CAF Culture Change

AIM/ISSUE

The time for culture change within the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) has finally arrived. Previous efforts to welcome those from underrepresented groups and truly build diversity and inclusion have failed. To be successful, the military needs to find a way to harness the momentum and urgency to make enduring and genuine progress without compromising operational effectiveness. This paper will examine why previous attempts to bring change to the CAF culture have been unsuccessful and what role ethics and institutional leaders will play in shifting the profession of arms into a fighting force of the future. These issues will be dissecting through the lens of Master Warrant Officers (MWO) and Chief Petty Officer Second Class (CPO2) whom play a critical role in leading institutional change and make recommendations to create the culture our members deserve.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND

After decades of turning a blind eye to issues such as sexual misconduct, gender integration, purging of LGBT members, and mistreatment of marginalized groups, the CAF finds itself at a crossroads. The Canadian military has been shaken by allegations of misconduct at the highest level and indictments of a toxic culture. Ethical leadership and ethos are central to the conversation about our current culture crisis, and no issue is more important or relevant today. So, what are the risks of getting the culture change wrong?

Members of the profession of arms are unique. Warfighting is a serious and dangerous business, and the concept of unlimited liability is derived from an understanding of the professional military occupation. Members of the forces accept and understand that they are subject to being lawfully ordered into harm's way, which could lead to the loss of their lives. In an exclusive organization such as the profession of arms, how do we become inclusive and representative of the country we serve and protect?

The CAF will need to shift its culture carefully while being operationally focused and relevant to Canadians. Training and education are essential to enhance critical thinking and innovation which will ensure readiness for future complex conflicts as professional soldiers. This analysis will identify the risks and challenges of rushing the culture change and examine the specific role that the MWO/CPO2 will play in creating the sort of culture expected of an agile force of the future.

Research question & Methodology

Why have previous attempts to change the CAF culture failed, and what role will institutional leaders play in shifting the profession of arms of the future? Exploring credible academic works and institutional documents have led to identification of the problem and recommendations to fix this pervasive issue. Finally, after mapping the systems and analyzing the problems, approaching it systematically, sorting and arranging the information to have a logical topic with a clear and actionable conclusion using SMART.

ORGANIZATIONAL MAPPING

At the center of the ecosystem is the problem of enabling culture change within the complex systems of the CAF institution. To analyze this professional issue, I have broken it down into four systems: Individual, Leadership, CPCC and Subcultures (Annex A-Figure 1- Mindmap - Culture Change). The basic hierarchy of the CAF is based on the individual soldier who demonstrates the ethos and behaviours expected of the organisation and is loyal to the CAF and Canadians. However, social and cultural norms in Canada have changed, and it is essential to update individual and collective understandings of military professionalism (Greco and Hlatky, 2020). For CAF members to demonstrate competence they must embrace military ethos, pursue high standards of expertise, maintain uniformity, service requirements, and accept commitments and responsibilities, including the risk of death or harm (Defence, 2009, p. 72). Followers look towards their leadership as an example of ethical behaviour, trust, stewardship, and the organization's vision (Gabriel, 2007, p. 192). Leaders, in turn, have the ultimate responsibility of ensuring the well-being of their soldiers.

Being exclusive and having a sense of belonging to a unique community allows soldiers to fit in and be accepted but also means an organization resistant to change which is a considerable challenged and risk when attempting to shift the culture. Soldiering in the past was perceived to be a masculine role and men’s work only. The CAF currently risks being perceived as a cult of masculinity by only accepting those members who share outdated and misguided values, norms and lifestyles (Dunivin, 1996, p. 2). Maintaining operational capability and having soldiers understand unlimited liability are essential in the military context of the warrior spirit. Internal integration brings all the systems together through communication from the individual soldier to the strategic alignment of the institution. All systems and sub-systems are linked and flow together and require cohesiveness.

ANALYSIS

For the purpose of this paper, three main problems have been identified that must be solved to change the culture. These problems are broken down into ethical leadership, communication and internal integration. Ethical leadership becomes paramount when attempting a paradigm shift from an exclusive to an inclusive culture. ^{Footnote 1} The concepts of honesty, integrity, trust and fairness are critical to principled leadership. In addition, members of the profession of arms are expected to "share a set of core values and beliefs found in the military ethos that guides them in the performance of their duty and allows a special relationship of trust to be maintained within Canadian society" (Defence, 2017, p. 19). Having a code of ethics is essential in establishing the soldiers' feeling of uniqueness by belonging to an exclusive community.

