Accountability

"If I were going to pick a characteristic that is most critical for the Navy in leadership, it is accountability. You need to think through, as an officer, what you believe in, and you need to make sure, particularly with what you do, that your standards are both impeccable and irrefutable and never blurred."

Admiral Mike Mullen
CNO
Naval Justice School, Newport, R.I., 14 June 2006 

Getting 'better' versus getting 'well'

Nice post from CAPTAIN Sean R. Heritage on his "Connecting the dots" blog HERE.

This just in from NAVY TIMES

2014 NAVY TIMES

SAILOR 

OF THE YEAR

CTRC Jeremy T. Crandall

USS Abraham Lincoln Newport News, VA

Chief Cryptologic Technician (Collection) Jeremy Crandall is described by superiors and subordinates as a humble leader driven by a desire to see sailors develop and succeed.

Crandall’s career as a cryptologic technician is storied. He had fewer than two years in uniform when, on April 1, 2001, he was one of 24 crew members detained by China after a collision between their EP-3E ARIES II signals intelligence aircraft and a Chinese J-8II interceptor fighter forced an emergency landing. In the long 11 days that followed, he witnessed the "strong and selfless leadership" of a senior enlisted crew member who helped get the team through its harrowing ordeal. This example had a lasting impression on Crandall, who cites this as the defining model of his own career.

Crandall has spent much of the past 15 years encouraging and enabling at-risk sailors who face dire circumstances of their own. Most recently, the chief created BALLAST, a wide-ranging program centered on 342 hours of classroom instruction covering everything from financial management and drug/alcohol awareness to naval history and professional appearance. The program also features 18 hours of community service. Named after the ballast used to keep a ship upright and afloat, the program is nearing completion of its first year. Though it was originally designed to correct and direct at-risk sailors, the program has gained popularity among enlisted leaders and now has a waiting list of volunteers who look to grow personally and professionally.

“Chief Crandall is a strong example of what it means to be a Navy chief. He has the attention of his subordinates, the respect of his fellow chiefs, the support of the ship’s officers and the trust of his commander.”

Capt. Karl Thomas, Abraham Lincoln’s commanding officer

There is little need for a cryptologic technician while a nuclear-powered carrier goes through the three-year Refueling and Complex Overhaul. Instead of coasting through this tour, Crandall stepped up to take charge of the ship's security forces. In that role, he leads one of the ship’s largest divisions – 128 sailors representing 22 different ratings. The division has achieved a 70 percent advancement rate and 90 percent retention rate, and 36 sailors have earned individual warfare qualifications.

The chief’s selfless service does not end when he departs the carrier. The Civil War buff has more than four dozen volunteer hours as a historical guide in Lee Hall Mansion in Newport News, Virginia. Crandall also mentors dozens of youths at his local church, and does so while maintaining a 3.90 grade point average in pursuit of his bachelor’s degree in history from Southern New Hampshire University, where he was recently inducted into Alpha Sigma Lambda, a national honor society that recognizes high academic achievement.

Crandall's warfare qualifications include the Enlisted Information Dominance Warfare Specialist, Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist, Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist and Naval Aircrewman designations, and his personal awards include the Air Medal, Navy Commendation Medals and the Navy Achievement Medal.

At the end of the day, ask yourself this question

“What good have I done today?”

Benjamin Franklin

Not happy with your answer?  Endeavor to do better tomorrow.

Everyone wants change

Who is willing to own the actions required for change?
Who is willing to own the process required for change?
Who is willing to own the results of the change?

Good questions to be answered before we change things.

Do you really want that 360 degree leadership assessment?

More DILBERT greatness at www.dilbert.com

What do your actions inspire?

If your actions inspire others to:

dream more,
learn more,
do more and
become more,

you are a leader.

John Quincy Adams

Leader as teacher

Neat stuff from Hugh at www.gapingvoid.com

CO in the spotlight - Commander Joe Sears - NIOC Pensacola

Commander Sears is a native of Lexington, KY and a 1989 graduate of the University of Kentucky receiving a B.A. in Political Science. He subsequently graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School where he earned his Masters of Science in Computer Science in 2004.

