Leaders, at every echelon and in every organization, are in the business of creating and communicating shared understanding. I was recently afforded the opportunity to sit down with Maj. Gen. Bill Burleson, the Division Commander of 7th Infantry Division, for a dialogue on leadership and its scope and scalability to the tactical level of war. By the very nature of it being a closely held personal virtue of his, he would not openly describe himself this way – but I will. Maj. Gen. Burleson is perhaps one of the most humble leaders I have met in my career. It was clear that humility and the philosophy of Mission Command are deeply rooted in his leadership style. Below are his thoughts on leadership, Mission Command (MC), and self-development.
Humility, shared understanding, and character were themes throughout the discussion I had with Maj. Gen. Burleson. Originally scheduled for a half-hour, he opened up his calendar to spend an hour of uninterrupted time to have a conversation with a younger leader. This article is a narrative representation of our dialogue.
Leadership is a Beneficiary Business
We are beneficiaries of the leaders, teams, and mentors with whom we work. As individuals, it is important we take every advancement with humility, understanding the impact others made on us. As leaders, we should seek to provide the same value to and influence on those we lead. One way we do this is through Mission Command (MC).
Art, Science, and Systems
No matter the echelon or level, a discussion on MC is not complete unless it addresses the philosophy, the War-fighting Function (WfF), and the Systems. Inextricably linked, if one is absent it degrades the whole. Our MC Systems are a key component for sharing information up, down, and laterally. It is about creating shared understanding, which is linked to the philosophy; shared understanding empowers leaders to exploit fleeting opportunities of relative advantage through disciplined initiative.
We are driving these systems through the acquisition of technology that flattens the decision cycle. Intuitive hardware and software that is interoperable will enable the art and science. As an Army, we are moving toward systems similar to your iPhone or iPad. No one takes a class on how to work an iPhone. You buy it, turn it on, and figure it out. It is simple, but not simplistic.
Slaves to the System
We can’t allow these systems to become tethers that hold down subordinate leaders. Email was supposed to unburden us but, much like other technologies, the result depends on the implementation. The Army, pre-email, was tied to meetings for creating shared understanding. In that sense, there is an inherent efficiency that comes with email. However, the implementation pendulum can swing too far. The higher you progress, the less frequent you’ll find email being your communication tool of choice. Face-to-face communication, while at times inefficient, provides nuance that can be lost in other forms of communication.
Technology Terminates
Command is personal and every individual is different, which is why tailoring your approach is important. But, you need to remember that all technology terminates eventually. In the case of internet, it used to terminate at the battalion-level, then it got down to the company-level, and now it probably terminates at the Platoon Leader/Platoon Sergeant-level.
Eventually, communication becomes a matter of written or verbal mediums. It all comes back to the fundamental mechanism for adding fidelity to intent and mission orders – interpersonal communication. We may be one of the most tech savvy Nations in the Global Community, but we fight as part of larger coalitions. At times, there is a gap or disconnect in technology between us and our Allies. And, even where there isn’t a gap, degraded environments imposed on us by Near-Peer Threats create them.
Fighting in these degraded environments requires innovative means of communication that is void of the technological “easy button”. These methods, such a signal flags and hand-arm signals, were necessary when the technology didn’t exist. Now, they are perhaps even more critical due to the lethality and mobility we possess. Any degradation in communication, if left unmitigated, slows tempo.
Leadership Scales
The leadership lessons we gain as a company-grade leader translate at echelon. Here are four lessons Maj. Gen. Burleson carries with him to this day.
- Time Management and Prioritization. Every position you hold will render too much to do and too little time to do it all. In these moments, you need to communicate with your boss and determine how to articulate risk. Once you do this, you can – through dialogue – determine where to accept risk. It is a function of experience.
- Teamwork. Success, personal and organizational, hinges on your ability and willingness to be a team player. Communicate with others and create shared understanding.
- Shared Understanding. Conditions are constantly changing. Through communication, you can create shared understanding and help your bosses solve their problems before they become problems. It is about communicating intent, which allows the American Soldier to thrive in ambiguity. It is part of our ethos. Communication allows not only shared understanding, but also shared visualization.
- Empower your NCOs. NCOs, repeatedly, find ways to take a Gordian knot and break it down like it’s nothing. They consistently make seemingly insurmountable problems seem easy when you give them the right resources, guidance, and intent. The Army has done this right for hundreds of years. We take a smart, energetic, physically fit, and doctrinally sound – by virtue of their Professional Military Education – leader and couple them with an experienced NCO and warfighter. Eventually, as you progress in rank, the delta in experience closes and the relationship becomes even more fruitful. Our NCO Corps is our asymmetric advantage on the battlefield. Their training, education, and caliber are invaluable. Empower them!
Trending Up and to the Right
Sometimes trends, in the short term, are lost in the immediacy of the now. The problem facing us this instant seems more dire than perhaps it would when put in perspective. One of the glaring trends over the last 5 to 10 years is the increased proficiency of our battalions and brigades. Seen at JRTC and the NTC (National Training Center), our units have improved markedly in their ability to synchronize assets across WfF. Our ability to address varying threats through simultaneity, agility, and lethality has allowed us to ramp up the complexity in training. The things that were tactically hard five years ago aren’t as hard to our formations now. The simple things aren’t as hard anymore; the hard things are hard.
Don’t Sweat the Little Stuff
When asked what he would say to junior leaders if given a megaphone and 2 minutes, Maj. Gen. Burleson provided this advice, with the caveat that it probably isn’t anything they haven’t already heard.
Adopt, live, and lead through the art and philosophy of Mission Command. Articulate Risk. Don’t let the little things bother you, but also don’t be afraid to address them. And, at the company/troop/battery level, focus on the basics of shoot, move, communicate, medical, and family readiness. Family readiness is a Commander’s program, not an additional duty.
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I want to thank Maj. Gen. Burleson for taking the time out of his schedule to sit down with me. He has been, and continues to be, a supporter of The Company Leader. When talking about his own self-development, he mentioned his use of the various company and field grade blogs out there to help him stay connected and confirm/deny what he believes to be on leaders’ minds at those levels. It was an honor to talk with him, and I can only hope you all out there have leaders like him in your Chain of Command and/or professional network.
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What is Maj. Gen. Burleson Reading? Maj. Gen. Burleson has two books he comes back to every year and have made a significant impact on his life and leadership. The first is Once an Eagle by Anton Myrer and the second is This Kind of War by T.R. Fehrenbach. He also focuses his self-development on history and other readings that take him outside his own experience or worldview. At the time of this interview, he had just finished reading Legacy by James Kerr, about the All Blacks Rugby Team and how humility, teamwork, pride, and leadership make all the difference. He also mentioned the many books, written as parables, of Patrick Lencioni. He emphasized the importance of developing character and placing it on its rightful pedestal because without character, competence goes astray.