by Joanne Markessini, Kenneth W. Lucas, Nicholas Chandler and T. Owen Jacobs
U.S. Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences
December 10, 1993
This report is one of several from a larger project to assess applicability of Stratified Systems Theory principles to top-level military and civilian leadership. Findings from interviews of Army General Officers from one-star to four-star have been published elsewhere. The present report details parallel analysis of interviews with twenty-seven civilian members of the Executive (ES) and Senior Executive Services (SES). They were included in the overall program of research because in many cases, given full mobilization, they would assume the staff duties of those of their uniformed counterparts who would be reassigned to field duty. General findings were that members of the SES reported similar task performance requirements and the need for similar skills and abilities as their General Officer counterparts. Nearly half of the sample was performing duties judged to be strategic in scope and scale. However, there were indications that the potential of some members of the SES exceeded their duty position requirements, i.e., they were not being fully challenged by the complexity and responsibility inherent in their jobs.