Leading remote teams feels like a new thing that has grown up recently because of the global interconnected world in which we now live. The RAF, however, has been leading remote teams for a long time.
It was said of Sir Keith Park, the Air Officer Commanding 11 Group in the Battle of Britain, that if any man can be said to have won the Battle it was he. Yet Park led all his fighter squadrons from a bunker in near Uxbridge.
Sir Glenn Torpy, who was commanding all RAF forces in the Gulf War of 2003, led his squadrons from a facility in the middle of Saudi Arabia. The squadrons were spread over 7 different countries. RAF station commanders frequently have their people spread all over the world, but they still have to provide leadership to them. We can learn from these experiences.
We are in the anniversary period of the Battle of Britain so it is topical right now. The Battle was fought using the world’s first networked air defence system. The network was based on telephone lines. A picture of the Battle was compiled in near real time at Fighter Command HQ from the radar returns and the Observer Corps.
The part of the picture pertinent to each Group HQ was relayed to them – for Park this was at Uxbridge in Middlesex and the squadrons he led were based from North Kent through Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire. The pilots fought against what felt like overwhelming odds for 4 months never backing away from the fight because of their leadership.
Park got to know his squadron commanders well. He set them a framework within which to work based upon the strategy set by Dowding at Fighter Command. And he drove his squadrons hard. The framework was loose enough for the squadrons to apply their own tactics. Park gathered his subordinate commanders together regularly so that tactics that worked better could be passed onto other squadrons. Problems could be discussed and ameliorated.
Park also visited at least one of his airfields flying there every day in the evening when it was less dangerous, in his personal Hurricane, OK1. He became a recognizable figure supporting his people. He was constantly concerned with his pilots, for example always trying to improve their diet, and they knew it.
One pilot landed having forgotten to put his undercarriage down. Park called him to his office and tore a strip off him for damaging a precious aircraft unnecessarily. He then took him to the bar and bought him a beer. That pilot was back fighting the following day with renewed vigour.
In 2003 Sir Glenn Torpy acted in a similar manner. In the short time available before deployment, he redoubled his efforts to know the deploying station and squadron commanders and for them to know him. He passed on his knowledge of the circumstances, the overall strategy for the campaign, his own parameters and intent. They all know what their roles were, what was expected of them and what resources were available. They were to lead within these parameters.
Of course, in war nothing goes to plan (does it ever?). One of the countries planned to be used by RAF aircraft pulled out of the coalition at the last moment. Aircraft had to be diverted elsewhere and some moved from that country.
Campaign plans had to be changed. Sir Glenn was now only able to communicate his new intent electronically. However, the hard work prior to deployment had paid off, people grasped the new plans, and however suboptimal, got on with it. They found a way to make Sir Glenn’s intent work.
The point here is that everyone in the RAF is trained and educated to lead. In the Battle of Britain ‘every man was to use their own best judgement’. For Sir Glenn, it was Mission Command. The senior leaders provided the strategy (not a detailed plan), they got to know their people well. What they were capable of and what they were not. Followers knew their leaders, trust was built. Missions were assigned. Subordinate leaders had the flexibility to find a way to achieve them. And did so.
Remote leadership can work. Everyone must be prepared to lead. Must know each other well. Trust each other. Senior leaders have to ensure that circumstances are well understood, they must engender a determination in all to get things done. They must make strategy and intent clear to all and leave room for others to find a way to get things done. Prior preparation is vital.
Dr John Jupp OBE is a former fighter pilot, Squadron Commander and founder of the RAF Leadership Centre. His new book Rise Above – Leadership lessons from the RAF is published by Pearson, £14.99.
