Chasing Salvation: The Kite Runner

Review by Bill Doughty

Kite flying in Afghanistan is expected to draw blood. That’s one revelation in Khaled Hosseini’s masterpiece The Kite Runner.

Blood links together the main characters, so there's little surprise when, early on, the “hero” ends up with blood on his hands, both literally and metaphorically.

Will he find redemption?

All of the main characters have deep flaws; they must come to terms with their circumstances in a violent society: internal implosion, Russian occupation, Taliban corruption, war.

It’s clear that this book is on the Navy’s reading list because of its power to introduce us to Afghanistan’s culture and history, where honor and tradition in a patriarchal caste society is a double-edged sword -- grounding people but grinding them, as well.

Afghanistan is a place where respect, loyalty and honor are absolutes... depending on your point of view.

This is the story of a father/son relationship, where a young man learns what it means to have moral courage and take a stand.

The book moves from the greener, freer past of Afghanistan to the dusty oppression of today.

Here’s how a character describes the Taliban's version of Sharia (Muslim religious law) midway through the novel:

“They don’t let you be human.” He pointed to a scar above his right eye cutting a crooked path through his bushy eyebrow. “I was at a soccer game in Ghazi Stadium in 1998. Kabul against Mazar-i-Sharif, I think, and by the way the players weren’t allowed to wear shorts. Indecent exposure, I guess.” He gave a tired laugh. “Anyway, Kabul scored a goal and the man next to me cheered loudly. Suddenly this young bearded fellow who was patrolling the aisles, eighteen years old at most by the look of him, he walked up to me and struck me on the forehead with the butt of his Kalashnikov. ‘Do that again and I’ll cut out your tongue, you old donkey!’ he said.” Rahim Khan rubbed the scar with a gnarled finger “I was old enough to be his grandfather and I was sitting there, blood gushing down my face, apologizing to that son of a dog.”

The violence depicted can be excruciating, especially at the start and end of the hero’s journey of redemption. But the blood-letting is balanced by the sensual prose describing a peaceful pre-war Afghanistan:

We sat against the low cemetery wall under the shade thrown by the pomegranate tree. In another month or two, crops of scorched yellow weeds would blanket the hillside, but that year the spring showers had lasted longer than usual, nudging their way into early summer, and the grass was still green, peppered with tangles of wildflowers. Below us, Wazir Akbar Khan’s white-walled, flat-topped houses gleamed in the sunshine, the laundry hanging on clotheslines in their yards stirred by the breeze to dance like butterflies.

The Kite Runner explores the relationships between Afghanistan and Pakistan. It shows how India’s influence abounds in references to food “tandoor,” tea “chai,” and music and entertainment. We come to understand more how the cultures evolved long before some of these countries were created.

Like great literature, this novel is filled with allegory and irony, pathos and hope.

Anyone touched directly or indirectly by events in Afghanistan (which means anyone) will benefit by reading this novel and understanding some of the cultural differences -- and similarities -- presented.

I’ve already started Khaled Hosseini’s follow-up novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns . . . no surprise that it too starts with flawed characters in a melancholy world.

Will they find redemption?

(Which books do Sailors and Marines recommend for long deployments? What titles should be on Navy Exchange book shelves for military spouses? Which children's books make the best read-alouds for deployed moms and dads to record? We hope to explore each of these questions -- and more -- in the months ahead. And, there are plenty more book reviews to come. Your comments are always welcome!)

For more information about the Navy Reading Program: http://www.navyreading.navy.mil/

Gladwell, Navy and Diversity in San Diego

By Bill Doughty

Are good athletes, high achievers and strong leaders born that way or are they developed - or both?

The question was posed by Rear Adm. Patrick McGrath, the Commander of Naval Air Forces Reserve at this past week’s Fleet Diversity Council in San Diego.

The Council, led by Navy Capt. Ken Barrett, was titled “The Power of What If?: An Open-Minded Approach to Diversity.”

Rear Adm. McGrath shared the insights of Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink, Tipping Point and Outliers.

In Outliers, Gladwell shows how an accident of birth may give an arbitrary advantage in size and experience to children who play organized hockey, an advantage that continues into their pro careers.

Those born in January, February and March, right after the age-class eligibility cutoff of Jan. 1, are naturally bigger and stronger than the younger kids, so they get more playing time and coaches’ attention.

The same circumstances occur in baseball and soccer, creating bias against kids with the “wrong” birthday, according to statistics cited in Outliers. Last December ESPN verified the stats for National Hockey Players, showing that 158 players had birthdays in Jan., Feb. and Mar., while only 97 players had birthdays in Oct., Nov. and Dec.

