Are Senior Leaders Seeing the Whole Picture?

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 13:09:27 -0400

In a February talk with the Center for Strategic and International studies, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General David Goldfien stated, “I think in future conflict the victory will go to that individual who can actually turn data to decision.”[1] For me, I couldn’t agree more. However, after having a few discussions with individuals across multiple age groups, questions arise if senior leaders, as of today, are able to actually take data to a decision, or more specifically, the right decision? I ask this because of the underlying question: can our senior leaders see the whole picture?

First, let’s start with a disclaimer that this is not condemning or critiquing any past decisions, current decisions, or the decisions of our senior leaders in the months and years to come. This is an exercise for all leaders, at every level, to self-analyze and see if we may be missing parts of the picture. After all, the world is filled with data today, so really, we must all ask, are we seeing all there is to see?

Danah Boyd of Microsoft Research annotated in a Pew Research article that young minds of today “are being rewired - any shift in stimuli results in a rewiring.”[2] She continues and says that “the techniques and mechanisms to engage in rapid-fire attention shifting will be extremely useful for the creative class whose job is to integrate ideas; they [millennials] relish opportunities to have stimuli that allow them to see things differently.”[3] Additionally, it is important to note here that research supports the fact that the brain is fully matured by age 25.[4]

Now, take into account that stimuli in today’s data heavy world is literally rewiring the synapsis of a young mind and coupling that with a brain reaching full maturity by 25. This gives us a window of time where a young mind can potentially change to the point where they actually see things differently. So we ask, does this rewiring and changing perspective allow them to see more of the picture, the whole picture? By asking this question of our younger generation we can then expand on the original question. If millennials are seeing “more of the picture”, does that mean senior leaders are not?

This question is an important one for today’s extremely turbulent, fast-paced, and hyper-connected world. With hundreds to thousands of new data points being taken into account on our battlefields, our boardrooms, and nearly every other facet of life, we have to wonder if we are living in a technological gap where those that make the decisions are doing so with less than optimal comprehension of the information.

To explore this further, we need to understand the difference between comprehension of the data and just being a user of the data systems. Today, leaders are very consistent in their language and vision that cyber and data will play a vital role in the future of operations. To this point, I would support the fact that our senior leaders are “inclusive users” of data systems. I believe they are able to operate, analyze, and synthesize the data streams that enter their command modules and sphere of influences. I am a firm believer that all senior leaders are lifelong learners as well, therefore enabling them to operate in this environment. However, I question the completeness of their data analysis, or their full comprehension of what the data says. Are leaders able to account for every data point? Would the decision be different, or the outcome change if a missed data point had been accounted for? So, if the answers to these are no, every data point was not accounted for, and yes, the outcome could have been different, then we finish with one more question. What would happen if their senior level experience was coupled with the rapid and large stimulus comprehension of our younger generation? My hypothesis is the decisions, and thereby the outcomes, could be very different.

If senior leaders are missing parts of the story within the data, how do we fix it? Over time, any issues with this could resolve themselves, as junior leaders with the ability to better analyze data become the senior leaders. But for now, it might be interesting to test, or to at least entertain, the idea of restructuring our personnel management to include junior leaders directly into the decision processes of senior leaders. Not as aides, not as interns, not even as analysts, but as individuals who are directly involved in a command team’s decision process. Call them the “technological-gap liaisons” perhaps. Whatever the title may be, the integration of a mind who can rapidly analyze and synthesize data like a mind has never done before, could possible cause a shift in our entire decision-making processes, and thereby the outcomes, as we propel forward into this century.

What do you think?

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Luke Jenkins an Army LT and Founder of a Veteran Service company called OweYaa.com. He consistently writes and learns on matters pertaining to veteran unemployment/underemployment, strategy, and technology at relates to national defense and the military. These expressed views are his personal thoughts and in no way, reflect any official positions in relation to our armed services.

