Leadership in wartime is a testing business, whether you are a battlefield officer fighting in close quarter combat, or a general plotting and scheming to the best effect. A complex challenge, which involves psychology, tactical and strategic knowledge, and the ability to know how to make sacrifices, only certain kinds of personality can handle war command. This article will outline some of the characteristics and abilities which make for good war command.
Firstly, it is a good idea to define what leadership of this kind is looking to achieve. Good leaders have the ability to inspire a group of people, who are often disparate in their mentalities and characters, to work together to achieve a common goal. Without leadership, very little which requires teamwork can be accomplished; a leader has to bind a group together and keep them on track.
This means that the first prerequisite for being a good military leader is to have a sharp intellect. Without good basic intelligence, it is unlikely that any military leader operating in any era would be successful. Not having the necessary intelligence makes every part of the process of leadership more difficult, whether that be in terms of planning, analysis or psychology.
Human understanding and empathy are also vital qualities which every commander should possess. Being able to understand how people are likely to react to certain situations is not only useful for commanding your own troops, it is also useful in assessing how an enemy may react. Empathetic qualities, and the ability to put yourself in the shoes of other people, help commanders to make the right decisions, by enabling them to envisage how different situations might pan out when different people are thrown into the mix.
Perhaps the one quality which no military commander should ever possess is indecision. The ability to make decisions quickly and effectively is rightly highly prized in military circles. There simply is not the time in combat situations to prevaricate and try to weigh things up slowly; decisions which affect lives have to be taken as quickly as possible when lives are at stake.
Calmness under pressure is another quality which is invaluable for any kind of military leader. The pressures of combat situations are unlike any other kind of pressures, with every second likely to bring another range of difficult issues to deal with. Good officers will remain calm even when it is mayhem, and be able to analyse and make considered decisions in the heat of the battle.
A good officer should also have a deep wellspring of military knowledge from which to draw. Studying the battles of the past is one way of achieving this, but so is constant study and revision. A leader must keep his or herself abreast of the latest developments in theory and knowledge, as military situations continually change, with battlefield technology, enemy tactics and methods of treating casualties in a state of constant adaptation and improvement.
War command is a testing task which requires individuals with very high personal qualities. Successful commanders are intelligent and empathetic, well-read and able to understand psychology. Not everyone is suited to the role, such are its specific and demanding requirements of intellect, character and mindset.
Firstly, it is a good idea to define what leadership of this kind is looking to achieve. Good leaders have the ability to inspire a group of people, who are often disparate in their mentalities and characters, to work together to achieve a common goal. Without leadership, very little which requires teamwork can be accomplished; a leader has to bind a group together and keep them on track.
This means that the first prerequisite for being a good military leader is to have a sharp intellect. Without good basic intelligence, it is unlikely that any military leader operating in any era would be successful. Not having the necessary intelligence makes every part of the process of leadership more difficult, whether that be in terms of planning, analysis or psychology.
Human understanding and empathy are also vital qualities which every commander should possess. Being able to understand how people are likely to react to certain situations is not only useful for commanding your own troops, it is also useful in assessing how an enemy may react. Empathetic qualities, and the ability to put yourself in the shoes of other people, help commanders to make the right decisions, by enabling them to envisage how different situations might pan out when different people are thrown into the mix.
Perhaps the one quality which no military commander should ever possess is indecision. The ability to make decisions quickly and effectively is rightly highly prized in military circles. There simply is not the time in combat situations to prevaricate and try to weigh things up slowly; decisions which affect lives have to be taken as quickly as possible when lives are at stake.
Calmness under pressure is another quality which is invaluable for any kind of military leader. The pressures of combat situations are unlike any other kind of pressures, with every second likely to bring another range of difficult issues to deal with. Good officers will remain calm even when it is mayhem, and be able to analyse and make considered decisions in the heat of the battle.
A good officer should also have a deep wellspring of military knowledge from which to draw. Studying the battles of the past is one way of achieving this, but so is constant study and revision. A leader must keep his or herself abreast of the latest developments in theory and knowledge, as military situations continually change, with battlefield technology, enemy tactics and methods of treating casualties in a state of constant adaptation and improvement.
War command is a testing task which requires individuals with very high personal qualities. Successful commanders are intelligent and empathetic, well-read and able to understand psychology. Not everyone is suited to the role, such are its specific and demanding requirements of intellect, character and mindset.
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