(November 26, 2025 at 12:06 am)Thumpalumpacus Wrote:(November 25, 2025 at 11:41 pm)Fireball Wrote: I remember in Boot Camp that some poor sap in our midst was nominated to be the company's representative to the base commander. Company Commander called him, "The Commander's ratman". I'm certainly glad that I didn't get that task. But I wouldn't have been a "Yes Man", either. I worked for a major aerospace company (actually many, in the southern California area) and was told a bit of information about a process that had not been reported to the gov, that had serious issues. It had to do with the strength of a material when it aged. Stress analysts were all over that, as the delivered product depended on their analyses, and it didn't actually meet specs. It was an issue that the company (and quite likely the customers) had known about for decades, given the nothingburger that it turned into.
When I reported for duty at Carswell AFB I had the good fortune to draw an excellent supervisor (SSgt Lucas MacDonald, you better believe I remember his name). Sgt Mac was a great trainer. He knew I'd follow his orders, but at the same time tolerated me questioning them provided we weren't on a fireground or exercise, operational things.
I think all good leaders should encourage not only that inquisitiveness but the spine that guys like you or those engineers from Morton-Thiokol or McDonnell-Douglas who tried to stop disasters. "Sir, you're about to step on your dick" is often decent advice. A good leader is able to hear it.
There was a scene in The Bounty where Captain Bligh ordered the sails to be close-reefed (reducing the sail area to stabilize the ship, usually because of high winds). One of the crew question the order, and Bligh barked, 'Don't argue with me!' As soon as the sails were close-reefed, the wind died almost to nothing. Bligh smiled and said, 'I seem to have made a misjudgment.'
As important as it is for a leader to hear advice, it's also a mark of leadership to be able to admit mistakes, and o be seen to do so.
Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax
