leadership styles and power bases of CO, XO, Chief of the Boat (COB)? (Consider the full range of possible styles.) Cite specific behaviors and statements, with specific reference to the leadership literature.

The CO's leadership style is very much ad hoc -- in terms of his contempt for what he sees as overly theoretical book knowledge, it is also firmly based on his own long experience. To some degree it recalls the fascinating research done by Malcolm Gladwell in his book Blink: Gladwell researches the possibility that snap decisions in many circumstances are more likely to be correct than laboriously researched and deliberated ones. Gladwell estimates that ten thousand hours of intense activity are required to gain real competency or fluency in an activity, and it is clear from the captain's age and the length of his command that he has seen many years of service and can now afford...
[ View Full Essay]