This week I am attending, as a guest of The Conference Board, their excellent Leadership Development Experience at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
The experience is just that - an experiential learning program that educates on the important historical aspects of the Battle of Gettysburg and the important leadership situations and decisions that were made and applies them to some of today's modern business leadership challenges.
Last night at the welcome sessions and dinner one of the attendees, shared some of his prior background with the table. He had served for a number of years as a submarine officer in the US Navy. He was not allowed to share many other details about the specific of the service, but did share this anecdote, about the training and development of skills of submarine crew members.
He asked us - What is the most important job on a submarine? While we offered some meek guesses, he gave us the real answer - steering the boat while it is underwater. You can't 'see' anything, you have to know how to read instruments, interpret data, make fast and vital decisions, etc.
So yes, he continued, steering the boat is the most important job on the submarine, and it is the first thing that we teach every new crew member, and everyone on the sub needs to know how to do it the right way.
Love it. The most important job, taught to every member of the team, and taught as the very first development experience for new team members.
Think about your new employee onboarding - do you make sure that the most critical skills and capabilities are taught right up front like that? And that every team member is capable in these critical skillls?
Love the story and what it suggests to those of us that have to bring new team members on board.