Author: captain1610

Priorities

“Skipper, if your officers, Chiefs and Sailors don’t know what your command’s top three priorities are, your command may not have any.”

Paraphrasing my former boss, Donald H. Rumsfeld
From his new book to be released in May – “RUMSFELD’S RULES”

PRINCIPLES OF NAVAL LEADERSHIP

1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement.

2.  Be technically and tactically proficient.
3.  Know your subordinates and look out for their welfare.
4.  Keep your subordinates informed.
5.  Set the example.
6.  Ensure the task is understood, supervised and accomplished.
7.  Train your unit as a team.
8.  Make sound and timely decisions.
9.  Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates.
10. Employ your command in accordance with its capabilities.
11. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.

From the 2013 Naval Leader Planning Guide available on Navy Knowledge Online.

After the decision has been made – We need 9 parts action to 1 part further thinking

Our most effective Naval officers are those who can think for themselves and are capable of thinking long and hard before jumping to conclusions.  Once the decisions are made by senior leadership, it’s time to act.  Most of the thinking (and arguing for your point of view) has been completed.  At that point we need 9 parts action to 1 part more thinking.  Get busy.  CNO and others are waiting.  And, they should not have to.  There is much work to be done.


CNO’s Guiding Principles – A refresher

  • Our primary mission is warfighting. All our efforts to improve capabilities, developpeople, and structure our organizations should be grounded in this fundamental responsibility.  
  • People are the Navy’s foundation. We have a professional and moral obligation to uphold a covenantwith Sailors, Civilians and their families – to ably lead, equip, train and motivate.
  • Ourapproach should be Joint and combined when possible. However,we own the sea, and must also be able to operate independently when necessary. 
  • Our primary Joint partner is the U.S. Marine Corps. We must continue to evolve how we will operateand fight as expeditionary warfare partners. 
  • At sea and ashore, we must be ready to part with Navy roles, programs and traditionsif they are not integral to our future vision or a core element of our mission.  
  • Wemust ensure today’s force is ready for its assignedmissions. Maintaining ships and aircraftto their expected service lives is an essential contribution to fleet capacity.  
  • OurNavy Ethos defines us and describes the standard for character and behavior. 
  • We must clearly and directly communicate our intent and expectations both within and outsidethe Navy. 
  • I believe in the “Charge of Command.” We will train and empower our leaderswith authorities commensurate with their responsibilities.

I hope someone in your chain of command has discussed this with you on some level.  If not, seek them out and ask why not?  This should end up in the Chiefs Mess, the wardroom and in the Plan of the Week.  Help get it there.  Bring it up.

    What Mentoring Means

    To mentor someone and help them achieve something worthy:

    1) Understand who they are, and what makes them itch
    2) Support them to unreasonable lengths
    3) Challenge them to demonstrate what they really can be/do
    4) Help them surprise themselves. 

    This is just Paul Hudnut’s opinion. No facts support this post.
    By the way, this is also good advice for how to love someone.

    I hope that I am living up to Paul’s thoughts on mentorship since they are very close to my own. Thanks Paul.

    Never enough Stockdale…

    Leadership must be based on goodwill. Goodwill does not mean posturing and, least of all, pandering to the mob. It means obvious and wholehearted commitment to helping followers. We are tired of leaders we fear, tired of leaders we love, and most tired of leaders who let us take liberties with them. 
    What we need for leaders are men of the heart who are so helpful that they, in effect, do away with the need of their jobs. But leaders like that are never out of a job, never out of followers. 
    Strange as it sounds, great leaders gain authority by giving it away. 

    VADM James Bond Stockdale
    Military Ethics
    “Machiavelli, Management, and Moral Leadership.” 1987