DEVELOPING STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

COL (Ret) Chuck AllenProfessor of Cultural Sciences

October 9, 2009

UNITED STATES ARMY WAR COLLEGEUNITED STATES ARMY WAR COLLEGE

CharlesD.Allen@us.army.mil717 245-3460

SCHOOLS at the BARRACKSSCHOOLS at the BARRACKSCARLISLE BARRACKS, PENNSYLVANIA

Cavalry1838

Cavalry1838

IndianIndustrial

1879

IndianIndustrial

1879

Medical1920

Medical1920

Gov’t ofOccupied

Areas1946

Gov’t ofOccupied

Areas1946

Adjutant General

1946

Adjutant General

1946

Armed Forces

Information1946

Armed Forces

Information1946

Chaplain1947

Chaplain1947

MilitaryPolice1947

MilitaryPolice1947 Army

Security Agency

1949

Army Security Agency

1949

U.S. ArmyWar College

1951

U.S. ArmyWar College

1951Artillery

1778Artillery

1778

TheFuture

TheFuture

Established1757

Established1757

GUIDING PRINCIPLEGUIDING PRINCIPLE

by intelligent and adequate preparation to repel aggression...

To study and confer on the great problems of national

defense, military science, and responsible command”

by intelligent and adequate preparation to repel aggression...

To study and confer on the great problems of national

defense, military science, and responsible command”

“Not to promote war but to preserve peace“Not to promote war but to preserve peace

Elihu Root, 1903Elihu Root, 1903

UNITED STATES ARMY WAR COLLEGE

MISSIONMISSIONUNITED STATES ARMY WAR COLLEGE

USAWC prepares selected military, civilian, and international leaders for the responsibilities of strategic leadership In a joint, interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational environment.

- Educates current and future leaders on the development and employment of landpower - Supports the operational and institutional force - Conducts research, and publishes to inform thought on national security and military strategy- Supports the Army’s strategic communication efforts

• A unique institution that focuses on strategic issues for the Army, Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational communities:– Strategic Leadership– National Policy– National Strategy– National Security Strategy– National Military Strategy– Theater Strategy– Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and

Multinational operations

• Engages key national and international strategic actors

• A unique institution that focuses on strategic issues for the Army, Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and Multinational communities:– Strategic Leadership– National Policy– National Strategy– National Security Strategy– National Military Strategy– Theater Strategy– Joint, Interagency, Intergovernmental, and

Multinational operations

• Engages key national and international strategic actors

THE COLLEGETHE COLLEGEUNITED STATES ARMY WAR COLLEGE

UNITED STATES ARMY WAR COLLEGE

CONCEPT FOR EDUCATIONCONCEPT FOR EDUCATION

OperationalOperational

TacticalTactical

Levels of WarLevels of War FocusFocus

Joint and Combined Operations

Joint and Combined Operations

Military ForceEmployment

Military ForceEmployment

SchoolSchool

Captains’ CourseCaptains’ Course

USAWCUSAWC

Intermediate LevelEducation

Intermediate LevelEducation

StrategicStrategicNationalSecurityIssues

NationalSecurityIssues

Lieutenants’ CourseLieutenants’ Course

1-4 years

10-13 years

18-21 years

Defense Strategy Course

Defense Strategy Course

Basic StrategistBasic Strategist

Reserve Component National Security Issues Course

Reserve Component National Security Issues Course

Resident ProgramResident Program

Distance Education ProgramDistance Education Program

Senior Service College FellowsSenior Service College Fellows

Combined - Joint Component Commander Courses

Combined - Joint Component Commander Courses

Reserve Component Courses

Reserve Component Courses

Senior Service College

Senior Service College

Life-Long Leader LearningLife-Long Leader Learning

USAWC CONTRIBUTIONUSAWC CONTRIBUTIONCONTINUOUS EDUCATION

8

Leader Attributes– Sets the standard for

integrity and character

– Confident and competent decision-maker in uncertain situations:

– Prudent risk taker

– Innovative

– Adaptive

– Accountable

– Empathetic & always positive

– Professionally educated and dedicated to life-long learning

– Effective communicator

Multi-skilled Leader– Strategic & creative thinker

– Builder of leaders and teams

– Competent full spectrum warfighter or accomplished professional who supports the Soldier

