Would you agree that personal integrity is the foundation of good leadership and that second chances are the key to developing leaders?

2015-07-24T15:27:00-04:00

Adm. Jon Greenert's career nearly ended almost as soon as it began – it was that time that as a junior officer on duty when he nearly sank his submarine in port.

He was the command duty officer and divers were attaching a part on the submarine's intake that prevents water from coming into the ship when folks are working on the hull and piping, Greenert recalled.

The divers affixing the part told the officer of the day, or command duty officer, the previous day that it was done, he signed off for it and everyone went on with their day.

It was the next day when Lt. j.g. Greenert took over as OOD that he watched a jet of water pour into his boat, flooding out the space. His career might be over sooner than he expected. Speaking at a TEDx conference in Pittsburgh, Greenert recounted the disaster that nearly sunk his budding career, along with the submarine he was serving on.

Delivered at Pennsylvania correctional facility June 17 and posted July 22, Greenert used the stage to talk about how personal integrity is the foundation of good leadership, and how second chances is the key for developing leaders.

Greenert recalls the day vividly.

"Workers came down to pull the bolts out, and here comes the water ... an onrush of water, the size of a pizza pan was coming in," he said. "And if not for the efforts of some fairly heroic sailors, pushing that thing back in, putting the nuts back on, we were going to lose that submarine. Because that was ... uncontrolled flooding."

The sailors got the cover back on the opening but the space was flooded up to knee level and it was time for an investigation.

Greenert was the officer on duty — it was his rear in the frying pan. Higher command wanted to issue him a letter of reprimand, along with the diving supervisor and the OOD who signed off on the part being installed correctly in the first place. But his CO stepped in.

"He said 'I'm not going to deliver these letters of reprimand,' " Greenert remembered. " 'I'm accountable for everything that goes on on this submarine, this is my responsibility. If anyone is going to get a letter of reprimand for this it's me.' "

It was a profound moment for the young lieutenant junior grade, and a lesson he took with him for his 40 year rise to the top of the organization. As Greenert noted, a letter of reprimand would have stopped his career in its tracks and sent him back to Butler, Pennsylvania.

The CO went up to higher command and argued the case, saying that Greenert and the previous day's duty officer had acted on the best information given to them, and had no way of knowing the part had been improperly installed. The responsibility rested with the CO, not with the junior officers.

"That's accountability, ladies and gentlemen, and its what we expect from our commanding officers," Greenert said. "People who understand their people, who stick up for their people and who take responsibility for all that takes place within their unit, their facility or maybe within their larger institution."

The CO made his case effectively, Greenert said. Nobody was issued letters and the procedures for diver maintenance was changed to ensure another submarine didn't flood out. But it was his CO standing up for him that Greenert remembered.

"Because the commanding officer had integrity and accountability, that junior officer had a second chance at a long career," he said. "A great leader ensured the junior officers on duty that day were able to recover from their mistakes, and today I'm the Chief of Naval Operations."

The leadership lesson he learned that day is an example of what Navy leadership is all about, he said.

"[The Navy] learned years ago that authority, responsibility, and accountability must go hand in hand to be successful," said Greenert, adding that those traits were the key elements of trust. "Unconditional trust is key in leading any organization."

http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/2015/07/24/greenert-ted-talk-submarine-sinking--port/30612355/

The time Lt. j.g. Greenert nearly sank a submarine in port

Adm. Jon Greenert's career nearly ended almost as soon as it began – it was that time that as a junior officer on duty, he nearly sank his submarine

Response by LTC John Shaw made Jul 24 at 2015 3:37 PM

2015-07-24T15:37:23-04:00

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad Love this! Too often Sr leadership just conducts 'blamecasting'.
Now this officer has a crew that will be loyal and will learn how to be the best, so they don't let their Chief down.

Response by Capt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2015 3:39 PM

2015-07-24T15:39:19-04:00

Integrity is one thing that can not be taken away from you. You have to give it away to lose it.

Response by MSgt Curtis Ellis made Jul 24 at 2015 3:46 PM

2015-07-24T15:46:58-04:00

Looking back over my own career, I would have to say yes... Had it not been for a couple of good officers throughout my career, I probably wouldn't have made it to retirement... 1 as a SrA, and the other? As a MSgt... At the time I got out, it seemed that leadership was still alive and well, but it didn't, or very rarely included 2nd chances... I got lucky, many others around my retirement and after? Not so... Don't misunderstand, there really are instances totally lacking in integrity that cannot warrant second chance as well as some with integrity that don't, but it's up to that leader to be able to differentiate the difference and stick his/her neck out when a second chance is warranted...

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 24 at 2015 3:52 PM

2015-07-24T15:52:48-04:00

Yes! Wish I could say this was the support I received & observed during every part of my career, but it is so true! People do make mistakes. Was it an honest mistake? What is the scope of the mistake and can we recover from it? Is the individual likely to do it again? What is the reason (previous maintenance?, defective part? procedure?). We don't ask "Why?" enough.

Response by SrA Daniel Hunter made Jul 24 at 2015 3:55 PM

2015-07-24T15:55:09-04:00

While interviewing for a position as Deputy Sheriff in Lewis & Clark County Montana I was asked to define "integrity." I said it is the willingness to do what is right even when it could be personally damaging.

I have far greater respect for someone who owns their mistakes. Someone who blames others is merely a poor leader and a coward in my opinion.

Response by SrA Daniel Hunter made Jul 24 at 2015 3:55 PM

2015-07-24T15:55:10-04:00

there should be a delete option for multiple posts.

Response by CPO Joseph Grant made Jul 24 at 2015 3:59 PM

2015-07-24T15:59:24-04:00

We've all made mistakes and most of us learned from them. If we have a zero defect mentality then, in the end, people die. You have to be able to stand up and say I screwed up. You might be in the shits but if everyone keeps mistakes secret then everyone suffers and people die.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jul 24 at 2015 4:03 PM

2015-07-24T16:03:29-04:00

GySgt Wayne A. Ekblad, I would concur that personal integrity is an important part of the foundation of sound leadership. However sound judgement, experience tempered with wisdom, understanding the capabilities and limitations of subordinates, the ability to communicate objectives, boundaries, and goals, and recognizing potential are important parts of the foundation of leadership.
Good leaders understand the difference between critical failures and learning opportunities which can be helpful in developing both the subordinate and the leader. Good leaders allow subordinates to operate relatively freely within established boundaries so that they can learn and grow.

Response by MSgt Manuel Diaz made Jul 24 at 2015 4:51 PM

2015-07-24T16:51:54-04:00

A toast to Greenerts CO is in order GySgt

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Jul 25 at 2015 7:57 AM

2015-07-25T07:57:11-04:00

I am all for second chances depending on what the first infraction was. In this case, it appears he was simply on duty when the flooding took place. He didn't repair it or sign off on the repair. Criminal behavior or significant character issues rarely deserve a second chance.

Response by CPT Chris Loomis made Jul 25 at 2015 9:47 AM

2015-07-25T09:47:49-04:00

Yes. But, it is not the only character trait needed for good leadership.