Summary Of Character In Action By Donald T. Phillips
The United States Coast Guard lives and breathes leadership. Every person throughout their organization is made a leader. This book is written by former Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, James M. Loy, and best selling author, Donald T. Phillips. Loy and Phillips work together to express how the Coast Guard is a prime example of an organization that utilizes both leadership and management at all levels of the organization. The book provides numerous case studies that prove the Coast Guard knows what leadership is, how it works, and why it is important. This book is complete with examples, anecdotes, and guidelines on how to install leadership throughout an entire organization. Their examples can be used as a beacon for all organizations that want to infuse leadership onto every single one of its members.
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In the book, “Character in Action”, Donald T.
Phillips breaks down the content into four parts– setting the foundation, focusing on people, instilling a bias for action, and ensuring the future. The way Phillips decided to layout this book made the material very easy to read. Readers can either read the book front cover to back, or jump around to lessons and case studies that seem of interest to them. Within each of the four sections are subdivisions that contain case studies, which apply to each section. The stories and lessons shared within each of these parts all convey a different example of how the Coast Guard efficiently practices leadership and management on a daily basis. Many studies that are done on leadership involve a single person and how that person has made a difference in the company. “Character in Action” provides leadership stories involving many people and how they have worked together to make a difference in our nation. Their success all starts with setting the
foundation.
In order to develop an organization where leadership is shown you must “define the culture and live the values”. The Coast Guard’s official motto is “Semper Paratus” meaning always ready. They operate on the core values of honor, respect, and devotion to duty. Every member is expected to abide by these values at all costs. In the book, a Coast Guard captain is quoted, “We in the Coast Guard go with a good group of people out to a place where only our training, our maintenance, and our relationships with each other combine to help ensure our survival. Because the Coast Guard is inextricably intertwined with the sea, we are at one with nature¬—but only if we work together.” Since every member “lives the values”, the Coast Guard is able to complete death-defying missions that rely on teamwork and cooperation from everyone. The case studies in this lesson show that having respect and cooperation for the organization’s values is key to having effective leadership and management throughout the entire workplace. The Coast Guard teaches us to decrease the separation between executives and everyone else. After all, everyone is working to achieve the same goals for the company. Doing this ensures better teamwork and better commitment and loyalty to each other. Also, make sure the people in your organization have a high level of respect for each other. Everyone being respectful in an organization can reduce negative attitudes toward one another, help everyone understand the impact of their own behaviors, and permit open communication within the workplace. Loy and Phillips go on to explain how character is the foundation of what makes a person a leader. Character also happens to be the foundation of the Coast Guard. Given the nature of the Coast Guard’s missions, recruiters must pick only the most elite people for the job. Some recruiters will file through one hundred or so applications before finding one that stands out above the others. These recruiters look at seven individual qualities when looking at applications. These qualities are: intelligence, high energy, self-confidence, continual learning, compassion, courage with a bias toward action, and character. These seven qualities can be universal to any or all employees that make up an organization or business. From this lesson, managers can take away many ideas about hiring for their organization. The Coast Guard shows how important it is to wait to hire the right person for the job instead of hiring the first person that walks through the door. The best candidate will display the seven individual qualities. It is also good to hire people that are proficient at performing multiple tasks. The people who have the ability to become leaders in whatever position they hold, as well as being a team player can be a very beneficial asset to the team. Lastly, make sure employees understand that they will do meaningful work. Just like in the Coast Guard, some recruits apply because they feel they want to do meaningful work that will help others. The second part Loy and Phillips cover is about the importance of building strong relationships and alliances with the people that make up the organization or company. Creating an effective communication system can build trust, eliminate “stovepipes”, and ultimately achieve success. In one of the case studies involving this lesson, the captain of the air station demonstrated how having a caring relationship towards all members of the team can bring everyone together. He says, “Our first mission at this air station is to take care of each other, because if we don’t take care of each other, we’re no good to anybody else”. The main point made in this case study is that everything in leadership comes back to relationships. If the relationships are genuine, you can usually count on good teamwork. The teams that are woven together by close friendships and family-like bonds are the ones that get things done. People never want to let down their friends and family. They will also feel more fulfilled with their jobs and happier with the work they are doing. Furthermore, they will feel even more inspired to perform above and beyond work.
