On His Watch: Admiral Zumwalt's Efforts To Institutionalize Strategic Change

We conclude that Adm. Zumwalt's efforts were a critical first step toward shifting the Navy's strategic focus. How did he do it?

• The personal attention that Adm. Zumwalt devoted to developing, obtaining a mandate for, and marketing his agenda (internally and externally) had a significant payoff in terms of moving the Navy's strategic rudder.
• Adm. Zumwalt did vest the strategic agenda in the OPNAV organizational structure, although he was unable to reorganize OPNAV to the extent he desired.
• He introduced decision-making mechanisms such as the CNO Executive Board that allowed for participatory management by a board of directors—the VCNO and OPNAV's Vice Admirals.
• He also introduced a disciplined cross-mission, cross-platform prioritization process that allowed for "creative friction" or competition of ideas in formulating and choosing between concrete steps.
• Further, Adm. Zumwalt introduced a decision follow-up mechanism that allowed him to ensure that his decisions would be carried out
• Finally, Adm. Zumwalt's push of innovative concepts to early field experimentation proved critical to the development (or honest evaluation) of a number of program initiatives.