– Effective in managing, leading & changing large organizations

– Skilled in governance, statesmanship, and diplomacy

– Understands cultural context, and works effectively across it

Growing Army Leaders in the 21st Century

Personifies the Warrior Ethos in all

aspects, from war fighting to statesmanship to

business management…It’s a way of life

Catastrophic

Acquisition, possession, and possible employment of WMD or methods of producing WMD-like effects against vulnerable, high-profile targets by terrorists and rogue states. (paralyze our power)

(e.g., homeland missile attack, proliferation from a state to a non-state actor, devastating WMD attack on ally)

Disruptive

International competitors developing and possessing breakthrough technological capabilities intended to supplant U.S. advantages in particular operational domains (marginalize our power)

(e.g., sensors, information bio or cyber, ultra miniaturation, space, directed energy, etc.)

Irregular

Unconventional methods adopted and employed by non-state and state actors to counter our stronger state opponents. (erode our power)(e.g., terrorism, insurgency, civil war, and

emerging concepts like “unrestricted warfare”)

Traditional

States employing legacy and advanced military capabilities and recognizable military forces, in long-established, well-known forms of military competition and conflict. (challenge our power)

(e.g., conventional air, sea, land forces, and nuclear forces of established nuclear

powers)LIKELIHOOD

VU

LN

ER

AB

ILIT

Y

LOWER

LOWER

HIGHER

HIGHER

Security Environment: 4 Challenges

10

Shift in Focus

DisruptiveTraditional

CatastrophicIrregular

Shape Choices

Defeat Terrorist Extremism

CounterWMD

DefendHomeland

Today's Capability Portfolio

“Shifting Our Weight”

Continuing the reorientation of military capabilities and implementing enterprise-wide Continuing the reorientation of military capabilities and implementing enterprise-wide reforms to ensure structures and process support the President and the warfighter reforms to ensure structures and process support the President and the warfighter Continuing the reorientation of military capabilities and implementing enterprise-wide Continuing the reorientation of military capabilities and implementing enterprise-wide reforms to ensure structures and process support the President and the warfighter reforms to ensure structures and process support the President and the warfighter

Operational Reality

12

HOW WE GROW LEADERS

Transforming a Professional Who Has...

•HAD RELATIVELY LIMITED AND WELL-DEFINED RESPONSIBILITIES.

•WORKED IN A STRUCTURED ENVIRONMENT OF TASKS, CONDITIONS & STANDARDS.

•DEALT PRIMARILY WITH PROBLEMS FOR WHICH THERE WAS USUALLY ONE BEST SOLUTION. (SCIENCE)

•BEEN AN EXECUTOR OF POLICY.

•SUCCEEDED BASED ON CAPACITY TO COMPETE AND APPLY SKILLS.

•FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON THE PRESENT AND NEAR TERM.

•SET A STRONG PERSONAL EXAMPLE.

•HAD PRIMARILY A SINGLE-SERVICE AND UNILATERAL ORIENTATION.

•COMMUNICATED BOTH VERBALLY AND IN WRITING IN A CONCISE AND DIRECT MANNER.

•BEEN PHYSICALLY, INTELLECTUALLY AND MORALLY FIT.

Into a Leader Who Will…

•HOLD POSITIONS OF BROAD SCOPE AND GREAT RESPONSIBILITY.

•WORK IN HIGHLY COMPLEX, AMBIGUOUS ENVIRONMENTS.

•DEAL WITH PROBLEMS WHICH HAVE NO CLEAR-CUT SOLUTIONS. (ART)

•BE AN EXECUTIVE CHARGED WITH INNOVATING AND INITIATING POLICY.

•SUCCEED BASED ON SPIRIT OF COOPERATION AND CAPACITY TO CONCEPTUALIZE.

•ASSESS THE FUTURE AND ENVISION FOR THE LONG TERM WHILE EXECUTING THE PRESENT.

•SET AN ETHICAL CLIMATE.

