I am sorry. What was the question?

S. Gross from The New Yorker Magazine www.newyorker.com

Ask These Questions to Make Sure Thinking is Focused on What is Relevant

• Am I focused on the main problem or task?
• How is this connected? How is that?
• Does my information directly relate to the problem or task?
• Where do I need to focus my attention? 
• Are we being diverted to unrelated matters?
• Am I failing to consider relevant viewpoints?
• How is your point relevant to the issue we are addressing?
• What facts are actually going to help us answer the question? What considerations should be set aside?
• Does this truly bear on the question? How does it connect?

From www.criticalthinkers.org  Think about it.

Quote of the day about Admiral Mike Rogers

“As he has approached all things, he’ll do [the job] in a very thoughtful, principled way.”

ADM Gary Roughead

Fighting the good fight

Opportunity to outrun the storm of the Navy's looming retention problem

Commander Guy Snodgrass has some advice for the CNO and CNP about a looming Navy retention problem.  You can read his full post on the USNI blog HERE.

There is much to be said about communicating "THE WHY".  You can  follow what Simon Sinek has to say about "WHY" HERE.

1. Enable Commanding Officers to Better Communicate with Sailors (Align Navy Messaging) 

In today’s 24/7 media environment – where sailors are bombarded with information – it’s more important than ever for our “Stay Navy” message to be aligned across all levels, or we risk eroding trust and confidence because of conflicting information. This requires senior leadership to determine desired strategic end states, construction of appropriate messages, and the sharing of that message across all levels. 

There are several ways we can improve our “Stay Navy” message to better inform the Fleet and aid retention: 

First, expand on existing products. The Navy is a geographically dispersed organization, which makes the timely sharing of information critically important. Senior leadership receives near weekly Chief of Naval Information talking points, helping ensure that admirals and senior executive service members are “on message” regarding forecasted areas of interest. Why not tailor a version for officers that are in command? Pushing a tailored version of the Chief of Naval Information’s current talking points to unit leadership will arm deckplate leaders with the “whys” behind current decision-making, providing access to relevant and timely background information. The commanding officer, or officer in charge, can subsequently tailor this information to share the importance of their mission with the Sailors they lead – necessary when conveying that our Sailors serve with a purpose. This product should include quarterly updates regarding programs that directly impact sailors, including information on changes to Career Navigator and 21st Century Sailor.

Tom Peters' Rant

People ... in enterprise, in government ... are by and large well intentioned.  They'd like to get things done.  To be of service to others.  But they are thwarted ... at every step of the way ... by absurd organizational barriers ... and by the egos of petty tyrants (be they corporate middle managers, or army colonels, or school superintendents).

We don't have to take it anymore.

Ideas are meant to be shared

“We are often better served by connecting ideas than we are by protecting them.”  

—Steven Johnson, Where Good Ideas Come From: The Natural History of Innovation

Connecting ideas is important; connecting the right ideas with the right people at the right time is even more important.

He Never Stopped Fighting

Executive Officer Tip 2013-088 (#88 of 140)

I have provided the NPC Collateral duty list for your convenience.  Your duties at the NIOC will be different but is it a good starting point because their format is Better Than Average (BTA).  BTA is a good place to start on your way to EXTRAORDINARY.  If you hold your Collateral Duty holders accountable for doing what the instruction says, you are in good shape.  If you don't, you will be miserable at IG time.  Challenge your Sailors to provide a monthly/quarterly report on the work they have done on their collateral duty(ies).  They can include the reports at semi-annual counseling and EVAL time.  Some of their collateral duty reports may be worthy of inclusion in your Command Operations Report.  Pay attention: some collateral duties require a specific paygrade.  If the CO waives that, make sure there is a letter to that effect so the IG knows that a deliberate decision was made and you know what you are doing.

Are you EXTRAORDINARY yet?  What does your Golden Anchor Package for 2013 look like?  How is that coming along.

2014 CAPTAIN JOSEPH ROCHEFORT INFORMATION WARFARE OFFICER DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP AWARD

Congratulations to LCDR Chuck Hall on his selection as the 2014 Captain Joseph Rochefort IWO Distinguished Leadership Award Winner!!

RMKS/1. Captain Joseph John Rochefort was a major figure in the U.S. Navy's development of cryptologic and intelligence capabilities from 1925 to 1947. He headed the Navy's fledgling cryptanalytic organization in the 1920's and provided singularly superb cryptologic support to the U.S. fleet during World War II, leading to victory in the Pacific. At the end of his career (1942-1946), CAPT Rochefort successfully headed the Pacific Strategic Intelligence Group in Washington. In 1986, he posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contribution during the Battle of Midway.

2. Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. TENTH Fleet is pleased to announce this year's winner of the Captain Joseph J. Rochefort Information Warfare (IW) Officer Distinguished Leadership Award.

This year's selectee is LCDR Charles H. Hall, USN, Naval Special Warfare Development Group.

3. The competition was exceptional with 13 nominations. Congratulations to the following other nominees for their significant leadership contributions to the IW mission:

LT Miles G. Alvarez, USN, NIOC Whidbey Island
LCDR Gregory S. Cardwell, USN, NCWDG
LCDR Christopher D. Eng, USN, USPACOM
LCDR Kallie D. Fink, USN, USCYBERCOM
LT Kenyatta M. Jones, USN, USS JOHN C. STENNIS
CDR John W. Olvey, USN, SIMBA
CDR Marc W. Ratkus, USN, NIOC Colorado
CDR Michael Riggins, USN, NIOC Texas
LT Ian D. Roberts, USN, NR NIOC Tacoma
CWO5 Michael E. Sill, USN, NAVCYBERFOR
LCDR Chad M. Smith, USN, NIOC San Diego
LCDR Joel Yates, USN, COMNAVPERSCOM

4. LCDR Hall will receive recognition from the U.S. Naval Cryptologic Veterans Association, a plaque commemorating his selection and his name will be added to a display in the heritage room at FLTCYBERCOM/COMTENTHFLT.

5. Congratulations and well done. Released by VADM Michael S. Rogers, Commander, U.S. Fleet Cyber Command/U.S. TENTH Fleet.

A leader worth following

The Navy is missing out. Our Sailors could all be learning more. Living out their purpose. Leading and being led by people who inspire and enlighten them, give them strength and allow them to grow.   We believe Sailors deserve the best leaders—leaders worth following. 

Shamelessly stolen from www.leadercast.com 

Some of their beliefs:

• We believe that leaders should think and behave differently.
• We believe that certain behaviors serve as the framework of a leader worth following:
  • Simplicity - brings clarity to the complex.
  • Creativity - fosters an atmosphere that allows others to dream.
  • Bravery - possesses a posture of unrelenting boldness.
  • Beyond You - leverages influence for the sake of others.
  • Insight - resolves to consistently do the wise thing.
  • Vision - moves towards a preferred future with little deviation.
  • Culture - architects the conditions to win.

It's happened to me more than once

More of awesome Jeff Bacon at www.broadside.net

LATE BREAKING NEWS ...

People who know me know what a huge fan I was of Rear Admiral James S. McFarland.  Admiral McFarland's son Jeff just named his son James S. McFarland.  That fills me with joy.

Command Excellence - Training and Development

We have seen that COs of superior commands ensure that training is effective. To do this, they explicitly emphasize the importance of training to the crew, monitor the quality of training, try to get special training billets, work hard to get schedules with time to follow through on planned training, and make sure that training is realistic and linked to combat readiness. Here we further develop this theme by presenting what the command as a whole does to support training. 

Specific ways in which superior commands promote training and development are as follows:

• ·  Value of Training Is Recognized
  
• ·  Training Is Kept Realistic and Practical
  
• ·  Training Programs Are Monitored and Evaluated
  
• ·  All Levels Participate in Training and Development
  
• ·  Command Emphasizes Professional Development and Career Planning
  

It takes hard work

Captain Arleigh Burke

"Leadership is a difficult but not impossible quality to acquire. Any individual who really wants to be a leader can be one. It takes hard work. It takes knowledge. It takes enthusiasm. But it can be done." 

-- Admiral Arleigh Burke

Executive Officer Tip #2013-052 - Paragraph 3. Action/Responsibilities

I continue to do my XO research.  I am always on the look out for potholes you may encounter.  I've included OPNAVINST 1040.11 about Retention and Career Development.  I have highlighted the XO responsibilities on pages 11, 12 and 13.  My point is multi-faceted.  Your XO notebook should have those pertinent pages from all OPNAVINSTs.  In the "olden days", they used to call it "Paragraph 3 leadership".  Paragraph 3 used to be titled 3. Action (or Responsibilities).  Now, OPNAV does not even follow their own directives on how to construct an OPNAV INSTRUCTION.

In any case, the XO has lots of responsibilities and you'll have to tend to them all.  When there is a compliance problem and the ISIC comes in to take a look, they go to paragraph 3 Actions/Responsibilites of instructions and point out where you failed to live up to your responsibilities which were so clearly outlined for you.  You can see what I am saying.  An ordinary XO can't see that stuff.  As an Extraordinary XO, you will have a great handle on it.  If you need help with this, have your YN2 pull all the paragraph 3 information from all the pertinent instructions and you'll be all set.