In the complex and dynamic nature of society in the twenty-first century, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the imminent issues and urgent problems of the moment. In these constantly changing times, simply utilizing temporary or conventional solutions can cause detrimental repercussions to an organization’s employee and customer loyalty, efficiency, and long term goal accomplishment. Visionary leaders, however, focus on the future of an organization and provide a unique vision that reinforces the why of what they do. Through their vision, they instill purpose, meaning and focus, empower and motivate followers, allow for growth and establishment of new ideas, and create organizations that are more adaptable and resilient.
Guy Kawasaki, former Apple Chief Evangelist, opened the Naval Academy Leadership Conference yesterday with a discussion of Steve Jobs' impact on the world. Kawasaki said, "The world is not as interesting a place without Steve Jobs. We were on a mission from Steve to change the world."
Kawasaki went on to say, "For you young people wanting to be leaders ... you need to discover for yourself. You need to investigate. You should have a very skeptical attitude. Do not default to people who claim they are experts."
"The biggest challenges beget the best work."
Teaching leadership - a woefully unproductive use of time. I can't really describe why I respect some of the best leaders I have come across in the Navy other than with the fact: I know [leadership] when I see it. And it always comes back to the basics...
ReplyDeleteENS, then you will love the forthcoming book to which I contributed a chapter. The book is about the basic traits of effective leaders described through examples of "Everday Leader Heroes." Stand by for more info...it will hopefully be published within the next few months.
ReplyDeleteI have often said, leadership can be learned but it cannot be taught. The Everyday Leader Hero examples are followed by exercises which allow readers to perform the self-reflection necessary to improve their own skills. It doesn't teach leadership; it allows readers to learn about and develop the most important traits of effective leaders.
ENS Rogers and Jim Murphy,
ReplyDeleteI follow what you people are saying, but having spent a bunch of years with Sailors and having the objective of passing on to those Shipmates, what are considered by most to be honorable and desirable traits, you must at all times present the example that you would have them emulate. You may say that you are not teaching them but that is a matter of semantics. If you consistently display examples of what one would consider good leadership you are teaching these individuals leadership. I do not expect either of you to agree with that, but that is the way that I operated during a Navy career.
Very Respectfully,
Navyman834
Navyman,
ReplyDeleteActually I agree with you.
My point is that you can set an example from which others can learn, but you cannot write a lesson plan that effectively teachs those same traits or actions. Developing leadership skills is based on observing, doing, and trial and error. I cannot teach someone else to lead like me (and some may say I shouldn't try). Leadership basics are very much the same, but every individual must develop their own specific style, and you can't teach style.
In the same respect, the worst leaders are also good teachers because we can learn a whole lot of what not to do from the examples they set.
Jim Murphy,
ReplyDeleteI am sure we are in agreement with the fact that without leadership all could be lost in a moment, it has happened many times before. Everything that I say from this point on refers to Sailors. The start of good leadership is to teach good followership and if one uses those skills you pointed out; observing, doing, and trial and error, and I must add a little to those basics such as giving those you are teaching followership what you expect out of them as followers, being informed is important, you cannot do without that. Another important factor is to emphasize the reason why you are doing what you are doing to teach them to be good followers. You need to as a teacher stress safety and security to the individual, their Shipmates and their ship, that factor alone perks their interest, because now they feel more responsible for Shipmates and their ship. You do not tell the ones your teaching followership that this is what you are trying to accomplish. They figure that out for themselves. Another point necessary is to stress rewards and penalties for doing or not doing as you instruct thereby giving the Sailor more incentive to be a good follower. Sailors understand these things rather well. When you have exposed these Sailors to good followership you have also exposed them to good leadership. And you can certainly build from there to instill what you desire to instill.
I have written many hundreds of lesson plans and I do believe if one used what I discussed in the previous paragraph that these things would be a good start to teaching leadership. You do not necessarily have to teach Sailors methods or style of leadership but once they are good followers you can expose them to methods (and you better have many examples for them to follow, and tell them that that there is no one way to lead, but explain the options, and this is a good place to have them think and contribute their ideas of what should be done to solve the leadership problems for that one circumstance).
It has only been one day since you posed the problem of teaching leadership and I could have sat around for a few days contemplating a response but I would like to think that leaders, if they do not have ready responses in short order, they are probably not really good leaders. I am aware of your present status as a writer but in my status as an old Grandfather I hope that I can contribute some words that might have some meaning.
Respectfully,
E. A. Hughes, FTCM(SS)
U.S. Navy (Retired)
Navyman834
Navyman,
ReplyDeleteAs a grandfather, retired Master Chief Petty Officer, and Submarine Sailor, you can certainly contribute many words of meaning. I appreciate your words here and in other dicussions on this blog and you make several good points. The day we stop listening to and learning from our 'grandfathers' is a day I don't want to witness.
V/R
Jim
Jim Murphy,
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your words to me, as a Sailor who was lucky enough to be placed in a position to serve our country in ways that many have never seen, and to have some answers for many Sailors that were looking for reasons as to why they were there, doing what they were doing, I was proud to be able to help these Sailors and Shipmates do as their country asked them to do.
To be recognized as one that can contribute by one such as yourself is an honor.
Very Respectfully,
Navyman834
Master Chief, you're welcome. I've enjoyed the discourse with a Chief Petty Officer of your standing.
ReplyDeleteAnd I thoroughly enjoyed my recent reading of your essay, "ONCE I WAS A NAVYMAN!" That's GREAT stuff.
V/R
Jim
CTICS(SG), Retired
Leadership syles are different! You can't teach each style to the people who is going to lead. Gandhiji has got a different life style, bill gates got a different lifestyle, a common sales man got his own life style. A farmer who sow the seeds has got his leadership styles. Do not expect that what your leadeship style to be followed. Even we can learn the leadership lesson from Ants / nature/ the people those who proved their mettle rather than from a class room.
ReplyDelete