LEADERSHIP IN 21
ST
CENTURY
Whatever a great man does, the
same is done by others as well.
Whatever standards he sets, the
world follows.
Slain, you will obtain heaven;
Victorious, you will enjoy earth;
Therefore, stand up, O son of Kunti,
Resolved to fight
-- The Bhagawad Gita
Introduction
The nature of future operations will be more complex, volatile, and lethal than ever
experienced. Information flow will be quick and detailed. The advances of technology
have reduced friction and uncertainty in certain areas of warfare. The Global
Positioning System allows individual soldiers and forces to maneuver and know
locations more accurately regardless of weather and terrain. Networked systems allow
commanders to pass information faster vertically and horizontally and to share the
same battlefield visualization. However, as new technology reduces friction and
uncertainty in some ways, friction and uncertainty reemerge in others. While it is vitally
important to take all possible measures to reduce uncertainty and friction, it is equally
essential to recognize those factors that preserve uncertainty as a basic feature of
war.
However, despite all the technological advances in warfare and the continuous debate
on the extent to which there has been a revolution in military affairs, the nature of man
has not changed. Regardless of the vast technological advances that warfare will
undergo, its conduct always will be in the hands of human beings. This means that
individual actions, human imperfections, performance thresholds and varying
personalities will still influence and determine a conflict's outcome. Personal
leadership skills will remain essential for the officer of the 21st century. Leaders must
think strategically, impart organizational goals, foster group cohesion, enforce
discipline, and make pragmatic decisions in stressful situations. There is no substitute
for hands on guidance when training, motivating, and directing people
Battle Command
Much of battle command is inherently intellectual because people must
transform data into information, then knowledge—and they must do it
quickly. Mental acuity and the intellectual component of battle
command will become critical as our future Army increasingly depends
on the benefits of knowledge.
- Brigadier General Huba Wass de Czege
