Musings, leadership tidbits and quotes posted by a retired Navy Captain (really just a high performing 2nd Class Petty Officer) who hung up his uniform a bit too early. He still wears his Navy service on his sleeve. He needs to get over that. "ADVANCE WARNING - NO ORIGINAL THOUGHT!" A "self-appointed" lead EVANGELIST for the "cryptologic community". Keeping CRYPTOLOGY alive-one day and Sailor at a time. 2015 is 80th Anniversary of the Naval Security Group.
Should we also have them delivered by a courier on horse? Let's not get carried away with romanticism over practicality. What SWO has the time to re-write a flowery letter by hand because of a slip of the pen?
If you're interested in hard-corps SWO practicality, start with hand-writing a 2 line note of thanks acknowledging a job well done to one of your subordinates. Very effective motivator, and time efficient, too. Save the flowery letters and personal diaries for after you get the hang of it.
I like the idea --- and did so, on some deployments before email was available at every workstation. Those letters are now in the possession of my lovely wife of 20 years, who was impressed by my daily efforts and persistence. Think that passed the practicality and romantic requirements. Finding the time is difficult, but SWO thrive on the difficult, right? Makes you become more efficient to create those few minutes to write. Once email came along, I barely wrote letters again -- email disappears, the letters stay and are a good window into your situation at the time of writing. Write on, I say!
Well I almost insulted you GQ, I thought your's was the first comment....
The idea that an e-mail from the Skipper or DH for a job well done is the same a hand-written note is ludicrous (hey I spelled ludicrous right).
25 years ago a dated a pretty girl from Okinawa when I left the island we were still smitten and wrote letters constantly; I still have those letters and I married three other women over the next 20-years and the letters they wrote out by hand I kept, I haven't kept any e-mails like that.
I have a handful of complimentary (albeit obligatory) hand-written notes from CO and ADMs congratulating me for this or that. These treasures are safely kept apart from the box full of padded blue Navy awards folders collecting dust in the attic.
Napoleon said something like “pin a piece of ribbon on their chests and they will do anything for you,” or something like that. He was a nut, and he got it wrong. The point was that he or his generals took the time to recognize the soldier; the hand shake has always meant more than the medal. But I digress. My point is that a hand written note is a real treasure; more so today than ever.
Should we also have them delivered by a courier on horse? Let's not get carried away with romanticism over practicality. What SWO has the time to re-write a flowery letter by hand because of a slip of the pen?
ReplyDeleteIf you're interested in hard-corps SWO practicality, start with hand-writing a 2 line note of thanks acknowledging a job well done to one of your subordinates. Very effective motivator, and time efficient, too. Save the flowery letters and personal diaries for after you get the hang of it.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea --- and did so, on some deployments before email was available at every workstation. Those letters are now in the possession of my lovely wife of 20 years, who was impressed by my daily efforts and persistence. Think that passed the practicality and romantic requirements. Finding the time is difficult, but SWO thrive on the difficult, right? Makes you become more efficient to create those few minutes to write. Once email came along, I barely wrote letters again -- email disappears, the letters stay and are a good window into your situation at the time of writing. Write on, I say!
ReplyDeleteWe MAKE the time for what is truly important to us. While many pay lip service, one's actions are the only meaningful evidence of priorities...
ReplyDeletehttp://seanheritage.blogspot.com/2009/11/making-time-or-taking-timeits-our-call.html
Well I almost insulted you GQ, I thought your's was the first comment....
ReplyDeleteThe idea that an e-mail from the Skipper or DH for a job well done is the same a hand-written note is ludicrous (hey I spelled ludicrous right).
25 years ago a dated a pretty girl from Okinawa when I left the island we were still smitten and wrote letters constantly; I still have those letters and I married three other women over the next 20-years and the letters they wrote out by hand I kept, I haven't kept any e-mails like that.
I have a handful of complimentary (albeit obligatory) hand-written notes from CO and ADMs congratulating me for this or that. These treasures are safely kept apart from the box full of padded blue Navy awards folders collecting dust in the attic.
Napoleon said something like “pin a piece of ribbon on their chests and they will do anything for you,” or something like that. He was a nut, and he got it wrong. The point was that he or his generals took the time to recognize the soldier; the hand shake has always meant more than the medal. But I digress. My point is that a hand written note is a real treasure; more so today than ever.