Executive Leadership

An enlightened practitioner charged with the safety of the nation and its citizens as well as their rights (those values articulated in the Declaration of Independence and incorporated into the Constitution) takes an oath to the Constitution and serves in a fiduciary relationship to the people.  That oath obliges the taker to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and to bear true allegiance to the Constitution.  Leadership skills are required to inspire others to act at the highest standard possible to assure the pursuit of those strategies which are for the greater good.  Guidelines are amply available to assist in learning leadership beyond those attributes which most decision makers bring to the table. 

EO 13434 -- National Security Professional Development addressed the intent by the President George W. Bush administration to develop a corps of national security professionals.  The program was but one formula to bring about greater leadership.  A key tenet was that critical thinking is a core competency of service at any level of government or society.  While EO 13434 did not gain traction with the Bush or the Obama administrations, it points to the fact that professional competence is a moral imperative. 

Truly enlightened leadership means doing something well not only because one’s career or life depends on it, but because it is for the greater good.  And, it means not just doing things right, but doing the right things.  As a public servant, there is a requirement to act ethically and conserve resources.  When vital national interests of the nation are involved, then the responsibility is at its greatest. 

The Architecture of Leadership offers a compilation of leadership skills for consideration, reflection, study, and use in an individual’s leadership tool kit.  One of the authors, Admiral James Loy, U.S. Coast Guard (retired), who was a former deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the former Head of the Transportation Security Administration, and the former Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, is uniquely qualified to discuss leadership at all levels – from the tactical level (small unit) to the strategic/executive level.  Admiral Loy, and his fellow author, Donald Phillips, study great leaders of the past and present common elements that may be utilized to constitute an architecture of leadership.  As the authors note in the Afterword, “…The Architecture of Leadership … works for any individual, in any profession, who chooses to become a good leader … The Architecture of Leadership can also be used as a template for organizations that wish to foster better internal leadership.  It can also be employed to create a solid leadership organization from scratch – one that will last, one that will stand the test of time.”  Hopefully this text will help further develop and refine enlightened executive leadership that is needed by all public servants.

The book Philips, Donald T. and James M. Loy: The Architecture of Leadership: Preparation equals Performance. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2008, is optional reading.

The presentation by James M. Loy on "The Architecture of Leadership" at the Third Annual DHS University Network Summit,
March 17-19, 2009 is required leading for this lesson and summarizes the main argument of the book.

Without doubt leadership is essential in our Congress, our political leaders, our senior Cabinet officials, our local mayors and city councils.  Taking our security for granted provides no assurance that our way of life is truly protected and citizen involvement in shaping our nation's policies against terrorism will require sustained engagement and support.