Did Eisenhower's Failure To Promote Unity Of Effort

Question 1a
Eisenhower matured into an effective strategic leader while serving as the Supreme Allied Commander during WWII. His early failure to promote unity of effort showed poor utilization of point of view and assumptions according to Gerras’ critical thinking model. His decision to demand control over allied air resources proved an excellent use of evaluate information and implications. Eisenhower had become a competent and confident leader tasked with the ultimate complex mission. Eisenhower was ultimately an effective strategic leader.
Eisenhower’s inaction to promote unity of effort is a prime example of a critical thinking failure during his Command in the Mediterranean Theater from 1942-43. Allied dysfunction stemmed from a failure

This process focuses efforts externally with the ultimate goal of gaining resources to achieve a competitive advantage. This was displayed in his controversial pursuit and alliance with Darlan. Eisenhower embraced Darlan to gain naval resources and to ultimately stem the fighting. Eisenhower needed ships to transport troops and supplies from Algeria as well as access to French airfields. Eisenhower pursued de Gaulle as well whom he felt was critical in maintaining and establishing a united French front. Effective boundary spanning also includes influencing subordinates to properly engage outside entities. Eisenhower felt so strongly about the importance of de Gaulle’s potential contributions to the war effort that he persuaded Marshall to champion his cause to Roosevelt. In order to achieve results, strategic leaders learn how to best employ all of the potential resources available to them. Tactical and operational leaders tend to focus myopically on their internal assets and fail to leverage outside resources. Eisenhower accepted great risk and tenaciously sought external support because it was important to achieving his objectives. He effectively utilized boundary spanning to leverage his strengths as a leader of his command

In regards to command climate, leaders can be characterized as toxic, transitional or trustworthy. Trustworthy leaders operate under the principal of selflessness and tend to put their needs behind that of the organization and subordinates. Eisenhower earned trust and displayed his care for his soldiers by assuming their risks, ensuring they received equitable benefits and demanding no special treatment. Examples included refusing to wear his helmet as a sign of respect for combat troops, engaging soldiers in the field, enforcing distribution of cigarettes and chocolate to the frontlines, and giving rides to any allied soldier. On multiple occasions, Eisenhower was adamant that he would accept being fired if it meant that his decisions would save lives. Eisenhower’s command team witnessed his selflessness shown by his 18-hour workdays and that he perceived his mission as a calling and not just an assignment. This is precisely what separates a trustworthy leader, or one who has the best collective interest of the organization, and a transitional or toxic one. Eisenhower used trust to influence his command climate and ultimately influence his command team. He accomplished this by exuding self-sacrificing behavior and re-focusing the spotlight off himself and onto the mission. He effectively led his command team through the command climate principle of