The Screwtape Letters
In 1942 the English author, CS. Lewis, published a novel in the form of a series of letters, The Screwtape Letters. The letters were from an experienced devil named Screwtape who was giving advice to his young nephew Wormwood. His protégé was attempting to learn the dark ways of corrupting the souls of those people on life’s journey. Lewis masterfully communicated faith and morals by explaining an evil perspective. In this new series, I am attempting to communicate the best practices of effective emergency management using irony and sharing how some legacy emergency managers may be mentoring their own protégés. I will provocatively postulate what I have seen and experienced between old-school methods and next generation emergency management. It is my hope that the letters will engender a spirited debate as I dive into the old world of traditional emergency management and the new world of what I am calling “Adaptive Emergency Management.” I hope you enjoy The Dogma Letters.
Dogma Letter # 13
My dear Wormwood,
Your last letter made me reflect on my own time overseeing emergency management training programs. It was, I must admit, a tiresome assignment. The most difficult part was managing the instructors. Too many of them seemed to believe their job was to teach students how to think. A dangerous notion! I spent much of my time ensuring they understood that the true purpose of training is not to encourage thought but to enforce standardized processes.
One particularly troublesome instructor once asked me, in an almost pathetic tone, “But, sir, don’t we want them to think?” I corrected him immediately. If by “thinking” he meant questioning doctrine, considering alternative approaches, or—heaven forbid—encouraging independent judgment, then it was clear such “thinking” was neither productive nor desirable. I reminded him that we are not top academic institutions like the University of Southern California or Harvard. We are an emergency management bureaucracy, and we do not reward those who stray from the accepted doctrine. We teach ICS, WMD, and other curriculum intended to keep emergency responders and managers within the confines of dogmatic practices.
Another significant challenge was ensuring that every student received identical instruction. This required a relentless commitment to uniformity. Students and instructors come with varying levels of ability and usually it is best for us to choose instructors who have little real experience or are not qualified in the position they are teaching. We cannot afford to acknowledge that instructors with experience may be better than emergency managers without. I mean, after all, an emergency manager is an emergency manager is an emergency manager. Also, every trainee must move at the pace of the slowest among them. Instructors who try to go beyond the standard curriculum must be reined in. We need to make sure we have rules that require them to stick to the approved curriculum. Their job is not to innovate but to execute. The integrity of our system depends on ensuring that no matter how capable—or incapable—a trainee may be, the outcome remains the same for all.
The same insubordinate instructor resisted this. He claimed it was akin to a Manchurian Candidate! I did not bother to confirm whether he was following my directives. I was too busy with administrative matters to leave my office and observe. However, he was undoubtedly too dangerous to be tolerated. He was intelligent, energetic, and worst of all, willing to question the status quo. Such individuals must be neutralized before they infect others with their disruptive ideas. I ensured his career was ended with a carefully worded performance evaluation, signaling to my superiors that he was a “poor fit” for the organization. He left shortly thereafter, which was exactly the outcome I had intended.
You must understand this, Wormwood. Those who rise in this field do not do so because they challenge the system. They advance because they understand their place and serve their superiors well. The best instructors and employees are careerists looking for upward mobility over continuous improvement. Those who focus on compliance rather than critical thinking will find success. I did not reach my position because I was a thinker. I am in the high position I am because I knew how to conform and not question my superiors and their way of doing things.
Take this lesson to heart, Wormwood. Encourage no original thought, no deviations from the doctrine, no dangerous flirtations with creativity. We do not need innovative leaders. We need obedient managers. That is how we ensure the system remains intact.
Your devoted uncle,
Screwtape