Reassessing Army Leadership in the 21st Century
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Release | : 2008 |
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Second Place Winner of the MacArthur Military Leadership Writing Competition for the CGSC Class 2008-01. The United States Army should reassess its leadership philosophy, in much the same way that it reconsidered its view of Army Operations with FM 3-0, in order to account for evolutions in our society as well as an increasingly complex and uncertain operating environment for the Army in the 21st century. While the Army's doctrine has certainly matured regarding the subjects of leadership and leader development, with pertinent regulations and field manuals updated within the last two years, the Army has yet to fully account for modern demands on Army leaders, changes in society, and potential improvements in the Army's leadership climate. Despite efforts by Army leaders like General Shinseki to evaluate our leader development programs and subsequently examine Army culture as it effects leadership and leader development1, our doctrine and practices remain deeply rooted in historical traditions - heavily biased by relatively sophomoric assumptions about what leadership is and how it is best practiced. We lack critical reflection on the subject - an appreciation of other ways to look at leadership and leader development and an understanding of why our doctrine is rather than simply what it is. This paper is an attempt to critically examine several aspects of the Army's view on leadership in the 21st century and posit recommendations for change to better prepare our Army's leaders for current and future circumstances.