The Elbert Hubbard essay, “A Message to Garcia,” is one of the first lessons shared with plebes of the U.S. Naval Academy. It champions the value of individual initiative and conscientiousness in work through the tale of American soldier, First Lieutenant Andrew S. Rowan, just before the Spanish-American War. Dan O’Shea, retired Navy SEAL commander and combat veteran with more than 25 years of special operations and leadership experience, remembers it well and has made it a maxim for his life.
Ahead of SHARE Kansas City (Aug. 4-8), keynote speaker Dan O’Shea shares how this essay influenced his perspective on life and hostage negotiation and what he hopes SHARE members can take away from its principles.
SHARE HQ: As a hostage negotiator, you were engaged in high-profile work and very intense situations, how did you navigate those situations and what lessons did you learn about yourself and others?
Dan O’Shea (DO): Negotiating with individuals who do not share your values, culture, or language, especially when lives are at stake, takes emotional objectivity, enduring patience, and a level of cognitive dissonance on a scale that is difficult on many levels. When you are dealing with Jihadist groups that target kidnap victims based on ideological and religious differences, your starting negotiating position requires a suspension of core beliefs and assumptions of your fellow man.
Westerners value the importance of an individual and the sanctity of human life in direct contrast to Jihadist terrorist groups that believe you are an "infidel" or non-believer of their "true" religion. It violates everything that is at the core of your being and spiritual beliefs. It requires a level of emotional separation in order for you to remain objective and focus on the goal of bringing a hostage home alive.
As an American of Irish descent, who usually wears my emotions on my sleeve, it required a level of restraint that was challenging on many levels. I took every hostage case very personally. Kidnap victims were someone's husband, father, uncle, son, wife, mother, aunt, or daughter, but I was forced to view them through the lens of the hostage taker (who saw them as Westerner, American, Infidel, Apostate, etc.) if we were to be successful in bringing them home to their family.
SHARE HQ: What are 2-5 guiding principles SHARE members should know and employ in their day-to-day lives?
DO: I've lived my life according to lessons learned growing up with the winning lottery privilege of being born in America during the era of "Pax Americana" or American Peace. The United States of America has been the dominant military and economic world power since the end of World War II.
Only during the Roman Empire — which dominated the "known world'' from Europe, the Mediterranean, and North Africa to the Middle East — and when Britain’s navy ruled the “seven seas” — ensuring the sun never set on the British Empire — have citizens been so fortunate. Had I been born anywhere else I would not be able to share my philosophy on life.
There are five guiding principles I've learned as a front-row witness to history.
1. Believe in something you are willing to die for.
2. Never compromise on your principles.
3. Never sacrifice your core beliefs.
4. Never take life for granted.
4. Live every day like it is your last because one day you will be right.
SHARE HQ: What is one key takeaway from your upcoming speech at SHARE Kansas City that you’d like attendees to remember and apply to their lives and work?
DO: Understanding the key takeaways from the parable of "A Message to Garcia" was fundamental to my success in in graduating from the Naval Academy, Navy SEAL training, U.S. Army Ranger School, and establishing the Hostage Working Group at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad during the height of the Al Qaeda hostage-taking crisis from 2004-2006.
More than 400 foreigners were kidnapped over my two years in Iraq. Thousands of Iraqis experienced the same horror of being taken hostage. The lesson “A Message to Garcia” taught me is to stay focused on the task at hand and prioritize the commander's intent.
1. Rescue/recovery of hostages.
2. Prevent kidnappings.
3. Bring those responsible to justice.
I hope to share, inspire, and instill “A Message to Garcia” and its principles of self-initiative, self-reliance, and self-belief in following your moral compass to do the right thing, regardless of the challenges and daunting odds you may face. "Find a Way or Make One" is a mantra worth living by.
Listen to Dan O’Shea talk about his keynote on SHARE’s YouTube channel, and register for SHARE Kansas City today.