You have a problem, Commander. You are receiving subtle or overt indications that your productivity, cohesiveness, and morale are declining or non-existent. The bottom line is that your command is suffering and you need to fix your command weather, fast! While changing your climate isn’t necessarily a quick fix with overnight results, there are definite steps you can take to reverse a negative trend and gain momentum. The following are concrete steps you can take right away to get started on the path to greater organizational effectiveness.
Get started with a command climate survey
Your first step is to immediately conduct a Command Climate Survey as directed by Army Command Policy (AR 600-20). The survey is a fantastic tool that allows you, as a Commander, to see your organization from the inside out because you get your data straight from the source… your Soldiers! Initially, work with your Equal Opportunity Representative (EOR) to develop specific questions that address what you think the problem areas in your unit might be. These “free-response” questions will give you the best indication of where your problems lie because they’re designed for your soldiers to tell you anonymously exactly what they’re thinking, whether it’s good, bad, or indifferent. The free response content of the survey is the most important aspect of the survey for you as a Commander. Put the time and effort into developing good questions for that section, and you’ll gain a great insight into the core of your organization’s issues.
Analyze the results and develop a plan
Your survey is complete and the results are back. What is your next step? First, discuss the survey results with your EOR. It is specifically trained to read and understand the results. (Any “red flag” issues will be very apparent, ie sexual harassment, gender/racial/religious discrimination, etc., and should be corrected immediately.) pattern in the “free response” comments of your Soldiers. Do your best to isolate “branch problems” from “root problems”. A branch problem could be that your soldiers express their dissatisfaction in their current position. The root of the problem may be a “toxic leader” who is making their lives hell! Use your subject matter experts and don’t hesitate to visit your XO or S3 for an experienced perspective if you’re having trouble pinpointing the root of issues.
Conduct a discovery session
Well, you’ve analyzed the results and identified what you think are the root problems. His next (and possibly most productive) action is to conduct a discovery session with his subordinates. There are many different ways to run detection sessions, so I’ll save that for a later discussion, but one recommendation from BLUF is to separate your subordinates into cohort groups (Junior Soldiers, NCOs, and Officers). By conducting a screening session with your Welders, you fulfill the regulatory requirement to summarize the survey results. More importantly, he shows his subordinates that he cares about them and their concerns (valid or invalid), and that he is at least willing to listen. After all, AR 600-20 states that, “If leaders consider the needs of their Soldiers and care about their well-being, and if they demonstrate genuine concern, these leaders create a positive command climate.” Pretty simple, right? So what is your last and most important step in the process?
To take action!
In short, he sat down with his soldiers and briefed them on the results of the survey and confirmed his assessment of the fundamental problems that exist in his unit. Now for him the really hard part. To take action! Fire harmful leaders, advise and punish offending soldiers, remove offending materials, or whatever it takes to rectify your root problems. His soldiers will be looking for you to take action after their grievances are identified, so formulate a plan with your green token leaders (and probably his boss) and then execute it!
Works!
Ideally, through this article I have provided you with a starting point to improve your command climate. I can tell you from my own experience that if you follow the steps above you will see results. My company climate was suffering tremendously and I didn’t know exactly why. I implemented the steps I outlined above and through the process identified a toxic leader that needed to go. I worked with my boss to develop a plan and then I executed it. Let me tell you the difference was night and day in my unit. Of course, I won’t say my unit was perfect after that because I still had ongoing issues to deal with in my organization (even more articles for another time), but after taking action, the momentum for positive change was palpable!
Next steps
Changing your command climate is a multifaceted and difficult problem, so I encourage you to explore more resources on the topic (to include your own subject matter experts and chain of command) and check back frequently for more real solutions to your problems. command problems.
This article is my own opinion and does not constitute an official endorsement, opinion, or position of the Department of Defense or the US Army.