Key Leader Engagement
Key Leader Engagement is a key part of Counterinsurgency doctrine as developed by Western powers such as the US and UK.
A US produced guide for military commanders (also available via the UK government Stabilisation Unit[1]) cites General Stanley McChrystal on KLE:
- “Afghan culture is founded on personal relationships. Earning the trust of the people is a large part of our mission. Build relationships with tribal, community, and religious leaders. Success requires communication, collaboration, and cooperation.” GEN Stanley A. McChrystal, Commander ISAF ISAF Commander’s Counterinsurgency Guidance[2]
It also notes that:
- Building relationships to the point of effective engagement and influence usually takes time. Understanding cultural context, cognitive orientation patterns, and communication methods is essential to any CS approach. For personal relationships, it may also require and understanding of their cultural/social background, perspectives, capabilities, strengths, weaknesses, authorities, spheres of influence, and motivators. KLE is not about engaging key leaders when a crisis arises, it is about building relationships over time with enough strength and depth, so that they can then support our interests during times of crisis.[2]
Notes
- ↑ Stabilisation Unit Details for Commander’s Handbook for Strategic Communication, accessed 7 april 2011
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Commander’s Handbook for Strategic Communication and Communication Strategy Version 3.0 US Joint Forces Command Joint Warfighting Center 116 LAKE VIEW PARKWAY, SUFFOLK, VA 23435-2697, 24 June 2010, p. III-7 Cite error: Invalid
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