Gladwell is one of the authors featured in the Navy’s Reading Program. His work keeps coming up in the context of diversity and the Navy’s achievements at recruiting, retaining and rewarding its total force.

Are we moving toward a "tipping point" in understanding, accepting and implementing diversity now that the Navy has been selected as one of America’s Top 50 employers?

At the Diversity Council Rear Adm. McGrath and DiversityInc CEO Luke Visconti spoke about the business of diversity: get the best people and keep the best people... and listen to alternative voices.

As the Chief Executive Officer for DiversityInc, Mr. Visconti is a renowned lecturer who has appeared on FOX, MSNBC, CNBC and NPR. His magazine DiversityInc has a circulation of more than 200,000.

Key business points from Mr. Visconti:

-- Diversity management increases engagement; engagement drives innovation and productivity in quantifiable, measurable ways.

-- Representation, recruitment and retention are linked.

-- Communication and mentoring are critical.

Next, communication expert Dr. Steve Robbins gave a powerful talk about critical thinking as an antidote to unintentional intolerance.

A flexible, adaptable and engaged mind - one that reads! - is better able to overcome adversity and become a better leader and achiever.

Be more mindful and less mindless...

...It’s good business.

Recently, the CNO recognized the Navy’s Strategic Diversity Working Group which received the 2009 Diversity Council Honors Award. Adm. Gary Roughead said, “Your demonstrated results and commitment toward measurement, accountability, communication and education have set the standard for others to follow.”

The group met in San Diego Apr. 29 after the Fleet Diversity Council, where they planned community outreach events and conducted other Navy Diversity business.

It was a busy week for Navy diversity professionals, many of whom attended the 29th annual professional development and training symposium of the Association of Naval Services Officers (ANSO) nearby.

Lt. Lori Campbell, of Navy Recruiting District San Diego, speaks with members of the La Habra High School Navy Junior ROTC program at ANSO's Youth Outreach Program Apr. 28, 2009. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class David Smart)

Once again, books were part of the discussion. Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen were treated to a keynote speech by Joachim de Posada, author of Don’t Eat the Marshmallow...Yet! -The Secret to Sweet Success in Work and Life.

Attendees also received a copy of Juan Gonzalez’s Harvest of Empire - A History of Latinos in America, which the New York Times called, “A serious, significant contribution to understanding who the Hispanics of the United States are and where they come from.”

Some key points from Dr. de Posada’s book and motivational talk:

-- “Each morning in Africa a gazelle wakes up and knows it must run faster than the fastest lion, and each morning a lion wakes up knowing it must run faster than the slowest gazelle.” But, applied to competition and cooperation between countries, “Technology has made this world a level playing field.”

Community Outreach: Cmdr. Yvette Davids, of the Association of Naval Services Officers, presents a certificate of commendation to Cadet Seaman Emmarow Taledo, a freshman in the Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps , at Junipero Serra High School for maintaining a 4.0 grade point average. (Photo by MC2 Daniel Taylor)

-- “If people feel passion for what they do, they will do well.”

-- Successful people are willing to delay gratification (“think long term”), keep promises, assume responsibility/accountability and “do what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do.”

-- Teamwork: “None of us is worth more than the sum of all of us.”

Of course, there was a lot more happening at ANSO all week long, with participation by numerous flag officers, senior and junior officers and enlisted leaders and people from all three naval services. Vice Adm. D.C. Curtis, Commander, Naval Surface Forces gave a passionate talk about Maritime Strategy and leadership empowerment at a luncheon on Apr. 30.

A big part of ANSO's agenda was reaching out to the community, including a youth outreach program with a Coast Guard vertical delivery demonstration, a Marine Corps weapons booth and K-9 (working dog) demonstration, Navy SEALs demonstration and Navy SPAWAR static display.

Kids from different schools and organizations around San Diego County grab Navy gear at the youth outreach program during ANSO Apr. 28, 2009. (Photo by MC3(SW/AW) David Smart)

For more information about ANSO and to learn how to join, visit their website at www.ansomil.org.

Diversity Update...

We just had to share this great photo from the Naval Service Training Command, Navy City Outreach, Chicago; the photo was taken June 10 at the Rickover Naval Academy commencement :

Valedictorian and Cadet Commander Jaqueline Duarte is overcome with emotion during her remarks to the first graduating class of the Rickover Naval Academy in Chicago. Mrs. Eleanor Rickover walked from her seat on stage to provide Duarte with a much needed hug and words of encouragement. Duarte will be leaving for Plebe Summer at the U.S. Naval Academy in 19 days. (Photo by Lt. Jeffrey S. Gray.)
We’ve been mining from the diversity vein since the beginning of this blog and have seen how the Navy Reading Program relates... Next we’ll turn the page to The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. An awesome read.
What's on your book shelf?

