Science shows writing is beneficial

No matter the quality of your prose, the act of writing itself leads to strong physical and mental health benefits, like long-term improvements in mood, stress levels and depressive symptoms. In a 2005 study on emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing, researchers found that just 15 to 20 minutes of writing three to five times over the course of the four-month study was enough to make a difference. 

Rachel Grate

A bit of self promotion, if I may

This is a bit of self promotion but it is really more of a call for my writer friends to put their work out there in the public domain for consumption - free and otherwise.

Today, I received my first royalty check from Amazon Digital Services for my short piece about VADM James Bond Stockdale Inspirational Leadership Award Winners HERE.  It is not a large check, but it is a significant return for the time and effort I invested.  I tried to get United States Naval Institute PROCEEDINGS to publish it several years ago. It was the first thing that I sent them that they rejected.  My 5 previous articles were purchased and published - one after another.  This is a bit of redemption for me with this piece.  If PROCEEDINGS had published it, I would have lost money and the experience of self-publishing on Kindle.

Virtues of a leader

The humble leader asks:

• Does my experience really qualify me to work this issue? Am I quick to admit when I’’m in domains beyond my expertise? 
• To what extent do my prejudices, attitudes or experiences bias my judgment? 
• Am I open to consider novel approaches to this problem, and willing to learn and study where warranted? 

The empathetic leader asks:

• To what extent have I analyzed the beliefs I hold which may impede my ability to think critically? 
• Do I demonstrate a willingness to yield my positions when sufficient evidence is presented against them? 
• To what extent am I willing to stand my ground against the majority (despite ridicule)? 

The intellectually courageous leader asks:

• Do I listen and seek to understand others’ reasoning? 
• Do I accurately represent viewpoints with which I disagree? Do I accurately represent their views? 
• Do I appreciate insights in the technical views of others and prejudices in my own? 

The leader with intellectual integrity asks:

• To what extent do I expect of myself what I expect of others? 
• Do what extent are there contradictions or inconsistencies in the way I deal with technical issues? 
• To what extent do I strive to recognize and eliminate self-deception or self-interest when reasoning through challenging issues? 

The persevering leader asks:

• Am I willing to work my way through complexities in an issue or do I tend to give up when challenged? 
• Can I think of a difficult similar problem in which I have demonstrated patience and tenacity? 

Leaders with confidence in reason ask:

• Am I willing to change my position when the evidence leads to a more reasonable position? 
• Do I adhere to technical principles and evidence when persuading others of my position or do I distort matters to support my position? 
• Do I encourage others to come to their own technical conclusions or do I try to coerce agreement? 

Leaders with intellectual autonomy ask:

• Do I think through technical issues on my own or do I merely accept others’ conclusions or judgments? 
• Am I willing to stand alone against irrational criticism? 

The fair-minded leader asks:

• Am I giving dissenting opinions adequate consideration? 
• Has self-interest or bias clouded my judgment?  

R. J. Niewoehner
United States Naval Academy
Applied Disciplines: A Critical Thinking Model

NAVY INFORMATION DOMINANCE FORCE TYPE COMMANDER - Stand Up 1 October 2014

"This idea of standing up a type commander is really important for the Information Dominance Force, but it's also very important for the rest of the fleet to understand who you are and what you're doing," Greenert said to the NAVCYBERFOR audience, which will soon be part of the new NAVIDFOR TYCOM.

"We, the fleet, have to understand the tremendous value of information dominance," he said. "Those who control information will certainly define the pace of any future conflict and probably the outcome of the conflict itself."

NAVIDFOR TYCOM will stand up Oct. 1 and be fully operational Dec. 31. The new TYCOM mission will be to provide commanders ashore and afloat, forward deployable, combat-ready information dominance forces capable of conducting prompt and sustained naval, joint and combined operations in support of U.S. national interests.

From NavyNews

FORT MEADE, Md. (September 26, 2014) Adm. Michelle Howard, vice chief of naval operations (VCNO), greets Vice. Adm. Jan E. Tighe, commander U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/ U.S. 10th Fleet (FCC/C10F), during a visit to FCC/C10F headquarters. VCNO received an update on FCC/C10F operations and plans, met with Sailors and civilian staff, and participated in a roundtable discussion with Tighe and her leadership team. The visit was also a remarkable moment for gender integration, with the two leaders having each made history in 2014. On July 1 of this year, Howard made U.S. Navy history as first female ever promoted to the rank of four-star admiral. Earlier, on April 2, Tighe became the first female commander of a numbered fleet in U.S. Navy history when she took the helm of FCC/C10F. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class David R. Finley Jr./Released) 140926-N-VE701-005

Captain Maureen Fox to relieve Captain Susan K. Cerovsky as CO Center for Information Dominance Corry Station

Captain Maureen Fox (USNA 1991) relieves Captain Susan K. Cerovsky on Friday, 26 September 2014 as Commanding Officer of CID Corry Station.  Captain Fox is reporting from Commander, Naval Special Warfare Command.  Captain Cerovsky is retiring.  Captain Fox is a career Navy intelligence officer (1830).

Standards

Much more of Hugh's humor at www.gapingvoid.com

Quote for today

How Do Your Flag Officers Measure Up? Are You Seeing These Things From Your Flags?

