Cadet Senior Leadership

Cadet Senior Leadership Course

Teamwork

Teamwork is what makes an organization flow. Without it, you will just run around in circles.

ADVANTAGES OF EFFECTIVE TEAMWORK

Includes everyone and ensures better outcome: When every member of a team is involved, more ideas are generated. When more ideas and talents are available to the group, the group has more choices from which they can choose the most effective method of accomplishing a goal.

A task is easier with more people involved: When everyone is involved, the responsibility and workload is shared among all the team members and the team works together to ensure that everyone stays on track, offering support to those who may need it.

Increases and develops communication: When a team needs to accomplish a goal, the members of the team must communicate to ensure that each member is carrying out his or her role in accomplishing the task, and sharing information as necessary.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL TEAM

Communicate clearly: Each member of a team can have excellent ideas, but unless they are communicated clearly, they become useless or lost. When a team has clear communication, the team members will have a better understanding of the group's objectives. Once a clear line of communication has been established among individuals within a group, there will be a greater chance that the team will be able to achieve their goals successfully.

Mutually cooperative and supportive: It is hard to be innovative when you are not sure how others will react to your ideas. In effective teams, members support each other and understand that only ideas are evaluated, not the cadets who presented them. Team members should be able to feel confident that even if their ideas are not adopted, their contributions are important to the team and they will continue to be valued members of the group. Our corps is now comprised of members from all three services and they come from different corners of the world. Being tolerant of each other allows the team to work in harmony together to achieve the common goal.

Share a common goal: It is important for team members to know the purpose of an assigned task. When team members understand the reasons for the task, they have a heightened motivation for working towards accomplishing it. Also, sharing the goal of the task builds a bond between the team members and strengthens the team itself.

Resolve disagreements quickly and effectively: No team will always agree 100% of the time, as conflict is a natural part of human interaction. The most effective teams understand this, and work together to develop strategies to cope with these situations as they arise. The ability to resolve disagreements in a timely fashion keeps the team on track. Equally important is the ability to resolve disagreements effectively. This is an example of the mutual support essential to the creation of an effective team.

High esprit de corps: When each member of the group feels proud and has a sense of belonging to the team, it is more likely that they will want to be a part of the team. This will enable the group to become more cohesive and willing to work together to accomplish a task.

Loyal: Individual loyalty is positive for the entire team. If each cadet is loyal to the team, they will be more motivated to accomplish the team's goals. As individuals, they will be more mindful of the work they do within the team and how it affects other team members.

Professional: Remember that a team exists for a purpose; that is to say that there is a mission or goal in mind. By acting with professionalism, the team members stay on track to get their work done. A professional approach will allow the team members to deal with disagreements, time management issues and stress much more effectively. In addition, professionalism tends to serve as an umbrella for other characteristics of a successful team. For example, if a team acts with professionalism, then they are generally also mutually cooperative and loyal.

Problem Solving

When given the immense responsibility of leading a diverse group of cadets, you cannot lead blindly; there are principles of leadership to keep in mind that will make a task more productive for yourself, and more so, the cadets.

1. Know Your Job -- You need to know what you are doing! Having a fancy position is one thing: understanding its responsibilities is the most crucial.

2. Know your strengths and weaknesses and seek self-improvement -- This is a major one: we can all boast about our strengths until purple penguins learn how to fly, but to recognize your weaknesses and know how to develop them for the betterment of your cadets takes a real leader.

3. Set the Example -- A leader who jumps on one foot and taps his belly will more than likely have the cadets under his charge do the same thing. Unless you're training for the Belle of the Ball, lead with a strong, open, and swift example, and all will hopefully follow suit.

4. Communicate ideas and thoughts clearly -- Always, always make sure that anything you say, order, or plan out is understood across the board. This promotes a job well done, safety, and avoids future problems down the road! Keeping cadets informed is often forgotten. Even in dire straits, at least keep your cadets on the gist of what is happening, and make sure they are informed of matters that relate to them at all times. This will earn a lot of much needed respect.

