Becoming a Chief: The Ten Commandments
Posted: Wednesday, November 09, 2011
by Matt Nemmers
Preface: I wrote this in 2009 for the U.S. Navy First Class Petty Officers at my command who aspire to become Chief Petty Officers and were not selected for promotion. I realize the jargon contained here may escape some unfamiliar with the vernacular of the Navy Sailor, but many of these ideas easily translate into the business world for people who aspire to promote and improve their leadership skills.You didn't ask, but, like many others, I was very surprised when the Chief Petty Officer results came out for fiscal year 2010 and didn't see some of the names on the list I had expected to see. Please believe Chiefs know who the hot runners are and are just as (if not MORE) disappointed than the First Classes when those they've mentored and are rooting for are passed over. All I can say is that the Board works in mysterious ways.
That said, I've had many frustrated First Class Petty Officers ask me what they need to do in order to make it. That's a pretty big and broad question. Nevertheless, like almost every Chief I’ve ever met in my career, I'm never too shy to offer my two cents.
Obviously this isn't all-inclusive and is just my opinion as a Chief Petty Officer, but I truly feel that if you do these things, honestly and objectively review your record in the context of the precepts (when they're released), you'll find yourself very competitive not only during evaluation time but at the Boards.
Let me begin by saying that it's not enough to do; you have to do and be seen doing. Y'all must realize by now that it's more political at the First Class level than any other enlisted paygrade. It's the biggest step and the most significant promotion in a career. Advancement to Chief is not only a promotion; it's a class change. You join a different club with not only a different uniform, but different rules, different responsibilities, different and significantly increased authority, and different values by which your successes (and failures!) are judged.
Here are what I consider “The Ten Commandments” on how to become a Chief Petty Officer. Again, this is just my opinion -- but it worked for me.
First: Know your job and train your people. As a First Class, you are expected to be a technical expert, but your division/department has to reflect that as well. Meaning, you have to train your people to replace you, much like you should be working to replace your Chief. Keep that Chief out a job, in other words. Make it so he or she has nothing to do that you haven't already taken care of. You have to make sure your Chief knows you've got it all under wraps and he/she could head to the Goat Locker if they wanted to because they have nothing to do and they have the confidence that you pack the gear to make it happen with a clear conscience. That's big numero uno.
Two (and this is a big one): Use your network. Get involved in your First Class Petty Officer's Association (FCPOA). If there isn't one established, organize one. Get your fellow PO1's together and figure out who does what. A FCPOA should be considered a pre-Goat Locker. It should be used to network with your peers so you can do your job and help your Sailors as seamlessly and with as little red-tape as possible. Honestly, when I was a First Class I knew so many people on the base and had such a great rapport with them that I felt there wasn't anything a Chief could do for me or my Sailors that I couldn't do myself. The reason? I knew all the First Classes and what they did. And believe me, that’s not a testament to how great I was as a PS1, it’s a testament to my fellow First Classes and their willingness and ability to hook me up. I knew who to go to if I needed something. Need some supplies? Call SK1 so-and-so. Need to get someone on the base without the standard full-cavity search? Call MA1 such-and-such. Need to get some meds filled or an appointment at the clinic ASAP? Get ahold of HM1 what's-his-name. It's all about networking and knowing who can (and will!) help you.
Caveat: The problem with many First Classes and FCPOAs is that some get too wrapped up in titles for their eval bullets. Some, if they can't be President or Secretary or serve in some sort of leadership capacity, will just opt-out and not get involved if they don't see anything in it for them. These types don't see the big picture. The point isn't eval bullets. The point is helping your Sailors (and each other) through a little reciprocity. Besides, when a FCPOA is tight and they're doing fundraisers, having Sailor-recognition events -- e.g. a monthly "Professional of the Month" award to recognize hard-charging E-5s & below -- and just getting together on Friday afternoons to shoot some pool, play some darts, drink a few fashionable beverages, and getting to know each other, it's helping everyone involved. Win, win. However, you MUST work extra hard to get everybody involved. You're going to have hard-chargers and you're going to have those just riding out their Fleet Reserve date. But you must recognize that these people are still in now and can still help you and your Sailors, so you have to encourage them to get involved. Or at the very least have a good enough rapport with them that they can hook you or your Sailors up if needed. Sometimes it's an exercise in futility, but therein lies the fun part: make your FCPOA a place where people (especially new check-ins and newly promoted PO1s) feel comfortable at and have fun. Make it a place they want to be.
However, if you are fortunate enough to get elected to a leadership position, DO SOMETHING with it. The work doesn't stop when you get elected; that's when it starts. One of the hardest things in the world to do is lead your peers, so listen to them, lean on them, rely on them, and most importantly, utilize them. Everyone likes to feel necessary and everyone needs to feel relevant. Not only that, but you can't run an organization on your own. You cannot do everything, despite whatever talents you may be blessed with. You need their help, expertise, advice, and leadership qualities. Delegate tasks and authority to them. Diversity keeps everyone involved and makes for a well-rounded organization.
Third: Get to know the Chiefs. Let them know what you can do for them and their people. Don't mistake that with being a kiss-ass. That's not what I'm talking about. Just be the best you can possibly be in your job and when they need something, take care of them. Let them know through your actions that if they give you an assignment or ask for a favor that you'll take it, run with it, and get the job done without having to be reminded. Be beyond reproach; be a “fire and forget” leader. Which is to say make it so when they give you something they automatically consider it done. Volunteer to help them if you think you can. Take that extra step -- go the extra mile. Trust me, when E-6 ranking boards come up, they'll remember that. But don't just do it once or twice; do it every day with every job.
