Be the Number 1 Number 2

In the world of GBS, the GBS leader is the top dog. The visionary, the sales person, the pace setter.

Every number one needs an exceptional number two. The enforcer, the planner, the pragmatist. This role can change hands in a GBS organization from time to time depending on its maturity or initiatives.

In the Navy, the number 1 number 2 is the ship’s executive officer, or XO. On an aircraft carrier, the ship’s XO is the “Big XO” to distinguish them from the embarked aircraft squadron XOs.

Over the weekend, Colin “Farva” Price posted an X thread detailing his lessons learned from his time as Big XO onboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower a/k/a Ike, shortly after finishing that assignment. Remarkably humble and transparently introspective for a leader who has accomplished so much in his career, there are many parallels that can be drawn for those second in command in GBS.

Here is the thread:

I am a month removed from Big XO. The tour was everything I thought it would be and more. The highs were higher and lows were lower. I chose this path to get out of my comfort zone. Always an easy thing to say, but another thing to live. /1

I have never struggled in a job like I did as Big XO. I knew it was going to be challenging, but in the back of my head I harbored a thought that I was going to dominate the job. Right now I feel that I merely survived. Learning and growth have occurred and will continue. /2

Here are some of my takeaways and lessons learned (or relearned.)

1. Don’t underestimate the jump in scale, but don’t let it get you down. As XO/CO of VFA-154, I had 250 personnel and 12 aircraft. On the Ike, 3,000 personnel and 20 separate departments. /3

In the squadron I knew everyone and had a firm grasp of every job and task occurring in the squadron. If something got by me, I took it personally as a failure because I could keep awareness to everything. /4

On Ike, there were multiple lines of effort happening everyday. Things got by me, and every time they did I let it frustrate me, because that was not a common occurrence up to that point of my career. /5

But of course I was going to miss things. I was learning programs and processes I had never dealt with before. Additionally, the sheer amount of everything happening on the ship. /6

Sometimes I would let the broad coverage of the job get to me. Trying to do too many things at one time. I need to focus on the priorities. Determine what are the no-fail tasks (and make sure I communicate it as well) and be okay with other jobs happening in the background /7

2. Be realistic about time. I came into the job thinking I was going to work all day everyday, especially on deployment. I wanted to be everywhere all at once and present for everything happening. Not realistic. /8

I wanted to be everywhere on the ship. So I felt guilty. If I wasn’t walking around the ship. I felt guilty if I didn’t make it to an event. I felt guilty if I wasn’t actively doing something, I wondered what I was missing? /9

Only in the last couple of months did I start giving myself some grace. My daily schedule was 0700-2200 underway. Reading the news and a 30 minute nap/break after lunch was a great way to recharge me for the rest of the day and reset my brain. /10

I stopped feeling guilty and realized sometimes I needed a break from walking the ship. That is okay. Better to be ready to be fully engaged when out on the deck plates. It allowed me to keep a positive vibe when I engaged with Sailors vice being distracted. /11

The ship is kind of a big place so of course I can’t be everywhere. I learned to view my job as a free safety in football. I plug the gaps where the presence is needed. As time went on, I got better about knowing where that would be. Just being present was 69% of the game. /12

I will always have the nagging feeling that I should have done more, walked more, talked more. But that is wasted thought. But I need to remember I was still learning I on the job all the way to my last day on the ship. Be your own worst critic, but also cut yourself slack. /13

3. Focus on what you can control. I am always going to want more people, parts, money for our task. But that isn’t reality, so tough decisions have to be made. Sometimes that was frustrating. But there is no point in getting worked up about things out of my control. /14

Instead I need to remember to focus on what I can accomplish with resources available. But at the same time, I have to better communicate to my leadership where we are going to fall short. /15

Additionally we need to think the best of each other. The Navy is tribal, sometimes to a fault. It can result in a mindset that the other staff, unit, command is all jacked up. In reality, we are all dealing with the same problems and doing the best we can. /16

4. Continually calibrate your trust but verify meter. As already mentioned, there was a lot happen everyday aboard Ike. Getting into the details of everything just wasn’t possible. We had a great group of department heads that made s**t happen. /17

But there were bigger events or processes that needed attention. I was reluctant to get into the details so I wouldn’t bogged down, but sometimes it needed to happen. I can’t be afraid of the details, they may make life easier in the long run. /18

My new favorite euphemism now is “personality driven process.” There were some programs or areas that were functioning. Then months down the road when I would revisit them, they were stumbling. /19

100% of the time, there was a new person in charge. With change, I need to shift a little more into the verify zone. Give course corrections early so the personality driven process stays on a positive vector. /20

5. Get healthy early. Some jobs there is the ability to prioritize health and wellness. There are other jobs where if you come out the same at the end, that is success. Big XO was definitely in the latter category. /21

I ensured I got workouts in during the week because I understand health is a lifelong effort. I also knew that I wasn’t going to get healthier on this tour. /22

But I had a good baseline to dig into during the periods where squeezing a workout in was more challenging, or the chocolate chip cookies were more plentiful. If health is never a priority, that baseline is going to get lower and lower until the bill comes due. /23

6. Keep the main thing the main thing: The people. Being able to take care and influence 3000+ Ike Sailors was the best part of the job without a doubt. It was the one part of the job where I feel I met my expectations. /24

The Ike is an old ship with challenges. But it is out there getting the job done each and everyday because of the amazing Sailors doing the hard work. /25

I am more impressed with the power and capability of the carrier now than I was when I first entered the Navy 23 years ago. /26

Power projection comes in many different forms. There is the kinetic capability of the air wing brings. But my first deployment in 2005 weeks spent over a month off of Banda Aceh delivering water (produced by the carrier) and food. /27

The carrier has and continues to be one of the most flexible assets in the US military inventory. /28

The Big XO tour taught me that and this is the key takeaway to remember. This tour was challenging but it did what it was supposed to do: prepare me for the next step. But only if I learn from my mistakes and shortcomings. /29

I am extremely grateful for my time aboard Ike. No tour in the Navy has challenged me so much. But no other tour has taught me so much. /fin?

Follow Price on X @farvaprice and his former commanding officer, Ike’s captain, @chowdahill, especially if you enjoy chocolate chip cookies and tacos!