The use of a serious gaming simulation in military leadership development

Purpose This study examined the effectiveness of the serious gaming simulation (SGS) Fligby® for leadership development among officers in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). Fligby® is based on the philosophical foundation of Flow and Flow-based leadership originally articulated. We chose to include leadership in VUCA contexts as VUCA is a term first introduced by the American military, and we wondered if the current VUCA environment within the CAF might be a factor negatively impacting the leadership culture. Since leadership development is prioritized for fostering essential cultural change within the CAF, we aimed to evaluate whether the SGS Fligby®, along with a pre-simulation workshop discussing Flow-based leadership and VUCA leadership, could effectively facilitate leadership development within the CAF. Design/methodology/approach This is a qualitative, phenomenological study of military leadership development. Data collection consisted of two data sets: (1) focus groups and (2) semi-structured interviews. Findings Participants reported enhanced self-awareness as leaders and an improved understanding of “VUCA,” “Flow” and “Flow-based leadership.” They also reported an improved understanding of leadership after the pre-simulation workshop and Fligby® gameplay. Participants suggested that the utility of the Fligby® simulation might best be realized with emerging junior military leaders who need to work in teams and thus enhance their human skills and decision-making as compared to leaders at a higher level in the Canadian military who focus on the more conceptual, strategic and organizational level. Overall, participants rated the workshop and simulation favorably for leadership development. Research limitations/implications There were several limitations to our research. Firstly, we would have preferred more time to develop VUCA and Flow-based leadership concepts with the participants. A one-day workshop was not enough time to fully explore these two concepts embedded in the Fligby® simulation. However, we had five days on-site with the officers to complete the workshop, gameplay, focus groups and semi-structured interviews, which were graciously set aside for our research by the Canadian Army Simulations Centre team and the participants. Another limitation of the research is that acute staffing shortages in the CAF and the consequent overload on existing personnel meant we had a sample of 11 officers at the rank of Captain, Major and Lieutenant-Colonel (some retired from active service but continued working with the CAF as contractors). A third limitation of our research is the selection of participants. We believed the Fligby® simulation would best suit senior-level officers at Captain, Major and Lieutenant-Colonel ranks. However, although the participants shared positive feedback on the workshop and the Fligby® simulation, they suggested that the seminar and simulation would be even more effective with newer emerging junior military leadership. Practical implications For the CAF leadership seeking systemic culture change throughout the organization, this study assists through identifying and improving specific leadership competencies using the SGS Fligby®. This study also provides an understanding of the ability of Flow-based leadership to develop a positive, Flow-oriented work/organizational culture within the Canadian Armed Forces. We wondered if a Flow-based approach to leadership might serve as a practical paradigmatic framework to support the desired culture change within the CAF. Further, the study presents insights into the effectiveness of the Fligby® SGS in fostering adaptable, strategic and human-centric leadership mindsets and skill sets for leadership and followership. Originality/value This research is part of an ongoing quest by leadership scholars across both public and private sectors to identify effective leadership development practices. This research is unique because of its use of the Fligby® SGS for military officer leadership development. SGSs have been used for military leadership development, but the Fligby® simulation together with a pre-simulation workshop discussing FLOW and FLOW-based leadership linked to VUCA leadership has not been so deployed.