5. Know your cadets and promote their welfare -- Help them out! You are their leader; they make their choices based on your guidance, so be sure you are helping them out and prepared to lend a helping hand at all times. Promote the fact that help is perfectly healthy to ask for!

6. Develop the leadership potential of your cadets -- As a leader, you are as well grooming our future leaders. Realize the qualities of leadership that they possess, and help develop them, along with those they do not quite have a grasp on.

7. Make sound & timely decisions -- In the heat of the moment, or in the heat of a promise made, make sure that every decision you make is not only a beneficial one and a practical one, but one made in due time as well. Never make a hanging promise!

8. Train your cadets to work together as a team and employ them to their full potential -- Cadets is a group organization, and thus, is all about teamwork. Do your best to make sure everyone is involved and knows that they are equal. Have them work together on small projects, and discuss amongst those larger. It is very important to be a good judge of character, and make sure to match up cadets that will not only work well off one another, but develop off one another as well.

9. Give and receive feedback -- Cadets are a two way sponge: they will absorb what you tell them and hold it dear to them as well as let you know how they see you as a leader. Tell your cadets what's going on, and how they can improve, and make sure you get their opinions on you and your leadership as well!

IDENTIFYING THE PROBLEM

Definition of a problem: A problem is anything that gets in the way of you achieving a certain task or goal.

Identifying a problem: The first step in problem solving is to identify the problem. As a leader you must strive to identify the problem correctly: it is sometimes easy to confuse the problem with its consequences, effects or symptoms. For example, if all the cadets in a flight have wrinkled uniforms one morning, the problem is not simply that they did not iron their uniforms. The problem may be that there were not enough ironing boards in the barracks, or a fuse blew and the irons would no longer work. It is important to try to find the root of the problem: ask questions, observe the situation and try to assess it correctly. This will increase your chances of finding the actual problem instead of just its effects or consequences.

Passing a problem to higher authority: Once you have identified the problem, you may determine that you cannot solve it yourself. Your Divisional/Flight/Platoon Commander, another Senior NCO or an Officer may need to solve the problem, or at least help you to solve it. If this is the case, you should inform that person about the problem you are facing and of the information you have collected so far. Just because you cannot solve a problem by yourself does not mean that you have failed as a leader; recognizing your limitations is an important step in becoming a great leader. Perhaps by observing someone else solve the problem, you will learn methods to use the next time you face a similar problem. The important thing is to ensure the problem is solved.

PROBLEM SOLVING METHODS

Trial and error: Trying multiple solutions, one after another, until you identify the right one. Use this method in non-urgent situations only. Ex: You need to fit a large number of items in a backpack. You try different ways to pack the backpack until you find the best solution for fitting everything in.

Logical analysis: This process is a method-driven technique to analyze the problem, then choose and implement a single solution. This can be used if you have the time available to solve the problem and can utilize the analysis process before implementing a solution.

Straight analysis: This method is similar to logical analysis, but is used when there are time constraints. This is used in situation where the problem must be solved immediately (emergencies, situations where time is a critical factor).

LOGICAL ANALYSIS

Logical analysis will be the method used most often to solve problems. It can be broken down into 4 steps:

• STEP 1: Analyzing the problem

• STEP 2: Finding possible solutions

• STEP 3: Choosing a solution

• STEP 4: Implementing the solution

Each step in the process is important and should be well thought out before moving on to the next step.

STEP 1: Analyzing the problem

Analyzing the problem can be completed by answering the questions:

WHAT - WHY - WHERE - WHEN - WHO

• WHAT is the problem? You should try to identify the problem correctly before trying to solve it. Also determine what resources are available to deal with it.

• WHY am I trying to solve the problem? What is your objective, your final goal? What are the required conditions for a solution?

• WHERE will I be working, where am I going? Is there a space or geographical factor involved?

• WHEN do I need to solve the problem? Do I have a time limit to solve the problem? Is time a factor?

• WHO is involved? Who is in charge? Is it my responsibility to solve this problem? What are the capabilities of the involved personnel in dealing with the problem?

The analysis phase is critical. Good decisions are the result of effective thinking.

