Friday, August 28, 2009

Bedrock Tenets of Command - ADM Mullen


LEADERSHIP. WE ARE ALL -- AT EVERY LEVEL -- LEADERS. IT IS OUR NUMBER ONE RESPONSIBILITY, AND MY EXPECTATION, THAT EACH OF US DEVELOP OUR OWN LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL AND THAT OF THOSE IN OUR CHARGE. OUR NAVY CORE VALUES PROVIDE THE BASIS OF THE ETHICAL LEADERSHIP I EXPECT YOU TO EXERCISE. MAINTAIN INTEGRITY IN ALL YOU DO AND ESTABLISH A COMMAND CLIMATE THAT FOSTERS THESE TIME-TESTED VALUES ALONG WITH SERVICE BEFORE SELF, LOYALTY, DEDICATION, AND UNITY OF EFFORT. LEAD TO INSPIRE, DEMONSTRATING PASSION FOR OUR MISSION AND COMPASSION FOR OUR PEOPLE. THIS WILL UNLEASH THE STRENGTH OF OUR COMMAND TEAMS AND WILL RESULT IN EXTRAORDINARY LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE.


ACCOUNTABILITY. THIS IS AN INESCAPABLE PART OF THE TRINITY OF COMMAND. BECAUSE WE ARE GIVEN TREMENDOUS AUTHORITY AND RESPONSIBILITY, WE MUST ANSWER TO AN EQUALLY HIGH STANDARD OF ACCOUNTABILITY. THE EXAMPLE WE SET, THE STANDARDS TO WHICH WE HOLD OURSELVES AND OTHERS, ARE UNDER A MICROSCOPE ALWAYS AND MUST STAY BEYOND REPROACH. EMPHASIZE THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AS THE BEDROCK UPON WHICH EFFECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY RESTS -- IT IS TIME AND BATTLE-TESTED.


WARFIGHTING. WE ARE THE GUARDIANS OF A RICH MARITIME HERITAGE AND TRUSTED STEWARDS OF THE MARITIME DOMAIN. TODAY OPERATIONAL SUPREMACY IN A MYRIAD OF MISSIONS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT AS WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT A GLOBAL WAR AGAINST A DETERMINED ENEMY. REGARDLESS IF YOUR COMMAND IS A DIRECT COMBAT ASSET OR SERVES IN A VITAL SUPPORTING ROLE, YOUR LEADERSHIP AND PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCY IS THE BASIS OF OUR WARFIGHTING ABILITY AND FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS. DEVELOP THE WARRIOR ETHOS IN YOUR COMMAND WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY APPROPRIATE TO OUR CHALLENGES. BE FLEXIBLE, ADAPTIVE AND DYNAMIC.


VALUE PEOPLE. THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE NAVY -- ACTIVE, RESERVE AND CIVILIAN -- SAILORS ALL, AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE CENTRAL TO OUR READINESS. EVERY COMMAND SHOULD BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE WANT TO COME TO WORK. STRONG MENTORSHIP PROVIDES A CLEAR SIGNAL OF LEADERSHIP AND FOSTERS THE PROFESSIONAL GROWTH OF OUR PEOPLE.

STRIVE FOR TEAMWORK. CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT OF MUTUAL RESPECT AND TRUST. ESTABLISH PERFORMANCE AS THE ONLY LEGITIMATE MEASURE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND DO NOT TOLERATE ACTIONS NOT IN CONCERT WITH THAT PRINCIPLE. REMEMBER WE RECRUIT INDIVIDUALS, BUT WE RETAIN FAMILIES; ALL LEADERSHIP TEAMS SHOULD PLACE SPECIAL FOCUS ON FAMILIES. PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM AND FAMILY READINESS.

COMMAND IS THE PINNACLE ASSIGNMENT IN OUR PROFESSION -- IT IS WHO WE ARE. WE ARE LEADERS AT A CRITICAL TIME IN OUR NATION'S AND OUR NAVY'S HISTORY. OUR SUCCESS IS A FUNCTION OF HOW WELL WE LIVE UP TO THAT RESPONSIBILITY AND OUR ABILITY TO BALANCE COMPETING PRIORITIES, TO TAKE PRUDENT RISKS AND OUR FOCUS ON MISSION EXECUTION. I INHERENTLY AND COMPLETELY TRUST YOU. SAVOR COMMAND AND TAKE GREAT SATISFACTION IN YOUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD’S FINEST NAVY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND ALL YOU DO EVERY DAY TO ENSURE OUR NAVY REMAINS DOMINANT AT SEA AND RELEVANT IN THIS UNCERTAIN AND HIGHLY DYNAMIC SECURITY ENVIRONMENT.

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