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Ever seen a leader ‘fly off handle’?
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What do subordinates think?
Understand how you affect others
---- Social interaction, behaviours and appreciating the effect of
your decisions and on others.
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Recognize own and others’ weaknesses (AFIs)
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Requires good interpersonal skills (communication and empathy)
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Supports transformational approach to leadership
Flexible and responsive.
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Adapt to change
---- Charles Darwin: ‘It is not the strongest, but those most able
to adapt who survive.’
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Look for opportunities that change may present. Creative
thinking.
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Cope with the discomfort associated with change and inspire
others to do same.
Willing to take risks.
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What id difference between risk and gamble?
---- Risk: Weigh up options and understand consequences then
act.
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Understanding risk and its management is vital to good decision
making.
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Requires sound and timely judgement. (80:20 rule, no goldplating)
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Without taking (appropriate) risk little can be achieved. (what is
most dangerous form of transport? Car – still most used despite
risk.
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Leaders must encourage culture that is not risk adverse but risk
aware– this requires trusting and supporting your subordinates.
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Develop ethos where a failure to act is considered a more serious
fault than making a mistake.
---- WWII German commanders shot for not acting when
required.
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Mentally agile, physically robust.
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Think on your feet and able to handle physical strain to the body
(stress)
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Leaders need to be able to handle complex problems and have
the creativity and mental agility to move quickly between various
concepts.
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Thinking must be innovative and their minds receptive.
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Must be physically robust and able to withstand strain of
operations, so mental capacity does not fail them under stress.
Able to handle ambiguity.
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Clear interpretation of Cdr’s intent. (Eg “Fire Teams are only to
engage targets when they are inside the compound”. “from
inside the compound”. Difference?)
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Clauswitz ‘friction’ that causes the ‘fog of war’. Turn chaos to our
advantage turn.
Politically and globally astute.
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Deployed OOA more frequently, must understand environment in
which you are operating. US example. As for politics, we are a
tool of the Gov so we should understand their intentions.
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Must understand the application of air power, its advantages and
limitations and be able to explain to own service subordinates
and tri-service colleagues and superiors
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Need to be able to relate the advantages, disadvantages and
limitations of air power in the political context (targeting
mosque?).
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Leaders must understand politics of immediate environment and
much wider issues at national and international.
---- Politics of environment: Armed guards at aid station handing
out food. Protecting food from rebels. Crowd becomes
agitated and more aggressive. How much force do you use?
Why are they agitated? Desperation? Frustration? Rebel
incitement? Fire bombing of APC.
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Technologically competent.
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Move with the times, and adapt as new equipment is introduced.
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The RAF is and has always been at the forefront of technology
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We must ensure that we stay up to date with emerging
technology
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This requires continual learning – personal development must be
consistent with technological advancements.
Able to lead tomorrow’s recruit.
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Are today’s entrants better or worse than when you joined up?
Why? Changing social ideals? “Children now love luxury; they
have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect
for elders. They are now the tyrants, not the servants of their
households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room.
They contradict their parents, chatter before company and
tyrannize their teachers.” Socrates 400BC.
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New generations bring new attitudes and new qualities (today’s
social inclusion of ethnic minorities’ vs 50 yrs ago).
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Everyone in the chain of command needs to understand the new
generation, be able to lead and inspire them so that they become
the leaders of the future.
INTER-PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
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Self-awareness and awareness of actions and behaviours on others.
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Everything we do impacts on others (body language, expression, choice of
words, decisions).
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Even change the physiology of someone by talking to them.
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Example: Embarrassment – physical signs?
Examples: praise, lack of eye contact, yawning, abuse etc…
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How many have spoken to Snr Off who does not appear to be
listening/looking at watch?
---- What did you think of him?
---- What would you think if you found out his son was in hospital
at the time and he was waiting for call?
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When did you last perform a self-assessment? (professional/personal)
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What are your strengths and weaknesses?
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Which of your behaviours others may perceive as negative or
unhelpful?
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Consistency.
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Awareness of others (skills, attributes, personal circumstances).
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Hidden skill exercise.
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Get each individual to write down a skill that the rest of the group
might not know they have. Review skills and try to match them to
personnel.
Get to know your people (relationships change with increased
responsibility Flt Cdr vs Sqn Cdr).
Behaviours: Core Values and Standards
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Core Values.
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Respect.
---- Self and for others.
---- Equality and Diversity? Understanding?
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Ethnicity, homosexuality, religion (Satanism vs
Christianity).
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Where is line between religious freedom and law?
(Fatwa, Ganga)
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Sniffer goats in Muslim countries, dogs considered
unclean.
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Social down the pub – strip club (women/men).
Emphasise inclusion.
Integrity
---- Building trust.
---- Doing the right thing.
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Service
---- Putting the needs of the Service before your own.
---- Solemn Affirmation verbiage:
I, …………………………….., swear or affirm that I will be faithful
and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The
Second, Her Heirs and Successors, and that I will, as duty
bound, honestly and faithfully defend Her Majesty, Her Heirs and
Successors, in Person, Crown and Dignity against all enemies,
and will observe and obey all orders of Her Majesty, Her Heirs
and Successors, and of the Air Officers and other Officers set
over me.
---- Made promise
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Excellence
---- Striving for excellence in all we do
---- Positive example
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Core Standards
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Equality and Diversity
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Social Conduct
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Drug Misuse
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Indebtedness
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Contact with the Media
ETHOS
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Definition.
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Importance.
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Can you teach it?
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What activities and behaviours encourage ethos?
SUMMARY
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Review TOs.
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Name 2 things you might do differently having done this course.
D L KEIGHLEY
Sqn Ldr
OC FDS
Ext 2425
Email: davidkeighley@fylingdales.raf.mod.uk