Section 7 EO M303.07 – LEAD CADETS THROUGH A LEADERSHIP ASSIGNMENT

Ensure the Goal is Understood

Always ask questions to the directing staff, especially when there is doubt about any portion of the assignment. Before spending any time planning, the leader must ensure that what they think needs to happen is actually the goal of the assignment.

Ensure the Required Resources are Available

Make sure that all the resources required to complete the assignment are available. Complete a reconnaissance by looking around the area. Try to locate other resources that may be used. If boundaries have been determined, locate them.

Complete a Time Appreciation

Be aware of the time given for the completion of the assignment. If the assignment must be broken down into stages, the leader must determine how much time must be allocated to each. Sometimes tasks can be done concurrently, which will save time in the end.

When completing a time appreciation, check the time. All members involved in the assignment must be aware of the current time and the expected time of completion.

Make a Plan

Using the planning guide (located at Annex M), make a plan to accomplish the goal of the assignment by:

The plan will include the answers to who, what, when, where, how and why. Who will do what? Who does it involve? What is going to be done? When does it start? When does it end? Where will it take place? How will it take place? Why must it be done? What will happen if it is not done?

Tasks can be assigned to individuals or teams. All members must have something to do.

If the leader is given an unfamiliar assignment, ask questions to the directing staff to help clarify. If the leader has no experience with what is involved in the assignment, they may also ask a fellow cadet to clarify and then continue to make the plan. The more complex tasks may go to a cadet who has had previous experience with the requirements of the assignment.

A sample process for preparing the “Rearrange Classroom Space” leadership assignment could be: (1) Read the assignment. (2) Ask a question or two to ensure the assignment is understood. For example, “Which way will the classroom face?” or “So I can use more than four cadets?” (3) Look around the area to make sure all of the required resources are available. (4) Complete a time appreciation by checking and analyzing the time. For example, it will take three minutes to prepare and introduce the assignment, it will take approximately five minutes to complete the assignment and it will take approximately two minutes to carry out a debriefing. (5) Make a plan for the completion of the leadership assignment. The plan could include: a. dividing the team members into three teams (Team A, Team B and Team C); b. showing a brief sketch of what the classroom should look like at the end of the assignment; c. assigning Team A to rearrange the chairs; d. assigning Team B to rearrange the desks/tables; and e. assigning Team C to put the whiteboard and any electronic equipment in place.

When giving the introduction, the leader must ensure they have the attention of all of the team members. If one cadet is not paying attention, it could affect the end state of the leadership assignment. When introducing a leadership assignment, the leader must speak loudly, clearly and concisely, to let everyone know that they have faith in their plan. A leader who speaks with authority will capture the attention of team members and make them want to participate in the assignment.

State the Assignment to be Completed

Tell the team members the “big picture” of what is going to be done.

This statement could simply include the title of the leadership assignment.

State the Goal of the Assignment

What is the end state? If there is a reason for completing the assignment (eg, a guest speaker is coming, to begin summer biathlon, etc) it should be stated. If a sketch is included, it should be shown here so that everyone has a sense of what the result should be. When stating the goal, time requirements should be included.

Identify the Resources Required for the Assignment

Ensure that all of the cadets are aware of the resources that are required to complete the assignment and where these resources are located.

Communicate the Overall Plan

Explain how the assignment will be conducted. All members should know what is to be done, but will find out what their specific part is in another step. If boundaries exist, include them in the plan.

Assign Tasks to Team Members as Applicable

Assign all team and individual tasks needed to complete the assignment. Every member must have something to do.

Ensure the Team Members Understand the Assignment

Ask the team if they have any questions. The leader should also ask a few questions to various members of the team to ensure comprehension. When members are given specific tasks, it is extremely important that they are completely aware of what is expected of them.

Asking “What are you going to do?” is more effective than “Do you understand?” Never ask yes/no questions when ensuring that team members understand the assignment. Some may be too embarrassed or timid to admit that they do not completely understand, which will jeopardize the effectiveness of the plan.

After the introduction stage, all of the cadets should know where they fit into the overall plan and how, by working together, they will accomplish much more than they could as individuals.

