Thoughts on leadership and the Performance Excellence Criteria

In reading the below, I was struck by the obvious absence of any reference to the Commandant's Performance Excellence Criteria, the Coast Guard's management framework which, in no uncertain terms, delineates the criteria for excellence in leadership in our organization (see Category 1). I am disappointed in that (a) who ever chopped on this message did not have the wherewithal to add the CPEC to the laundry list of recommended readings and references and (b) the Commander of Atlantic Area didn't himself see the link between leadership and the Coast Guard's management framework.

Either we are going to approach the issue of leadership and management systematically, or we're not. Either we have a management framework -- which, again, delineates the requirements for a leadership system -- or we don't. And, if we don't have a system and we don't have a framework, then my job with this organization is worthless; I may as well not even show up for work.

R 241621Z OCT 03 ZUI ASN-A02297000011
FM COMLANTAREA COGARD PORTSMOUTH VA//A//
TO ALLCOGARD LANT
INFO COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC//G-CV/G-O/G-M//
COMPACAREA COGARD ALAMEDA CA//P/PO/PM//
COMLANTFLT NORFOLK VA//N00/N3/N9/N3CG//
COMSECONDFLT//J00//
CDR USNORTHCOM//J00/J3//
JFHQ HLS NORFOLK VA
HQ USNORTHCOM//J00/J3/J34//
COGARD ACADEMY NEW LONDON CT//LDC//
BT
UNCLAS //N16000//
SUBJ: OPERATIONAL COMMANDER'S INTENT - THOUGHTS ON LEADERSHIP,
ETHICS AND CHARACTER IN THESE TIMES OF CHANGE, CHALLENGE AND
JUNIORITY
1. SINCE ASSUMING COMMAND OF COAST GUARD ATLANTIC AREA, I
HAVE TRANSMITTED SIX PREVIOUS COMMANDERS INTENT MESSAGES TO
COMMUNICATE WITH ALL MEMBERS IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND ON SUBJECTS
RANGING FROM RISK ASSESSMENT TO SPECIAL INCIDENT REPORTING. THIS
MESSAGE ADDRESSES A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SUBJECT, YET ONE THAT I
FEEL VERY STRONGLY ABOUT - LEADERSHIP.
2. CRISES, SUCH AS 9-11, COUPLED WITH AN INCREASE IN
OPERATIONS, BOTH LOCALLY AND OVERSEAS HAVE HELPED HIGHLIGHT
LEADERS. READ SOME OF THE STORIES OF BRAVERY, COURAGE AND UNMATCHED
INGENUITY THAT CAPTURED THE COAST GUARD'S RESPONSE TO 9-11 AND ALL
THE ACTIVITIES AND OPERATIONS THAT FOLLOWED. YOU QUICKLY APPRECIATE
THAT OUR SERVICE PERFORMED AT A LEVEL EPITOMIZING SELFLESS SERVICE,
THE COAST GUARD'S CORE VALUES AND THE HIGHEST FORMS OF CHARACTER.
THE RECENTLY PUBLISHED U.S. NAVAL INSTITUTE BOOK ENTITLED,
"CHARACTER IN ACTION: THE U.S. COAST ON LEADERSHIP," BY DONALD T.
PHILLIPS AND FORMER COMMANDANT ADMIRAL JIM LOY, FURTHER CAPTURED
DOZENS OF STORIES AND ANECDOTES ABOUT OUR SERVICE AND ITS TRADITION
OF HEROISM AND RISING TO THE CALL OF DUTY - WHATEVER THE MISSION.
OUR SERVICE'S CORE VALUES OF HONOR, RESPECT AND DEVOTION TO DUTY
REFLECT THIS TRADITION AND THE INDIVIDUALS WHO MAKE UP OUR SERVICE.
3. THE WHOLE SUBJECT OF LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN DISCUSSED IN NUMEROUS
FORUMS, SEMINARS AND THINK TANKS. IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN ABOUT SINCE
THE DAWN OF RECORDED HISTORY. I WANT TO FOCUS ON FOUR KEY ISSUES
THAT ARE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT TO ME, WHILE KEEPING IN MIND OUR
