Leading a large, complex organization like the U.S. Navy, which is interdependent with similar entities, calls for a certain approach. You begin with a narrow focus on your organization’s unique strength and role. For the navy, that is presence. U.S. naval forces—sailors and Marines—are constantly mobilized, don’t need an inch of foreign soil, and can stay in position a long time. We are in the right place not just at the right time but all the time.
A version of this article appeared in the June 2014 issue of Harvard Business Review.