Feedback is a bit of an art form. And there are as many different types of mentorship and coaching as there are soldiers in the Army. So how do you effectively train leaders as they come up through the ranks to provide effective, honest feedback and evaluations that are in the macro sense uniform and evenly applied across the force. Michael Shaw has looked at the problem and is the first to admit that he doesn’t have all the answers, but he’s got some great suggestions about resources that are already out there. There’s no doubt the Army has mastered the bureaucratic process of evaluations but in this day and age can the service tolerate a system that isn’t optimized to find, develop and advance talent wherever it’s found – and not just in the top block.
The organizational need to accomplish the bureaucratic process of submitting a form and filling out a form is overriding the overall process of actual individual development, of taking time developing counseling making someone better at that individual level.
Podcast: Download
Michael Shaw is a 21-year Army Aviator with a doctorate in human resource management with special emphasis on leader development. This summer, he is about to start a new position as an instructor at the U.S. Naval War College. In his free time Mike works alongside Louisiana State University’s Leader Development Institute where they are exploring the domain of self-development among professionals. He is a member of the AY21 Resident Class of the U.S. Army War College.
Ron Granieri is an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army War College and the Editor of A BETTER PEACE.
The views expressed in this presentation are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Army War College, U.S. Army, or Department of Defense.
Photo Description: Staff Sgt. Shannon Knorr, Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Battalion, 211th Aviation Regiment, and 1st Sgt. Bryan Smethurst, first sergeant HHC 1-211 AR of the Utah National Guard, conduct an end-of-tour counseling session in Kunduz province, Afghanistan, 2012
Photo Credit: Photo by Sgt. Duncan Brennan, USA