•BE INVOLVED IN JOINT AND COMBINED ORGANIZATIONS AND ISSUES

•COMMUNICATE COMPLEX CONCEPTS EFFECTIVELY AND PERSUASIVELY, BOTH VERBALLY AND IN WRITING.

•CONTINUE TO BE PHYSICALLY, INTELLECTUALLY AND MORALLY FIT.

The Challenge for Leader Development is:

Un

cert

ain

ty/C

om

ple

xity

-

Physical Strength• Physical Courage• Doing• Reacting• Touching

Direct Leadership• Climate• Policies• Direction

Intellectual StrengthMoral CourageThinking/PlanningAnticipating-Thinking in TimeInfluencing

PLT CO BN BDE DIV CORPS

TacticalFrontline Managers

Principals

OperationalRegional Managers

Superintendents

StrategicEx VP – CEO

Gen Superintendent

IdentityMental agilityCross cultural savvyInterpersonal maturityWorld-class warriorProfessionally astute

???

Train for Certainty

Educate for Uncertainty

RESIDENT PROGRAMRESIDENT PROGRAMUSAWC AY10

NATIONALSECURITYPOLICY ANDSTRATEGY

STRATEGICLEADERSHIP

THEORYOFWARANDSTRATEGY

STRATEGICTHINKING

WINTER RECESS

JOINTPROCESSESANDLANDPOWERDEVELOPMENT

ELECTIVES

ORIENTATION COURSES

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

COMPLEMENTARY PROGRAMS

Student Social ActivitiesNoontime Lectures

Student Athletic ProgramConversational Arabic

Commandant’s Lecture SeriesEisenhower College Program

National Security Policy ProgramAdvanced Strategic Art Program

APFRI Executive Health and Leadership Feedback ProgramMilitary History ProgramMilitary Family Program

STR.

DEC.

MAKING

EX

N AT’L

SE C U RITY

SEMIN A R

CORE CURRICULUM

SPR I NG RECESS

STRATEGY RESEARCH PROJECT

THEATERSTRATEGY ANDCAMPAIGNING

STRATEGICLEADERSHIP

• Keenly aware of a complex & changing environment

• Competent in consensus, team building, & peer leadership

• Transforms the political & conceptual into the practical & concrete

• Leverages technology, especially information• Shapes the organizational / institutional culture• Builds a values-based organization• Provides for the future/vision;

leads and manages change• Understands all levels of strategy

Develop Essential Characteristics

•Learn to learn & problem

solve•Pull (Learn)/dialog•Student-Centered •Understanding Constructed•Complexity Maintained•Case Studies•Exploration•Collaborative

•Content Mastery•Push (Teach)•Instructor-Centered•Structure Imposed•Complexity Removed•Disjointed Examples•Exercises•Individual

The goal is how to think, not what to think!

Educating Strategic LeadersAdult Learning

• A process of transformation…– continuous, rigorous education– Cohort (peer group) learning– simulations/exercises/case studies– field visits– self-knowledge– awareness of historical continuity– emphasis on the whole person--

mental, physical, spiritual

Developing Strategic Leaders:

How (USAWC) we do it

• Learning in a broadly-diverse group of peers

– Unstructured problem-solving; “choosing between right and right”

– Peer leadership– Consensus/coalition building– “Truth is discovered, not revealed”– Lifelong learning

Experiential/Adult Learning

TOTAL – 340TOTAL – 340

CLASS COMPOSITIONCLASS COMPOSITION

Air Force 32Air Force 32

Marine 17Marine 17 3 Air National Guard 4 Air Force Reserve

Civilians 27Civilians 27

Army 199 Army 199 22 National Guard 21 Reserve

Navy 14Navy 14 3 Navy ReserveCoast

Guard 1CoastGuard 1

International 50International 50

8 Defense Senior Leadership and Development Program12 Department of the Army 3 Department of State 2 Defense Intelligence Agency 1 National Security Agency 1 Department of Homeland Security

