Military Review English Edition March-April 2014 | Page 71
STRUCTURED ORGANIZATION
Figure 2
Volume of daily tweets in Egypt, January-February 2011
thinks the world works as mental models.9 These
rigid and highly individualized mental models affect
how an individual analyzes a situation, and they
explain why two people can interpret daily events
in completely different ways. Military leaders with
decades of service are prone to have developed
mental models commensurate with a hierarchical
organization rooted in linear information channels
and bureaucratic processes. Senior leaders must
recognize and overcome these mental models to
adapt and ensure improved cross-generational communication in a rapidly evolving world.
Mental model based on position. One mental
model associated with a structured organization
values strong positional leadership where individuals execute their duties with the authority granted
by their position.10 In the military, those who ascend
upward in the hierarchy are recognized with promotion in rank; higher positions in the organization
equate to higher positions of authority. Traditional
MILITARY REVIEW
March-April 2014
thinking prescribes inflexible positional leadership
and concludes those in senior positions are the most
knowledgeable, experienced, and informed. The
structured organizational model assumes that those
with seniority in rank are most capable to lead and
grants the authority to do so. However, younger
generations do not immediately accept this mental
model and, surprisingly, they do not immediately
assume experience is relevant. Leaders at all levels
must understand these differing viewpoints. Individuals who assume that younger subordinates
accept authority at face value may ultimately fail.
Instead of acting in the narrowly framed leadership
role of most knowledgeable expert and attempting
to command and control information, senior leaders must become the chief facilitation officer by
guiding organizational processes, communication
channels, and information dissemination.11 Leaders
must identify and accept subordinates who are more
skilled and informed, and possibly better postured,
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