Naval Academy ethical leadership expert speaks to Carderock employees

Photo By Monica Mccoy | Retired Marine Col. Art Athens, director of the U.S. Naval Academy’s Vice Admiral James B. Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership, gives an all-hands presentation on ethics to employees in West Bethesda, Md., April 11, 2016. (U.S. Navy photo by Monica McCoy/Released)  

WEST BETHESDA, MD, UNITED STATES

04.11.2016

Story by Dustin Q. Diaz 

Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division

Retired Marine Col. Art Athens, an expert on ethical leadership at the U.S. Naval Academy, visited Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division to give an all-hands presentation April 11.

Athens is the director of the U.S. Naval Academy's Vice Admiral James B. Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership and a member of the Academy's Senior Leadership Team. His presentation was called "It's Hard To Be Humble ... When You're The Finest."

He said this was a reference to a bumper sticker featuring those words that Marines often display on their cars and joked that it really is hard for Marines, then he talked about his own struggles with ego during his life and some occasions when he felt he was brought back down to earth.

"I believe we operate on a spectrum, with healthy humility on one side and unhealthy arrogance on the other," Athens said. "So we have to ask ourselves, where would you put yourself on that spectrum? And to follow up, I'd ask: wherever you put yourself, how do you know? We probably give ourselves more credit than we deserve, because it's hard to look at ourselves and know where we are on the spectrum."

Athens gave an example of a time he felt he lost his way and experienced what he called "churn." He said he worked many hours on a project for a Marine colonel when stationed overseas and the colonel offered to put him in for an award he was not previously expecting to get. Athens said he kept waiting for this award and focusing on it until he arrived at his next duty station. He ultimately never got it.

"If we're leaders and we are churning, that means we are not doing what we should be doing, which is investing in our people, the mission and service; we are focused on ourselves," Athens said. "When we're on the unhealthy arrogance side of the spectrum, some really bad things can happen. We are consumed with selfish ambition and vain conceit. On the side of humility, we consider others more important than ourselves. We look out for the interests of others, not only our own interests.

"I try to start every day with a reminder: This isn't about me. It's about mission, people and service. Find your reminder. And find role models who live and lead this way. People you can look up to and say, 'That's what it looks like.'"

Athens was introduced by NSWCCD Technical Director Tim Arcano, who told the audience about his Naval Academy classmate's professional and personal accomplishments, from his 30 years in uniform as a Marine officer to serving as a White House Fellow under President Ronald Reagan and being named the High School Coach of the Year by the Washington Post for his work in lacrosse.

"Art is a man who walks the talk," Arcano said. "He's been a lot of places and done a lot of things, from the time he was my brigade commander at the Naval Academy up through today."

Athens also spoke of an experience he had with one of his own role models. When he lost his 9-month-old son, Daniel, to complications from open-heart surgery, he remembered the words of Vice Adm. Stockdale, whom he met in 1987. Stockdale received the Medal of Honor for his actions while in captivity in Vietnam for over seven years and is the namesake of the center Athens leads today.

"At some point, if you get to know Jim Stockdale as I did, you were going to ask him, 'How did you do it? How did you survive?'" Athens said. "He gave me a quote that he remembered from before he went into captivity. It was from the Enchiridion with the teachings of the Greek philosopher Epictetus, who said, 'Remember that you are an actor in a drama of such sort as the author chooses. ... This is your business, to act well in a given part. But to choose it belongs to another.'"

"I'm glad Jim gave me that quote," he said, "because it would come back to life as we faced our situation with Daniel, to realize we had to play our part well. But we're not going to get to choose the parts. It isn't all about us, as much as we'd like to make it that way. If we want to be ethical leaders, I am convinced this is where it starts."

"There is no checklist on it where you can check off 'humility' and be done with it" Athens said. "Humility is a daily decision and a lifetime commitment. The higher we go, the deeper our foundation of humility needs to be, but it is worth the battle."

Athens closed by thanking Carderock employees for their service and saying while they may not wear the same uniform as the Sailors and Marines in the fleet, they are on the same team, play a vital role in national security and deserve the same appreciation.

"This is where the fleet begins, and where it continues to be strengthened and improved. I really do believe a lot of success of the fleet in the past, present and future is directly related to what you do every day," Athens said. "And I hope you never take for granted how significant your piece is in this bigger picture."

• Date Taken: 04.11.2016
• Date Posted: 02.23.2017 13:38
• Story ID: 224497
• Location: WEST BETHESDA, MD, US