Commandant
United States Coast Guard
2100 Second Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20593-0001
Staff Symbol: (G-WTL)
Phone: (202) 267-0117
COMDTINST 5351.1
DEC 12 1997
COMMANDANT INSTRUCTION 5351.1
Subj: COAST GUARD LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
1. PURPOSE
. This Instruction describes the Coast Guard's Leadership Development Program
(LDP) and outlines responsibilities to carry it out. It outlines leadership competencies,
provides a professional reading list, and introduces a leadership essay program to enhance
leadership development.
2. ACTION
. Area and district commanders, commanders of maintenance and logistics
commands, commanding officers of Headquarters units, assistant commandants for
directorates, chief counsel, and special staff offices at Headquarters shall ensure the
contents of this Instruction are given widest distribution.
3. DIRECTIVES AFFECTED.
None.
4. BACKGROUND.
Coast Guard Goal One is to provide leadership and a working
environment that enables all our people to reach their full potential and maximize Coast
Guard mission success. The Leadership Development Program supports this goal. Over
the past several years the Coast Guard has built a framework for strengthening leader
development. We articulated our core values: Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty,
values which frame the behaviors the Coast Guard expects from its people. The
Commandant approved establishment of a Leadership Development Center, which will be
an integral part of our Coast Guard Academy. Leadership work groups identified 21 basic
leadership competencies consistent with our core values, missions, and work forces that are
published in this Instruction. These provide a basis for describing specific leadership
performance expectations for all work force levels. The Leadership Development Program
includes all Team Coast Guard work force components ... active duty and reserve military,
civilians (appropriated and non-appropriated), and Auxiliary. It will use a variety of
methods to develop leadership skills (e.g., formal resident training, training aids,
guidebooks, coaching, and self-development).
