Page 37 - MDSL Final

THE HUMAN FACTOR
and example; advice, encouragement and admonishment; and by giving
subordinates every opportunity of contributing to mission success
through sensible delegation of authority.
Command at Sea: The Prestige, Privilege and Burden of
Command

Only a seaman realizes to what great extent an entire
ship reflects the personality and ability of one individual,
her Commanding Officer. To a landsman, this is not
understandable - and sometimes it is even difficult for us to
comprehend - but it is so;

A ship at sea is a different world in herself, and in
consideration of the protracted and distant operations
of the fleet units, the Navy must place great power,
responsibility and trust in the hands of those leaders
chosen for command.

In each ship there is one man who, in the hour of
emergency or peril at sea, can turn to no other man. There
is one who alone is ultimately responsible for the safe
navigation, engineering performance, accurate gunfire and
morale of the ship. He is the Commanding Officer. He is the
ship;

This is the most difficult and demanding assignment in the
Navy. There is not an instant during his tour as Commanding
Officer that he can escape the grasp of command
responsibility. His privileges, in view of his obligations,
are almost ludicrously small; nevertheless, this is the spur
which has given the Navy its great leaders.

It is a duty which richly deserves the highest, time-
honoured title of the seafaring world - Captain.

Joseph Conrad

To Nurture a Stable Environment at Sea 19