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Presented by George P. BurdellPresented by George P. Burdelltoto
Evidence Based Research, INCEvidence Based Research, INC20 February 200920 February 2009
““The observations, comments, descriptions, slander, and defamations The observations, comments, descriptions, slander, and defamations presented here are solely the product of my own experience, capacity for presented here are solely the product of my own experience, capacity for
reason, and fertile imagination and should not reflect – favorably or reason, and fertile imagination and should not reflect – favorably or otherwise – upon any person or organization with whom I am or have otherwise – upon any person or organization with whom I am or have
been associated.”been associated.”
Leadership in Complex Responses:
Command & Control Or Beseech & Cajole?
OutlineOutline
Premise 1 – Unity of What?Premise 1 – Unity of What? Premise 2 – Pronouns are ImportantPremise 2 – Pronouns are Important ““Do You See What I See?”Do You See What I See?” Premise 3 – Culture WarsPremise 3 – Culture Wars The Unavoidable ProblemThe Unavoidable Problem The Problem is SimpleThe Problem is Simple ““Let’s Not Make This Difficult”Let’s Not Make This Difficult” The Great TruthThe Great Truth
PREMISE 1: “You can’t have unity of PREMISE 1: “You can’t have unity of effort without unity of vision”effort without unity of vision”
Blind men describing Blind men describing an elephant:an elephant:
Each is correct;Each is correct; But none are But none are
completely correct;completely correct; None can understand None can understand
what the others what the others describe;describe;
All are necessary to get All are necessary to get it right!it right!
PREMISE 1 (extended): “You can’t have PREMISE 1 (extended): “You can’t have unity of effort without unity of vision, unity of effort without unity of vision, and you can’t have unity of vision and you can’t have unity of vision without unity of command.”without unity of command.”
Voluntary unity of vision (as opposed Voluntary unity of vision (as opposed to command-driven) is episodic and to command-driven) is episodic and unreliable. unreliable.
Imagine if “pedestrians in a cross-Imagine if “pedestrians in a cross-walk have the right-of-way” was walk have the right-of-way” was optional…optional…
PREMISE 2: “There can be no unity of PREMISE 2: “There can be no unity of command because there is no unitary command because there is no unitary ‘we’. ”‘we’. ”
““Pronouns are important”Pronouns are important” There is no “interagency;” no There is no “interagency;” no
“international community”“international community” Business Class lounge analogyBusiness Class lounge analogy ““If the planet Mars was named for the If the planet Mars was named for the
God of War, then I’m guessing the God of War, then I’m guessing the planet Uranus was named for the God planet Uranus was named for the God of Bureaucrats!”of Bureaucrats!”
What the U.N. saidthey wanted
What the E.U. saidthey wanted
In the Absence of Leadership…In the Absence of Leadership…
What USAID saidthey wanted
What the U.N. saidthey wanted
What the E.U. saidthey wanted
In the Absence of Leadership…In the Absence of Leadership…
What the U.N. saidthey wanted
What the E.U. saidthey wanted
What USAID saidthey wanted
What DoD said they wanted
In the Absence of Leadership…In the Absence of Leadership…
What the U.N. saidthey wanted
What the E.U. saidthey wanted
What USAID saidthey wanted
What DoD saidthey wanted
What IO productsdescribed
In the Absence of Leadership…In the Absence of Leadership…
What the U.N. saidthey wanted
What the E.U. saidthey wanted
What USAID saidthey wanted
What DoD saidthey wanted
What IO productsdescribed
What the Pressreported
In the Absence of Leadership…In the Absence of Leadership…
What the U.N. saidthey wanted
What the E.U. saidthey wanted
What USAID saidthey wanted
What DoD saidthey wanted
What IO productsdescribed
What the Pressreported
What Congressthought they funded
In the Absence of Leadership…In the Absence of Leadership…
What the U.N. saidthey wanted
What the E.U. saidthey wanted
What USAID saidthey wanted
What DoD saidthey wanted
What IO productsdescribed
What the Pressreported
What Congressthought they funded
What the NGOspreferred
In the Absence of Leadership…In the Absence of Leadership…
What the U.N. saidthey wanted
What the E.U. saidthey wanted
What USAID saidthey wanted
What DoD saidthey wanted
What IO productsdescribed
What the Pressreported
What Congressthought they funded
What the Contractorprovided
In the Absence of Leadership…In the Absence of Leadership…
What the U.N. saidthey wanted
What the E.U. saidthey wanted
What USAID saidthey wanted
What DoD saidthey wanted
What IO productsdescribed
What the Pressreported
What Congressthought they funded
What the Field had requested!
In the Absence of Leadership…In the Absence of Leadership…
What the U.N. saidthey wanted
What the E.U. saidthey wanted
What USAID saidthey wanted
What DoD saidthey wanted
What IO productsdescribed
What the Pressreported
What Congressthought they funded
What the NGOspreferred
What the Contractorprovided
What the fieldhad requested!
In the Absence of Leadership…In the Absence of Leadership…
Premise 3: We Are IncompatiblePremise 3: We Are Incompatible
““long-haired, dope-long-haired, dope-smoking, yogurt-slurping, smoking, yogurt-slurping, pinko hippies”pinko hippies”
Decentralized authorityDecentralized authority Decisions by consensusDecisions by consensus Peace building/makingPeace building/making Analog metricsAnalog metrics Focused on stayingFocused on staying
Direct lines of authorityDirect lines of authority Command driven decisionsCommand driven decisions Peace enforcementPeace enforcement Digital metricsDigital metrics Focused on exit strategyFocused on exit strategy
““Unibrowed, knuckle-Unibrowed, knuckle-dragging, muscle-headed, dragging, muscle-headed, Neanderthalic thugs”Neanderthalic thugs”
LegosLegos DuplosDuplos
Tactical
The Unavoidable ProblemThe Unavoidable Problem
Ambiguity
OperationalLevel of
Act
ion
Tolerance of A
mbiguity
Execution
Vision
Geo-political/diplomatic:Host Nation
Capital(s)AccountantsCongress
Strategic
The Problem is Simple…The Problem is Simple…
WhoWho– Are we? Are you? Is causing the problems?Are we? Are you? Is causing the problems?– Is in charge?Is in charge?– Pays for all this mess?Pays for all this mess?
WhatWhat– Are we here to accomplish?Are we here to accomplish?– Is the division of labor?Is the division of labor?
WhenWhen– Will “we” be finished here?Will “we” be finished here?COMMON RELEVANT OPERATING PICTURE
COMPREHENSIVE
WHOLE-OF-GOVERNMENT APPROACH
Let’s not make this difficult…Let’s not make this difficult…
"Men who achieve greatness do not "Men who achieve greatness do not work more complexly than the work more complexly than the average man, but more simply....average man, but more simply....
In dealing with complex problems, with In dealing with complex problems, with the simplicity that is natural to him he the simplicity that is natural to him he goes directly to the point, unaffected goes directly to the point, unaffected by the confusion of details in which by the confusion of details in which another man would have lost himself." another man would have lost himself."
MayoMayo