Guest Post by VADM Clifford Pearson, Chief of Staff, co-written with LT Shameen Anthanio-Williams, CG-441, Industrial Program Manager. LT Williams is also the leading official for the annual Industrial Maintenance Innovation Award Committee. Each year, units involved in depot maintenance apply for this award (two categories: Individual Team and Process Improvement). Winners receive $1,000 and plaque presentation. The purpose of this program is to recognize command's support of maintenance improvements. Reference COMDTINST 5240.6.
The Coast Guard's modernization effort is intended to improve the way we do business operationally and logistically so that we can effectively meet our number one priority of keeping America safe and secure. The Commandant's vision is clear, but the key to successful implementation is heavily dependent upon the creative spirit of our workforce...both you and me. This effort requires ingenuity in the way we support our platforms, our systems, our missions and our people. While creativity is important, great ideas are nothing but ideas without proper vetting, support and execution. This is why many of our senior leaders are working long and hard to create a culture of innovation in our modernized Coast Guard.
Organizations are now better understanding the need for enterprise wide innovation as a key operational discipline. To realize this within the Coast Guard, we must create and support an organized, systematic process for managing and executing innovation. The goal is to stomp out seeds of bureaucratic resistance and provide a culture where leaders at all levels are encouraged to boldly adopt initiatives in finding ways to perform our operations more efficiently. To achieve this vision, we must develop a strategy that provides the appropriate structure and process to accomplish the objectives listed below:
* Create a culture of innovation. Members of our workforce must be empowered to act as leaders in the effort to foster innovation on a continuous basis. To do this, commands must actively promote a workplace environment of question asking. They should embrace new ideas and be careful to avoid the natural tendency to trump those ideas that fall outside of their own preconceived opinions. Considering that every one’s box is different, leaders must remember that out of the box brainstorming should be a team effort. Finally, to create a culture of innovation, leaders must make innovation an integral component to their unit's mission by incorporating it into their command business plans.
* Develop a clear and meaningful process for implementing new products or processes enterprise-wide. Not all ideas should make it to the product manager and sponsor. Ideas must be aligned with organizational policy and support Coast Guard missions. In addition, the process should identify product managers and sponsors and provide a clear pathway from idea generation to enterprise-wide implementation.
* Provide a streamlined path between idea generator and product team. A great idea can get lost in translation and transition and result in additional unnecessary work by the idea generator. There should be a way to get a great idea to the appropriate product team and sponsor without going through too many hoops.
* Increase program marketing. This will ensure all units are familiar with our Innovation Program and the process for submitting ideas. Conducting annual road shows is one way to support this objective.
* Improve communications. Make use of Web 2.0 technologies to better capture innovative ideas at all levels of the organization. Ensure we capture lessons learned and develop communities of practice in a structured knowledge management system.
* Create innovation cells. To make innovation a part of our organization’s DNA, we will incorporate innovation cells within the logistics commands. The innovation cells will be comprised of a full-time workforce completely dedicated to observing, analyzing and improving the way we do business.
I recognize that there are challenges, many of which are inherent to any reorganization effort. One issue being discussed is the "virtual office" many of us will be assigned to during modernization. The notion that synergy is lost when your teammate/supervisor is not in the same office, is incongruous to the realities brought upon by recent global trends in communication technology. For example, Coast Guard units nationwide are equipped with Video Teleconferencing (VTC), working Web 2.0 technologies into the daily workplace and/or using phone conferencing capabilities. As leader-innovators, you must look at the glass half-full and actively seek out the opportunities that modernization provides for innovation.
As we look to develop new ways to drive innovation across our organization, the existing Innovation Program is still available to receive your ideas and provide guidance. For more information on how to submit your ideas, click here. Also reference COMDTINST 5224.13 for information about the Coast Guard Innovation Program and COMDTINST 5240.6 for information on the Industrial Maintenance Innovation Award. The Department of Homeland Security has recently launched its department-wide Efficiency Review initiative, to "get the highest and best use out of the precious taxpayer dollars that we have." As leaders, we should not be content with the status quo and instead look to identify areas where business functions can be performed better, faster and cheaper. Leaders must set the right tone and promote an attitude and expectation of innovation to realize efficiencies and encourage a shift in thinking away from the "business as usual" mentality.
After serving in this organization for 36 years, I truly believe that this modernization transformation will require the creative synergy of our workforce in order to be successful. So, consider this a call for individuals at all levels, to become better stewards of our resources by recognizing and utilizing the creative talents within yourself or your co-workers. I charge each of you to be bold in seeking out and promoting innovation. I look forward to hearing your ideas on this topic. Go Innovation!
