Ideas for Change. Above all, leadership ought to be identified, taught and discussed as a function, or set of functions, different from management, administration or command.

Ideas for Change

I suggest the following positive changes aimed at producing a more comprehensive and effective Army leadership doctrine. Above all, leadership ought to be identified, taught and discussed as a function, or set of functions, different from management, administration or command. To provide the necessary conceptual framework the Army's doctrinal definition of leadership should be modified along the several lines. It should be accompanied by separate definitions of administration and supervision, all of which would constitute what might be then presented as the "three pillars of mission accomplishment" and effective command. Consider the following as starting points for change:

Leadership is the process of building shared purpose and direction with followers so that they commit themselves to mission accomplishment.

Administration (or organization) is the development and use of systems, means and procedures.

Supervision (or management) is the exercise of authority to ensure tasks are properly understood and accomplished.

English: Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado ...

English: Center for Creative Leadership, Colorado ...

Army mentor trains Afghan medics

Next, the important collection of principles, factors, traits and competencies now used to explain and teach leadership should be refined and reorganized into new sets that alternately detail and explain effective managerial/supervisory, administrative/organizational and leadership actions and characteristics as implied by the definitions offered above. For example, in 1999 FM 22-100, " Army Leadership: Be, Know, Do," 'Build the team' falls squarely into the category of leadership, while 'Be technically and tactically proficient' would fit better under administration. 'Ensure the task is understood, supervised and accomplished' clearly belongs in the realm of supervision (Army 2.2).

Army doctrine should explicitly acknowledge that being a good manager is not the same as being a good leader. FM 22-100 and related publications ought to provide all officers and NCOs with textual resources to clearly articulate the differences between supervising, administering and creating leadership within their units, and they should suggest ways in which...