Army looks to research for tips on tech-centric leadership

In the future, Army commanders will text orders to a dispersed and decentralized force who rarely see their superior officers, says the Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences.

Units will be isolated, command posts will be mobile, the planning process will be collaborative, but communicating intent will rely on electronic means, the institute states in a recently listed a notice on FedBizOpps.gov soliciting whitepapers. Leading via information technology represents a "fundamental change in the mode of communication between soldiers and their immediate leader," the notice adds. The deadline for responses is September 7.

A shift to remote command and control has structural implications for Army leadership, leading the institute to acknowledge that it needs more research about the implications.

"The primary goal of this research is to provide guidance to leaders on how to best manage emerging relationships, build trust and identification, clarify expectations, and motivate and inspire followers through electronic media," the announcement states.

"Leaders must understand how information technology is being used effectively (and ineffectively) in a military context, how to forestall potential problems associated with new technology, how technology can be used to facilitate leader influence, and what knowledge, skills, and abilities are needed to lead in a technology-mediated environment," it adds.

ARI's objectives for the research include: 

• An assessment of current frequency and function of technology-mediated communication among Army leaders and their subordinates;
• identification of characteristics that are embodied by an effective technology-enabled leader;
• development of best practices for e-leadership in a military context, and a description of the ease of implementation of said practices; and
• development of recommendations for training military leaders who are attempting to influence from a distance via electronic communication.

For more:
- see this FedBizOpps.Gov post

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