One of the most recognizable skill sets of the military is the ability to lead others. In the Navy, from the time we are frocked to third class petty officer, sometimes even before, we are expected to perform as leaders. As rank increases, so does the expectation that you will know your people and lead fellow sailors to success. Your success is based on your ability to develop your people into good leaders.
Many times, because of rank, sailors are not given the opportunity to discover and refine their leadership skills until leadership is forced on them. Competition for the next rank usually is steep, which can create distrust and discontent within peer groups. Leadership always will be a critical skill; however, how it is learned, refined, and applied can be improved.
The idea of what makes a leader should be altered slightly, from an individual skill set to a group skill set—as in, “the group’s leadership paved the way for their success,” as opposed to “Petty Officer Second Class Smith led her team to success.” This idea of leadership has been demonstrated by highly successful organizations in the private sector and a select few organization within the military. It is not a concept regularly taken into consideration, but it could make Navy professionals stronger and more successful.
Many sailors are capable of being leaders and will do whatever needs to be done to accomplish the mission; however, they should not have to. It is not the responsibility of one person to lead, make decisions, and see missions through to the end; it is the responsibility of the group, regardless of rank. Rank still holds weight and needs to be respected, but the mind-sets of everyone involved and how they can work together effectively, above and below in rank, need to change.
The article, “In Praise of the Incomplete Leader,” explains the model of distributed leadership through four core capabilities: sensemaking, relating, visioning, and inventing.1 Each capability is a separate skill and way of thinking; however, they are interdependent. No one person is able to effectively master all four capabilities and therefore should seek others who possess the skills they do not to make the group’s dynamic effective. Incomplete leaders differ from incompetent leaders in that they understand where they excel and where they don’t. They have good judgment working with others to build on their strengths and offset their limitations.
Sensemaking is making sense of the world around us and understanding the context in which we are expected to work.2 Many times, the context of what is being done within a group is lost. If you don’t have a basic understanding of why you are doing what you are doing, the work quality and sense of accomplishment dwindles. When leadership comes from a few individuals, they may grasp the full concept, but the overall team may not.
Relating is being able to build trusting relationships and networking. Three ways to relate are to inquire, advocate, and connect. One should be able to listen with the intention of understanding the thoughts and feelings of the speaker, or inquire, then be able to explain one’s own point of view, or advocate. The sole intention of inquiring and advocating should be to reach a connection, not just win an argument.3 Through this process, everyone has the ability to relate to everyone else. Sometimes, creating and maintaining trusting relationships in the military can be challenging. Everyone has different schedules, experiences, and backgrounds. However, for leadership to evolve to a team dynamic there must be trust, even if it is temporary and for the sole purpose of accomplishing a task, project, or mission.
Visioning involves creating compelling images of the future or a shared vision of where you want to be. It should go well above the typical mission statement and is an ongoing process.4 No project, big/little/odd/routine will get accomplished if there is no end state or goal. Although it may change throughout the mission or project, if the end state or vision is clear to everyone, it will provide a sense of accomplishment when the team sees the progress they have made.
Inventing can almost be synonymous with creative execution. It emphasizes using creativity to help people figure out how to work together to accomplish the mission or project. Without inventing, a vision will remain imagined.
Working in a group is nothing new. However, the way the skill set is employed makes all the difference. Retired Navy SEAL Lieutenant Commander Jocko Willink may have said it best: “Leadership isn’t one person leading a team. It’s a group of leaders working together, up and down the chain of command, to lead. If you are on your own, I don’t care how good you are, you won’t be able to handle it.”5
Leading is one of the most important skills a person can have—both in and out of the military. The Navy’s Sailor 2025 initiative and the push for service members to be more well-rounded and marketable, to be able to transition to the civilian or private sector gives even more reason to implement the distributed leadership model. It will take Navy professionalism and traditional leadership roles to the next level.
1. Deborah Ancona, Thomas W. Malone, Wanda J. Orlikowski, and Peter M. Senge, “In Praise of the Incomplete Leader,” Harvard Business Review (February 2007): 109–17.
2. Ancona, Malone, Orlikowski, and Senge, “In Praise of the Incomplete Leader.”
3. Ancona, Malone, Orlikowski, and Senge, “In Praise of the Incomplete Leader.”
4. Ancona, Malone, Orlikowski, and Senge, “In Praise of the Incomplete Leader.”
5. Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win (New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2017).