Course - 2008 - Block One

Block One: Frameworks for Strategic Leadership
and Command

Aim

Block One establishes a framework for the remainder of the course.  It identifies the importance of critical thinking, analyses challenges within the strategic work environment and introduces concepts related to national security.

Description

Block One examines the fundamental elements for understanding strategic leadership and command at the higher level. Course members begin by practising critical thinking skills using diverse examples. Course members are exposed to selected tools to enhance their analytical capabilities. Continuous development of these skills is crucial for the rest of the course and subsequent employment as a senior officer.

The Block then focuses on national security policy and the strategic work environment. Experiential seminars provide an insight into the challenges of senior leadership and management in the Australian Defence Organisation (ADO). Course members consider the drivers of Australia’s current national security policy, including Australia’s national interests and the concept of grand strategy.

The course then explores the various mindsets of key players involved in the whole-of-government approach to national decision-making. Understanding these mindsets within the Australian context allows course members to reflect on other nations’ decision-making processes in Block Two, and to consider the ambiguities and compromises in policy-making in Block Five.

Issues surrounding international law, the laws of armed conflict and ethics are covered early in the year as they permeate the remainder of the course. Course members also consider concepts of sovereignty and State and International Relations theory, including conflict resolution strategies.

Finally, the course considers the era since the end of the Cold War in order to establish the basis of the contemporary international system.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the importance of critical thinking and the role of history.
• Apply critical thinking to established concepts, analytical frameworks and historical case studies.
• Examine scenario planning as an analytical tool.
• Understand the role of higher command in national security policy making.
• Analyse the strategic working environment.
• Understand the basis of international law, laws of armed conflict and ethics.
• Understand the practical aspects of the international system and international relations theory.
• Understand the origins of the current international environment.
• Understand the components of a generic security architecture.

Course Member Deliverable

The principal Block One deliverable is a an individual 2000 word written assignment based on the topic ‘Analyse two key security challenges facing your organisation at the strategic level in the next ten years.’ This is an internally assessed assignment.