Defining Adaptive Leadership in the Context of Mission Command

<p>Today's Army is undergoing significant change completing its modular transformation and adopting mission command as a war fighting function in an effort to meet the needs of a constantly adapting enemy and uncertain environment. Mission command is the exercise of authority and direction by the commander and the commander's staff to integrate the war fighting functions using the operations process and mission orders to accomplish successful full-spectrum operations. Mission command enables agile and adaptive leaders and organizations to execute disciplined initiative within commander's intent as part of unified action in a complex and ambiguous environment. In the definition of mission command exists the term adaptive leadership. This term is not currently defined in the Army's mission command literature or anywhere else in Army literature. Soldiers able to master mission command must also have a strong understanding of what adaptive leadership is in the context of mission command. This paper defines adaptive leadership in the context of mission command by drawing from information in the Army mission command leadership and operations literature as well as the Army's Starfish Program readings concerning interpersonal relationships and finally considering contemporary business leadership writings.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>