unclassified//rel to nato/isaf fundamentals of advising lcdr kory anglesey

UNCLASSIFIED//REL TO NATO/ISAF

Fundamentals of Advising

LCDR Kory Anglesey

Patience Cultural Knowledge Language Interpersonal Skills SME Professionalism Empathy Situational Awareness Diplomacy

Purpose

Rapport +Credibility

+Value

= Influence

As advisors, we are not here to overhaul the Partner Nation Military or make it identical to ours. Advising is the “art of suggestion” that influences your PN counterpart in a way that allow their Military to grow at their pace.

To inform RS Advisors about Critical Advisor Qualities

Advisor Success

• Advisor Success“ The amount of influence an advisor attains will

be directly proportional to the sum of three factors: Rapport between the advisor and the host-nation

commander or counterpartCredibility of the individual advisorPerception by host-nation forces of the continued

value of the relationship.”-Lieutenant Colonel Mark Grdovic

Building Rapport

Rapport• Spend time with counterparts

• Respect age, experience, status

• Avoid favoritism

• Talk about his customs/history

• Ask oblique questions

• Monitor non-verbal cues

• Be discrete

• Listen More and Talk Less

Understand

Respect

Trust

Credibility

Credibility• Be sincere

• Knowledgeable of

region/country

• High-quality training

• Proficiency in

military skills

• Use what they use

• Stand by your word

Professional

Believable

Reliable

Perception

Perception • Beliefs

• Time

• Money

• Culture

• Gender

• Media

• Public Opinion

• Affiliations

• Expectations

Worldview

Personality

Learning Style

Development

Advisor Pitfalls

Advise• Poor Situational

Awareness

• Intractability

• Over-reliant on metrics for success

• Techno-centric

• Task oriented

• Comfort oriented

• Bad Attitude

Leadership

ProfessionalCompetence

Cultural Awareness

Advising Principles

“Do not try to do too much with your own hands. Better the Arabs do it tolerably than that you do it perfectly. It is their war, and you are to help them, not to win it for them. Actually, also, under the very odd conditions of Arabia, your practical work will not be as good as, perhaps, you think it is”

—T.E. Lawrence, “Twenty-Seven Articles,” 1917

Advisors Train

Advisor Primary Responsibilities1. Build rapport2. Observe processes

• How are things being done?• How is this different from decreed process?

3. Assess capabilities• What are they capable of accomplishing?• Are similar HN efforts making like progress?• What factors are causing limitations (corruption, patronage, culture, knowledge)?• Identify “Change Agents”

4. Determine needs• Discuss with counterpart and identify needs• Identify and prioritize mission critical shortfalls

5. Report• Report findings to CF• Determine best approach to address needs considering counterpart’s environment and frame of reference• A “do nothing” course of action should always be considered

6. Support counterpart in addressing needs• Help counterpart in finding “internal” solution• Never do the work for the counterpart

Ground Truth

• What's offered versus what's reality– What are they showing, what's the real truth?

• If they are asking, be prepared to share– What do you think of our aircraft/facilities?

• How much experience do you have?– Flight hours, combat time, weapons qualifications

• Don’t say “YES” unless you can 100% deliver• Make plans for a follow-up meeting or

discussion

Advising Principles

Different is not always Wrong

Maintain realistic expectations

Lessons Learned: Five StagesMost advisors will experience theses mental stages in the course of advising:

1) Enthusiasm• Feels they can make significant progress• High confidence

2) Confusion• Does not understand why proposed techniques/procedures are not being

embraced• Sees logic behind western approach and timeline does not see reason to deviate• Culture shock

3) Anger/Frustration• Counterpart/Host Nation is lazy, incompetent, and/or corrupt• Counterpart/Host Nation does not care

4) Despair• Feels there is no hope of improvement• Feels mission failure is imminent

5) Acceptance• Realizes Counterpart’s cultural frame of reference and agenda• Realizes progress can only take place within that frame

Many advisors get trapped in one of these three stages.

In general, the faster this point is reached, the more effective the advising efforts.

Advising Principles

Warrior-Diplomat

Learn from others experiences

Red Cloud

Alexander Haig

Condoleezza Rice

LCDR Kory AngleseyNIPR: kory.anglesey@afghan.swa.army.mil

DSN: 421-9127

Questions?