Charlie Golf One

I recently added my own personalized logo to my e-mail signature to go along with my name and contact information, my three values for my team that go along with our mission and vision statements ("Be like Young.  Work as a Team.  Clear the Deck."), and the usual disclaimer (the one that says that the e-mail was intended for only for the individual who it was addressed to, etc., etc., etc.).  I can't take credit for the logo, as it is the same one used by the Medical Corps of the United States Navy.  I learned about the logo and its meaning while I was on active duty as a pediatrician and general medical officer in the Navy.  I have had a few questions about what it means, so I decided to write about it in today's blog.

The logo is fairly straightforward.  If you have any nautical background, you will immediately recognize (even if you don't know their exact meaning) that the logo consists of four signal flags.  In the early history of the Navy, ships would communicate with one another while at sea using signal flags and pennants (remember that this was before the invention of the radio).  The first signal flag in the logo is the international answering pennant, while the next two signal flags are the phonetic alphabet letters for "C" ("Charlie") and "G" ("Golf").  The last signal flag in the sequence is the numeric signal for the number "One."  Collectively, the international answering pennant followed by "Charlie Golf One" means that a ship has received a distress signal from another vessel and is responding with the signal, "I will stand by to assist you."  These four signal flags are proudly flown beneath the American flag at every United States Navy medical command.  "Charlie Golf One" is the motto for the Navy Medical Corps and reflects the proud tradition of rendering aid to our nation's sailors and marines. 

It is simple, and it is elegant.  "I am standing by and ready to assist or help you."  Leadership, when it comes right to it, is about service (Robert Greenleaf has written extensively about a concept that he calls servant leadership).  Almost every great leader talks about putting the needs of his or her team first.  The great football coach, Tony Dungy, once said, "The secret to success is good leadership, and good leadership is all about making the lives of your team members or workers better."  Nelson Mandela said, "It is better to lead from behind and to put others in front, especially when you celebrate victory when nice things occur.  You take the front line when there is danger.  Then people will appreciate your leadership."  In other words, great leaders are "servant leaders" who put the needs of their team members ahead of their own.  They are also the first to take the blame, and the last to take any credit.  They are always there, "standing by, ready to assist" their team.  In other words, CHARLIE GOLF ONE.