More Sound Bites of Life From RADM Dyer
Joseph W. Dyer, a retired US Navy rear admiral and former commander of the Naval Air Warfare Center, Aircraft Division, first shared these views and lessons learned in July 1999. He pulled them out in early 2016 to find them to still be true and sound. Or, as RADM Dyer says, “Hindsight is the only true vision.”
“I have learned there is a strong correlation between many of these traits and the ability to manage and lead large, complex undertakings. Good leaders are not just born that way – they become good leaders because they have learned to listen to the sound bites of life,” RADM Dyer wrote in 1999.
Across the next few installment, insights RADM Dyer has gained will be capsulated here.
Integrate Resources: Find joy in linking people that can help one another. Bob Prine
Juggle: Learn to keep a lot of plates rotating but surround yourself with “greyheads” who will help you catch the food that you drop off those plates. RADM (Sel) Gib Godwin, USN
Power Behind the Scenes: Appreciate that the folks that make things happen and get things done are often not the ones standing by the viewgraph machine. CAPT Jim Keen, USN, Ret.
Drain the Swamps: Juggling isn’t enough. The power of process development is that it makes things better, not just today but tomorrow also. Rick Martin
Play Golf: Golf is networking at its best and, besides, the surroundings are always nice. RADM (Sel) Bert Johnston, USN
Learn to BOP: When faced with an important decision, think about the Best (most probable) estimate of outcome; look at an Optimistic end; and also think pessimistically about risks and down-sides. Once you BOP, you understand your maneuvering room. Dave Janiec
Personal Space: Find some! Your mind will always clear when it’s not crowded. Denny Distler
Listen to Lawyers: Not just on legal matters. They have the skill to look at problems from many sides. They know how to strip away bias and they write better than most of us. Mary Kay Fanneralla
Seek Diversity: Teaming with folks from different backgrounds, different places, with different education and religions increase an IPT’s bandwidth and effectiveness. Jesse McCurdy
Find RADM Dyer’s first installment here and the second installment here.
