Changes in leadership in the military services often mean new bumper
stickers. The chief of naval operations, Adm. Michael Mullen, is
expected to substantially rewrite the service’s catchall “Sea
Power 21” concept for conducting warfare and setting budget
priorities. Sea Power 21 was the brainchild of Mullen’s predecessor,
Adm. Vernon Clark. Mullen’s deputy, Adm. Robert F. Willard,
says Sea Power 21 will “evolve,” and shift its focus
from high-tech ships and weapons to the Navy’s expanding roles
in ground operations and humanitarian relief. “It needs to
expand a bit,” Willard says. “We need a different image
of sea power.”
At a time when the Navy is struggling to define its priorities and
is plagued by cost overruns in its shipbuilding programs, the chief
of naval operations, Adm. Michael Mullen, has told every flag officer
on his staff to read “Execution: The Discipline of Getting
Things Done.” Written by former Honeywell CEO Larry Bossidy
and two other authors, “Execution” asserts that the
fundamental difference between a company and its competitors is
the ability to execute.
While things like strategy, leadership development and innovation
are the sexier aspects of being at the helm of a successful business,
actually getting things done never seems quite as glamorous, the
authors contend.