Leadership Of The Coast Guard

Throughout my career as a Non-commissioned officer (NCO), I have heard the Army definition of leadership as the process of influencing people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation to accomplish the mission and improve the organization. Even though this definition seems like a simple statement, it is actually a very complicated subject, and it is often underestimated. Leadership is the most essential aspect of the Army, and the single defining characteristic that allows the Army to accomplish its mission.

Those who show good leadership share qualities such as strong integrity, consideration of others, and the ability to lead by example. A good leader will know what’s wrong and what’s right. When leading others, they choose the option that is morally acceptable. A good leader has been taught what is right and wrong and doesn’t choose to do what’s wrong when leading others. A good leader thinks of others when making their decisions. They consider what will be best for the group when

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.

In today’s society, there are some people who possesses the qualities of outstanding leadership. Also, in today’s society, there are some people who keep qualities of a poor leader. A good leader is someone who reads and understands their own emotions and recognize the impact on themselves and others. Another thing great leaders do is think and act with optimism, by looking at the positives and not so much on the negatives. Another great strength a good leader has is that he or she knows the strengths and limits of the certain people on their team (Hewertson). Furthermore, a great leader leads by example, set achievable goals, assigns tasks within someone’s strengths, gets the right people on board,

Good Leaders play an important role in our society, and it is a quality than needs to be developed thorough an entire life. There are many different leadership styles, as well as there are many good leader examples. A successful leader knows exactly how to effectively manage the group , in order to work towards the realization of a common goal.

There are many admirable traits of leadership, but the three I discussed above are the characteristics by which I desire to live. I want to build strong and genuine relationships, be forward thinking and a role model that others want to follow. I do not believe that a person must be a born leader; rather, I have the view that we can all acquire qualities that will help us grow and develop into leaders. It is human to make mistakes, but if we learn from them, we will be better people, who can make a difference in this world. In the words of Mahatma

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 left a negative impression on me and it took a horrific car accident that landed me in the office of whom I consider as my most influential leader I have had in my career. Master Chief Richard Wolfe was someone that led by example. He helped broaden my vision and let me see my own potential. He always inspired me to not only better myself, but ensured that I challenged myself to learn something new each day. He would often say, “Challenges are just opportunities in disguise”, and it wasn’t until I advanced to Chief Petty Officer to truly understand what he meant. Far too often we get caught up in the present instead of focusing what is on the horizon and that is how complacency becomes the new norm.

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

There are many different leadership styles and different ways to learn about becoming a good and effective leader. Clark (2016) states in his article The Art of Science and Leadership “Becoming a good leader is not easy, but by learning the correct leadership skills and knowledge, putting them into practice through quality learning activities, and then adapting them to different situations, will put you well on your way to becoming a leader.” Ada Sue Hinshaw was one of the above said successful leaders of her industry.

1. My personal definition of leadership is: Set a personal example in your behavior that reflects the Coast Guard core values and what you expect from others, on and off duty. Know the direction you are going and effectively communicate expectations so that others clearly understand what the goal is. Always seek to improve yourself both professionally and academically. Encourage others to identify areas for improvement and inconsistencies in policy and procedures. Foster an environment that builds trust and confidence by motivating others to want to succeed.

The author’s purpose in writing this book was to explain the role of the ‘leader’ in the Marine Corps. To accomplish this the author used examples of corps values, ethos, individual courage and unit spirit.

This summer I decided that I wanted to be in the Coast Guard, to my grandfather it was the greatest thing in the world because he was in the Coast Guard too. So my mom, dad, and I went to Michigan to the big Coast Guard festival, which is when the Coast Guard brings in some of the real ships. Well my parents were so excited to go on the ships and help me learn what the Coast Guard actually does. So we went onto the ship and learned all about the ship and what this ship does. We even got to sit in the Cock Pit.

Master Chief Billy Sunday showed some elements of Honor, Courage and Commitment in his actions and attitudes in the movie. During the depicted time of the movie however, the US Navy core values were Tradition, Integrity, and Professionalism and only the Marines had Honor, Courage, and Commitment as core values (Hagan,

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.

I define leadership as the ability to provide strength and coverage to support a Sailor, regardless of rank. The ability to instill Core Values, provide training and the tools a Sailor will need to excel in both their professional and personal life. A true leader will support a Sailor, any Sailor, during the high times of a career, but to be a solid force if there are any lows.