SERVICES' LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES OF SELF, WORKING WITH OTHERS, AND
PERFORMANCE. SPECIFICALLY;
A. CREATE A COMMAND CLIMATE OF TRUST
B. IMPORTANCE OF SELF-STUDY AND PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
C. WALK THE DECK PLATES AND BUILD UP YOUR PEOPLE
D. NEVER FORGET THE LITTLE THINGS
4. CREATE A CLIMATE OF TRUST: MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER MIKE
ABRASHOFF, IN HIS BOOK "IT'S YOUR SHIP," WROTE THAT "ONCE LEADERS
HAVE SET THE TERMS OF THE NEW SOCIAL CONTRACT WITH THEIR WORKERS,
THEY NEED TO HAVE THE COURAGE OF THEIR CONVICTIONS. THE BEST WAY TO
KEEP A SHIP - OR ANY OTHER ORGANIZATION - ON COURSE FOR SUCCESS IS
TO GIVE THE TROOPS ALL THE RESPONSIBILITY THEY CAN HANDLE AND STAND
BACK. TRUST IS A HUMAN MARVEL - IT NOT ONLY SUSTAINS THE SOCIAL
CONTRACT, IT'S THE GROWTH HORMONE THAT TURNS GREEN SAILORS INTO
SEASONED SHIPMATES AND TROUBLED COMPANIES INTO DYNAMIC
COMPETITORS." HOWEVER, YOU NEED TO HOLD INDIVIDUALS AND
ORGANIZATIONS ACCOUNTABLE, BUT GIVE THEM FREEDOM TO PERFORM THEIR
ASSIGNED TASKS.
A. HOW CAN TRUST BE ENCOURAGED? FIRST, BE AN ACTIVE
LISTENER. THE TERM IS OVER USED BUT THE MESSAGE IS IMPORTANT.
ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO SPEAK UP, INNOVATION SHOULD BE REWARDED. ASK
RHETORICAL QUESTIONS - THIS WILL KEEP THE PERSON YOU ARE SPEAKING
WITH ACTIVE AND THINKING. ENCOURAGE PASSION AND COMPASSION, THE
MORE PERSONAL INTEREST YOU CAN PROJECT AS A LEADER, THE MORE TRUST
WILL BE DEVELOPED.
B. SECOND, DON'T SHOOT THE MESSENGER. IT IS CRITICAL THAT LEADERS
DON'T CRITICIZE OR "SHOOT" THE PERSON THAT BRINGS THEM BAD NEWS.
FROM THE COMMAND CENTER CONTROLLER, TO THE ON-SCENE MARINE
INSPECTOR, BAD NEWS MUST BE REPORTED. A TRUE LEADER LISTENS
ACTIVELY, ASKS QUESTIONS AND ENCOURAGES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. AS
A LEADER YOU NEED TO HEAR ABOUT PROBLEMS BEFORE THEY GET OUT OF
HAND. YOU NEED TO KNOW WHO IS DOING WHAT. YOU NEED TO SEPARATE THE
SIZZLE FROM THE STEAK AND KNOW THE REAL STATUS. THIS IS ACHIEVED,
IN PART, BY ENCOURAGING YOUR PEOPLE TO REPORT WHAT IS REALLY
OCCURING OUT THERE. THIS APPROACH ENSURES AN ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF
READINESS. WE ALL NEED TO LET THE EMPEROR KNOW WHETHER HE HAS
CLOTHES ON OR NOT.
C. FINALLY, PROMOTE INTERACTION WITHIN DEPARTMENTS, DIVISIONS AND
THE INTERAGENCY. THIS WILL BUILD A FOUNDATION FOR STEWARDSHIP. TOO
OFTEN WE GET SO WRAPPED UP IN OUR DAY-TO-DAY JOBS THAT WE FORGET
THAT SEVERAL DIFFERENT GROUPS ARE WORKING TOWARDS THE SAME GOAL.
UNITS, OR DIVISIONS WITHIN LARGE COMMANDS, SHOULD ENCOURAGE CROSS-
TRAINING AND PROMOTE LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER. ONE EXAMPLE IS "O"
AND "M". THE MISSIONS OF THESE TWO BRANCHES GROW CLOSER DAILY, AS
DOES THE NEED TO BUILD TRUST AND ENCOURAGE ESPRIT DE CORPS. AS THE
BOOK "CHARACTER IN ACTION" SUGGESTS, "HAVE YOUR ORGANIZATION
FUNCTION IN A TEAM ENVIRONMENT. PEOPLE WILL BE MORE PRODUCTIVE BY
FAR. THEY WILL ALSO BE HAPPIER."
5. SELF-STUDY AND ETHICS. GOOD LEADERS DEVELOP THROUGH A NEVER
ENDING PROCESS OF SELF STUDY, EDUCATION, TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE.
