It was my experience during my "year long sabbatical" in corporate America
that I discovered the power of these concepts. As a supervisor of a newly
created off-shift, I received one of the greatest educational experience
of my life; learning to lead in a dysfunctional environment. Fresh out of
the Marine Corps, I was confident that I had the tools to be successful,
after all, being a Company Commander was infinitely more difficult. I was
wrong. After one month, I had come to the conclusion that it was going to
take more than what the Marine Corps taught me about leadership to
influence how my group would grow and become more productive. I read
everything I could get my hands on, Senge, Goldratt, Covey, Bennis, etc.
Over time I began to develop a concept of leadership that was based
loosely around an equation that I formulated as:
People x Learning x Common Vision = > Productivity & Human Dignity
During that year, we as a group learned about the importance of "being
seen, heard & respected". We learned that until we put aside our
differences, we could not create the type of environment we wanted to work
in. I gave them an opportunity to learn new jobs and watched their
confidence and skills grow (both interpersonally and technically). They
developed their own statement of purpose which was used on numerous
occasions to resolve conflict and re-focus the group. I tested my own
assumptions about leadership and found what I knew lacked real substance.
Although it did not occur to me then, through examination it became
apparent that elements of LO concepts evolved naturally; ...mental
models....shared vision.....personal mastery. More importantly, I came to
the conclusion that if an environment of correct principles are in place,
and people are operating at the same level of understanding, these
principles can evolve naturally through the system. It appeared to me
that a balanced enviroment was the key to maintaining a healthy system.
I left the company in June of last year. Few days pass when I don't
recall how that year shaped my understanding of people, systems and life.
Today, my task is different. Although I am still in the "infant stages"
of developing a knowledge and understanding of LO theories and concepts, I
am having difficulty resolving this fundamental conflict:
If military organizations are for the purpose of exerting un-natural force
upon systems (either through destruction or the threat of destruction) in
order to influence current reality, are LO principles and military
organizations compatible?
It is easy to get into the more obvious discussions of hierarchies and
absolute authority over subordinates (this has already been disscussed in
this forum).
What I have found more difficult to deal with is the tension between the
goals of learning organizations....to identify and correct ineffective
systems...and the goal of a military organization...to develop and project
ineffective systems upon an opposing organization. Even though this is
externally projected, is it possible for the military to separate itself
from its own product?
In order to shape my own opinions on this matter, I am interested in
learning what others have to say on these matters.
-- Captain David Antonik DAntonik@aol.com