Posts Tagged ‘Navy’
Early Contender for Worst Leader of 2012 January 20 2012 13 responses
Based on the observable evidence, passenger accounts, his own statements and audio transcripts with an Italian coast guard officer, it sure looks like Capt. Francesco Schettino is a very strong early contender for worst leader of 2012. By now you’ve probably seen the pictures and read the stories of the tragedy with the Costa Concordia cruise ship just off the Italian coast. The Captain ordered the early evening maritime equivalent of a fly-by just a few hundred yards from the coast to impress the citizens of a local town. The ship hit a rock which tore a gash in the hull and within an hour it was laying on its side. It took him an hour to send a Mayday signal and when the authorities called him after hearing from panicked passengers, he denied anything was wrong. Dozens of passengers either died or are still missing.
Far from going down with his ship, let alone organizing an evacuation, Schettino was in a lifeboat while hundreds of passengers were still trying to get to safety. The UK’s Daily Mail offers an extensive summary of all the events including a link to the audio recording of an outraged Italian coast guard official ordering Schettino to get back on board and take care of his passengers. He never did. In a basically unbelievable story, Schettino said a few days ago that he ended up in the lifeboat because he slipped and fell off the Concordia and into the lifeboat.
Like I said, unbelievable.
The whole story has had me thinking all week about the responsibilities of a leader. For some situationally specific guidance, I turned to a copy of the U.S. Navy’s Watch Officer’s Guide
It certainly would have been a good list for Captain Schettino to absorb. It’s actually a good list for any leader who bears responsibility for the safety and welfare of others.
Here it is:
An Admiral’s Take On Admiral Mike Mullen’s Leadership September 30 2011 2 responses
Oct. 1, 2011 marks the retirement of Adm. Mike Mullen from the U.S. Navy and from his role as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Washington Post’s David Ignatius offers a nice recap of the Mullen years in an exit interview column with the Chairman. I’m an admirer of Mullen and his leadership but have not had the opportunity to meet him.
So, as he retires, I thought I’d ask someone who knows and has worked with Admiral Mullen for his perspective on the leadership qualities he has shown over the course of his career and in his final job as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. George Sterner is a retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral. His career included command of two nuclear submarines and the Naval Sea Systems Command. He is also the first person I interviewed for my book, The Next Level.
In this guest post, Sterner uses stories to illustrate the leadership qualities of Mike Mullen including his preparation, collaboration, listening, action orientation, courage, honesty and thoughtfulness for others.
Let’s hear from Sterner:
Scott Eblin is an executive coach, speaker and author of 
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