I have always enjoyed being a member of a team. Whether it be my family, a team on the athletic field, a command, or an informal group working toward a common goal, I prefer to be an active contributor to a team more than I do working by myself. In […]
Tag: No
Engage. Connect. Grow.
A recent status update on my LinkedIn account resulted in a nice conversation with a Department of Defense (DoD) civilian on the topic of mentoring, networking, and actively engaging with others. He made mention that in his 20+ years working with military personnel, he had not mentored a single one. […]
The Vortex (Guest Post)
LTJG Kelly Ryan commissioned in the Navy in 2010 through Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI after a successful career as an equestrian dressage coach and trainer. After she commissioned, she underwent training at the Navy and Marine Corps Intelligence Training Center in Virginia Beach, VA and subsequently reported to […]
Shared Values (Guest Post)
ENS Kyle Hunter is an Information Warfare Officer, commissioned in 2011 through the Seaman to Admiral-21st Century program. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in March 2001, and after completion of basic training reported to Monterey, California to become a Cryptologic Technician Interpretive. Currently, he serves at Navy Information Operations […]
Building Trust
I know I am far from alone in my belief that a team is not a team merely because members happen to work in the same building or wear the same uniform. Rather, a group of people becomes a team when they have shared trust in each other. And the […]
Defining Success
We all define success differently. The cynic in me acknowledges that some measure their success by their bank account, their job title, or their perceived superiority over their friends, neighbors, and coworkers. The people I enjoy most are those who recognize that success is better measured by assessing happiness, realizing […]
Subject to Change (Guest Post)
Petty Officer David Hennessy is a 29 year old, single with no dependents, American Sailor, who hails from the great city of Chicago. Taking a varied path that did not directly lead to service in our Navy, but did lead directly to the Cryptologic Technician (Networks) Rating, he has been wearing […]
Public Accountability
Have you ever thought about doing something and then never got close to actually doing it? Have you ever written something down as a goal or task and then not seen it through? I know I am among the many who can freely admit “Yes” to both of those questions. […]
Being There
We all live “busy” lives and we make numerous decisions each day about how we choose to spend our most precious resource, time. Some of us even care enough to think about how the choices we make about our time allocation affects the way others, in turn, are forced to […]
Culture Clash (Guest Post)
Ensign Lukas Dwelly was commissioned as an Intelligence Officer last fall through the Navy Reserve Direct Commissioning Program. Enlisting in the Marines in 1995, he obtained the rank of Sergeant and deployed as an infantry squad leader aboard the USS GUAM with the 24th MEU (BLT 3/6) in support of […]
Leadership AND Followership
It’s no secret that I am both passionate about leadership and appreciative of the opportunity to follow those who truly lead. I believe effective followership is the path to effective leadership. In fact, I would go so far as to say that one cannot effectively lead if they don’t know […]
Competence…Confidence…Authority
I continue to notice that most public sector organizations, as well as many of the people working within them, are especially mindful of the authorities that they may not enjoy. They hold themselves back from doing some of the things that no one else is doing but need to be […]
Flattening your Tree of Monkeys – Observations on Leadership (Guest Post)
CTR2 Willoughby is a 23-year-old first-term Sailor with a driving passion for learning and understanding; a rational, positive outlook on life; a distaste for the superflous; and, if not uncensored, a tongue which expresses his distaste. Since enlisting in 2009 he has been the honor graduate of CTR “A” School, […]
Cover Bands
“Cover bands don’t change the world.” That is a call to action from Todd Henry, author of The Accidental Creative and PODcast by the same name. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and subscribe to both his blog and PODcast. In fact, my favorite workouts are the ones I spend with […]
Has the Term Shipmate Shipwrecked? (Guest Post)
LT Jim Legg is an Information Warfare Officer. He enlisted in the Navy in 1994. After completing boot camp, Jim reported to Pensacola, FL for Cryptologic Technician Administrative “A” School. He was commissioned in 2006 through the Seaman to Admiral-21st Century (STA-21) program, earning his Bachelor’s Degree in African & […]
Sixty Day Update
I like to sleep well at night. I have trouble doing that when I begin to question if I might be doing anything that may be perceived as not “walking the walk” (because I certainly do a great deal of talking). I spend too much time at work not to […]
Practice To Become
I remember being told this throughout my childhood and continue to hear it today… Practice Makes Perfect! I appreciate the message and make that philosophy a priority, while encouraging my son, and those with whom I serve to do the same. The slight difference is that perfection is never the […]
Mentors: “Being” and “Doing”
Of late and as a result of recent posts, I have enjoyed the pleasure of many conversations on the topic of mentorship. These conversations have left me believing that there are two kinds of mentors…“Doing” Mentors and “Being” Mentors. Both are extremely valuable, each serving in a different capacity. As […]
Operate Forward (Guest Post)
LTJG Jason Pawlak is an Information Warfare Officer originally from Mason, Ohio. After graduating from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in Computer Science, he commissioned through Officer Candidate School in October of 2010. Jason took orders to NIOC Texas where he works in Computer Network Operations. Outside of […]
Confidence and Clarity
With the move to Maryland and joining a new team, I have made it a point of late to reach out to some of the proteges with whom I now share geography. I have also incorporated guest posts on my blog from the same audience. In conversations with some of […]