STEP 2: Finding possible solutions

HOW do I solve the problem? Once you have thoroughly analyzed the problem, you must identify possible solutions. It is very important to find as many solutions as possible; having multiple solutions will allow you to have a "Plan B" to rely on in case the first solution you choose doesn't work. Sharing ideas with other people will also help you to be more creative and to develop an even greater number of possible solutions.

STEP 3: Choosing a solution

Compare the alternate solutions and decide which is the best. Each solution that you come up with must be compared to the others and the benefits and drawbacks of each weighed. You must decide which of the possible solutions is:

• Most likely to meet the requirements/criteria of the given problem

• The most efficient way of solving the problem

STEP 4: Implementing the solution

Implement the solution and complete the task. If the plan you have chosen does not work out despite your best efforts, you can still fall back on one of the other plans you developed in step 2.

Problem solving and planning a task

Often, the processes involved in problem solving and task planning appear to be similar on the surface. However, the steps involved in each process are very different.

• Problem solving is a process that is used when an unexpected situation appears while trying to accomplish a task.

• Problem solving can be accomplished using different processes, unlike task planning.

• A problem is usually more of a "short term" occurrence.

Issuing Orders

When planning a task you should:

Determine the objective

In order to plan your task, you must first understand clearly what your objective is.

Identify your resources, including:

• Personnel: The personnel that you have to help you accomplish the task.

• Materials: Materials are any items you have or will require to complete the task. Materials can include equipment (tents, sleeping bags), supplies (pens, paper), rations, etc.

• Time: When considering time, you must evaluate the amount of time you have to complete the task and the time it will take to plan the task.

Carry out the problem solving process

Problem solving must be applied at this point. It is important to fully consider the problem before organizing the plan in order for your plan to be conducted more smoothly.

Organize the plan, including, subdividing the task by:

• Prioritizing: Some parts of your plan will be more important than others and should be organized accordingly.

• Sequencing: Regardless of priority, some subdivisions of the task will need to be completed first in order for others to be completed.

• Delegating: No one person can complete a complex task on his or her own. For this reason, you must delegate some subdivisions of the task to others to complete.

• Assigning personnel and resources: Members of your personnel are more suited for some subdivisions of the task than others, and you should always try to take experience, skills and if possible, the person's preference into account when assigning personnel to tasks. Resources are most often very limited, so it's important to allocate them where they are most needed and where no other resources can replace them.

• Scheduling: Along with prioritizing and sequencing, scheduling when subdivisions of a task are to be completed is essential to ensuring all steps are completed in the proper sequence and according to the required deadlines.

Communicating the plan

A plan is only effective if it is communicated clearly to the people who can implement it.

SUCCESSFUL DELEGATION

In order to delegate with confidence you must:

• Clarify what you want to delegate: Describe in unambiguous terms the work you want the other person to perform.

• Choose the right person: Determine the skills and knowledge you believe an individual must have to perform the task successfully, and don't delegate the task to a person who lacks these skills and knowledge.

• Make the delegation correctly: Explain the work to be done, how much effort you expect the person to expend, and the date or time by which the work is to be completed.

• Monitor performance: Set up frequent, well-defined checkpoints at which you can monitor performance; monitor according to that schedule.

While conducting an activity the leader must:

• Give orders - While conducting the activity, the leader will inevitably have to give orders to his or her subordinates.

• Supervise - As the leader, you will have to supervise the personnel conducting the activity with you, as well as the cadets participating in the activity. While supervising, the leader will have to specifically:

• Resolve conflicts - If there are any conflicts that arise, it is the leader's responsibility to resolve them and ensure that they do not interfere with the conduct of the activity.

• Motivate and praise - When conducting an activity, motivation may be low. It is important to continuously motivate and praise personnel while conducting an activity. Sometimes a simple "good job" will give a person the motivation to continue when they didn't want to before.

• Correct - When something begins to steer in the wrong direction, it is the leader's responsibility to correct it as soon as possible to ensure it does not affect the conduct of the activity.

