LeaderMap - Developing a Learning Environment

Turn Your Tired Climate into an Inspired Climate

A creative climate is one in which subordinates feel comfortable sharing new insights, novel approaches, fresh perspectives, and new ways of understanding. As a leader, you need to establish practices that encourage your subordinates to share these ideas. Review the interaction below to uncover ten adaptive and innovative practices for creating an inspired climate.

Challenge

Portrait of Captain Martin

How does it look? Soldiers feel emotionally involved with the unit’s goals and are willing to invest energy in their work.

How do I support it?

Focus on development. Focus on Soldier’s individual development, so they are continually learning new things and being challenged.
Get to know your Soldiers. Gain an understanding of each Soldier’s strengths, weaknesses, and interests and make task assignments based on how growth can be accelerated.
Communicate the “big picture.” Make goals clear to help your Soldiers understand the big picture and why their work is important.

Select the Soldier for an example of this dimension in action.

Involvement

Portrait of First Sergeant Wright

How does it look? People discuss problems and alternatives freely, take initiative, have choices about the work they do, and take part in the decision making.

How do I support it?

Get their voices heard. Actively solicit input from your Soldiers.
Don’t make decisions alone. Involve your Soldiers in the decision making process when appropriate.
Give choice. Where possible, let subordinates have a choice in how to support specific tasks.

Select the Soldier for an example of this dimension in action.

Idea Support

Portrait of Sergeant Major Hagan

How does it look? Leaders pay attention to ideas and suggestions, and individuals listen to each other and encourage new initiatives. The leader and his/her unit create ways to test new ideas.

How do I support it?

Be receptive to new ideas and tactful in declining them. Be willing to try out ideas that may work and provide rationale without criticism for ideas that won’t. Provide trial periods for trying out something new.
Act as a role model. By being open and approachable, you will encourage your Soldiers to behave in the same manner with their peers and subordinates.

Select the Soldier for an example of this dimension in action.

Idea Time

Portrait of First Lieutenant Henry

How does it look? Even when not planned or included in task assignments, individuals provide suggestions. It’s possible to discuss and test impulses and fresh ideas. People use the possibilities around them.

How do I support it?

Don’t expect it to happen on its own. Specifically ask for input from your Soldiers at the end of mission briefs, task assignments, etc.
Use “down time” as “thinking time.” Put in place practices that encourage your Soldiers to stop to think, to examine, to reflect. Let them know it’s okay not to always be “on the go” if they use their down time productively.

Select the Soldier for an example of this dimension in action.

Trust and Openness

Portrait of Second Lieutenant Roberts

How does it look? Soldiers rely on one another for support, are comfortable talking about new ideas with one another, and ask questions freely. There is not fear of reprisal and ridicule in case of failure.

How do I support it?

“Tell ‘em how to tell ya.” Provide direct ways for your Soldiers to feed information and suggestions to you and their subordinate leaders.
Go from gold to platinum. Don’t just treat your subordinates with the respect YOU would want them to treat you with (i.e., the golden rule), treat them with the respect THEY would want you to treat them with (i.e., the platinum rule).
Deal with disrespect. Address situations in which your subordinates are not treating one another with respect or are limiting the flow of new ideas by way of personal criticism.

Select the Soldier for an example of this dimension in action.

Continual Improvement

Portrait of Corporal Johnson

How does it look? New things are constantly occurring, and things are being thought of and handled in new ways.

How do I support it?

Don’t just check the box, reinvent the box. Continually think (and encourage your subordinates to think) about new ways to do things. Even when you may not have control over the pace or type of work required, keep thinking about better, faster, more effective ways of accomplishing your objectives.

Select the Soldier for an example of this dimension in action.

Good Humor

Portrait of Specialist Rochester

How does it look? Soldiers are relaxed and comfortable with one another, willing to joke and laugh.

How do I support it?

Build your team. Foster team cohesion in the workplace (e.g., team training) and outside the workplace (e.g., unit barbecues).
Don’t take yourself too seriously. Be willing to admit mistakes and insert humor, where and when appropriate.

Select the Soldier for an example of this dimension in action.

Debate

Portrait of Captain Womack

How does it look? Many voices are heard, and people are interested in putting forth their ideas.

How do I support it?

Facilitate a constructive clash of ideas. Leverage the various viewpoints, ideas, and differing experiences and knowledge within your unit.
Designate a devil’s advocate. Encourage people to defend an opposing view, cause, or position for the sake of argument. This way, you are able to examine all sides of an issue.

Select the Soldier for an example of this dimension in action.

Risk Taking

Portrait of First Lieutenant Darcy

How does it look? People engage in new opportunities without hesitation. Tolerance and ambiguity are accepted. People are willing to “take a gamble” on their ideas and will sometimes “go out on a limb” to get their ideas heard.

How do I support it?

If the pros outweigh the cons...go for it. Analyze the risks and assess potential consequences. Don’t move forward with an idea that is clearly wrong or wouldn’t work with currently available resources. However, don’t be afraid to try out a new idea that is appropriate and might significantly improve outcomes.
What if the idea fails? If someone takes a gamble on an idea that ends up failing, it can still be used as a developmental opportunity. The leader’s main focus should not be on assigning blame but rather on looking at where things went wrong and what could have been done differently.

Select the Soldier for an example of this dimension in action.

Conflict

Portrait of Jason Edwards

How does it look? Personal, interpersonal, and emotional tensions are kept at a minimum. If they do occur, they are addressed quickly.

