The English Department has chosen the theory of transformative learning to design its approach to training the officers of Ecole de Guerre. In that process, individual goal setting and individual assessment in foundational to the success of transformative pedagogy. This overlaps with the importance for leaders to set SMART goals for themselves to improve the skill set they have acquired while leading men and women under their command, in their specific line of work. Their goals must be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based (SMART). These individual interviews give the officers a space to discuss and define their goals with a faculty member. He or she will help them define specific, challenging yet attainable goals. This will be the grounds on which they can shape a vision that they want to get to. It is exhausting for the faculty and the admin team but a necessary sacrifice for successful leadership and talent development.

The English Department delivered its first vignette of the year during an introduction to a POLMIL module in CHEM (Centre des hautes études militaires). The department was met with an interesting challenge. There is very little literature in the US or the UK that reveals how the French POLMIL structure is viewed or understood. The only hints could be found by studying the British or American press coverage of Operation Serval. Looking into competing interpretations is crucial to identify the misunderstandings that persist in your allies mind. This is what gives one the opportunity to debunk them and pave the road for improved mutual understanding.