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Command Task (Overview and Tips)

Command task is one of the most important tasks you have with your GTO. After seeing your
performance in the Discussions, GTO by now has made a judgment about you and would like to
check you more and verify his decision whether you are to be recommended by him or now.

First of all your whole group would be called for fall in, meaning you would be ask to stand in a
straight line. Then GTO would ask who would like to become the first commander. It has been
seen that almost all the candidates raise their hand. But it’s up to GTO to select one among you
all. Usually he picks the candidates based on his assumption that guy no 1 is the best among the
rest according to his performance in discussion and should be tested first. But this is not a hard
and fast rule. He might pick anyone.

Now comes a tricky part. He selects one candidate and takes him to the Command task. During
that walk he asks the candidates some questions. He says that this is an "informal discussion and
has nothing to do with ISSB" but in reality its also an assessment. He asks you questions like "aj
kal kia ker rahay ho?" and other question in very polite and friendly manner as if he is your close
friend. That’s a trick to get an insight. BE CAUTIOUS.

When you reach the task, he gives you a briefing, telling you about the time you have, which
items you can use like drum, ropes, planks etc. He would tell you which points are "out of
bound" marked red , which are "in bound" which are "out of bound for you but in bound for your
items" marked with red and yellow strips. Ground is usually out of bound. Out of bound means
that if you touch that point it would be a foul and you would have to do it again. Moreover,
sometimes even jumping and throwing are also declared foul.

NOTE: Listen to his briefing clearly and remember the position of how the items (drums ropes
planks) are placed before the task, as you have to put them back in the same position and order
after the task. After hearing the entire briefing, call your group and then you start the task. After
getting the briefing from the GTO, he would give you some seconds to think of a plan as how
you would get the people across. After that time you have to call your group. Once they arrive
you have to give them briefing as given to you by the GTO. Usually in Command tasks the main
objective is to transport the material and the group across a certain piece of land which has some
ditches, some (pi) shaped wooden stands on which you have to put the plank and cross that
particular piece of land.

After giving the briefing to the group you have to ask them if they have any questions. If they
say NO, then you should tell them your plan as how you want to get the things done. If someone
gives a valuable advice then consider it otherwise if someone in your group tries to show
efficiency and act as a "smart ass" ignore his points and make the people concentrate on your
plan. You should only change your plan if its not working and there is a strong opposition of the
group.

In my case the group wanted to opt for a path which I didn’t. But when they all said no we
should go for their choice I let them. But they failed. So i moved forward myself and showed
them what I was planning was actually right, and when i executed my plan myself I actually did
it what others could not do.

When your task is over then try to perform well in other's task, don’t try to show off efficiency,
but actually perform efficiently. GTO will be monitoring each and everyone. And when others
would see that you give valuable suggestions, and act efficiently they would even rely on you
and that makes a great impression before the GTO.

Some words of Advice and caution:

1. when you are a commander don’t think that you are just to give orders and others will execute.
When your help is needed, you should work with the group.
2. Avoid using the words "difficult" "impossible" "no" “not" "never" etc. Instead of saying
"doing this would be difficult" you can say "doing this would be more TIME CONSUMING".
3. Call everyone with their chest number not by their name. It’s a foul to call them by their name.
4. Use the people in your group wisely. Those who are trouble makers, keep them behind or
away from the critical work. Those who are physically strong, make them lift loads like drums
and planks. Those who are slim, to climb up the plank. Those who are thin and tall are good for
jumping. In other words you should use your human resource efficiently.
5. In other's command task when you have a suggestion you should convey it first to Commander
"Sir if we do this it would save a lot of time" or "it would help us greatly". This would catch the
attention of GTO.
6. Always try to remain at the most critical point of the Task from where u can get the task done.
7. It’s not compulsory that the task gets completed in the time allotted, when the GTO sees that
the task would get completed or there is no way it would get done in time, he usually tells to stop
and finishes it to save time. In my own task just 1st step was done in time and the whole task was
still to be done, but when GTO saw that i can do it, he said "your time is up". GTO just wants to
check your nerves, your ability to command others, your ability to come up with instant plans to
solve some problem or challenge.
8. When the time is UP, put all the planks drums and other stuff back to their original place
where they were at the start of the task. In exactly the same order.

Admin – Arslan Abid

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