I was very surprised the other day when I got an email from a gentleman I work with. I was flattered, as well as a little bit mystefied, because I don't look at myself this way. However, below is the email received.
Dave –
It is with deep respect and affection that I felt I should call you “Master Chief” because here, for this operation, you are functioning for all intents and purposes in the role of a “Master Chief”
I thought you would appreciate the enclosed info as it is a good overview of what the Chief Petty Officers of the US Navy do and how they demonstrate leadership to all they encounter. I appreciate your leadership, professionalism and friendship. It is your signs of being a good leader.
Kevin
It is with deep respect and affection that I felt I should call you “Master Chief” because here, for this operation, you are functioning for all intents and purposes in the role of a “Master Chief”
I thought you would appreciate the enclosed info as it is a good overview of what the Chief Petty Officers of the US Navy do and how they demonstrate leadership to all they encounter. I appreciate your leadership, professionalism and friendship. It is your signs of being a good leader.
Kevin
Thank you to my AMAZING! Husband, Soldiers, THE FAMILIES who are enduring hardships that oft times makes it IMPOSSIBLE for ALL of you AMAZING Men & Women to do there jobs! We are all in this together & I got the "scare's" to prove it! It means the world to me that I KNOW! Regardless of title & ALL that goes with your commitments! "YOU ARE LOVED!" Thank you David for supporting your family in EVERYWAY! Babe, You Rock MY WORLD! Your Boy's ADORE you & YES as hard as it get's and as alone s I am feeling with what I MUST face for the 1st time EVER on my OWN! When all is said and done, YOU GOT ME BACK!(wink) You know what I mean! I have NEVER known a man with such commitment nor did I think I could handle this yet again! I GOT YOUR BACK! Again I am SO EVER SORRY for YOUR Truck! WE/I WILL get thru this! Eye on the prize and it's NOT $! YOU HAVE YOUR WIFE BACK! Thank you for believing in ME! Your Boy's too! Jake needs a bit of YOU CAN DOIT! From his Father! Jonah just knows one day you will return and we will all be SO BLESSED for your EFFORT! GOD SPEED! Yea I am REALLY nervous! But with our kind of LOVE ALL IS POSS!!!!!!! I Love You David! You Area GREAT teacher! Even from afar I will need ya to get thru the Homefront! So SORRY Baby! "In your Eye's!) 19 years in June! Forget Mother's Day! I truly DO NOT know how to deal with it! Not This year! It's up to you to fill in the blanks on what happened! I have ALWAYS remained TRUE! And Let You Go! That is who you ARE! Forever Thine, Forever Mine, Foever "OUR'S"! GOD SPEED to YOU! AND ALL! Thank you!!!!!!!!!!! Love Your wife! Karen:) XOXOXOXOOXXOOXOOXXO
ReplyDeleteAhoy Master Chief -
ReplyDeletePosting from the homefront - looking to get ready to rejoin you in " Level 3 " Paradise
I used the term " Master Chief " for you as you are functioning in that role for all intents and purposes....you are not a "officer" and you make sure that all the people who are junior to you, know you are apporoachable and a resource they can count on - Those are traits of a Master Chief
Here are some more, many whihc you use each day - see you on Saturday!
Kevin
CPO Leadership
1. No one can motivate anyone else. I can point a gun at a Sailor, and get him to run. That is fear, not motivation. Motivation comes from within. It is your job as a leader to create an atmosphere where motivation is encouraged and rewarded. It will quickly become obvious who is content to just get by, and who wants to run the show. The key to that "content" individual is to realize that you cannot motivate them -- it must come from them, and it's your job to figure out how to get it.
2. You don't have all the answers, and you never will. Every time we invent an idiot proof machine, nature invents a better idiot. The moment you think you've seen it all, stand by, it's going to get interesting.
3. Somewhere, there are people who you can't manage to get anything good out of, and they will very shortly be placed in your charge. They are not the problem -- you are. You must continue to try different techniques until you find one that works. You give up on one person working for you, and no matter how you slice it, your Sailors will think you have given up on them all. It stinks, but it's the way of the world.
4. Condemn in private and reward in public. No one trips my trigger faster than a supervisor or especially a fellow Chief who dresses down a subordinate in front of his peers. Take them aside and chew them out. Then address the group, referring to the event anonymously. They will figure it out eventually anyway, but you will maintain their loyalty by not killing the offender publicly.
5. Whether you agree with orders as given or not, they are your orders when you put them out. Never ever be so weak as to tell your Sailors "the XO wants it done that way" or "the Div O said we have to."
6. This is a hard one. Officers are people too, and as such, they make mistakes. You are bound by duty and tradition to address these matters on the spot. You cannot allow the junior officers you are supposed to be training to make an ass out of themselves, or to unconsciously be a bad example. You must however, do so in a manner that preserves the dignity of their position. The is most easily done by putting them in the position of "helping" you. For instance, wearing a backpack in uniform is a clear violation of the uniform regs, and you just saw the new LTjg doing just that: "Excuse me sir, we're trying to take a round turn on the military bearing around here. Could you help me out by not wearing that backpack in uniform, so the junior guys don't get the wrong idea?" You put him in a position where he really has to do what you want him to do, but you have preserved his dignity and allowed him a way to escape with minimal embarrassment in the process. You win, he wins, you win again later, when he comes to you for guidance, because he trusts you not to treat him like an idiot. He becomes a better officer and the Navy is better in the long run, because you took the time to do it right. Be creative!
7. Reread number 6, and don't even think about letting them go by without you fixing the problem.
In the Navy, we live by three words. Honor, Courage and Commitment. You honor your CPO heritage and the members of your mess by doing your absolute best by your Sailors.