Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Alter the status quo or lose the competitive advantage


"Unless you quite frankly alter the status quo, take some leap ahead and, in some cases, some risk by developing more comprehensive approaches to how to manage the electromagnetic spectrum and how you mange the flow of information, there's the potential the U.S. and the Navy would lose that competitive advantage."

VADM Jack Dorsett

CBS Interactive Business Network
and
Defense Daily October 9, 2009
at

4 comments:

  1. AnonymousFebruary 9, 2011 at 6:40 AM

    "...competitive advantage..."

    It always makes me a little uncomfortable to have business or marketing speak plugged directly into warfare concepts.

    Certainly he is talking about losing superiority over adversaries...but when presented like this, the uninformed may come away with the impression that supported commanders are working in a marketplace where they can select from different service providers.

    Of course,they can't, and of course the speaker is not talking about soap bars or electric cars here. He's talking about concepts where the stakes are profoundly higher if not "managed" correctly.

    In the link to the original defense daily, there is some context about adversaries...I'm just curmudgeonly when it comes to Admirals talking like MBAs.

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  2. AnonymousFebruary 9, 2011 at 2:45 PM

    We've been hearing this "change", "leap ahead" jargon since at least 2002. Frankly, it has lost its punch. While the Marines have adapted repeatedly to changing environments through superior training and flexible decision making, we have sacrificed training and been exposed to empty cajoling from a series of leaders who seem unable to define what they/we are supposed to be doing. We have sprinkled various senior officers around a variety of organzations with no discernable benefit. We have seen the explosion of staffs and other REMFs. From two flags to seven.
    I have a news flash for the leadership. How bout setting an achievable agenda and quit talking in platitudes. How bout make a commitment to training. How bout act like a part of the joint warfighting armed forces that are engaged in two wars, instead of a parochial Navy self-licking ice cream cone. In short: LEAD!

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  3. Mike LambertFebruary 10, 2011 at 12:48 PM

    @Anonymous 2:45PM

    Your words would carry immeasurably more weight it you would attach your name.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousFebruary 10, 2011 at 1:02 PM

    Captain,
    Ref your comments to anon @ 2:45

    The truth is weightless. It is the lies that are a heavy burden.

    ReplyDelete