THIS INCLUDES AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE UNIQUE NATURE OF OUR
PROFESSION AND THE ETHICS THAT GOVERN IT. I ENCOURAGE EVERY MEMBER
OF ATLANTIC AREA TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR TIME IN THE COAST GUARD.
EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS ARE ONE OF THE BEST PERKS OF SERVICE. NEW
PROGRAMS LIKE "COURSE IN A BAG" BRING THE CLASSROOM TO DEPLOYED
CUTTERS, WHILE THE INTERNET ALLOWS REMOTE STATIONS AND DETACHMENTS
THE CHANCE TO COMPLETE PROGRAMS UP THROUGH PHD.
A. LEADERS, AT ALL LEVELS, BOTH ACTIVE, RESERVE OR CIVILIANS, NEED
TO EMBRACE PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION AND THE STUDY OF
MILITARY ETHICS AS PART OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR PEOPLE. HERE AT
LANTAREA, THE NUMBER OF STAFF MEMBERS ENROLLED IN PROGRAMS LIKE THE
MARINE CORPS COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE, AND NAVAL WAR COLLEGE
DISTANCE AND SEMINAR PROGRAMS HAVE INCREASED THREE HUNDRED PERCENT
IN THREE YEARS. DR GEORGE YACUS, OF THE AR STAFF, HAS BEEN A
PIONEER IN ESTABLISHING AND THEN RUNNING A STAFF-WIDE SEMINAR
PROGRAM FOCUSING ON LEADERSHIP. GOOD LEADERS UNDERSTAND THE
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION, WHICH CAN COME IN MANY FORMS, AS A KEY
PART OF THEIR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. ONE WAY TO
ENHANCE YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IS TO GO TO THE COMDT'S
LEADERSHIP WEBSITE (WWW.USCG.MIL/LEADERSHIP) AND PATH TO THE
COMMANDANT'S READING LIST (FORMALLY CALLED THE "COAST GUARD'S
PROFESSIONAL READING LIST). USING THIS WEB SITE, REGARDLESS OF
POSITION, MILITARY OR CIVILIAN, OFFICER OR ENLISTED, APPROPRIATE
SELECTIONS ARE PROVIDED.
B. THE STUDY OF ETHICS IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT. AS PUBLIC
SERVANTS WE ARE CHARGED WITH BEING THE BEST POSSIBLE STEWARDS OF
THE PUBLIC TRUST. THIS MEANS OUR ACTIONS AND WORDS MUST BE BEYOND
REPROACH. AS A LEADER, HAVE YOU BROUGHT YOUR CREW TOGETHER AND
DISCUSSED ETHICS? IF YOU HAVEN'T, YOU SHOULD CONSIDER IT. THERE ARE
MANY GOOD ARTICLES ON ETHICS WRITTEN, FOR EXAMPLE, BY TRUE AMERICAN
HEROS LIKE MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER VADM JAMES STOCKDALE, THAT WOULD
HELP FACILITATE A GOOD DISCUSSION. ETHICS IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF
OUR COAST GUARD MORAL FIBER.
6. TAKE THE TIME TO WALK THE DECK PLATES. JOC ALEX HALEY ONCE SAID
IN A SPEECH ON LEADERSHIP, "FIND THE GOOD." IT'S EASY…AND I
COULDN'T AGREE MORE. ONE OF THE GREATEST JOYS I HAD IN COMMAND WAS
GETTING UP EARLY OR STAYING UP LATE AND "WALKING THE CUTTER." I GOT
TO KNOW MY CREW ON A PERSONAL LEVEL BY JUST WALKING THE DECK PLATES
AND TALKING WITH THEM.
A. WHEN YOU GET OUT AND WALK YOUR UNIT, DO IT WITH AN OPEN MIND TO
SUGGESTIONS. AS PHILLIPS AND LOY SUGGEST, "INVOLVE OTHERS. STUDY
THE MERITS, AND IF THE IDEA PASSES MUSTER CREATE A PLAN WITH VISION
AND GOALS."
B. BY GETTING AROUND YOUR MARINE SAFETY OFFICE OR THE CUTTER, NOT
ONLY DO YOU FIND THE GOOD - YOU FIND THE PROBLEMS. TAKE ACTIONS ON
BOTH FRONTS. YOU GAIN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS OF THE PEOPLE, SYSTEMS
AND EVENTS AROUND YOU. WITH UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE COMES
EMPOWERMENT.