• Maintain safety and directives - As the leader, safety has to be your number one priority at all times when conducting an activity of any kind. If, at any point in time, there are any safety concerns they must be taken care of right away to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

• Ensure well being - A leader is responsible for the well being of his or her followers. This is still true while conducting an activity, whether that means providing meals, shelter or comfort.

• Adapt as necessary - No one can plan for the unexpected. But as a leader, you must ensure that you remain flexible in the event that there must be changes made. You can prepare for changes by having a contingency plan and remaining in constant communication with all parties involved in the conduct of the activity.

Once the activity is complete there are two things that the leader must do:

• Debriefing - A debriefing should be done immediately following the end of the activity. It is a meeting held by the leader with all of the personnel involved in planning and conducting the activity in attendance. The leader can then summarize the outcome of the activity, the strengths and weaknesses that arose during the activity, and what should stay the same next time and what should be changed. The leader collects feedback from the personnel and other people involved to use when writing the after action report.

• After action report - An after action report is a written document explaining the planning, conduct and debriefing of the activity. It should summarize the strengths and weaknesses of all stages of the activity. An after action report serves as a guide for the next person who will plan and conduct that same activity at a later date.

Motivation & Praise

Motivation is the act or process of motivating, of inspiring others to have the need or desire to act.

Motivating others

There is no definitive answer to the question of how to motivate others. Individuals are motivated by a variety of different things. The following points are some key factors in motivation but by no means are they the only factors.

Having a common goal is a key ingredient in the process of motivating a group. If everyone is working toward a common goal, a sense of community can be created. The leader needs to share that goal, and to make everyone a part of it. If cadets know they have a specific role to play in the achievement of a goal, it creates in them a greater desire to succeed. The cadets then realize that working to attain the goal is not only for personal gain but also out of a sense of identification with the team's accomplishments.

Setting an example is also relevant to motivating others. A leader who is self-motivated will influence others to be self-motivated. Individuals are more likely to strive to excel for a leader who is clearly personally motivated to achieve the common goal.

Keeping motivation high can be difficult and is affected by many factors. Factors like mistakes and blaming others can often affect the level of motivation. Accepting responsibility for your own mistakes and sharing the responsibility for the mistakes of the group will cultivate a sense of community. This will assist in maintaining a high level of motivation.

Some additional ways of motivating others include:

• Instil in them a sense of pride in the unit or flight

• Challenge them

• Praise and reward desired behaviour

• Give prestige for good work

• Ensure the task will be fun

• Offer a new experience

• Make the environment pleasant

• Be fair

• Do things to make their jobs easier

• Offer respect

How to praise

Even though praise is free, most people are far too stingy with it. But when used properly, it is one of the most powerful tools in the hands of a leader. Here are some simple guidelines for how to use praise to achieve beneficial results.

Praise quickly. Praise that is withheld too long loses its effect. Get in the habit of offering simple, sincere bits of praise as soon as you observe praiseworthy actions taken by your followers.

Praise often. Don't save all your praise for the end of a project. Praise all the accomplishments along the way, not just the final product. Everyone wants to know if they are doing a good job, and you should not make them wait to find out. If a cadet has to wait until the end of the training year to find out if he or she is doing a good job, he or she might not be there at the end of the training year.

Be specific. It's nice to say, "You're doing a good job." But it is far more powerful to say something like "Your work on the Administration Database was excellent!" By offering praise in a specific context you show how much you know about the individual and you have given your praise real power to elevate their motivation and enthusiasm.

Praise in public. Just as it is important to criticize and discipline in private, it's vital that you praise your followers in public. First, praising in public gives the individual your recognition and the recognition of those present. Second, praising in public gives you the opportunity to reward the whole team. An individual's good effort reflects back on the team he or she is part of, thereby making it, in part, the team's accomplishment. Finally, praising in public shows that you value good work. Others will want to receive praise from you and will try harder to earn it.

Praise desired behaviour. It's a good idea to praise anything and everything that approaches your vision for how you want your team to operate. The general rule is that you'll get more of whatever you praise, so use your praise like a compass to guide your team toward the procedures and behaviours that you desire.