Be Know Do

Replacing Commands with Nuanced Leadership

Leaders are any organization's most precious asset, and exactly how to develop them is one of the business world's great mysteries. Now, as scandal taints once-glamorous business leaders, private industry increasingly looks to the military as an example of effective leadership. This might sound naive; after all, the military has a long history of autocratic attitudes. Private-sector managers would love the ability to issue orders that must be followed without argument. Yet the old-school, hierarchical model largely has disappeared, even in the military. In fact, U.S. Army officials readily admit that motivating soldiers today requires more than a direct order from a superior officer. In the wake of that admission, they have embraced a whole new jargon of collaboration, empowerment and inclusion.

In generations past, the existence of the draft meant large numbers of Americans were exposed to Army training. Widely held cultural values born of that training imbued soldiers with respect for their officers. But now the Army has changed. It is an all-volunteer force, and exists in a culture that is no longer so accommodating or ...