Leadership and Organizational Challenges in the 4th ABCT

Introduction: Organizational Challenges at the 4th ABCT

Organizational development is often a challenging task for most organizations. The challenge appears in processes such as leadership development, employee management and engagement, and change management.¹ If not handled properly, these processes may hinder the achievement of organizational goals and objectives. The 4th Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT) is currently facing significant challenges in organizational development and leadership. These challenges specifically include communication concerns, ineffective leadership, poor motivation of soldiers, lack of teamwork, interpersonal conflicts, and organizational culture issues. It is imperative for these challenges to be addressed if the team is to effectively execute its deployment goals and objectives in the future. As the new commander of the brigade, I have an instrumental role to play in addressing these challenges. This essay describes the major challenges facing the brigade and the measures I will use to address them.

Leadership Style and Its Impact on Brigade Culture

One of the major challenges facing the brigade relates to leadership. The style of leadership used in an organization can significantly influence the extent to which organizational goals and objectives are achieved.² Leadership style informs the culture of the organization — it shapes the values, beliefs, norms, and practices that bind a group of people together. Generally, leadership style may be either authoritative (dictatorial) or democratic (inclusive or participatory). At ABCT, the style of leadership is evidently dictatorial. This is somewhat normative, as authoritative leadership is often the standard in most military contexts; subordinates are expected to follow the instructions of their superiors without question. While authoritative leadership may be important in such contexts, particularly in terms of quickening decision-making, it can sometimes prove detrimental.

In the last three years, many changes have taken place at the brigade following a change in leadership. Morale has diminished, the supportive family atmosphere that existed before is gone, discipline and work ethic have weakened, competition has reduced, coordination among peers has deteriorated, and relations between brigade commanders and the battalion have worsened. In addition, there has been reduced willingness to include subordinates in decision-making, as well as decreased commitment to coaching, counseling, and developing subordinates. Essentially, the friendly, supportive, and somewhat informal culture that characterized the brigade a few years ago has been replaced by a dictatorial regime, which is increasingly threatening the brigade's ability to successfully accomplish its future missions.

As the new brigade commander, I will first focus on changing the leadership style by restoring the culture that existed three years ago. I will particularly pay attention to creating a positive atmosphere, inspiring confidence, building trust, and empowering subordinates. My leadership style will also be characterized by empathy, effective interpersonal relationships, leading by example, active staff engagement, and reduced bureaucracy in garrison procedures and inspections. I strongly believe that cultivating the right organizational atmosphere will be crucial for maximizing the effectiveness of the brigade. Nonetheless, I recognize that permitting a more democratic approach in a military context is not easy; at the same time, I must ensure that the values that generally characterize the military — such as discipline and results-centeredness — are upheld. With the right influence, I believe a balance between authority and inclusivity can be achieved.

Bibliography

Cummings, Thomas, and Christopher Worley. Organization Development and Change. 10th ed. Boston: Cengage Learning, 2015.