Page 36 - MDSL Final
P. 36

MARITIME DOCTRINE OF SRI LANKA
        Leadership


                 “Duty is the great business of a sea officer; all private
                  considerations must give way to it, however painful
                                      it may be.”

                                                  Admiral Lord Nelson



        Military leadership is the projection of personality and character to get
        subordinates to do what is required of them and to engender within
        them the confidence that breeds initiative and the acceptance of risk
        and responsibility. Born leaders are rare, but leadership potential can
        be developed by training, experience, study of the methods of great
        leaders in the past and a sound knowledge of the military profession.
        Through these, individuals develop their own style of leadership and will
        necessarily lead in exactly the same way.

        The  exercise  of  leadership  at  sea  reflects  the  unique  nature  of  the
        environment.  The  focus  at  sea  is  on  the  effort  of  the  entire  crew  to
        place the combat instrument, which is the ship, into the control of the
        directing mind of the commander. No shell is fired and no missile can be
        launched without specific command direction. With very few exceptions
        this applies even in the most intense of combat situations and it is never
        widely delegated. By contrast, the infantry commander must lead their
        soldiers as individuals to make their singular contributions to the combat
        effort in accordance with their intent. Likewise the air commander must
        rely on each of their pilots to complete the mission allocated. It is a fair
        generalisation to say that the aim of leadership at sea is the moulding
        of the ship’s company and their ship as a fighting instrument, while on
        land and in the air leadership is focused on the individual as a fighting
        instrument.  Notwithstanding  the  push  towards  greater  automation,
        there remain many physically demanding activities in seagoing units.

        Leadership  starts  with  self-discipline.  It  is  a  continuous  process
        throughout training and daily life. Leaders promote this amongst their
        subordinates by: decisive action; clear direction and guidance; precept


        18   To Nurture a Stable Environment at Sea
   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41