Professional Development for Steak-eaters (not just Snake-eaters)

by Major Cameron Meikle - October 18th, 2024

Reading Time: 10 min

The pursuit of lifelong learning is a foundational concept within the Canadian Armed Forces’ (CAF) latest publication on ethos, Trusted to Serve, and a sound bite continuously echoed by our organization’s leaders.¹ The CAF believes so much in this concept that commanding officers are mandated to develop and be actively engaged in a professional development program for their unit’s personnel.² While it’s hard to argue against improving one’s skills, if the 6 Canadian Combat Support Brigade (CCSB) Headquarters (HQ) is representative of the broader Canadian Army, it isn’t easy to get soldiers and officers excited about professional development.

The term professional development means different things to different people. From an official Canadian Army perspective, our organization defines professional development as a program that creates capable officers and non-commissioned members committed to the profession of arms.³ With this aiming marker, guidance provided to unit Command Teams is to develop a professional development program that covers a wide range of subjects that apply to all unit personnel.⁴ However, despite this inclusive language, the Canadian Army’s Guide on Professional Development places significant emphasis on studying military history. For example, this publication provides several examples of structured activities for commanding officers to use in their professional development plans. Five of the seven recommended activities are centered on studying historical battles—the data points many Western military theorists say are the basis of all military theory.⁵

As a self-proclaimed entry-level historian, I believe in the United States Marine Corps’ characterization that a “leader without either interest in or knowledge of the history and theory of warfare—the intellectual content of the military profession—is a leader in appearance only.”⁶ That said, this myopic view of professional development limits its applicability to only Department of Defence personnel directly involved in the planning, training for, or execution of military operations. As many Defence Team members have jobs not directly tied to this role, buy-in for professional development activities can be poor from the broader Canadian Army audience. While possessing a sound understanding of the theory of warfare is essential for many personnel within an armed force—especially ‘snake eaters’ (a nickname given to U.S. Special Forces)—not every member desires this knowledge. For example, does a military doctor need to understand the importance of concentrating combat power at the decisive point in battle? Or within a Brigade HQ, do its clerks and civilians need to appreciate Clausewitz’s trinity? Improving one’s understanding of armed conflict is essential for those directly responsible for conducting military operations—this includes doctors, clerks, and civilians at senior levels. However, if you listed all the subjects that would increase Defence Team members’ competence, studying military history would not provide the greatest ‘bang for your buck’ on this list for many of our personnel.

A more inclusive (not just for snake-eaters) approach to professional development was recently applied within 6 CCSB HQ. The HQ developed a professional development series that focused on communication as a medium to develop its participants’ creativity and critical thinking. With this unit’s broad range of trades and mix of Regular, Reserve, and civilian members, by selecting a theme that applied to the entire team increased participants’ buy-in and motivation to learn. Selecting communication as the primary theme was a no-brainer. Communication is essential to all other leadership competencies, improves warfighting by enabling more effective orders, and is applicable at home, at the next rank, or even for a career after the Army. By breaking the traditional professional development barriers that solely focus on history, this essential activity was expanded to improve the competencies of both steak and snake-eaters alike.

6 CCSB HQ identified a series of professional development activities built towards the ultimate test of imagination, thought, and expression—a debate club. Before rushing through the gauntlet of a debate club, the professional development plan comprised five work-up activities, each focused on building know-how in a specific aspect of communication: visualization, creating a narrative, improving logic, drawing ideas from all group members, and public speaking. The professional development plan then culminated in a debate club activity where participants put all these skills into practice.

Before exploring this professional development (PD) plan in detail below, for those who think that a debate club is a foolish idea or something not beneficial for military practitioners, you need to spend more time on your snake-eating PD (i.e. read some military history). A review of the war diary of the 4^th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment in December 1943 outlines two organized debates between non‑commissioned members in front of the entire Regiment.⁷ Despite being the only reconnaissance unit landing in Sicily and having played an active role in combat operations since July of that same year, this unit saw similar utility as 6 CCSB in a debate club. If these combat soldiers saw value in junior members debating the need for the Allies to open a second front in the war or how they should treat the Germans after their surrender (nicely or harshly), then it would be tough to say a debate club serves no purpose in the CAF today.

Find below a quick overview of the PD series completed within 6 CCSB HQs for your use, modification, or inspiration. (Sorry, most videos are blocked on DWAN. We ran our sessions at a Mess to use their Wifi to get around this issue. The bar service was an added benefit.)

