Do Soldiers Reevaluate Trust in Their Leaders Prior to Combat Operations?

Abstract

A study conducted in the Iraqi combat zone investigated whether soldiers reconsidered trust in their leaders prior to combat operations. Seventy-two soldiers, assigned to an Army division that was conducting combat and civil military operations in northern Iraq, completed a questionnaire that determined to what degree they reevaluated trust in their direct leaders prior to following them into battle and what impact this reconsideration had on the trust they placed in their leaders. Results indicated that the majority of soldiers did reconsider trust in their leaders prior to combat operations, to ensure that they had the competence and character to meet the greater demands of leading in combat. Findings also suggested that the trust leaders developed during peacetime training seemed to transfer to the combat environment and that leaders' abilities emerged as the most influential factor in the development of trust in the high-vulnerability context of combat. The findings have implications for trust models, leader development, leadership, and training of first responders.