Our Deck Plate Leader of the Week is Chief Petty Officer Jerry Minchew, a maritime enforcement specialist from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound!
Chief Minchew maintains responsibility for all things security and law enforcement throughout the Connecticut and Long Island area of responsibility. He is a compassionate and levelheaded leadership presence within the Consolidated Mess, and he is committed to making a positive impact with junior and senior personnel inside the gates as well as within the local communities.
When asked what he thinks makes a good chief, He responded:
“Adaptability. The Coast Guard has changed so much in the past 10 years that some senior members, stuck in the ways of the past, are not keeping up.
• Being an example of our Core Values, always.
• Going into the Mess, or sending an email... does not nullify your responsibility to maintain our values.
• Solving Problems. Our members bring us issues. If we can't manage the issues, they stop bringing them to us.
• Don't "demand" respect. Instead, continue to work for it.
• Being a transparent leader. If your people know why you make the decisions you do, they can then make knowledgeable decisions when you are absent.
• Not being the Wizard of Oz. People will tell the great and powerful Wizard what he wants, just to keep him from blowing up.
• Sharing the work. When the task at hand gets difficult and is out of the ordinary, take your turn.
• Don't step in to save the day. Let your people work through it.
• Being a good listener, more than a speaker. What you hear when you listen, will be what you NEED to hear.
• Using our networks to get smart by talking to the experts in our fields. An uninformed opinion makes you an expert, like having a umbrella doesn't make you Marry Poppins.
His advice to junior members?
“Don't be afraid to ask "the question". If you are wondering, there is probably someone else who is wondering as well.
• Sometimes you don't know the full story.
• Effort goes a long way.
• Live by our core values.
• Being offended doesn't make you right.
• Ask yourself what good leadership looks like to you, then do that.
Thank you Chief Minchew for your awesome leadership and insight! Keep up the great work!
