My last article on the disconnect between leadership in the Indian army seems to have been circulated widely. I am still thinking why? I had written it as part of a debate on a group and later realised that it made a great base for realisation. But realisation by whom? The ones that can bring in the change called it a veteran bickering, may be they charge me as guilty too. The junior leadership conveniently ignored their contribution to change and read only the senior leadership relevance in the change. Just because empty brains sounds better than being called assholes.
Change has to be all encompassing and holistic. It has to have ownership and planning. Nothing comes easy. It’s when a group of affected sit together and come out with the environment scan and the mood, can change actually happen. Some of the readers were such vehement nay sayers, that I began to believe maybe they were right, that the army was fantastically poised to win the next war, despite the mentioned anomalies. But having served 33 years in this most beautiful and professionally competent organisation, I am actually sentimental about it. I have a responsibility to point out issues that need addressing. Some also asked did you address it, I won’t answer that, but please do ask those who served with me, maybe they might throw some light.
One general rightly pointed out why social media? The vultures in waiting are going to make merry out of the carcass. Sir! What you should be concerned about is not who makes what of the carcass, but we making it a carcass in the first place. I could have written a paper, I had, as a colonel and sent it up the channel, did anyone read? They didn’t even acknowledge. It’s good to say that all things are right. Are they? Or are we too going to live up to the legacy of the blind men of Hindostan. We live in an atmosphere that, the yes men with us, make leadership believe that ALL IS WELL, thankfully the military prevents them from a JADU KI JHAPPI. But I am fearful that very soon this might also find traction and become a trend.
One corporate company with me recently gave a presentation on conclusions drawn after interviewing a 100 people. I sincerely wonder how 100 people form an analytical study and can draw conclusions from what represents 10 million people. Are we this irresponsible that we have our personal egos clashing with the need for change. The same for the army, there are multifarious factors in play, ego, ambition, professional growth, integrity, the loyalty factor etc etc. When we don’t know how to segregate each one of them, we end up accepting that anything even slightly pointing at the system is blasphemy. Till when will we actually wear the shroud of ignominy. No one is raising questions against the military. We will be the best, but there is a scope to be even better than the best. The idea is to change what needs to be changed before the snake shows the hood. Don’t we have preventive maintenance for our vehicles and weapons. Then why the resistance to talk about the diversity that is visible. Indian army is leadership based and leadership biased. We lead from the front, our leaders on ground need to be empowered with great confidence. I like what General Erry one of the corps commanders says … ‘tu apna kaam kar, baki yahan hum sambhal lenge, tiger ki tarah command karna’. The same general will hold hands for everything that is right. He will also whip the butt for being conviniently wrong or deliberately ignorant. There are many of the top brass that are extremely capable and outstanding. But within the fleece hides a wolf too, who has bypassed the hardships of the climb. We need to make people responsible for their sphere of influence.
The ACR needs to be marked to indicate whether the leader is with capability. Leaders with spine is the adage. Lots of times junior officers chose the easy way out, HQ ki naukari seems to be the latest trend. This wouldn’t have been the case, if we made unit life exciting, give time, force the adventure till it becomes habit, have unit service reports taking precedence over all staff reports. Like we have always pointed out, the deficiencies of manning units is blatant still, while the HQs are completely staffed.
This is an old problem, all the MS brains have gone through this, but have we found a solution yet, we decided to make the change, but due to lack of continuity this too found its death. What does it say? In bold letters, for me, it says that unit life is not being given its prominence in military professionalism. It isn’t exciting.
The Mission Victory India has run a debate on the NDA. Correctly debated on the anomalies that were existent behind the training, most contributing to the debate were veterans. The change was forced, social media did it. We blatantly blame social media as the devil and relegate it to be banned in our system. Is it because it scares us? The reach? The dimensions? The speed? The effect? Is it because we can’t handle constructive criticism? Is it because we can’t see the plank of wood blocking our vision but are more concerned about the saw dust irritating the eye.
I once again am reiterating, we need to get back to the drawing board. Have officers who are plain speak and intelligent thinkers, of all ranks, all regiments and beyond course gradings, let them decide on the course of action. The first is Mentoring and grooming of the young officer. The second is professional growth, the third social harmony, the fourth is an equal foundation for hierarchical progression and the fifth is being examples of conduct, discipline, courage and humane values in society.
The rest will all fall in place. Many like me will come and go, but the Indian army is the last bastion and the first responder. We are the faith, the hope and the deliverer. Let’s wisely be competent enough to maintain that pride.
-Neil John-
Comments