Security Leader in a Military Organization

The ability to lead is an important trait in the organizational world today. With organizations encountering increasingly complex situations, leaders have a role to successfully steer their organizations through those situations. They must properly influence and guide their followers in the achievement of organizational goals and objectives (Bateman, Snell & Konopaske, 2016). Leadership ability is particularly important in military organizations. The security environment has become ever more challenging, warranting even more effective leadership (Laver, 2008). Military organizations now grapple with challenges such as craftier enemies, international terrorism, increased incidence of natural disasters, and reduced budgetary allocations. Internally, military organizations face challenges relating to issues such as personnel motivation and retention, capacity building, and veteran welfare. Yet, military organizations must constantly ensure national security. Navigating the increasingly complex security environment requires military leaders to have certain qualities. This paper discusses these qualities. Attention is particularly paid to situational leadership, integrity, people skills, effective communication, time management skills, teamwork, coping with stress, succession planning, and service leadership.

The fundamental idea behind situational leadership is that there is one-size-fits-all style of leadership (Bertocci, 2009). The leader adjusts their leadership style to fit the circumstance at hand -- the task to be accomplished and the group to be led. This means that a certain style of leadership may be appropriate for a certain task, situation, and organization but inappropriate for another. For instance, democratic and participative leadership may be appropriate in a technology organization, but may not be effective in a law enforcement organization. Equally, authoritarian leadership may work during normal periods, but may not work during periods of organizational change. In essence, situational leadership requires that leaders must be adaptive, flexible, and agile.

The relevance of situational leadership within the context of military is immense. Military organizations exist in an ever more complex and ambiguous operational environment -- technological shifts, greater availability of information, increased downsizing, constantly changing security threats, increasingly complex battlefields, and so forth. These uncertainties mean that a single style of leadership may not work all the time (Laver, 2008). At times, military leaders may need to be more transactional and other times they may need to be more transformational. Success in such an environment requires adapting leadership style to the situation at hand. For instance, what worked during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) may not necessarily work in a different combat environment or in the future. A lot has changed in the last one and a half decades or so, necessitating new or more advanced tactical, operational, and strategic approaches. Furthermore, what works during times of peace may not necessarily be effective during periods of crisis. During the latter, leadership may often be characterized by one-way communication and authoritative approaches.

The relevance of situational leadership to the military further stems from the fact that military work often requires quick decision making (Taylor, Rosenbach & Rosenbach, 2009). This is particularly true during combat. It is rare to have complete or perfect information when planning an attack or when in the battle zone. For instance, enemy hideouts and retaliation techniques may not be well known. Yet, amidst such uncertainties the military leader must make decisions. Such situations require gut and intuition as combat is often a matter of life and death. A one-minute time frame can determine whether someone survives or dies. In essence, a military leader must be a fast decision maker. They must quickly evaluate the situation at hand and make the most appropriate decision without necessarily relying on routines or previous approaches.

Truthfulness, openness, and honesty are key values for any leader. Instances of successful organizations collapsing or failing due to deficiencies in leadership integrity are not uncommon. Enron, WorldCom, and Lehman Brothers are ideal examples. In fact, organizational success has a lot to do with integrity at the top. Integrity in leadership means that leaders are committed to doing the right thing in spite of circumstances (Bertocci, 2009). Leaders with integrity consistently exhibit a certain set of values -- they are incorruptible, make ethically sound decisions, do the right thing even when no one is watching, and put the interests of their stakeholders before theirs. When a leader demonstrates and creates a culture of integrity, their followers are likely to emulate their behavior. Everyone in the organization understands the value of integrity to the organization and the consequences of not having integrity. Without a doubt, a leader may not have all the good traits associated with leadership, but integrity is one trait that should not lack. It may not necessarily be a prerequisite for success, but lack of it exposes the leader and the organization to a great deal of danger.

Integrity is particularly important in military leadership. In fact, integrity is explicitly articulated as one of the most important values of military officers (Laver, 2008). They are obligated to do what is right, legally and morally. Lying and taking shortcuts can have grave consequences on the military and the public at large. For instance, failing to take the relevant disciplinary action on defiant officers can hamper the achievement of military objectives in one way or another. It may result in a pool of officers without regard for ethics and the law, which may tarnish the image of the military. Dishonesty on the part of a military leader can also result in the loss of lives or give adversaries an advantage.