Hōkūle‘a

This week I had the privilege of participating in a Native Hawaiian Cultural Communications Course at Mokapu -- Marine Corps Base Hawaii (Kaneohe), sponsored by DoD. Key points: Our similarities outweigh our differences; understanding each other helps build trust and partnership.

We all respect and protect our environment: Malama kekahi i kekahi; Malama Aina. We respect and protect the earth: Malama Honua.

I've had the link to the Hokule‘a blog on Navy Reads (under Maritime/Voyages) since shortly after starting these reviews and discussion.

The most recent posting on the Hokule‘a blog is a Q&A about their recent voyage to Palmyra. Fascinating insights and brilliant imagery.

From the Hokule‘a blog:

"For more than 30 years, voyagers aboard Hokule‘a – the iconic traditional Hawaiian open-ocean canoe – have combined the wisdom of their ancestors with modern insights to navigate a course for our future. Embracing the concept of Malama Hawai‘i (caring for and protecting Hawai‘i), these explorers have reconnected to their heritage while helping to foster a community committed to peace, caring and a healthier world.

"Now, Hokule‘a and her sister vessels will begin an eight year voyage to circumnavigate the globe to find answers, through exploration, on our journey toward a shared destination – a healthy and sustainable Earth for future generations. With Hokule‘a as a catalyst for global attention and local action, the worldwide voyage is a journey that will chart a new course for sustainability."

(Photo: Mike Taylor)

By the way, two books from the Navy Reading Program came up in discussions or as an actual part of Native Hawaiian Cultural Communications presentation: Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Malcolm Gladwell's Tipping Point. Both were brought up in the context of relationships/connections and developing and building trust. Maritime Strategy!

Voices from WWII Come Alive: Doolittle Speaks

History buffs, this comes to us courtesy of USNI.org:
Japan’s late-1941 attack on Pearl Harbor left America feeling vulnerable, and Japan invincible. On April 18, 1942, American pilots – flying from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet – cracked Japan’s confidence. Led by Lieutenant Colonel "Jimmy" Doolittle, their daring raid on Tokyo was the first WWII strike against the Japanese homeland. In 1983, U. S. Naval Institute historians recorded a conversation with Doolittle as part of an oral history project. Until weeks ago, the tapes of that interview sat hidden on a dusty shelf. Rediscovered and digitized, we’ve posted them so you can hear in his own voice, the man who made history with the "Doolittle Raid."

Some other great related links:
Navy.mil's the Course to Midway
Naval History and Heritage Command on The Battle of Midway
PBS on The Perilous Fight

Two recommended books from the Navy Reading Program about WWII in the Pacific:
Eagle Against the Sun
Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors

"Accelerate Your Mind"

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People 

By Stephen R. Covey 

Review by Bill Doughty

This is more than a book review. That’s because the ‘7 Habits’ is more than a book...

Covey calls his groundbreaking work a “companion in the continual process of change and growth.” He challenges readers to take his “companion” with them on life’s journey, integrating his seven habits at home and at work to build relationships, strengthen leadership and chart a course.

No wonder The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was selected for the CNO’s recommended reading list. Covey’s insights about character often dovetail with senior leaders’ strategic guidance; the Navy’s core values of honor, courage, and commitment; and Navy Ethos. In fact, he spends a lot of time talking about courage. “High courage and consideration (of others) are both essential to win/win,” Covey says. 

Think of the best leaders you’ve known, the most respected colleagues and co-workers. Chances are, they have a win/win approach to leadership (more about that later). . . 

Using diagrams and models Covey takes us through the interlocking pieces of his 7 habits. 

Habit 1, “Be Proactive,” is all about empowerment, the ability to control your environment – making good choices and determining the course you will navigate. 

Habit 2, “Begin with the End in Mind,” gets deeper into character and values, recognizing that people who have a sense of purpose are indeed highly effective. For Sailors, Marines and civilians serving in the Department of the Navy, the CNO’s Guidance for 2009 reinforces the Maritime Strategy as the Navy’s purpose – “sustaining combat readiness, building a fleet for the future and developing 21st Century leaders.” The Maritime Strategy, “A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower,” puts the ‘operative’ in ‘cooperative’ for “Security, Stability, Seapower.”

