UP PERISCOPE

There are many leadership books written from the viewpoint of navy admirals, marine and army generals, and commanding officers of all varieties. i have read many of them and love a few. this book is not written from that viewpoint. my leadership was forged through the eyes of a career enlisted. approached and encouraged, starting my second year of naval service on submarines, to do better and become an officer. i chose time and time again to remain an enlisted service member. my view out the periscope is that of a leader who realized the unparalleled leadership impact of a strong senior enlisted, what many in the private sector would refer to as a mid-level to director level manager. every organization is a pyramid, a few people at the top, the majority at or near the entry, to lower-level positions. the unique application of leadership through the laser lens of a command master chief is this; only a command master chief has complete relatability to the most junior person in the organization and can also get a short notice face to face with the admiral. when i was in the submarine force, very early on, i knew i was not motivated by power. i also knew i was big thinking with big thinking strategies. i needed to build skills in areas of talent, and i needed to have the authority to carry those ideas out. i have built my consulting company around this view and the belief in the influence and critical importance of these leaders. i now consult and coach executives from fortune 50s and lead discussions with entry-level team leaders. the tools and perspective from my periscope, are completely unique, based on this experience, as well as my time with gallup as a consultant. i respected gallup over the years as a sailor from the outside, never imagining i would be on the inside as a consultant, becoming their top, client rated consultant in the world. the combination of this strength-based view, the system learned on submarines, the methodology, and process (patent pending) will become staples in the seabags of executives and first-time supervisors alike. why? well, i dont just remember what it is like to clean a toilet, i still do on occasion.