Innovative Problem Solving

Charles Momsen had a problematic relationship with the U.S. Navy bureaucracy. As is often the case with bold innovations, Momsen encountered opposition from officials reluctant to develop new approaches to solving complex problems. Indeed, Momsen's innovative ideas and proposals frequently generated heated resistance from U.S. Navy organizations. As he reflected in retirement: "I guess during my career, I steered a course a bit too much my own... When an officer with initiative and imagination leaves the middle of the road, he's bound to have trouble...Often when I presented a new proposal, I was made to feel like a felon committing a crime and ended up not only having to defend the idea, but myself for daring to bring it up."

Vice Admiral Charles B. Momsen

From the book: Leadership Embodied, U.S. Naval Institute Press

Those who go down to the sea in ships

The Navy and its Sailors go to sea. For Sailors, tours at sea and tours ashore are two different things entirely. They are "what it's all about"; the latter are the interludes between cruises. Sailors pride themselves, indeed brag about, how many months or years of their career they have spent at sea. The oceans are vast, and ships move slowly, so tours at sea are long, usually measured in months rather than weeks. The Navy culture: a deployment culture; deployments form the rhythm of Navy life for the Sailor and for their families. If "home is where the heart is," then many, perhaps most, Sailors have two homes—the one with family and friends ashore and the other with shipmates on deployment.

"The Navy's worldwide presence and availability "on the seven seas" are its hallmarks and make it usually the "first on the scene" when trouble er affecting U.S. interests in any corner of the globe. To this day, the Navy says, and on some level believes, that when a crisis springs up, the first question the president of the United States asks is, "Where are the carriers?"

From: THE ARMED FORCES OFFICER

Command Excellence - The Executive Officer

CO's right hand
Superior commands view the XO as the CO's right hand. It is the XO who is responsible for the day-to-day running of the command. XOs traditionally have responsibility for administration and personnel. And in superior units, XOs drive the administrative system. They emphasize efficiency, knowing that if paperwork is not done properly and on time, performance and morale will suffer. They develop routines and systems to make sure this does not happen. But these are not "paperwork" XOs.

Out and about
Like the COs of superior commands, they frequently walk about. Describing his daily routine, one XO explains: "I try to get out every day and look at what is going on in the control room. I might check and see what the missile program watch is for today, stop and look at a set of logs, or watch a guy do his hourly cleaning. I find it very useful. It lets the crew know that the command is interested. They like to know that we are not just growing mushrooms on them."

Active in planning
These XOs are especially active in planning. They meet frequently to plan; they delegate people to gather information; they find out what's coming down the road; and they hold people accountable for implementing plans.

Unit manning
XOs in superior commands are active in all aspects of unit staffing, including performance appraisal, manpower utilization, and retention. They encourage and participate in recruiting the best people. For example, one XO was able to work a deal with another squadron to get them to release an outstanding maintenance chief early. The chief would then be available when the XO's command needed him. In another case, an XO swapped one of his chiefs for one in another squadron that his command wanted.

Enforce Standards
Because they oversee the daily operations of the command, these XOs are instrumental in monitoring and enforcing standards. They often have regular and exacting inspections, and if they find that something is not shipshape, they take corrective action immediately.

Charting the Course to Command Excellence

VADM Stockdale Award Winners Reinforce Proven Command Excellence Principles

The superior Commanding Officer:

(Commanding Officers such as Commanders Paul E. Lyons and Robert E. Smith, the 2008 VADM James Bond Stockdale Inspirational Leadership Award winners)

• Targets Key Issues
• Gets Crew to Support Command Philosophy
• Develops the Executive Officer
• Staffs to Optimize Performance
• Gets Out and About
• Builds Esprit de Corps
• Keeps His Cool
• Develops Strong Wardroom
• Values the Chief Petty Officers Quarters
• Ensures Training if Effective
• Builds Positive External Relationships
• Influences Successfully

The Complete Text below:

Navigating a New Course to Command Excellence

Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale Inspriational Leadership Award Winners for 2008

The 2008 winners of the VADM James Bond Stockdale Leadership Awards, Commanders Robert E. Smith and Paul J. Lyons, gave credit to their families and their subordinates. Admiral Gary Roughead presented the awards in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes on Tuesday, 4 November 2008.

Cmdr. Robert Smith is the Atlantic Fleet winner and Commander Paul Lyons won for the Pacific Fleet.

Smith commanded SEAL Team 2 and is the first SEAL to receive the Stockdale Award.

