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Guiding Principles To Help Navigate a Fast Changing World
In the fast paced 21st century environment, everyone is being faced with having to rely on the ability to abstract information to come up with new and different answers to solve problems. An example of this was observed in the past two weeks when Thai Navy SEALS and dive quali?ed associates who successfully rescued 12 boys and their coach, from a Thai soccer team, who were trapped by rising water for two weeks in a cave in Thailand. Many people are not able to be agile in their thinking, which is causing a great deal of anxiety in the general population.
The following sayings are derived from the Navy SEAL beliefs and aspirations and provide the guiding principles that define the SEAL culture and work ethic. The SEAL philosophy is provided as inspiration.
1. The only easy day was yesterday. The Pursuit of Excellence defines the SEAL character. Excellence can be de?ned as the constant pursuit of perfection. Challenges are faced head on, controlling what can be and ignoring what cannot.
2. It pays to be a winner. During SEAL training, the class is broken into boat crews seven-man teams. SEALS often compete against other crews. This fosters leadership, teamwork and accountability through alliance. Winning is the only objective. Trying is considered a noisy way of doing nothing at all.
3. Get comfortable being uncomfortable. SEALS are trained to get comfortable being uncomfortable. By pushing boundaries of one's comfort zone on a regular basis, leads to the development of a wider perception of what is possible.
4. I persevere and thrive in adversity. When organizations ingrain resilience into their culture, they will thrive in adversity and crush the competition. One SEAL quoted a speech that carried him through Navy SEAL Hell Week. The quote was a statement by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., namely, “If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”
5. In the absence of orders I will take charge, lead my team and accomplish the mission. On SEAL Teams, leadership at all levels is expected. SEALS operate in a decentralized command model where everyone is expected to easily shift between leading and being led.
6. Uncompromising integrity is the standard. Integrity and trust have a direct and measurable impact on productivity and profitability. A Leading by example model, starts at the top and follows through each SEAL member, regardless of rank, title or tenure.
7. SEALS lead the way to solving constantly changing challenges by embracing creativity and innovation. In order to successfully meet new challenges with a new mental attitude from previous experiences requires discipline and innovation. Focus and follow-through are critical. The mental attitude that “this is the way we've always done it” is a mindset no longer applies.
8. Embrace the pain. The ONLY mindset that gets one through SEAL training is to be able to maintain a positive mental attitude through the worst parts of training. One SEAL leader stated, “Organizational change is pain plus a plan.”
9. I am never out of the fight. It needs no interpretation.
