1. Leader Communication (Briefing) L161
Common Core
Click on “Common Curriculum Development Division” to go to the IMT Lesson Share Point Site.

2. The Spaghetti Slide
Give the student a handout of this slide. Ask them how would you brief this slide?:
What do you think is being briefed?
How would you explain this to someone?
Would you have a good grasp of the subject from looking at the spaghetti slide?
Do you think this slide is effective? Why or why not?

3. Learning Objective Action: Develop a military briefing.
Condition: Acting as a company grade leader using critical communication skills; draw on references, class presentations, discussions, exercises, personal experience, and individual learning while faced with communication needs characteristic of the contemporary operational environment (COE).
Standard: Development will include:
The different types of briefings
Information
Decision
Mission
Staff
The steps of briefings.
Plan – Analyze the situation
Prepare – Construct a briefing outline
Execute – Deliver the brief
Assess – Follow-up
Receiving feedback effectively.
What is Feedback?
Where and how do you use Feedback in Leader Communication?
Procuring Feedback for better briefings
Learning Domain: Cognitive
Level of Learning: Application
Transition: Briefings are very important. What you say and how you say it is an important aspect of leadership. As a staff officers or company commanders you have numerous decisions to make and very little time to analyze the issues impacting these decisions. You depend greatly on your staff to help make sound and logical recommendations. The ability to communicate your ideas effectively and logically will greatly enhance your chances of accomplishing your task. In addition, the ability to handle the audience, and control the briefing will directly influence your chances of success. Hours of analysis could be wasted if you do not brief well. *ST 22-2 Ch.4

4. Types of Briefings DECISION INFORMATION MISSION STAFF *FM 6-0 Ch. 7
*Instructor Note: This Standard was a part of the student’s assigned reading prior to class. Facilitate a discussion to draw out the different types of briefs, which brief is most effective in XYZ situation (i.e. deployment, running a range, preparing for a field exercise), have any of the students facilitated a briefing, what was their experience with these briefs; good, bad?
**Do not show the “Four Types of Brief” slides unless the students are having trouble recalling the reading or need additional instruction on the four types of briefs.
What are Briefings?
What are the different types of briefings?
Why do you think the Army has the four types of briefs?
What type of brief do you feel is most effective? Why?
What type of brief deals primarily with facts?
BRIEFINGS, what are they? – Briefings are a means of presenting information or instructions to commanders, staffs, or other designated audiences. The techniques employed are determined by the purpose of the briefing, the desired response, and the role of the briefer. There are many formats for briefing but all must be in accordance with the Army style. The type of briefing will be dependent on the intent.
*FM 6-0 Ch. 7

5. Briefing Steps Why do you need the steps? What are they?
Plan – analyze the situation and prepare a briefing outline.
Prepare – collect information and construct the briefing.
Execute – deliver the briefing.
Assess – follow up as required.
*FM 6-0 Ch *ST 22-2 Ch. 4 para 4-4

6. Why Complete an Outline?
Plan
Why Complete an Outline?
RELATIONSHIPS
BALANCE
SUPPORT
Outlines make it easier to see relationships among your major points and supporting key points-ideas.
Outlines make it easier to check the balance of your communication. Do you have too much information about one point and too little for another?
Outlines makes it easier to produce your first draft. Once you complete an outline, you have stated a purpose, listed ideas that support your subject, identified evidence that support the briefing, and develop transitions that lead to a logical conclusion(s).
Discussion Questions:
Why would you want to recognize relationships among points and ideas?
How would you know if you did not have balance in your briefing?
Can briefings be done without an outline?
How do you think this affects their effectiveness?
**Instructor Notes: Allow time for a few questions to further answer student concerns. Let them know that outlines are useful for both briefing and writing. If you require outlines of your students prior to their communication, detail your expectations for this outline.

7. Building a Briefing Outline
Prepare
Building a Briefing Outline
I. Introduction
A. Greeting. Address audience. Identify yourself and org.
B. Type and Classification of Briefing. For example, “This is an
information briefing. It is classified SECRET.”
C. Purpose and Scope. Describe complex subjects from general to specific.
D. Outline or Procedure. Briefly summarize the key points and general approach. Explain any special procedures (such as,
demonstrations, displays, or tours). For example, “During my briefing, I’ll discuss the six phases of our plan.
II. Main Body
A. Arrange the main ideas in a logical sequence.
B. Use visual aids to emphasize main ideas.
C. Plan effective transitions from one main point to the next.
D. Be prepared to answer questions at any time.
III. Closing
A. Ask for questions.
B. Briefly recap main ideas and make a concluding statement.
C. Announce the next speaker.
The use of an outline is a very successful tool for briefing and written communication in the Army. In most all cases, an outline will serve as a time saver and information enhancer in briefings.
Discussion Questions:
What are some of the benefits of following a briefing outline?
How does effective speaking come into play during your briefings?

8. BREAK
(10-minutes)

9. Feedback What is Feedback?
Commanders use feedback to compare the actual situation to their visualization, and decide whether to adjust operations, and direct actions.
Takes many forms
Information, knowledge, experience, and wisdom
Comes from many sources
Subordinates, higher headquarters, or adjacent, supporting, and supported forces
What is Feedback -
Feedback is information about the situation
It allows commanders to compare the situation
It has to be interpreted
In order for it to be effective, it must be processed into knowledge-the person receiving the feedback has to understand it and what to do with it
*(This slide is just a quick reference for feedback according to the old FM The FM is out of date but the information on feedback is still appropriate.)

