Leadership Summit

“Our Navy needs talented young Americans who want to serve their nation and make a difference. The key words here are serve and make a difference!”

Admiral Clark, Chief of Naval Operations

In December 2001, amidst our determined efforts in Afghanistan, the Leadership Summit was launched as a bold quest to help improve Naval leadership and shape our future culture. The Chief of Naval Operations' championing of this pilot initiative exemplifies both the kind of leader the Navy ought to strive to grow at every level, and the kind of holistic, positive change process that can open the status quo to transformations in collective action. The Summit was the first of its kind in our Navy.

Over 260 people were assembled ranging from seaman to CNO, and all backgrounds (surface, air, sub-surface, staff corps, Marines, civilian, SPECWAR…). Held at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, the Leadership Summit piloted a new approach to change called a Large Group Intervention that utilized Appreciative Inquiry (AI) methods of facilitation. Participants were empowered to generate their own pilot projects aimed at improving leadership and our Navy’s system of leadership development.

Each CNO brings his own priorities to the table and works them during his tenure...what lives on beyond that is his LEGACY. What will your legacy be?

More on the leadership summit here. More than 30 pilot programs were undertaken. Some actually made it to implementation.

Being The First in 2010 is Not Necessarily a Good Thing - Navy Supply Corps School's "Leading Chop", chopped !

The Navy fired its first CO of 2010. It didn't take long. The Navy Times reported that Captain John Titus Jr., CO of the Navy Supply Corps School (and President of the Northeast Georgia Chapter of the Navy Supply Corps Association) in Athens, Georgia was fired on 8 January 2010 for the unusually very specific cause - “lack of confidence in his ability to lead.” The results of the Judge Advocate General (JAG) report were not released.

The last time the CO of the Navy Supply Corps School was fired was in 2002. The school is scheduled to move to Newport, Rhode Island in 2011.

The NSCS's former Executive Officer, Commander R. Paul Wilson has assumed command on an interim basis until the Navy can name Captain Titus' relief. Captain Titus' photo and bio have already been removed from the Navy Supply Corps School website.

Navy Times story is here.

Intrusive Leadership - Part of the Covenant

Intrusive leadership is based on the philosophy that the leader and the Sailor share responsibility for a Sailor’s success or failure. It is more than just telling Sailors what to do. Intrusive leadership reflects the fact that Sailors are people who matter. It indicates an understanding that Sailors' well being (or lack thereof) has an effect on their success or failure. The intrusive leader is actively concerned for the welfare of every Sailor under their charge. This requires responsible, proactive behavior on the part of the leader. Sailors are seen as individuals whose uniqueness and diversity are taken into consideration from the beginning of their Naval career until they retire or transfer to the Fleet Reserve.

Characteristics of Intrusive Leaders:

• They must truly know the Navy. There are multiple sources of help for our Sailors. If our leaders have a stake in the Sailor’s successful retention and career progression, they must be familiar with the services available that can prevent potential problems or rescue a struggling Sailor. On any ship or shore station these usually include counseling and referral services, tutoring, career counseling, financial counseling, support services, non-traditional education programs, financial counseling, and a myriad of other programs. It is not enough just to know that programs exist; it is necessary to know what each program does and the Sailors it serves.

• Leaders must not only know the resources of the Navy, but know the staff involved in the various programs. It is up to our Navy leaders to become well-acquainted with other Navy professionals who can help. Knowing, specifically, to whom a Sailor can be referred will also increase the Sailor’s chances of success. It is only logical that a Sailor is more likely to follow through with an appointment if he knows who he is looking for rather than just walking into an unfamiliar department. Unfortunately, in some departments there are officers, Chiefs and Leading Petty Officers who are less personable than others. Sending a Sailor to a particular person with, perhaps, a "heads up" call in advance can assure a welcome from a fellow Navy professional of choice rather than a negative experience. This also gives them some background so that he or she is prepared at the first meeting to help the Sailor. Additionally, the call in advance may prevent sending the Sailor to the wrong person or department and, therefore, on a wild goose chase instead of a successful mission.

• Intrusive leaders should be trained in all relevant areas that have a direct impact on the Sailor's well being and success. This is not to say that leaders have to know as much as the professional staff in every career field of the Navy, but that they need to be familiar with how things work. One thing we know for sure about being a Sailor is that, if they don't know something, they often don't know who to ask. Leaders must be willing to intervene and to inform the Sailor, thus preventing the failure frequently resulting from "no one told me and I didn't know to ask."

• Intrusive leaders should be available so that they can be reached by the Sailor when needed.

• Intrusive leaders maintain clear boundaries with their Sailors. They are neither the Sailor’s parent nor their best friend, but a professional whose job it is to foster independence while teaching the Sailor the ways of the Navy. Leaders must show genuine concern for the success of their Sailors. Personal characteristics should include a positive attitude, empathy, openness, and honesty.

