An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 13 Defence Forces leadership doctrine (DFLD) states that NCOs provide the 'critical link in the mission command philosophy', and that they are key implementers who 'execute plans, make deci- sions, solve problems and overcome obstacles in delivering outputs and mission achievement'. Recognising the value of NCOs' corporate knowledge, DFLD notes that 'Officers should seek and listen to the advice of their NCOs', and once trust is developed officers can rely on their experi- ence and counsel. At the same time, junior soldiers see good NCOs as role models because they are the first link in the chain of command and, as they previously served in the rank, know the junior soldier´s role and understand it. In turn, NCOs must always be conscious that their behaviour and performance will influence their team members as they are con- stantly being watched from above and below. In terms of decision making, NCOs can contribute a lot to the formulation and development of a commander's course of action because they are often the longest serving members of a unit and are custodians of the 'corporate knowledge'. Similarly, this experience gives the NCO the ability to offer qualified constructive contributions to ongoing developments within the Defence Forces; something that should not be understated. There is no doubt that in order to become a better leader, one must actively study the subject. By studying current or historical leaders, we can learn from their successes and failures, without repeating mistakes of the past. Perhaps the most daunting part of commencing a study of leadership is the sheer volume of literature available; so where to start? The DFLD provides an excellent over- view of military leadership styles, theories and competencies, and as such it serves as a very useful framework for our leaders to begin to explore their own leadership philosophy. Traditionally, NCOs tend to base their leadership philosophy on personal experience or what they have observed in others, and a recent survey of students attending career courses in the NCOTW shows that a surprisingly low number have read the DFLD, and conse- quently lack the framework with which to articulate their leadership philosophy or values. All NCOs should take the time to read the DFLD and reflect on their leadership performance to date. In doing so, they may be surprised with how aligned their informal leadership philosophy is with our official doctrine. This could serve as a launchpad for NCOs to explore their own leadership philosophy through study of military leadership literature. There are many books written by experienced military leaders, but one should not overlook a memoire of a prominent sporting or political leader that they admire, as a good way of getting started in exploring the topic of leadership. From the author's personal reading and research spanning a 20-years-plus career, some books stand out. These include: The Three Meter Zone by CSM JD Pendry; Hal Moore on Leadership by Lt Gen Harold G Moore and Mike Guardia; Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin; and Turn the Ship Around by David Marquet, just to name a few. The common themes throughout these books are trust of subor- dinates and NCO empowerment, and the employment of a mission- command philosophy. The most famous wartime generals (eg Gen Hal Moore) often state that their senior enlisted leader was their most trusted confidant. This is based on hard-won trust and success- ful delegation, which underpin the mission-command theory. The words 'mission command' can make many NCOs shudder, thinking it's 'officer business' but in today's Defence Forces, mission command is 'leader business', and that makes it 'NCO business' too. Mission command is designed to give junior leaders (both com- missioned and non-commissioned) freedom of action to complete the task on the ground, with the emphasis on what is to be achieved, not how it is to be achieved. The principles of mission command are: build cohesive teams through trust; create shared understanding; provide a clear commander's intent; exercise disciplined initiative; use mission orders; and accept prudent risk. NCOs are key to the implementation of mission command, bring- ing relevant experience to complement junior officers' planning, decision making, and execution, to achieve mission success. The different use of language between NCOs and officers in the decision-making process can often lead to confusion, which leads to NCOs feeling of a lack of empowerment and perhaps being 'outside' the process. The NCOTW is striving to combat this, and has combined the language of the '7 questions combat estimate' and the MDMP's five-stage 'est of sit' in the new Infantry School Battle Book. This pro- vides a common estimate format that will lead to a synchronisation of thought; thus, providing organisational clarity within the unit. As NCOs, we must continue to develop ourselves through both professional and personal education. Self-development is important not just for service within the Defence Forces but also on departure from the organisation and it sets the conditions for continuous learning and growth. (Darwin has a pretty good theory about the outcome for those who cannot adapt to changing circumstance!) In determining your strengths and developmental needs, one has to think about what they do and how well they do it. At the end of a training period always carry out your own after-action review. Ask others whose opinion you value for their feedback and ask for advice on how to improve. As students of our profession we must read more about it, as in doing so we will face nothing new as we continue to develop as leaders. US General James Mattis stated: "The problem with being too busy to read is that you learn by experience (or by your men's experi- ence), ie the hard way. By reading, you learn through others' experi- ences, generally a better way to do business, especially in our line of work where the consequences of incompetence are so final." Confirmatory CSS brief prior to a company attack. Coy Sgt David O'Reilly, NCOTW completes an International NCO Intermediate Leadership Course in a Multinational Environment.

• Cover