7. NEVER FORGET THE LITTLE THINGS: ALL OF US ARE INCREDIBLY BUSY.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE ON THE OLE STAFF IN D1, STATIONED ON
THE GREAT LAKES, A WESTERN RIVER BUOY TENDER, A SAR STATION IN
TEXAS, A 110' IN KEY WEST, OR NESU CHARLESTOWN; LEADERS NEED TO
MAKE THE TIME TO PRAISE AND RECOGNIZE THEIR CREWS.
A. THE BOOK "THE ONE MINUTE MANAGER," BY KENNETH BLANCHARDT AND
SPENCER JOHNSON, RECOMMENDS THAT INDIVIDUALS RECEIVE PRAISE, OR
FEEDBACK IN A TIMELY FASHION. IN SHORT, FIND THE GOOD AND PRAISE
IT, FIND THE BAD AND FIX IT. I USE THIS PHILOSOPHY DAILY.
B. WE ALSO NEED TO RECOGNIZE THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE COAST GUARD IN
THE COMMUNITY. HAS YOUR COMMAND EVER WRITTEN UP A SWIVEL SHOT AWARD
FOR CONSIDERATION? WE HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF PROGRAMS TO REWARD
THOSE WHO HELP US. TAKE THE TIME TO GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS
DUE.
C. OUR NATION'S CURRENT SECRETARY OF STATE, RETIRED GENERAL COLIN
POWELL, HAS A SERIES OF LEADERSHIP GUIDELINES. ONE STATES, "NEVER
NEGLECT THE DETAILS. WHEN EVERYONE'S MIND IS DULLED OR DISTRACTED
THE LEADER MUST BE DOUBLY VIGILANT." GENERAL POWELL'S ADVICE IS
INCREDIBLY APPROPRIATE TO US ALL IN OCTOBER 2003.
D. IF YOU ARE IN COMMAND OF AN 87' PATROL BOAT, A COXSWAIN OF A
NEW HS BOAT OR A LEAD MARINE INSPECTOR DEEP WITHIN THE ENGINE ROOM
OF A CRUISE SHIP WITH OPERATING MACHINERY ALL AROUND YOU, YOUR MIND
NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON NOT ONLY THE "BIG PICTURE" BUT ALSO THE
DETAILS. SURE, YOU MAY HAVE AN XO AND ENTIRE CREW TO HELP YOU, ALL
WELL TRAINED PROFESSIONALS, BUT AS A LEADER, THE NEED TO KEEP TRACK
OF THE DETAILS SITS SQUARELY ON YOUR SHOULDERS. YOU HAVE TO THINK
BEYOND "LIFELINES" TO THE "WHAT IF TYPE SCENARIO."
E. USE TEAM COORDINATION TRAINING (TCT), A PROGRAM THAT REDUCES
THE PROBABILITY FOR HUMAN ERROR BY INCREASING INDIVIDUAL AND TEAM
EFFECTIVENESS, BY DISCUSSING THESE CONCERNS WELL BEFORE A SITUATION
OCCURS. DISCUSSING SCENARIOS WITH YOUR CREW WILL PAY HUGE DIVIDENDS
IN THE FUTURE. (DETAILS ON TCT ARE FOUND IN COMDTINST 1541.1).
8. LEADERSHIP IS SOMETHING ALL OF US NEED TO WORK ON EVERY DAY.
EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT IN "COMMAND," EVERY COAST GUARD MEMBER IS A
LEADER. WITH THIS IN MIND I AM DIRECTING THAT ALL LEADERS,
OFFICER, ENLISTED AND CIVILIAN, USE THIS MESSAGE AS A FOUNDATION TO
DISCUSS THE IDEAS EXPRESSED ABOVE WITH YOUR SUBORDINATES AND
SHIPMATES BY 30JAN04. TAKE AN HOUR, EVEN USING A "BROWN BAG
LUNCH," TO TALK ABOUT LEADERSHIP AND OUR CORE VALUES OF HONOR,
RESPECT AND DEVOTION TO DUTY. ENCOURAGE DISCUSSION AND DEBATE, GROW
FROM THE EXPERIENCE. THOSE OF YOU FAMILIAR WITH MY STYLE OF
LEADERSHIP KNOW THAT AS I WALK THE DECKPLATES OF LANT AREA, I'LL BE
ASKING HOW THIS IS GOING.
9. CONSIDER ONE FINAL THOUGHT. GENERAL GEORGE PATTON WAS CREDITED
AS SAYING, "ACCEPT THE CHALLENGES SO THAT YOU CAN FEEL THE
EXHILIRATION OF VICTORY." THESE ARE WORDS EACH OF US CAN LIVE BY.
10. REQUEST WIDEST POSSIBLE DISSEMINATION. INTERNET RELEASE
AUTHORIZED.
11. VICE ADMIRAL JIM HULL SENDS.
BT
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Using the CPC to drive an understanding of the CPEC

