Failure - Getting Over It

I fail to influence people to the degree that I would like.  But I keep on trying.  I keep on communicating the message.  Hugh MacLeod has it just right in saying that "We've all failed at some point or another in our lives."  The Question is "What do you come away with?"  I have always used failure to inspire me to do better. Like my Father has said on more than one occasion, "Sometimes 'good enough' just isn't good enough."  So, failure is my muse - also.

unWritten Rule 14 - Strive for brevity and clarity

It takes longer to write cleanly and crisply.  It shows respect for the time of others when you do (write cleanly).

As you grow in position and assume roles of increasing responsibility and complexity, you truly appreciate those who communicate with brevity and clarity.  Their e-mails, notes and reports will get read!  Conversely, and sadly, good ideas in hard-to-open packages wrapped with complicated bows may be overlooked.

William H. Swanson

Navy SEALS look to diversify... I mean Diversity

The Navy is re-purposing its old push to recruit more minorities into Navy SEAL teams.  

Back in 1999, Congress directed a study by the RAND Institute to look at Black representation in the SEALs and Special Operations units.  The study affirmed what the Navy already knew - SEALs are widely perceived as an all white organization.  Back in 2002, RADM Eric Olson said the problem has never been that Blacks could not qualify for SEALS (less than 30% of applicants of any race make it).  Blacks were (and continue) succeeding in the same percentages as whites.  RADM Olson said the problem was that the Navy couldn't attract Blacks in large enough numbers to make a difference in the overall representation of minorities in the SEALs.

Fast forward to today and Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Mark Thompson of TIME Magazine provides a thoughtful update to the Navy's ongoing efforts to increase minority representation among its most elite fighting force.  Obviously some will see this as an effort to undermine the strength of our elite fighting forces.  SEALs and Marines are known for being uncompromising when maintaining standards.  As long as those standards are maintained, the SEALs will welcome all who meet them.  Few can.

You can read Mark's excellent piece HERE.  And don't miss ACT OF VALOR!!

Food for thought

There are 631,914 people (active, Reserve, civilian) serving in the Navy.

Why would you possibly let just 1 of them stand in the way of your success?

Information Dominance Industry Day

Key IDC leaders are briefing industry on a variety of Information Dominance topics on 7 March 2012.

VADM Kendall Card, USN

Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Dominance

Focus Questions:

1. How will the Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Information Dominance (N2/N6) achieve information dominance into the 21st Century?
2. What are the top five challenges to achieving Information Dominance?
3. How does the IDC learn what is occurring in the private sector?

PRESIDENT'S BUDGET FY-13 OVERVIEW

The current fiscal environment poses many new challenges to the continuing development of Navy Information Dominance.  The Fiscal Year 13 President’s Budget will incorporate deficit reduction measures and will provide an outlook on future budgets for the next five to ten years.  With major cuts already made to the Department of Defense, additional reductions could result in a strategic shift of the Nation’s military capabilities.  This PB FY-13 overview provides context for Information Dominance Day, identifies cuts, and conveys our priorities.

Focus Questions:

1. What adjustments to the Information Dominance Strategy are being made as a result of the fiscal environment?
2. Which IDC programs are Navy focusing on?
3. How can Industry partners help the Navy Information Dominance meet these fiscal challenges?
4. What Industry opportunities will develop as part of these potential budget cuts?

Mr. Mark Andress, SES

Director of Warfare Integration Directorate

STRENGTHENING THE INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE

To operate and fight effectively in future maritime environments, the Navy is undertaking a number of initiatives to minimize the risk of losing a competitive informational advantage over potential adversaries.  Operations in high-threat scenarios require robust over-the-horizon communications, secure networks and data links, and assured access to essential segments of the electro-magnetic spectrum.  Our worldwide networks, data storage, transport mechanisms, and the related infrastructure and personnel are vital for achievement of Information Dominance and key to delivering a robust Tasking, Collection, Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (TCPED) process.

Focus Questions:

1. What impact will the new fiscal environment have on Navy networks?
2. How does the Navy address the vast amounts of data collected by increasingly capable ISR platforms?
3. What role does Industry have in the development and protection of the Navy’s Information backbone?

RDML Jerry Burroughs, USN

Program Executive Officer for Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Intelligence

PROVIDING BATTLESPACE AWARENESS

The ability to master the human and physical operating environment includes an in-depth understanding of the status, location, and intent of all forces to successfully apply combat power, protect the force, and execute assigned missions.  Programs that support this effort include Maritime Domain Awareness, integrating unmanned systems into the Navy’s Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities, and understanding and exploiting the physical operation environment.  The Navy is pursuing an initiative to develop and acquire new unmanned systems and sensors which will provide new and unique sources of information to support both combat and combat-support missions. 