A sample introduction for the “Rearrange Classroom Space” leadership assignment could be: (1) “Today we will be rearranging this classroom space for a guest speaker presentation.” (2) “The goal of this assignment is to rearrange the classroom by turning it around to face the opposite direction. We have five minutes to complete the assignment once we begin.” Show the sketch to the cadets. (3) “Resources required include chairs, tables, a whiteboard and a liquid crystal display (LCD) projector.” (4) “In order to turn the classroom around, the team will be divided into three teams; A, B and C. One team will be in charge of chair placement, another in charge of table placement and the other in charge of whiteboard and LCD projector placement. Each team will complete their task concurrently.” (5) Divide the cadets into three teams. (6) “Team A will rearrange the chairs, Team B will rearrange the tables and Team C will put the whiteboard and LCD projector in place.” (7) Ask two or three cadets to state what their task is to ensure understanding.

Supervise Peers

When an assignment is being conducted, the leader must constantly supervise the team members. The most important aspect of supervision is to ensure that the assignment is being conducted safely. If cadets are completing aspects of the assignment unsafely, stop the task immediately.

The cadets must remain focused on the goal. If mistakes occur, correct them as soon as possible. If members are experiencing difficulty, take time to reanalyze and reassign tasks. Asking questions throughout the completion of the assignment will ensure that all team members remain focused and that those (if any) who are experiencing difficulty are identified.

Maintain Team Control

Ensure that all team members understand that the leader is in charge and that everyone is following the plan laid out in the introduction stage. When members are not completing what was asked of them, correct it immediately.

A way to maintain team control is to motivate throughout the task and encourage team members to motivate each other. This will help create a positive environment.

Ensure the Assignment is Progressing According to the Time Allotted

Keep checking the time. If tasks are not being completed as planned, whether too slow or too fast, the plan may need to be reanalyzed.

Modify the Plan as Required

If the plan is not working, take time to modify it. If help is required from team members, ask for it. Changing aspects of the plan partway through the assignment may benefit the outcome; however always keep time limits in mind. Once a new plan has been developed, have the team stop what they are doing, communicate the new plan to the members and then have them implement it.

A sample process for conducting the “Rearrange Classroom Space” leadership assignment could be: (1) Have the cadets begin the assignment. (2) Supervise the cadets by walking around, visually inspecting work and ensuring the assignment is being completed safely. Correct any mistakes or errors and ask questions (eg, “Are you having difficulty with your assigned task?”) to ensure everyone remains focused on the assignment. (3) Ensure the teams are working together toward the same goal. (4) Motivate the cadets throughout the assignment. (5) Check the time occasionally to make sure the assignment is progressing according to the time limits set. (6) Modify the plan as required.

Review the Goal

After the completion of a leadership assignment, it is important to review what the goal of the assignment was with the cadets.

Provide Feedback

The leader should first ask for feedback on the assignment from the team. This can be done using general questions about leadership assignments, such as:

It is important to know how the cadets felt about their participation in the completion of the assignment.

It is also important to give feedback to the cadets. It is vital for the leader to spend time focusing on how the team worked together to achieve a common goal.

Re-Motivate the Team

The final step in debriefing a team after a leadership assignment has been completed is to re-motivate the cadets. The cadets need to be reminded of the importance of working together to accomplish an assignment.

A sample debriefing for the “Rearrange Classroom Space” leadership assignment could be: (1) Bring all of the cadets together. (2) Review the goal. For example “Great job team, we rearranged the classroom. It looks exactly like the sketch!” (3) Ask feedback questions to the team such as: a. How did you feel about the completion of the assignment? b. Were there behaviours that helped and/or hindered the assignment? c. Were there leaders that emerged within the team? (4) Re-motivate the team by reminding them of the importance of working together to accomplish an assignment.

The after-assignment report is a tool for cadets to use to reflect on their performance after completing a leadership assignment. It is used by the cadet (the leader) during the feedback session with the directing staff to help guide the discussion. The feedback session will take place the day after the assignment was completed.

Each cadet will complete an after-assignment report before attending the feedback session for the leadership assignment.

The leadership assignment Assessment Rubric is the form the directing staff will use to assess each cadet’s performance as a peer leader when conducting a leadership assignment.

Each cadet will be required to complete their own leadership assignment assessment in conjunction with their after-assignment report and bring it to the debriefing. This form will be used as a self-assessment tool for reflection and discussion with the directing staff.

The results that a cadet reveals on the assessment form shall not affect the results given by the directing staff.