2004-07-15 Management Lessons that All Could Use!

If you have not yet read Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, I strongly urge you to read that book before starting Lieutenant Hornblower. Lieutenant Hornblower is written from the perspective of one of Hornblower's superior officers, a senior lieutenant named William Bush. Bush is a master at getting a ship to perform under all circumstances, but has placed little emphasis on how to defeat the enemy. Without the background of Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, I'm afraid you will miss some of the nuances of what the author is suggesting in the book.

The book opens with Hornblower as the newest and most junior lieutenant on the Renown, a British ship of war about to head off on a lengthy cruise to parts as not yet disclosed. Captain Sawyer immediately begins accusing his lieutenants and midshipmen of conspiring to undermine his authority. At the same time, Captain Sawyer cannot do enough for his crew, including extra grog rations. Discipline is rapidly diminishing. What's a young lieutenant to do with a captain who isn't getting the job done? You will find the story fascinating if you imagine being a newly appointed general manager of a small division in a company where the CEO is running the firm into the ground. If the firm goes down, so do you!

Later, the ship finds itself under difficult orders, orders which if followed in the usual way will lead to death, destruction, and failure. What do you do now as a junior person in the situation? You certainly cannot dictate . . . but perhaps you might tactfully suggest alternatives. This circumstance recurs in the novel, and I draw your attention to the adroit way that Hornblower combines respect, a sense of his place, and timely suggestions to provide the same leadership that he might have applied as captain.

Students of game theory will also be fascinated by the ways that Mr. Forester included those kinds of concepts into the decisions that Hornblower makes.

In the end of the book, Hornblower has fallen on hard times. How he responds is a lesson to us all. He sees adversity as a temporary setback that will be redressed in due time by a shift in circumstances to match the underlying odds, not unlike sticking to good strategy for winning at cards. A strategy may not always win, but an effective one will win more often than not and will be profitable to pursue (such as card-counting in playing blackjack).

Hornblower also finds himself the potential beneficiary of kindness from friends. You will be interested to see how he is affected and how he responds.

Lead from wherever you are!