Report of the RMC Board of Governors By the Withers' Study Group
Balanced Excellence Leading Canada's Armed Forces In The New Millenium
4500-240 (ADM (HR-Mil))
24 September 1998
Cross-reference p. 15 of 63 of official printed copy of report
The Study Group believes that if recruiting practices and admission policies for the College are appropriate, almost all candidates who are admitted will have the capacity to complete their programs and become effective officers in the CF. To take full advantage of this human capital, the entire conduct of the education and training must be based on the principle of "facilitating success". This philosophy is one of giving all reasonable assistance, with a view to getting the best possible performance out of each individual. It can require mentoring, some tailoring of programs to adjust for different starting points, and leading officer cadets towards leadership. It is an activist philosophy, and requires commitment on the part of its practitioners.
While there are elements of this approach evident in the life of the College, there is also evidence of its antithesis, which is the passive, bureaucratic philosophy of simply weeding out those who fail to clear prescribed hurdles, the "Darwinian" model. This emphasis on evaluation for filtering out the unfit is predicated on the assumption of an inexhaustible supply of talent. It is also an approach which appeals to the weary and dispirited, as it can be accomplished with lesser effort and lesser engagement. The Darwinian approach is admittedly more prevalent in the off-campus training than in activities at the College itself, and varies from Service to Service. Where it exists on campus, it is more from a lack of any coherent training and educational ideology than from consciously adopting the negativity inherent in just erecting hurdles and observing.
It is our view that the concept of facilitating success, applied to the high quality individuals who attend RMC, will make superior leaders, who in turn, will get the best out of others. It will also ensure that attrition will largely be limited to those who recognise that they have made a wrong career choice, plus a few cases of "force majeur".
The College and the training system in which it is embedded should have a sense of professional ownership and responsibility for these aspiring leaders. Facilitating success can be a bit onerous, but surely we would wish them to emulate a leadership which devotes itself to enabling them to succeed. This philosophy must inform and colour the recommendations which follow.