Irregular Warfare Leadership in the 21st Century

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Discussion 5. Quality Assurance and Performance Evaluation In this century of globalization and mass communication, we are fatally and irrevocably interconnected and interdependent. A single point of failure in the quality, character and competency of a leader can ripple widely. The string of modern corporate executive scandals and the lack of military leadership in the Abu Ghraib Prison incident are vivid examples of such failure. To avoid these types of scenarios, we need to develop better oversight and quality assurance. Goal: Establish an integrated quality assurance process that ensures the competency of critical leaders by linking selection, advancement and evaluation with the goals of improving the recruitment of aspiring leaders, channeling them according to their talents and systematically evaluating their performance. This effort involves combining multiple screening methods, placement processes and a broad range of modern evaluation tools to integrate a variety of assessment, developmental and evaluation methods using physical processes and advanced virtual technology. Strategy: To this end, consider combinations from the following list: psychological screening; 360-degree leader evaluations; self-evaluation techniques; self-development technology; aptitude and behavioral screening; situational and environmental reaction courses; skills and competency assessments through virtual technology; flight-simulator-like skills qualifications; leader “gut checks;” advanced simulations and rehearsal tools; advanced mentoring methods; external and third party evaluation boards; and changes to command and executive selection criteria. Example: Combat arms brigade command candidates would come up through a developmental system that includes such things as exchange officer tours with foreign armies, independent studies overseas, trainingwith-NGO tours and observer status with law enforcement agencies. Additionally, they will have undergone command “gut checks” at company and battalion levels through virtual and experiential means to test individual competency for decision-making in complex operating environments. As combat arms brigade command candidates (the future general officer bloodline), their selection for command is now based on a combination of (1) traditional officer evaluation board; (2) an independent review board Irregular Warfare Leadership in the 21st Century Attaining and Retaining Positional Advantage that reviews files without photos and names; and (3) 360-degree evaluations from peers and subordinates who are, in turn, reviewed by a third party board. The objectivity and rigor of this approach better prevent promotion of the wrong talent. Caution: There is danger in over doing leader quality assurances, but at present we have not yet fully exploited all of our options. We have erred on the side of respecting individual privacy and assuming competency. However, in light of daunting threats, there is a need for advanced, involved development and screening for leaders. Summary A more purpose-driven, systematic continuum of life-long leader opportunity can create a pool of future leaders with broad expertise and experience who are able to think outside the box in a way that gives them decisive positional advantage against diverse threats. We cannot underestimate the danger of our adversaries’ speed in innovation, cooperation and action. Using the ideas mentioned above, we must counter this advantage by creating our own momentum in the form of continuity of best leader talent for greatest advantage. B. Understanding the “Human Factors” American institutions are challenged in developing the critical competencies and instincts leaders need to operate in the complex human dimension. It is no longer sufficient for us to rely solely on nuclear, conventional military and economic might as the sovereign panacea for every situation. The following five concepts—non-Western and nonstandard approaches, conceptual constructs, experiential development, human behavior and info-sphere mastery—provide an integrated framework for coherent progress in understanding “human factors.” 1. Understanding Non-Western and Nonstandard Approaches to Irregular Warfare We face an open-ended era of conflict and competition with many adversaries hastening onward from near-peer status to peer status to potential enemy. American perspectives and solutions in a multi-spectral world come up short. In the same way that B-2 bomber technology is defense- 20 21
Discussion less against insurgents controlling neighborhoods through campaigns of fear, super-power solutions for post-war Iraq and Afghanistan are hobbled by the agendas and tactics of “little people” operating in and beyond the shadows. Context: Warfare in the historical sense of expanding and controlling territory is giving way to (1) warfare as behavioral control through information-based manipulation, fear and intimidation, and (2) warfare as the economic control of capital and resource power. In this context, Western leaders of today find it hard to anticipate future challenges. The speed of change—as well as the complexity of colliding players, power, technology, information, environmental factors and accident—is daunting. We have little grasp of what the Chinese mean by “stratagems,” “confrontation capacity” or “packets of electrons” for informationalized warfare. Nor do we fully appreciate Russian “dialectic thought” or “psychotronics” exploration into mind control as a part of information warfare. We are even more uncertain about terrorists and trans-national criminals of all sorts who synthesize and apply the best ideas of others with uncommon speed. We lack the curiosity and energy necessary to seriously explore this, which is a sizeable blind spot. We need to look at modern conflict through new eyes and with new sensitivities. Goal: Incentivize and support a system of linked, progressive leader education and leader support programs that continually infuse valid non- Western approaches to conflict and competition into mainstream education processes. In so doing, compel leadership institutions to balance Western and non-Western perspectives as a modern standard of excellence. Strategy: Essential components of the strategy are (1) acculturating leaders to nonstandard approaches and offering specific training on prevailing non-Western mentalities about conflict and competition; (2) integrating best experts across a broad spectrum in decision-making processes; (3) translating non-Western and nonstandard approaches into American terms and concepts; and (4) adopting or adapting non-Western and nonstandard approaches—where appropriate—in operational, training, exercise and experimentation processes. Irregular Warfare Leadership in the 21st Century Attaining and Retaining Positional Advantage Other ideas include the professional development of non-Western threat experts as career “red teamers;” the establishment of a consortium of threat universities or professional schools within the interagency and academic community of interest; the establishment of a collaborative network of chairs and fellowships for experts in non-Western approaches; the mandating of non-Western culture studies in career development programs; a continuous collaborative research program on the evolution of non-Western approaches; and funded experiential development opportunities overseas in non-Western contexts. The above objectives are starting points for better integration of non- Western and nonstandard perspectives on conflict and competition as a part of the modern Western leader knowledge arsenal. 2. Conceptual Constructs Modern leaders need to develop the ability to see through the fog of crisis and chaos to discern patterns and possibilities others cannot see. This ability can be particularly valuable in an interagency setting. Too often the perception of a given situation (conflict, crisis, opportunity) is clouded by an individual leader’s culture, which can result in a collapse of institutional cooperation. Context: Experience in complex operating environments (dealing with a diverse range of impacts) implies seeing the links between physical, human, perceptional, temporal and spiritual and moral dimensions to capture the overall picture of the operating environment without overlooking any of the important elements. Omissions early on in assessing the environment, problem or mission could be fatal in later stages. In the end, success comes down to anticipating and orchestrating a broad range of conditions, actions and effects. We need to address the way we analyze this environment, focus imaginatively within it, apply refined leadership and management measures, and appreciate the comprehensive suite of resources possible for full power in concert. Goal: In order to more effectively connect the various abilities of our nation’s institutions and agencies, we need to create a set of baseline conceptual constructs that are relevant to all national security-focused agencies. 22 23
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Irregular Warfare Leadership in the 21st Century

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