Recognizing Change

Change is a constant in this world. Regardless, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I know that’s a lot of hyperbole for opening sentences, but I think there is a grain of truth in those empty words. Especially when it comes to strategic leadership.

As a fledging student of strategic level leadership at the National War College I was given the prompt “what is the joint warfighters most important attribute”. This was just one of many writing assignments over the course of the yearlong curriculum designed to teach us “how” rather than “what” to think. I look back on my academic work and think while I probably answered correctly, I didn’t lay out the best defense of my answer!

Regardless, I stick by my assertion from nearly 10 years ago, that Recognizing Change and Leading Transition is the most important attribute for the joint warfighter. I’d go so far to say it’s a truth for any leader from the local to the global level. It’s interesting and a bit disturbing to watch our leaders today struggle with change. Thanks to our interconnected society, the struggle is on full display for public viewing. The defense of my thesis follows; some of the material remains relevant, but some does not. A lot has changed in just 10 years!  

An overused saying suggests that death and taxes are certainties in life.  Change is undoubtedly a third certainty that is just as inevitable as the former two.  It permeates every aspect of existence and without continual change the world would fail to advance.  Change is the building block of life and from molecular reactions to the rise or fall of civilizations change is unstoppable. For this most basic and obvious of reasons, recognizing change then successfully leading a transition is the most essential element of the joint warfighting leader’s attributes. To gain this attribute, strategic leaders must keenly recognize the critical changes within information technology, fluid fiscal resources, and massive societal changes.

During the past twenty years Information Technology (IT) advances fundamentally changed how the world received and processed information.  The world is now inextricably linked by powerful communication systems that pass information in near real time.  Even the most personal interactions are now dominated by tweets, blogs, chats, e-mails, and other elements of social media.  The joint leader who began their career when e-mail was still a novelty and briefed their superiors on hand written view graphs undoubtedly relearned how to communicate.  Likewise, many of our adversaries have successfully leveraged information technology in almost every warfighting function.  

Most notably Al Qaeda’s successful use of information operations, oftentimes using only basic video recording equipment from caves in remote regions, sustained a global terrorist network and evaded the watchful eye of the most powerful detection means for well over a decade.  Similarly, recent leaks of sensitive information via social media by disgruntled insiders created second and third order effects that not only placed warfighters at risk but also gave potential adversaries powerful political tools. A leader who does not stay fully abreast of the latest changes in information technology and social media as well as consider how these technologies will impact future joint operations (both positively and adversely) cannot effectively lead transitions within their organization. 

Almost as fluid as the changing IT environment, the military’s fiscal resources change remarkably.  Within the past 20 years the joint warfighter experienced periods of both financial feast and famine.  This is not unique as history shows us that the military’s financial disposition traditionally ebbs and flows with the nation’s economic standing as well as in compliance with the nation’s security strategy.  What is unique is how senior joint leaders react to the inevitable feast and famine periods. 

After the fall of the Soviet Union military planners undoubtedly expected a hefty payout of the anticipated peace dividend gained from the significant downsizing of the military.   However, in reality budget cuts sent the military into a famine period for a number of years.  In the 1990s training scheduled near the end of a fiscal year was often cancelled due to lack of funds, modernization programs were put on hold, force end strength was drastically reduced, and quality of life initiatives stalled.  Fast forward to 9/11 and the global war on terror when our nation rallied around our warfighters and provided ample fiscal resources to perform the mission.  During this feast period the warfighter witnessed remarkable quality of life improvements to housing, services, and infrastructure, as well as numerous advances in both individual and unit equipment.  For over a decade the services enjoyed an age of excess.  Today, like the period following the end of the Cold War, our military faces another famine period as we strategically reshape from a fighting force in contact in two theaters to one that prepares for the conflicts of tomorrow. 

Interwoven with ever changing information technology and fiscal resources are the far-reaching changes within society over the past 20 years.  Regardless of the label applied to an individual- boomer, generation x, generation y, or millennial, the young warfighters of today as well as the populace the veteran joint leader is sworn to defend possess unique and changing characteristics that must be understood.  The joint leader of today was most likely shaped in their formative years by the Cold War, the emergence of the personal computer, and a period of relative stability on the world scene.  Today’s citizens who take the oath to defend their nation developed under very different circumstances and these societal changes require that the joint leader must adapt their leadership often. 

Recognizing then transitioning amidst inevitable change is the most critical element of the joint warfighter leader’s attributes and the joint leader must further hone this skill to immediately recognize changes in information technology, fiscal resources, and society.  These three focus areas are not meant to encompass every change that the joint leader encounters but to better prepare leaders to recognize those changes that impact the warfighter the most. 

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The views, opinions and biases expressed in this blog are the authors and do not reflect those of the U.S. Army or Department of Defense.

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