Focus Questions:

1. What is the future of the Navy’s ISR family of systems?
2. How can Industry help achieve Maritime Domain Awareness goals?
3. How is climate change affecting our ability to understand the physical operating environment?

RADM David Titley, USN

Oceanographer and Navigator of the Navy Director, Maritime Domain Awareness and Space

KEYNOTE ADDRESS: THE ROLE OF INFORMATION DOMINANCE IN THE U.S. NAVY MARITIME STRATEGY

VADM W. Mark Skinner, USN

Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development, and Acquisition)

ADVANCING INFORMATION AS A WARFIGHTING DISCIPLINE

Execution of maritime operations in complex information environments requires knowledgeable, empowered, innovative and decisive leaders, capable of leading a networked maritime force to success in fluid and perhaps chaotic operating environments.  We must recruit, develop and retain a team of world class information professionals that will develop, manage, and employ our information-based capabilities.  To fully realize the Navy’s vision for the future, Navy’s warfighters must fully understand the importance and fragility of its sea-based networks and information-based systems in future warfare. 

Focus Questions:

1. What are the next steps in the development of the Information Dominance Corps?
2. How can industry partner with the Navy to develop and train information professionals?
3. To meet current fiscal challenges, how can Industry augment the Navy’s capabilities and workforce?

RADM William Leigher, USN

Director of Program Integration for Information Dominance

INTEGRATING INFORMATION IN ALL OPERATIONS

The Navy is strengthening its role as a leader and innovator in the use of information to support all missions outlined in the Naval Operations Concept.  A primary emphasis is on maximizing the value of all available information currently being collected in support of maritime operations in the air, surface, and subsurface domains while ensuring sufficient flexibility exists to fully exploit future Navy, joint, national and coalition sensors currently under development.  The application of combat and operational sensor data, intelligence, oceanography and targeting information is required to execute the full range of maritime missions.

Focus Questions:

1. What are the next steps in the Navy’s efforts to integrate information from numerous sources for dynamic targeting?
2. How does the Navy take advantage of commercial technology for delivering assured command and control?
3. How can automatic baselining help “make-sense” of the vast amounts of data collected in 21st Century warfare?
4. How can the Navy capitalize on industry technology advancements while minimizing operational impacts and investment costs?

RDML Jan Tighe, USN

Director, Decision Superiority, OPNAV N2N6F4

EMPLOYING NON-KINETIC FIRES

In addition to using information to maximize support to traditional maritime missions, Navy is moving to employ information itself as a weapon.  Information as warfare is expected to deliver expanded maneuver space for our forces, provide expanded operational and strategic options, and amplify Navy current kinetic combat capabilities.  This includes the direct employment of advanced electronic warfare and cyber capabilities for achieving specific operational effects within the battlespace.

Focus Questions:

1. How will Navy cyber operations complement existing war fighting capabilities?
2. What role will non-kinetic cyber warfare have in future operations?
3. How can industry help the Navy modernize the navy’s electronic warfare capability?
4. In the current fiscal environment, how is the Navy pursing rapidly developing technological capabilities in electronic warfare and cyber operations?

VADM Michael Rogers, USN

Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/Commander, U.S. 10th Fleet

Save the date - 16 March 2012

unWritten Rule 32 - situational value systems

Watch out for people who have situational value systems - who can turn the charm on and off depending on the status of the person they are interacting with.

Be especially wary of those who are rude to people perceived to be in subordinate roles.  This kind of behavior is not the mark of a leader.

William H. Swanson
Chairman and CEO
RAYTHEON

Navy League Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz Award Winner

Leadership Influence

"Furthermore, leadership is less about control and all about influence. Truth is we control very little, but WE can influence just about anything we choose to (and everything is a choice). Personally, I wish we would spend more time influencing the things that matter most, vice attempting to control the things we fool ourselves into believing we can."

More thoughtful posting here at CONNECTING THE DOTS.

Knowing that one person can change the world - certainly a group of thoughtful, purposeful Naval officers can change the Navy.

Entrusted with national treasure no longer

"I am humbled beyond words to suddenly find myself entrusted with this national treasure that is our incredibly talented crew and the remarkable ship that they maintain and take to sea.  The challenges before us are formidable…yet, the talent and level of commitment I have seen from this crew leaves no doubt in my mind that Wyoming will exceed expectations and always remain a ready strategic asset."

Commander Diego Hernandez
Upon assumption of command of USS WYOMING

On 4 February 2012, Commander Diego Hernandez, commanding officer of USS WYOMING was fired for mishandling classified materials, just three weeks before his scheduled relief.

Short Issues To Ground

If you sense that your organization is spending more time on the bureaucracy of solving a problem than on the actual solution, you need to simplify the problem-solving process.

"Shorting issues to ground" means finding the quickest path - from problem to solution - avoiding the non-value-adds procedures and delays.