1. Visualization. A picture is worth a thousand words. Therefore, if you explain your ideas only through words, you make the listener work a thousand times harder to understand what you have to say. A simple drawing can make your supervisor immediately understand a request, increasing the chances you will receive approval or the resources needed to solve your problem. It can also help reduce a one-hour presentation to just a few minutes. This PD session highlights how simple drawings can help communicate ideas effectively.

a. PD Session: This event occurred during the HQ’s indoctrination training. After a quick introduction outlining why a PowerPoint slide should “Show, not Tell,” the TedTalk video at the link below was played. The video discusses the importance of using pictures to explain ideas. The video also allowed PD participants to dust off their drawing skills and learn basic sketching tips. Afterwards, participants were given 10 minutes to draw their life stories. Once complete, everyone took turns introducing themselves using their drawing to assist their presentation. As the purpose of PD is to learn and grow, following each presentation, another participant provided feedback on how well their picture helped (or didn’t help) understand what was said. If time permits, you can do a second round where participants draw what their job is without words and then repeat the presentation/feedback process. As a bonus, the activities allow everyone to get to know each other—a great activity after the annual posting season!

b. Video link: Why people believe they can’t draw—and how to prove they can | Graham Shaw | TEDxHull (youtube.com)

2. Creating a Narrative. Ever sit through a briefing that goes on forever, is hard to follow, or seems to have no point? This is likely because the presenter did not spend time creating a narrative. A well-constructed narrative ensures a presenter stays on topic and only provides the details necessary to understand key messages. The Situation-Complication-Question-Answer (SCQA) Framework and the Pyramid Principle are two methods to create these short, easy-to-follow narratives. Applying these frameworks allows its users to communicate complex information in a straightforward fashion.

a. PD Session: Start by asking people to talk about a lousy briefing they were in: what made it bad? Likely, it was a weak narrative. Then, watch the video at the link below, where a professional outlines the SCQA format and the pyramid principle for writing a narrative. After the video, break the PD session into groups and give each group a topic for which they must write a narrative. We used topics such as: “Make a pitch on why the CAF should go to a four-day work week” or “Give a presentation on why pizza should always include pineapple.” Each group then gives their 5-minute presentation, receiving feedback on how well they used the SCQA format and how clearly the message was understood.  

b. Video link: PowerPoint Storytelling: How McKinsey, Bain and BCG create compelling presentations—YouTube

3. Logical Fallacies. These fallacies are unconscious errors your mind makes when making or listening to an argument. It is essential to be aware of these fallacies, as once you are armed with this knowledge, you can think more critically, avoid being deceived by poor arguments, and strengthen your own opinions.

a. PD Session: Start by introducing what are logical fallacies and the importance of knowing them. Then, cover the most typical logical fallacies—the worksheet below is a good starting point. If needed, many memes and videos online provide examples of each type of logical fallacy (many are pretty funny too). Then, find a few short newspaper articles for the group to review and identify the logical fallacies in the article. Have the groups present their findings.

b. Logical Fallacies examples: A Guide to Logical Fallacies: r/LearnUselessTalents (reddit.com)

c. A few articles to practice finding logical fallacies. Remind the group that finding logical fallacies does not mean you support or do not support the idea. It just highlights that the argument the author presents is not as strong as it could be:

i. Artificial Intelligence must be stopped: https://www.salemnews.com/opinion/column-ai-and-the-end-of-words/article_122a15f4-6848-11ee-8d52-5bf675a9c750.html

ii. Defund the CAF: https://www.counterpunch.org/2021/07/21/defund-the-canadian-military/

iii. Don’t buy F35s: https://thetyee.ca/Opinion/2020/07/23/Canada-Spending-Jet-Fighters/

iv. Should Alberta separate from Canada: https://albertaviews.ca/should-alberta-separate/

4. Collecting Ideas from a Group (the most popular PD event). A challenge that hierarchical organizations like the Canadian Army face while conducting group work is extracting the thoughts and ideas of all participants. Often, junior members are hesitant to share their ideas—especially if they oppose what is being presented—as they fear coming across as unintelligent or angering more senior members who have control over the best tasks and promotion points. Conversely, senior members fear appearing foolish in front of their subordinates. Another problem is that those who talk the loudest can often dominate working groups. As a result, some of the best ideas can go unsaid, and the Canadian Army is missing out on true diversity of thought. One such method of reducing this shortcoming is a technique called “How to Make Toast.” All working group members’ ideas are collected and considered using this model’s steps. With the best ideas from everyone in the group considered, this increased diversity of thought results in better outcomes.

a. PD Session: Start by asking the PD participants if they have ever participated in group work or a town hall without sharing their opinions and ideas. Discuss the challenges hierarchical organizations have with group work. Then, pass out pens and paper and give participants the simple instructions: “Draw a picture of how to make toast using no words.” Give everyone about 5-10 minutes to complete this task. Then, play the video on “How to Make Toast.” (You should watch the video as the visualization of this technique is vastly superior to my words-only description.) The video walks through the technique of transferring ideas to sticky notes (each step of making toast gets its own Post-it note). After this step, everyone places their sticky notes on a board/wall, then works together to group like/same steps. While one person may have three steps to make toast (get bread—put in toaster—eat toast), through this process, you get additional steps identified by others in the group: go to the store—buy bread and a toaster—plugin toaster—put in bread—turn the toaster on—eat toast. As people will think of different steps, taking the ideas from everyone in the group results in a more complete step-by-step guide. This simple exercise highlights the power of many over just one person’s ideas. (Again, watch the video—it will make more sense.) After the PD participants watch the video, have everyone put their ideas on sticky notes and then collaborate to build the group’s step-by-step guide to making toast.