“Sailors don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Some Forward Progress for the Information Dominance Corps (IDC) PQS Development

This should move things forward a bit.

Information Dominance Corps PQS Workshop

Host: U.S. Navy Information Warfare Officer Community
Type: Meetings - Business Meeting
Network: Global
Start Time: Monday, February 8, 2010 at 8:00am
End Time: Friday, February 12, 2010 at 4:00pm
Location: Corry Station - Center for Information Dominance

Description: SMEs representing the four communities underneath the IDC umbrella will review community specific qualification standards and develop the draft qualification standard that will serve as a pre-requisite for earning the IDC Qualification Pin.

((Posted by the IWOCM on the IW FaceBook page))

The Courage to Fight for A Better Navy - And Their Willingness To Write About It

In the early 1900s, RADM Caspar Goodrich and Commander Holden A. Evans worked tirelessly to reform naval manufacturing using the management techniques of Frederick W. Taylor (a manufacturing thought-leader for that time). These two men failed, initially. The Admiral was forced to retire in 1909. Two years later, Commander Evans resigned after his career was ruined for trying to change Navy organizational policy. However, their extensive writing on the subject led to lengthy deliberations which helped the Navy finally recognize the value of their recommendations prior to World War I.

From 1904-1906, Rear Admiral Goodrich commanded the Pacific Fleet. He was Commandant of the New York Navy Yard in 1907-1909. Rear Admiral Goodrich retired in January 1909.

RADM Goodrich was a prolific writer on professional topics and also helped establish the Naval War College and the U.S. Naval Institute, of which he was President in 1904-1909. Rear Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich died at Princeton, New Jersey, on 26 December 1925.

Commander Evans went on to write "One Man's Fight For A Better Navy", ((New York: Dodd, Mead, 1940)).

Superior to your former self

“There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men—true nobility lies in being superior to your former self.”

Hindu Proverb

The Chiefs' Mess

Inexperienced officers look to their Chiefs to see how they grasp a situation and how they make decisions. That is part of the self-education process a leader cannot get from a classroom or from books. Sometimes young officers believe they know more than the Chief; when they find out they do not, they have contributed to their own self-education.

You may recall seeing a poster displayed in many Chiefs’ quarters, messes, and clubs that says: “WHAT YOU DO, SEE, HEAR, AND SAY HERE, STAYS HERE.”

The Chiefs’ mess is a relaxed, amiable, and popular meeting place. The degree to which the chiefs socialize together often reflects their cohesiveness. The mutual bond and high morale of the Chiefs’ quarters are in part the result of a strong leader. The leader maybe a formal leader, like the command master chief, or an informal leader who leads through charisma or superior know-how. This person’s enthusiastic support and encouragement of others sets high standards for command personnel. Whether in formal or informal situations, the Chiefs respect this person. They know the person is competent and trust him or her to stand up for their interests and those of the crew.

The commanding officer and executive officer often seek this leader’s advice about the morale of the crew and other matters concerning enlisted personnel. The majority of the members of the Chiefs’ mess usually agree on who this person is. The Chiefs’ mess as a group is a solid, disciplined team. The members talk to each other, coordinate well, and solicit input from each other. They treat each other with professional respect. A strong part of this bond results from the collective confidence of being the best and not settling for less.

Great stuff from the Military Requirements for Senior and Master Chief Petty Officer.

Navy As A Top 50 Employer in 2009

The Chief of Naval Operations and the Chief of Naval Personnel have stated their goal of making the Navy a Top 50 Employer in the U.S. "The Great Place to Work Institute (GPWI)" ranks the top 100 corporations to work for as a service to FORTUNE magazine. The Navy isn't actually eligible for consideration (so you won't find them on the FORTUNE 100 List) but the Navy continues to work toward the CNO and CNP goal.

What Makes a Great Place to Work ®?
GPWI's approach is based on the major findings of 20 years of research - that trust between managers and employees is the primary defining characteristic of the very best workplaces.

At the heart of their definition of a great place to work - a place where employees "trust the people they work for, have pride in what they do, and enjoy the people they work with" - is the idea that a great workplace is measured by the quality of the three, interconnected relationships that exist there:

• The relationship between employees and management.
• The relationship between employees and their jobs/company.
• The relationship between employees and other employees.

The Navy is certainly in the top 100 based on GPWI's criteria.

The Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Gary Roughead, is emphasizing his commitment to making the Navy a top 50” workplace during his tenure. The future Navy must be more technical and complex than ever before, and to enable future success, the best Sailors and Navy civilians must join the force and choose to stay.

“We have everything. We have great people. We have great opportunity; we really have great benefits, and great compensation. We do things around the world that people read about. We’re changing people’s lives through humanitarian assistance. We’re reaching into space from our ships. We’re diving deep into the ocean. We’re at the front end of technology…when I talk about our service in the Navy, even though our work is hard, our work is dangerous, and we make great sacrifices, we really are the fortunate few,” Adm. Roughead said.