The creation of the Chief Professional Conduct and Culture (CPCC) in April 2021 was an important step to address and overhaul the institution by ensuring military culture finally is shifted ^{Footnote 2}. De Hoogh and Den Hartog (2008) explain that a lapse in ethics at the top of an organization can have catastrophic results (p. 297). Recent media scandals revolving around senior CAF leadership are proof of this statement. CAF leaders who are fair and act with integrity are proposed to be honest, principled, just, and trustworthy and likely to treat others equally and with respect (Siegel, 2013, p. 17). Furthermore, according to Defence (2003), a professional NCM Corps must exhibit military ethos that unites members through a shared understanding of the characteristics and expectations of being a part of the profession of arms and the unique contribution made to Canada (p. 6).

Empowering leaders to listen to their subordinates, involving them in decisions and showing concern for their well-being will build confidence and morale (Siegel, 2013, p. 17). Leaders who display ethical behaviour positively shape ethical climates, impacting job satisfaction and organizational commitment (Northouse, 2021, p. 205). Leaders have an immense impact on the conduct of everyone they influence and, by virtue, the whole institution.

Communication is essential if leaders expect to influence effectively. ^{Footnote 3} For a leader to captivate their audience, they must have experience, expertise, knowledge and factual information about the topic. Credibility and trustworthiness play critical roles in effective communication (Horn & Walker, 2008, p. 3). If someone does not trust the person, they will not trust the message. Leaders in today's military need to collaborate and seek perspectives from various people and groups with different standpoints and lived experiences. Listening to others is not only a principal act of leadership but a great communication tool to engage with followers.

The MWO/CPO2 will need to act as change agents, role models and leaders by leveraging their persuasion and influence to communicate the need for culture change by ensuring internal integration is coherent. Role modeling can shape organizations and creates positive benefits which have an enormous impact on the workplace (Coleman, 2018). CAF leaders need to act as ethical role models. ^{Footnote 4} Through communication with those at all levels; we will better understand existing stigmas and hurdles in changing the CAF culture.

Internal integration in the CAF context means all the units, elements and soldiers work together to achieve mission success. Leaders are responsible for building “effective teams that think and act in terms of the higher organization” (Canada, 2007, p. 5). Leadership in the forces is unique and includes dealing with competing values and managing the risks inherent in making decisions that sometimes involve life or death. According to Northouse (2021), "virtues and moral abilities are not innate but can be acquired and learned through practice" (p. 428). Soldiers can be taught by their families and communities to be decent human beings. The profession of arms is our community, and it is our responsibility to ensure newcomers are introduced to what is right and wrong in a military context while being indoctrinated into our unique culture.

Recruiting and retaining members from underrepresented groups will remain a challenge until these groups feel they will be treated fairly and respected and welcomed by the CAF family. We need to increase our internal understanding and commitment to recruiting and retaining women, Indigenous Peoples, members of minority/racialized groups, and the LGBTQ2+ community. ^{Footnote 5} The CAF is dedicated “to demonstrating leadership in reflecting Canadian ideals of diversity, respect and inclusion, including striving for gender equality and building a workforce that leverages the diversity of Canadian society" (Defence, 2009, p.23). Those in leadership positions influence change directly and indirectly through these actions.

RECOMMENDATION/CONCLUSION

Recommendations

• Breaking down barriers for underrepresented groups in the CAF, including women, Indigenous Peoples, and other visible minorities is essential. People from these groups have unique experiences and perspectives that should be harnessed to prevent future workplace barriers. Leaders within the Defence Team need to be serious about improving the relationship with minority communities by engaging the members through Defence advisory groups (DAG) ^{Footnote 6} and other methods to be a future learning organization. Once this is done, these communities will see the CAF as an organization in which they are safe, and we will be able to recruit, grow, and learn from our diversity.
• Leadership will need to act as change agents and influence the people and the organization by setting the example of honesty, accountability and acceptance. Our values must adapt to the times and the organization's expectations based on Canadian society's demands. As institutional leaders, we will need to act as ethical role models to play a critical role as change agents in accepting diversity and demanding change.
• Recruiting those who share CAF values and getting rid of those members who refuse or are toxic is essential. We are all responsible for ushering in this change, regardless of rank, unit, element or background.
• Be patient with ourselves and acknowledge that this will take time, and there is much work to be done. We will lean on talented and motivated people who will need to lead the charge to make this a success. It will not just be the responsibility of generals or those from underrepresented groups but requires an all-hands-on-deck approach.

Conclusion

CAF culture change is an extremely complex and relevant problem which will require capable individuals, systems and sub-systems to work together in consultation with exterior influence to solve. For the Canadian military to avoid becoming an irrelevant, isolated counter-culture, it must embrace culture change leadership at all levels. The MWO/CPO2 of the future will be asked to play a critical role in marshalling in these changes. Transformation will not occur overnight, but we must continue to uphold and adjust the institutional policies and ensure those under our leadership follow them closely to see our trusted profession thrive and progress into the future. The future of the CAF is the responsibility of each leader who accepts the challenge of leading the institution.

Annex A – Mindmap

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