The Increasing Collaboration in U.S. Military - Essay Example

? The Increasing Collaboration in U.S. Military The U.S. military is increasingly becoming collaborative in its operations. Trainings and leadership programs are being conducted in order to meet the complex security challenges of the present society. Due to the security challenges, the U.S. military has been compelled to collaborate with other major organizations with the intent of enhancing security and delivery of strategic services in the U.S. The collaborative efforts of the U.S. military and other multiple partners are discussed and analyzed in details. The challenges that they encounters in their quest to transform and adapt to more collaborative strategies are discussed. Areas that the military has attained success during its collaborative endeavors have been mentioned. Further, a clear description of collaboration is presented, including those involved with the military, the objectives of military in collaborating and the present status as well as the success measures. Introduction In military warfare, the world is increasingly embracing collective and collaborative efforts in accomplishing the military activities and practices effectively. Collaborative efforts are practiced in military command relations, joint operations, strengthening personnel and equipment, training and tactics as well as in fostering cultural relations. Collaboration develops best in environments where relationships are mutual and well nurtured (Bushe, 2010). In military operations and practices, collaboration with other stakeholders is perceived as problematic because the military forces are compelled to certain demands with the collaborative partners. The collaboration partners may be perceived with element of suspicion, leading to reluctance in sharing information on matters of national security out of fear. Consequently, collaborative work in military is more pervasive and complex. The United States military forces are working toward increased collaborative methods because of their understanding of how to improve collaborative work. Growing U.S. Military Collaboration Description of Collaboration Collaboration is the practice and concept of bringing appropriate individuals jointly in productive ways with proper information to establish genuine goals and strategies for tackling the common issues of the collaborative organizations or communities. This practice or concept is practiced because it helps to deal successfully with complex organizational or community issues. Collaboration strategies can be used as a means of building social capital, sustaining a democratic society and transforming the civic culture of communities or regions besides being used to address public concerns. Collaboration requires that the shared issues be addressed through engagement, dialogue, inclusion and power sharing. Mutual learning is a basic concept in collaborative working. The collaborating partners mutually benefit from the relationship to realize common goals and objectives through sharing responsibilities, accountability as well as authority for achieving the set results. Collaboration involves sharing of information and knowledge by the partners, and cooperation and coordination to help achieve the objectives (Chrislip, 2002). Involved Parties Multiple stakeholders are usually involved in collaborative work with the U.S. military personnel, depending on the desired goals and objectives to be accomplished. The U.S. military collaborates with civilian interagency, such as civilians from U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) among other organizations. The civilian interagency helps the U.S. military personnel in counterinsurgency operations and activities. The interagency for example, helped the U.S. military through collaboration in operations in Afghanistan and Iraq to facilitate reconstruction and development of the nations and advising the military on how to reach out to the indigenous communities (Green, 2012). U.S. military collaboration also involves policy enforcement and operation activities with the Immigration and Naturalization Service in America. The military forces collaborate with the Border Patrol personnel across all the national borders of America. These operation efforts have helped the military to deal with the issues of drug enforcement and immigration enforcement. The military have engaged the Border Patrol personnel on a wide scale in collaborative work. Some of the involvements include the deployment of the military ground troops, Border Patrol construction and training. The military supports the main immigration enforcement department to carry out the border operation and patrols to curb the growing drug enforcement issues (Dunn, 1999). The collaboration of the military forces involves the medical agencies and organizations that help to provide their services to the military personnel in need of such services. The military engage the medical agencies in collaboration to get medical services because they desire to get individual resource solutions across the services to facilitate decision-making as well as analysis in the military department. The military department has involved other medical personnel from non-military treatment facilities through integrating operations and consolidating the facilities. These medical facilities are operated by joint medical personalities (Farrell, 2010). Military forces engage in humanitarian activities and operations across the country and the globe. In order for these activities to be carried out and coordinated effectively across wide geographical locations, the military personnel need to collaborate with other humanitarian organizations and institutions to ensure that these services are appropriately accomplished. Subsequently, the U.S. military has responded to such calls by engaging humanitarian organizations and institutions to help them in responding better, faster and smarter to disasters and calamities that lead to such conditions. These services require military, medical and humanitarian experts besides technology gurus. As a result, collaboration helps the military to define better ways of using communication technologies to support collaborative efforts (Carr, 2005). Objectives Collaborative efforts are practiced by the U.S. military because of the need to establish and develop relations, which promote specified American welfare, established associated and affable nation capacities for self-defense and collaboration operations, and offer the U.S. military peacetime and emergency access. Additional objectives of increased collaboration within the military are to foster shared norms and