David Shayeson
Command Culture dictates how a command meets its objectives and establishes command through its values, beliefs, and behaviors. It is interdependence between material readiness and the human factors used to complete an assigned mission effectively and sustainably. Material readiness is just the starting point, not the finish line. Fighting adversaries and meeting operational objectives requires a mutual relationship between culture and readiness. As culture improves, so does readiness; culture is a critical factor in expeditionary logistics.
The Importance of Culture in Expeditionary Environments
Strategy is something often associated with military planning; culture is something that exerts great influence on how units execute strategy at the deck plate level. It shapes how people behave under pressure, communicate, and how they stay aligned despite unclear guidance. Expeditionary operations are often conducted in the most challenging environments. If a cultural model succeeds in complex and resource-constrained environments, it is applicable anywhere. Trust and resourcefulness, combined with the freedom to solve problems, helps to determine whether a team succeeds or stalls under pressure. The demands associated with supporting deployable forces in permissive, austere, and even hostile environments require maximum adaptability under stress, degraded communications, and limited resources. When things go wrong, culture – manifested as trust, resourcefulness, and decentralized problem-solving – breeds success. It can be the difference between success and failure in the most unpredictable environments. Culture applies to all naval operations, including those with lower risks. Over-reliance on metrics generates a checklist mentality and a risk-averse atmosphere that suppresses honest reporting, stifles innovation, and drives messaging that doesn’t mesh with reality.
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