Also, invite your Chief(s) to a FCPOA meeting, cook-out, or get-together. Not every time of course, but make an effort. Even if only for a few minutes, a beer or two, or a quick game of pool or dominoes. Remember that perception is reality: if the Chiefs see your Mess having functions and hanging out together it gives the impression you’re tight and working together. It shows cohesion. Keep in mind that it wasn’t long ago that many were wearing the uniform y’all are now. Even if they don’t show or can’t make it, an invite to a function may go a long way in how the entire First Class Mess is perceived by the Chain of Command.
Fourth: Do something else. Take on the demanding, high-visibility collateral duties -- command collaterals, if at all possible -- but don't let your division/department suffer for it, and do your best at it. Have a lot of irons in the fire – I like to call it “plate spinning” – but get them done and done well. Variety is not only the spice of life, it’ll also keep you interested, challenged, and prepare you for the plates you’ll have to spin as an effective, engaged Chief Petty Officer.
Fifth: Be a servant leader. You have to learn to follow before you can learn to lead. Servant leadership means that while your Sailors work for you (their Leading Petty Officer), you must work even harder for THEM. Making sure they have the tools to do their jobs, making sure the hard-chargers are recognized for their good work, and providing no-bullshit counseling to them when you see them slacking. It also means putting their interests ahead of your own, which is sometimes hard to do and many times means much more work for you, but in the long run their success is your success.
Sixth: Shut up and listen. You’ve all heard the old saying about “what happens when you assume,” but that’s even more important when dealing with your Sailors. Get the facts from everybody and then make a judgment call. There’s always two sides to every story. Don’t blast your Sailor (or someone else’s) because one of them told you they screwed up. If you get a reputation as a hot-head who goes off half-cocked, they’re not going to trust you and more importantly, they’re not going to come to you with their problems.
This also applies to your fellow First Classes. You might have a great idea and a project you want your Mess to take on, but if nobody else thinks it’s a great idea then nobody’s going to follow your lead. Bring your idea to the table, explain how you want to tackle it, and ask them what they think. Remember: you can’t do it alone. They might’ve thought of something you didn’t or have a skillset you’re lacking in. They can help and provide valuable insight. You need their input as much as they need yours. It’s a team effort – after all, y’all are ONE MESS.
Seventh: Use your rank. You wear it for a reason. Don’t go to your Sailors with “Chief said…” or “CMC said…” or “XO said…” about something you or your peers or Sailors need to do. All that does is make you look ineffective. It’s weak and gives the impression that you’re not worthy of listening to; that somebody above you wields the power to put you into action. It robs you of your authority and accountability. That’s not what Chiefs do. Be the leader you know you can be and repeat the order from above just as if it came from you. If one of your Sailors gets huffy and asks ‘why’ tell them, “Because it needs to happen and more importantly, because I said so. Get busy.”
Using that crow comes with responsibility, however. If you’re a First Class and not an E-6, you see a solution for every problem – not a problem to every solution. If you have a complaint, don’t just bitch about it. Offer up your opinion on how to fix it. Any moron can piss and moan. It takes a real leader to say, “That’s broken, but here’s how I think we could fix it.”
Eighth: Know your people. You work with them, sure, but do you really know them? Do you know their family? How many kids they have? Who their friends on base, on the ship or in the squadron are? What sort of Sailors they roll with after knock off? More importantly, do you know what management style they respond to? What motivates them? What their goals are? These are all things leaders need to know about the people they lead to really be effective in mentoring them. Again, if you don’t know them you can’t lead them. Well, maybe if they’re squared away, 5.0 Sailors you can, but like Publilius Syrus said, “Anyone can steer the ship when the sea is calm.” It’s easy to lead the EPs of the world, but when you’re stuck with a P, or worse, an SP in your division that’s when the going gets tough. You need to know how to motivate these Sailors into action and if you don’t know them that job is near impossible. Which leads me to the next thing…
Ninth: Be approachable. Everyone has their own style and not everybody in a leadership position is a “people person.” However, you need to at least have a good enough rapport with your Sailors that they feel they can come to you if they have a problem. If you aren’t approachable they won’t come to you, and if they don’t come to you you’ll never get to know them.
Your people also need to trust that you have their best interests at heart and that you’ll take care of them when they need it. If you blow them off when they come to you they’ll feel as if they’re not important and thus, won’t come to you when they need your guidance…they’ll go to another First Class they trust. If your people don’t feel they can come to you, you need to seriously re-examine how you’re dealing with your Sailors.
Finally: Take care of people. Not just the Chiefs & officers -- EVERYBODY. From E-1 to O-10, treat everyone as you would want to be treated and taken care of the way you would expect to be taken care of if you had a problem or needed something. There's a saying that goes: "You can tell what a man's really like by how he treats somebody who can do absolutely nothing for him." That's oh-so-very true. If you treat a junior Sailor badly, he may grow up to be that Third or Second Class Petty Officer who could fix a pay problem for one of your Sailors, but because you were an ass to him that problem may go to the bottom of the pile. How you've treated people can mean the difference between resolving a problem today, or two weeks from the day after tomorrow.
"Sustained superior performance" means a lot of things to a lot of people. I sum it up by simply saying "Do your best and expect the best from your Sailors.” Good leaders set the standard. The don't lower the bar to meet a quota or give a half-assed answer to someone just to shut them up and get them out of their face. They set the bar high and keep that expectation high for their subordinates. Sometimes they have to break their foot off in someone, but they also take the time to recognize people who are doing a great job. That's what Chiefs do and that's what you want to be.
I don't claim to know everything or have all the answers, but because I have my Mess behind me I know I can always get them. Good First Classes (future Chiefs!) use their network and their Mess, too. So ask yourself, "Am I using mine?"
Good luck, shipmates.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)I agree with everything you wrote. And it can not only be translated into the business but also into everyday lifes. Well written. I love it.
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