Originally serving as a Cryptologic Collection Technician Collection (CTR), he completed initial training at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes and Cryptologic Collection “A” School, Fort Devens, MA in 1991. He served his initial assignment at Naval Security Group Activity Misawa, Japan. In 1994, he reported to the USS GETTYSBURG (CG-64) as cryptologic analyst conducting operations in the Arabian Gulf, Mediterranean Sea and Caribbean Sea.

In July 1996, Commander Sears commissioned as a Special Duty Officer (Cryptology), now Information Warfare Officer. He was designated a Joint Qualified Officer after his joint tour at U.S. Cyber Command in 2013.

Assignments have included: National Security Agency (NSA), Information Assurance (IA) Directorate as the Navy Advocate for Information Assurance; Pre-commissioning Detachment ROOSEVELT as the detachment Officer in Charge; USS ROOSEVELT (DDG-80) as the Signals Information Warfare Officer supporting Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and maritime interception operations; Navy Information Operations Command Suitland as the Advanced Projects & Demonstrations Deputy Department Head where he also earned his Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) certification; Commander, SEVENTH Fleet as the Cryptologic Resource Coordinator and Collection Manager; U.S. Cyber Command as an intelligence operations planner and Chief, Combat Targeting; and Navy Information Operations Command Maryland where he served as the N3/CTF 1060 Operations Officer directing cryptologic and cyber operations supporting fleet commanders worldwide.

Commander Sears’ awards include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2), Joint Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (4), Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Medal, South West Asia Medal with Bronze Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Marksman Pistol (expert), and various unit and service awards.

How's your memory?

“ Memory is the treasury and guardian of all things. ”

— Cicero

Orders and commands

"There is a sharp distinction between an order and a command, although both are used somewhat indiscriminately in referring to either. An order leaves the manner of execution in general up to the recipient of the order. An order does not always specify just when it shall be executed, but frequently fixes a certain time by which it must be executed. A command leaves nothing to the discretion of the recipient. It usually is peremptory, arbitrary, and implies execution at the time of its receipt unless otherwise specified."

Manual of Orders and Commands
1945

COs can authorize ballcaps

Initiated by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, this change is a result of Sailor feedback received at all hands calls and is part of Navy's efforts to further empower command triads.

This is VERY empowering.  They should let CMCs decide what belt buckles you can wear and let the XO decide on the color of your socks.

This is empowering the triad???  I don't get it.

C O N G R A T U L A T I O N S to Commander Mike Elliot on his first year in command

Commander Mike Elliot assumed command of U.S. Navy Information Operations Command Yokosuka, Japan on Friday, 19 July 2013.  He relieved Commander Mike Douglas as Commanding Officer.  You can follow the command on FACEBOOK HERE.

Recently, Commander Elliot also assumed command of U.S. NIOC Misawa from Captain Sean P. Kelley as the command begins the decommissioning process. Captain Justin F. Kershaw presided over the ceremony.

BZ on a great first year and best of luck in making this second year even better.

NIOC Pensacola Change of Command

Commander Joe Sears relieved Commander Pat Count as Commanding Officer, NIOC Pensacola today.  CDR Pat Count's follow-on assignment is as a student at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base.

NIOC Bahrain Change of Command - LATE NEWS

In 2006, LCDR Cesar G. Rios Jr., helped evacuate thousands of American citizens from Beirut during the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel.

Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Bahrain held a change of command ceremony on Monday, July 7 at the Naval Support Activity Bahrain Chapel.

Vice Admiral Jan E. Tighe, commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. 10th Fleet (FCC/C10F), presided over the ceremony in which Commander Cesar G. Rios relieved Commander Julia L. Slattery as commanding officer of NIOC Bahrain.

Julia has transferred to the National Defense University’s Industrial College of the Armed Forces.  She is a student at the Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy.

BZ to both of these fine officers.  Commander Slattery was recently selected for promotion to Captain.

Two of the most under asked questions

How can I help?

and

What do you think?

Stolen from Seth Godin

"It's not business, it's personal"

It's too easy to blame the Navy and the system and the bottom line for decisions that a Sailor would never be willing to take responsibility for.

Whenever you can, work with Sailors who take it personally.

Sailors are our most important asset

Sir, when your words and actions don't align, you have fallen into the credibility gap. When you have a credibility gap at your command, it is damaging to your reputation and to your career. And since you're in a significant leadership role, your credibility gap is hurting our Navy and our Sailors.

