Trained Leader

Now that you have started your journey on the path to leadership understanding and knowledge, one should also know that there are hallmarks of “real leaders”. Follow these and you can distinguish yourself from those that do not always act thusly:

Real Leaders…

• continue to seek knowledge and understanding of the concept
• communicate openly and share information as a common practice
• conduct open staff meetings and take actions to minimize, and preferably eliminate, status symbols and perks
• foster and encourage work and family environments that contribute to personal and team growth
• provide equitable opportunities for professional and personal development for all in the organization by finding and committing necessary funding
• freely acknowledge and recognize the contributions of all involved in any successes
• provide timely feedback and reinforcement and are not afraid of catching colleagues doing something right
• take responsibility for their own actions and are always accountable
• provide colleagues adequate resources in order to support their expectations of success
• respect all points of view and work to remove all work-place fear of reprisal, suppression, and risk-taking
• are always mindful of their stewardship responsibilities over the organization’s resources
• delegate authority and responsibility to colleagues at every opportunity
• introduce and encourage fairness and justice in daily relationships
• stay on the ethical and moral high ground
• are decisive and energetic

Successful organizations in which I have participated routinely listened to the people within, attended diligently to their training and professional growth, addressed their resource requirements, and provided timely feedback and reinforcement. Most importantly, when a task or project was successfully accomplished, they freely acknowledged the contribution of all involved. All of us simply want to perform successfully, fully trained, with adequate information, resources, and leadership support.

I’ll be back with more later…Dick

Where, and how, does the younger, less experienced professional acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to aspire to leadership? There certainly is a flood of writing on the subject. I am struck by the sheer volume and diversity of thought available out there about what constitutes the successfully led organization and breeds the effective leader. Quantum physics, as well as poetry, have been advanced as possible keys to breeding leaders. There is now a strong movement in higher education to establish leadership as an academic discipline.

 But, why not get started…? First, keep in mind that I believe leadership is learned. “Natural leaders’ may be born, but without practice, trial and error, and persistent application, they seldom rise to the top. Even Patton had to learn his leadership skills as a mid-grade officer during war games in the southern swamps during the ’20s and ’30s.

I have to assume the reader has, or is in the process of, attaining proficiency in the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities essential to perform in his/her chosen profession. Technical proficiency is not enough however. The desire to lead must be fueled by an inner drive to succeed supported by a strong and positive personal value system. Then we practice and apply ourselves every day to develop the right skills, follow the appropriate behavior, and use the tools.

This personal value system I mentioned provides the very foundation for the aspiring leader. It may be derived from family, be faith-based, or simply from your decision to lead a good and caring life. Whatever the source, this underpinning consists of a core set of positive attributes and beliefs that are generally constant and unchanging. A short list would always include:

Honesty. Always be straightforward with facts and refuse to mislead in any way.

Integrity. Be trustworthy and incorruptible, true to every trust, responsibility, or promise.

Ethical and fair. Pledge conformance to accepted professional standards of conduct; act with impartiality and honesty.

Accountability. Be answerable for your conduct in all things, meeting your obligations and performing your duties.

If you are exhibiting these attributes in your daily life, then you have a definite leg up on the behavior model essential to be an effective leader. One should model high standards in all aspects of life anyway, home as well as work!

Adding a personal vision of where you want to be at some point in the future as a private, and professional, person is important. That allows you to set goals and objectives for attainment of your vision. Lastly, find mentor…look to some individual in your circle of life that exemplifies the qualities that are key to your leadership growth. Establish a relationship and continually ask advice and seek counsel.

So, now we have a formula for leadership acquisition. It is Personal Values plus Behavior plus Personal Vision times Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities equals Leadership Potential, or:

                        Pv + Bv + pV x SkA = LdP

Note I said “potential.” Deming said a college degree is only a “learning permit.” Sooner or later, if you have the desire and commitment to lead, you will find yourself in a position of responsibility and others will look to you for direction. Refer to what we have discussed thus far, behave in accordance with your values and start the learning process. I’ll have more to say in future posts…regards, Dick

 One Leader’s Journey to Knowledge and Understanding:

• Officer Candidate at U.S. Navy OCS, Newport, RI. November 20, 1961 – April 12, 1962 **First exposure to naval officers and chief petty officers, many of whom had WWII experience…developed clear appreciation for the importance of attention to detail…!**

• U.S. Navy Supply Corps School, Athens, GA. April-November 1962 **Learned the “nuts and bolts” details of the Navy logistics processes… Navy Supply Officers store, inventory, and issue spare parts/equipment; maintain and account for operating funds; pay and feed the officers/crew; operate laundry services and ship’s store**

• Supply Officer, USS HUSE DE-145 November 1962 – April 1964 **First active duty station, WWII era destroyer escort serving as a reserve training ship home-ported in New Orleans… CO/XO were regular Navy WWII veterans…ship minimally staffed with active duty reserves called “TARS”…crew augmented with reserves from around the country on board for their annual two week active duty training…visited ports throughout the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and eastern seaboard…learned how the crew of a naval man of war operates as a team; developed understanding and importance of knowing all the details of your areas of responsibility…Supply Department underway had 50+ personnel**

• Material Officer, Naval Ammunition Depot, Crane, IN. April 1964 – April 1965 **Assigned to lead a division of ordnance technicians that managed storage of various types of munitions including 16″ rounds for battleship batteries and operated overhaul facilities for 3″ and 5″ shipboard gun mounts…developed insight regarding the magnitude of shore-based fleet support activities and the complex integration of civilian staffing of shore activities…department had 100+ civilian and active duty Navy personnel**

