Army Leadership and the Communication Paradox

The phrase typically evokes images of commanders and noncommissioned officers leading heroic charges or generals directing armies-perhaps an aged Gen. Douglas MacArthur planning Inchon landing, or MacArthur as a young captain leading his company across a no-man's land, riding crop in hand.1 In reality, however, most leadership in Army far more benign. In little ways, day long , across globe, at levels of Army, soldiers lead others.While style, quality, and stakes vary widely, every leadership interaction has two universal elements. First, and perhaps most obvious, every exercise of leadership involves a leader and a follower. Second, leadership cannot occur without communication between leader and follower.Army and civilian leadership books use countless adjectives to describe what leaders should be and do while giving little or no attention or thought to communication aspects of leadership. Normally, focus on leader attributes, described with adjectives such as decisive, agile, adaptive, confident, and disciplined. However, while a person could become a great leader without being decisive or adaptive, it would be impossible to become a great leader without being a great communicator.The Army's inattention to communication as a leadership skill particularly acute in light of abundance of modern communication tools. The means available for Army leaders to communicate are best they have ever been-PowerPoint, e-mail, Blue Force Tracker, satellite communications, radio, television, social media, SharePoint, and many more. Paradoxically, these increases in communication capacity diminish communication between leaders and those led. The Army drowning in communications, and victim good leadership. The solution remarkably simple: acknowledge importance of effective communication and integrate teaching of communication skills-writing and speaking-throughout Army officer education system. In addition, Army should elevate role of effective communication in exercise of mission command.What Communication in Leadership?Army Doctrine Publication (ADP) 6-22, Army Leadership, defines leadership as the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish mission and improve organization.2 Central to this definition idea of influencing, which, according to Army Doctrine Reference Publication (ADRP) 6-22 (also called Army Leadership), entails more than simply passing along orders.3 Indeed, all of Army's core leader competencies, especially leading others, involve influence.4 The ADRP outlines how good leaders, in turn, communicate by listening actively, creating shared understanding, employing engaging communication techniques, and being sensitive to cultural factors in communication.5 ADP 6-0, Mission Command, describes importance of communication asfar beyond simply exchanging information. Commanders use communication to strengthen bonds within a command. Communication builds trust, cooperation, cohesion, and shared understanding . ... Mission command requires interactive communications characterized by continuous vertical and horizontal feedback. Feedback provides means to improve and confirm situational understanding.6While these doctrinal publications provide a solid foundation for essential role of communication in leadership, importance of communication seems neglected within Army officer education system. Undoubtedly, that system values and addresses communication and leadership in various courses; however, there insufficient focus on a competency that is essential to other leadership competencies.7The foundational administrative document for Army institutional leader training and education U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) Regulation 350-10, Institutional Leader Training and Education. …