76: Torpedoing the Commander of the USS Roosevelt: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Apr 7, 2020

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If someone is between the devil and the deep blue sea, they are in a difficult situation where they have to choose between two equally unpleasant courses of action.

Capt. Crozier made a decision, and it wasn't "stupid" or "naive." Trying to torpedo his career, however, turned out to be both.

U.S. Navy Captain Brett Crozier was fired after a leak of a letter he had emailed to Navy leaders detailing the service's failures in responding to a coronavirus outbreak on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt.

How will history view Captain Crozier’s decision? What lesson can other leaders take from this situation?

In this week’s episode, I’m dissecting the chain of events that define leadership in a time of global war on a virus.

[1:14] What was Captain Crozier’s “devil” and what was his ”deep blue sea?”
[2:00] Hear a clip from Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly’s press conference.
[2:54] What is the chain of command in the military?
[3:24] Learn why I’m sounding the alarm on this matter.
[4:46] Here’s the message that the firing of Capt. Crozier is actually sending to the public, and how they’re reacting.
[6:24] My new leadership theory due to the coronavirus.
[8:08] What could motivate a captain to sabotage his own career?
[10:48] Here’s the PR takeaway.

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