He's talking about /compass which is either a core server or bukkit command. It's currently on the server but returns a permissions error.
Since we've got the information with /getpos I don't think we really need /compass as well, but if it doesn't take you long to do then it'll stop Lucy whining so might as well do it.
I never use getpos because... I can just look where the sun is or whatever. Or if I'm underground I'll press f3.
This is a different thing, this is an in-game thing. It's much easier to glance as the compass in my hotbar than to open the console and type a command. More immediate and physical, too.
So you mean the actual compass item. I think there is a plugin that can do that, not sure if it's a setting I can change with Bukkit. If it was I doubt there would be a plugin.