 

Habit 3, “Put First Things First,” discusses organization and implementation or, as CNOs and Fleet Commanders have put it, “focus on execution.” Covey says that principle-centered leadership comes from practicing the principles of personal management, and draws this distinction: “Management, remember, is clearly different from leadership. Leadership is primarily a high-powered, right brain activity. It’s more of an art; it’s kind of a philosophy.” He shows us that we have to manage our lives and our selves before we can lead others. 

Habit 4, “Think Win-Win,” begins the evolution to independence and eventually to the ultimate goal, interdependence. Here it’s all about cooperation, teamwork, and consideration for others – creating a paradigm of high trust and a vision that is positive and proactive. 

Habit 5, “Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood,” is Covey’s very powerful communication message about the importance of listening, summed up in the popular maxim: “People need to know how much you care before they care how much you know.” 

Habit 6, “Synergize,” talks about the creativity that comes from bringing all the habits together to open new possibilities for us, our parents and children, and our leaders and coworkers. Covey thinks this can change people and society itself. “Could synergy not create a new script for the next generation – one that is more geared to services and contribution, and is less protective, less adversarial, less selfish; one that is more open, more trusting, more giving, and is less defensive, protective and political; one that is more loving, more caring and is less possessive and judgmental?”

 

Habit 7, “Sharpen the Saw,” is the habit of balanced self-renewal, completely in line with the Navy’s emphasis on continually training, maintaining, educating, and learning. These are the basics of the seven habits in what Covey calls his “companion.” For many readers, this is not new information, but it can reinforce and strengthen already good habits. 

Personally, I re-read one or two chapters from time to time, once after a 2007 podcast of “Talk of the Nation – Science Friday” with Ira Flatow on National Public Radio.  The show’s topic was “Can Thoughts and Actions Change Our Brains” – a fascinating discussion of some pioneering work in neuroscience called neuroplasticity (changeability of the brain).

In essence, science is showing how our brain can change in response to our life experiences and even the very thoughts we think. 

Behavior can change the way our brain works – even structurally. Whether it’s called “mind over matter,” “the power of positive thinking,” “the power of prayer and meditation” or “cognitive behavior therapy (CBT),” it is thinking about thinking in a different way for a better outcome. CBT might as well be called “Covey’s Better Thinking.” 

Neuroscientists are proving that cognitive behavior therapy can help people suffering from depression, obsessive-compulsive behavior and post-traumatic stress disorder. (Check out the great discussion about PTSD and traumatic brain injury, mentioning neuroplasticity, in a Bloggers Roundtable discussion on PTSD from Jan. 2009.)

CBT can even help with brain motor cortex functions in stroke victims. Interestingly, the development of neurons occurs in patients who are self-motivated, not forced . . .  which brings us back to managing ourselves and leading others. 

Nearly everyone can benefit from knowing we can have a lot of control over our own destiny. New discoveries in neuroplasticity reinforce the importance of a positive worldview and the value of education and reading . . . which brings us back to the Covey “book.” 

Covey’s philosophy really is more than a book. It has become synonymous for open and trusting management systems and with how individuals can make good choices about behavior and lifestyle, based on a win-win model of leadership and a positive view of the world . . . which brings us to Covey's blog, a good 7th habit tool.

Stephen R. Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is in the “Management and Strategic Planning” section of the Navy Professional Reading Program Guide. 

For the love of books...

Just a quick post and a shout-out to the Navy Exchange for promoting the Navy Reading Program and offering substantial discounts -- 35 to 40 percent off publishers' list prices.

Here's their press release.

Note that books are also available on line through the Navy Uniform Web Store; NEX says no charge for regular shipping. Naturally, this service is for authorized patrons only.

We'll be posting our next book review soon.

Aloha,

Bill

Welcome Aboard! / Review: Implementing Diversity

Books are still alive and well...

This blog of book reviews and discussion is for those who care about reading and who love the Navy. It is inspired by the Chief of Naval Operations’ Navy Professional Reading Program, launched by Admiral Mike Mullen and continued by Admiral Gary Roughead. It is dedicated to the sailors, civilians and families who serve in, for and with the U.S. Navy. Books selected for review/discussion are from the Reading Program.

Your comments are welcome!

Speaking of which...

In the hopes of promoting diverse views in this blog, I’ve chosen an influential book about diversity for this first posting.

