Up Periscope

Surfaced from the secret world of Submarines, this book is a guide to effective leadership development and decision making through inclusion. With extreme stress, continuous change and death just outside the hatch, agile, resilient leadership is essential. This book contains specific, actionable tools and advice directly from our training and consulting work over the years that has produced exceptional results. This leadership book is grounded in a patent published model so when we say it is completely unique, it literally is.


There are many leadership books written from the viewpoint of Navy Admirals, Marine and Army Generals, and Commanding Officers of all varieties. I have read many of them and love a few. This book is not written from that viewpoint. My leadership was forged through the eyes of a career enlisted. Approached and encouraged, starting my second year of Naval service on submarines, to "do better and become an officer." I chose time and time again to remain an enlisted service member.


My view out the periscope is that of a leader who realized the unparalleled leadership impact of a strong senior enlisted, what many in the private sector would refer to as a mid-level to director level manager. Every organization is a pyramid, a few people at the top, the majority at or near the entry, to lower-level positions. The unique application of leadership through the laser lens of a Command Master Chief is this; only a Command Master Chief has complete relatability to the most junior person in the organization and can also get a short notice face to face with the Admiral. When I was in the submarine force, very early on, I knew I was not motivated by power. I also knew I was big thinking with big thinking strategies. I needed to build skills in areas of talent, and I needed to have the authority to carry those ideas out.

I have built my training and consulting company around this view and the belief in the influence and critical importance of these leaders. I now consult and coach executives from Fortune '50s and lead discussions with entry-level team leaders. The tools and perspective from my periscope, are completely unique, based on this experience, as well as my time with Gallup as a consultant. I respected Gallup over the years as a Sailor from the outside, never imagining I would be on the inside as a consultant, becoming their top, client rated consultant in the world. The combination of this strength-based view, the System learned on submarines, the methodology, and process (patent pending) will become staples in the seabags of executives and first-time supervisors alike. Why? Well, I don't just remember what it is like to clean a toilet, I still do on occasion.