Yours Aye
RADM David Ledson, Chief of Navy
I had a really good day on Saturday 6 September. I flew to Whangarei and then in an SH-2G out to TE MANA at anchor in the Bay of Islands. With me on the visit were the Maritime Component Commander, the Warrant Officer of the Navy and – to tell me what to do – the Flag Lieutenant (Flags).
It was our privilege – and absolute pleasure – to welcome TE MANA’s sailors home from their deployment; and to present them with medals recognizing their operations in the Arabian Gulf. It was absolutely fantastic to see the smiles and their well-deserved pride in a job well done.
And as I reflected on the ‘good vibes’ I sensed onboard TE MANA, I thought about the reasons I’ve stayed in the Navy as I’ve served in more senior positions. That got me thinking about the countless books dealing with leadership and what ‘senior leaders’ have to do to move their organisations ahead – and what they have to do to motivate and retain those they lead. And I measured all those books against the number of books addressing what organisations and the people in them need to do to inspire, motivate and retain senior personnel.
I am confident that the numbers of books about what leaders have to do, would absolutely overwhelm those dealing with the flip side of the ‘leadership/followership’ coin.
Based on my experiences in the Navy, over the last seven years in particular, are some of my thoughts on the things that encourage senior leaders to stay in an organization. Unsurprisingly, they have some similarities with the reasons that people generally stay:
- They have a real affection for the organisation and what it stands for; that is, its brand. Senior leaders, as with everyone else, need to believe and know that what they are doing is worthwhile. In the Navy’s case, this factor is around our heritage and the reality that we all come in and play our part in a story that started before and will end long after our chapter was written. It’s about honoring those who were here before us, valuing those who are serving today and respect those who will follow us, by the quality of the ‘story’ that we pass on to them.
- They are able to commit to the organizational Vision and Values and have a deep understanding of the Mission. If senior leaders are to lead an organisation on a journey they, of all people, must be focused on the destination – and committed to it as an aiming point for the organization. If that is not deeply-seated, enthusiasm and motivation at senior leadership levels may sustain a sprint – but they will not sustain a marathon. At all levels Values define acceptable personal and organizational behaviours – and determine who should be ‘in’ and who should be ‘out’. Given their mentoring and role modeling responsibilities senior leaders’ personal values and the organizational Core Values must fit as closely as a hand in a glove.
- They are enabled to develop and implement the organisation’s strategic plan and key strategies. If senior leaders are to take everyone off ‘to climb a mountain’ they need to be able to take the key role in ‘signing off’ on the route to the summit, where the various camps will be established, identifying the risks and how they will be mitigated, selecting personnel for key roles and so on.
- They are able to do ‘fun’ things. Contrary to what some may think, senior leaders won’t hang around in a miserable job – or one that is all blood, sweat and tears but no laughter. In the Navy senior leaders are very lucky people because when sitting behind a desk drives them into a dark space they don’t want to be, getting out to sea and getting out and about with the Navy’s people is there as a very attractive option – and one that will invariably turn a grimace in a smile.
- They see people achieve beyond their potential. No senior leader of any credibility would want to work in an organisation in which the objective was to cut people down rather than to help them grow. It is very rewarding and compelling to see young sailors moving through a successful career and doing things they never imagined they could achieve. One of the most rewarding experiences I’ve had has been to see this year Petty Officers who, when I was MCC, were Able Ratings.
- They should genuinely like the vast majority of people with whom they work. It’s amazing the ability one miserable person has to turn you off an organisation – especially someone like that who thinks that senior leaders have spent every waking and sleeping hour working out ways to make their lives even more miserable. You may laugh, but these people lurk in every organisation. As I’ve mentioned before these sorts of people can be characterized as energy vampires. The sorts of people who keep senior leaders in organisations are in a different category – they are energy enthusiasts.
And as I look back over this list it is the last point that is really key in keeping senior leaders in an organisation – and in invigorating their enthusiasm and motivation. And I was reminded of this on board TE MANA.
The people I met onboard that ship, and that I meet regularly through our Navy, would keep senior leaders in any organisation. And so, to those energy enthusiasts that I meet every day, ‘thank you’.