I asked this question recently as I kicked off the first day of my semester at the Naval Academy. The sophomores or “youngsters” (as we call them) whom I teach are now nearly 9 months distant from their lives as plebes. They are gaining wisdom about the Navy and now have a little bit of space to reflect on what they learned during their first year at the Academy. Their answers ranged from “don’t take things so seriously” to “try new clubs and sports” to an expressed feeling of gratitude for four years of college that is something to be treasured. “When else in your life will you be two minutes down the hallway from the friends you love,” this student responded.
Plebe life is tough. However, the learning and personal growth are tremendous.
When you enter the Naval Academy, they strip from you everything that is familiar. They take away your civilian clothes and give you a uniform. They cut your hair. They tell you when to get up, when to eat, when to go to bed—breaking you down as an individual, then building you up as a team. They are developing midshipmen one day at a time. In the military, it is critical that you work as a team. Lives depend on it, particularly in combat. The process is referred to as resocialization. What you previously held to be true, that the individual matters most, is transformed to a new set of values, beliefs, and norms—that the unit or team matters the most. You even learn a new language—the endless acronyms and the formulaic responses expected in the military.
Above is a picture of me on my first day at the Naval Academy that I showed in class. Smiling crookedly, I look as if I might know what I am getting myself into but then not exactly sure.
When it was my turn to respond to my own question, I said two things. I would tell my plebe self that this place will open the world to you. Then, more tongue in check, I added “your five basic plebe responses will come in handy when the Admiral calls you and says not so warmly, “What happened Captain Bell?” And you respond, “I’ll find out sir!”
I can still remember my five basic plebe responses: 1) Yes, sir; 2) No, sir; 3) Aye, aye, sir (meaning you comprehend the order and will take action); 4) I’ll find out, sir; and 5) No excuse, sir. All are burned into my memory and still serve me well today as a leader.
When we are amid life’s challenges, we may not always see or understand the larger purpose of what we are experiencing. But it is important to remember that it will serve us for the rest of our lives. My experience at the Naval Academy, and certainly plebe summer, changed me forever.
Looking back, what would you tell your plebe self? Or freshmen self? Or intern self?
Send me your answers. I might just share them with my students.
Fly high,
Barbara
Want to know more? Or need more questions to impact the next generation of leaders? As a coach, I’m full of questions that might generate some inspiring answers. Drop me a line at captainbarbarabell.com and of course check out my book, Flight Lessons: Navigating Through Life’s Turbulence and Learning to Fly High.
#coaching, #mentoring, #veterans, #leadership