In the third part of this book, it talks about “taking action”. Loy and Phillips encourage organizations to “make change the norm”. The Coast Guard has been around for hundreds of years, but is still open to changes that will make their program run more effective. The same should be for any organization. In one of the case studies involving this lesson, a working sailor from Rhode Island had an idea about a better way to do a routine practice that would be more efficient. After speaking up about his idea to his chief warrant officer, the idea got passed along to the Acquisitions Department at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC. Less than a month after the sailor spoke up about what he thought was a better way to do something. The new procedure was applied and put into practice across the entire country.
Although not all suggestions result in major change like the one in this case study, in the U.S. Coast Guard still makes it the norm for honest suggestions to be carefully considered. This story is also a good example of how businesses can approach change on a routine procedure throughout their workplace. The approach consists of the following four steps. The first is to be open-minded. Managers should listen to their employees when they suggest better ways for a procedure to be done. The second step is to involve others. Getting other people involved will allow for the idea to receive the attention it needs and can therefore begin to create a plan to get the idea implemented. The third step involves preparing others for the change. It is good to explain the whole story and to also be ready to answer any questions or concerns. Lastly, as the forth step, implement the change with broad-based communication. The forth and final part of this book talks about the importance of “ensuring the future”. Loy and Phillips talk about how continual learning should be exercised frequently in the workplace. Employees who work in a continual learning environment will make fewer mistakes in the future and become even more efficient at their jobs. If a mistake is made, it is important to broadcast the lesson learned from it to the other employees. That way, everyone can learn from it and improve. Sometimes trial and error, turn out to be excellent learning experiences. In one of the case studies, a group of four Coast Guards go out in a storm to rescue a sailboat caught in the waters near Quilayute River Station in La Push, Washington. The Coast Guards quickly put their wetsuits and emergency vests on and launch their boat out to rescue the sailboat. They were not wearing safety helmets and the wind speeds only increased the further they traveled out. Soon waves were crashing down on the boat. Three of the four Coast Guards were sent overboard. Another crew of Coast Guards were sent out to rescue them but turned back because of the extreme weather conditions. A helicopter eventually came to rescue the one Coast Guard that was left. It turned out to be the worst search and rescue mission in U.S. Coast Guard history. For the next four months the situation was analyzed and improvements were made. Sometimes part of continual learning is getting knocked back a time or two.
“Character in Action” shows that the U.S. Coast Guard is an organization that displays prime examples of leadership and management every minute of every day. After all, their safety and other’s depend on it. Organizations and businesses can be inspired and learn so much from the heroic tales shared in this book. The management of the Coast Guard offers useful ideas and insights that can be applied to many business practices such as hiring, relationship building, teamwork, strategic planning, and coping with change. I would recommend this book to be read by all managers and leaders alike.
In the book, “Character in Action”, Donald T.
Phillips breaks down the content into four parts– setting the foundation, focusing on people, instilling a bias for action, and ensuring the future. The way Phillips decided to layout this book made the material very easy to read. Readers can either read the book front cover to back, or jump around to lessons and case studies that seem of interest to them. Within each of the four sections are subdivisions that contain case studies, which apply to each section. The stories and lessons shared within each of these parts all convey a different example of how the Coast Guard efficiently practices leadership and management on a daily basis. Many studies that are done on leadership involve a single person and how that person has made a difference in the company. “Character in Action” provides leadership stories involving many people and how they have worked together to make a difference in our nation. Their success all starts with setting the
foundation.
