CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING IN AN AGE OF COMPLEXITY - KEY SKILLS FOR MILITARY COMMANDERS
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Land Forces Academy Review
Vol. XXVI, No. 2(102), 2021
CREATIVE AND CRITICAL THINKING IN AN
AGE OF COMPLEXITY – KEY SKILLS FOR
MILITARY COMMANDERS
Andreas ALEXA
National Defence Academy, Vienna, Austria
andreas.alexa@bmlv.gv.at
ABSTRACT
This article discusses the need of creative and critical thinking for military
commanders. These skills are preconditions for success due to the nowadays
complex environment, in which military operations are conducted. Military
commanders in the age of complexity should and must therefore critically examine
their actions with regard to the achievement of objectives. The subsequent creative
process leads to innovation and thus to a further development of their own field of
expertise and the Armed Forces. Therefore, these capabilities must be implemented
in the officer’s education system.
KEYWORDS: creative thinking, critical thinking, complexity, education, military
science
1. Introduction relevant literature, supported by an
The Austrian trend researcher and empirical observation at the Master’s
futurologist Henry Gatterer noted, Program in Military Leadership.
“That the world tends towards complexity” It begins with a closer look at the
(Gatterer, 2017). The conclusion to be military and complexity and then examines
drawn from this is that linear thinking is no creative or critical thinking in order to
longer state-of-the-art and must be draw conclusions for the education and
replaced by creative and critical thinking. training of military commanders.
Because the military finds itself in this
complex world as an instrument of state 2. Military and Complexity
power, it is logical to train military In principle, the military will always
commanders in creative and critical be deployed if and when other instruments
thinking. However, what constitutes or means of a state or society are no longer
creative and critical thinking today, and sufficient to achieve the set goals.
how can it be implemented in command The fundamental means of a state are the
training at military educational and so-called instruments of national power,
training institutions? This article explores which comprise the areas of diplomacy,
these and other questions and aims to information, military, and economy
highlight the importance of creative and (Farlin, 2014). It is also necessary to
critical thinking for military commanders. consider the significant interdependencies
The main method used was a review of the between these different instruments.
DOI: 10.2478/raft-2021-0013
© 2017. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License.
87The military is thus only one option which makes such situations subject to
when enforcing the will of the state, i.e., a change at undefined intervals, which,
society’s political system capable of in turn, makes the handling of complex
fulfilling political ends in a specific way, situations challenging. For example, if a
namely by adding organized force gear wheel is turned, a number of other
(Kümmel, 2006). It is thus both the wheels turn in different directions and the
exclusive and ultimate means of a state or result is difficult to predict.
society to ensure the state's ability to act Acting in and mastering complex
and, ultimately, its survival. Armed forces situations therefore requires commanders
are the concrete manifestation of the military who have diverse skills, such as the ability
(Bousquet, 2009). They are dynamic, not to think creatively and critically. In order
static, entities, as their appearance and to be able to apply these skills in a
character permanently change in parallel situation-appropriate manner, however,
with the societies they serve. Armed forces a well-founded store of knowledge, which
are established, paid, and deployed is built up and constantly expanded through
exclusively in the name of and for the formal, non-formal, or informal learning,
purpose of the security of the state and its is an essential prerequisite. These different
society or organization, and have a special ways of acquiring knowledge allow the
relationship with them. In this context, commander to acquire the necessary
the concept of security refers primarily, but technical or factual knowledge.
not exclusively, to external security. Formal learning is a goal-oriented
Complexity characterizes the learning process and takes place in
environment in which the military has to institutions of the education system set up
complete its missions. Although Stephen specifically for this purpose. The content is
Hawking stated that the 21st century would set out in curricular framework plans, with
be “the century of complexity”, this is not formal qualifications and certifications the
only a 21st century phenomenon. On the products of learning. In contrast to formal
contrary, from the perspective of those learning, non-formal learning and its
living in any period of time, the world, associated learning locations provide a
the immediate environment and its various different form of learning opportunities.
