I intend to

INTENT BASED LEADERSHIP

“Increase speed to two thirds ahead” was the captain's instruction. "Two thirds ahead” came the order from the navigator and the helmsman seemed to comply when he uttered the obligatory “Aye - aye Sir.”?When the order was given the Santa Fé was being propelled on battery power alone while the crew were engaged in a routine exercise involving the nuclear start-up procedure.

Capt. David Marquet had spent the previous twelve months in theoretical study of the USS Olympia (his first command) only to be told at the last minute that he was to captain the USS Santa Fé a new generation nuclear submarine that bore no resemblance (on the inside) to the Olympia. It also had the dubious distinction of having the worst performing crew in the US Navy at the time. Its previous commander had resigned with a year left on his tour which led to the last-minute change.

Marquet’s logic was that the sailors would know that the faster speed meant that the batteries would drain more quickly and this would put more pressure on the crew to get the vessel up and running on its own (nuclear derived) steam.

The order appeared to have been complied with but there were a few tell-tale signs that all was not as it seemed. Apart from the fact that the traditional bell hadn’t heralded in the new speed, the helmsman’s body language also told a story.

“Everything alright Helm?” asked the concerned commander. “Everything’s fine Captain and thank you for asking Captain but I have to tell you Captain there ain’t no 2/3rd setting on this Sub. Captain” was the revealing reply. Most submarines have a 2/3rd battery setting but unknow to David Marquet the Santa Fé didn't.

The captain was after giving an order that couldn’t possibly be complied with and when he asked the other officer in the control room why he had relayed the impossible request, the navigator replied, “Because you ordered me to Sir; those were my orders Sir.”

David Marquet knew that a strictly hierarchical system combined with a leader who had little knowledge of the vessel he was commanding was potentially lethal. He resolved the problem by devising an intent-based system of command which developed the 'leaders within' resulting in the crew going from worst to first when next evaluated. “I intend to Sir” replaced “Permission to Sir.” A considerable number of officers serving with Marquet went on to take up their own commands.

“Turn the Ship Around” by David Marquet was published ten years ago helping to discredit the hierarchical leadership system, although it still survives in some entities.

Chapter 10

TRUCKERS

Bloom had by now concluded that the HR Executive and other members of the unofficial council were devoid of empathy and didn’t care about the consequences of their actions. Shortly after the attempted sacking drama Patrick Jenkins got involved in another case that would cause difficulties for several employees. The employment of sufficient reliable drivers was always a challenge for the transport division. Many of these employees were not natives and their residency status had to be checked before joining the firm.?The HR Executive, without warning, alleged at a Board meeting that a few named drivers were not entitled under law to be working in the Country. He suggested that their addresses were fictitious and that the company was running a risk by continuing to employ them. On foot of enquiries by Bloom to the Transport manager which were backed up by his own investigations he was confident that all the relevant paperwork was in order, but this did not satisfy Jenkins who was again out for blood. Not for the first or last time he enlisted a willing CEO in his crusade. The Transport manager and several drivers left the firm as they had no difficulty getting employment elsewhere and were not prepared to deal with spurious allegations.

There was no substance to Jenkins’ allegations and the firm was forced to employ some outside contractors with the former drivers often arriving in different liveried trucks to collect loads.????

'The Director' is is a work of fiction. Names, characters, business, events and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual?events is purely coincidental.

GET IN TOUCH

?

Select a Date & Time - Calendly

gerald@oconnorleadership.com

353876822365