Who’s in Your Care?

The Navy taught me a lot about the chain of command. Who reports to whom. Who’s responsible for what. Where authority starts and stops.

But life—both in and beyond the uniform—taught me something even more valuable: the responsibility of care.

In the military, I was accountable for operations, readiness, and discipline. But I was also accountable for people. For Sailors dealing with divorce papers and grief they couldn’t name. For Junior Officers trying to live up to their rank and fighting imposter syndrome. For brilliant, resilient humans who needed more than an efficient system—they needed someone to see them.

And now, as a coach and executive, I keep coming back to this one truth:
Leadership isn’t just about managing performance. It’s about stewarding our most important asset: Our People.

🌱 Every Role Is a Relationship

Whether you’re a C-Suite Leader, a construction foreman, a stay-at-home parent, or a Naval Officer, there are people in your charge. People whose success, security, and sanity may depend—at least in part—on how you show up.

That’s a sacred responsibility.

Your team doesn’t just need a strategist. They need someone who understands what motivates them. They also need you to get in the room with them when the chips are down.
Your clients don’t just need a service. They need someone who takes ownership of outcomes—and cares enough to follow through. They need to be heard, understood, and valued.
Your family doesn’t just need a provider. They need someone present enough to ask, “How are you really doing?” After years of being gone at sea, being present for my wife and children (all adults who still need a dad) is my most valuable gift to them.

Leadership starts when we ask: Who’s in my care?
And matures when we follow it up with: What do they need from me—really?

🔁 The Chain of Care > The Chain of Command

Command structures matter. But if you’re building anything that lasts—culture, trust, resilience—you can’t rely on authority alone. You must lead with care. I love process—but without people, process is just paperwork. It’s the people who bring it to life, who give it meaning, and who determine whether it actually works.

Care builds loyalty that policy never could.

Care generates engagement when incentives fall flat.

Care is what people remember when the mission is over.

🛠 A Simple Audit

• This week, take inventory:

  • Who looks to you for stability, guidance, or inspiration?

  • Who might need a word of encouragement or a moment of your undivided attention?

  • Where are you managing people… when you should be caring for them?

  And more personally:

  • When was the last time you felt seen, valued, and supported?

  • Who’s in your corner? How are you being present for them?

  We are all in someone’s chain of care. Let's steward that role with intention.