Navy Regulations 1990

The Commanding Officer and his or her subordinates shall exercise leadership through personal example, moral responsibility, and judicious attention to the welfare of persons under their control or supervision. Such leadership shall be exercised in order to achieve a positive, dominant influence on the performance of persons in the Department of the Navy.

Time

Time is a non-recoverable asset.  You can't save it up and use it later.  You have to make the most of every minute as it is happening.  Despite any plan you may have, time marches on.  While those minutes tick away, there is something you can do.  You can manage your processes and improve your efficiency.  If you find yourself playing catch-up constantly, you know you have room for improvement.

Learn to balance your time invested with the expected tangible results in mind and you will make better use of the limited time you have.  How do some people manage to get hundreds of things done while you can only manage a dozen?  More than likely, it is a matter of prioritization.  Take a look at yours and see where you stand.  I find that the busier I am, the more efficient I become.  Your results may vary.

Thought Leader

or Action Leader?

What kind of leader do you prefer?  Which kind of leader would you prefer to be?

Be the change you want to see in the Navy !!

Even in our great Navy, bureaucracy is like the icy surface that glazes over a frigid ocean. Even the smallest of  cracks in the ice can provide enough space for a ship to pass - certainly enough room for a Staff Action Officer to get through. When you sit still, you risk getting stuck. But if you gradually break up the ice as you go, you can keep moving forward. Rather than surrender to bureaucracy, take it upon yourself to break it.

In subzero waters, icebreaker ships rely on a specially designed steel hull to plow forward. In the climate-controlled spaces of our staff offices, we can rely on a different weapon: The persistent question.  Ask it!

Try breaking up the ice with questions like:

• "Why does it feel like we are having the same meeting and discussion, over and over again?"
• "Why don't we just try it and see what happens?"
• "Specifically what (or who) is getting in the way of us making a decision?"
• "When exactly will we have a final answer on this?"

You don't have to be the Admiral to ask these questions. On the contrary, they are best asked by the staff action officers tasked with operations and execution.

 

Rather than surrender to bureaucracy, take it upon yourself to break it.

 

Breaking up the ice is a painful responsibility, but the Sailor who does it is the person who enables the ship to pass, the action officer who moves the entire project forward.

For the sake of empowering the Navy to make great ideas happen, I make this plea:

• Be the person who asks the annoying questions.
• Don't try to get everyone to agree. Instead, put people on the spot to share their objections.
• When there is ambiguity about the next step, call it out!  Your boss will be glad you did.  Your peers will admire you.  Your wife will beam in your presence.  Your dog will get you the paper.  Life will be good.

STOLEN IN ITS ENTIRETY FROM 

THE GREAT PEOPLE AT BEHANCE

(Scott Belsky, in particular).

You can find them HERE.

Toil

"The highest reward for a man‘s toil is not what he gets for it,

but what he becomes by it." 

 John Ruskin 

 What have you become through your toil in the Navy?

A must read for the IDC

 

The professional journal of the Navy has devoted an entire issue to the Information Dominance Corps.  It's your professional responsibility to maintain an acute awareness of what's going on in your community.  May sure you make the time to read the July issue of PROCEEDINGS magazine.

Click HERE to read it.

You may even want to consider a subscription.

The choices YOU make reveal the true nature of YOUR character.

Through writing we create vision

My point is that if you don’t learn to write well — if you can’t get your point across in a clear, concise and organized way — you have no choice but to spray and pray. Writing well is part of leading well. Through writing we educate and motivate. Through writing we create vision. Through writing we instruct and get things done.

Timothy R. Clark, Ph.D
He is an author, international management consultant, former two-time CEO, Fulbright Scholar at Oxford University and Academic all-American football player at BYU. His latest two books are "The Leadership Test" and "Epic Change." 

Light a fire

“ Putting pen to paper lights more fire than matches ever will. ”

— Malcolm Forbes

Always be a Sailor

2014 leadership buzz term?

altrocentric -

"Altrocentric" means focusing on others. Such a leader doesn't doesn't put himself at the very center. He knows he needs to listen to other people. He knows he needs to be intellectually curious and emotionally open. He knows that he needs empathy to do the job, not just in order to be a good person.

From the Jena Mcgregor blogpost in the February 2014 Washington Post "On Leadership"

Difficult

http://www.itstartswithin.com/home/

"To do great things is difficult; but to command great things is more difficult." Friedrich Nietzsche