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[1]"The Imperatives of Airpower: Challenges for the Next Fight." The Imperatives of Airpower: Challenges for the Next Fight | Center for Strategic and International Studies. Accessed June 12, 2017.
[2] Rainie, Janna Anderson and Lee. "Main findings: Teens, technology, and human potential in 2020." Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. February 28, 2012. Accessed May 31, 2017. http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/02/29/main-findings-teens-technology-and-human-potential-in-2020/.
[3] Rainie, Janna Anderson and Lee. "Main findings: Teens, technology, and human potential in 2020." Pew Research Center: Internet, Science & Tech. February 28, 2012. Accessed May 31, 2017. http://www.pewinternet.org/2012/02/29/main-findings-teens-technology-and-human-potential-in-2020/.
[4] "Young Adult Development Project." HR. Accessed July 06, 2017. http://hrweb.mit.edu/worklife/youngadult/brain.html.

Main findings: Teens, technology, and human potential in 2020

Respondents' thoughts Hyperconnected. Always on. These terms have been invented to describe the environment created when people are linked continuously

Response by Cpl Thomas Kifer made Jul 26 at 2017 2:46 PM

Cpl Thomas Kifer — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 14:46:21 -0400

What a great point you have here today. In 1985 as a newly promoted CPL, I had a chance encounter with then Commanding Officer of Camp Lejuene, and then to become Commandant of the Marine Corps. I was a marine motor transport driver and Gen Grey need transportation to the Pentagon. He had asked a question, that I forget today, but I remembered my response. Good soldiers, make generals great. And your article of maturing minds made me think of that over 30 years later. Vary seldom do generals actually ask a enlisted man or NCO their point of view. But what we soldiers do to empliment our senior officers command is offend tweeked to get a more efficient result. I can only speak to my Marine Corps experience, but we are told the objective, but not always how to complete the objective. So what I think your emplying is more toward educating future leaders in the early stages of their training not only to continue learning what we have always been taught, but evolving the curriculum to include date, cyber, analytical, and analog ways of working out and emplimenting various military combat and peace time scenarios. But I can't help wondering if we have been subconsciously doing this all along. But we probably should be doing this intentionally through how we train our future leaders. Great article. I can't thank you enough.

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Jul 26 at 2017 5:06 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 17:06:18 -0400

The Senior Leaders I've observed in the public and private sector hunger for useful information on which to base a decision in a timely manner.

The problem of data versus information is at least as old as automation. Data by itself is useless and can easily overwhelm almost anybody in todays environment. To the useful, data needs to be put in context. That is it needs to be analyzed in light of the problem to be solved. Some, perhaps most, of the available data will have no bearing on the problem at hand. The remaining data must then be analyzed to demonstrate its effect on the potential solution sets.

Time is the second variable. In this case, time is the amount of time available to make a decision and have the desired impact on the operational situation. Sometimes this is referred to as the battle rhythm or OODA Loop. Understanding your OODA Loop and that of your adversary can allow you to make critical decisions quicker than the adversary by decreasing your decision time to less than the enemy's.

I think the capability of younger people to absorb data and convert it to useful information may provide some advantages. The experience of the older senior leader allows them to sort through information more quickly, select the valuable nuggets, and time their decision to have the desired impact.

As early as 2003, the military was talking about Knowledge Management and Knowledge Officers as part of a Senior Leader's staff. Knowledge Management was implemented at Army AMC and some of its subordinate commands in 2009-2012.

Understanding the Senior Leader's information requirements and preferences is always a challenge for the staff. Most of the Generals and SES I observed over nearly 20 years association with senior military staffs tried to lay out the information requirements and preferences. Some liked briefings while others preferred position papers, staff studies, or staff summaries. Some liked information in tabular form while others were fixated on the latest graphics that PowerPoint and Excel could pull together. When time was limited, most preferred face-to-face (in person or VTC) discussion with subject matter experts and senior staff. In the early 21st Century, senior leaders were enamored with near-real-time displays of the tactical or strategic situation on large screens. These displays often didn't present decision-ready information, but rather a satisfying display giving the illusion of knowing where everything was and being in control. They were only as good as the data behind them. As data quality and security improved, the value of the displays improved. For fast-moving units or vehicles, these displays provide information that the leaders need to make critical decisions. Based on their experience they can intuitively interpret the information and make those decisions. Slower moving assets, such as strategic sealift ships, don't require near-real-time decisions in most cases and usually a daily update is all that's needed.

