MAGAZINE
SPRING 2020
from the
COMMANDER
“ Growing other leaders from the ranks isn ’ t just the duty of the leader , it ’ s an obligation .”
-Warren G . Bennis
LEADER DEVELOPMENT AS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Leadership remains the most decisive and dynamic element of military power . Agile , adaptive and empowered leaders at echelon provide NATO a competitive advantage . However , military leadership cannot be outsourced or contracted . Rather , it is incumbent on us to continuously develop our own military leaders , ensuring they are prepared to dominate in an increasingly complex , dynamic and uncertain global security environment . As senior leaders in the strongest and most successful Alliance in the world , one of our primary duties is to work ourselves out of a job . In other words , prepare our subordinates to take our jobs and do it better than we ever did .
Accordingly , the Spring 2020 Land Power Magazine is dedicated to leader development . In this issue , you will find valuable techniques , resources and philosophies to inform your leader development programs . While many methods exist to develop leaders , success requires advocacy from the top . This entails devoting time , providing resources , and inspiring enthusiasm for leader development . Given the rapidly changing character of warfare , it is also important to develop our leaders with an eye to the future and leverage the latest technology . Today ’ s young military professionals learn quite differently than we did twenty to thirty years ago . Nonetheless , professional reading and staff rides are still useful leader development tools . As Mark Twain is reputed to have said , “ History does not repeat itself , but it often rhymes .” Moreover , it is practical to remember that leader development occurs continuously throughout our military careers and in multiple domains : institutional / schools , operational units , and self-development . Irrespective of the methods and programs to develop leaders , it may be practical to list the desired key leader attributes required to flourish in the world in which we find ourselves . I recently came upon such a list from an elite military unit :
• Maintain impeccable character
• Display intellectual agility to create / recognize opportunities and take advantage of them
• Think critically
• Understand across the tactical , operational , strategic spectrum
• Thrive in ambiguous and uncertain environments
• Possess high level of emotional intelligence
• Able to communicate with a wide variety of audiences
• Demonstrate humility
Across the NATO land domain , we are blessed with an abundance of senior leaders that display these attributes . More so , it is heartening to see our leaders paying it forward and developing our subordinates for future success . Leaders come and go , but growing leaders is the legacy we leave behind . Speaking of leaders coming and going , the past six months have witnessed several key changes across the land power team . At NATO Rapid Deployable Corps Italy , Lieutenant General Guglielmo Miglietta replaced Lieutenant General Roberto Perretti in December 2019 . At NATO Rapid Deployable Corps Spain , Lieutenant General Fernando Garcia-Vaquero replaced Lieutenant General Francisco Gan in January 2020 . And at the 1st German- Netherlands Corps , Lieutenant General Andreas Marlow replaced Lieutenant General Alfons Mais in February 2020 . We thank the out-going commanders for their tremendous leadership and teamwork , while extending a warm welcome to our new teammates . Warren G . Bennis ( 1925-2014 ), an American scholar , organizational consultant and World War II infantry officer , is widely regarded as a pioneer in the field of leadership studies . He leaves an appropriate reminder : “ Growing other leaders from the ranks isn ’ t just the duty of the leader , it ’ s an obligation .” For us in NATO , this translates to competitive advantage .
FOR THE SOLDIER !
LC
J . T . THOMSON
LANDCOM Commander
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