Lesson 1.13e Explanation

Explanation

All the previous cognitive skills are useless if you can not explain yourself in a way that will achieve your desired effect and complete your mission. Explanation is to state the results of one's reasoning; to justify that reasoning in terms of the evidential, conceptual, methodological, criteriological, and contextual considerations upon which one's results were based; and to present one's reasoning in the form of cogent arguments.

The plan had to cover everything from fixing timely ordering from customer to supplier, unloading convoys in a timely fashion at destination, to recovering damaged vehicles so convoys had minimum delays on the road.

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The BC’s challenge was to clearly explain all the problems in the system in a clear and concise matter, and then to present a plan that would satisfy all the competing stakeholders. Obviously, the movement controllers had to develop a plan before they could present it. To do so they worked with their staff counterparts of the stakeholder units so the plan was feasible and acceptable to them. The BC worked with his counterparts to socialize the plan and ensure no one was going to look (too) bad. By the time it was time to explain the situation and the plan to the brass, the key players were on board. The plan was not perfect and the colonels and generals made a few changes, but you have to give a little to get a lot.

The sub-skills under explanation are stating results, justifying procedures, and presenting arguments.