The United States Armed Forces, like any successful organization, depends on the five management functions to operate efficiently. As a member of the U.S. Army, I have personally seen how vital these functions are for our survival. The Army consistently exhibits effective leadership, organization, planning, staffing, and evaluation in its operations. It is uncommon to find another organization that effectively coordinates and integrates these five functions.
Planning is the systematic process in which managers make decisions regarding future activities and the organization’s primary goals. According to Reilly, Minnick, and Baack (2011), careful environmental scanning is crucial for effective planning. In the Army, making plans for future activities is essential as it helps subordinate commands maintain focus on mission objectives and ensures quality work.
The Army utilizes the Eight-Step Training Model for planning purposes. This model begins with the objective and progresses backward to day zero. Planning within the Army is split into three phases: long term, short-term, and near term, which vary depending on the size of the organization or unit. The planning phase is highly effective in ensuring that employees or soldiers are aware of upcoming tasks. Grigsby (2011) suggests that this approach allows for meaningful action when dealing with complex issues. Effective planning in the Army keeps employees focused and motivated towards their goals. However, improper planning results in soldiers waiting for orders, individuals becoming unaccounted for, and negatively impacting other management functions. Leadership plays a critical role in the Army as it represents one of its core values. Without leadership, military effectiveness would decline significantly. Leadership facilitates efficient organizational processes such as staffing, planning, control, thereby fostering a productive work environment.
“Leading in a business context involves all activities aimed at assisting individuals in achieving their highest level of performance” (Reilly, Minnick, and Baack, 2011, sec. 7.2). In the Army, everyone is considered a leader to some extent due to a shared goal. Soldiers are taught that leadership entails the ability to influence others by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while working towards accomplishing the mission and enhancing the organization. This is the response one would receive when posing the question “What is leadership?” to any Soldier (Department of the Army, 2006).
The Army, like other military services, has a unique method for developing leaders. This uniqueness is derived from two main factors. Firstly, the system is designed to either promote individuals or force them to leave. In simpler terms, if someone does not receive a promotion within a specific timeframe, they must leave the Army. This is different from civilian organizations where employees can reach a certain level and stay there until retirement. The second reason for the Army’s distinctive leadership approach is their policy of not recruiting external leaders. Instead, senior-level positions are filled by individuals who have been promoted within the same organization (Fallesen, 2011).
Reilly, Minnick, and Baack (2011) define organization as the process of efficiently and effectively bringing people and resources together to create products and services (sec. 7.2). The Army relies heavily on organization for its functioning because it requires multiple components for operation and self-sufficiency. Departmentalization plays a crucial role in the Army due to its size and the presence of other military elements. However, these departments must be capable of coordinating and collaborating in order to achieve mission success.
When the Army is deployed, different units are sent with specific tasks to ensure cohesive functioning of the organization. For example, if an infantry unit is being deployed, it will be accompanied by various other units that provide support for the main objective. This means that one part of the organization has the mission responsibility while others assist in areas like transportation, resources, and administration.
In order to achieve this, it is necessary for organizations to undergo joint training. This training helps them understand how their respective bodies align with each other’s goals. It is comparable to different segments of the Army coming together like puzzle pieces, even if they have not previously worked or trained together. With proper synchronization, these organizations can achieve success seamlessly. Effective leadership and careful planning are vital in utilizing the management function within the Army organization. If executed improperly, the consequences could be catastrophic and result in unimaginable losses.
The Army is an exceptional establishment that upholds its history and traditions. To uphold its heritage, the Army has various requirements that individuals must fulfil or surpass. It is crucial for military leadership to select suitable individuals to join their ranks as these individuals will become future leaders. Consequently, staffing plays a critical role in management. “Staffing, akin to leadership, incorporates the human element. It entails the selection of appropriate individuals.”
According to Reilly, Minnick, and Baack (2011), the act of leading involves inspiring individuals to reach their maximum performance levels. The Army encounters a challenging and demanding recruitment task, whether in times of war or peace. Recruiters undergo training to identify and prepare new Soldiers prior to their enrollment in Basic Training. To serve as a recruiter, one must demonstrate exceptional leadership skills and be ready to give up personal and family time.
Recruiters function as Army salespeople, dedicating their efforts to influence and educate potential recruits about the organization’s core values. It is crucial because recruits are not obliged to join until they sign their contract before commencing Basic Training. This also permits recruiters to assess suitability for the Army. As my previous leaders frequently emphasized, “You selected the Army; it did not select you.”
Being part of the military service necessitates a particular type of individual since it is not suitable for everyone. Alongside its recruitment objectives, the Army also has retention objectives to maintain a certain level of strength within the military. With deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, there was a need to raise both recruitment and retention goals in order to fulfill the demand for troops overseas and those required as replacements. Consequently, this resulted in modifications to the organization’s structure, resources, and planning to meet these demands.
As a result of the Army’s staffing needs during two simultaneous wars, various changes were made. These changes included reversing the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell Policy” and allowing women to serve in combat roles. Reilly, Minnick, and Baack (2011, sec. 7.2) state that both staffing and controlling are important in appraising individual employees, with controlling being linked to planning standards. Additionally, controlling is the first step in developing future plans.
The Army values feedback and has implemented various methods to gather information for improvement purposes. It effectively rewards good performance, inspiring Soldiers to strive for such recognition. Performance evaluation is conducted to provide individuals with feedback for improvement and to help identify unsuitable candidates for leadership positions.
The Army utilizes After Action Reviews as a means of implementing the control function. These reviews are conducted after each training exercise to gather information and identify areas needing improvement or sustainability. Through these reviews, Soldiers are able to provide constructive criticism to their leaders regarding their conduct and performance during the exercises. This process is analogous to constructive criticism in the civilian world (Rakow, 2005). By employing these evaluative techniques, the Army develops adaptable leaders capable of effectively performing in any situation.
The military demonstrates the effectiveness and necessity of the five management functions. The Army and other military branches exemplify the interconnectedness of these functions, showing that they cannot exist independently. The Army’s success relies on effectively implementing these functions in their daily operations. This enables them to operate efficiently, allocate resources effectively, develop leaders, identify areas for improvement, and carefully plan and organize future training and contingencies.
