Stanley McChrystal: Strategy, Empowerment, and Responsibility
In his book, Team of Teams, Stanley McChrystal uses the analogy that leaders should lead similar to that of gardeners. Gardeners, plant, and harvest, but more than anything they tend, with long days spent watering, fertilizing, weeding, leaving the crop stronger (McChrystal, 2015).
After 9/11, McChrystal found the battlefield environment had changed, and gathering his forces, dispersed over 20 countries, required him to make decisions done via chat, video conferencing, email or phone calls, making is tough to “look them in the eye, build confidence, and gain the trust needed from them” (TED, 2011).
He strategized that by tearing down walls, that kept them in silos, and in a
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McChrystal talks about his forces in Iraq, multi-generational service members, and volunteers, additionally, he had intelligence analysts and experts from different government agencies that were culturally different; the music they listened to, the way they dressed, and the language they spoke and how he inspires them to bind together with a shared purpose (MIT, 2015). Most importantly, he says, you must continuously motivate and reward your team and provide the necessary information to team members so each individual feels they have a stake in the organization's goal. Moreover, strategy is continuous, so leaders must repeatedly refocus team members on the goal (Rosin, …show more content…
He reflects on his past; one comment can lift a person up, and help realize that leaders can fail, but that does not mean they are a failure. McChrystal’s objectives behind visits to the battlefield: “increase his understanding of the situation, communicate guidance to the forces, and to lead and inspire”. Carefully planning and focusing on executing his visits left subordinates “enlightened and optimistic”. He once asked, “If I told you that you weren’t going home until we win—what would you do differently?”. This motivated the soldiers and leaders to reflect less of their tour of duty and more on a successful mission completion (McChrystal, 2015). Additionally, General McChrystal often wrote thank-you letters to individual troop
Effective planning is impossible without first understanding the problem. Commanders rely on personal observations, experiences, and input from others to develop understanding. They also prioritize information requests and incorporate additional information as those requests are answered. A complete understanding of the problem and environment builds the foundation for the operational process and ...
As the incoming brigade commander, LTC (P) Owens, I see the critical leadership problem facing the 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) is the inability or unwillingness of Colonel Cutler to lead and manage change effectively. In initial talks with Col Cutler and in reviewing the brigade’s historical unit status reports, the 4th ABCT performed as well as can be expected in Afghanistan, but as the onion was peeled back there are numerous organizational issues that were brought to the surface while I walked around and listened to the soldiers of the 4th ABCT, in addition to reviewing the Center for Army Lessons Learned (CALL) report. One of the most formidable tasks of a leader is to improve the organization while simultaneously accomplishing
“Leadership is a process in which many can engage, not a position that only a few can hold.
Reflections as a Combatant Commander in a Turbulent World. Performed by General (Retired) James Mattis. 2013.
On leadership is a book which deserve to be read by us. Although this book use a precise formation to help us to examine a widely comprehensive aspects of the leadership, there are some drawbacks. Gardner cited different examples to talk about leadership, but just in a particular area, that is political area. So,
First, Lt. Col Moore assesses his men through observation of their initial skills and makes a determination of what needs to be improved. As he does this he enlists the help of his top advisor Sergeant Major (SGM). They conduct the observation not as mere spectators but with the Soldiers doing the evaluation themselves. This participation shows each Soldier that every man has an equal part in the team and no one is above the team’s goals not even the Commander. To drive this point even further LTC Moore and the SGM continue to train on the ground with the men. As setbacks, corrections or different approaches are needed it is easily explained and seen by the Commander because he is on the ground with the men and not somewhere taking a meeting or in his office doing paperwork. This approach also builds a sharing point with his men and other leaders inside his unit and trust is earned.
The leader is in complete control, taking charge of everything, and holding the key to success.
...n was yet another display of the most beneficial style of leadership. Putting together teams, holding regular meetings in locations that were conducive to deep thinking, allowing debates, and discussions to take place, not choosing sides and arriving at a consensus is the very core of team building and fostering inclusive environments. Doing it all while displaying sound ethical principles routed in being a southern Baptist Minister enabled Dr. King to achieve huge successes as the primary leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Taking notes from one of the great leaders of yesteryear can and does help senior non-commissioned officers get better. Being an effective motivating speaker, putting the organization before self, team building, and having appropriate ethical principles to back it all up go hand in hand with leading Airman in today’s United States Air Force.
Leaders today need to have an appreciation for the operation process, understand a situation, envision a desired future, and to lay out an approach that will achieve that future (Flynn & Schrankel, 2013). Plans need to be created that can be modified to changes in any factors considered. However, plans should not be dependent on specific information being precise or that require things to go exactly according to schedule. Instead, the staff NCO should be flexible where they can and always be prepared for the unexpected. Today’s military members are fighting an unconventional war in Iraq and Afghanistan. The enemy constantly changes their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTP’s) to counter the United States technological advances, making planning very difficult for leaders. There are multiple tools at a staff NCO’s disposal to try to anticipate an outcome of a current operation, but also assist with the development of concepts in follow-on missions. The Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) is just one tool a staff NCO can utilize. In order to stay ahead of the enemy, create effective plans and orders, it is critical for a staff NCO to assist the commander, and understand that the MDMP and planning are essential in defeating the enemy and conserving the fighting force.
Leadership at times can be a complex topic to delve into and may appear to be a simple and graspable concept for a certain few. Leadership skills are not simply acquired through position, seniority, pay scale, or the amount of titles an individual holds but is a characteristic acquired or is an innate trait for the fortunate few who possess it. Leadership can be misconstrued with management; a manager “manages” the daily operations of a company’s work while a leader envisions, influences, and empowers the individuals around them.
Leadership can be defined in many ways, but one thing all leaders have in common is determination to get a task done. Although leaders may carry out this action in many different ways they all do what needs to be done in order to reach their goal. Florence Nightingale was willing to gather a group of women and pick up and leave her home to tend to the wounded soldiers of the Crimean War.
The purpose of this paper is to explain how a group can become a high-performance team. The purpose is also to examine the impact of demographic characteristics and cultural diversity on group behavior. This paper will illustrate how demographic characteristics and cultural diversity contribute to or detract from high-performance teams.
Leaders pour their hearts and souls into their people and their purpose. Leaders are all about their people and their purpose. They invest themselves fully into their
Bennis, W. & Nanus, B. (1985). Leaders: The Strategies for taking charge. New York: Harper Row.
As someone who returned to college after a 28-year absence, I have had the opportunity to be a leader in many of the roles I had during my career. My leadership roles have run the gamut from a team of one to one hundred, and many in-between. Regardless of the size of my team, my leadership style remained steadfast, as a democratic leader. Like Jack Welsh, former CEO of General Electric, I too “encouraged and praised his employees to work independently and to learn how to be leaders themselves (Shriberg, 2011)).” Leading and mentoring teammates to become future leaders is the single most gratifying accomplishment as a leader. I have had the pleasure to work with many fine, young talented individuals and help them develop their leadership skills. Some of them stayed within the organization to further their careers, and others left to lead other companies, but in either case, it’s very rewarding seeing others flourish. Also similar to Mr. Welch, I find that my leadership style is more of a mentor, not a manager. By leading, I can create a vision and get my team to embrace it, and when they become passionate about their work, real progress can be achieved through the 3 C’s; communication, collaboration and contribution.