Returning to Army Leadership

Abstract : Great military leaders inspire their troops and lead them into battle. No senior officer in today's Army has risen to this level of greatness. Instead, we are led by a corps of general officers who are better described with superlatives like scholar, diplomat, and manager. This paper examines what has changed in the Army's leadership doctrine, selection process, training, and philosophy of leadership that has resulted in this profound change. The paper examines various definitions of leadership, and then describes an Army leader, General George C. Marshall, who set the standard for Army leadership. Two other great Army leaders are briefly discussed: General Maxwell Taylor and General Omar Bradley. The paper also contains sections on the theories of leadership and corporate leadership and management. It makes recommendations regarding how the Army can return to its heritage and revise its leadership programs to develop the next generation of Army leaders.