Best Sellers 
FOR PEOPLE, TEAMS & CULTURE
The Sabre Combat Readiness Cycle
Four Steps to Perfect Execution
and Victory
Sabre has produced a working and easily transferable summary of some of
the modern world's most effective military planning tools used throughout
many successful military units.
In the 21st century modern Armies operate with great efficiency in a genuine
team based environment despite the common myths and misconceptions held
that they are purely hierarchical, inflexible and lacking in true empowerment.
In reality the modern military possess cutting edge 'teaming' skills and
some of the most effective tools for tackling any problem as an effective
and focused team either in isolation or working carefully in concert with
other teams (particularly elite Special Forces and Reconnaissance Units).
External forces such as technological change, globalisation, down sizing
and operational expenditure cuts similarly impact both modern corporate
and military Organisations and force them to find better approaches. In
both cases people increasingly rely upon effective teams along with quick
and efficient execution to stay ahead of the competition whilst delivering
intact the desired end-state. For a corporate organisation victory may
be customer satisfaction / profit and for the military, the seizing and
holding or destruction of a crucial objective.
How to achieve this in the most cost-effective way under ever increasing
pressure and competition is the challenge. No successful military or business
operation is undertaken without careful preparation, execution and review.
We believe this cycle is a powerful tool to use.
Plan - Brief - Execute - De-Brief
Each of these steps is part of an overall cycle that never ends at both strategic and tactical levels. All units strive for continuous learning and improvement as part of the "bigger picture". And always remember... Train Hard! Fight Easy!
Planning - Four Keys to Planning for Combat and Business Effectiveness
1. The Aim
What you have to do (and limitations). Often the toughest thing to simplify.
What do you want the battlefield to look like when you are finished? What
is the enemies centre of gravity (i.e. the thing that if you control and
dominate will make them unable to resist)? At a tactical level it could
entail a communication system or a series of hills, a section of a battlefield
or an objective on it. At a strategic level it could be a person, a culture,
a philosophy or a nation.
2. Factors
How do each of the following factors affect what you have to do? These
can be general in nature as detailed planning and orders sequences follow
the appreciation.
|
Enemy - How many of them, what unit, what weapons and equipment,
how much ammo, morale, physical state etc what makes them tick?
|
3. Courses
Examine courses open to the enemy then work out from these and the factors
the ways by which you can achieve your aim and select the best option.
4. Plan
Develop a plan based upon the best course.
Briefing - Five Keys to Briefing for Combat and Business Effectiveness
Situation
A general overview that provides the framework / paints the bigger picture
of how this "mission" impacts upon or fits into the overall strategy of
the Army / Business. This is also an opportunity to provide a summary
of
|
Enemy Forces, Threats & Constraints - identity, location,
disposition, strengths and weaknesses, likely reaction. |
Mission
A short and succinct statement of what our unit must actually achieve
and by when. What is it we need to do?
Execution
This is a detailed brief and instruction of how the mission is actually
to be conducted.
|
General Outline - Deliver a summary of the type of Mission
to be undertaken, what format it is to take and how many phases
or stages it is to be conducted in. If in phases or stages explain
what those phases or stages are and detail the 'how', 'when' and
'where' of each phase.
|
Administration and Logistics
What tools and resources are available and how we will administer their
use.
|
1. Weapons, resources and equipment |
Command and Signals
What form of command structure will be in effect and how will we all communicate
with one another most effectively?
|
1. Location and nature of command element |
Check for understanding - Field any questions from the team, then answer them clearly and in appropriate detail. Ask questions at random of the team to gauge their level of understanding and encourage attentiveness.
Execution Three keys to perfect execution
Maintain the Aim
Maintain a constant focus on what you need to achieve - Never lose sight
of what it is you are actually setting out to achieve. Re-align team focus
towards the Aim whenever necessary. Re-state the aim as often as necessary.
Review constantly
Review the process / plan as often as possible whilst in progress - Balance
the need for your physical involvement in the task with the continual
objectivity that is necessary to avoid the "activity trap" or "task overload"
that will force a loss of momentum or direction. Be "in" the battle as
a player whilst keeping yourself "out" at the same time when possible
to be sufficiently capable of manipulating it. Maintain objectivity and
BE FLEXIBLE! Read the scene and be prepared to adapt as required. Refer
back to the plan when in doubt to check progress. Use checklists, proven
methods and pre-planned contingencies to avert confusion. Be prepared
to change direction, modify the plan and adapt as required. Flexibility!
3.
Consolidate
Be certain to consolidate your gains once achieved - Never fall into the
temptation to accept a 'false summit'. Ensure that the objective is well
and truly secured and that you have truly reached "Mission Accomplished"
before "switching off". Consolidate your position once it is achieved
to be certain it will not quickly slip from your grasp or be taken back
from you. How will you maintain / defend what you have achieved. Go back
to the "Planning Process" to come up with this solution. Once the Mission
is accomplished most importantly conduct a thorough DE-BRIEF!
De-Briefing - Three ways to De-Brief effectively
A thorough and open de-brief is critical to assess the quality
of the original plan and all of the tools, approaches and techniques that
have been used in its execution. Without honest and open de-brief it is
extremely difficult to modify and improve approaches to achieve continuos
improvement and constantly be ahead of the enemy.
Remove all personality from the de-brief
As much as humanly possible try to remove personality, rank and experience
from the de-brief to objectively analyze what occurred. A lack of openness
or willingness to look objectively and coldly at what actually occurred
can totally negate the purpose of the de-brief. This often takes a lot
of courage on the part of the leaders to be able to open themselves up
for critique first to set the pace and encourage a "total" review of the
mission
|
Avoid apportioning blame to people, just to root causes. |
Everyone who took part in the mission irrespective of rank
and experience will have seen things from different perspectives and is
capable of contributing immensely useful observations, input and suggestions
for improvement.
Ask the questions and seek honest answers
|
What did we do well and why? |
It is crucial to move beyond mere "lip service" to see the
actual root causes of any problems.
Take the learning forward
Look at realistic and measurable ways to transfer the issues raised from
the de-brief quickly into better approaches and techniques for the next
mission. Commit to action, set real milestones and ensure they are actually
implemented, otherwise the next de-brief may be viewed as just a joke.
Also ensure that accurate appraisals of "how we currently operate" are
included to avoid "throwing the baby out with the bath water". Change
is good where necessary, but so are procedures that are proven to work.
Balance in this regard is important.