Psychological Dimensions of Effective Leadership and Duty Performance Before, During and After Deployment Abroad.

摘要

The aims of the report are to assess the social psychological factors, influencing the stress level and the quality of duty performance before, during and after deployment. In addition, it aims at assessing existing problems in selection, education and training of military personnel working in multinational environment during modern military operations. Furthermore, the paper summarizes the commanders assessment of the psychological support effectiveness and efficiency. Finally, measures for improving the system for psychological preparation and participation of the Bulgarian military in international operations are suggested. The presented empirical data is obtained through recent surveys carried out in cooperation between Defense Advanced Research Institute at Rakovski Defense and Staff College and the Center for Military Psychology and Prevention. The data analysis aim at assisting the optimal decision making of the commanders in improving the psychological support system as well as the overall activities associated with the Bulgarian contingents deployment in missions abroad. Based on the analyses the researchers team stands for the opinion that the training aimed at building skills for stress prevention and control in its biggest part happens during the overall units predeployment training and leaders training for mission deployment. In this respect, the paper contains a broader circle of recommendations, going outside the frame of the narrow psychological training. In our opinion, the stress prevention and control training should be incorporated as an implicit part in the everyday training and education of the Peace Support Operations participants.