Short Bursts:
Leadership Development - A Call for Action

by Colonel J.D. Summerfield, CD

There is a common myth that exists in CAF folklore, one that soldiers and officers have used time and time again in order to lift morale and bring pride to a military that has continuously fallen short in being outfitted with world class, up to date, and relevant equipment and technology – the CAF may not be the best equipped, but it is among the best trained militaries in the world.  Anecdotal evidence points to the fact that a typical Sergeant or Captain has spent more time on course than those our peers; the CAF will invest multiple qualification and technical skills into one person so that they can be used in an adaptive manner. This feeling is buoyed by the fact that the CAF often employs its people overseas in training teams and in key leadership or operational roles amongst regional partners, coalitions and the NATO alliance. The CAF may be among the best trained militaries in the world; but it appears to neglect a key foundation of the training and education - leadership. 

The aim is not to debate the CAF’s professional education system, but to look more holistically at our culture and point out that the current level of access and development provided to the CAF’s leaders is insufficient to meet our institutional requirement - consistent and quality leaders. Therefore, it is incumbent upon all leaders to take meaningful action and initiative at their individual levels to develop others. 

From Pte to OCdt to Col, it is my observation that there exists little depth in formal leadership education and training. This would not be problematic if the CAF was invested into other methods. A culture of mentorship and coaching or one that was based on active decentralized training could result in a better control over the quality and to ensure a more standardized quality of leader. Rather, the institutional methodology chosen is one that is passive. Natural selection, or hope, is the chosen methodology; “the cream will rise to the top.” Simply put, the CAF expects leaders to develop themselves.

If self-development is the CAF’s institutional leadership training methodology, what resources to support an approach?

There are CAF publications and doctrine to enable people to conceptualize leadership, but many don't have access, fewer read them, with only a small minority who have then reflected on their meaning. Many more rely on a reading list of former military and business leaders on their lived experience. This is an approach which is easier to understand and conceptualize, but there exists hyperbole, grandstanding and bias within autobiographies and self-help books; most authors aim to protect their professional and personal reputation, failing to relate mistakes, missteps and failures. There is also no guarantee that what is read aligns with the CAF’s ethos and leadership model.

A few mentorship programs exist. They are small, spurred on by individuals trying to do good. Coaching for senior leaders exist, that program is more about refining the elite than building a vast foundation. The most popular means of leadership education is the copy cat approach - mimicking a more senior “successful” person. It has many flaws, and, by no means, guarantees consistency or quality in leaders. It is hard to mimic another perfectly, resulting in the least a mild to strong case of bipolarism as continuity and consistency becomes impossible to manage, worse it can create a cycle of leadership that strays from CAF ethos.

The CAF has produced and continues to produce world class leaders, this is not being debated. However, it has not been the result of design. If I throw green Jell-O at a wall and some of it sticks in the shape of a happy little tree, it certainly doesn't make me Bob Ross. The CAF has also produced some absolutely bad, egotistical, toxic and criminal leaders. If people are the CAF’s most important asset, then enhancing leadership training and education should be our highest priority. 

CAF leadership culture is misaligned with its own future success. It is inwardly focussed – on enabling a current leader. It is this culture that has led to self-driven leadership education, rather than organizationally driven. CAF leaders need to be more outwardly focussed on what they can do to enable others, to train and educate, to develop and build up others, so that in their absence the battle can be fought, the war won. Leaders at all levels need to do more to enable more junior leaders to develop.

Leaders are not born, they are forged. Some will be able to achieve higher heights than others, but every person has the ability to improve. It takes focus, hard work, and commitment, but most importantly, it takes opportunity. 

Significant improvement can be gained by ensuring consistency and improving the quality of the CAF’s professional military education, but an endeavor such as this would take years to develop and to inculcate into the organization. In the interim, leaders across the chain of command should take the initiative and start developing meaningful actions to develop those that surround them. Leaders at all levels need to convince themselves to expend the experience that they have gained though hard work and sacrifice through their years of service by investing in others.

If the current geo-political trends continue, future wars and crises will be more complex, more demanding and require more and more mental capacity. The CAF will need leaders who can make faster and better decisions in a way that far exceeds our current capacity and capability. Future leaders need to stronger, more able, and better aligned with our ethos - Trusted to Serve. The only way to make sure the next generation is better than the present is to take active steps and provide more tools… and sooner. 

The first lesson in planning is that, “hope is not a Course of Action,” let the future of this institution be founded in reality.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Colonel John D. Summerfield enrolled in Army Reserves in 2001 and transferred to the Reg F as an infantry officer in 2002. He commanded from Platoon to Battalion and is currently deployed as Commander of Task Force Middle East. He has been employed as operations, administration, executive, and force development staff. He received a commendation from the Chief of Defence Staff (2007-2008) and Military Personnel Command (2016). His education includes a BA, MA, and MDS. He leads a leadership professional development program and the development of the Canadian Army Mentorship Platform, proving tools to promote self-development.

This article first appeared online in the Short Bursts section of the Canadian Army Journal (September, 2024).