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The Captain’s Voice (on Leadership)
“Only one man in a thousand is a leader of men---the other 999 follow women”! Groucho Marx
All Captains that are good leaders have one general commonality; accepting the challenge of getting the most out of their crews. A crew member’s potential competence can be undermined with either misguided expectations from other crew members or through poor leadership. Both of these variables can damage a crew member and the symbiotic relationships on board a yacht. Great leaders create a personal mix for their crew that makes the potential output for the benefit of the vessel 100% effective. Napoleon Bonaparte said that “a great leader is a dealer in hope”.
Exceptional leaders have always been rare and memorable. Luckily, leadership qualities can be cultivated and learned as well as born. However, whether born or learned, great leaders come to the daunting realization that leadership is always earned and not just designated.
Real leadership is about understanding yourself first and then utilizing that understanding to create a “can do” crew. Many obstacles that limit crew potential can start with a Captain’s own fears, unproductive habits, and inflated egos. A clear understanding of the limitations created by human flaws along with the owning of the positive and negative aspects of one’s own personality can vastly improve how crew members respond to their Captain.
It would seem that the days of ordering people to respond the way one man or woman wishes are becoming a bit archaic. Leadership models should be geared to the era in which they exist. Yacht crews are now cosmopolitan, worldly, educated and knowledgeable. Short term benefits may be realized with ordering and yelling but long term results are unlikely to be found without an understanding, knowledgeable and trust-worthy Captain.
Exit interviews conducted by the United States Navy site the top reason for leaving the service was being treated with disrespect ultimately causing the sailor to lose personal dignity. The second reason for leaving was the inability to make an impact on the organization where they worked. The third reason was not being listened to; and fourth, not being rewarded with more responsibility. The number five reason for leaving the military was remuneration or pay.
Interestingly, the number five reason for leaving a position in the private sector is pay. Reasons one through four for quitting a job in the civilian work force are much the same as the military.
With these interviews in mind, it’s obvious that great leaders and Captains must show respect in thought, word and deed. Learning to see the yacht and the world through the eyes of a crew member and implementing that knowledge can be invaluable in understanding an employee’s point of view.
Instead of constantly scrutinizing the Crew and laboring under the assumption that they will screw up; assume that they will do their personal best. If they do make a mistake, help them find a solution by creating an atmosphere where they will come to the Captain through trust. Remember that within every situation that is less than perfect, there is some right so when criticizing the wrong also praise the part of the job that was well done.
A great Captain always does the right thing by his or her crew. If it feels right, smells right and tastes right, it will almost always be the right thing. Doing the “right thing” doesn’t sound profound or sophisticated but it works!
Remember
Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he or she wants to do it…..Dwight Eisenhower
(many of my management ideas were born in the book It’s Your Ship by Captain D. Michael Abrashoff…a very good read!)
This month’s Captain “to do” with your Crew
Perform the duty of the monthly cleaning of the air handling units so that you know that your crew knows where the air handlers are located. It also makes it easier for the Captain to empathize with the complications of access and maintenance of air handlers.
Fair winds and calm seas,
Ted Sputh
USCG 1600t Oceans with Sail
MCA 3000t Oceans with Sail CoC
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