From the Navy's Leader Development Strategy.  More details HERE.

For some anonymous posters - you know who you are. If I were a better cryptologist, I would know who you are also.

For more Hugh humor, check out www.gapingvoid.com.

USS COWPENS - more trouble

Commander Armando Ramirez, Executive Officer of USS COWPENS (CG-63) was relieved of his duties on September 18 by the Commanding Officer, Captain Scott Sciretta, due to an alcohol-related incident.  He was found guilty at Admiral's Mast of Article 111, drunken or reckless operation of a vehicle, and Article 133, conduct unbecoming an officer and a gentleman.

Commander. Justin Harts has assumed duties as Executive Officer. Commander Ramirez has departed the ship and is on shore duty.

According to Navy Times, when the XO returned to the ship, the CMC suspected the XO was drunk and a breathalyzer was administered. Things went downhill from there.

Having versus making

Introverts make better leaders because...they write more

7. They write more. 

It's an old-fashioned skill that's easy to let atrophy in our tech-mad world, but strong writing skills usually lead to clear thinking and communication, according to Jennifer Kahnweiler, so introverts' skill behind the keyboard offers them an advantage.

"Introverted leaders usually prefer writing to talking. This comfort with the written word often helps them better articulate their positions and document their actions. It also helps them leverage online social networking tools such as Twitter, creating new opportunities to be out there with employees, customers and other stakeholders," she writes.

You can read all about it HERE.

How some things go wrong in the formulation and digestion of information

Interesting discussion about our "knowledge economy" HERE.

The Importance of THE MESS in Command Excellence

"The backbone of the Navy" is how one old adage sums up the importance of the Chiefs quarters. Superior commands are especially quick to acknowledge the Chief Petty Officer's special role and contribution. The uniqueness of that role is a function both of the position the Chief occupies in the organizational structure and of the job qualifications that must be satisfied before the position is attained. Chiefs have considerable managerial and technical expertise and are the linchpin between officers and enlisted.

For there to be a strong Chiefs quarters, the Chiefs must feel that they are valued and that they have the authority and responsibility to do the job the way they think it ought to be done. In superior commands, the Chiefs feel that their special leadership role is sanctioned and appreciated by the rest of the command, especially the CO. In these commands, the Chiefs are included in all major activities, particularly planning. Their input is sought and readily given. If they believe that something won't work or that there is a better way to do it, they speak up.

Chiefs in superior commands lead by taking responsibility for their division. They motivate their subordinates, counsel them, defend them when unjustly criticized, monitor and enforce standards, give positive and negative feedback, communicate essential information, solicit input, monitor morale, and take initiative to propose new solutions and to do things before being told.

The Chiefs play a key role in the enforcement of standards. Because they are out and about, they see for themselves whether job performance and military bearing meet the Navy's and the command's requirements.

When work is done well, they offer recognition and rewards; when it is done poorly, they act to correct it. They also know the importance of modeling the kind of behavior they expect their people to display. If they expect their personnel to work long hours to get something done, they work the same hours right along with them. Their concerns extend beyond their immediate areas, however.

Chiefs in superior commands act for command-wide effectiveness, promoting the success of the unit as a whole. Although they have a strong sense of ownership and take responsibility for their division's activities, they are able to look beyond the job at hand: when other departments or divisions need assistance, chiefs in superior commands are willing to help.

The superior Chiefs quarters usually has a strong leader who plays the role of standard-bearer for the command, creates enthusiasm, offers encouragement, and drives others to excel. It is usually someone whom the other chiefs perceive as fair, who stands up for their interests and those of the crew, who listens with an open mind, and who has demonstrated a high degree of technical proficiency.

In superior commands, the Chiefs quarters functions as a tight-knit team. The Chiefs coordinate well, seek inputs from each other, help with personal problems, identify with the command's philosophy and goals, and treat each other with professional respect.

Finally, this ability to perceive larger goals and to work toward them as a team extends to their relationships with division officers. Chiefs in superior commands are sensitive to the difficulties that arise for division officers, who lack experience and technical know-how but must nevertheless take their place as leaders within the chain of command. A superior Chiefs quarters supports and advises these new officers fully and tactfully.

It goes without saying (Well, why am I saying it then?), that the Senior Enlisted Leader/Command Master Chief can easily make or break the proper functioning of THE MESS.  That individual must have the respect of the crew, THE MESS and the wardroom to be effective.  Excessive absences from the command for 'other' activities is a problem.  Lack of warfare qualification is a problem.   A poor relationship with THE MESS is a problem.  Poor communication with the CO/XO is a problem.  Lack of interaction with the crew is a problem.  Add all that up and you have enough problems as the SEL/CMC to not only force THE MESS to fail but to point the command toward failure.  

Yesterday, the Navy advanced its latest group of newly minted Chief Petty Officers.  They have great expectations upon being welcomed into THE MESS.  Let's give them the best chance to become the great CPOs the Navy needs.  Let's not encumber them with the dysfunction of a poorly led  mess.  Master Chief / SEL, if you're not up to the job, step aside and let one of your very capable brothers or sisters in the mess lead the group.  There are plenty of them ready to step up and lead if you can not or will not.