SOLUTION BRIEF
Skills Development for Military Leaders Military leaders depend on self-led skills development to get ahead. The U.S. military believes that self-guided learning and reflection drive character development for leaders, but how individuals should pursue these efforts needs serious evaluation, a Military Review study found.
Unpacking the Challenge Facing Military Leaders A landmark 2013 report published in the Military Review found that the U.S. military values character over strategy, but has struggled to develop character within its leaders. Citing a wide range of studies and research projects into military operations, the news source found that the military makes a few key assumptions about skills development. One of those assumptions is that self-guided learning combined with introspective reflection will enable military leaders to develop the character skills needed to lead effectively. While there may be some merit at the core of this idea, the report explained that the lack of direction provided by the military limits its effectiveness. Simple questions pertaining to this process are not answered, including: • What should leaders study? • Which character traits are most valuable? • H ow should leaders evaluate their own character? On top of these questions, there is also a discrepancy in military surveys, as some have found that military leaders value their self-guided development efforts, but many also do not understand what they need to do to develop as leaders, the report said. All of these issues add up to a clear situation facing military leaders - there is a great need for self-guided skills development, but also a need for direction and curriculums. Robust e-learning programs can be valuable here as they offer strategic coursework aimed specifically at the leadership skills military officers require. This is especially true as the military faces pressures that are forcing it to think a bit like businesses.
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SOLUTION BRIEF Skills Development for Military Leaders (continued)
What can Military Leaders Learn from Business Skills?
Specific Skills for Military Leaders to Develop
A report published by the Association of the United States Army explained that military leaders in the post-recession world need to learn from businesses as they adapt to changing societal conditions.
The military and business worlds have plenty in common. Amit Kleinberger, a military veteran and current CEO, published a guest post on Entrepreneur that highlighted key skills that cross over between business and military realms, they included:
Key areas of skills development identified by the news source include:
• Teamwork
• How to use focused data analytics to drive cultural values and innovate
• Dedication
• How to create a culture of honesty and collaboration so teams can go through the creative processes that truly drive innovation, something that often involves small failures on the path to success
• Accountability
• How to balance generalism with specialization - Military leaders are generalists by nature, but being able to specialize in one or two areas can help them become thought leaders and innovators These are big-picture lessons that military leaders can glean from business, and the right training curriculums can help them get there. What specific skills are most valuable for individuals to pursue? A recent Entrepreneur report identified a variety of key areas for growth.
• A systems-oriented approach to work • Dedication • A higher purpose/goal
Developing the Skills that Matter in the Military Advanced e-learning courses give military leaders accessibility to course resources wherever they can get on the Internet. These courses combine media-rich content ranging from video and quizzes to practical, hands-on simulations that let you test your skills.
The flexibility offered by e-learning can help military leaders fit skills development into their schedule and learn the intangible and concrete competencies they need to build successful units and deal with the constant demands of a life of service.
To learn more about available courses and training for your team, visit LearningTree.com Sources: http://usacac.army.mil/CAC2/MilitaryReview/Archives/English/MilitaryReview_20131031_art007.pdf https://www.ausa.org/publications/armymagazine/archive/2014/Documents/12December14/Storlie_December2014.pdf https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/242228
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The Takeaway