Officer Socialization as Prelude to in Extremis Leadership

Abstract

Military socialization and character building at officer academies often also involves leadership development. To assess the effects of organizational introduction activities on leadership behavior, transformational, transactional, ethical and situational leadership was measured at three times during the first six weeks of the officer education at the Royal Netherlands Military Academy. Newly arrived cadets participated in a self-report questionnaire, at organizational entry, after military introduction and after Cadet Corps’ introduction. Results indicate that military introduction stimulates participative leadership whereas the Cadet Corps’ introduction improves the effectiveness of directive leadership behavior but decreases the effectiveness of participant leadership behavior. Integrity as sub factor of ethical leadership seems to be under pressure by the military and Cadet Corps’ introduction. Both periods stimulate a hands on attitude in contrast to laissez-faire which has virtually been eliminated as a leadership style. Overall the officer socialization period seems to be beneficial for the development of (parts of) transformational leadership. Furthermore, this chapter discusses the relation between how new recruits think about leadership styles and leadership in extreme situations. Various factors of transformational, situational and ethical leadership are suggested to be useful in situations of in extremis and from the edge leadership.