Matthew

Comments from a career Naval Aviator

Revisado: 10-23-21

I write this review as a retired dual-designated Naval Aviator and Naval Intelligence Officer, with experience flying in eight Navy squadrons. Around the world. I led my own squadron and served on senior Naval staffs. I have seen too many of my friends die in service to our Nation and its values.

I have recently left organizational life to begin another career as a entrepreneur.

I was not a Navy SEAL yet earned my commission through the famed Marine Corps training at Aviation Officer Candidate School, Pensacola, Florida.

If I did not believe in what Brent is saying in this book, I would not have stopped his fine narration almost a hundred times to take careful notes in my journal. Thank you, Brent.

Anchors Aweigh.

MB, Commander, United States Navy (ret.)

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 4 personas

Creating Leadership and Competence at All Levels

Revisado: 05-04-21

[Reviewer’s note: I have been an active Audible listener since 2018 with 671 titles in my library. I have rarely written a review, yet I have purchased a good many books based upon reviews and an equal number I passed on and did not purchase based on reviews. This review is my way of saying thanks to many reviewers for sharing their perspectives.]

L. David Marquet’s experience as a submarine officer is well documented in Turn the Ship Around! – his experience as the Commanding Officer of the USS Santa Fe (SSN-763), a Los Angeles class attack submarine, homeported in Pearl Harbor Hawaii.

As a career Naval Officer and Naval Aviator, myself, flying in eight squadrons, it didn’t take long into the book for me to discover that Marquet was an officer of tremendous self-awareness, high technical competence, and a keen appreciation for the needs of both the ship’s mission and her crew.

Yet he bucked tradition by transforming a leader-follower approach to leadership and management to a leader-leader model, instilling competence, confidence, and courage throughout all levels of his command. His approach was not a fluffy empowerment approach, lacking attention to the details and the potential dangers of operating a nuclear-powered submarine with deadly weapons. Rather, through each evolution of both preparing to go to sea, and executing operational tasking, he brought out the best in his crew (individually and collectively) by stressing a learning approach, honest dialogue, and a continuous review of organizational competence.

In his honest words, he shares with the reader the risks and challenges he was facing (and his own mistakes) as he radically changed an old leadership paradigm, enhancing crew alignment, job satisfaction, and taking organizational performance to new heights. He called it Intent-Based Leadership.

Yet, how applicable are the lessons he teaches to other organizations and businesses outside of the United States Navy? In each chapter he begins with questions as well as ending the chapter with questions. Having served myself in the Navy, in Fortune 500 companies, and at several major universities, he very clearly brings back the ongoing lessons aboard Santa Fe for leaders and organizations of all sizes and missions. The questions he asks are alone worth much more than the price of the book. And his approach is not some “leadership fad of the moment.” We can all learn a lot from David Marquet. But I will add a cautionary note: don’t read or listen to this book unless you sense that things truly need to change for the better for the organization, company, or mission you serve. Yet, if you do, and if you can rally support around Marquet’s practical and inspirational approach to true cultural change and organizational competence, then you will have truly turned things around.

(Marquet’s voicing of his own book is excellent).

Commander/United States Navy (ret.)

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

esto le resultó útil a 7 personas

Cold described!!

Revisado: 10-19-19

As both a former Naval Aviator and Naval Intelligence Officer who graduated from the Navy’s SERE School in Maine in January (-30 F), I once again felt the cold in the words of Brad Thor. He is an expert at casting a scene, one after another and driving a compelling story. While the hero's story always will reach a solid end, a worthy end, I love the way he (Thor) consistently creates tension to drive the story forward, with information and sensory detail. Definitely a page-turner.

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña

A Very Honest and Human Story

Revisado: 02-19-18

As an early Audible adopter, I have 578 titles in my library. I have never written a review.

Why now? Butch Rutt and I have several things in common. We both earned our Naval Officer commissions through Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS), had the same training to earn our Wings of Gold as Navy pilots and served in similar squadrons in Hawaii.

The author got my attention in Chapter One, describing what it is like to command an operational mission against a Soviet Ballistic Missile Submarine, only to handle a severe inflight emergency and land back in the Aleutian Islands in the most gawd awful weather on the planet. On those days, one is so loaded with adrenaline once back on land that it is hard to stand or walk. The dark night experienced by all Naval Aviators and Naval Flight Officers from time to time.

From that opening chapter, Butch describes his tough childhood, dysfunctional family life with his father, the decision to drop out of high school, and long ascent to finally graduating from college, and early success as an officer candidate, student naval aviator, Fleet Pilot, and beyond.

His writing is taunt, instructive, honest and inspiring. The reading by John Sipple is good and appropriately paced.

I encourage all fathers and grandfathers to read this book and purchase a copy for their sons and grandsons, age 15 or older.

Half way through the book I was reminded of the best piece of advice I ever received: Never think about why you can’t do something, always think about why you can do something.

That is Butch’s story. Download it today!

Commander, US Navy (ret.)

Has calificado esta reseña.

Reportaste esta reseña