DECISION MAKING TYPE CLASSIFICATIONS OF OPERATIONAL COMMANDERS

Abstract : In establishing an operations plan or order, an operational commander can be classified as either hard or soft in terms of their a priori assumptions that the operation will unfold as planned once the enemy is engaged. Furthermore, the operational commander can be classified as either permeable or impermeable in terms of his ability to process new information that either supports or does not support the initial operation plan and his beliefs. An operational commander can then be classified as HP (hard-permeable), SP (soft-permeable), HI (hard-impermeable) or SI (soft-impermeable). Recent historical examples of operational commanders possessing these classifications are presented. In a network-centric environment, an operational commander with SP characteristics is best suited for agile and adaptable decision making. Experience, coupled with formal and informal education, can assist the operational commander in understanding his classification type and improving his decision making.