Being A Great Division Officer (Part 2)

And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? . . . "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (Rom. 10:14-15)


This is the second in a series on being a great Divo. For the Christian being great as defined by the organization (i.e. the Navy) ensures that we earn the right to be heard. Remember you must be good news to earn the right to tell the Good News.

- Be present. Lead by walking around. The best way to get to know your Sailors and your job is by putting boots on deckplates.

Tiger Hunted by a Lion

"sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you" (Gen. 4:7)

"Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." (1 Pet. 5:8)

For the Christian attuned to the media frenzy over Tiger Woods I recommend C.J. Mahaney's post on the subject @ http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/Blog/

He wrote, "Hunted by Sin: But Tiger is being hunted by something more menacing than journalists. Tiger’s real enemy is his sin, and that’s an enemy much more difficult to discern and one that can’t be managed in our own strength. It’s an enemy that never sleeps."

The Good News is that there is another Lion, the Lion of Judah (Rev. 5:5), that is in pursuit of Tiger and is more than able to redeem him from the sin that destroys and the Enemy that steals!

Humility from Harvard

3 Tips for Demonstrating Humility - HBS

Effective leaders need to be mindful not only of their accomplishments, but of their character as well. Humility is a key aspect of character. Here are three ways to step out of the limelight and let others shine:

1. Temper authority. Don't use authority just because you have it. Encourage your people to make decisions, set their own goals, and take responsibility as often as possible.
2. Promote others often. Grooming talent is good for your organization and for you as a leader. Promote people around you, giving them opportunities to match or even surpass your success.
3. Acknowledge the accomplishments of others. If things go well, give away the credit. If things go poorly, take the fall. This humble approach will ensure your team rallies behind you.

Career Advice from Ecclesiastes (Part 1)

Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz wrote, "I'm still learning every day. I still try to do my best and refuse to worry about things over which I have no control."

This is sound advice with regard to our careers. Yet, the Preacher of the book of Ecclesiastes has much more to say, consider the following:

"I hated all my toil in which I toil under the sun, seeing that I must leaver it to the man who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the work into which I have poured my effort and skill under the sun. This too is meaningless...For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment?(2: 18-24)"

He says, "for without Him" we are unable to find full satisfaction regardless of our occupation. Can you identify with any part of this passage? Possibly you hate your toil? Perhaps you hate that you work so hard only to turnover with an incompetent person? Do you strive anxiously with a restless mind as you strive after your ambitious agenda? Or maybe you work with and for the One who is able to provide complete joy in the toil He has placed before you? Is it all really meaningless . . .?

Being A Great Division Officer (Part 1)

The first in a series of thoughts on being a great Divo.

Below are a few recommendations for succeeding as a naval leader.

- Be humble. Everything good and beneficial in a leader stems from humility. You are at an early point in your career in which you must be teachable and ever-learning; humility is required.

Station the Anchor Watch!

so, i thought i'd begin a blog. my hope is for it to help me think through the things i'm doing daily in my professional and personal life to ensure they are appropriately oriented toward Christ. of course, i am blogging about my thoughts so that other like-minded individuals can read them and comment. possibly others are leaders in the military and looking for encouragement and a different perspective from a fellow Christian.

as i prepare to return to sea (i am a surface warfare officer) i want to be sure to stay "anchored" in the midst of an environment that is constantly acting on me. metaphorically, this blog is the anchor buoy, i am on the anchor watch, and my hope in Christ is the Anchor keeping me firm and secure. i want to monitor how i tend toward the Anchor to be sure to notice any indications of heavy strain as the environment becomes turbulent to prevent me from dragging anchor.

this will also serve as a journal of shipboard life of a naval officer as well as a place to share and discuss topics of interest to me such as: leadership, being a husband, fatherhood, theology, Scripture, military strategy, and books. this may serve as a sort of "one-stop-shop" for others with similar interest.