Episode 40 - Moral Terrain Coaching & Empathy - US Army Major Ben Ordiway & Lt Colonel Kevin Cutright

The Centre for Army Leadership Podcast

In this episode, we speak to US Army Major Ben Ordiway and Lt Colonel Kevin Cutright, based at the United States Military Academy at Westpoint. We discuss their developing concepts of Moral Terrain Coaching and how to consider empathy towards our adversary to gain an operational advantage. Both concepts are fundamentally important when the stakes are high, and for leaders to make time to engage with, train and practice the practical execution of morals, ethics and empathy if we are to prevail against our enemies, but also to protect our own forces. At its most basic level, there can be positive tactical advantages gained from being increasingly empathetic towards adversaries by understanding and anticipating them better, and being able to defeat them in more nuanced ways.