DEFELOPING AN EFFECTIVE MILITARY LEADERSHIP – THE LONG ROAD FROM FIGHTER TO LEADER
DEFELOPING AN EFFECTIVE MILITARY LEADERSHIP – THE LONG ROAD FROM FIGHTER TO LEADER

Summary/Abstract: The development of military leaders is a crucial component of defense resources management in general and of the military education/training system in particular, but also a most challenging process. Leadership is a discipline found in most curricula of military academies, it features in the job requirements of many officer positions, and at the same time it is a very elusive concept. The Romanian White Book of Defense mentions “developing leaders, specialists and fighters” as an objective for the military training/education system, but are the above mentioned terms really synonymous? Developing a military leader is a complex and lengthy process that begins with the identification of basic personality traits in the future leader, and continues with the intricate process of training, education, providing the opportunity for exposure to various situations in order to gain experience etc. The theory of leadership can be taught in academies, but developing leaders requires a lot more than that. Besides the theoretical background, a leader needs controlled exposure to practical situations in order to build experience and self confidence, and a structured system of mentoring and support throughout the officer’s career. The aim of this paper is to analyze the main challenges on the long road of developing fighters into leaders, and to propose some recommendations for a more effective leadership development process.

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