b. After a Break: Repeat the process. But, instead of drawing “how to make toast,” tell the audience to pretend they are now one year into the future. Have participants imagine they just had the best year being part of the Canadian Army. Ask them to list the things that made the past year so great. Give everyone 10 minutes to make their list, then have them write all their ideas on sticky notes. When ready, have the group place all the sticky notes on the wall, grouping like-ideas until you have the group’s list of ideas to make next year at work great. Then, use these ideas to draft a vision statement for your organization—the group work will provide the details: how to treat each other, improvements needed, desired atmosphere, etc. This statement will have everyone’s ideas—increasing buy-in—and allowing the organization to hold people’s actions to this standard.

c. Video Link: Tom Wujec: Got a wicked problem? First, tell me how you make toast (youtube.com)

5. Public Speaking. When speaking to subordinates, peers, supervisors, or your family, the ability to confidently deliver your thoughts and messages increases the likelihood that you will be understood and your ideas accepted. Good leaders will inspire those around them to achieve organizational goals. Key to being able to inspire is delivering messages confidently and speaking in a manner that is easy to follow. Verbal communication skills are critical to success in the CAF and life.

a. PD Session: Arrive at the PD session with an envelope filled with prompts for short impromptu speeches (Google can provide many examples). Then, start the PD session by outlining the importance of having good communication skills. Following your introduction, watch the video at the link below. While the video covers many public speaking tips, after the video ends, tell the group to focus on just three: smiling, body language, and changing speed to emphasize your point. Identify two evaluator assistants: someone to be the Timer and someone to count the number of “umms” or “likes” during the speech. People then come up individually and pull out a speech prompt from the envelope. They have 30 seconds to prepare, then try to give a 1.5-minute speech. Speakers must talk for at least 1 minute and are cut off at 2 minutes (controlled by the Timer), teaching the importance of respecting briefing timings (who hasn’t been to a one‑hour briefing that lasted two!). Use other participants as evaluators, who watch and give feedback on the speech giver’s smile, body language, and speed changes. The “umm” Counter and Timer also provide feedback on their aspects at the end of the speech.  

b. Video: https://www.ted.com/talks/david_jp_phillips_the_110_techniques_of_communication_and_public_speaking

6. Debate Club. A debate club is the ultimate test of the previous skills covered in this PD series: visualization, creating a narrative, fallacies, getting group ideas, and public speaking. After being given a prompt, debate teams must get the best ideas from the entire group, build an argument/narrative, use visualization to help communicate their message, ensure their argument is logically sound, and then communicate their ideas clearly and confidently. While listening to the competing team, the group must identify fallacies in their opponent’s arguments, get their group’s best ideas, and then communicate counterarguments. This activity is a fun way of putting together all these steak eater PD skills, with a critical thinking workout as a bonus.

a. PD Session: Googling how to run a debate club gives many options and possible topics. 6 CCSB split the participants into four groups. Two teams were paired and given a topic to debate. One team was assigned to debate for the idea, and the other was against it. Teams were then given 15 minutes to prepare their argument. A coin flip decided which team went first. The first team had three minutes to give their argument. Following the argument, the opposing team had two minutes to think up three rebuttal questions, trying to ask about logical fallacies if possible. They then asked their three questions. This process was then repeated, but the team’s roles were reversed. The debate ended with each team giving a one-minute closing argument. Following the debate, the audience was polled to determine the debate winner. Repeat this with the other two teams on a different topic.

That’s it! Feel free to look me up on DWAN if you want further details on 6 CCSB’s communication-focused PD plan, including my presentation on logical fallacies. Good luck and stay curious.

Author

Major Cameron Meikle is a currently serving armour officer with Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), spending the majority of his career at his Regiment or the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps School. A recent graduate of the US Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies, he holds two Master’s degrees and currently occupies the position of G5 at 6 Canadian Combat Support Brigade.

Abstract

Professional development activities within the Canadian Army need to apply to all members of the Defence Team to increase motivation to learn. 6 Canadian Combat Support Brigade Headquarters conducted a PD series on communication skills that yielded positive results. This article outlines this program for other units to use, modify, or act as inspiration.

1. Department of National Defence, The Canadian Armed Forces Ethos: Trusted to Serve (Kingston, ON: Canadian Defence Academy – Professional Concepts and Leader Development, 2022), 10.
2. Major John N. Rickard, Professional Development: Guide for Unit and Formation Command Teams, B‑GL-315-001/FT-007 (Kingston, ON: Army Publishing Office, 2023), 7.
3. Ibid, 3.
4. Ibid, 9.
5. Carl von Clausewitz, On War, trans. Michael Eliot Howard and Peter Paret (Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1989), 171.
6. Department of the Navy, Warfighting, Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication 1 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1997), 64.
7. War Diary, 4th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment, 14 and 17 December 1943, RG24, C-3, vol. 14205, Library and Archives Canada, https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_t12649/196.