Coast Guard Leadership Philosophy

The privilege to command units afloat and ashore provided me with intimate exposure to the challenges experienced by our workforce and their families. Often accompanied by a myriad of ethical dilemmas, these challenges provided a wealth of experience and a better understanding of the impact a leader has on the workforce and their families. Similarly, my experience as the Boatswain’s Mate “A” School Assistant School Chief afforded me vital insight into the Coast Guard’s formal training system, Human Performance Technology and the development of future enlisted leaders. These experiences provided invaluable opportunities for me to interact with our workforce and understand their views, perform thorough assessments of complex situations, and provide accurate, sound, and practical counsel in order to achieve the best outcome for the unit and our Coast

The Marine Corps has 11 Leadership Principles. Of the eleven, there is one that states, “Seek Responsibility and Take Responsibility.” This is instilled in every Marine from Private (Enlisted-1) to General (Officer-10). Throughout the Bible, God placed responsibility upon His people and expected them to act accordingly. However, He did not punish the son for the father’s sin and vice-versa. There were times in the Old Testament that this occurred. For example, with Achan (Jos. 7:14-15) when he stole spoils from battle, did not confess it, and he along with his family was killed. Another instance happened when the accusers of Daniel and their families were thrown in the Lion’s Den (Dan. 6:24). Sande states, “Another way to avoid responsibility for our sins is to shift the blame to others or to say that they made us act the way we did.”

Effective leaders interact with their followers in a positive manner to learn about them on a personal and professional level (Colorado State University – Global Campus, 2016). The United States Coast Guard (USCG) refers to this type of communication as deck plate leadership. Deck plate leadership blends an interest in junior personnel’s professional development and well-being (Smith, 2010). Often, before one becomes an effective leader they participate in a follower role. The level of follower engagement may be a precursor to the type of leader they later will become. Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) C. MacInnes is the Executive Officer (XO) of Enlisted Personnel working directly for the commanding officer (CO) at the USCG Academy in New London, Connecticut (http://www.uscga.edu). LCDR MacInnes oversees several divisions at the Academy, meaning he has numerous direct reports. He is an example of a person in a leadership and followership role.

The story of Captain D. Michael Abrashoff and his command of USS Benfold has now become legendary inside and outside the Navy. Captain Abrashoff offers this tale of top-down change for anyone trying to navigate today’s uncertain seas. When Captain Abrashoff took over as the commander of USS Benfold, which is a ship that is completely armed with every cutting-edge system available, but unfortunately, the ship was like a business that has all the latest technology but it lacked in productivity and teamwork. Knowing that that the responsibility for improving performance rested with him as the new USS Benfold’s Captain, Abrashoff realized that he had to improve his own leadership skills before he could improve the crew aboard the ship. Within months, Abrashoff created a crew of confident and inspired problem solvers eager to take initiative and responsibility for their actions. The slogan on board became “It’s your ship,” and the USS Benfold was soon recognized far and wide as a model of naval efficiency. (Abrashoff, 2002) From achieving amazing cost savings to winning the highest gunnery score in the Pacific Fleet, Captain Abrashoff’s extraordinary campaign sent shock waves throughout the entire U.S. Navy fleet. By reading this book, it can really help you change the course of your leadership skills, no matter where your battles are fought. As a society, we continue to invest in the latest

One thing I did not expect as a young man is that during my journey in the Coast Guard, whether 4 years or 30, that I would have the privilege to meet some great leaders. As though a higher power was at work, I usually had the proper leadership for the stage I was at in my career. BM2 Welch was rough around the edges and a stickler for detail. I was still new to the Coast Guard and needed a firm hand BM2 provided. He gave me direction. I learned from BM2 that working hard at every task thrown at someone is essential to be a good shipmate. As a brand new petty officer, BMC Jeff Reed showed me how to hold other people accountable. He never reprimanded me in public, and after every strict talking, he gave me a pathway to resolve the situation

Leadership is multidimensional. There is no straightforward way to describe what a leader is or explain who makes a great leader. The description will be shaped by the purpose of the work being done and the followers one achieves. Dye (2010) states that leadership is a “living phenomenon” (p. 14) and supports the need to provide personalization to the leadership style. There is much discussion on the development of a leader. Some believe that you are a natural born leader who fine-tunes those skills through “persistence and perseverance of failures and successes” (Blanken, 2013, para. 5). Others, like Blanken (2013), feel that exposures early in life begin the development of leadership traits, and “education, jobs, and life experiences then shape the leader’s philosophy and psychology” (para. 7). A dominant style might be apparent in a leader; however, the adaptability in leadership approaches allows the leader to be focused on

