Vectors

"""As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, representing a state that is Navy proud, I observed Secretary Thomas Modly's patriotic service to his country. From Annapolis plebe to Secretary, Vectors tracks Modly's devotion and leadership under difficult times at home, abroad, and within the Pentagon. He is candid about the challenges we face as a nation and the way tough politics can alter and warp best intent and efforts. He's also candid about his own successes and missteps, refreshingly so in a world of PR and spin. Vectors is a pinpoint picture of a moment in time offering leadership lessons transcending the moment. And it shows the Tom Modly I came to know - earnest, curious, doing his best amidst the din, striving to always improve. "" ** - Tim Kaine** United States Senator, Virginia ""Vectors is a masterpiece! Compelling, entertaining, and passionate. In this powerful book former Navy Secretary Modly uses stories to expose the pivotal importance of character in life's decisions. A tenure marked by triumphs and heartbreaks, his book celebrates heroes encountered along his journey . . . heroes who give us hope that the nation and the Navy will conquer their inevitable challenges. "" - Honorable Barbara Barrett * Former Secretary of the Air Force and U.S. Ambassador to Finland* ""Vectors brilliantly chronicles the leadership challenges and adversity faced by Secretary Thomas Modly as he was unexpectedly thrust into the spotlight to lead the Navy. Among many of the courageous decisions he details in this book, Secretary Modly describes the naming of a nuclear aircraft carrier (CVN - 81) for Mess Attendant Doris (Dorie) Miller, an African American World War II hero who was awarded the Navy Cross for Gallantry at Pearl Harbor. This bold decision shattered Navy tradition and will forever honor enlisted Sailors and the achievements of African Americans in the naval service."" - Julius S. Caesar Rear Admiral, United States Navy (Retired) ""Vectors is one man's heartfelt voyage across the often treacherous seas of government in the modern era. Honest and self-critical, Secretary Modly reinforces leadership lessons that apply to anyone seeking to inspire and motivate organizations to better prepare themselves for the uncertainties of the future. Those lessons apply equally to private and public sector executives who are committed to actively ' leading from the front ' to drive greater alignment on purpose and mission. "" - Debra Crew * Chief Operating Officer, Diageo, plc; former CEO & President, Reynolds American* "" In Vectors, Secretary Modly provides an insider's view of the institutional, cultural, and political factors that impede organizational agility in the Navy and government in general. Building agility in large, complex organizations requires a holistic approach including flexible resource allocation; setting and sticking with strategic priorities; free information flow to create a shared context; a culture that combines empowerment with accountability and tolerates failure; a capable cadre of distributed leaders; and a sustained, chan ge - minded focus from senior leadership. Vectors shines a light on the intervention points - including procurement, officer training, and prioritization - that can, and must, be leveraged to enhance the Navy's agility in coming decades. "" - Donald Sull PhD Co-Founder CULTURE - X, Senior Lecturer and Director Strategic Agility Project, MIT Sloan School of Management"