For a leader in the military, integrity is crucial for building the trust their followers place in them (Taylor, Rosenbach & Rosenbach, 2009). A leader who demonstrates integrity in their behavior and decision making influences their relationship with their subordinates. Subordinates not only increase their trust in the leader, but also view integrity as a core value of their own work. This is because subordinates are always watching the leader -- they observe every move or decision their leader makes. In essence, a leader serves as a role model to their followers, and must constantly demonstrate the highest standards of character possible, whether on or off duty. This is vital for breeding a culture of honesty, transparency, and accountability in the military.

However, achieving perfect integrity is not an easy endeavor as human beings are inherently selfish. In addition to innate selfishness, some situations may compel a leader to surrender their integrity. During combat, for instance, it may not be in the interest of the leader to tell the absolute truth as the consequences may far outweigh the outcomes of not telling the truth. The military may also lie about nuclear tests or use corrupt means to achieve certain ends. This is, however, not unusual as every profession presents ethical or moral dilemmas. Even so, the importance of integrity cannot be overemphasized. Military leaders must constantly portray integrity.

Leaders have a responsibility to take care of and connect with their followers. This involves showing concern for the needs of their followers and demonstrating kindness, compassion, and respect (Bertocci, 2009). In the military, the spirit of camaraderie is indeed important (Laver, 2008). Effective leaders uplift the weak. They understand that an element of weakness in the team would be detrimental to the team as a whole. They also cultivate a comfortable and less rigid work environment. Ordinarily, every subordinate tends to be uneasy around the boss. An effective leader seeks to create a more relaxed environment. Simple things like handshakes, recognizing individuals for outstanding performance, and sparing time to bond with subordinates go a long way in creating such an environment. They help the leader develop a greater understanding of their followers and connect more with them. Whereas companionship between the leader and their followers is important, the leader should ensure boundaries remain. In other words, the leader should be able to connect with their subordinates while at the same time holding every one accountable.

Another important trait of an effective leader is effective communication (Bateman, Snell & Konopaske, 2016). Whether through staff meetings or memos, leaders communicate virtually every day. They communicate the goals and objectives of the organization, progress, as well as changes in strategy, structures and processes. Further, leaders communicate to not only members of staff, but also external stakeholders such as suppliers, shareholders, customers, communities, and regulatory authorities. Communicating to internal stakeholders is particularly important. Effective communication within an organization is vital for familiarizing staff members with the vision of the organization, clarifying roles and responsibilities, addressing concerns and complaints, providing performance feedback, as well as gathering input from staff members.

Effective communication is essential in the military. An effective military leader is one who can communicate effectively. They can listen to others, acknowledge other people's emotions, communicate using non-verbal language, offer feedback, and properly convey roles and responsibilities (Taylor, Rosenbach & Rosenbach, 2009). Military activities in themselves involve a great deal of communication. When the military is planning a mission, leaders must clearly and comprehensively communicate the objective of the mission and the means that will be used to achieve that objective. This clarification is important for avoiding mistakes. It ensures units do not go beyond the scope of the mission. Effective communication is perhaps even more important on the mission ground. Leaders must clearly relay operational and tactical details as well as decisions, commands, and instructions. Also, leaders must effectively decode communication made by others. On the whole, lack of proper and coordinated communication on the ground may lead to costly mistakes to the advantage of the enemy.

The ability to work in a team has become an important trait for every employee irrespective of the character of the organization they work for. Tasks within the workplace have become ever more complex, necessitating teamwork. Indeed, employers are increasingly looking for individuals with strong teamwork abilities. Teamwork eases and fastens task execution, and enhances individual and organizational productivity. The ability to work in a team is even more important for a leader. Leadership in its essence is about guiding a group (team) of people to achieve a specified goal or objective, meaning that the leader is involved in building the team (Bateman, Snell & Konopaske, 2016). Building the team encompasses not only choosing the right people for the team, but also fostering a culture of collaboration and tolerating diverse personalities.

