Against the Tide: Rickover's Leadership Principles and the Rise of the Nuclear Navy - Hardcover

Oliver, Rear Admiral Dave

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1612517978 ISBN 13: 9781612517971

Publisher: Naval Institute Press, 2014

Synopsis

Admiral Hyman Rickover personally revolutionized naval warfare and altered the outcome of the Cold War. Concurrently he drove innovation into American industry -- which in the decades since has proven to be a wellspring of power for American technology. As a touchstone of his success, during Rickover's stewardship the Russians had literally dozens of reactor accidents, but Rickover's single-minded focus on safety protected Americans as well as and our lands from nuclear contamination.

Rickover did all of this initially by the force of his own personality and eventually by insisting on radical culture change. The author had the good fortune to personally know and be involved with Admiral Rickover as well as many of the most interesting players and protagonists during much of this thirty year process of wrenching cultural upheaval. The author leaves detailed biographical details of Rickover to others, instead focusing on previously unknown historical events in which he personally participated or had unique knowledge which highlight the management and leadership principles behind Rickover's achievements and place important events (President Eisenhower choosing nuclear submarines to counter Sputnik, development of the Polaris Fleet, the relationship of Admirals Zumwalt and Rickover, the loss of USS Scorpion, the superiority of the American submarines over the Soviet fleet, etc.) in an historical perspective.

Because of his life's work, the author is uniquely qualified to apply many of Rickover's principles to other situations. For example, Dave well understands the particular navy culture Rickover had to destroy for the author began his own career on a diesel boat. Similarly since the author spent a decade in US industry as either the Chief Executive Officer or the Chief Operating Officer, he understands how to identify situations where Rickover's principles can be applied to industry circumstances. This is done at the end of each chapter in the book, thus providing a starting point for any who wish to use this source for case studies.

About this title

Review

"To its credit, this book touches on and invites thought and discussion about more than a few attributes of senior leadership, including personal accountability. Rickover was quick to dismiss subordinates who he felt had failed his program--yet the degree to which he would be willing to sacrifice his own position and power is less clear, particularly when even many of his supporters feel the admiral clung to power too long and eventually became a detriment to the program he had created. Another area involves personal and professional ethics. Oliver seems to make the point that when the stakes are high enough, the ends do justify the means and a successful outcome justifies questionable or even illegal actions. This invites a subsequent discussion involving the deepest questions of what it is to be an officer and member of the profession of arms."--Naval War College Review

"Oliver mixes tales of the often-eccentric Rickover with genuine admiration for his leadership abilities, especially in the face of many adversities, such as the fabrication of Nautilus, building and maintaining the nuclear fleet during the Cold and Vietnam Wars, and his conflicts with high profile officers such as Admiral Elmo Zumwalt. Along the way, Oliver relates stories from his own naval career; examples of how he applied Rickover's managerial principles. In summary, Against the Tide, illuminating on many levels, is a reasoned path toward understanding what made the complex Hyman Rickover such a special naval officer."--The Northern Mariner

"Against the Tide is a highly enjoyable read. Admiral Dave Oliver uses crisp language, personal anecdotes and provocative questions to put forward the leadership principles of Admiral Rickover, the father of the USA's nuclear navy. With just 137 pages Against the Tide does not take long to read but it is packed full of useful material. The author's professional development and life experiences provide excellent case studies for Rickover's leadership principles. His anecdotes are candid, forthright and memorable. Against the Tide is highly recommended for anyone wishing to better understand our modern era of continuous cultural evolution and is looking for alternatives."--Australian Naval Institute

"Exceptionally well written and informative, Against the Tide is a compelling and rewarding read that is both thoughtful and though provoking."--The Midwest Book Review

"From its highly appropriate title to its usefully extensive bibliography and first rate index, this comparatively small book is a great and valuable history. A personal but excellent and important biography."--Ausmarine Magazine

"Oliver uses successive chapters of this book to describe different aspects of Rickover's leadership style. To this end, his own experiences in senior business management after leaving the Navy lend credence to the topics he selects to discuss. At the end of each section he asks the reader various questions which might prompt them to apply Rickover's theories to their own workplace. Thus, Oliver shows how Rickover was quite ruthless with potential COs: if there were doubts about their abilities to shoulder the burden of responsibility they would be sacked. His nuclear captains had to demonstrate that they were aware of the need for continual improvement. He actively encouraged innovation and often preferred eager and thrusting young minds rather than experienced veterans. From a broader perspective, Rickover wanted the men who commanded these nuclear boats not only to accept the great responsibilities they held but also to be aware of the higher purposes they served."--Warship 2016

"Oliver draws upon a wealth of untold stories to show how one man changed American and Navy culture while altering the course of history. The author had the good fortune to know and to serve under Rickover during much of his thirty-year career in the Navy and is singularly qualified to demonstrate the management and leadership principles behind Rickover's success."--Ocean News & Technology

"The author, a submariner, is well positioned to convey the leadership principles of the father of the nuclear Navy, RADM Hyman Rickover, who ran the Navy's nuclear-propulsion program long after his peers retired. As the driving force who brought nuclear power to fruition and revolutionized the Navy, Rickover's personality and leadership fostered a culture of unrelenting standards and attention to safety that have resulted in a submarine force and nuclear-powered ships with a safety and operational record second to none. Rarely has one individual exerted such an influence on the course of the Navy."--Seapower

"Oliver has written an entertaining, slim volume that is a series of anecdotes and stories tied to leadership and management principles gleaned from years of observing and studying 'the father of the nuclear navy.'"--CIMSEC.org

"...anyone seeking to understand how the U.S. Navy submarine force came to embody the apparently contradictory qualities of strict engineering discipline and breathtaking operational audacity would do well to read David Oliver's enjoyable Against the Tide."--The Journal of Military History

About the Author

Dave Oliver's diverse career has included extensive experience in government and industry as well as the military. He served the Clinton Administration as Principal Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics and the Bush Administration in Iraq as the Director of Management and Budget for the Coalition Forces. In industry Dave was the CEO of the EADS, North America Defense Company as well as Chief Operating Officer of the main American organization. He was an executive at Northrop Grumman and at Westinghouse. Dave spent thirty-two years in the navy, retiring as a Rear Admiral (Upper Half). He served at sea aboard both diesel-electric and nuclear submarines, commanded a nuclear submarine as well as the submarine groups in Japan and a second in San Diego; and served as Chief of Staff of the Seventh Fleet. His final military tour was as Principal Deputy to the civilian Navy Acquisition Executive. Dave's military decorations include the Defense and Navy Distinguished Service Medals as well as six awards of the Legion of Merit. His awards for public service include two Department of Defense Awards for Distinguished Public Service, and similar awards from the Departments of the Army and the Navy. Dave's undergraduate training was from the United States Naval Academy. He subsequently received a Master of Arts in Political Science and International Affairs (specializing in the Middle East) from American University. He is also the author of Making It in Washington which deals with serving as a political appointee, as well as his wife's biography, Wide Blue Ribbon, and an earlier leadership book, Lead On.

About this edition

• Publisher: Naval Institute Press
• Publication date: 2014
• ISBN 10: 1612517978
• ISBN 13: 9781612517971
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 192