No doubt many who read the title of this article will instinctively disagree and immediately try to correct me. “No, that word is a noun,” they will say.  I say leadership is a verb as it requires action to be effective.  Leadership involves specific actions to instill energy in the organization, promote vision, take care of people, remove barriers, delegate, collaborate, communicate, and hold the team and yourself accountable.  These actions lay the foundation to enable an organization to succeed.  It does not matter how many personal accolades you may get as a leader.  If the command/division/department fails, you have failed as a leader.  I have learned some of my best lessons from watching leaders — the great ones as well as the ones who are not so great.  As a commanding officer, I have three focus areas that for me set the tone and tenor for the entire organization: people, processes, and teamwork.   

People

Taking care of the people who work for the organization is an absolute cornerstone of effective leadership. Everyone within an organization, up and down the chain of command, has the potential to be a leader. This philosophy is instilled by leaders (including senior leaders, managers, supervisors, and team leads) who actively engage with their team.  A good leader provides clear guidance and boundaries, then steps back to watch the creative minds of their employees tackle challenges and innovate solutions.

A leader must take the time to know the individual members of their team and understand what motivates each person. This personal connection enables leaders to be more effective in achieving mission objectives. It is not expected for a leader to know everything; instead, they should have the humility to recognize their limitations and the willingness to seek honest feedback from their team. This approach fosters an environment of mutual respect and continuous improvement. 

Holding people accountable is essential to establishing and maintaining an environment of trust, respect, and high standards in an organization.  Give people responsibility and allow them to follow through on their ideas but hold them accountable for results.  More importantly, leaders must set the example by being accountable and willing to publicly accept responsibility for failures as well as achievements.  Inspire accountability by owning your mistakes and learning from them. Your people will see this and respect you for it.  They will also understand that the organization’s commitment to continuous process improvement is more than just words on a page.

At the same time, an atmosphere of accountability demands that people be recognized publicly for their successes.  Timely acknowledgement through award presentation ceremonies, all hands emails from leadership calling out major achievements, individual cash or time off awards, and ROC awards can go a long way in setting the tone for a positive workplace culture.

Processes

A leader constantly evaluates the organization’s goals and adjusts processes to meet those goals.  At NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) Puget Sound, we instill this mentality and accept that through this methodology, mistakes will be made. Any learning organization makes mistakes but also understands that thoughtful evaluation and response is how systemic improvements happen. A good leader is aware of this and allows for those mistakes by being willing to experiment with new ideas. This sets the tone for the organization to understand how to adjust and learn.

I do expect the team to be technically proficient in all the processes they are responsible for. You build this trust within the organization through your interactions.  One constant point we make is that it does matter what you put your name on. It does matter how you brief your products to the boss.  This personal development grows leaders and empowers a growth mindset.

Teamwork

“One Team, One Fight” is a mantra we practice at NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound. I learned this powerful statement early on in my career. Any individual, team, or organization is collectively stronger when working together as a cohesive unit. We instill this mantra throughout the organization by demonstrating it in our daily actions. I mention this to our new personnel during command indoctrination, so they understand our organization is driven by team success, not individual success.

To set the conditions for team success, it is important to ensure people feel empowered to provide their input. Breaking down barriers between each division shows them how each can benefit from interactions. As a leader, you need to promote and reward those successes that revolve around working as a collective. At our weekly leadership huddle, we ensure crosstalk occurs and hard, honest choices are made.

This philosophy of unity and collaboration is crucial for fostering an environment where the team feels valued which promotes empowerment. Empowered individuals contribute more effectively, leading to innovative solutions and continuous improvement. In essence, the strength of the team is the strength of the organization, and by working together, we achieve more than we ever could alone.

You can boil the elements of my three philosophical principles down into these simple rules, which are embedded in the NAVSUP FLC Puget Sound command philosophy:

• Recognition should be quick and timely
• Standards need to be clear and concise
• Concentrate on value added activities (Fleet Readiness)
• Keep a schedule…your time should matter as much as mine
• Communicate…Communicating is the hardest thing we do, period
• Have an eye on the “big picture.”
• Initiative – Don’t wait for your boss to tell you the right thing to do.  Have a bias for action!
• Trust your instincts.  Rely on what you’ve learned and make ethical decisions.
• It’s better to be 75% right and on-time than 100% right and late.
• Never ignore a problem
• Master the basics…be the SME
• Don’t make me the action officer…come with solutions
• Keeps things in perspective
• Be brutally honest with me . . .  I have thick skin

Employing the standards and rules above, I have found, is wildly successful in unlocking the creative power of any team.

I hope you can now see why I believe leadership is truly a verb. A leader's ability to move an organization forward, complete missions, develop a team, and provide strategic vision all require action. The more energy you put in, the more you will get in return as your team will see the effort.  There is no greater reward for a leader than seeing the organization succeed.