Wrapping up a CPC here in Cleveland (drafting the final report... okay, procrastinating right now).

As we work to inculcate the CPEC into the Coast Guard, a couple of thoughts/questions.

1. With the merge of o & m upon us, and the integration of logistics support running not far behind, and the number-staff configuration waiting in the wings... has any senior leader used the CPEC to ask the right questions? If the CPEC is, indeed, our management framework, wouldn't we use it to ask questions and help us make management decisions? What can we do to get decision makers to ask the right questions?

2. When doing a CPC... how much consulting & advice giving is appropriate to give? I found myself today providing consulting advice.

Question from client: Er, how do I do strategic planning appropriate to my unit?

Stinson's answer: Er, try this model...

A. What are the desired outcomes you're trying to create for your customers and key stakeholders?

B. For that outcome, what is an associated goal?

C. What indicators or measures will tell you how you're doing with regard to your goal?

D. What action items or initiatives will help you get to your goal & move your metrics?

It looks like this:

OUTCOME --> GOAL --> MEASURE --> ACTION ITEMS

Then we say...

A. Okay, what things must you do -- within your organization -- to succeed in creating your desired customer outcomes?

B. What is a goal for that thing you must do inside?

C. What indicators or measures will tell you how you're doing with regard to your goal?

D. What action items or initiatives will help you get to your goal & move your metrics?

So, we're then left with:

CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR --> GOAL --> MEASURE --> ACTION ITEMS

Your thoughts?

