NAVAL LEADERSHIP

Many of my posts are cross-linked over at www.navaleadership.blogspot.com

It's worth a trip over there.

Command Failure - EXCELLENT EXAMPLE

A few action verbs here - failed, violated, not authorized, destroyed. One of those cases where being a "man of inaction" might not be a good thing.

CO failed to meet the pilot proficiency requirements — at least 10 flight hours per month — for five of the six months preceding the crash.

CO violated crew rest requirements.

CO failed to exercise sound and reasonable judgment and through his negligence he destroyed the aircraft and put the crew in unnecessary danger.

CO violated NATOPS rules by signing for an aircraft he was not authorized to fly. CO was not authorized to sign for the aircraft because his name was not in the maintenance database. But, he told the crew: “No question here. I am the CO and this is my aircraft.”

CO, as pilot in command failed to run through the landing checklist at 500 feet.

VPU-1 flies a specialized version of the recon plane, the P-3 “REEF POINT,” which includes additional long-range cameras and electro-optical sensors.

Extracts above from NAVY TIMES.

After he was relieved of command, the CO was assigned to Joint Special Operations Command, Aviation Tactics Evaluation Group, at Fort Bragg, N.C., Navy records show. Presumably he was assigned to the Tactics Evaluation Group to tell them how he would do it, so they could indicate in their tactics that 'his way is the wrong way.'

More here from CDR Salamander:

VPU-1 REEF POINT SKIPPER REDUCES P-3 INVENTORY

Rotting Morale

“there is nothing which rots morale more quickly and more completely than . . . the feeling that those in authority do not know their own minds.”

From -
TOWARDS A U.S. ARMY OFFICER CORPS STRATEGY FOR SUCCESS:
A PROPOSED HUMAN CAPITAL MODEL FOCUSED UPON TALENT

Where/Who Are Our Pentathletes??

Senior Navy leaders can no longer be expert warfighters in their specialty alone; they now need to be “pentathletes”—world-class warriors who are competent in statesmanship, enterprise management, and governance, as well as being strategic and creative thinkers. Warfighting always will remain the primary focus of Navy leaders, but the broadening requirements necessary for future success will necessitate broader perspectives and thinking.

Paraphrased from "Dr. Wong's Fashion Tips For the Field Grade"

His Heritage

His heritage to his Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen and Marines wasn't inflated awards or medals, but an unspoken treasure, the treasure of his example as an officer, an American, an ambassador, a gentleman, thinker, writer, friend, mentor and a leader.

Fair Winds and Following Seas Admiral Jim Stavridis - Do great things for our country in Europe. We are counting on you. As you said at your change of command - "Nunca sabemos los caminos de Dios – one never knows the way of God."

More Command Excellence - Not Rocket Science

• Lead by Example – Leaders have to change their own attitudes and behaviors before they can expect their Sailors to change.

• Listen Aggressively – Leaders don't simply listen, they hear what their Sailors say to them . They know that those on the deckplates are the ones most familiar with how operations can be more effective.

• Communicate Purpose and Meaning – Leaders help their Sailors understand (collectively and individually) how their work contributes to the success of the overall mission, as well as understand how that work supports the personal goals they have for themselves.

• Create a Climate of Trust – Leaders trust and cultivate trust from their Sailors. Without trust, the barriers that prevent excellent performance will never be lowered.

• Look for Results, Not Salutes – Leaders maximize performance by making their Sailors grow. Leaders experience success only when their Sailors experience success.hey success.

• Take Calculated Risks – Leaders know that taking prudent, calculated risks can help maximize performance.

• Go Beyond the Navy's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) – Leaders see standard operating procedure as a guideline, because SOP may not change as rapidly as the environment and competition. Leaders foster a climate that encourages their Sailors to come up with better and more innovative ways to accomplish the mission.

• Strengthen Others/Build Up Your People – Leaders focus on making their Sailors grow and create an environment where all Sailors win, thereby making the entire command stronger.

• Generate Unity of Purpose – Leaders work to not only change undesirable behaviors but to alter the underlying attitudes. By working toward a mutual respect for all Sailors, they level the playing field, permitting all Sailors to perform at the highest levels.

