On Leadership "On Leadership” is a feature column in which Rotary Wing Flag Officers submit articles on leadership topics of their choosing.
The Human Advantage
By RDML Wayne “Mouse” Baze, USN
C
lose your eyes. Imagine your best experience in the military, a time when everything just clicked. Things were getting done–not easily, but not harder than you could handle. Performance was high, and the team was winning. If someone asked what your purpose was, you knew. You felt like you were part of something special. Now open your eyes and answer this question. If you had to identify the one element that brought it all together, what would it be? Was it the cool machines? Maybe it was your missions/roles? Or was it the people you worked with? I know my answer (rhymes with steeple). What if we could sustain such experiences, making them the norm rather than the exception? What would that take? What would it mean for our performance, quality of service, and ability to win in combat? I am encouraged by this year’s theme for the NHA Symposium, “The Human Advantage.” We always talk about the “stuff” we need to win the fight, but often gloss over our true superpower. We say the right words, “people first,” but do we prioritize the growth, training, wellness of our Sailors/ Marines enough? My sense is that we often fall short of the mark. I recognize that it is not simple, as choices we make are seldom either-or propositions. But this is more than an academic discussion. It is fundamental to how we thrive (or not) in service, and will be key to winning or losing in combat. The days in which our military enjoyed large technological and numerical advantages are over. In a world of near-peers, what makes the difference will be us–our people, resilience, training, ways of thinking and fighting–not machines. In short, our human advantage will carry the day. You don’t have to look far for examples of “people power” making the difference. We are all tracking the horrors of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Talking heads are debating lessons of geopolitics, impacts to supply chains, the readiness of Russian forces, the strength of NATO, etc. But I think the most important takeaways are in the areas that the smartest people in the room—strategists, planners, leaders—often miss: namely, the idea that the human dimension matters most in conflict. For any who have worked with Ukrainians, you are not surprised by their resistance. They are tough, resilient, innovative, and possess a strong sense of national identity. Since 2014 their military has worked hard to improve. Anyone who saw “Molotov Grandma” on the television knows these people will not just roll over. Logistics challenges aside, the primary reason that the offensive is struggling is because Russian leaders underestimated the tenacity, shared purpose, spirit, training, and courage of the Ukrainian people. And yes, personal leadership at the right time and place really is making a difference. Thank you, President Zelenskyy. Rotor Review #156 Spring '22
Sailors offload an MH-60S Sea Hawk Helicopter, assigned to the "Tridents" of HSC-9, on USS Gerald R. Ford's (CVN 78) flight deck during flight operations. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jesus O. Aguiar.
The Brits in days of sail won stunning victories against foes with more ships, weapons, and people. But what they lacked in mass, they made up for in boldness, training, mission command, and esprit-de-corps. Lord Nelson’s tactics at the Battle of Trafalgar were rooted in his trust in the training and culture of his team. He knew his ships would act correctly, independently, agilely, and with little direction from him in the heat of the moment. He so empowered his fleet that he could accept the large risks of driving his ships in close to the adversary, where his human advantage made the difference. Might we also be in fights against larger forces in the future, where how we fight matters more than what we fight with? You can’t “magic” the sort of culture suggested in these vignettes into being overnight. And just buying more stuff won’t get you there either. It takes patience, commitment, deliberate effort, and leadership to strengthen the team over time. It is a thing not easily defined, but you know it when you see it. Think of how you recognize a strong, positive culture moment after walking aboard a command. We have the best trained, most capable Sailors/Marines in the world. They can do anything given the right tools and guidance. But we must get better to face the greater challenges ahead. How do we do that? This may surprise you, but I don’t think the answer is simply about modern concepts in learning and training. Such enablers are important but insufficient. Instead, it starts with the basics of how we build top performing teams; empower our people to experiment, take risks, innovate; build resilience; and nurture our military families. You simply can’t expect a strong house when the foundation is weak. The Navy has solid initiatives to help. 20
