ABSTRACT
The descriptors “complex” and “rapidly changing” are frequently used to characterize today’s organizations, referring both to private-sector companies and to the U.S. military. These descriptors reflect general agreement that the swift rate of information change, the proliferation of technology in workplace environments, the globalization of work teams and communication networks, and the increased impact of occupational decisions are requiring organizational agility like never before. Leaders are expected to set the standard for the foresight and swift decision making required for organizational agility and ultimate success. The far-reaching, even global, consequences that high-profile corporate failures can have illustrate the potential impact of leadership decisions. Recent shifts in the mission of the U.S. Army from conventional war fighting to peacekeeping and combating terrorism provide an example of the extent to which leadership must effect organization-wide change under considerable time pressure.
