Enhancing the Leadership Communication Skills of Norwegian Military Officers

Abstract

Background: For military officers it is important to accomplish the mission and to take care of their personnel. The key to knowing how to challenge and support each individual in one's unit lies in leadership communication and in getting to know each one. Purpose of Study: To discuss the use of guidance as a tool for improving leadership communication skills in officers. Sources of Evidence: The Norwegian Armed Forces needs leaders who can act in their role and position. The challenge is to collect and share information, to create a common situational awareness, and hence to achieve an interaction with others that provides the desired efficiency in accordance with the Norwegian Armed Forces Joint Operational Doctrine. Main argument: The officer needs knowledge and skills in building good relations with others in their own unit. The Norwegian Military Academy teaches guidance as a communication tool in leadership development. This is facilitated through a five-day course in guidance. The interpersonal relationships create a sense of esprit de corps, that is, feelings of loyalty, enthusiasm, devotion to a group, and mutual trust. Guidance helps the officers to learn about themselves and others, their own reaction patterns and those of others, and gives them an understanding of relationships. Conclusion: Dialogue provides an opportunity to reflect on the professional and personal challenges and thoughts. The focus is on facilitating that the individuals being guided increase their will to reflect on their own thought patterns and emotions.

Communication Challenges in the Military Institution

“…The students could not freely express their ideas with the military leadership and they ended up frustrated by this lack of expression. Like Holth and Boe (2017) argued, military officers need to be educated on communication practices to ensure that they confront challenges on daily basis. Education on communication processes should be done on the basis that communication serves to control, motivate, express feelings and give information as well as controlling behaviour.…”

“…Alvesson, (2002) views communication as a 'social glue' that grips an organization together. Communication within an organization, institution or company is critical and therefore the leadership must ensure that it is effective and efficient because it assists in planning, making informed decisions, achieving goals (Holth & Boe, 2017) and realizing the mission and vision of the military. Communication is seen by Cacciattolo, (2015) as the most important skill a person can have because organizations and institutions invest very little time in improving their communication skills and processes.…”

“…Holth & Boe (2017) argued that it is the responsibility of the leader to make himself understood to and to collect information to check whether all individuals understand what they have to do when, how and with whom. Holth and Boe (2017) emphasized that leaders must be accountable and take the lead to develop their subordinates' ability to effectively communicate because an organization is not a physical structure but a collection of people meant to connect through communicate (Taylor, 1993). It is the top management that has to develop skills of communication and provide information resources for information to successfully reach the lower members.…”

“…The subordinates need to participate, show comprehension and understanding of the orders. According to Holth and Boe (2017) the Norwergian Military Academy provided a revamp of the military by educating officers to ensure that they confront challenges in daily basis. This was done on the basis that communication serves to control, motivate, express feelings and give information as well as controlling behaviours.…”

Is Guidance as a Tool for Leadership Communication Effective for Military Leaders?

“…The interpersonal relationships established in the course create an esprit de corps, that is, feelings of loyalty, enthusiasm, devotion to a group, and mutual trust. Guidance helps the officers learn about themselves and others, their own reaction patterns and those of others, and gives them an understanding of relationships [8].…”