“What procedure or process could you change with one word that will give your junior officers/NCOs more decision-making authority?”

I think in the Army this is slightly tougher than what is described on the ship with the ‘one-word’ stipulation.  The submarine in the book is governed by a set of fairly strict regulations and norms – so slight deviations have a significant effect.  I think there is significantly more leeway in most Army formations – for good and ill.

Reflecting on units I’ve led and served in I think empowering junior leaders within the training schedule is the most impactful way of increasing their authority, agency, and ultimately buy-in to the organization.  But, the ‘one-word’ part is always the easy portion – it’s all the work required to put the right checks in place to ensure it happens.

Training management is in many ways a lost art and science in the Army – something GEN Townsend and GEN Milley are working hard to bring back.  But even when the Army was generally more adept at training management ensuring leaders below the company level were empowered was always a difficult discipline.

I think starting with PT, Sergeant’s time training, and hip pocket training are great ways to give ownership to junior leaders for the planning and execution of training.  The key is to ensure they have ownership but are still operating within the existing training schedule and training management structure.  Too often leaders treat STT or junior leader-owned training as just ‘their time.’  A block of time with nothing scheduled the leaders just decide what they want to do with little oversight or integration.

The most powerful parallel from the book, to me, is the chain of ownership.  If their Petty Officers are going to own leave they have to own what we in the Army would call readiness – certifications, watches, maintenance benchmarks, etc.  The METL cross-walk for the Army is supposed to provide the same tie-in but outside combat arms units it requires significant judgment on the part of leaders through BDE.

I think the bottom line is if you have NCOs truly in the lead training and certifying individuals, crews, and teams you’re getting it right.  But, it’s not an easy process in any organization and outside combat arms the Army relies much more on the creativity, drive, and discipline of leaders vice doctrine.