Army Leadership on Organizational Leadership

Chapter 11
Organizational Leadership

11-1. Whether they fight for key terrain in combat or work to achieve readiness in peacetime training, organizational leaders must be able to translate complex concepts into understandable operational and tactical plans and decisive action. Organizational leaders develop the programs and plans, and synchronize the appropriate systems allowing Soldiers in small units to turn tactical and operational models into action.

11-2. Through leadership by example, a wide range of knowledge, and the application of leader competencies, organizational leaders build teams of teams with discipline, cohesion, trust, and proficiency. They focus their organizations down to the lowest level on the mission ahead by disseminating a clear intent, sound operational concepts, and a systematic approach to execution.

11-3. Successful organizational leadership tends to build on direct leader experiences. Because they lead complex organizations, such as task forces, brigade combat teams, divisions, and corps, organizational leaders often apply elements of direct, organizational, and strategic leadership simultaneously. Highly accelerated operating tempos, compressed training cycles, contingency operations, and continual deployment cycles mandate leader agility. The modern organizational level leader must carefully extend
his influence beyond the traditional chain of command by balancing his role of warrior with that of a diplomat in uniform.

11-4. Modern organizational leaders are multiskilled, multipurpose leaders. They have developed a strong background in doctrine, tactics, techniques, and procedures, as well as an appreciation for the geopolitical consequences of their application. From their personal experience at the operational and tactical levels, they have grown the instincts, intuition, and knowledge that form the understanding of the interrelation of tactical and operational processes (FM 3-0). Their refined tactical skills allow them to understand, integrate, and synchronize the activities of multiple systems, bringing all resources and systems to bear across the spectrum of conflicts. 

11-5. Given the increased size of their organizations, organizational leaders influence more often indirectly than in person. They rely more heavily on developing subordinates and empowering them to execute their assigned responsibilities and missions. They should be able to visualize the larger impact on the organization and mission when making decisions. Soldiers and subordinate leaders, in turn, look to their organizational leaders to set achievable standards, to provide clear intent, and to provide the necessary resources. 

11-6. Decisions and actions by organizational leaders have far greater consequences for more people over a longer time than those of direct leaders. Because the connections between action and effect are sometimes more remote and difficult to see, organizational leaders spend more time than direct leaders thinking and reflecting about what they are doing and how they are doing it. Organizational leaders develop clear concepts for operations as well as policies and procedures to control and monitor their execution.