I think it goes without saying that many of these traits go hand in hand, such as dishonesty-inconsistency-play favorites etc. Also, I do not have enough experience in the Navy yet to judge multiple people within in my various (2) chains of command of their individual leadership style's pros and cons. With that said, I do have a fair amount of experience on the civilian side and leadership being leadership, this conversation shouldn't be limited to just the uniformed services.
Communication is a huge factor in how well a person can lead a group of people when working together to accomplish an objective, whether it be bombs on target or numbers on excel sheets. Honesty is up there too, but the ability to communicate is really the oil that can drive the machine.
One of my former bosses, a serious a-hole whom I initially hated for the way he treated me and the rest of us INFERIORS taught me a handful of very important lessons that I hope to retain when the time comes for me to lead. Communication is the cornerstone of how to run a successful goal oriented project.
Communication works both ways, before you can learn how to talk, you need to learn how to listen, I mean REALLY listen. 95% of people don't truly listen, they are really just waiting for their chance to speak. When this occurs vital pieces of information are being lost, forgotten, or disregarded. A good leader in my mind must have the ability to listen to what his subordinates are saying and is not just hearing what he/she wants to hear or is waiting for their opportunity to say what they think. If you can take in and process all of the pertinent info and then clearly and concisely communicate back instructions/opinions/directions, etc, things will go way more smoothly. This work top to bottom and bottom to top.
Also, along those lines, a good communicator will always make sure that they will provide an open/available forum for discussion and in some cases confession to their subordinates. I read a good article on this in an 'Approach' magazine a while ago the gist of which is:
[FONT="]"Bless me XO, for I have sinned …"[/FONT]
[FONT="]
Approach,
Nov-Dec, 2005[/FONT]
[FONT="]"I sensed it was wrong from the moment I finished. While what I had said was true, the forum and my manner were wrong. At an AOM, in a latter-day episode of "True Confessions," a junior officer had related an experience from his past weekend's cross-country which involved landing at a field fraught with dangers. Taking advantage of the XO's next-to-last work spot in the AOM lineup, I had "slam dunked" the JO for poor headwork and get-home-itis. In looking around, though, uncomfortable expressions covered the faces of the other JOs, as if to say, "If he hadn't admitted it, he wouldn't have been chewed out." I could sense that in the future, they all might be reluctant to admit to errors in judgment.[/FONT]
[FONT="]Having mulled this over that night, I called the JO into my office the next morning to explain that, while I still thought that he had displayed bad judgment, the public defaming was not warranted; I encouraged him to continue to share such (hopefully rare) instances from which we could all benefit. At the next AOM, I also explained this to the assembled horde."[/FONT]
I feel that mission/project success is greatly reliant upon these factors of communication, not just the public, inspirational, and motivational speaking skill set. When information is smoothly being sent from the top down to the bottom up, all involved will feel benefited by it.
Old Yellowstain had a many issues, one of which being poor communication.
Sorry for the diatribe, I don't know how you all keep your responses to less than 5 paragraphs. I guess I need to work on my communication skills.
It wasn't kmac but he knows who I speak of. That dude hates my guts. It wasn't personal, he was going to hurt someone. I actually couldn't put a stop it. I tried but the front office rarely listened to me. They let him through and when the next OIC decided it was time for him to come home from cruise early, only then did they take action. That OIC was a "Golden Boy" while I was more like the red headed step child. Ah, Bunk doesn't know WTF he's talking about.
. BTDT. Suicide.
boss, nor those that you lead, either for that matter. Like or do not like, is not the question. Loyalty is. The whole tribe is out there watching and waiting to see their boss display disloyalty to his/her boss.
