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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