A Commanding Officer, who is a colleague of mine, asked me to refresh her on the traits of a “diminisher” as described in Liz Wiseman’s book MULTIPLIERS – How The Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter.

So, here are the main beliefs and assumptions of a Diminisher – (the other end of the spectrum of the Multiplier) – see if you recognize yourself in any of these…

1. “Really intelligent people are a rare breed and I am one of the few really smart people.”
2. “Other people will never figure things out without me.”
3. “People who don’t ‘get it’ now never will therefore I’ll have to keep doing the thinking for everybody.”
4. “I need to tell people what to do, make all the important decisions and jump in and take over when someone appears to be failing.”

I need to ask Liz Wiseman to write another book  DIMINISHERS – How Some Commanding Officers Crush the Motivation of Every Last Sailor Under Their Command.  She’ll need to get busy because some of our COs are working on a few chapters of their own.

The Heart of Leadership – Mark Miller

This short, easy-to-read fable reveals the five habits that underlie leadership character and that determine leaders’ success – and teaches leaders how to develop these habits. The good news for all of us: leadership is not just the purview of the few – it is within reach for millions of aspiring leaders around the world. This book is the road map they need to get their lives and careers on track.

For those who expressed an interest and sent me their mailing address, the books went out in the mail yesterday.  You should have them in hand on Monday.  Thank you for your interest.

As Commanding Officer, you want to establish a “self-regulating” culture at your command where your Sailors are answering your questions before you ask them and they are building trusting relationships between the Chiefs mess, wardroom and your Whitehats.

Naval officers put themselves at considerable risk when their vision and strategic intent are at odds with those of their boss. Some of our Navy bosses view their positions as non-negotiable. But, your having a different strategic vision than your boss may be simply a matter of degree and therefore not completely unacceptable.

Complicating the issue is that some senior leaders have an absolute unwillingness to share their vision with their subordinates. This may be the result of the senior’s insecurity with their vision or even worse, their own lack of vision (i.e., they have nothing to share). Make your best effort to have good communications with the boss and do the best you can in extracting his strategic vision. Failing this, you’re on your own and will have to maintain some level of self-awareness and a sensitivity to your boss’s shortcomings.

Just know you are in shoal waters. Someone once said, “when you and your boss have a difference of opinion – your boss owns ‘the opinion’ and you own ‘the difference’.”

By Old Fort Severn (near today’s 5th wing of Bancroft Hall), at 1100 on 10 October 1845, Commander Franklin Buchanan, USN, read his orders that established the Naval School to a complement of 50 midshipmen and seven of his staff, four of whom had been instructors and officers at the Philadelphia Naval Asylum. In 1850, the Naval School became the USNA, with a format of four years of study and seamanship training.

While the curriculum, grounds and uniforms have changed, the founding principles and commitment to moral, mental and physical development have endured for more than 160 years. The Naval Academy has adapted to the needs of the naval service. Today’s Naval Academy remains as relevant, and as important, to the Navy, to the Marine Corps and to the nation as at any time in its history.Naval Academy Alumni have always been important in the history of the United States Naval Academy. More than 76,000 men and women have graduated and gone on to be leaders dedicated to a career of naval service and have assumed the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.

As we reflect on the founding of our great Academy, let us also remember our many graduates who are today serving and leading Sailors and Marines in harm’s way all over the globe, especially our active duty leadership on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Naval Academy graduates who make up the senior leadership that guides our military. To them we give our heartfelt thanks and support as they stand the watch to keep our nation free. To their families who keep the home fires burning, we extend our gratitude and offer the support of our entire Naval Academy family during these challenging times. Go Navy! Byron

Byron F. Marchant ‘78

((Note: Had I been worthy of admission to the USNA, 1978 would have been my class. Instead, I was OCS Class 82003 with 6 years of enlisted service credit.))

BE ALWAYS FAIR AND CONSISTENT AT ALL COSTS
Do what you say you are going to do, inspect regularly, and avoid even the semblance of favoritism.

LEAD BY EXAMPLE
It must never be, “Do as I say.” It must always be, “Do as I do.”

MAKE A DECISION
Listen to all inputs – – – good, bad, or indifferent; and, weigh them before committing. But, make a decision regardless. Delegate responsibility but never accountability. An indecisive leader or one without the moral courage to stand by his decisions or the integrity to hold himself accountable causes immeasurable harm to morale.

EARN RESPECT, BUT DEMAND ABSOLUTE LOYALTY
Involve your staff, but exercise the final authority for big decisions. Then, expect your staff to carry out your orders as if they were their own.

THE GOOD OF THE COMMAND ALWAYS COMES FIRST, BUT TAKE CARE OF YOUR PEOPLE
You are their voice and their champion. Your job is to represent their best interests as well as that of the command and to ensure their good health, welfare, and morale even if what you have to say is not what your seniors want to hear.

PRAISE IN PUBLIC OFTEN, BUT ALWAYS CENSURE IN PRIVATE
Give your people pride of ownership for command accomplishments as well as for their individual achievements.

ORCHESTRATE; DO NOT MICROMANAGE
Give clear direction, provide guidance when required, and delegate the needed authority. Then, let your people do their jobs. But, demand a little more than they think that they are capable of achieving. Most will be motivated to rise to the challenge, exceeding even their own
expectations.

A GOOD SAILOR SHAVES ONCE A DAY AND GETS A HAIRCUT ONCE A WEEK, WHETHER HE NEEDS IT OR NOT
A sharp command has Sailors who look and feel good. That attitude manifests itself in their professional performance.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL IS CRUCIAL
Preciseness, even in such mundane matters as outgoing command correspondence, is essential. It is in the details that the attitude and self esteem of the command and its people are mirrored.

ESPRIT DE CORPS IS ESSENTIAL
A sociable command is as critical to achieving command esprit as is a close watch section, division, or department.

THERE CAN BE NO GOOD COMMAND WITHOUT GOOD ORDER AND DISCIPLINE
Be understanding and tolerant, but hold everyone equally accountable for their own actions. Allow nothing to reflect poorly on the command
or on its people.

KEEP THE CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
Your Sailors may consider them trivial at the time but will remember them long after all else is forgotten.

Captain Charles F. Authement

Harvard Lecture Series 1908