{"id":8283,"date":"2018-05-02T06:32:27","date_gmt":"2018-05-02T10:32:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/business.financialpost.com\/?p=1577530"},"modified":"2018-05-02T06:32:27","modified_gmt":"2018-05-02T10:32:27","slug":"how-to-lead-a-boatload-of-youngsters-working-in-high-stress-no-fail-situations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.lifeinsurance-orleans.ca\/index.php\/2018\/05\/02\/how-to-lead-a-boatload-of-youngsters-working-in-high-stress-no-fail-situations\/","title":{"rendered":"How to lead a boatload of youngsters working in high-stress, no-fail situations"},"content":{"rendered":"

I recently had the privilege of spending two days and one night aboard USS Harry S. Truman as the aircraft carrier and its strike squad departed Norfolk, Va. for an eight-month deployment. I spent time with the ship\u2019s officers and crew; a community of 5,600 Americans from all backgrounds and walks of life, the vast majority of whom are very young.<\/p>\n

I watched as people in their late teens and twenties executed \u201cno fail\u201d missions. Many of the crew members are too young to be considered millennials (i.e., they were born after 1996). That led to some fascinating discussions with Captain Nicholas Dienna and other officers about how they engage these millennials and post-millennials to perform at peak levels in an unforgiving environment.<\/p>\n

It is a common misperception that today\u2019s young adults are lazy and lack work ethic. Captain Dienna knows this is completely misguided. I asked him about his approach to managing his young crew, and here is what I learned. Executives in any industry can emulate these lessons in order to better manage this cohort on their teams.<\/p>\n

Always take time to explain the why.<\/strong> The captain said millennials and their successor generation are as tough, gritty and talented as any generation that came before them, if not more. However, they need to know the \u201cwhy.\u201d According to Captain Dienna, \u201cDo this because I said so\u201d no longer works. He compared this outdated approach to an image of teachers disciplining students with yardsticks. Captain Dienna works to ensure that every crewmember understands his or her mission and why they\u2019re doing it. I spoke with many levels of the ship\u2019s crew \u2013 from officers to the sailors responsible for mopping the deck. It was abundantly clear that each knew their purpose and the value of their contribution.<\/p>\n

Have empathy.<\/strong> The system needs to be revamped, the captain says, and he is doing it. \u201cIndustrial-age practices simply don\u2019t work in the information age.\u201d Jokingly, he said that when a ship used to dock at a port, \u201cthe first thing sailors would look for is booze. Now, it\u2019s wi-fi.\u201d<\/p>\n

Captain Dienna is empathetic with the needs of his young sailors. For example, I asked him about the ship\u2019s agenda on deployment day. I expected a lot of activity, given the ship was leaving for eight months. To my surprise, the Captain told us he had a very light day planned. \u201cLook, you\u2019ve got to realize that most of these people just left their families for eight months,” he said. “Deployment is especially tough on young marriages. We\u2019re going to take it slow today and allow time for absorption.\u201d   <\/p>\n

In another example, a senior officer was very open about his personal struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder. This remarkable level of transparency made the leader human and relatable. It was a clear signal that he empathized with serious challenges that his crewmembers may face during the deployment.  <\/p>\n

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The aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman departs Naval Station Norfolk as part of a regular deployment in support of maritime security operations and theatre security cooperation efforts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Feelings matter.<\/strong> Captain Dienna related that, not long ago, when a sailor expressed his or her feelings, it carried negative stigma. When referring to millennials and post-millennials, he said \u201c’Soft and lazy’ is pure garbage. But they do talk about their feelings.\u201d The captain is proud of the Navy for recognizing and acting upon this reality. \u201cWe acknowledge that stress is real. We\u2019re investing in resiliency counsellors and psychologists. We have a \u2018fit boss\u2019 who helps the crew stay healthy. The more we focus on physical and mental health, the better we can cope with the challenges that lie ahead.\u201d   <\/p>\n

The ship\u2019s chaplains are engaged in helping the crew come to grips with their feelings. They are not on board to evangelize. Instead, the chaplains care for the entire crew, all 26 denominations. A primary role of the chaplain is to listen and be present for the sailors \u2013 an outlet for them to express their feelings. This is especially important when the call comes from home that a child was born or that a family member passed away. The value of having such a go-to is clear, when the chaplain asks: \u201cHow do you put a dollar sign on the value of a kid who did not commit suicide, or on a note from a sailor saying, \u2018You got me through this deployment\u2019?\u201d <\/p>\n