During my college experience, I decided to enlist in the United States Coast Guard Reserves. I left for basic training the summer after my sophomore year and took on a completely different kind of challenge. In this environment, I was surrounded by many leadership styles, some of which I had never seen before. There were leaders that were outspoken, driven, hardworking, and motivated to

Throughout my life and my military career I have experienced various leadership styles, from civilian employers to military Officers and Non-Commissioned officers alike. Each had their own approach to leadership, some I found to be effective and others I did not. I have attempted to create a leadership philosophy based on a fusion of the leaders I have encountered and my own personal experiences.

Five weeks at the U.S. Coast Guard (CG) Chief Petty Officer Academy (CPOA) has inspired my spirit, strengthened my body, and encouraged my heart. Week-by-week, the CPOA has been one of the most influential periods of my life. Through guided self-introspection, a safe and positive environment, establishment of goals, insightful challenges, and rigorous physical activity, increased blood flow has flooded my stagnant cellar, cleansing the dust and cobwebs that lay dormant. With 12 years active duty, I am a Boatswain’s Mate (BM) by trade and Executive Petty Officer by title. My career-long goal has recently been realized, for I am the Prospective Officer in Charge of USCG Station Apra Harbor in Guam. I have an amazing 2.75-year-old

Leadership can be defined in many different facets. To me the definition of leadership is, “Displaying the ability to inspire and empower others through the example of one’s own self actions”. Too many times we hear, “Do what I say”, instead of, “Do what I do.” A successful leader’s actions speak louder than words ever will. My first day in the Coast Guard following boot camp graduation, I experienced firsthand on how a leader should not act nor conduct themselves. Though alcohol was the main contributing factor on what occurred that evening, looking back, it was more of the lack of maintaining our core values that ultimately resulted in that Chief losing the title as Chief of the boat and being forced to retire.. That moment

Donovan Campbell, a New York Times Bestselling author as well as a former Captain of the United States Marine Corps offers unique insight on what it means and what it takes to become a remain a strong leader; in fact, he offers 8 chapters of insight, each one representing a different key concept on leadership. Each concept is different, however each one builds onto one another as the book progresses. While reading this book, I took careful notes on each concept as well as how I could incorporate each one into my own life.

Leadership influences: Throughout my Coast Guard career there have been numerous influences guiding my leadership direction. These leadership influences include family, friends, good and bad Coast Guard leaders, and most importantly my own self reflections. One can read, listen, and study every leadership principle from the most intelligent academic professionals, however I believe the best leadership teacher for me has been trial and error. The key is being able to learn from your leadership mistakes and move forward. Life for me is the best teacher over any book ever written about leadership.

Beginning in boot camp and continuing throughout my career, I’ve seen the Coast Guard promote the leadership model to be: “You” influencing “Others” to achieve a “Goal”. With all the different ways leadership can be defined, this simplistic model which has been permanently engrained in my thinking definition still rings true for me. As such, when defining my own personal definition of leadership, I align it to this same model. More specifically, while I support the fact that leadership involves influencing others to achieve a common end I propose that is not the whole story. Leaders must not be stagnant in their vision and must lend themselves to the possibility they may have to adjust their leadership styles depending on the goal. The best leaders are the ones that understand their own personality traits as well as those traits of the people they are trying to lead.

There are many kinds of leaders; some lead through position and authority, while others lead through inspiration and vision. Some people are simply natural born leaders. However, whether one was born a leader or has to become a leader, all great leaders spend time developing their traits. Similarly, when you train for a sport, you first learn to develop the fundamentals, and then you work to master and apply them. I’ve been told I am a born leader, but have always sought to improve my leadership abilities through experience. Maxwell states, “The learned leader; has seen leadership modeled most of life, has learned leadership through training, and has self-discipline to become a great leader” (Maxwell, 93). This statement is reflective of my experience during my military tenure, and what it means to me is; leadership must be developed in practice, as well as in theory.

It is known that individuals have different types of leadership styles. Some individuals are more successful when it comes to following others and some individuals are better at leading others. Being a successful individual is not only judged by the actions of completing a task but the ability to lead others.