In order to develop an organization where leadership is shown you must “define the culture and live the values”. The Coast Guard’s official motto is “Semper Paratus” meaning always ready. They operate on the core values of honor, respect, and devotion to duty. Every member is expected to abide by these values at all costs. In the book, a Coast Guard captain is quoted, “We in the Coast Guard go with a good group of people out to a place where only our training, our maintenance, and our relationships with each other combine to help ensure our survival. Because the Coast Guard is inextricably intertwined with the sea, we are at one with nature¬—but only if we work together.” Since every member “lives the values”, the Coast Guard is able to complete death-defying missions that rely on teamwork and cooperation from everyone. The case studies in this lesson show that having respect and cooperation for the organization’s values is key to having effective leadership and management throughout the entire workplace. The Coast Guard teaches us to decrease the separation between executives and everyone else. After all, everyone is working to achieve the same goals for the company. Doing this ensures better teamwork and better commitment and loyalty to each other. Also, make sure the people in your organization have a high level of respect for each other. Everyone being respectful in an organization can reduce negative attitudes toward one another, help everyone understand the impact of their own behaviors, and permit open communication within the workplace. Loy and Phillips go on to explain how character is the foundation of what makes a person a leader. Character also happens to be the foundation of the Coast Guard. Given the nature of the Coast Guard’s missions, recruiters must pick only the most elite people for the job. Some recruiters will file through one hundred or so applications before finding one that stands out above the others. These recruiters look at seven individual qualities when looking at applications. These qualities are: intelligence, high energy, self-confidence, continual learning, compassion, courage with a bias toward action, and character. These seven qualities can be universal to any or all employees that make up an organization or business. From this lesson, managers can take away many ideas about hiring for their organization. The Coast Guard shows how important it is to wait to hire the right person for the job instead of hiring the first person that walks through the door. The best candidate will display the seven individual qualities. It is also good to hire people that are proficient at performing multiple tasks. The people who have the ability to become leaders in whatever position they hold, as well as being a team player can be a very beneficial asset to the team. Lastly, make sure employees understand that they will do meaningful work. Just like in the Coast Guard, some recruits apply because they feel they want to do meaningful work that will help others. The second part Loy and Phillips cover is about the importance of building strong relationships and alliances with the people that make up the organization or company. Creating an effective communication system can build trust, eliminate “stovepipes”, and ultimately achieve success. In one of the case studies involving this lesson, the captain of the air station demonstrated how having a caring relationship towards all members of the team can bring everyone together. He says, “Our first mission at this air station is to take care of each other, because if we don’t take care of each other, we’re no good to anybody else”. The main point made in this case study is that everything in leadership comes back to relationships. If the relationships are genuine, you can usually count on good teamwork. The teams that are woven together by close friendships and family-like bonds are the ones that get things done. People never want to let down their friends and family. They will also feel more fulfilled with their jobs and happier with the work they are doing. Furthermore, they will feel even more inspired to perform above and beyond work.
In the third part of this book, it talks about “taking action”. Loy and Phillips encourage organizations to “make change the norm”. The Coast Guard has been around for hundreds of years, but is still open to changes that will make their program run more effective. The same should be for any organization. In one of the case studies involving this lesson, a working sailor from Rhode Island had an idea about a better way to do a routine practice that would be more efficient. After speaking up about his idea to his chief warrant officer, the idea got passed along to the Acquisitions Department at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, DC. Less than a month after the sailor spoke up about what he thought was a better way to do something. The new procedure was applied and put into practice across the entire country.
Although not all suggestions result in major change like the one in this case study, in the U.S. Coast Guard still makes it the norm for honest suggestions to be carefully considered. This story is also a good example of how businesses can approach change on a routine procedure throughout their workplace. The approach consists of the following four steps. The first is to be open-minded. Managers should listen to their employees when they suggest better ways for a procedure to be done. The second step is to involve others. Getting other people involved will allow for the idea to receive the attention it needs and can therefore begin to create a plan to get the idea implemented. The third step involves preparing others for the change. It is good to explain the whole story and to also be ready to answer any questions or concerns. Lastly, as the forth step, implement the change with broad-based communication. The forth and final part of this book talks about the importance of “ensuring the future”. Loy and Phillips talk about how continual learning should be exercised frequently in the workplace. Employees who work in a continual learning environment will make fewer mistakes in the future and become even more efficient at their jobs. If a mistake is made, it is important to broadcast the lesson learned from it to the other employees. That way, everyone can learn from it and improve. Sometimes trial and error, turn out to be excellent learning experiences. In one of the case studies, a group of four Coast Guards go out in a storm to rescue a sailboat caught in the waters near Quilayute River Station in La Push, Washington. The Coast Guards quickly put their wetsuits and emergency vests on and launch their boat out to rescue the sailboat. They were not wearing safety helmets and the wind speeds only increased the further they traveled out. Soon waves were crashing down on the boat. Three of the four Coast Guards were sent overboard. Another crew of Coast Guards were sent out to rescue them but turned back because of the extreme weather conditions. A helicopter eventually came to rescue the one Coast Guard that was left. It turned out to be the worst search and rescue mission in U.S. Coast Guard history. For the next four months the situation was analyzed and improvements were made. Sometimes part of continual learning is getting knocked back a time or two.
“Character in Action” shows that the U.S. Coast Guard is an organization that displays prime examples of leadership and management every minute of every day. After all, their safety and other’s depend on it. Organizations and businesses can be inspired and learn so much from the heroic tales shared in this book. The management of the Coast Guard offers useful ideas and insights that can be applied to many business practices such as hiring, relationship building, teamwork, strategic planning, and coping with change. I would recommend this book to be read by all managers and leaders alike.