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Obey the Laws of Leadership |
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Winning is the responsibility of the leader. |
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The following characteristics define good command systems: |
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Decentralization: People have the authority needed to achieve objectives except for that which is expressly forbidden. This reduces the need for detailed control and frees the time of leaders at all levels. Every leader commands his own unit; every subordinate knows from where to expect his instructions. |
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Freedom: To generate independence, freedom must be delegated through the chain of command. The system doesn't work when middle managers become infatuated with their own power and fail to give up power as they are given more power in a decentralized command system. |
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Information Processing: When senior managers give up control, they must also give up some information flow. If not, subordinates will spend too much time reporting to be effective. The task of senior management is not to confirm plans in detail; rather, it is to encourage greater speed. |
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Stability: People relationships and informal systems give stability to the structure. |
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Mutual Trust: The interaction of long-standing relationships creates mutual trust. The replacement system that brings in new personnel should be structured to help create the familiarity that is an indispensable prerequisite of both reliability and trust. |
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A Willingness to Assume Responsibility: To train people to accept responsibility, authority must be delegated. A decentralized system leaves much to the discretion of individual commanders and puts responsibility squarely on their shoulders. |
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The Right and Duty of Subordinate Commanders to Make Decisions and Carry Them Out: Freedom is granted to allow managers to make decisions and utilize available resources to find the best way to the objective. |
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Expect the Unpredictable: Expect that plans will break down, that your opponent will behave in an unexpected manner, and that units will not achieve their objectives. Don't try to overcome the confusion by pausing to regroup after each breakdown. Keep everyone marching in the right direction. |
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Training: Every manager manages the training of his personnel. This does not mean that he conducts all sessions. It does mean that he has the basic responsibility for training.
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