By Don Vandergriff and Fred Leland

It was an honor and privilege to work on this article with my good friend Don Vandergriff. Our hope is you all get some ideas you can utilize making yourselves and your organizations more effective. ~Fred

Don Vandergriff has put together another fine article and guide to making more effective decision makers.

The challenge the army faces today is not one of over-thinking situations; rather, it is the failure to think clearly in situations that require sound judgment at junior levels, and leadership’s hesitation to believe that juniors can or will think clearly. soldiers and junior leaders who are trained or conditioned to “look” at the situation—i.e., to assess, exercise judgment and make decisions—are more decisive, deliberate and correct in their actions. this is particularly important in the complex environment of full-spectrum operations.

Don’s at it again in his candid and frank no holds bared way, on the topic of leadership and rhetoric verses reality. Leads to the question of what Don calls cheerleading and the cheerleader effect. Not exactly what your thinking so read on.

“The culture will become one that rewards leaders and Soldiers who act, and penalizes those who do not. Today’s culture needs to evolve so that the greater burden rests on all superior officers, who have to nurture—teach, trust, support, and correct—the student who now enters the force with the ability to adapt.” ~Don Vandergriff 

My good friend Don Vandergriff has an outstanding article out on bottom-up training and leadership. The approach is outcome based and works at developing both cognitive decision making abilities and physical skills sets necessary to accomplish today's complex problems.

The essence of winning and losing is in learning how to shape or influence events so that we not only magnify our spirit and strength but also influence potential adversaries as well as the uncommitted so that they are drawn toward our philosophy and are empathetic towards our success.” ~Col. John Boyd

WEST POINT — Easy-grinning Connor Cleary takes the wheel of the lead Humvee.

"I like driving," says the 21-year-old from Florence, S.C. He got his license on his free time. That makes him a real asset to his Army platoon. It also makes him a target on this patrol.

Just after 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Cleary takes his squad up a narrow hillside pass, flanked by woods. The team aims its guns in all directions, like compass points.

Their current mission: Search for improvised explosive devices along this remote roadway off Route 293.

The 4 days I spent this past week at the United States Military Academy participating in a 3 day workshop which focused on Outcomes Based Training and Education (OBT&E) and the Adaptive Leadership Methodology (ALM) which were simply stated, outstanding.

The 3 days of training were hosted by COL Casey Haskins, Director of the Department of Military Instruction (DMI) at the US Military Academy West Point NY,  the father of OBT&E, and  by Majors Chad Foster, Joe Katz, and CPT Al Vigilante of DMI.

This week I will be with Don Vandergriff at the United States Military Academy West Point, Department of Military instructions new instructors program. The training will also include a program on Outcomes Based Training & Education (OBT&E) developed by COL Casey Haskins and Maj Chad Foster which we will be participating in as well.

Should be a great, know an outstanding  week of learning and leading with Americas finest. I will fill you in when I get back.

Anyone needs to get hold of me for any reason dial 508-298-2023.

Stay Oriented!

Fred