In 1942, prior to the Battle of Midway, Rear Admiral Raymond A. Spruance assumed command of Task Force 16. This was a result of Vice Admiral William F. Halsey’s admittance to the hospital for a skin condition.
“One great advantage in making Spruance the stand-in commander, was that he was already familiar with the personnel in Task Force 16.”1
You’ve probably heard the phrase, familiarity breeds contempt. Although that may occasionally be the case, it certainly is a pessimistic perspective.
I prefer to view familiarity from the standpoint that it breeds knowledge.
- Knowledge of the skills, talents, and gifts of your team.
- Knowledge of the strengths and weaknesses of your team.
- Knowledge of what your team can and cannot accomplish.
The leader who takes the time to learn the bullet points above has a great advantage over the person who chooses to remain in their little world, isolated from the people who work on their team. The advantages include:
- Increased unity and team cohesion.
- Increased trust.
- Increased efficiency, effectiveness, proficiency, and professionalism.
Which option do you prefer, familiarity breeds contempt or familiarity breeds knowledge?
1Craig L. Symons, The Battle of Midway, (Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press, 2011), 190
