CASE STUDIES

Leadership Measurement and Assessment for Future Army Leaders

Leadership MAP

The Problem

In June of 2000, as part of the Army’s Transformation Campaign Plan, the Chief of Staff, Army, (CSA) chartered a panel of both military and civilian experts to look at training and leader development within the Army. After surveying over ten thousand soldiers in the field, the panel concluded that current Army training and development programs do not successfully develop the self-aware and adaptive leaders necessary to execute the full spectrum operations of the Future Force. According to the panel, developing leaders need more control over their experiences and training. At the heart of the problem, concluded the panel, the Army needs better methods for measuring leadership competencies and how they relate to career paths.

The Solution

Research: Aptima conducted interviews with over 200 active and retired army officers. Aptima used these interviews to identify experiences that contribute to leadership development and how those experiences link to the acquisition of competencies through knowledge, skills, and attitudes.

Sound theory: Aptima adopted eight recognized leadership competencies that take into account existing Army leadership doctrine as well as non-military research. These competencies will be included in the document that will replace Department of the Army document FM 22-100:
- Leading Others to Success
- Exemplifying Sound Values and Behaviors
- Vitalizing a Positive Climate
- Ensuring Shared Understanding
- Reinforcing Growth in Others
- Arming Self to Lead
- Guiding Successful Operations
- Extending Influence

Development of the tool: Aptima designed and built a web-based tool – Leadership-MAP (Leadership Measurement and Assessment Program) – that lays out a “map” of the experiences needed to produce the leaders of tomorrow’s Army. The tool links hundreds of career experiences to measurable, validated leadership competencies. As a self-development tool, Leadership-MAP enables Army leaders to assess their current leadership development in comparison to other leaders. It also recommends experiences needed to continue the desired leader development trajectory.

Leadership MAP

The Results

Leadership-MAP provides guidance to individuals who are developing their leadership skills, to Army personnel managers and commanders providing guidance to developing leaders, and to the institutions responsible for creating opportunities for leadership training. The tool links measurable, validated leadership competencies to specific career experiences, including training, assignments, activities and accomplishments, allowing leaders to more effectively map their career paths.