How to Serve

Basic Outline

CO having issues with an underperforming sim, maybe it's 5 months old

• See the Future
• Engage and Develop Others
• Reinvent Continuously
• Value Results and Relationships
• Embody the Values

End with winning Sim of the Month

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The Secret: What Great Commanding Officers Know -- And Do

How to Serve

A few days later Lisa caught Rich online and immediately IM'd him.

Lisa: Hi Rich. How are you?
Rich: I'm great thanks. Yourself?
Lisa: I'm good. I wanted to say thanks for the other day. You're such a great listener. In fact it made me realise that I don't really listen myself.
Rich: Well I'm glad I could help. What do you mean you're not a good listener?
Lisa: Well I wasn't really listening to my players. They kept bugging me in IM and I was busy with other things in the fleet, in the sim, on the other sim I'm on. You know, just generally busy.
Rich: I know. So what did you do?
Lisa: Well I talked with my XO the other day. And it turns out he's having some real hardships in real life at the moment that I didn't even know about. He wants to stay with the sim though so we worked out that he could take on another position and I'd find someone else to take the XO spot.
Rich: That's great!
Lisa: I know! Now we're both happy. Well a little happy. I still have other problems...
Rich: So you've said. I've had a quick look around your sim and I believe you can fix it.
Lisa: Well that's a relief! How?
Rich: Well it's not going to happen overnight, but it will happen. I think the best place to start though isn't with trying to make your players do something, I'm sure you've tried that already.
Lisa: Yes, I have. Beg, plead, threatened... you name it, I've done it!
Rich: Then let's try something else. Let's work on making you the best CO that you can be.
Lisa: ...
Rich: Don't worry, it's going to be pain free and I'm not saying you're a bad CO. I'm saying that we'll make you a *better* CO. We'll just get together and talk about things like we have been doing. Things that'll ultimately help your players, your sim and you. Trust me.
Lisa: Well you're the man with a good sim, so I'll hear you out.
Rich: Well then, think of this as me sharing my secret with you.
Lisa: Ok, this I can't wait to hear.
Rich: You'll have to bear with me as this can be a bit odd to accept...

Rich likened being a CO to an iceberg. The 20% of ice that was above the water represented the skills of a CO while the other 80% was about the character of a CO (and not the character they wrote on their sim). Another way to look at it is that being CO has two components, (skills) Doing and (character) Being. Back when icebergs were sinking ships left right and centre, what really sunk them was the part they couldn't see. The Being / Character. Or lack of it. Yes skills are critical to an effective CO, but character is also. And you need both to be a truly great CO. You can't have one without the other. It is however easier to provide someone who has character with the skills they need to be a great CO. Which is why Rich was here online talking with Lisa. She had the character, she just needed more skills to get her where she needed to be so she could help her players and her sim flourish.

Lisa: Ok, I think I get that but there's got to be more to it than that. What's the real secret of great COs?
Rich: The secret is, great COs SERVE
Lisa: Serve? What do you mean? COs don't serve, they run the sim, they lead
Rich: Hear me out again. COs regardless of their skill level, must continuously asks themselves 'Why am I COing?' Am I COing with the intention to serve my players and my fleet? If so then I'll behave in a very different way than if my reasons are self-serving. So ask yourself, 'Am I a serving CO or a self-serving CO?'
Lisa: This sounds like a bit much. It sounds like I'd have to serve the whole time I'm a CO.
Rich: That's exactly it. You'll constantly and continuously find new ways to serve, and every time you do, your skills will improve and you'll become a better CO.
Lisa: That's quite... overwhelming. There must be millions of ways to serve.
Rich: And there are. But there is a shortlist. Unfortunately or fortunately for you, I've got to pick someone up soon. So I'll leave you with your homework.
Lisa: Homework?!
Rich: Yip. Between now and ooh... next week say (I'm off on LOA until then), see how you can serve your players. Not just big things, but in all the little ways as well. Keep a list and we'll talk about it when I get back.
Lisa: A week?!? I have less than a month to turn my sim around here Rich, I don't think I can waste a week here.
Rich: What would you be doing instead?
Lisa: Issuing strikes maybe...
Rich: Just try it Lisa, it's all I ask.
Lisa: Hmm... I'll try it.
Rich: And don't worry about the TFCO's deadline. I'll worry about him, you just worry about your homework.
Lisa: Kthx
Rich: See you in a week.

Over the next few days Lisa was doing everything she could think of to serve her players and her sim. She wasn't always sure what she could do to serve but she felt she had accomplished quite a bit. Lisa had also decided to sign up to the IMs that the rest of the players on Atlanta used just so she could communicate more often with them, get to know them and practise listening. So when she noticed Pita on AIM she jumped at the chance to have a chat. He was Atlanta's Chief Sec / Tac Officer Who had joined a couple of months ago and had barely posted. She couldn't understand it, the man had submitted a fantastic application but his posts were extremely short, and just... well just bad. After exchanging initial pleasantries Lisa broached the subject that was bothering her.

Lisa: Hey listen, I want to talk to you about something
Pita: sure wat?
Lisa: It's about your posts
Pita: wat abot them?
Lisa: Well it's great that you're posting, you're probably posting more than anyone else. Which is awesome. They're just a bit short.
Pita: yea, i dont kno wat to post
Lisa: Hmm... well I suppose that's my fault for not giving you ideas. I'll think of some things and maybe we can do a JP or two to get you started on a subplot.
Pita: cool. that it?
Lisa: Well now that you mention it, I think it might be good if you proofread your posts before you send them. That way you can catch any typos and grammatical errors. Like you did when you applied, that was perfect!
Pita: i spent ages on that. i've not simmed before
Lisa: Really? Well the fleet has a Cadet Academy that I could put you on. They teach you all sorts about simming. I think that might help if you're interested?
Pita: sure
Lisa: Excellent! I'll get you enrolled and I'll also work on getting you some JP starts so you have something to do on the sim.
Pita: cool

Lisa wasn't sure but she thought she was starting to get the idea behind this serve business...

• Next: See the Future