• Cultivate Quality of Life – Leaders actively integrate fun into the work experience. Leaders want their Sailors to have as much fun from 6 am to 6 pm as they do at home from 6 pm to 6 am.

From Navy Command Excellence Seminar - Navigating a New Course to Command Excellence as implemented by CDR D. Michael Abrashoff on USS BENFOLD and as he wrote in It's Your Ship. Also see Command Excellence and the Wardroom.

Flag Officer Competencies - For Those of You On the Rise

Leading Change

• Skill in creating, communicating, and executing a strategic vision that will impact the future of the Navy and the Nation.
• Skill in linking innovative and strategic thinking in my command or organization to Navy and National strategies.
• Skill in demonstrating external awareness of world and national affairs that impact the Navy’s strategic vision.
• Skill in exercising flexibility to stimulate process development,evaluate new ideas, and achieve Navy Vision.
• Skill in providing clear guidance on expectations, achieving results, risk management, and mission accomplishment.
• Ability to engage in continual learning opportunities to master new knowledge, pursue self-development, and grasp new information.

Leading People

• Skill in motivating, inspiring, and mentoring military personnel through a positive attitude, enthusiastic leadership, and ethical behavior.
• Skill in motivating, inspiring, and mentoring civilian personnel (DoD and contractors) through a positive attitude, enthusiastic leadership, and ethical behavior.
• Skill in leading by professional example to promote team building and personnel development.
• Skill in managing conflict in a crisis by identifying potential situations that could result in unpleasant confrontations.
• Skill in managing conflict in a combat or wartime situation to maximize force effectiveness and enhance mission accomplishment.
• Skill in leveraging an ethnically and culturally diverse workforce to improve working environment and capitalize on achievements of each individual.

Stewarding Resources

• Comprehensive knowledge of and effective use of the Planning, Programming, and Budgeting System (PPBS).
• Proficiency in leveraging technology to enhance business acumen and skills, developing assessment processes, and analyzing alternatives.
• Broad understanding of principals of financial management and marketing sufficient to ensure appropriate funding and prioritization.
• Ability to assess current and future human resources and staffing requirements based on organizational goals and budget realities.
• Technical skill necessary to understand and apply procedures, requirements, regulations and policies, and to make sound resource decisions.
• Analytical and research abilities to frame problems, synthesize issues, formulate solutions, and recommend courses of action.

Externally Networking

• Skill in influencing and negotiating with people at all levels including civic leaders, Joint Staff, OSD, Inter-Agency, Congress, and White House.
• Diplomacy, political awareness, international savvy, and negotiating skills necessary to partner with foreign navies and governments.
• Interpersonal skills necessary to communicate extemporaneously to build networks and coalitions, and to accomplish missions.
• Skill in preparing and delivering quality oral presentations and written communications to demonstrate expertise and persuade others to accomplish objectives.
• Capacity to build and sustain effective networks through use of information technology.
• Knowledge of how and who to ask for the capabilities of other Services and Agencies as part of joint operations and warfare.

Integrating Results

• Skill in employing force to achieve Joint, Coalition, and Interagency objectives and missions.
• Knowledge of command and control, roles, doctrines, missions, and capabilities of Joint and Coalition Forces to conduct operational planning and execution in a complex environment.
• Resilience and flexibility to deal effectively with change, to focus on objectives under pressure, and to recover quickly from setbacks.
• Ability to exercise good judgment, perception, adaptiveness, and common sense necessary to integrate priorities and eliminate irrelevant information.
• Skill in measuring readiness and operational effectiveness to achieve and sustain Joint Operational Excellence.
• Ability to effectively advocate the use of Naval Forces and sea power within and outside the Navy and Marine Corps.
• Understanding the structures and organizations of other Services so that you can grasp how or why joint decisions might be made.
• Ability to integrate practices and rules of each Service to overcome cultural and operational differences and achieve joint objectives.

