Organizational Leadership

Module 3 – Organizational Leadership Environment
Evaluation (White Paper)

Overview

With the knowledge gained in Module 3, prepare a White Paper that lays out your leadership plan of action/position. The intent is for
you to be able to utilize the leadership plan to positively reinforce your position as a senior enlisted leader that understands the
mission, the impact of the mission and requirements of the unit’s people to accomplish the mission.
Details
Utilizing the material presented and conducting research using documents located in the student resources section in Canvas or open

source, develop a leadership plan that addresses the following:

• Purpose

o Introduce and develop a logical leadership plan

• Leadership plan should include the following lesson areas:

o Present a plan that strives to include critical thinking as part of regular organization operations

o Developed plan where creative thinking and innovative concepts are an integral part of an organization

o Demonstrate how your plan leads to an organization that models sound ethical decision-making

o Present a plan that demonstrated how an awareness of diversity and inclusion will lead to an inclusive organization

o Describe how your plan will employ resiliency concepts in the organization

Specifics

• Your paper can be one to three pages in length
• The paper must be logically organized
• You must score a 70% or higher per the evaluation instrument to pass

Module 3 – Organizational Leadership Environment
Evaluation (White Paper)

Evaluation Instrument

Criteria Exemplary (3) Competent (2) Developing (1)

Purpose – Presented a purpose that included
ALL the lesson areas within the plan

– Overview highlighted key ideas or
position of the plan

10 Points

– Purpose touched on MOST lesson
areas in the leadership plan

– Outlined overview with a SOME
ideas or positions mentioned

5 Points

– Little effort in developing a
purpose

– Overview contained little content

2 Points

Critical Thinking

Presented a
leadership plan
that…

– Explained in depth how two or
more critical thinking concepts are
used to implement plan

– Provided in depth understanding of
ALL critical thinking concepts used
in the paper

– Associated ALL evidence/examples
correctly with concepts

15 Points

– Explained how at least one critical
thinking concept will be used to
implement plan

– Provided understanding of MOST
critical thinking concepts used in the
paper

– Associated MOST evidence/
examples correctly with concepts

11 Points

– Failed to adequately address
aspects of the assignment

– Failed to address critical thinking
concepts or used incorrectly

– Failed to associate evidence/
examples correctly with concepts

7 Points

Creative Thinking

Presented a
leadership plan
that…

– Explained in depth how two or
more creative thinking concepts are
used to implement plan

– Provided in depth understanding of
ALL creative thinking concepts used
in the paper

– Associated ALL evidence/examples
correctly with concepts

15 Points

– Explained how at least one creative
thinking concept will be used to
implement plan

– Provided understanding of MOST
creative thinking concepts used in
the paper

– Associated MOST evidence/
examples correctly with concepts

11 Points

– Failed to adequately address
aspects of the assignment

– Failed to address creative thinking
concepts or used incorrectly

– Failed to associate evidence/
examples correctly with concepts

7 Points

Module 3 – Organizational Leadership Environment
Evaluation (White Paper)

Resiliency

Presented a
leadership plan
that…

– Explained in depth how two or
more resiliency concepts are used to
implement plan

– Provided in depth understanding of
ALL resiliency concepts used in the
paper

– Associated ALL evidence/examples
correctly with concepts
15 Points

– Explained how at least one
resiliency concept will be used to
implement plan

– Provided understanding of MOST
resiliency concepts used in the paper

– Associated MOST evidence/
examples correctly with concepts

11 Points

– Failed to adequately address
aspects of the assignment

– Failed to address resiliency or used
incorrectly

– Failed to associate evidence
correctly with concepts

7 Points
Diversity &
Inclusion (D&I)

Presented a
leadership plan
that…

– Explained in depth how two or
more D&I concepts are used to
implement plan

– Provided in depth understanding of
ALL D&I concepts used in the paper

– Associated ALL evidence/examples
correctly with concepts
15 Points

– Explained how at least one D&I
concept will be used to implement
plan

– Provided understanding of MOST
D&I concepts used in the paper

– Associated MOST evidence/
examples correctly with concepts

11 Points

– Failed to adequately address
aspects of the assignment

– Failed to address D&I or used
incorrectly

– Failed to associate evidence
correctly with concepts

7 Points
Ethical Decision
Making

Presented a
leadership plan
that…

– Explained in depth how two or
more Ethical Decision Making
concepts are used to implement plan

