What I learned about leadership on the USS Nimitz, episode 2

I had the huge honor of being flown onto an aircraft carrier at sea for an overnight stay this summer. My words can’t describe the feeling in the aircraft during the catapult launch off the deck when we had to come home. I can express the feeling of the leadership I witnessed on my 24 hours aboard this floating city.

I joined a group of DVs (Distinguished Visitors) for an amazing experience of watching flight operations less than 50 feet from departing aircraft. We also got to interact and eat with officers and crew during our stay. I learned a little about the challenges of sailors living on a carrier. If you think these people are working 40-hour workweeks-forget it! There is a lot of training going on 24x7 and people are doing their assigned jobs while learning to take on new roles and responsibility. I witnessed a ton of responsibility, professionalism, and accountability in the crew every level. I was very impressed with the CSs. The Culinary Specialists that I met were amazing. They always had a smile and were extremely proud of their work. They serve over 18,000 meals per day at sea. They work hard and know how important it is to fuel their fellow sailors. I could write a whole story just about coffee on the ship. Every sailor I met knew their job (or was learning it) and knew how important their work was to the big picture. Enter the Captain.

We got 3 precious, short blocks of time with the Commander, Captain Kevin Lenox. He is soft-spoken, driven and wicked-smart. I witnessed very high levels of empathy that he showed for everyone. He put himself in the shoes of pilots pushing their limits in bad weather to stay current as well as families that had sent remains of their loved ones for Burial at Sea. He could see current challenges from every crewmember’s viewpoint. We asked Captain Lenox about how he dealt with over 5,000 19-year-olds every day and night while accomplishing his mission. Millennials don’t have the best reputation among some leaders.

The Captain's answer was not complicated. He told us that he took the time to align his sailors with something bigger than themselves and recognize accomplishment. That was evident several times during the day with ship-wide announcements. We would hear the boatswain’s pipe (just like in the movies) and all work and movement on board, that could stop, paused to listen. Announcements included new information like “continue our vigilance on water conservation as we complete maintenance on one of our pumps” to recognition of a team finishing a project ahead of schedule or one that uncovered a safety issue that could have saved a sailor’s (or DVs!) life. Every announcement that I heard had those elements of recognition and connecting the work of the crew together. Amazing! Here is the tie-in for my civilian friends.

Predictive Index published research on engagement earlier this year surveying about 3,000 respondents in 20 industries. They list the top 3 drivers of low turnover as 1.) Clear vision of the future that motivates, 2.) Invest as much in its people as business goals, and 3.) Trust in senior leadership.  All 3 of those factors come from senior leaders and the organization. How does your organization score in those areas? As I consider Captain Lenox’s style of management, I am inspired by advice from O.C. Tanner on motivating Millennials. They advise to connect people to purpose, accomplishment and one another. I like this summation and will adopt the mindset this year. My clients and I will let you know how it works out. #FlyNavy