Smith led his SEALs in CENTCOM, South America and Africa. Lyons was the Commanding Officer of the forward-deployed destroyer USS STETHEM in Japan. Both men are known as "GO TO" men.

To read about the history of the VADM James Bond Stockdale Award and prior winners click on

A League of Extraordinary Officers and Gentlemen - Article rejected by PROCEEDINGS magazine.

MCPON is done..and I am not happy about it !

"Early in his tour, it was very clear that his intent was to reset the chief's mess and return its members to the role of deckplate leadership. Watching that happen aboard our ships and shore stations has made our Navy stronger and inspired our Sailors. MCPON Campa's energy and passionate commitment to our Sailors and their families is infectious, and it has swept across our entire navy. He is a Sailor's MCPON, a MCPON who changed the Navy based on his love of leading Sailors."

Admiral Gary Roughead, Chief of Naval Operations

The departure will make Campa, at two years and five months in office, the shortest-serving MCPON in the 41-year history of the job. What's up with that ??

Anchor Up Chiefs - RESET The Mess - PROCEEDINGS Article by Captain Mike Lambert

Rumsfeld changed the military for the better

You took over from Donald Rumsfeld …

"One of the things that annoys me is that everyone is always trying to contrast everything I do with everything Secretary Rumsfeld did. But the transformation that he started has totally changed the American military, and, I believe, for the better."

Robert M. Gates, Secretary of Defense, NEWSWEEK Magazine,

25 October 2008

Personal note: I spent my last two years on active duty (2004-2006) as a Navy Captain working alongside a superb Presidential Management Intern (Ms. Sarah Nagelmann - Now SOUTHCOM's Director of Strategic Communications) for Secretary Rumsfeld on the Detainee Task Force (formed on 14 May 2004 by the DEPSECDEF following the revelations of detainee abuse at Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq). I found the Secretary to be infinitely forgiving, patient and magnanimous. In two years I can honestly say, that despite the horrific nature of the issues he was dealing with, he was never 'short' or 'ill tempered' as some have characterized him. He admonition to us was always - "We will go where the truth leads us." One investigation led to another, which led to another - all said and told, he ordered 14 major investigations that we were responsible for tracking. He never tried to cover up a single thing. His view was that it was probably worse than any of us could imagine. And, of course, that is how it turned out to be. In my mind, Secretary Rumsfeld is an American patriot with very few peers.

My Dear Admiral...

In the 1940's, the Navy used a form letter to reduce the Flag Officer Ranks. It let "My dear Admiral" down with a gentler bump. Sent in November 1945 to all of the 369 flag officers still on active duty, the Navy's letter simply asked that if (for guidance in future planning) , the admiral wanted to retire— please reply.

Of those who had replied by December 10, 1945, only 16 said they wanted to get out. Among them were Fleet Admiral William F. Halsey; 62-year-old Admiral Royal E. Ingersoll, commander of the Atlantic Fleet throughout most of the war; hardboiled Admiral Emory S. Land, for seven years head of the Maritime Commission. The Navy sent nearly 150 Admirals home who did not request retirement.

Nevertheless, the Navy's stars were rapidly thinned out. Scheduled to go by the end of 1945 were 51 admirals who were recalled to duty after they had already been retired. The Navy hopes by June 1946 to reduce its flag roster from the peak of 400 to 228.

From TIME MAGAZINE, 17 December 1945

Don't get in the way - civilian control of the military

The dirty work fell to Deputy Defense Secretary Roswell Gilpatric. On Sunday afternoon he drove to the official quarters, atop Observatory Hill in northwest Washington, of the U.S. Chief of Naval Operations. There he informed Admiral George W. Anderson Jr. that he would not be reappointed when his present two-year term is up in August.

Anderson was stunned. So was most of the Navy. "A military man has really got to bow to this Kennedy crowd,'' said an admiral who is close to Anderson.

''Guys who get in their way get knocked off." And Anderson had been getting in the way of Defense Secretary Robert McNamara for quite a while.

The shift reminded the Pentagon once again that McNamara means to be in absolute charge. Once a decision is made, McNamara said recently, "by God, I expect everyone to fall in line. You can't run a military organization with divided authority."