How to implement key portions of CPEC

Talking with a client today: "I wish we had a roadmap to implement the key components of the Performance Excellence Criteria."

We've got to deploy the DCF (Developing a Customer Focus) model and the 2-4-7 Model (Performance Planning Model); people want this stuff; they need this stuff. They want more direction, as to the how, for approach & deployment of the CPEC.

A virtual strategic planning process model...

I've been working with a unit that wants to implement the CPEC (well, actually, they're really concerned about the award, but I'll take what I can get)... anyway, it's been nearly impossible to get time with them for an offsite or even time with their senior leadership team, so I'm going to try a virtual approach. Here's what I've sent to them to get them started. Your thoughts?

The Commandant has mandated the use of the Performance Excellence Criteria (PEC)as the management framework for the entire Coast Guard. The Commandant’s PEC mandates what we must do for successful management; it does not specify the how.

Note from Peter: Before I go any further, let me set one thing straight. The Commandant’s Performance Excellence Criteria is associated with the Commandant’s Quality Award. While the CQA will not help us or any other unit get better; the CPEC will. This isn’t about the award; this is about good management. Nothing more. If you want my unadulterated opinion about the CQA, ask me off-line. I will say this about the CPEC though: it is the balls. There’s no rocket science here, and good leaders and good managers have been doing some or all of this stuff intuitively for years. The CPEC creates a system and it institutionalizes good management; it provides a framework which is bigger than any one of us. This is excellent stuff. This thing works.

We will begin to use the CPEC for the strategic and tactical management of UNIT NAME. We will work through a series of exercises which will take us from management by gut – the usual management style in the Coast Guard – to management by fact, a core principle of the CPEC.

Our process will be fairly simple and will involve the UNIT staff’s ward room and chief’s mess. Periodically over the next several weeks you will be asked to do some thinking and completing a worksheet or two. Peter Stinson will collect and collate the information from the worksheets. Each exercise should take 20-40 minutes of your time. Please set aside time to work on this initiative. Your thoughtful responses are critical to our creation of a management system which does more than sit in a binder on a shelf gathering dust.

We will be using a balanced approach, first popularized by two smart guys from Boston: Kaplan & Norton. They developed a planning, measurement, and management model which they call the balanced scorecard. We’ll be working through a modified approach, the Coast Guard’s Performance Planning Model, sometimes known as the 2-4-7 Model.

As you work through this exercise – and future exercises – you’ll need to put aside your tactical/divisional/unit role. You’re not the XO, ops officer, admin officer, watch supervisor, assistant EO, officer-in-charge, or anything else; you’re an equal member of the UNIT’s senior leadership cadre. You need to think globally here. Sure, you have the specific knowledge – and baggage – that comes from your tactical/divisional/unit role. You need to put it aside, as much as you can. You’re the board of directors; think with that had on your head.

Please trust the process.

First, you’ll need to accept some givens. These are from earlier UNIT NAME planning documents. They may not be perfect, but they provide a set of givens for the current assignment.

Mission: UNIT NAME is a multi-mission organization dedicated to serving the public interests within the LOCATION Area of Responsibility. Our goal is to provide World-Class service to the public we serve, leading the way in the protection of life and property at sea, the protection of our ports and critical infrastructure, the enforcement of maritime laws and regulations, and protection of the marine environment.

For this exercise, please consider the UNIT staff and subordinate stations, ants, and cutters to be the organization. We are suppliers; our customers are outside this organization.

Thinking about our mission – not only the mission statement above, but what you know our day-to-day mission to be & that which we are tasked to do – project into the future. What do you envision the future, say 3 to 4 years from now, to be like here at UNIT NAME.