Vice Adm. Mark Ferguson, CNP, highlighted the Navy's efforts to be recognized as a Top 50 employer.

"We believe that a Top 50 organization is one that has innovative programs for its people, that recognizes people as their most valuable asset and rewards them with an environment that is personally and professionally rewarding and challenging, that promotes a climate of respect and trust, that encourages development and provides the rewarding work of service," said Ferguson.

I am pleased to see that the Navy Chief of Information picked up this blog post for publication in their 12 January 2010 CHINFO clips - EXCERPTS FROM BLOGS AROUND THE WORLD (PUBLISHED 07JAN - 11JAN).

Leadership - a note from 30 years ago

MEMORANDUM

From: Commanding Officer
To: All Officers


Some thoughts:

(1) A junior officer must be most concerned with his or her performance in the job assigned. There is too much discussion in our ranks about the merits of particular jobs as "career enhancing". It's natural to look upon various jobs in different lights - you might like one better than another - but don't get caught up in the "I need this job to get promoted syndrome"...that's bull.

(2) Continue to show our people you care. You must follow my lead and my example. I expect you to - and I watch closely. That ranges the gamut from counseling, to mid-watch visits, to attending command events, to going to basketball games.

(3) DON'T BE PART OF THE PROBLEM. I want to concentrate on important matters and continue to emphasize "dealing with facts" - not rumors and B.S.

(4) Finally, leadership by example is not a buzz phrase. We cannot, as officers and chiefs or petty officers, expect to gain respect and credibility unless we can do it too. Keep that professional curiosity, keep working hard and take pride in making NSGA the best.

Once again, I need and expect the support of each one of you to make Misawa a better place to live and work. We are on a positive tack. With your help, we'll sail smoothly through 1980.

J.S. MCFARLAND
Commanding Officer
U.S. NSGA Misawa, Japan
1 February 1980

Hat Tip to Lieutenant Commander Robert E. Morrison, USN retired, fellow RADM McFarland fan for providing this gem.
I'm not the only one who has kept a leadership file since the day I joined the Navy.

They Are Taking Away the Power of the CHIEF PETTY OFFICERS' MESS - Sound very familiar? From 2009? No, it's from 1973.

"When the CNO sends a direct message to everybody in the field, the chief petty officer community and the middle management officer community have thrown up their hands and said, "He has taken all our power away and we can't do anything."

Obviously, there has not been any removal of the tools to maintain discipline aboard a ship or anywhere else in the Navy, but the attitude toward the use of such tools has changed."

House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Report by the Special Subcommittee on Disciplinary Problems in the US Navy, 2 January 1973

A Hero Worth Learning Much Much More About - LCDR John McCloy

As a prolific letter writer myself, I am very pleased that the U.S. Postal Service will be introducing four stamps to honor Naval heroes in February 2010. I am very familiar with 3 of the 4 men.

The fourth, LCDR John McCloy, was a mystery man to me (and very likely to most others). He is one of only 19 men to have earned two separate Medals of Honor. He earned both of them prior to his commissioning as a Naval officer. The first MOH was earned as a coxswain and the second was earned as a Boatswain Chief.

His tombstone at Arlington National Cemetery bears the simple inscription M.H. (2) and N.C. (for the 2 Medals of Honor and the Navy Cross that he earned). He served in the Navy from 1903 to 1928, retiring in 1928 as a Lieutenant. For reasons that I have yet to determine, he was promoted on 23 February 1942 to Lieutenant Commander and retired again. He passed away in 1945.

Captain John Paul Jones' Leadership: Success mixed with Failure

Most of us in the Navy are familiar with the Captain John Paul Jones who was revered as a hero for exhibiting dauntless courage and unconquerable persistence in the face of overwhelming odds. Such was not always the case. In the 18th and 19th centuries, his professionalism and abilities as a "complete" naval officer were not yet appreciated. He was reviled by many for his criticism of others, inability to credit his subordinates and his relentless self-promotion (all of which sound very familiar).

In the 20th century, his reputation began to flourish as we began:

• to appreciate his strategic vision of placing the nation's interest over his own personal gain,
• to see his rise to the top levels of the new American Navy through dint of hard work and application,
• to acknowledge his skill as a naval architect,
• to recognize his continued self-study to better himself as an officer and commander,
• to understand his attempts to reform the Navy and
• to value his efforts to substitute merit and ability in place of nepotism and influence.

Each of these things marked him as an officer who sought to professionalize the early Navy.

From: E. Gordon Bowen-Hassell, Dennis M. Conrad, and Mark L. Hayes Sea Raiders of the American Revolution: The Continental Navy in European Waters. Washington, DC: Naval Historical Center, 2003.

