Three quotes to start this rant: …important issues should be presented in writing. Nothing so sharpens the thought process as writing down one’s arguments. Weaknesses overlooked in oral discussion become painfully obvious on the written page.” – H. G. Rickover The Devil is in the details, but so is salvation.” H. G. Rickover It is […]
Finding the Devil and Salvation Read More »
I often get into conversations with people about which rules to follow and which rules to fight. Being a good alumnus of the Navy’s nuclear power program, I pull out a good Admiral Rickover story. This is the story I always tell. Rickover was keenly aware that there are two kinds of rules. He understood
Which rules to follow – a story Read More »
Have you ever been punished in your organization for an error that someone else did? Usually these punishments aren’t personal (e.g., Joe gets a fine for Bob’s behavior), but are more subtle versions like Joe now has to follow a 10 page checklist because Bob messed up once. Why do punishments like this one and
The Destructive Power of Similarities Read More »
To do a job effectively, one must set priorities. Too many people let their ‘in’ basket set the priorities. On any given day, unimportant but interesting trivia pass through an office; one must not permit these to monopolize his time. The human tendency is to while away time with unimportant matters that do not require
Focused where it is truly needed Read More »
Back in 1982, during his last testimony before Congress as an active-duty naval officer, Admiral H. G. Rickover claimed he coined a term, “Say-Do.” He meant the term to refer to those people who say they are going to do things, receive praise from the people who hear them say they will do things, yet
Administrators derive status from their organization and tend to identify themselves with it so that criticism of the organization is felt by them to be criticism of the administrator himself. Productive people owe whatever distinction they may have to their own competence and are usually more open-minded about improving their performance.” – H. G. Rickover,
Seeking productive people Read More »
Nothing so sharpens the thought process as writing down one’s arguments.” – Admiral H.G. Rickover At work we use a lot of Plans of Action and Milestones or POA&Ms to track our work. If you’ve never seen one before, a POA&M is a typically an Excel spreadsheet listing actions, who will do the action, when
On the days when I wanted to give up I think of a parable Admiral Rickover used to tell. The parable goes something like this, An ancient philosopher came to a city to save its people from their sins. The inhabitants of the city, who at first listened to the philosopher, gradually turned away. One
Whether you read the Air Force Academy or Naval Academy versions of the speech, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is asking cadets and midshipmen to drive change. In his remarks, Secretary Gates encouraged our future military leaders to: Learn from the experiences and the setbacks of the past; Be open to ideas and inspiration from
Sec Def speaks out for driving change Read More »
All new ideas begin in a non-conforming mind that questions some tenet of the “conventional wisdom.” All improvements originate in a critical mind that mistrusts the “image” projected by some powerful organism. The innovator of ideas and social critic are essential to a free society; they are what makes the society free.” – Admiral H.
