ISSUE 150 : Sep/Oct - 2001 - Australian Defence Force Journal

More documents

Recommendations

Info

56AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE JOURNAL NO. 150 SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2001ConclusionGiven the constants, trends and shiftsidentified and the analysis of both the ad hoccoalitions created for UNTAC and INTERFET, itis clear that the UN model is successful inachieving the outcome - the formation of aneffective military coalition - in the Asia Pacificregion. The two types of coalition allow the UNto choose which type will be more appropriatefor the situation. Acknowledgement of thelessons learned outlined in the seven warfareconcept categories highlight areas where theUN model can be strengthened by both earlyaction, and made more efficient and effectivein the future.It is important to recognise the role that theUN played in the efforts to resolve the crises inCambodia and East Timor within the strategiccontext of the Asia Pacific region. There waswide acceptance of the UN Security CouncilResolution as the basis for a commitment tothe ad hoc military coalitions by many nations,and particularly the value of allowing regionalcountries to be involved to resolve regionalissues of concern. The importance of allowinga wide variety of countries from outside theregion to act where their interests orconscience direct is of key importance to thediplomatic legitimacy and military strength ofthe coalition. It is particularly important toallow military capabilities not found within theregion to be incorporated in the coalition.The UN model also allows nations toremain flexible with regard to the participationin coalitions. Up to a certain point, nations arehappy to provide assistance with minimaldiscussion. But there comes a point beyondwhich nations will refuse to act without thechance to negotiate the nature of theirparticipation. The UN model allows nations tomake decisions on a case-by-case basis anddoes not require them to commit to aguaranteed response under any particularcircumstances.The achievements of the UNTAC andINTERFET military coalitions were significantin regional terms. The capacity to respond tofuture crisis of similar magnitude within theregion certainly exists. Consideration of thelessons learned not only leads to an enhancedability to conduct future ad hoc coalitionoperations under the UN model, but alsoprovides a sound basis from which to developa more permanent regional securityarrangement in the future.
Overcoming Learned Helplessness 157By James WarnThe Four Questions Asked by Effective Executives in Making People Decisions: 2• What has he or she done well?• What therefore, is he or she likely to be able to do well?• What does he or she have to learn or acquire to be able to get full benefitsfrom his or her strength?• If I had a son or daughter, would I be willing to have him or her work under this person?Dr Alan Hawke diagnosed a severe case oflearned helplessness in the Department ofDefence:There are certainly elements of whatI would call a culture of learnedhelplessness among some Defencesenior managers - both military andcivilian. Their perspective is one ofdisempowerment. 3The pattern of attributing failure to lack ofability, task difficulty, or bad luck, andbelieving that successes do not reflect effort orability has been called learned helplessness.Seligman and Associates first defined theconcept in a series of laboratory experimentswith dogs in the mid 1960s. They placed dogsin a restraining harness and then exposed themto a series of painful though not physicallyharmful electric shocks. No matter what thedogs did, the shocks would occur. Next, thedogs were put in a shuttle box, a chamberdesigned so that a dog can jump over a barrierand escape the shock. Dogs that had not beenpreviously exposed to the inescapable shockwould run frantically around the box untilthey accidentally scrambled over the barrierand escaped the shock. The dogs quicklybecame very adept at recognising the signalwarning of the shock and jumping the barrierbefore they were shocked. In contrast, thegroup of dogs, which had been subjected to theinescapable shocks, would at first run aroundfrantically for about 30 seconds. But they thenstopped moving, and lay down inside the boxand quietly whined.Since these early experiments, which inhindsight seem very cruel, learned helplessnesshas crossed the species barrier. Learnedhelplessness has been detected in human workgroups. Work groups afflicted with learnedhelplessness are unlikely to increase theirefforts and apply new strategies in the face ofdifficult problems because they believe that thecauses for their failure (and success) arebeyond their control.Learned helplessness is an outcome of aseries of disabling and unpleasant experiences.The causal factor is easily identified in anexperimental setting. However, thecontributing factors are less apparent inorganisation settings. The manager may nothave experienced a single traumatic shock.Instead, the manager’s behaviour is likely to bethe result of an incremental series ofexperiences that degrade one’s sense of beingin control of events. The manager may noteven have directly experienced some of theseevents. Managers observe the behaviour ofothers and evaluate the consequences of thisbehaviour. In general, people learn to adapttheir behaviour based on vicarious experience,that is, what they see happening to othersaround them.Underlying learned helplessness is a set ofbehaviours in the organisation that ChrisArgyris has called organisational defensiveroutines. 4 Argyris identified amongst a group
Page 1:
A U S T R A L I A NDEFENCEForceJOUR
Page 4 and 5:
Gunners from 8/12 Medium Regiment f
Page 7 and 8: Australia’s Regional Environment
Page 9 and 10: AUSTRALIA’S REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT
Page 19: AUSTRALIA’S REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT
Page 22 and 23: 20AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE JOURNAL
Page 36 and 37: Mortar platoon, 2RAR, loading onto
Page 44 and 45: Australian armoured personnel carri
Page 48 and 49: Coalition members of INTERFET
Page 64 and 65: 62ReviewsBooksTHERE TO THE BITTER E
Page 66: 64AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE JOURNAL
show all

ISSUE 150 : Sep/Oct - 2001 - Australian Defence Force Journal

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?