Civilian executives in Army leadership test

Press, 21 August 1989, Page 6

Civilian executives in Army leadership test

By

TOM METCALFE

A group of industry and Government executives got a first-hand look at the week-end at the way the Army decides who is in charge.

The group, comprising four women and 20 men from private industry, local and central government, and the police, took part in Exercise Executive Stretch at Burnham Camp on Saturday and yesterday.

The exercise was based on the Army’s own officer selection procedures. The participants were put through a variety of different tests, both physical and mental, designed to reveal their leadership ability.

Army senior officers and field psychologists took notes as the participants, in teams of

eight, worked through problems as diverse as dragging a wet sandbag through the Burnham obstacle course, building human pyramids, and throwing eggs without breaking them.

On Saturday evening each team was abandoned some distance from Burnham and told to find their way back to camp, carrying an “injured” soldier.

One of .the officers who organised Executive Stretch, Major Tony Rush, said last evening that the problems were used not to test the participants* fitness or ability to read maps, but how they worked with others.

By watching participants as they faced difficult tasks that needed teamwork to be completed, psychologists and experienced officers could recognise

leadership strengths and weaknesses.

Many of the same leadership skills were needed by both Army officers and civilian managers, he said.

Executive Stretch was part of a publicity campaign aimed at boosting the image of the Army’s Territorial Force among employers. Employers will get a report on the leadership potential of each of their employees who participated.

Major Rush said Executive Stretch was a trial and the Army would look at holding similar exercises.

Employers had to pay for food and accommodation during the weekend. The remaining cost of the exercise would be charged to the Territorial Force publicity campaign.