– Provided in depth understanding of
ALL Ethical Decision Making
concepts used in the paper

– Associated ALL evidence/examples
correctly with concepts
15 Points

– Explained how at least one Ethical
Decision Making concept will be
used to implement plan

– Provided understanding of MOST
Ethical Decision Making concepts
used in the paper

– Associated MOST evidence/
examples correctly with concepts

11 Points

– Failed to adequately address
aspects of the assignment

– Failed to address ethics or used
incorrectly

– Failed to associate evidence
correctly with concepts

7 Points

Module 3 – Organizational Leadership Environment
Evaluation (White Paper)

Organization/Logic – Paper organized logically

throughout for understanding

– Excellent transitions and flow

– Conclusion summarizes ALL main
points

8 Points

– MOST of the Paper organized
logically for understanding

– MOST transitions included

– Conclusion summarizes MOST
main points

6 Points

– Organization flawed/not easy to
follow

– SOME transitions included or
missing transitions

– Conclusion summarizes SOME or
fails to summarize main points

4 Points
Grammar,
Mechanics &
Format

– Flawless grammar

– Clear and concise language

– No redundancy, acronyms defined

– No use of jargon

– White Paper met the prescribed
format

– Complied with prescribed length

– Citations included if appropriate

7 Points

– Less than 4 grammar mistakes

– Mostly clear and concise language

– Limited redundancy, MOST
acronyms defined

– Little use of jargon

– White Paper met MOST
formatting requirements

– Complied with prescribed length

– Citations included if appropriate

5 Points

– Grammar issues throughout

– Unclear and unconcise language

– Redundancies, SOME acronyms
defined

– Use of jargon

– White Paper met SOME
formatting requirements

– Did not meet prescribed length

– Failed to include appropriate
citations

3 Points
Total

Instructor Feedback

WHITE PAPER

ON

LEADERSHIP PLAN

Flight # , 202

3

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so we can avoid falling into traps like the group-think effect with a diverse group. This effect is
when a group of people start to act in a collective way to preserve harmony and avoid conflict.
With a diverse group from various backgrounds, bases and units, we can help avoid this trap.

Influence operations have been a part of war for centuries, but social media and mass
communications have only existed for a handful of years. This means we have to adapt quickly
to the changes in the information domain to operate in it effectively. But, unfortunately, what
was once a fun pastime to share photos with our families has become a breeding ground for hate,
disinformation, and influence operations for our adversaries. This is when system-one thinking
comes into play.

System one thinking is intuitive or instinctive thinking, where decisions are made without
consciously considering other alternatives. But we need our Airmen to use System-two Thinking.
System-two thinking is more deliberative, analytical, and conscious. It takes more effort and is
slower than System one thinking. System-two thinking slows us down, makes us ask deliberate
questions, and thinks purposely about our actions and words.8 Encouraging our Airmen and
leaders within to use System-two thinking; we will develop critical thinkers. Our Airmen
must be critical thinkers because disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda are prevalent
throughout the information environment.