minimize conditions favorable for development of transnational threats (Dale, 2012). The primary objectives of U.S. military collaboration are generating savings and meet the global collection of security challenges through striking a balance. Status of Military Collaboration The concept and practice of collaboration has increased significantly over the last few years in U.S. military and national security. The concept or practice of collaboration began long ago during the Cold War era in which the U.S. military worked collectively with the other formal allies through collective planning and development of interoperable capacities to dissuade and defeat the Soviet threat (Dale, 2012). The collaboration strategy was established via the military to help cultivate the allegiance of developing states and societies to the West. Recently after the 9/11 decade, the calls for collaboration in military activities and operations have increased. The current global security context presents a more complex collection of challenges than in the past. Subsequently, collaboration through increased participation and contributions by various stakeholders involved is significant in meeting the challenges encountered in military operations and activities. Measures of Success The success of the collaboration of the U.S. military and other stakeholders is determined using the multiple effects realized out of the practice. The military has succeeded in building and developing the local good will for its tactical-level cooperation. In addition, they have helped develop capabilities capable of being applied either locally or globally. The success of the military collaboration within the country is also demonstrated in the effective collaboration between the civilians and the military personnel, widening the capability of the military to work with various stakeholders and partners in certain issues. This is an indication of the commitment of America to foster bilateral relations in prioritizing efforts, producing effective assessments and offering accountability (Dale, 2012). Analysis of Leadership Challenges, Success/Failure, Reasons Why Leadership challenges in the U. S. Military Despite the numerous collaborative attempts that have been made by the U.S. military, there still remains some daunting challenges within the leadership ranks. These challenges greatly impede the efforts of the U.S. military. Dale (2012) indicates that there are action problems that emerge during collaboration in leadership, training, and military operations. The time consuming nature of collaboration is a major challenge. This is because collaboration takes efforts, as the involved parties have to come into an agreement with the collaboration terms. Moreover, decision making in this process involves a lot of organizations and people, which makes progress glacial and vulnerable to friction. In addition, collaborative leadership demands the capability to address conflict directly. Leaders within the military ranks are oftentimes faced by conflicts. During collaborative leadership, there is a need to mediate conflicts to provide a solution that will be acceptable to all the involved parties. This can only be achieved through patience and intervention of leaders who are good at conflict resolution. Collaborative leadership is marred by numerous challenges, as many individuals in organizations prefer to have one leader rather than have numerous leaders under the collaborative leadership. Collaborative leadership makes some individuals resentful due to differences of opinion (Dale, 2012). Carr (2005) indicates that there are some instances where individuals have been led astray while under collaborative leadership. A collaborative leadership demands the leader to accommodate a process that will lead to the achievement of the organizations’ strategy, goals, and action plan, notwithstanding his or her biases and ideas. Furthermore, collaborative leadership demands for leaders to subordinate egos given that they are not in charge of the situation and may not be accredited with the success of the group. The numerous challenges in leadership are shaped by dynamics of operations in the collaborating organizations. In the U.S., leaders in various organizations operate coalitions that are activated after an extreme deterioration of the circumstances in the host region or country. Most organizations are formed ad hoc in order to meet impromptu requirements. Such circumstances are marred by unclear missions and mandates, which is attributed to prior hasty coordination with the parties that are coordinating. Sometimes, leaders who are entering into coalitions are faced by situations whereby they will have to contend with the contingents of the operating styles of foreign organizations. Moreover, such organizations have distinctive engagement rules (Carr, 2005). In military matters, interoperability restrictions and limitations are prevalent whereby issues concerning the sharing of national intelligence become a challenge for the leaders in the coalition. The classification of information on intelligence becomes a core issue that has to be managed carefully when dealing with the coalition partners. In case of restrictions on matters, pertaining intelligence, explanation and coordination is necessary to minimize the effects of such restrictions on the unity of the coalition (Dunn, 1999). Language barrier is among the leadership challenges that are faced by the U.S military in its collaborative efforts. This problem is faced alongside a variety of national cultures such as history, religion, and values. The aforementioned problems create adverse processes in the coalition and these calls for timely interventions for understanding and overcoming the situations. Leaders in the coalitions realize that important requirements that they are supposed to learn about other military cultures. This is a cumbersome endeavor as the leaders have the responsibility of making liaison officers their inner circles so that they can accurately convey their intentions to the commanders (Green, 2012). Command relationships is another challenge for the U.S. military in collaborative leadership. Unlike in military operations, the force commander is not the head of the mission as this post is given to a nation’s special representative. Hence the commander is compelled to be contented with and area of operation that is beyond the realms of his chain of command. Moreover, the commander has to balance national and multinational perspectives and deal with new authorities of which he has no control over. In addition, the commander has to develop fruitful relations with the heads of other components to the