The Secret

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

Introduction

Being a Commanding Officer shouldn't be this hard. Five months ago I was so happy. My application to be a CO was accepted and I found myself the proud new owner of an Intrepid class ship. I completed CO Academy and was raring to go. I had so many ideas and stories to tell. And now? Now I'm reading with dread an email from my Task Force Commanding Officer...

To: Commanding Officer - Lisa
CC: Task Group Commanding Officer - Richard
From: Task Force Commanding Officer - Jerry
Subject: Your Sim's Activity
Date: 4 August

As you know this fleet gives COs 6 months in which to get their sim up and active and posting. It's been five months and having looked at your sim, I have to be honest with you, it's not looking good. If you want that promotion and to keep your position in this fleet then your sim will need to meet this fleet's minimum posting requirements.

I've CC'd in your Task Group Commanding Officer. He's just come in from another Task Force today. I suggest you get with him ASAP about your sim.

*Gulp* Five months ago I was ecstatic. Today? I look to be a bit screwed. Next month? I might lose my sim. What happened? Where did it all go wrong?

Determined to find out what exactly had gone wrong and what Lisa could do to fix it, she drew up a list of the current situation on her sim.

Current Situation

• Down to five players (from eight)
• No posts this week, only six posts for all of last month?!?
• Chief Medical Officer keeps complaining about the Second Officer
• No new applicants in over a month

Lisa had very little idea how this had happened in five months. Things had started out so great for her in the beginning, people had flocked to her sim and posting had started. Now, though her players weren't posting and they seemed to be flocking elsewhere. She decided it was time to get a fresh set of eyes on the matter. Maybe this new TGCO can fix things, she thought hopefully as she flicked him an email.

To: Task Group Commanding Officer - Richard
From: Commanding Officer - Lisa
Subject: My Sim's Activity
Date: 4 August

You probably got the email from the TFCO. He said to email you. My players won't post and no one is joining my sim. I guess I need some help to fix them. What do you recommend?

The next day Lisa woke up to find an email from her new TGCO, Richard. He said he would help her as best he could and provided a list of his Instant Messengers. Lisa only had ICQ so she added Richard to that. It wasn't long before the two were chatting in IM.

Lisa: Hi Commodore
Rich: Hi Lisa, just call me Rich. How are you?
Lisa: I'm good. You?
Rich: I'm doing pretty good actually. So tell me about yourself. Who is Lisa?
Lisa: Well I'm Lisa. I'm CO of USS Atlanta, an intrepid class, have been for five months. I've been simming for two years and I'm on another sim in the TF.
Rich: That's great. What else can you tell me about you, what do you like to do outside of simming?

Lisa thought this was a bit odd that Rich was taking an interest in her life, but she replied as best she could. She told him about how she was in college, that she liked to play soccer as well as write outside of simming. In returned he told her that he was in his first full time job after college, played hockey, read voraciously and had been simming on and off for almost ten years. Lisa was surprised when he seemed interested in her pet rat, Scooter. It turned out he had a pet cat called Rocky.

After awhile Rich turned the discussion back to simming...

Rich: Now I can't guarantee that I can help. I can guarantee that I'll be able to listen, ask questions and maybe offer some advice. I don't know everything.
Lisa: LOL and here I thought you did.
Rich: No, us TGCOs just like to pretend we do. Means you'll come to us when you need help. Which is what I'm here for btw, to listen and support you COs.
Lisa: Cool. You don't really hear that in the fleet and when you do... well I don't know if I should believe it. The last TGCO never had time for me.
Rich: Well I might not always have time. I do live on the other side of the world from you, remember? But when you do see me online, feel free to IM me, otherwise leave me an email and I'll answer you as soon as I can.
Lisa: Thanks. I really appreciated that.
Lisa: Oh bugger, I've got to get to class. Can we finish this later?
Rich: Sure, I'll be around. It was nice meeting you, Lisa.
Rich: You too Rich!

Later that day Lisa mused about how great a listener Rich had been. He never interrupted her while she was speaking, he even seemed to know when she was typing something out. He made her feel like he was truly interested in what she had to say. Lisa wondered if this was one reason why Rich's sim was so successful. His sim did have fifteen players that seemed to consistently post at least double the fleet's minimum monthly requirement. He must be doing something right, she realised. Maybe that's something I can use...

Lisa noticed that her Executive Officer, Douglas was on ICQ. He had IM'd her a few times yesterday but Lisa had ignored him as she had a monthly report to write and didn't want to be distracted.

Lisa: Hi, hows things?
Douglas: Hello. Not so good. I tried to get hold of you yesterday...
Lisa: Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I was busy. I should have said.
Douglas: K.
Lisa: So what's up?
Douglas: Oh, my wife has been real sick and she's in hospital for a couple of months and I've had to look after the kids. Yesterday was the first time I could get online in ages and I wanted to let you know.
Lisa: Wow. I'm so sorry to hear that. I hope everything is fine.
Douglas: Yeah, it will be. She should be out in another couple weeks. I feel bad about letting you guys down though.
Lisa: No, that's ok. Real life comes first.
Douglas: I want to post, and I have some time to myself now as my mother is here to help, but I won't have enough time to be your Executive Officer.
Lisa: So you don't think you have time to be Executive Officer but you want to stay on the sim?
Douglas: Yeah
Lisa: That's ok. Maybe you give up the XO position and go back to Chief Operations and I'll find another XO?
Douglas: That'd be awesome. Thanks.
Lisa: No worries and I'll also put you on LOA.
Douglas: Sweet.

Lisa was quite pleased with herself. Just by taking a few moments to talk to her (now former) Executive Officer she'd found out that there was a reason behind his inactivity. It wasn't because he was a slacker. It was because he had something going on. If only I'd listened to him earlier! Lisa lamented. Now all she needed was a new XO. On top of all the other stuff.

Maybe Rich can help me, after all he's already helped me by being a good listener...

• Next: How to Serve