Team Learning and Leadership in Multinational Military Staff Exercises

• Date: 01 July 2017
• DOI: 10.1177/0095327X16667088
• Published date: 01 July 2017
• Subject Matter: Articles

Article

Team Learning

and Leadership in

Multinational Military

Staff Exercises

Erik Hedlund

1

Abstract

Cooperation in multinational military operations is one of the main tasks for the

Swedish Armed Forces (SAF), which means that Swedish officers need to be able to

meet international military staff standards. For this reason, the SAF and the Swedish

Defence University organize an annual international staff exercise which aims to

train officers in and increase their knowledge of North Atlantic Treaty Organization

staff methods and procedures. The essence of successful staff work is good lead-

ership and effective team work. In this article, we present findings from three staff

exercises that have significant impact on leadership and possibilities for good team

learning that relate to a team learning model. These findings have great potential to

be of value in planning and improving leadership education and training in both

military and civilian contexts.

Keywords

leadership, team learning, military staff exercise, context support

Since the end of the Cold War, cooperation in multinational military operations

(Hedlund, 2013) has been one of the main tasks for the Swedish Armed Forces

(SAF), which means that Swedish officers need to be able to meet international

1

The Swedish Defence University, Stockholm, Sweden

Corresponding Author:

Erik Hedlund, The Swedish Defence University, Drottning Kristinas va

¨g 37, Box 27805, Stockholm 11593,

Sweden.

Email: erik.hedlund@fhs.se

Armed Forces & Society

2017, Vol. 43(3) 459-477

ªThe Author(s) 2016

Reprints and permission:

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DOI: 10.1177/0095327X16667088

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military staff standards. For this reason, the SAF and the Swedish Defence Univer-

sity (SDU) organize an annual international combined joint staff exercise (CJSE)

which aims to train officers in and increase their knowledge of North Atlantic Treaty

Organization (NATO) staff methods and procedures.

Learning in military staff exercises is a typical example of team learning

(see, e.g., Argyris, 1982, 1999; Argyris & Scho¨n, 1978; Edmondson, 1999, 2002;

Garvin, 2000; Hayes, Wheelwright, & Clark, 1998; Levitt & March, 1988; Senge,

2006), where the main aim is to improve the team’s performance (Edmondson, 1999,

2002; Senge, 2006). Team learning occurs when teams create processes and activ-

ities that allow them to identify errors in their theory in use (Argyris, 1982, 1999;

Argyris & Scho¨n, 1978) and correct actions and routines based on new knowledge

and insights (see, e.g., Argote, 1999; Argote, Gruenfeld, & Naquin, 1999; Argyris,

1982, 1999; Argyris & Scho¨n, 1978; Edmondson 1999, 2002; Fiol & Lyles, 1985;

Garvin, 2000; Senge, 2006). Team learning is a social and collective process, where

the team members’ cognition and behavior are shaped by influences related to the

attitudes and behavior of other team members (see, e.g., Argyris, 1982, 1999;

Argyris & Scho¨n, 1978; Hackman, 1990; Salanick & Pfeffer, 1978). According to

Senge (2006) and Schein (2010), one effecti ve method for creating sound team

learning is dialogue. Through dialogue, the team is able to explore complex issues

from many points of view, and the team members gain insights that could not be

achieved individually. Teams cannot learn if they fail to create a dialogue that makes

it possible for them to reflect on and change their actions and routines (see, e.g.,

Argyris, 1982, 1999; Argyris & Scho¨n, 1978; Edmonson, 1999, 2002).

The Team Learning and Leadership Model

To direct data collection and data analyses, a team learning model (developed by

Hedlund, Bo¨rjesson, & O

¨sterberg, 2015) based on Amy Edmondson’s (1999) team

learning model was used. The model developed includes an additional variable, team

cohesion, because cohesion has proved to be an important element in good military

teams (Shils & Janowitz, 1948; Siebold, 2007). The model is built up of four factors

containing seven categories with the potential to enable or hamper team learning

(see Figure 1). Because the aim of these military staff exercises is to learn staff

working methods and procedures and not to produce excellent orders, performance

is not included in this study.

Antecedent Conditions

Context Support. Context support includes adequate resources and an appro priate

organization but also such issues as a manning list; preexercise preparation (before

they go to the exercise); understanding the aim of the exercise, preexercise training

(at the site), the exercise scenario, the operational plan (OPLAN), standard operating

procedures (SOPs), computer system and software, language skills and support, and

460 Armed Forces & Society 43(3)