Leadership

One definition of leadership can be described as “a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.” This is something that not everyone in life can do or even come close to. But for one man, Culinary Specialist Master Chief Surface Warfare, Aviation Warfare Albert Puyot, Leadership is something that he has showed time after time again while in the United States Navy. Master Chief Puyot does not possess all of John Maxwell’s Laws of Leadership but he does have a grasp on a good majority of the twenty-one laws and I was fortunate enough to witness them while being stationed on the USS Tortuga (LSD 46).

Before Master Chief arrived to the Tortuga our food service organization was not running on all cylinders. We could barley pass our Supply Management Certifications which are Navy required inspections for food service. This was one of our major leadership issues because our current Chief was unable to lead and manage the division. Which ultimately led to being asked to leave by our Commanding Officer. When it came time for Master Chief Puyot to arrive he had a huge organizational problem to deal with, our division’s morale was low and the day-to-day operations was subpar. The Division had been run into the ground, by being overworked and misguided. The previous leadership was about trying to do the best any kitchen could do, by focusing on the satiation and menu production but leaving out the little items such as being able to apply the Law of Connection and the Law of the Picture. Our previous boss did not do much connecting with his people at a personal and emotional level. He stayed in his office most of the time, instead of being out and about on the deck-plates actually leading his people. These are two small pieces to put into your jigsaw puzzle but they both create a large impact on your organization.

This is where Master Chief’s vision and the Law of Navigation...