NPR - Leadership from the Field
June 23, 2006
The most difficult leadership challenges are the ones in which other people's lives are at stake. For this reason, the U.S. military knows how to create the best leaders in the world; they have centuries of practice in training people to deal with the most serious challenges a leader can face. NPR's Morning Edition is doing a series of broadcasts this week entitled "Leadership in War". Each day, they interview an individual who has served in the U.S. campaign in the Middle East and has a story to tell about their experience.
The interviews thus far are riveting. They give a compelling glimpse into the massive complexity of problems and cultural differences confronting our forces on the ground every day. Challenges include operating under shifting rules of engagement, understanding how to recognize hostile enemies from civilians in a situation where everyone has guns, and gaining trust and loyalty from an Iraqi security force with decades of institutional corruption.
Amazingly, in the midst of ostensible chaos and uncertainty, the soldiers interviewed remain optimistic about the future. They express that even though the situation is difficult, it is not impossible. The more time they spend in Iraq, the more experience they gain, and with time it becomes easier to form relationships with the local community and understand their culture. This awareness helps greatly in creating bonds of trust, and eases the difficulties of making wartime leadership decisions.
The first broadcast in the series is found here.
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