10th International Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium The Future of C2 Competencies of Future Commanders in Network Centric Operations

Competencies of Future Commanders in Network Centric Operations The continuing developments in information and communication technology transform traditional military operations in more network centric operations (NCO). Implementation of NCO not only concerns technology, but involves a transformation of almost all aspects of the military organization: doctrine, material, organization, training, personnel, culture, and leadership. NCO enables ‘virtual’ collaboration of individuals that are geographically, temporally and/or hierarchically dispersed. Individuals will increasingly collaborate in virtual, ad hoc formed teams that have to accomplish specific missions. The nature of virtual teams and the network centric environment they are operating in require effective ‘distanced’ and ‘distributed’ forms of military leadership. Both forms demand enhanced and additional competencies of commanders. The present paper reports on a study of enhanced and additional leadership competencies for future commanders in NCO. For the identification of leadership competencies for commanders in future NCO we applied an integrative competency framework which was developed by the first author. Most current leadership competencies lack this kind of theoretical structure, show little validity, and therefore cannot be applied effectively in human resource activities like selection, training, education, and performance appraisal. The competency framework consists of three overall competency circles that describe human behavior in general: physical, cognitive intelligence and emotional/intuitive competencies. These three competency circles overlap and thus form four more competency areas: emotional intelligence competencies, instinctive competencies, psychomotor competencies and an area of convergence where all competency areas combine. This competency area concerns the interaction competencies that are essential for effective performance, but are too abstract and complex to use in human resource activities. Therefore, the competency framework also contains an effective competency circle, in which competencies are neither too concrete nor too abstract and complex to use for human resource activities. Based on a literature search on distanced and distributed leadership in business settings and specific literature on leadership in NCO, competencies of future commanders in NCO were identified and placed within the competency framework. The study offers an initial exploration of the enhanced and additional leadership competencies of future commanders in NCO.