From TIME MAGAZINE

Making a difference for Sailors as their leader

1. SAILORS LIKE TO FEEL SPECIAL... COMPLIMENT THEM.

The highest compliment a Sailor can receive is one given by his or her Commanding Officer or their Chief Petty Officer. Take the time to notice your Sailor's work and don't hesitate to tell them when they've done a good job. Make a habit of being sincere with your compliments. They know whether you are being genuine or not.
2. SAILORS LOOK FOR A BETTER TOMORROW... GIVE THEM INFORMATION.
When your Sailors are having trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel (deployment), remind them of the purpose of their work and help them envision what their work will accomplish. With that information, your Sailors will work harder and longer to see the task through to completion.
3. SAILORS NEED TO BE UNDERSTOOD... LISTEN TO THEM.
Every leader would be wise to heed the Cherokee saying: "Listen to the whispers and you won't have to hear the screams." Don't judge what your Sailors want to tell you before they've told you. Take time to understand your Sailors' points of view and listen to their suggestions. It's the best way to ensure that your Sailors have been listening to you and it opens the door to their innovative ideas for improvement.
4. SOME SAILORS MAY LACK DIRECTION... HELP THEM NAVIGATE.
Part of your job as a leader is to help your Sailors figure out what they're most passionate about, then help them pursue it. Sometimes that may involve a job change within your command or even allowing a Sailor to pursue another opportunity somewhere else. But when you understand that effectiveness comes as a result of surrounding yourself with Sailors who love the mission, it's not difficult to let a Sailor go who doesn't enjoy their work. Spend your best time developing and giving direction to those Sailors who are passionate about the work your command is accomplishing.

Leader vs Boss

"People ask the difference between a leader and a boss.

The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert.

The leader leads, and the boss drives."

Theodore Roosevelt
American tough guy

Caring about your Sailors

Admiral Nelson also deeply cared about his men, paying particular attention to their health. The admiral understood the two time tested principles of leadership: accomplish the mission and take care of your people. A leader can not be successful in the long run without following both of these mutually supportive tenets. Nelson’s men were aware of his devotion to them. His personal interest in every aspect of their training ensured that their actions in battle ultimately did not require his physical presence or direction when the battle was joined.

From Former SECNAV John Dalton's Trafalgar Night Speech 15 October 1988

Train and Educate

The Navy’s Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education Strategic Vision states the following:

“Professional education is key to the development of competencies, professional knowledge and critical thinking skills…Education is a strategic investment in the future of our Navy.”

I couldn’t agree more. The increasingly dynamic and complex nature of the evolving security environment demands that we take bold steps to develop the talented, innovative, and highly educated Naval Intelligence force our nation requires. Therefore my #1 priority is to Recruit, Train, and Educate a highly professional and diversified workforce. That is not just a bullet on a slide but a personal goal I am deeply committed to. Commensurate with its importance, I am dedicating significant personnel and financial resources to make it a reality for Naval Intelligence. We will invest in the education of our workforce and our Nation will reap the return on that investment many times over.

VADM Jack Dorsett in his 25 October 2008 DNI Update Memo on Education

The kind of officers we are looking for

Selfless leaders who value diversity and create an ethical command climate through their example of personal integrity and moral courage.

Mentally resilient and physically fit officers, who inspire their team to accomplish the most challenging missions, including leading in combat.

Technically and academically proficient professionals with a commitment to continual learning.

Critical thinkers and creative decision makers with a bias for action.

Effective communicators.

Adaptable individuals who understand and appreciate global and cross-cultural dynamics.

Role models dedicated to the profession of arms, the traditions and values of the Naval Service and the constitutional foundation of the United States.

VADM Jeff Fowler
USNA 78, Superintendent U.S. Naval Academy

Power of Alignment

Admiral Vern Clark, the chief of naval operations (CNO) for the U.S. Navy, said, "Better alignment enhances mission accomplishment and reduces costs through organizational and process efficiencies. ... When an organization is aligned, everyone from junior to senior shares an understanding of the goals and purposes of that organization, allowing them to contribute to their fullest. ... Aligning our organization is an ongoing effort that involves continual assessment of processes and systems."

A focus on alignment, however, doesn't denigrate actions related to strategy, Fleet and National customers, our Sailors, and processes. Just the opposite: A focus on alignment enables organizations to more fully capitalize on strategy. What must also be kept in mind is that alignment, like any kind of health, isn't a state of static perfection -- it's a constantly changing condition. What is perfect alignment in one warfare area/officer community may be a misalignment in another. Since the environment can change frequently and sometimes unpredictably, maintaining alignment is a constant process. Attaining alignment ... is a never-ending process of identifying and doggedly correcting misalignments that push the Navy (NETWARCOM) away from its core ideology or impede progress.