"Respondents described the tangled command and control structure that emerged when two (and sometimes three or four) command structures attempted to control the same resources and the quagmire of problems and decisional work it produced for agency management…
"....Many respondents also commented how luck and happenstance played a role in the outcomes. Had they encountered more difficult personalities, the situation could have turned out badly. The need for interpersonal relations, communication, and flexibility in the face of enormous problems were the most common facets of the lessons learned in the ground operations theater."
– 2004 Hurricane Response Initial Impressions Report |
The Future - Achieving Operational Synergy
Operational Synergy enables organizations to function using a delegated operational paradigm: where the thousands of decisions made by the hundreds of field leaders are unified by common intent, coordinated among diverse groups, enacted without undue delay, and executed in an adaptive and flexible way to meet the immediate need. These decisions and actions produce an effort with concentric focus that meets the intent of the operation, even in the absence of high-level leadership or command.
The first step - leadership development
Operational Synergy is achieved through leader development with the support of a strong and resilient organizational culture.
Beyond technical execution, team leaders must be prepared to exercise sound leadership and judgment. They also need to accelerate the process of cohesion within their teams as well as with other units.
Similarly, commanders must understand the art of command and control; they must develop immediately a functional and healthy command climate and structure. Unit leaders must adapt, plan, and execute their missions within the scope and intent of command leadership, even when the command presence is not yet there. For these reasons, leadership development is a critical facet of Operational Synergy.
Organizational culture
Organizations that are responsible for the care and feeding of these resources are tasked with assuming the responsibility to generate a culture that is operationally focused and encourages the development of good judgment, innovation, and adaptability on the ground. These organizations must provide a framework of intent that keeps ground decision and actions between organizationally mandated boundaries.
This organizational framework is not a prerequisite for Operational Synergy but rather an outcome of the advancement of first- and second-line leaders. These leaders embody the culture, so changing the culture requires - first and foremost - influencing and motivating the leadership corps.
Operational Synergy - the framework for MCS programs
The training programs and support services of Mission-Centered Solutions are specifically designed and integrated to improve concentric action and thought within an organization or among cooperating organizations.
Operational Synergy defines the framework of our leadership-development programs, which target different goals at different levels of the organization. Our suite of proven training programs and services offers a holistic and interconnected approach toward helping all levels of an organization achieve effective results in high-risk, high-speed, high-stakes operations.
The Tools... |
