Content area
Full Text
Leadership is essentially the same, no matter who you are or where you work. Prior to accepting duty as commanding officer of the Washington (WPB-1331), a 110-foot patrol boat, I had compiled a command philosophy for leadership on a Coast Guard cutter with these traits as its core:
* Promote an open flow of communications in a nonthreatening environment.
* Keep customs, courtesy, and discipline as top priorities.
* Expect each individual's best effort daily.
* Encourage risk taking and initiative; empower your people to take ownership.
* Set your people up for success through training.
* Set and adhere to safety guidelines.
* Expect leadership to be displayed by all crewmembers.
* Let your people know you care for their personal and professional well-being.
* Avoid complacency.
* Maintain self-control when challenged with difficult situations.
Following my tour on the Washington, I attended graduate school at Carnegie Mellon University. One of the course books for the leadership class was The Leadership Challenge by James Kouzes and Barry Posner.1 After completing that book, I realized my ten traits of shipboard leadership aligned closely with the authors' "ten commandments."
From the outset as captain, I put in practice my belief that an open flow of communications in a nonthreatening environment is essential to a positive work atmosphere. This means people at all levels must be able to present ideas and opinions without fearing retribution. For urgent or operational matters, input was given differently from that for administrative or less urgent matters. Operational matters require quick decision making. Thus, prior to executing a mission, I asked my department heads and the executive officer (XO) for their views on the conduct of operations. Their thoughts and recommendations were based on experience, unit instructions, and past feedback. I encouraged them to create a plan of action different from each other's, which created a variety of solutions from which I could choose. After receiving input and making my final decision, we briefed the crew.
During the debriefing sessions held following missions, everyone in the crew provided feedback. The sessions were free of personal ridicule. Openness to critque is important because it leads to continuous improvement. For routine or administrative matters, we encouraged input continuously to ensure optimal results. To maximize...