As of 24 Jul 09

Resident Education Program Class of 2010

3 USMC Reserve 3 USMC Reserve

21

RESIDENT SEMINARRESIDENT SEMINAR

• ARMY 10 - 11

– Combat Arms

– Combat Support

– Combat Service Support

– National Guard / Army Reserve

• AIR SERVICE 1 - 2

• SEA SERVICE 1 - 2

• CIVILIAN 1 - 2

• INTERNATIONAL FELLOW 2-3

• ARMY 10 - 11

– Combat Arms

– Combat Support

– Combat Service Support

– National Guard / Army Reserve

• AIR SERVICE 1 - 2

• SEA SERVICE 1 - 2

• CIVILIAN 1 - 2

• INTERNATIONAL FELLOW 2-3

STUDENTS PER SEMINAR 17STUDENTS PER SEMINAR 17

FACULTY INSTRUCTORFACULTY INSTRUCTORTEAM OF 4TEAM OF 4

PROFILE

TOTAL - 376TOTAL - 376

Air Force 2Air Force 2

Marine 9Marine 9 8 USMC Reserve

Civilians 25Civilians 25

Army 327 Army 327114 National Guard182 Reserve 31 Active

Navy 9Navy 99 Navy Reserve Coast

Guard0

CoastGuard0

International 4International 4

1 Defense Leadership and Management Program 15 Department of the Army 2 Commandant’s Program 5 Department of State 2 Interagency As of 16 Jun 09

DDE CLASS COMPOSITIONDDE CLASS COMPOSITION CLASS OF 2010

Total 49Total 49

INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSINTERNATIONAL FELLOWSRESIDENT CLASS OF 2010

AlbaniaAustraliaBosnia &

HerzegovinaBotswana

BrazilCanada

ChileColombiaCroatia

Czech RepublicDenmark

Egypt

El SalvadorFinlandGeorgia

GermanyIndia

IndonesiaIraq

IsraelItaly

JapanJordan

Kazakhstan

KoreaMacedoniaMalaysia

MaliMoldovaMongoliaMorocco

NepalNetherlands

NorwayPakistan x2Philippines

PolandQatar

Republic of Congo

RomaniaSaudi Arabia

SerbiaTaiwan

TanzaniaThailandTurkeyUkraine

United KingdomYemen

Total = 115Total = 115

Norway-25Oman-5 Pakistan-22Peru-2Philippines-26/4Poland-15/1Portugal-1Qatar-11Romania-11Russia-3Rwanda-1Saudi Arabia-28Senegal-9Serbia-1 Singapore-9Slovakia-4Slovak Republic-1Slovenia-4Somalia-4South Africa-4/1Spain-20Sri Lanka-4

Sudan-4Sweden-6/1Switzerland-2Taiwan-15/7

Tanzania-1Thailand-24Trinidad & Tobago-1Tunisia-11Turkey-26Uganda-3Ukraine-14United Arab Emir.-16

United Kingdom-25/1Uruguay-1Venezuela-18Yemen-4Yugoslavia-3Zaire-4Zambia-1Zimbabwe-2

Italy-25Ivory Coast-2Japan-33Jordan-26

Kazakhstan-1Kenya-16Korea-33Kuwait-16Latvia-3/1Lebanon-8Lithuania-1/2Malawi-4Malaysia-14Mali-3

Macedonia-3 Mexico-26/4Moldova-2Mongolia-6Morocco-10Nepal-5Netherlands-14/2New Zealand-2/2Niger-1Nigeria-11

Croatia-4Czechoslovakia-1Czech Republic-7/1Denmark-6 /1Djibouti-1Dominican Rep.-2Ecuador-8 Egypt-29 El Salvador-14Estonia-2Ethiopia-1Finland-4France-14Georgia-5Germany-33Ghana-5Greece-11Guatemala-2Honduras-5Hungary-9/4India-25/1Indonesia-14Iraq-5Israel-29

Afghanistan-4Albania-6Algeria-4Argentina-16Australia-29Austria-6Bahrain-2Bangladesh-9Belarus-1Belgium-1Bolivia-3Bosnia-Herz.-2Botswana-7Brazil-20Brunei-1Bulgaria-6Burkina Faso-1 Burundi-1Cambodia-1Cameroon-2Canada-29/6Chad-2Chile-14Colombia-10Congo-2

