Your Top 5 Goals? If Advancement is No. 1 -
Go Back to Leadership School.

I sat down one leisurely Sunday afternoon and decided to spend some time on my personal Top Five Goals.  We have all heard how important it is to write down your goals – for me: it’s an age thing.   Trust me.  Day Timers are my all-time favorite invention.

So I worked, in detail, on my family’s Financial Goals, goals for Future Retirement Plans (not any time soon, but fun to plan as well), goals for What To Improve Around The House For A Future Sale, goals for Leisure Cruise Plans for my wife and I, and goals to provide my step-daughter for her Navy Career as she is currently attending AT “A” School in Pensacola, FL.

Then it hit me.  I NEED to add Top Five Goals to Successfully Advance in the U.S. Navy.  Definitely something for my young step-daughter to take on as I pass on my vast experience (which she will write down in her Day Timer I gave for Christmas. …hopefully).  But also to provide my shipmates via this column, another bit of advice that became very apparent recently, on a couple of conversations I’ve had with junior sailors.

It’s annual Evaluation / Fitness Report time and as a Leading Chief Petty Officer for 5 Supply Readiness divisions aboard an aircraft carrier under construction, I am fully responsible for each and every one of them through the chain of command.  Many years ago it felt this was an enormous undertaking that consumed a full month of efforts.  Not any more.  I view it, as long as you accomplish your mandatory Career Development Boards (CDB) and Semi-Annual Counseling, as the perfect leadership tools for sailor development if used honestly and professionally.

The Evaluations and Fitness Reports are completed, and the Chief’s Mess meets to recommend the breakouts of Early Promote, Must Promote, and Promotable to the chain of command.  And it never fails, but over the next several weeks I will be asked to talk privately by several sailors who request:

“So, Senior Chief, how did I do amongst my rank’s breakouts?”

Well, for number one:  that would be unethical.  The chain of command makes the final call whether your report is signed by your Division Officer, Department Head, Executive Officer, or Commanding Officer.  Your final briefing by your Reporting Senior will give you that information when you sign the report.

And number two?  It disappoints me to even hear that question.  I mean: truly disappoints me!!!!

Why?  Well, if by that time, YOU do not know where you stand in the eyes of the command in your efforts and support of the mission – then you must have not been listening at your CDB or you are not taking advantage of every opportunity to become the best person/sailor you can be.

I, personally, have not worried about my ranking breakout for many years.  I let my performance and results tell the story to my chain of command and let the chips fall where they may.   It is the ONLY way you can understand if your efforts are fully aware by your chain of command, or if you must do something else to improve yourself.  That’s the bottom line.

So, after that lengthy background of opinion, I would like to provide you with MY Top Five Goals to Successfully Advance in the U.S. Navy: 

• Make my Number 1 Goal to provide responsibilities, advancement training and opportunities, cross-training, motivation, and general knowledge to ALL your E6 and Below personnel.
• Make my Number 2 Goal to provide the SAME AS ABOVE to ALL my Chief Petty Officers in order that they have the opportunity and readiness to become the next Senior Chief Petty Officers.
• Make my Number 3 Goal to show them, don’t just tell them, what they need to do to advance.  Give them the time during the work day to hone their study skills and leadership skills.  Utilize counseling and CDBs every time I can.
• Make my Number 4 Goal to ensure I credit our personnel for their work, especially to the chain of command.  Either through verbal meetings, short email notes, in writing an award, in writing their evaluations or fitness reports, or announcements at quarters.  I should promote my sailors at every opportunity as they are what make our divisions run on a daily basis.  They are the ones who solve any problems or ensure plans run smoothly.
• Make my Number 5 Goal to meet any of my own goals to become a better Senior Chief Petty Officer in: mentoring; my leadership style; keeping up with changing Navy and Supply-related policies, programs and instructions; completing that Bachelor Degree after 20 years of laziness (2 classes remaining); and enjoying, to the best of my ability, the superb time I am having on the greatest aircraft carrier under construction in the U.S. Navy fleet.

Notice anything in those goals?   Not once did I mention my goal was to advance to Master Chief Petty Officer.  Sure – it would an honor and a great accomplishment.  However, and I am repeating this – it is NOT one of my Top Five Goals, and for a very simple reason:

If all Top Five Goals are met and continually worked on – all the rest can easily fall into place in order to Successfully Advance in the U.S. Navy.  Meet goals such as the ones I have written for myself, will ultimately provide you every opportunity.   Which is what it is all about.

So after reading this, let's go back to my title of this column:  Is Advancement to (fill in paygrade here) STILL Your Number One Goal?  If so, shipmate.....here is my honest reply: you NEED to go back to that Leadership School.  You didn't get it.

I have had a great and wonderful career after 20+ years in the U.S. Navy, and do not regret one year of it.  If I retire (who knows when right now) as a Senior Chief Petty Officer – there will NEVER be any regrets.  I did my best and was given, due to my goals and some strong chains of command, every opportunity to succeed.