Conference Agenda

The role of the modern commander has changed significantly over the last two decades. While command structures, technology and interoperability have evolved, the demands placed on the individual commander have expanded at an even greater pace.

Today’s commanders are expected to manage the incident itself whilst navigating social media, misinformation, political scrutiny, organisational reputation, staff welfare and the knowledge that their decisions may be examined years later through a public inquiry.

This presentation explores a simple proposition: the future challenge for command and control is not simply communications, interoperability or technology, it is protecting the commander’s ability to think.

Drawing on recent major incidents, human factors and contemporary command practice, the session examines the growing cognitive demands placed on strategic leaders and asks whether modern command environments are becoming too complex for any individual to perform optimally.