We will need our Airmen to develop the skills to identify scenarios in real-time and then
develop solutions to combat them in near real-time. We will develop critical thinkers with the
use of the Socratic Method. The Socratic Method is a form of questioning to promote critical
thinking and draws out ideas and underlying presumptions. This method is a way for problem
solvers to break their problem down into a series of questions to deeply analyze the issue by
stripping away any assumptions and contradictions in the process.5

Innovation and Creative Thinking Powered by Ethical Decision-Making and Resiliency

We can’t continue doing things the way we’ve always done in . We need a new way of
thinking and framework for conducting information warfare operations as We need
innovation, and we need solutions. We will use the Five Stages of Design Thinking, which
include empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing.4 As we go through this process,
we will gain an empathic understanding of the problem and empathize with our Airmen and
leaders in the field. Every office has unique challenges, and we must be mindful of this as we
move forward with change. We have already defined the challenge, so I would like to submit a
proposal to work with AFWERX to help us design, develop and test software to help our career
field use advanced technology, such as artificial intelligence, to help us maneuver in the
information more efficiently. This would cover the ideate, prototype, and test phases of design
thinking.

4

As we build artificial intelligence into operations, ethics will be paramount. Using the
ethical decision-making framework, we can help develop technology that does not violate our
personal or shared values. For example, we will face ethical dilemmas such as “how much
information can we collect on military members with the intent to keep them safe?” The answer
to this question is unclear, posing a “community vs. individual ethical dilemma.”9 By identifying
the dilemma, determining possible solutions, and then examining those solutions, we can make a
choice and then implement that choice with confidence.

Once we develop and test new technology that is when we will inform our career-field
leaders, as well as our Department of the Air Force leaders of our plan to implement our
information warfare plan. To ensure the career field remains healthy enough to dedicate
resources in the future, we will also focus on resiliency amongst our teams.

While we promote innovation and implement major changes, we will simultaneously
promote psychologically safe environments to develop trust and promote a strong feedback
culture.3 To create psychological safety in our organization, we will:

1. Promote self-awareness
2. Demonstrate concern for team members as people
3. Actively Solicit questions
4. Provide multiple ways for employees to share their thoughts
5. Show value and appreciation for ideas.
6. Promote positive dialogue and discussion.
7. Be precise with information, expectations, and commitments.
8. Explain reasons for change
9. Own up to mistakes

We will also conduct formal and informal assessments of our organization to gauge the

culture, climate, and resiliency of our teammates. Formally we can conduct a Defense
Organizational Climate Survey at a specified milestone in this project. Informally, we will hold
frequent meetings with small groups to check in and give opportunities for our teams to provide
candid feedback.

Conclusion

Information warfare is here to stay, and our adversaries are growing increasingly
sophisticated in the information domain. It is time we spend real time and real money on our
capabilities in the Air Force. I have laid out a detailed plan on what we need to change as a
career field and given examples of how we can effectively reach this goal. Through Red
Teaming, critical and creative thinking, diversity and inclusion, ethical decision-making, and
resiliency, I know we can reach our goal of shifting the

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Bibliography

1. Air Force Instruction (AFI) 35-101. Public Affairs Operations, 20 November 2020.
2. Bass, JoAnn S. “A New Kind of War.” Æther: A Journal of Strategic Airpower &

Spacepower Vol. 1, no. 1 (April 2022): 13–16.
3. Bosler, Shana. “9 Strategies to Create Psychological Safety at Work.”

Quantumworkplace.com. Quantum workplace, July 13, 2021.
4. Dam, Rikke Friis. “The 5 Stages in the Design Thinking Process.” The Interaction Design

Foundation. Interaction Design Foundation, August 12, 2022.
5. Leon, Charles. “Six Socratic Questions for Critical Thinking Charles Leon.” Charles

Leon, March 9, 2021.
6. Leading Effectively Staff. “How to Lead through a Crisis.” Center For Creative

Leadership, December 15, 2020.
7. Prier, Jarred. “Commanding the Trend: Social Media as Information Warfare.” Strategic

Studies Quarterly 11, no. 4 (2017): 50–85. http://www.jstor.org/stable/26271634.
8. Shleifer, Andrei. “Psychologists at the Gate: A Review of Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking,

Fast and Slow.” Journal of Economic Literature 2012, 50(4), 1–12 50, no. 4 (November
16, 2012): 1–12.

9. James H Svara, “The Ethical Triangle: Synthesizing the Bases of Administrative Ethics,”
CSG & ASPA Public Integrity Annual (1995), 38-39.