Book Review: “Implementing Diversity” by Marilyn Loden

How to Identify, Value and Implement Diversity – For Everyone

Review by Bill Doughty

One of the first things Marilyn Loden does in her ground-breaking book is identify diverse types of people in an organization. Not by color or gender. Not by age, ethnicity, orientation or religion. Instead, she breaks people into distinct groups: “innovator,” “change agent,” “pragmatist,” “skeptic” and “traditionalist.

Which are you?

Key to implementing diversity, Loden shows, is to understand how you and others in your organization deal with change as one of these types.

“Innovators” and “change agents,” as you’d probably guess, are the sparkplugs and accelerants to change in an organization, but they are in the minority, she says.

“Pragmatists” and “skeptics” can be resistant to change, and “traditionalists” may try to put the brakes on innovation and change. Loden shows that pushback by some groups may be due to misunderstanding…and fear.

“Within every organization people respond to new ideas in distinct and predictable ways, based on differences in individual tolerance of perceived risk,” says Loden.

So, before implementing diversity she says that organizations need to understand the value of the concept.

Loden notes that valuing diversity means respecting and including all people in a flexible, supportive environment.

She says it’s not top-down and reactive but, rather, opportunity-driven and proactive. It’s not a quick-fix but, rather, a comprehensive systematic approach. And, it’s not “one size fits all.” Instead, it’s customized to individuals.

Which is why implementing diversity takes into account the various personality types that exist in any organization and why diversity cannot be implemented most effectively through typical “EEO” or “affirmative action” channels.

According to Loden, implementing diversity comes about through long-term cultural change that is inclusive, not exclusive, with leadership showing how diversity benefits everyone.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs (former CNO) Admiral Mike Mullen says, “Having the cultural skills, having the diverse backgrounds in order to literally achieve our mission is really critical. That is why diversity is a strategic imperative…I believe from my heart that diversity strengthens the very fabric of who we are.”

Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) Adm. Gary Roughead recorded a podcast on diversity on Feb. 27, 2009.

"In the military and in the Navy, it's important that we are a diverse organization because we have to represent what I call the face of America. As our population changes and the percentages of majority-minority changes... we we have to reflect that same demographic in our Navy,” Roughead said. “We're stronger because of the different perspectives and ideas that people bring to bear."

Admiral Robert F. Willard, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, called diversity a key leadership issue in one of his Rat-Pac Report podcasts.

“Diversity is critical to the future of our Navy. Frankly, it’s critical to our readiness now,” said Willard.

“When we talk about a diverse workforce, we’re talking about a total workforce so it includes those of us in uniform, those of us that are in reserve status, our civilians and our contractors – every race, every ethnicity, and recognition that gender in our Navy is valued and promoted. We must all be able to see ourselves reflected both up/down and across the Navy.”

Such endorsement from top leadership in an organization is critical, according to Loden, who shows that diversity is an inalienable concept with special meaning for all humans.

“Regardless of what core identities we each have, we all want to be happy, respected, and loved. In the workplace, we want to be recognized for who we are and appreciated for what we do. We want to feel comfortable with those with whom we work. We want to believe that our ideas and opinions are valued and that they influence important decisions that affect us and our work. These are basic desires that we all share, the common ground we stand on...”

Loden’s book includes tools such as assessment and implementation checklists. She gives good, pertinent case studies of implementation successes as well as failures.

Common sense alert: As diversity is implemented, don’t ridicule or purposely shut out anyone, including white male employees, who have traditionally been in the majority of the workforce, she advises.

“When people believe they are ignored or excluded from full participation they put less energy and less of themselves into making the process work.” That statement applies to all groups.

A good strategy, says Loden, is making a business case for diversity – showing the economic benefits of valuing diversity.

For the military, that case is made by senior leaders, military and civilian bosses, chiefs, LPOs and individual deckplate Sailors who tie diversity to readiness and credible leadership.

Valuing and implementing diversity, according to Loden, is good for business.

“The benefits to organizations and individuals are closely aligned,” says Loden.

“Because a welcoming and rewarding work environment produces superior human performance, it is in the employer’s best interests,” she writes.

Once organizations are on the road to implementing diversity, Loden maps out how to accelerate change in the last five chapters of the book: “Laying the Groundwork for Change,” “Reaching the Segments,” “The Diversity Curriculum,” “Best Practices Across Organizations,” and “Towards Full Adoption.”

“Implementing Diversity” is an easy read and important for anyone who is confused about what diversity is – and isn't. It’s most important as a how-to guide for implementing the concept and doing it right … for everyone.

Chances are, your command or nearby library has a copy of this book. Need some suggestions for your reading list? Visit the Navy Professional Reading Program’s web site at www.navyreading.navy.mil