10. Where and how do you use Feedback in Leader Communications?
AARs are dependent on good feedback
ADRP 6-22 states that
"The subordinate is expected to be an active participant who seeks constructive feedback.“
"Feedback from a leader during routine daily assignments can also direct subordinates to areas where they can focus their development."
All Army leaders have a duty to use feedback in their communications
The question and answer period is a form of feedback. You can tell if the audience "got" your brief from the type of questions they ask
Instructor Notes: Be sure to instruct the students that feedback is a two-way communication process in a lot of cases. It is not just giving feedback without letting the subordinate ask questions. At the same time, it is not just receiving feedback without questioning how you could have performed better. This is especially critical in AAR's. They need to know that it is their duty to seek feedback and ask questions that would make them a better leader. They also need to know it is their duty to respond to questions from feedback that they give in order to develop their Soldiers. Instruct the students that the receipt of feedback is a critical piece of leader self-development. It is very important in briefing to use the question and answer period to get effective feedback. You can use the following questions to "dig down" and set them on the path to thinking of how they can ask for and use it for the benefit of not only their career, but also to develop a new level of self-awareness.

11. Procuring Feedback for Better Briefings
Ask for it!
Feedback is not a "gotcha" method of communication
Follow up on the feedback you give your subordinate, as well as any that you get
Provide ways to implement suggestions given from feedback
Discussion Questions:
Feedback: How do you get it?
What do you do with it?
How can you use it?
Instructor Notes: Explain that these suggestions for feedback, in regards to leader communications, is an extension of the Army Leadership Requirements Model found in ADRP It is a leader's duty to uphold these competencies and these suggestions fall mostly along the lines of A Leader of Character, A Leader with Intellectual Capacity, and the Core Competency of Develops.
Other Discussion Questions:
How can you ask for feedback in your briefings?
How does feedback make you a better leader?
How can you make the most use of the feedback you receive?

12. BREAK
(10-minutes)

13. Apply
Have the students divide into three groups and work on building an outline on a subject that the instructor chooses.
They will then develop and refine the outline into a full 10 minute brief and have one person from each group brief.
This briefer will present the brief to the entire class.
Peer-to-peer critique
It is here that you will give the student groups a PE on military briefing.
Some ideas for a subject are: how to run an AAR; how to build an alert roster; maintenance on vehicles; etc. Check the outline to make sure that it complies with Army standards.
The instructor should look for good oral communication skills and the ability to correctly address an audience.
Leave time for peer-to-peer critique after the presentation. Make comments and ensure student understanding of the material presented.
Instructor Note: It is imperative that the instructor give feedback on the outline and the briefing to the students. Even though the brief is not a "graded" requirement, it is the instructor's duty to give effective feedback to the students.
Give the students about minutes to develop their brief. Take a quick 10 minute BREAK in between the development and the presentation of the briefings. Allow 3 minutes of Instructor/Peer critiques between each group/brief.
i.e. Group 1 – Briefing (10 minutes) followed by Peer/Instructor evaluations (3 minutes).
Group 2 – Briefing (10 minutes) followed by Peer/Instructor evaluations (3 minutes).
Group 3 – Briefing (10 minutes) followed by Peer/Instructor evaluations (3 minutes).
**Optional Instructions for Apply: Have the Soldiers work together outside of class and comeback the next morning to present their briefings.

14. Questions?

15. BACK UP SLIDES

16. Alternate CE Insert a Complex Branch specific graphic.
Choose a “Branch” specific complex visual and have students come up with a plan on how they would brief that slide. After students have reviewed the slide, ask similar questions from the original CE.
What do you think is being briefed?
How would you explain this to someone?
Would you have a good grasp of the subject based on your prior experience and branch?
Do you think this slide is effective? Why or why not?

17. Considerations During Preparation
1. Collect Materials Needed.
Use the Seven-Step Army Problem-Solving Process.
• Research.
• Become familiar with the subject.
• Collect authoritative opinions and facts.
2. Prepare First Draft.
• Prepare draft outline.
• Include visual aids.
• Review with appropriate authority.
3. Revise First Draft and Edit.
• Verify facts, including those that are important and necessary.
• Include answers to anticipated questions.
• Refine materials.
4. Plan Use of Visual Aids.
• Check for simplicity.
• Check for readability.
5. Practice.
• Rehearse (with assistants and visual aids).
• Refine.
• Isolate key points.
• Memorize outline.
• Develop transitions.
• Anticipate and prepare for possible questions.

18. Check on Learning
Have the students to break into groups of two. The instructor should ask each group to give examples of items that can make a brief go well or poorly, have them discuss amongst their group. (5 minutes)
Ask the students to give examples that they discussed, the instructor can write these on the white board. (5 minutes)

19. Develop How will you use the steps to briefing in your future?
How will you use an outline in the future to enhance your briefs?
How will you stress to your Soldiers the importance of following Army guidance when briefing you or a superior?
How will you ensure that you give your Soldiers and subordinates effective feedback?
How will you use negative feedback that you may receive in the future to make you a better leader?
What value has this portion of instruction had for you? How will you use it in your leadership communication?