Teamwork is even more important within the context of the military. Everything in the military requires team effort -- from combat to humanitarian assistance (Taylor, Rosenbach & Rosenbach, 2009). At the battlefront, for instance, roles and responsibilities are carefully divided among the unit. Fulfilling each individual's role is important for accomplishing the overall mission. The spirit of teamwork is initiated and sustained by the leader. The leader chooses the right officers for the job, effectively allocates duties to every member of the team, clearly articulates the importance of teamwork in achieving the mission, and holds every member of the team accountable.

It is often said that the true measure of leadership effectiveness is the ability of a leader to mould or raise other leaders. There is a great deal of truth in this adage. Effective leaders mentor and coach their followers in an attempt to prepare them for future, more complex responsibilities. They serve as counselors, advisors, guides, teachers, and tutors. This is the core of succession planning -- preparing leaders of tomorrow (Bertocci, 2009). Succession planning ensures that there is always someone to take on leadership responsibilities when the present leaders exit the organization. In fact, in most organizations top leadership positions are often occupied by individuals who have been in the organization for years or decades. During those years, the individuals are equipped with the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities to serve as leaders at some point in the future.

Succession planning is crucial in not only business organizations, but also non-business organizations such as military organizations. In fact, the significance of succession planning within the military cannot be overemphasized (Taylor, Rosenbach & Rosenbach, 2009). With an increasingly complex security environment, military organizations must groom individuals for more involving responsibilities. This responsibility lies squarely in the hands of leaders. In the military, promotion to higher ranks, retirement, and voluntary exit from service are common events. Such events can create leadership vacuums if leaders do not take the necessary steps to develop the next generation of leaders. Effective succession planning ensures that when the current leaders retire or exit from service, there are individuals who can execute their responsibilities with the same level of capability, effectiveness, and efficiency.

Leadership is often not a straightforward undertaking -- it involves a great deal of stress. Difficult followers, regulatory nightmares, competitive pressure, strategic failures, market dynamics, public relations crises, poor organizational performance, and stakeholder pressure are all situations that impose immense stress on leaders. The stress may further be compounded by non-work issues such as family difficulties. An effective leader is one with the ability to cope with stress. Coping with stress is indeed an important element of emotional intelligence, which basically denotes the ability to manage one's emotions and acknowledge other people's emotions (Bertocci, 2009). Moments of stress bring out the true character of a leader. Leaders who remain calm during stress come out as unshakable. They demonstrate their ability to withstand pressure and take control over difficult times. Regardless of the strength of the storm, effective leaders provide hope and assurance to their followers that everything will be ok -- they inspire their followers to be strong.

Often, military personnel will be required to serve under crisis and pressurizing conditions. The ability to stay calm in such situations is a trait a leader within a military organization must have (Taylor, Rosenbach & Rosenbach, 2009). Indeed, demonstrating calmness and emotional stability can significantly influence troops. Leadership theory asserts that followers tend to emulate the behavior of their leaders (Bertocci, 2009). Therefore, if the leader behaves as if everything is under control even during crisis conditions, their followers are likely to stay calm as well. Exhibiting calmness during difficult times portrays the leader as brave and a conqueror, which serves as a powerful motivator for their troops.

The ability to manage time is also an important leadership skill (Bertocci, 2009). On any given day, a leader usually has a lot on their desk -- a ton of emails to read, calls to make, papers to sign, meetings to attend, instructions to issue, decisions to make, correspondences to make, deadlines to beat, and so forth. Achieving such an enormous number of tasks can be quite difficult, hence the need for effective time management skills. Effective time management requires knowing what is important and what to prioritize, developing to-do lists, avoid procrastination and distractions, setting realistic goals, delegating properly, breaking huge tasks into smaller tasks, sticking to schedules, and having contingency plans.

In the military, the importance of effective time management cannot be understated. Military leaders often seek to achieve certain ends within a certain period of time (Taylor, Rosenbach & Rosenbach, 2009). For instance, when the military is planning an invasion in a foreign jurisdiction, it precisely defines the duration of that invasion and the activities that should be undertaken within that duration. Adequate preparations are made on time, especially with respect to mobilizing resources and gathering information about the characteristics of the mission environment. Effective time management becomes even more important once the troops are on the battleground. In fact, time is arguably the most important element during war. How effectively troop leaders manage time to a large extent determines how successful the troops are. Therefore, military leaders must be effective time managers.