• Customer Service and Stock Control Officer, Naval Support Activity, Danang, RVN April 1967- April 1968 **Command tasked with logistic support for U.S. combat forces in the First, or “I” (“eye”), Corps military region of South Viet Nam…northernmost provinces of the country below the DMZ…ordered and managed inventory of combat related materials in support of the U.S. Marine Corps…top ten items included fortification timber, sandbags, barbed wire, stakes, concertina wire… learned true meaning of high level of performance and “sense of urgency”…exposed to three superb officers possessing outstanding leadership skills…staffing of one officer and 20+ navy storekeepers**

• Stock Control Officer, Naval Air Station, North Island May 1968 – February 1970 **Industrial Naval Air Station…primary overhaul site for F-8 Crusaders and F-4 Phantoms…my principal responsibility was Navy-wide storage, inventory, and distribution control for over 100,000 items of spare parts and equipment…led staff of approximately 60 female stock control clerks…learned all the ramifications of, and necessary sensitivities to, a work force of such composition and their key issues of single parenting, day care, etc., all of which impact the daily workplace…you need to listen!…significant personal growth and awareness here of leadership implications to overall performance of the team…promoted to Lieutenant Commander**

• Supply Officer, USS COONTZ DLG-9, February 1970 – February 1971 **beautiful guided missile destroyer leader…pacific fleet ship of the line, a true “greyhound” of the seas…although I served in her just a year, it was intense throughout with a six-month western pacific deployment and a quick turn-around upon return to San Diego to take her to Philadelphia shipyard for modernization and missile systems upgrades…duties similar to those in USS HUSE…commanding officer Cdr. Donald P. Roan, had been re-commissioning weapons officer in the USS NEW JERSEY BB-62…he went on to be selected for flag rank…great team throughout the Supply Department, won the type commander’s “Blue E” for Supply Excellence…Supply Department staff of three officers and 100+ enlisted personnel in the supply ratings**

• Weapons Systems Support, Code 40, Commander Naval Air Forces, Pacific Fleet February 1971 – April 1974 **Reviewed and expedited all Pacific Fleet and shore station requirements for the A7E Corsair medium attack tactical carrier aircraft…”ship’s daddy” for USS ORISKANY…as type commander inspections team member rode several carriers…added Support Equipment responsibility, devised and implemented Navy-wide priority parts expediting system for out-of commission support equipment aboard aircraft carriers…staff functions with three senior aviation storekeepers assigned**

• Weapons Systems Support (F-14), Aviation Supply Office, Philadelphia, PA. June 1975 – April 1978 **Led procurement group of one junior officer and 45 civilians acquiring Navy-wide airborne spares for the F-14 fighter tactical carrier aircraft…$100 million annual spares procurements…key team member of F-14 Readiness Improvement Program…spent several days at NAS Miramar learning readiness and maintenance issues from the aircraft pilots and maintainers…subsequent actions resulted in augmented spares procurements and revised maintenance plans… promoted to Commander, ranked as #1 performer**

• Supply Officer, Naval Air Station, Miramar, CA, May 1978 – May 1981 ** “Fighter Town”…master jet air station for pacific fleet fighters (F-4, F-14, RF-8G) and airborne early warning (E-2C), and original home of “TOPGUN”…routinely prepared deploying squadrons to leave the air station for their carrier 100% Full Systems Capable…team efforts led to ultimately having all 54 aircraft physically at the air station in April 1981 “up and up” or 100% Full Systems Capable, an unprecedented accomplishment as acknowledged by CNO naval message…department had a mix of 200+ officers, enlisted, and civilian, including the aviation fuels operations**

• Supply Officer, USS RANGER CV-61 June 1981 – August 1983 **Duties as in previous ships along with support responsibilities for embarked air wing CVW-2 including F-14 squadrons, VF-1 and VF-2…Commanding Officer, Captain Tony Less, former Blue Angels skipper, went on to Vice Admiral rank…this environment is where you put into practice all you have learned…Ranger supply team won two consecutive type commander’s “Blue E” for Supply Excellence…in a rare 100 consecutive days at-sea venture into the Indian Ocean set new aircraft availability standards for a Pacific Fleet carrier deployment…department operated with 10 officers and 700+ enlisted personnel…promoted to Captain, recommended for flag rank**

• Commanding Officer, Fleet Accounting and Disbursing Officer, U.S. Pacific Fleet, San Diego, CA. August 1983 – July 1985 **command performed fund accounting and bill payment disbursing functions for all pacific fleet ships and shore stations…overhauled bill payment functions and eliminated all late payments…command personnel consisted of three officers, one senior civilian executive, five navy enlisted and sixty civilian employees**

• Supply Officer, Naval Missile Test Center, Pt Mugu, CA August 1985 – August 1986 **support of navy-wide missile development and test functions along with assigned aircraft…formerly designated as one of the first Navy Aviation Supply Officers with authority to wear designated wings device…elected to retire with 25 years service**

• Materiel Manager, University of California, San Diego October 1986 – October 1992 **selected for this position over 300 applicants…managed procurement operations, stores, and mail functions…key team member in conversion of financial applications systems, started introducing quality management concepts based on Deming’s principles…organization had 40+ personnel**

• Director, Purchasing and Business Services, The University of Iowa, November 1992 – November 1996 **managed procurement, stores and printing functions…led the department strictly on quality management principles as modified by my learned concepts of leadership and management effectiveness**

• Director, Procurement Services, San Diego State University December 1996 – June 2004 **managed procurement services, employed leadership techniques as introduced and adapted throughout my career… key leader developing system-wide CSU procurement-related professional development program and curriculum…30+ procurement personnel attained professional certification…retired after 18 years in higher education**

• Executive Director, Contracts, Educational & Institutional Cooperative Service, Jericho, NY June 2004 – Present **Create, through public, competitive processes, aggregated volume contracts on behalf of our higher education institution members…and the story continues, the learning never stops!!**