INTERNATIONAL FELLOWS HISTORYINTERNATIONAL FELLOWS HISTORY

1978 - 2010

Participating every year since conception

/ Denotes DDE Participation

Participating every year since conception

/ Denotes DDE Participation

• Development of self-knowledge through:– Self-assessment/Individual Learning Plan– Peer assessment– Senior Leader Development Inventory– 360-degree feedback (former subordinates,

superiors, peers)– Mentor assessment/feedback– Faculty advisor counseling

Assessment: Personal

Strategic Thinking Skills

Creative Thinking Thinking

In Time

Systems Thinking

Ethical Reasoning

Critical Thinking

Foundation Know Yourself, Others & Self Reflection

Organizational Culture…… & Climate (as distinct from Culture)

International Culture

Visioning & Leading Change

Environmental Scanning & Futuring

Negotiating

Strategic Leadership (Some of our Lessons)

The Military Profession

Ethics

Leaders live in three worlds

(GEN (R) Gordon Sullivan)

Building Teams

Creating The Future

ManagingComplexProcesses

Values and vision provide leverage for change. Values and Trust will move you into the future.

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

“Strategic leadership is the process used by a leader to affect the achievement of a desirable and clearly understood vision by influencing the organizational culture, allocating resources, directing through policy and directive, and building consensus within a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous global environment which is marked by opportunities and threats.”

U.S. Army War College Strategic Leadership Primer (2004) S. Shambach (Ed.)

• Conceptual: Frame of Reference Development; Problem Management; Envisioning the Future

Strategic Leader Competencies

• Technical: Systems Understanding; Joint, Interagency, Multi-national and Intra-agency relationships; Political and Social competence; and Professional Competence in area of expertise

• Interpersonal: Consensus-building; Negotiation, Communication; and cultural competence

(SLP, Shambach, 2004)

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Mission: Providing Forces and Capabilities

The Army exists to serve the American people, to defend the Nation, to protect vital national interests, and to fulfill military responsibilities.

Our mission is enduring to provide necessary forces and capabilities to the Combatant Commanders in support of the National Security and Defense Strategies.

Mission: Providing Forces and Capabilities

The Army exists to serve the American people, to defend the Nation, to protect vital national interests, and to fulfill military responsibilities.

Our mission is enduring to provide necessary forces and capabilities to the Combatant Commanders in support of the National Security and Defense Strategies.

Visioning

Visioning is the leader-focused, organizational process that gives the organization its sense of purpose, direction, energy, and identity.

• Visual

• End-state

• Rational yet emotional

• Understandable/communicable

A culture of a group is “a pattern of shared basic assumptions that an organization learns as it solves its problems...., that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relations to those problems.”

Edgar Schein, 1992

Organizational Culture

ARTIFACTSARTIFACTS

UNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONSUNDERLYING ASSUMPTIONS

SHARED VALUESSHARED VALUES

THE LEVELS OF CULTURETHE LEVELS OF CULTURE

An agile, responsive team educating

strategic leaders, researching vital issues

and supporting the Army Vision.

An agile, responsive team educating

strategic leaders, researching vital issues

and supporting the Army Vision. Dr. Tami Biddle

DNSSDr. Tami Biddle

DNSSDr. Leonard Wong

Research Professor, SSIDr. Leonard Wong

Research Professor, SSI

COLLEGE FACULTYCOLLEGE FACULTYUNITED STATES ARMY WAR COLLEGE

COL Julie Manta DCLM

COL Julie Manta DCLM

COL (Ret) Chuck Allen DCLM

COL (Ret) Chuck Allen DCLM

Col Keith FerrellUSMC, DMSPO

Col Keith FerrellUSMC, DMSPO

Col Mike Marra USAF, DMSPOCol Mike Marra USAF, DMSPO

These are my credentials

39

40

DISTINGUISHED GRADUATESDISTINGUISHED GRADUATESUNITED STATES ARMY WAR COLLEGE

From the Past and into the Future – all Serving as Strategic Leaders for our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines.

From the Past and into the Future – all Serving as Strategic Leaders for our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines.

Questions?

CharlesD.Allen@us.army.mil

717 245-3460