Adm. Hyman G. Rickover, known as the “Father of the Nuclear Navy,” shares his management philosophy in a speech highlighting the importance of human initiative, continuous challenges, and the need for managers to be deeply involved in detail and prioritization to ensure successful project completion. He criticizes the Defense Department’s rotation policy and underscores the value of hard work, personal responsibility, and determination in effective management. Rickover’s insights demonstrate a common-sense approach to management, emphasizing the limitations of academic management techniques.
Main Points
Human initiative over organizational systems
Rickover emphasizes the essential role of human initiative and responsibility in achieving success, underscoring the limitations of organizational systems.
Continuous challenges and responsibility
The practice of adding continuous work challenges and responsibilities fosters development and ownership among team members.
Detail, prioritization, and managerial involvement
The emphasis on detail, prioritization, and the need for hands-on managerial involvement highlights the importance of micro-management for project success.
Critique of Defense Department's rotation policy
Rickover critiques the Defense Department’s rotation policy, arguing it undermines accountability and effective management.
Insights
People, not organizations or management systems, get things done.
Human experience shows that people, not organizations or management systems, get things done. For this reason, subordinates must be given authority and responsibility early in their careers.
A successful job requires ownership and long-term commitment.
When doing a job—any job—one must feel that he owns it, and act as though he will remain in the job forever.
Managerial responsibility includes finding and correcting problems.
Every manager has a personal responsibility not only to find problems but to correct them.
Continuous effort and determination are essential for problem-solving.
Good ideas are not adopted automatically. They must be driven into practice with courageous impatience.
Prioritization is crucial for effective job management.
To do a job effectively, one must set priorities. Too many people let their ‘in’ basket set the priorities.
Impartial reviews and oversight improve work quality.
All work should be checked through an independent and impartial review.
Hard work and personal responsibility are key to successful management.
No management system can substitute for hard work. A manager who does not work hard or devote extra effort cannot expect his people to do so.
Links
URL
https://govleaders.org/rickover.htm