coalition. Furthermore, the commander is expected to balance the relations in order to retain credibility and consent for the operations of the military (Department of the Army, 2011). Coalition structures, which are tenets of collaborative efforts, call for planners and leaders to assess contingents in order to fully integrate formations of the military to the force structure. This is complex undertaking given that the leaders of the collaborative efforts have to incorporate control mechanisms that are optimally appropriate to the structures of the organization, its reserve, and its response force. Moreover, the forces are faced by other core issues such as the contingent representation of the staff of the forces’ commander (Department of the Army, 2011). Success of Collaborative Efforts by the U.S. Military The U.S. military has been able to enjoy collaborative efforts with major organizations. Particularly, leadership in the U.S. military has changed tremendously. Coalitions have enabled the military leadership to influence policy design as well as establishing a focused and purposeful endeavor in collaborative implementation. According to Bushe (2010), leaders in the U.S. military have been able to frame agendas, which have helped stakeholders in other organizations to rethink their strategies and goals and pursue issues that are in their best interests. Moreover, these collaborative efforts have promoted mutual gains among the involved parties. The overlapping or shared interests of shareholders have been made valuable. Cooperation and agreement has become easier to achieve after discussions between the leaders have explored the general interests of the participating organizations (Bushe, 2010). Reasons for the Success Success has been attained by the U.S. military in collaborative efforts due to increased focus by the successful commanders in the multinational environments. These commanders have been able to inculcate a vision, which has infused the whole coalition. By finding a common ground to accommodate the various agendas of participants, the leaders have been able to achieve the greatest returns. Dale (2012) indicates that coalition leaders have treated all the coalition members with respect as well as settling misunderstandings and differences amicably. Even in the face of legal restrictions and other obstacles that prevent the optimum arrangement of the coalition, the military leaders have been able to work together on the best resolutions. The commanders of the U.S. military have been able to achieve the results using staff officers who have for long specialized in international and regional law. In some circumstances, coalition leaders have developed effective staff procedures capable of integrating different nationalities into a single unit that can produce the desired results upon its deployment (Dale, 2012). Analysis of Lessons Learned That Can Be Applied To Other Collaborative Efforts The U.S. military had to transform from its conventional way of accomplishing its responsibilities to adopt a new method that called for collaborative work. Other collaborative efforts should, therefore, realize that embracing a collaborative approach of accomplishing responsibilities might demand that the basic structure of an institution or organization be changed to accommodate the transformations. The working partners in collaboration must relate effectively to each other. Organizations can learn from the U.S. military that collaboration permits leaders to focus on the strengths of an institution or organization although counterbalancing the weaknesses. It may help create or establish a common understanding and objective, which is an essential element in synchronizing operations (Department of the Army, 2011). Collaborative efforts demand the leaders to place the highest priority to the development of trust. There is a need to invest effort and time to personal relationships, which are instrumental in fostering success. Leaders should not make promises that they can fail to deliver and they should make sure that they deliver the made promises. In collaborative leadership, there is also the need to try all the means possible to foster equality and fairness. This can be achieved through distributing resources, missions, assigning tasks without being biased, and dispelling any perceptions on inequity. Furthermore, successful collaborative efforts call for professionalism. Leaders should demand and articulate for professionalism by setting, publishing, and requiring optimal standards for performance and training (Department of the Army, 2011). Summary and Conclusion Collaboration helps in bringing proper individuals collectively in productive ways with excellent information to establish dependable objectives and strategies for tackling the common concerns. The U.S. military has collaborated with some civilian interagency, global military and security forces to facilitate its working. These efforts are meant to help the military generate savings and meet the global collection of security challenges. Although the practice was established long ago, presently there is an increasing trend towards practicing collaboration to meet the present changing security needs. The success of the collaborative work is demonstrated in the effects within the society, such as the collaboration between the military and civilians in responding to disaster. References Bushe, G. R. (2010). Clear Leadership: Sustaining Real Collaboration and Partnership at Work. Boston: Davies-Black. Carr, D. F. (2005, May). Unfilled Promise. Baseline (43), pp. 32-48. Chrislip, D. D. (2002). The collaborative leadership fieldbook : a guide for citizens and civic leaders. San Francisco : Jossey-Bass. Dale, C. (2012). In Brief: Clarifying the Concept of "Partnership" in National Security. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Research Service. Department of the Army. (2011, October 10 ). Unified Land Operations. Retrieved September 6, 2012, from http://usarmy.vo.llnwd.net/e2/rv5_downloads/info/references/ADP_3-0_ULO_Oct_2011_APD.pdf Dunn, T. (1999). Military Collaboration With The Border Patrol In The U.S.-Mexico Border Region: Inter-Organizational Relations And Human Rights Implications. ournal of Political & Military Sociology , 27 (2), 257-283. Farrell, B. S. (2010). Enhanced Collaboration and Process Improvements Needed for Determining Military Treatment Facility Medical Personnel Requirements. Washington D.C.: GAO Reports. Green, D. R. (2012). U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings. U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings. 138, pp. 68-73. 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