The Navy's TENTH Fleet - Now as then

Broad in scope, sweeping in power, and virtually absolute in influence.

Small and tight.

Represents a daring new concept in naval thinking.

Bring in new blood from the fleet.

Train cyber missionaries to spread the 10th Fleet capabilities to the fleets.

Clockwatchers and goldbrickers have no place in the 10th Fleet.

Service to others is the highest distinction in the 10th Fleet.

Some paraphrasing from THE TENTH FLEET by Ladislas Farago

Fighting for a better Navy - Persistently, Consistently - Admiral William Sowden Sims

Well in advance of the Admiral James Stavridis model of "Think, Read, Write, Publish", Admiral William Sowden Sims did all these things - and he did them extraordinarily well - winning a Pulitzer Prize in 1920 while serving as a Naval officer.

For 30 years the great voice of public self-analysis in the Navy, Admiral William Sowden Sims was highly vocal and knew it. But "never did he discover the difference between rapping for attention and knocking his audience cold." An 1880 United States Naval Academy graduate, Sims spent his first six years at sea quietly, then settled down to improving the Navy. His main theme was a continuous assault on the Navy's uncoordinated bureau system (which it still has), a demand for a general staff (which still did not exist in 1942).

Although Sims never won his main objective, his vocal technique (through persuasive oral and written arguments) did achieve many smaller ones—enough to assure his place in naval history even though he was never under fire. He began by criticizing battleships. In 1900 the U.S. Navy, in Sims's opinion, was far behind European navies, even Japan's ("and, God help our souls," Russia's).

Meanwhile the public thought the Navy was "hot stuff" and the Navy was "inordinately flattered by a boastful press."

The bureaus of the Navy shelved the Sims reports on recommendations for improving the Navy and her ships. Sims fumed that a man who would have to fight a ship could have no say in its design or the functioning of the Navy - not even as a Navy Captain.

He had better luck on his second project, teaching the Navy to shoot. In face of opposition, he introduced a real target instead of an imaginary one, longer practice ranges, continuous aim firing, improved telescopic sights, new methods of fire control. He developed a spirit of competition in a fleet that used to shoot off its year's ammunition as an unpleasant chore. The Navy's marksmanship became legend.

By the time the U.S. entered World War I, he had fought for adoption of all-big-gun ships (dreadnoughts), commanded the newest, finest battleship of all, the Nevada (still in service). Most important, he had commanded a destroyer flotilla and developed doctrines for handling destroyers that proved invaluable.

But outside the Navy Sims was not famous until he was suddenly (March 31, 1917) exported incognito to London as Commander of the U.S. Naval Forces operating in European waters. Again he had to combat the bureaus and a Navy leadership sluggish in action. Though the British Admiralty confessed that if U-boat sinkings kept on at their top rate (nearly 90,000 tons in April 1917) Britain was done for by October, the men in Washington were slow to approve the convoy system. Sims prodded in cable after cable. Once convoys became routine, sub successes dwindled.

Congress refused to restore Sims's rank to full admiral after the war. Sims was disappointed. When Congress ordered blanket restoration of World War I temporary ranks to retired officers in 1930 a Newport lady congratulated the 71-year-old Admiral. Said he: "Admiral, hell!"

In retirement (1922-36) he still fought. Admiral Sims argued saltily for:

• a better system of promotion in the Navy,
  
• for recognition of the powers of aircraft,
  
• for Prohibition (though no teetotaler),
  
• for adequate bases in the Pacific,
  
• for a larger Navy.
  

Says Author Morison: "He remembered Pearl Harbor before it happened."

Lessons from Admiral Sims:

• Be vocal (verbally and in writing).
• Develop a Navy spirit in your subordinates.
• Be persistent.
• Keep up your fight - even in your retirement.
  

From TIME magazine - September 1942

Welcome 2010 !! Resolution Free...

The years pass much too quickly. 10 years ago today (1 January 2000), I re-enlisted this great Sailor, Nico Figueroa. He was a 2nd Class Petty Officer. In the intervening years, he made First Class, was selected for the Seaman to Admiral 21 Program, graduated successfully from the University of Colorado and earned his commission as an Ensign, refused the commission and continued his service as a First Class Petty Officer, made some incredible drug busts with the USS McInerney (FFG-8), got out of the Navy served in Iraq, finished his time in Iraq and is currently serving in Afghanistan.

Neither of us made New Year's resolutions to get where we needed to be. We set our course and got underway. Each year has seen us grow. What we haven't done is grow apart. Nico and I have stayed in touch over the years and I am deeply appreciative of the Sailor he was in the Navy, the man that he's become and the patriotism he's demonstrated all along the way. As great a guy as he is, I'd say he was typical of the many superb Sailors I had while in command of U.S. Naval Security Group Activity Yokosuka, Japan.