Category: Uncategorized

Nothing Unreasonable from your men

“Require nothing unreasonable of your officers and men, but see that whatever is required be punctually complied with. Reward and punish every man according to his merit, without partiality or prejudice; hear his complaints; if well founded, redress them; if otherwise, discourage them, in order to prevent frivolous ones. Discourage vice in every shape, and impress upon the mind of every man, from the first to the lowest, the importance of the cause, and what is it they are contending for.”

–– GEN George Washington

The Importance of the Chiefs 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.

Command Excellence – The Crew

It is the crew, led by the officers and Chiefs, who must ultimately accomplish the command’s mission. The crew is where “the keel meets the water.” Without a top performing crew, no command can be successful. 
COs of superior commands are particularly adept at molding their crew into a highly unified, spirited, fighting team with a laser-like focus: accomplishing the command’s mission. When asked, these crews can not only clearly describe the command’s philosophy and goals, but they also voice wholehearted support of the CO and his approach. 
Because the CO, XO, officers, and chiefs frequently explain what they want done and why, the crew knows what is expected of them and feels a part of the team. The result is enthusiasm, motivation, and pride in the command. These crews often praise their CO with the ultimate accolade: “I’d go to war with him.” 
In average commands, the crew may not be sure of the command’s philosophy or may withhold their total support of it. The crew in superior commands also live up to the high standards demanded by their officers and chiefs. They know that when they succeed, they will be recognized and rewarded; equally well, they know that when they make mistakes, they will be told and corrective action taken. Their commitment to upholding the command’s standards generates a strong sense of responsibility for their individual work areas. They act on the principle that if you’re going to do something, then do it right, and do it right the first time. 
Crew members of superior commands realize that success depends on a team effort. They don’t act or do their jobs in disregard of the rest of the command. They communicate frequently, coordinate activities, and help each other out when necessary. In addition, they are careful about following the chain of command. They know that violating it disrupts teamwork, creates confusion, hurts morale, and hinders leadership.

Command Excellence – Relationships

Command Builds Networks with Outsiders 

Superior commands establish and cultivate a web of relationships with significant people or groups in the external environment and then use those relationships to accomplish their goals. This involves getting information from people, treating them professionally, doing things for them, explaining things, and, in general, being able to influence and work with them successfully. It requires a mindset that sees the larger environment as full of resources rather than obstacles to be avoided or overcome. 
This is not to say that “outsiders” do not at times make life miserable, but the general orientation in superior commands is how to respond positively in these situations and, preferably, prevent such aggravations from occurring. Having wide and frequently utilized communication links to these “centers of power” makes it possible.
Naval Education and Training Command has a link to the “Navigating A New Course to Command Excellence” book that my XO and I produced HERE.  It cleans up the work originally done with Command Excellence – What it Takes to be The Best in the 1980s.

Translating ideas to action – Admiral Stavridis advises…

How can the concepts articulated in writing by transformers/ innovators get translated to action?

Obviously, to see a concept translated into action, it must be presented to a decision maker with time to analyze it and the authority to allocate resources to its fulfillment.

Good ideas have to be short, to the point, and practical for a decision maker to want to allocate resources towards it.

They must also fit the perceived need for improvement (what’s broken?) in the eyes of the decision maker.

There is nothing complicated in this.  It amounts to:

  1. Seeing a problem that needs correcting.
  2. Determining a reasonable solution.
  3. Packaging the solution, idea, or concept with a concrete proposal.
  4. Understanding that to see your ideas achieve traction, you have to be willing, in almost every instance, not to get all the credit for the concept.

Good luck!  More on the process HERE  and HERE.