Once Upon a Lieutenant

I have a Lieutenant who is responsible for my Company. He’s not particularly well spoken and what he does spit out is usually condescending which, I’m fairly sure, is a symptom of his personal insecurities. His flaccid body is an unfortunate contrast to his angular face and his complexion is pale but not at all creamy. I imagine that he looks a bit of a mess in civilian clothes. Not surprisingly, he doesn’t command much respect from the 130 or so Seabees who make up Headquarters Company.

I’m the company Training Petty Officer (TPO) and because of that position I’ve had more conversation with my Lieutenant than most people in the Company. And here’s the thing: I identify with him. I identify with every uncomfortable inch of him. He’s smart enough to realize that almost no one in the Company respects him and instead of sitting back and pretending that nothing is amiss he’s taken action. He issued a memo of expectations (including things as obvious as addressing him as Sir, Lieutenant or LT) that each of us had to initial and has started demanding that we run a tight ship.

It’s been working.

There seems to be very little difference between commanding and demanding the respect of your troops. I always imagine effective leaders as charismatic, intelligent, and organized. This is the first example I’ve met of a man who is able to get by effectively without the first qualification. It’s a lesson I need to be sure to file away (even if I do have a secret inclination towards hubris when it comes to my charisma).