Here’s what I think the future holds for UNIT NAME; this is what we’ll look like & be doing:

Remember back a few years ago when you might have learned about TQM? Oh, I’m sorry, you thought TQM was dead? Not so. There’s plenty of stuff from TQM which is still valid, still relevant, still helping us as an organization, and still used. One of those things is the SIPOC model:

SUPPLIER --> INPUT --> PROCESS --> OUTPUT --> CUSTOMER

Perhaps you remember this? We do stuff – that’s the process – and create outputs which we give to customers. Those outputs are products and services; they’re things.

What are our products and services we provide? Who are our customers? Limit yourself to the top 6 products & services you think UNIT NAME produces; who are the customers (or customer segments) for each of those products?

List Product/Services that we create and Customers or Customer UNITs or Customer Segments who get what we produce:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Now, thinking about each of these customers/customer segments, what outcomes do we create for the customers? Focus on macro outcomes. In my travels, I frequent Marriott Hotels; their product is hotel rooms; their outcome is, perhaps, a good night’s sleep. For NESU Portsmouth, their desired customer outcome might be well maintained cutters. D5 might claim a desired outcome is subordinate units who understand and follow policy & direction.

What are our top three outcomes we create for our customers?
1.
2.
3.

Now, thinking about where you think we’re going to be in 3 to 4 years (the kind of place UNIT NAME should be), and thinking about what we produce and who are customers are, and thinking about the outcomes we create… what do we need to do well as an organization to succeed? This is stuff we must do inside the organization. If we don’t do this stuff, we fail; we fall flat.

What must we do well as an organization in order to succeed?
1.
2.
3.

Please complete this worksheet and return it to Peter Stinson by COB on 20 October. Ideally, you’d complete your answers in this word document and forward it to Peter at both addy@hotmail.com and addy@juno.com. If you’d rather do this by hand, please fax your completed forms to 999-999-9999.

If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with Peter at 999-6666 or addy@my2way.com or addy@hotmail.com.

Play to your strengths...

We all know about Gallop and their research which led to First, Break All the Rules. Well, more information, based on more data (this time by a different consulting group), is in with a new book, Play To Your Strengths: Managing Your Internal Labor Markets For Lasting Competitive Advantage, which is not by Buckingham and crew, who also did Now, Discover Your Strengths.

This is all great stuff! We need to be able to speak the language and get the nuggets which work our managers and leaders. As consultants, it's incumbent on us to be able to take these world-class ideas and translate them down the unit/staff/organizational level.

Wondering what you're going to be paid?

Just sighted on the OPM website: information on the possibility of a new civilian personnel system for DHS employees.

Practice what we preach?

On break today while facilitating a CPC (with Jeff D.) at TQC, had a thought: have we attacked (er, assessed) ourselves against the Criteria? I recommend that at our January gathering we spend two days putting ourselves through the paces. One way to do this would be to have each of us facilitate one category; as facilitator, we'd have to be able to stand aside and just facilitate. A side benefit: we'd be able to see each other facilitate.

((Sidebar: Dave P., are you going to arrange for the location for our January gathering?))

Scuttle about possible re-organization

Scuttle...

Look for creation of N-staff (okay, CG-staff) at the area, district, & lower levels, which will roll support functions into the same chain of command as operational functions, and will keep the strong programmatic roles we've seen in the support community.

I anticipate this concurrent with re-adjustments to follow DHS regionalization.

'Course, I could be way out in left field.

Theatre Integrated Logistics Architecture: Coming soon to your world

TILA is inbound, folks, and I believe that it provides us a huge consulting opportunity. First, a little background.

TILA Background:

TILA is an acronym that stands for Theater Integrated Logistics Architecture. The TILA vision is to create an integrated Coast Guard logistics system that supports the operational commander. The purpose of TILA is to improve logistics support to operating units through centralized logistics management and localized delivery. The TILA objective is to centralize management of field logistics by assigning greater responsibility and accountability to MLCs. The outcome of TILA is to identify selected logistics support functions and resources (billets, equipment, facilities and funding) currently under operational unit control to be reassigned to the Maintenance Logistics Commands (MLCs). The Coast Guard Leadership Council actively supports and monitors the TILA initiative. TILA fulfills agenda item R-10 on the Leadership Council agenda.

