Security Levels

Command Philosophy

CAPT Daniel J. McLaughlin
Commanding Officer, USCGC MELLON

My command philosophy is based on three core tenets and five main principles. To best serve our cutter, crew, and country, I believe that our individual and collective effort must be rooted in the fundamental tenets of Integrity, Responsibility, and Selflessness. By adhering to these tenets and by continuously referring to and applying the following principles to our daily routine, I believe that we will be best prepared to execute the Coast Guard's many missions

Preparation: Be proactive. Become familiar with Coast Guard policies, missions and areas of responsibility. Continuously evaluate and improve our material condition and standard operating procedures. Develop strategies with built in contingencies. Always ask, "What If?"' Ensure that our crew is outfitted with necessary resources and training opportunities to successfully perform our mission. Constantly set and achieve new goals.

 

Communication: Acquire, apply, develop and share information, ideas and knowledge up and down the chain of command. Communicate at each level, within and across each division or department to clearly define command expectations, to express unit and personal needs, and to promote unity of command. Always listen, acknowledge, and respond with an open mind in a timely manner. If you don’t understand simply ask a question. Verify the message, or state. “Command, Sir"

 

Execution: Perform duties and mission as planned, trained, and communicated. Focus on the fundamentals, be consistent, hold each other accountable, analyze associated risks and maintain situational awareness throughout your entire watch or evolution. Critique prior experiences and incorporate lessons learned into future operations. Repetition creates confidence which leads to passion and inspires self-belief and crew cohesiveness.

 

Development: Promote and provide our command and crew with continuous opportunities to enhance personal growth and professional development. Guide, coach, and mentor every crew member to reach new levels of performance and education. Encourage the command and crew to expand their roles, to take on more demanding tasks, and to reach their full potential. Believe and show interest in your department and division members. Find the best in our crew, and demand more from them as Coast Guardsmen and as individuals. Expect our crew to do well and they will deliver their best effort.

 

Reward: Care for our crew. Recognize and respond to their individual and family needs. Actively pursue and provide an optimum balance between unit requirements and family needs and responsibilities. Build time into unit schedules for our crew to take quality time off with their families. Consistently recognize and reward our crew in a timely manner. Saying thank you and showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful gestures we can express towards one another. Feeling appreciated will bring out the best in our crew.

 

 

Last Modified 6/22/2012