The Roman Marching Camp

by: Grant Rule

Imagine. It is late afternoon and a winding column of men is slowly advancing into mountainous, hostile territory.

Behind a protective screen of information-gathering scouts and skirmishers comes a unit of expert surveyors, assigned to find and mark out the key elements of the day's new camp. Following and providing assistance is a unit of engineers and specialists, tasked with breaking the ground to establish the 'bare bones' structure of the camp. Every important discipline is represented, albeit thinly.

A site is found, and the vanguard starts work as the column continues to advance.

As subsequent units arrive, the experts direct them to pre-ordained work sites and show them how to proceed. Their efforts contribute to tasks already initiated. Each specialist group gains members, until there is strength in depth. Eventually, the 'ground breakers' can be freed to recuperate and prepare to move on to repeat the process.

By nightfall, when the rearguard passes the guardians at the gateway, it is to find a fortified encampment, protected by a deep ditch surmounted by a strong palisade. Inside, the camp is well ordered, with accommodation, commissary, equipment, command centre, practice ground and work parties all in their appointed places, operating efficiently and effectively. Everyone knows where they should be and what they should be doing.

Day by day, the column advances. It is always well protected. It moves forward by easy stages, governed by the size of the army, the length of the marching column and the difficulty of the terrain. A new fortification is established each day and acts as a secure base.

If a setback occurs, the army may consolidate and defend the latest camp, or it may have to fall back to a previously established stronghold. Always there is an established garrison and fortification to support either advance or retreat.

Camps left along the line of march act as staging posts for the movement of supplies and trained reinforcements up to the front. Each becomes a centre with a catchment area influenced by the professional way operations are conducted by the garrison. Over time, the benefits of civilisation are exhibited to the local population, who are attracted to copy the disciplined behaviour of the conquerors.

The Roman army used the Marching Camp in a series of conquests over some 700 years. For us today it provides a model of how to implement an improvement culture in an existing organisation. Project by project. Repeatably gaining ground all the time, yet able to respond flexibly to opportunities and threats. Leveraging the expertise of skilled coaches and mentors to ensure each project starts and continues under good governance, while transferring knowledge to the less experienced. Thus building capability and strong performance.

The Roman Empire lasted 800 years, laying the foundation for much of European civilisation.

High Performance Managers

"…look not so much for the daring or fire-eating type [of centurion], but rather for men who are natural leaders and possess a stable and imperturbable temperament; not men who will open battle and launch attacks, but those who will stand their ground even when worsted and hard-pressed…"

Polybius, “The Roman Empire”

Process, A Refuge from Disaster

The disastrous situation "was saved by two things; first, the knowledge and experience of the soldiers, whose training… enabled them to decide… what needed doing without waiting to be told; secondly… the generals did not wait for further orders but… took measures they thought proper."

Julius Caesar, “The Conquest of Gaul”