PSYCHOLOGICAL DETERMINANTS OF MANAGERIAL COMPETENCE OF OPERATIONAL LEVEL OFFICERS

Abstract

The scientific article is dedicated to a comprehensive investigation of psychological determinants of managerial competence among operational-level officers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine within the context of contemporary security challenges. The relevance of the research is conditioned by transformational processes in the military sphere, demanding fundamentally innovative approaches to professional training and managerial activities of military leaders.

The methodological framework of the study is grounded in an integrative approach that synthesizes psychological, managerial, and socio-professional concepts. The authors' scientific contribution unveils the multidimensional nature of managerial competence through the prism of psychological mechanisms of professional effectiveness under conditions of high uncertainty and constant change.

Key scientific findings demonstrate that military management effectiveness is determined by the synergy of technical skills, psychological resilience, leadership potential, and adaptive capabilities. Managerial competence is conceptualized as a dynamic, multilevel psychological phenomenon integrating cognitive, communicative, reflexive, and axiological components of professional activity.

The research reveals the evolution of professional requirements for operational-level officers, where priority shifts from narrowly specialized technical skills to the ability for comprehensive strategic thinking, adaptation, and psychologically balanced personnel management. Interdisciplinary competencies that enable effective resolution of complex managerial tasks under uncertainty acquire particular significance.

The scientific novelty of the work lies in developing a conceptual model of managerial competence that transcends traditional perceptions of military personnel training. The proposed model emphasizes psychological mechanisms of leadership, emotional intelligence, stress resistance, and the capacity for continuous professional development.

The practical significance of the research is realized through developed recommendations for improving officer training systems. Key areas include developing technological adaptability, forming interdisciplinary competencies, enhancing emotional intelligence and strategic thinking levels.

In contemporary security conditions, the managerial competence of an operational-level officer emerges as a complex psychological construct extending beyond classical notions of professional training. Determinative factors become not so much technical skills as the ability to demonstrate creativity, rapid adaptation, consider motivational characteristics of different military personnel generations, and construct effective communication strategies.

The theoretical significance of the work resides in a systemic analysis of psychological determinants of managerial competence utilizing contemporary scientific approaches. This enabled conceptualizing the notion of managerial competence and revealing its internal psychological structure.

Prospects for further research are associated with in-depth exploration of psychological mechanisms of managerial competence formation, development of innovative professional training technologies, and creation of differentiated leadership potential development programs for officers at various levels.

The scientific work is of interest to psychologists, managers, researchers in professional education and military affairs, as it offers a contemporary perspective on professional military personnel training under conditions of high uncertainty.