How do I support it?

Don’t let it fester. If you sense a conflict, address it as soon as possible, or encourage a subordinate leader to do so.
Reframe it. Conflict is often due to two or more people’s views of a situation, a problem, or who is responsible for a solution. Reframe perceptions to common ground based on what is important to the unit or mission.
Make it constructive. Turn conflicts into opportunities for reflection and discussion on what the group as a whole can do better.

Select the Soldier for an example of this dimension in action.

Challenge (CPT Martin)

Back when I was a lieutenant, five of the men from my platoon were tasked out to support another company at a base camp in the northeast sector of the AO. Pretty soon after, I heard that my guys were complaining about being treated like second class citizens by the commander over there. One of his lieutenants that I knew from ROTC happened to be at my base camp and told me to go figure out what was up. First morning I was there, CPT Thomas had them getting up at 5:30 AM to fill sandbags; my guys told me that’s how it went every morning. No explanation, nothing, just filling sandbags in the 90+ degree weather. Turns out there was a reason for doing so; CPT Thomas just chose not to share it with my Soldiers. Now that I’m a company commander, I make it a point to explain why we’re doing what we’re doing.

Involvement (1SG Wright)

As 1SG, I had overall responsibility for NCO professional development in the company. Yet, I had some real experienced platoon sergeants, one in particular who was ready to be a first sergeant. So I gave him the task to set up company-level NCO professional development sessions – letting him work with the other platoon sergeants to come up with ideas on what to focus on and how to present the training. I was amazed with what they came up with. Instead of sitting in the classroom, we went someplace new every week – out to the field, to the local mayor’s office to learn about governance tasks, and so forth. It was far better than what I would have come up with on my own.

Idea Support (SGM Hagan)

I remember back 16 years ago, I was a squad leader, just back from ranger school and thought I knew everything. This one young kid was sitting in his HMMWV during a route reconnaissance. I came up to him and said, “Hey Soldier, what are you doing staying hunkered down in there? You need to get out and measure the incline of this hill. You have to do that according to SOP.” The kid said, “No, SGT, I’m going to take my protractor and tape it to the window and tie the end of the string to a rock. When I drive the HMMWV up the hill, it’ll tell me the incline.” My mouth dropped open – he’d just taught me something. His way wasn’t by the book, but it was smarter and safer.

Idea Time (1LT Henry)

I worked for a commander once who made us all come to command and staff meetings with one good idea on how to improve things. He’d tag one of us to facilitate discussion on the ideas before he showed up for the meeting. He expected the top three ideas to be listed up on the whiteboard when he came in the room.

Trust and Openness (2LT Roberts)

A few months ago, I was tasked with running a range to train up my Soldiers. I’d just come out of BOLC, so I’d learned a lot but hadn’t put most of it into practice yet. When I came in, our CO kept talking about how we’re a team and that team members “have each other’s backs through thick and thin.” As he said, “Never be too proud to ask for help from your teammates.” Though I normally would’ve been too proud to do so, I decided to take his advice. I scheduled a few sit-downs with one of the more experienced platoon leaders, and he gave me some really useful tips for how to be successful on the range with my Soldiers.

Dynamism and Liveliness (CPL Johnson)

The routine in garrison can sometimes get pretty monotonous, but our NCOs try to mix it up for us and keep things interesting. Most of the time, PT is PT, and it’s the same old, day after day. Our leaders, though, started throwing in some team sports and relay races once a week and then asked some of us to start planning them.

Good Humor (SPC Rochester)

Last month, during Sergeant’s Time Training, SGT Lee had us going through some battle drills. At one point, during one of the drills focused on reacting to a near ambush, SGT Lee gave us some guidance that turned out not to be quite right. During our AAR, he made a point to bring it up and talk through what he could’ve done better. He and the 1SG even laughed about it a little. It was good to see that SGT Lee learned from his mistake but that he wasn’t taking himself too seriously.

Debate (CPT Womack)

My company had just received orders from the battalion S-3, and my XO and 1SG had to quickly determine which platoon would support the mission and how. The XO, 1LT Conrad, offered a plausible course of action. 1SG Powers, however, said that he didn’t think the 1LT’s suggestion would work. I respect both of them, and I relied on them heavily to help make sure the company functioned smoothly. Recognizing that there was a difference in opinion between them, and not wanting to simply choose one leader over the other, I recommended that we discuss the merits and drawbacks of the 1LT’s suggestion over the next 30 minutes. I also asked 1SG Powers to draw on his years of experience and provide support for his hesitation in accepting the suggestion. The conversation was excellent. Neither side was threatened or offended, and we ended up with a course of action that would effectively accomplish the mission.

Risk Taking (1LT Darcy)

We had to design a new range that had never been done before on the installation. It involved some training risk, but leadership okayed it, knowing it was needed. We designed the targets and scenarios and had units conduct a live fire on the constructed range.

Conflict (Jason Edwards)

At one of our recent task force team meetings, Alicia, one of my group members, seemed obviously upset about something. She kept muttering side comments about what was said during the meeting, and her attitude just seemed off. I stopped by later in the day to ask her what was going on, and she said she’d worked all weekend on a report that Alex, another member of our team, ended up getting most of the credit for. And Alex had done the same thing a few other times as well. I scheduled a meeting with both Alicia and Alex the next day so that they could share their perspective on the situation. One solution we agreed on is that all contributors to reports would be recognized in future meetings.