manifestations have always been complex. Although non-formal learning locations are
Thus, political and social changes, also characterized by a clear institutional
technological inventions or developments structure and legal framework, they are
inevitably produce more complexity based on voluntary use within the
(Richter & Rost, 2002). In a system- framework of an open education situation
theoretical approach, this means that (Harring, Witte & Burger, 2018). The third
complexity is created by the way of acquiring knowledge, informal
interconnectedness and the resulting learning, takes place, for example, in the
interdependencies of different parts, family, in peer groups and in the
contributing to the functioning of the workplace throughout the course of one’s
overall system at different levels through life and can be characterized as a
their individual properties. continuation of formal or non-formal
Commanders therefore have to find learning processes (Lauszus, 2009).
their way around complex systems and act The skills and abilities acquired or
in complex situations. Such situations are appropriated through these learning
unclear or obscure due to the quantity, processes ensure that commanders
diversity, and interconnectedness of the understand and master their field of
elements. This is aggravated by a dynamic expertise, or in other words their ‘box’.
88Critical and creative thinking ‘outside of (2) Creative thinking requires a
the box’ is only possible on the basis of creative process, which ideally includes the
such knowledge (Walker, 2015). phases of preparation, idea generation, idea
selection, and idea implementation (Jacob,
3. Creative Thinking 2016). The goal is to find unconventional
Creative thinking is the ability to think solutions for a specific problem through
in new and original ways, consciously divergent, open, unsystematic and
leaving behind traditional or previously experimental thinking.
used paths to arrive at genuine alternative In the preparation phase, problem
solutions (Kampylis & Berki, 2014). This analysis and definition is carried out in
means meeting challenges in a different order to determine the initial situation on
way, deviating from routine and abandoning the one hand and to describe the problem
preconceived ideas. By experimenting with to be solved on the other. Relevant
alternatives, new ideas can be generated, information and available knowledge is
which then lead to novel products or collected and systematically arranged. In
processes (Sutton, 2002). In this sense, the subsequent idea generation phase,
ingenuity and creativity, i.e. creative different ideas are generated by combining
thinking as such, is indispensable and the collected information, forming a new
important skills in an increasingly complex structure and generating new knowledge.
world and form the basis of every The application of various creativity
innovation or further development. techniques supports this phase. In the idea
Already in the 1960s, Mel Rhodes, selection phase, the ideas are further
and US-American creativity researcher, developed, specified and structured, and
formulated four basic elements which then selected by evaluation methods in
make up creativity or creative thinking. order to pick the most promising from the
These are Personality, Process, Product numerous ideas. Finally, the decision is
and Environment and are explained in made to implement the most promising
more detail below. solution in reality (Jacob, 2016). If the
(1) The personal prerequisites and description of the phases is compared with
character traits are a basic condition in the military decision making process,
order to promote or inhibit creative commonalities can be identified. It can
thinking. These personality traits include therefore be deduced that the military
the personality itself, the ability to learn decision making process includes or
and to think, the temperament, habits and presupposes creative thinking.
behavior of the person (Rhodes, 1961). (3) The result of the creative creation
In this light, openness or sensitivity to new process is a creative product. This is either
challenges and the mental flexibility an intellectual and immaterial idea or a
associated with them are key components visible, tangible product or invention.
of creative thinking. (4) The existence or creation of a
However, the most important creative environment is essential for creative
prerequisite for creativity is the motivation design. Through this, creativity blockers
of the individual person to initiate and are counteracted and personal creativity
maintain creative processes. Without this, promoted. It has been shown that creativity
creativity is theoretically possible, but will is directly related to the workplace or the
not be translated into action (Jacob, 2016). working environment. Firstly, an innovation-
Thus, throughout history, the drive and friendly or inspiring environment and
unrestrained desire for ideas has produced secondly, a targeted exchange of
unusual ideas and groundbreaking innovations. knowledge can increase creative thinking.