TILA Definitions:

LANTAREA operations are the organizations and units that provide services direct to the public. These organizations include the Area, Districts, Air Stations, Groups, Activities, MSOs and other operating units. In addition to providing services direct to the public, operations also includes necessary “operation support functions”. These “operations support functions” provide direction (supervision, management, tasking, planning) and guidance (plans, policies, procedures) for conducting operations.

LANTAREA logistics are the organizations and units that provide logistics support to operational organizations and units. These organizations include the MLC, NESUs, CEUs, ESUs, ISCs and other logistics organizations. In addition to providing logistics support to operational units, logistics also includes necessary “logistics support functions”. These “logistics support functions” provide direction (supervision, management, tasking, planning) and guidance (plans, policies, procedures) to conduct logistics.

Questions for consideration & some of my thoughts in response:

Under the TILA concept, what must logistics supervisors do to ensure that they are proactively providing support for operations?

TILA will only be successful if logistics supervisors use the Coast Guard’s management framework as expressed in the Commandant’s Performance Excellence Criteria. Of particular importance is the issue of customer focus. Logistics managers must identify customers and key customer segments; must listen and learn in a systematic manner to determine customer requirements and expectations; must use information to determine customer satisfaction from both hard and soft perspectives; must use feedback, customer satisfaction, and other customer information for product/service planning and process improvements. Without a systematic approach to customer and mission focus, TILA will succeed only by exception.

For TILA to be successful, what “bottom line performance measures” should be established in order for logistics to be considered responsive to operational requirements?

To succeed TILA must have a system of performance measures in place and used to make management decisions. While we do not know what these bottom line performance measures are, we believe that through the use of the Coast Guard’s management framework – the Commandant’s Performance Excellence Criteria – logistics managers, in conjunction with their customers – can determine these needed bottom line performance measures.

If there are gaps in performance, TILA is designed to identify and close them through systematic improvements. What business process checks should be built into TILA to ensure that the MLC fulfills the expectations of operations?

Cascading use of CPEC-supporting tools – such as the Developing a Customer Focus Model or the 2-4-7 Planning Model will ensure the logistics providers plan, do work, and meet customer needs is a systematic manner. These tools must be cascaded from the highest levels of the logistics organization to the lowest levels of the organization.

How can we leverage TILA so that operational expectations and logistics performance are in alignment with Commandant standards?

In order to leverage TILA to align the operational expectations and logistics performance, we must adopt management practices in alignment with the Coast Guard’s management framework, the Commandant’s Performance Excellence Criteria. We must develop systems which are CPEC-based and use those processes systematically.

In the past, the Coast Guard has employed the concept of detached duty. Under what situations and at what rank/rate can an individual perform detached logistics duty? Does anything prevent this concept of support from being expanded to all logistics disciplines centrally managed under TILA?

Detached duty can work well, given several supporting factors. First, performance expectations must be explicit, yet flexible. The use of cascading models and systems – such as the Developing a Customer Focus and the 2-4-7 Planning System – will provide the framework to set and broadcast performance expectations. Second, detached duty personnel must be given the tools, skills, and knowledge to succeed at their work and mission. In the same way the Coast Guard would never expect a fresh HS to be the HS on a WMEC, we cannot expect any YN or SK or ET to work, alone, detached with out the right knowledge/skill set. The independent duty HS gets special training before starting the tour and support from the supervising physician during the tour. We must create a similar situation for other detached personnel.

Final thoughts for this blog post:

As you can see, TILA provides huge opportunities for consulting. We must get CPEC used; with management-by-the-seat-of-our-pants, our usual management style, TILA will succeed only by accident and force of will of individual players. For the most part, it will fail.

We have the opportunity to prove CPEC works. We have the opportunity to show the value of the CPEC and our services.

In the words of John Belushi, "When the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor... Are you with me?"