Adopting Mission Command

In September 2010, James G. Pierce, a retired U.S. Army colonel with the Strategic Studies Institute at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, published a study on Army organizational culture. Pierce postulated that "the ability of a professional organization to develop future leaders in a manner that perpetuates readiness to cope with future environmental and internal uncertainty depends on organizational culture." He found that today's U.S. Army leadership "may be inadequately prepared to lead the profession toward future success." The need to prepare for future success dovetails with the use of the concepts of mission command. This book offers up a set of recommendations, based on those mission command concepts, for adopting a superior command culture through education and training. Donald E. Vandergriff believes by implementing these recommendations across the Army, that other necessary and long-awaited reforms will take place.

“Examines and analyzes the organizational culture of three armies, those of the United States, Britain, and Israel . . . [an] impressive work.” —H-War On today’s complex, fragmented, fast-moving battlefield, where combatants adapt constantly to exploit one another’s weaknesses, there is a demonstrable requirement for military commanders to devolve a high level of autonomy of decision-making and action to leaders on the ground. An effective model for doing this has existed for some time in the form of mission command and has been utilized by the US, Israeli, and British armies—but with mixed success. This book examines in depth the experiences of the armed forces of each of these countries in implementing mission command, and reveals the key factors that have determined the success or failure of the implementation—factors such as the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), the spread of low-intensity conflicts and operations other than war, and differences in how military cultures interpret, articulate, and exercise the command function. With a foreword by H.R. McMaster, Transforming Command has significant implications for both the development of military doctrine and the training and education of tomorrow’s military leaders. “Very well written . . . uses [a] rich array of data and analytical tools to chart out and explain the different trajectories that mission command took in the three countries.” —Armed Forces & Society

This book offers up a set of recommendations, based on those mission command concepts, for adopting a superior command culture through education and training.

In the chaos and uncertainty of modern war, our troops must be empowered to make decisions, take the initiative, and lead boldly. This is Mission Command: a command culture, leadership style, and operating concept that has been embraced by armed forces the world over.While the U.S. Military and many of our allies have formally adopted Mission Command, much work remains to truly understand and implement this style of leadership. In this anthology, 12 authors from 3 nations (United States, United Kingdom, and Norway) offer diverse perspectives on the topic of Mission Command as it relates to their service in the military, law enforcement, government, and private sector. Real-world examples supported by in-depth research provide the who, what, when, where, and why of Mission Command, identifying opportunities to improve how we lead our teams. Topics and authors include:- Unit Cohesion (Joe Labarbera)-Mission Command at Sea (Tommy Krabber�d)-The Historical Evolution of Mission Command (Donald Vandergriff)- Improving Army Doctrine (Regina Parker)- Military Campaign Analysis (Gerry Long)- Organizational Culture (Thomas Rebuck)-Mission Command in Garrison (Darrell Fawley)- Training and Leadership for Mission Command (Chad Foster)-Mission Command and Complex Operations (Grant Martin)-Fitness and Mission Command (Daniel Markert & Scott Sonnon)-Civil Policing and Mission Command (Fred Leland)...and more!

How well does your organization respond to changing market conditions, customer needs, and emerging technologies when building software-based products? This practical guide presents Lean and Agile principles and patterns to help you move fast at scale—and demonstrates why and how to apply these paradigms throughout your organization, rather than with just one department or team. Through case studies, you’ll learn how successful enterprises have rethought everything from governance and financial management to systems architecture and organizational culture in the pursuit of radically improved performance. Discover how Lean focuses on people and teamwork at every level, in contrast to traditional management practices Approach problem-solving experimentally by exploring solutions, testing assumptions, and getting feedback from real users Lead and manage large-scale programs in a way that empowers employees, increases the speed and quality of delivery, and lowers costs Learn how to implement ideas from the DevOps and Lean Startup movements even in complex, regulated environments

From the co-author of the New York Times bestseller Team of Teams, a practical guide for leaders looking to make their organizations more interconnected and unified in the midst of sudden change. Too often, companies end up with teams stuck in their own silos, pursuing goals and metrics in isolation. Their traditional autocratic structures create stability, scalability, and predictability -- but in a world that demands rapid adaptation to a new reality, this traditional model simply doesn’t work. In Team of Teams, retired four-star General Stanley McChrystal and former Navy SEAL Chris Fussell made the case for a new organizational model combining the agility, adaptability, and cohesion of a small team with the power and resources of a giant organization. Now, in One Mission, Fussell channels all his experiences, both military and corporate, into powerful strategies for unifying isolated and distrustful teams. This practical guide will help leaders in any field implement the Team of Teams approach to tear down their silos improve collaboration, and avoid turf wars. By committing to one higher mission, organizations develop an overall capability that far exceeds the sum of their parts. From Silicon Valley software giant Intuit to a government agency on the plains of Oklahoma, organizations have used Fussell’s methods to unite their people around a single compelling vision, resulting in superior performance. One Mission will help you follow their example to a more agile and resilient future.

Gen. Andrew J. Goodpaster was one of the leading soldier-scholars of his time. He stood as a key figure among the dominant American military and political personalities during the Cold War. Goodpaster served Gen. Dwight Eisenhower in establishing the international military component of NATO and then served as Staff Secretary and Defense Liaison Officer in the Eisenhower White House. He achieved the highest international military command assignment possible when, after serving in Vietnam as Deputy Commander, he was appointed NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. He was called out of retirement to restore the integrity of West Point after a major ethical crisis. Upon his final retirement and for over a quarter-century thereafter, he was actively involved in both the formal and informal world of Washington policy-making, making his mark repeatedly as a respected participant.