Inculcating
battle dynamism
By K. S. Bajwa
ONE of the primary organisational
objectives of military leadership is inculcating battle
dynamism an essential tool for success. It implies
an organisational capability to pursue achievement of the
assigned tasks with grit, despite imponderables of enemy,
terrain and weather that throw up adverse situations.
In battle these situations
may or may not be visualised in advance. A positive
orientation to create conditions for an impulsion for
attainments beyond the immediate objectives is also
needed. Basic to this development is pride, professional
confidence, a well-defined collective identity, a firm
belief in the legitimacy of the overall organisational
aims, high morale and a winning tradition. Military
organisations are leadership intensive, so it is the
leader at every level who hones the dynamic cutting edge.
It is vital to fully
identify military leaders with their commands. Soldiers
being led in battle should have implicit confidence in
the leadership attributes and professional capabilities
of leaders. Military commanders at all levels must be
well-tuned to achieve organisational objectives.
An aggressive initiative
to exploit fleeting opportunities as well as weaknesses
of the enemy is vital. Time, space, resources and
decision-making are critical. A cardinal principle is to
visualise the response needed to successfully manage the
imponderables.
No commander can afford to
wait for a failure to gather the resources needed. Since
the resources at a particular level of command may not be
adequate, command authority may pass up to the level
where such resources exist or the resources and authority
may be delegated to the commander conducting the actual
battle.
In practice, delegation is
a core strand running through the chain of the military
command structure. Closely allied to delegation is the
exercise of initiative by subordinate commanders. Elbow
room, freedom of action within a given organisational
design and a positive orientation to application of
planned, and (what is more important) spontaneous effort
towards a common objective, are essential for
organisational achievement and leadership development.
Understanding of the
ultimate organisational aim; articulation of the current
task, intimate insight into the conceptual design of the
overall commander; an appreciation of situational
constraints and a smooth flow of intercommander
interaction, create the climate for battle dynamism.
Conditions that promote
sound delegation, generate the action ethos. Mutual
confidence is essential and a downward thrust of loyalty
is vital. The belief of a subordinate that his superior
will stand by him and will watch his interests, (even at
the cost of his own) creates a motivation for
self-generated and sustained effort. This is often
forgotten, especially during peace time.
In the interest of narrow
organisational progress, which is invariably attuned to
selfish motives of making a mark, subordinate leadership
development and long time health of the organisation is
often sacrificed.
What of the concern an
executive leader feels about the outcome of task
delegation? This is a genuine human reaction and obtains
in almost all cases in varying degrees. Good feedback and
an effective monitoring system, provide options of timely
intervention. This keeps the anxiety level within
tolerable limits. The content of information and the
level it relates to is important.
If it delves too far down,
a potential for interference is built up and the
initiative of the subordinate leaders may be curbed. It
is important for a leader to be forearmed with adequate
information. He should intervene only when necessary for
achievement of the task objectives.
Under no circumstances
must he interfere. This results when he injects himself
into a situation, well within the competence of his
subordinates or uses the powers of veto.
Let us now look at some
examples. December 1971, East Pakistan. Notwithstanding
the controversy whether Dhaka was designated as an
objective, it proved to be the key for a swift
termination of the war for liberation of Bangladesh. The
city was protected by barriers of the mighty Meghna and
Padma Rivers, which were virtually inland seas.
It was the battle dynamism
of two Indian commanders that led to its speedy capture.
4 Corps, led by Lt Gen Sagat Singh, advancing from the
East did not have the resources ready to overcome the
nearly 5 km wide Meghana. Time to successfully conclude
the operations in the face of mounting US-China pressure
was fast running out. It was here that Sagat displayed
exceptional battle dynamism.
Accompanied by an equally
dynamic Gp Capt Chandan Singh, he flew across the Meghana
in a helicopter and landed at a place not held by the
enemy. A battalion was swiftly ferried across in
helicopters and a thrust launched onto Dacca.
Along with an advance from
the North under another dynamic leader, Maj Gen Gandharv
Nagra, the fate of Dacca was sealed. Much fighting was
saved and the victory came at least 10 to 14 days
earlier.
Kargil, June 1965. After
the capture of Pt 13620 overlooking Kargil, Pakistanis
had infiltrated onto a high ridge (later named Kala
Pahar) near Kargil, which ran parallel to and overlooked
the vital road to Leh. 1 Guards were brought in from
Ladakh and given the task to evict the enemy. After a
firm base was secured on one end of Kala Pahar by a
daring night operation, 1 Guards supported by 85 Light
Regiment, planned to attack and capture the long ridge in
three phases.
After the completion of
every phase, defence of the objectives captured was to be
quickly consolidated to prepare to meet a possible
counter-attack. Equally important was to so exploit
beyond the assigned objectives as to facilitate the
launching of the next phase. It is here that battle
dynamism paid handsome dividends. In the first phase,
despite the vigorous exhortations by Capt R.P. Singh
(later Maj. Gen), the soldiers of D. Company, overtaken
by pre-battle nerves, were reluctant to get up and form
an assault line.
When he started towards
the objective by himself, the assault finally got under
way. The first objective, a high knoll was carried. R.P.
Singh, finding the enemy dazed by the heavy and accurate
artillery fire, chose to carry the assault beyond the
first phase objectives.
Soon the second objectives
were also captured. By this time the momentum of the
attack had become unstoppable and men of D. Company, led
by their dynamic leader, carried on to capture the third
phase. The battle dynamism displayed firstly by R.P.
Singh, closely followed by the soldiers of D. Company
achieved what the whole battalion was slated to do.
Cultivation of
self-restraint of senior commanders and below them, the
development of self-confidence, conceptual reach and a
healthy environment for exercise of initiative are
absolutely vital for sustained battle dynamism in
subordinate commanders.
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