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OPERATIONAL
EXCELLENCE IN THE COMING YEAR
ALCOAST 024/03
P 141546Z JAN 03
ALCOAST 024/03
COMDTNOTE 16010
SUBJ: OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE IN THE COMING YEAR
1. AS WE BEGIN A NEW YEAR OF SERVICE TO OUR NATION, WE CAN ALL ANTICIPATE THAT THIS WILL BE AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR IN THE HISTORY OF THE COAST GUARD. WE WILL BE INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THE LARGEST REORGANIZATION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SINCE THE END OF WORLD WAR TWO. OBVIOUSLY, CHANGES ARE IN STORE FOR US, AS WELL AS THE OTHER AGENCIES THAT WILL BE PART OF THE NEW TEAM IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY. AS WE MAKE THIS HISTORIC TRANSITION, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU THE THOUGHTS THAT ARE FOREMOST IN MY MIND AS YOUR COMMANDANT.
2. NOTHING SHOULD BE MORE IMPORTANT TO US THAN OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE. THROUGHOUT OUR LONG HISTORY, THAT HAS BEEN THE HALLMARK OF OUR SERVICE, AND WE MUST BE DETERMINED TO MAINTAIN THE REPUTATION THAT WE HAVE WORKED SO HARD TO EARN. I REMAIN CONVINCED THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN AND EVEN IMPROVE OUR OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE BY FOCUSING ON THE THREE THEMES OF THE DIRECTION THAT I ESTABLISHED WHEN I TOOK THE HELM AS YOUR COMMANDANT. WE MUST TAKE AFFIRMATIVE STEPS TO IMPROVE FUTURE READINESS. WE MUST AGRESSIVELY STRENGTHEN OUR STEWARDSHIP OF THE PUBLIC TRUST. ABOVE ALL, WE MUST FOSTER THE PROFESSIONAL GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT AND WELL BEING OF OUR PEOPLE. I WILL CONTINUE TO REPORT ON OUR PROGRESS IN THESE AREAS AS THE YEAR PROGRESSES.
3. THE EVENTS OF THE PAST TWO YEARS AND THE ADVENT OF THE COMING TRANSITION TO THE NEW DEPARTMENT REQUIRE THAT WE CHANGE. CHANGE IS NEVER EASY, BUT THE CHALLENGES WE ARE FACING DEMAND TRANSFORMATION. THIS TRANSFORMATION WILL REQUIRE MORE THAN NEW TECHNOLOGY AND GREATER CAPACITY TO GET THE JOB DONE. REAL TRANSFORMATION REQUIRES FROM ALL OF US NEW WAYS OF THINKING, NEW STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS, BUILT AROUND CAPABILITIES, RATHER THAN THREATS, AND THE COURAGE AND WILLINGNESS TO ADDRESS NEW RISKS.
4. SPECIFICALLY, THE TRANSFORMATION THAT WE MUST UNDERTAKE WILL INVOLVE FOUR AREAS OF EMPHASIS:
A. OUR CULTURE. THE TRANSITION TO A NEW DEPARTMENT WILL REQUIRE THAT WE BECOME AN INTEGRAL MEMBER OF A NEW TEAM. OUR MILITARY TRADITIONS WILL BE DISTINCTIVE AMONG THAT MEMBERSHIP, AND WE MUST HONE THE CORE COMPETENCIES THAT WILL ENABLE US TO PERFORM OUR DUTIES RELATED TO HOMELAND SECURITY TO THE THE SAME DEGREE OF OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE WITH WHICH WE PERFORM OUR OTHER MISSIONS.
B. OUR WORK. THE INTEGRATED DEEPWATER SYSTEM AND RESCUE 21 ARE AMONG THE COMING CAPABILITIES THAT WILL CHANGE THE WAY WE CONDUCT OUR OPERATIONS. WE MUST USE THEM TO BRING GREATER INTEGRATION AMONG OUR OWN ASSETS, AND AMONG OUR PARTNERS BOTH HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD.
C. OUR WORKFORCE. NEW TECHNOLOGY AND NEW THINKING WILL REQUIRE A NEW WORKFORCE THAT IS CAPABLE AND FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO EMBRACE THE DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENT AHEAD OF US. WE WILL SEEK TO BRING A NEW LEVEL OF SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE TO BEAR, WHILE MAINTAINING A BROAD DEGREE OF EXPERIENCE AMONG OUR WORKFORCE. THAT IS A DIFFICULT TASK, BUT A NECESSARY ONE.
D. OUR WORKPLACE. WE WILL FOCUS ON PERFORMANCE TO ACHIEVE MEASURABLE OUTCOMES WITH EMPOWERMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY. I WANT A WORKPLACE ENVIROMENT THAT SEEKS AND ENCOURAGES INNOVATION. FOR EXAMPLE, DESPITE ITS PROBLEMS, E-COAST GUARD PROMISES TO ENABLE US TO GET MORE DONE WITH LESS EFFORT. I AM COMMITTED TO SOLVING THE TECHNICAL PROBLEMS OF E-COAST GUARD WITH WORKABLE SOLUTIONS. I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT FAILURE TO ACHIEVE ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION THROUGH INNOVATION IS NOT AN OPTION.
5. AS WE EMBARK ON THE ADVENTURES OF THIS NEW YEAR, THESE ARE MY STANDING ORDERS TO ALL OF YOU:
A. BE AGENTS OF CHANGE, LEAN FORWARD, EMBRACE INNOVATION.
B. BE WILLING TO TAKE NECESSARY AND REASONABLE RISKS TO ACHIEVE INNOVATIVE RESULTS.
C. BE HUMBLE ENOUGH TO PUT THE GOOD OF YOUR SUBORDINATES AHEAD OF YOUR OWN.
D. BE STRONG IN FOSTERING DIVERSITY, GEAR EVERYONE FOR SUCCESS.
E. BE EFFECTIVE IN PARTNERING WITH OTHERS, BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE COAST GUARD.
F. BE CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN ALIGNMENT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM AND BOTTOM TO TOP.
G. BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR EVERYTHING WITHIN YOUR PERSONAL DOMAIN AND HOLD OTHERS TO THE SAME HIGH STANDARD.
6. I CONSIDER THE COAST GUARD TO BE TRULY BLESSED TO HAVE SUCH EXTRAORDINARY TALENT AVAILABLE TO US. THAT BLESSING IS EVIDENT EVERY DAY. I BELIEVE THAT OUR SUCCESS IN THE NEXT YEAR AND THE YEARS TO FOLLOW WILL DEPEND ON HOW WELL WE USE THAT BLESSING. I NEED EACH ONE OF YOU TO STRIVE FOR OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE, TO COMMUNICATE WITHIN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, AND WITH EACH OTHER, AND TO ADVOCATE CHANGE WITHIN CONTUINUITY.
7. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.
8. ADM THOMAS H. COLLINS, COMMANDANT, SENDS.
BT
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