Trust and Leadership in the Military Environment
The following narrative is concerned with the summary and discussion of the article on military leadership by Bishop and Ross (2018). The researchers hold that the purpose of their study is to differentiate between the traditional aspects of leadership in business settings and the features of military leadership. To achieve their purpose, the authors implement the method of critical dialogue analysis. After a thorough examination of the reports from the US and UK military sources and a critical evaluation of the dialogue from the film “A few Good Men,” Bishop and Ross (2018) introduce a conceptual framework of military leadership, noting that it is founded on the idea of trust.
The authors explain that the concept of trust can be indeed considered as a real foundation of military leadership because is it linked to the value of authority. Bishop and Ross (2018) note that when it comes to the “the life and death situations” (p.77), it is crucial to incorporate trust in the interaction between leaders and their followers who need to comply with their duties and listen to the orders otherwise fatal consequences might arise.
The researchers conducted an extensive literature review, describing the key underpinnings of the theory of leadership that can be applied in military settings. They note that leadership is a powerful form of social influence. Accordingly, leadership is intrinsically associated with the consequences that occur when the followers obey the orders of the military leaders. Bishop and Ross (2018) mark the fact that the theory of servant leadership is very common, but it does not discuss the value of trust. At this point, the authors imply that trust is inherent in the relationships that fall into the framework of transformational and charismatic leadership. It means that trust allows the followers develop confidence that can help them mitigate perceived risks. The researchers underline that risk is the key variable that defines the establishment of trust because it entails the ability of the followers to suppress their desire for self-determination, listening to the orders of their leaders instead. Bishop and Ross (2018) emphasize that trust is essential in terms of military leadership because it creates a foundation for the eradication of risks which are much adverse in the military settings when compared to the hazards that exist in the business environment.
Considering the uttermost importance of trust in the military field, the authors take the models of leadership devised by other scholars and modify them, embedding the component of risk. Their modified framework implies that a follower needs to perceive the risk levels accordingly, having a propensity to trust to develop confidence in the leader and feel commitment to cause and defense. When it comes to the figure of leaders, their ability to spur the feeling of trust depends on their rank, experience, and competence.
Bishop and Ross
(2018) also discuss the definitions of leadership in a vast array of military
regulations. They highlight the fact that in the Army, leadership is aligned
with the concept of trust because the life of military servants is closely
interlinked with heightened risks. When the soldiers have to combat operations,
they are placed in the context of exceptional vulnerability. Therefore,
obedience to the leaders in risky situations can make a difference. By
discussing the hazards that emerge in the framework of military setting, the
authors repeatedly underline the fact that leadership which is implemented in
the Army is inherently different from the business leadership. In this case,
the researchers persuasively explain that in military leadership, trust is
essential because it requires a mindset that is not like the behaviors in
peaceful settings.
References
Bishop, R., & Ross, S. (2018). Trust and Leadership in the Military Environment. e-Journal of Social & Behavioral Research in Business, 9(1), 76-83.