894. Critical Thinking and to give new impulses in order to
Through critical thinking, the ability accomplish their missions through
to ask decisive questions or to question creative, innovation-promoting thinking.
given answers consciously is acquired. For this manner of thinking and
This in turn leads to insights and new acting to be implemented successfully,
findings. more attention must be paid to critical and
The promotion of critical thinking is creative thinking in education and training.
one of the central tasks in higher Even if loyalty, obedience and faithfulness
education. The European Qualifications remain essential virtues for a military
Framework for Lifelong Learning, for commander, this does not exclude
example, makes critical thinking an independent, coherent and rigorous
important target category by stating that thinking. On the contrary: creative and
“it is considered important to promote critical thinking is essential for an
critical thinking and thinking outside the organization’s successful existence and
box in order to acquire new skills that will continuous development. Moreover, this is
be required in the future” (European precisely what military leaders need to be
Parliament, 2017). Pursuant to the trained in.
European Qualifications Framework, the This fact was taken into account in
Federal Act on the National Qualifications the 2012 accreditation application for
Framework came into force on 15 March the University of Applied Sciences
2016. This law assigned level 7, i.e. the Master’s Program in Military Leadership.
completion of a Master’s degree program, One interdisciplinary qualification states:
“critical awareness of knowledge issues in “Graduates are able to think critically and
a field and at the interface between analytically” and another “Graduates
different fields” as a goal. contribute to the realization of
This means that graduates of level organizational goals through creativity
7 studies can take on knowledge and and innovation” (Austrian Ministry of
insights from various disciplines in order Defence, 2012). Thus, the ability to think
to reflect upon them critically and apply creatively or critically is formally
them to their own work. Thus, critical implemented in the education and training
thinking must be included in the curricula of military commanders.
and students must be trained and educated In terms of creative thinking,
in this by appropriate measures. students of the University of Applied
Sciences Master's Program in Military
5. Implementation in Command Command were asked to draw a house.
Training and Education 90% sketched the standard house they
On operations, be they military were used to. Although there are countless
national defense operations, assistance other types of houses (e.g. high-rise
operations, or international operations, building, tree house, boathouse, etc.), this
military commanders face complexity. experiment shows that people leave
Given the existence of different interest familiar terrain or ingrained patterns only
groups, changing alliances, diverse to a very limited extent in order to engage
population structures, or diverging national in something new.
interests, situations and the resulting It is therefore essential that creative
necessary actions become complex. It is thinking is specifically promoted in the
therefore up to the military commanders to training of military commanders so that
critically reflect on their actions with they can consciously leave previous
regard to the achievement of objectives patterns of thought and solutions and
90develop new ones. Therefore, methods and produce commanders capable of critical
techniques should be used which aim to thought.
develop the creative thinking and behavior
of the students. 6. Conclusions
Teachers should provide impulses Acting in complex situations requires
for reflection and create a space for new solutions and thus the abandonment of
reflection and subsequent discussion. old thinking patterns. It is therefore
This, however, requires students to be able necessary to train military commanders in
to listen, to be inspired and to communicate creative and critical thinking, to promote
in a structured manner (Morris, 2006). this in the execution of their profession,
In this way, students are encouraged to and to actively demand it from their
rethink situations and to see approaches superiors.
from new perspectives, which were not As complexity has affected all areas
obvious at first. of life and work, problems and challenges
Critical-analytical thinking is an identified in the military must also be
integral part of good university teaching viewed from different perspectives. This
and is to be trained through the targeted allows new ideas to be combined to create
stimulation of students. Students can be innovative solutions. Critical thinking is
introduced to this manner of thinking the first way to identify problems, as the
through the focused use of different media. previous course of action is consciously
Short film sequences, for example, can reflected and questioned. In this sense, it is
produce doubt and reflection (Jahn, 2013). therefore a prerequisite for creativity.
This can sharpen the view of a certain Military commanders in the age of
event or situation. It is essential that complexity should and must therefore
structured discussions take place after a critically examine their actions with
period of reflection. In this way, what is regard to the achievement of objectives.
seen or experienced is shared with other The subsequent creative process leads to
students, new perspectives are opened up, innovation and thus to a further
and a student’s individual perception is development of their own field of expertise
examined. Such a sequence should be in particular and the Armed Forces in
integrated into course planning in order to general.
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