Most Senior Leaders I've observed don't analyze data streams. They leave that to junior officers and technicians. They want information that is meaningful. They appreciate "dashboards" that provide graphical representations of information with frequent updates. They will tell their staff the few (usually six or less) things they want to look at in near-real-time and expect the information technologists to deliver the information. Other information should be available in the background for the senior leader to look at when needed. Sometimes the senior leader will request a deep dive into a subject or problem area allowing them to make more granular decisions or to rethink their critical indicators.

Response by MSgt Jason McClish made Jul 26 at 2017 8:26 PM

MSgt Jason McClish — Wed, 26 Jul 2017 20:26:48 -0400

No.

Response by LTC Terrence Farrier, PhD made Jul 28 at 2017 1:43 PM

LTC Terrence Farrier, PhD — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 13:43:37 -0400

LT Jenkins,
Both junior and senior leaders play a part in your depicted scenario...I agree. What is important for both is listening skills and respect so that egos do not get in the way of the need for the operation. That is one of the reasons for my PhD dissertation: "Overcoming the Adverse Impact of Internal Sub-Culture Communications Within Organizations." All organizations (military or civilian) experience some of this. Some of what you depict is the reason for it. Others are fear, obsolescence, acceptance, and dialogue so that understanding forms the baseline for decisions.

Response by Barbara Maxwell made Jul 30 at 2017 7:37 AM

Barbara Maxwell — Sun, 30 Jul 2017 07:37:56 -0400

Danah mentions that the brains of young people are being rewired. This refers to creation of new neural pathways in the brain. It is precisely what treatment for PTSD aims to do. Deployed personnel who ate in combat roles vome back home with brains that have been rewired based on their experiences during their TDY. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) deactivates the neural pathways that have been established during combat and helps with the creation of new neural pathways that promote healing and a return to normalcy.

Response by SSgt Clare May made Jul 31 at 2017 10:56 AM

SSgt Clare May — Mon, 31 Jul 2017 10:56:38 -0400

Lol... In the fast paced technological world we are advancing too... in relationship to a real world combat zone and war... mehopesthat... Technological advanced snowflake/millennial generational soldiers will understand a simple concept. "You will be shot, bombed, cut, hurt, bleed and possibly die on the battlefield...unless you actually kill, maim, destroy or incapacitate the sumbitches who are trying to kill you".

Unless your beating the enemy to death with the wireless laptop that you hoped would kill him via the newest internet gaming program you just invented and programmed through virtual reality... or your in the middle of tossing a temper tantrum yelling life isn't fair over your friends not winning best in class at a comic-con dress up hero's show... battles are won essentially by killing and incapacitating the enemy.

Just sayin'....

Response by MAJ Don Bigger made Aug 6 at 2017 7:01 PM

MAJ Don Bigger — Sun, 06 Aug 2017 19:01:16 -0400

It is an evolutionary process, and those junior leaders of today will be the senior leaders of tomorrow, faced with the same constraints and opportunities. Can anyone see the entire picture? I seriously doubt it. I hope, though, that senior leaders can see the broad horizon, if you will. But still, how much data/information, as rapidly as it reproduces today, can any one individual digest? You can analyze till the proverbial cows come home, but at some point decisions have to be made. If you can't do that--and that generally takes a degree of maturity and experience, you are dead in the water. Or, as Nixon once put it, you'll suffer paralysis through analysis.

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Dec 4 at 2017 10:34 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 22:34:50 -0500

2LT Private RallyPoint Member A division commander would appear, briefly chat with an Infantry squad or Mortar crew and vanish. He had heard what the Soldiers had to say! Other division commanders could not engage verbally troops, communicate w/ nor learn from them. In my eyes, the ability to communicate with Soldiers is vitally important!