Accomplishing Mission

• Ability to exercise responsibility, good judgment, authority, and accountability in all aspects of this billet.
• Ability to develop and maintain effective controls which ensure the integrity of the command/organization while holding yourself and others accountable for rules and regulations.
• Proficiency in problem solving and continuous improvement techniques and processes to achieve concise and powerful results.
• Ability to create operational and work environments where decisiveness and risk management will optimize outcomes and force effectiveness.
• Skill in fully integrating naval forces into the joint team to maximize our advantages with dominant, precise, and persistent power.
• Ability to provide combatant commanders with flexible, agile, and capable naval forces for today’s dynamic and uncertain strategic environment.

More Admiral Arleigh A. Burke

Leadership is understanding people and involving them to help you do a job. That takes all of the good characteristics, like integrity, dedication of purpose, selflessness, knowledge, skill, implacability, as well as determination not to accept failure.

Admiral Arleigh A. Burke
Naval Leadership: Voices of Experience (1987)

Hope is Not a Method

If you are the leader, your people expect you to create their future. They look into your eyes, and they expect to see strength and vision. To be successful, you must inspire and motivate those who are following you. When they look into your eyes, they must see that you are with them.

General Gordon R. Sullivan
Hope is Not a Method (1996)

Persistence

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not…. Genius will not …. Education will not …. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan “press on” has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.

Calvin Coolidge
President of the United States (1923-1929)

Want to be a better Naval officer?

Study Army leadership. Lessons are available here.

Officers and Chiefs - a distinction

Serving as a commissioned officer differs from other forms of Navy leadership by the quality and breadth of expert knowledge required, in the measure of responsibility attached, and in the magnitude of the consequences of inaction or ineffectiveness.

A Navy Chief swears an oath of obedience to lawful orders, while the Naval officer promises to, “well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office.”

This distinction establishes a different expectation for discretionary initiative. Officers should be driven to maintain the momentum of operations, possess courage to deviate from standing orders within the commander’s intent when required, and be willing to accept the responsibility and accountability for doing so.

While Naval officers depend on the counsel, technical skill, maturity, and experience of the Chief to translate their orders into action, the ultimate responsibility for mission success or failure resides with the Naval officer.

An Ideal Leader

An ideal leader has strong intellect, physical presence, professional competence, high moral character, and serves as a role model. A leader is able and willing to act decisively, within the intent and purpose of his superior leaders, and in the best interest of the organization. Leaders recognize that organizations, built on mutual trust and confidence, successfully accomplish peacetime and wartime missions. Organizations have many leaders. Everyone in the Navy is part of a chain of command and functions in the role of leader and subordinate. Being a good subordinate is part of being a good leader.

All Sailors and Navy civilians, at one time or another, must act as leaders and followers. Leaders are not always designated by position, rank, or authority. In many situations, it is appropriate for an individual to step forward and assume the role of leader. It is important to understand that leaders do not just lead subordinates—they also lead other leaders.

Everyone in the Navy is part of a team, and all team members have responsibilities inherent in belonging to that team.

(Actually taken from Army FM 6-22 Army Leadership. They have it right)

Corrupt A Young Officer

The surest way to corrupt a young officer is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike - than those who think differently.

Lieutenant Commander Fred Nietzsche

New IW Commanders for FY10

SPECIAL DUTY OFFICER
(INFORMATION WARFARE - CRYPTOLOGY)

BABCOCK JASON B
CHACE ALAN J
COUDEYRAS JAMES CHRIST
COUNT PATRICK A
DAVIS JOEL DUDLEY
DUPRE JOSEPH E
ELLIOT MICHAEL CHARLTON
FRANKLIN CLARENCE JR
GIBSON ETHAN COLE
GLEESON DAVID A
HANSEN JOSHUA C
HAUSVIK JENNA K
HENDERSON-COFFEY JAMES
KEITH CYNTHIA MICHELLE
LINDY FRED L
MCGINNIS SHAWN W
MICHAUD KRISTOFER DALE
MOLE KURTIS ARTHUR
OUBRE DONOVAN I
RIOS CESAR GUILEBALDO
RODGERS WILLIAM L III
SANDER DANIEL JAMES
SNYDER TRISHA RAE
TODD MICHAEL J
WALKER ALLISA M

** SEVEN above the zone selections**
All strong Naval officers.