Activity – P.Newman – The Center for Junior Officers

P.Newman replied to the topic Questions for October Drill in the forum 208th Medical Company 6 years, 5 months ago

<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Engagement:
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>1. How do you know your team is engaged? What does an engaged team look like to you?
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Engagement is evident when subordinate leaders and soldiers are proactive about decisions and take ownership over their impact on the mission. An engaged team will not be idle and will look for ways to improve systems and procedures that are in place. Additionally, an engaged team is invested in its parts. Leaders and members will try to improve one another in the workplace and outside of work as well. 

<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>2. Does your team’s work add value to the organization? How can we make mundane tasks more meaningful? How do we add value to routine work?
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Absolutely, my team’s work is invaluable to the organization. We can make mundane tasks more meaningful by tying the tasks back to the mission or the bigger picture. For example, knowing that a deadlined FLA can’t transport any patients helps to give value to something mundane or routine like PMCSing FLAs. 

<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Failure:
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>1. Is failure always a bad thing? If so when can failure be useful?
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Failure is not always bad, in fact, it can be a very useful tool. Failure gives a deeper understanding of an obstacle and brings experience and first-hand knowledge that we can use in the future to overcome similar hardships. Failure also builds resilience and helps manage expectations. Having the impression that you will succeed at something the first time oftentimes leads to failure and disappointment. Using the failure as leverage for growth can help you achieve your goals.
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>2. We all fear failure, how does this fear paradoxically lead to failure.
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>The fear of failure creates risk-avulsion and inhibits growth. Fear of failure supports the status quo, rather than growth. Someone who is afraid of failure will make small decisions and always play it safe, when greatest success generally comes at the cost of taking a risk. A fear of failure can lead to sabotaging the chance of success.

<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Leader-Leader:
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>1. You are transitioning from a leader-follower to a leader-leader model. What first steps can you take to start that transition? Assume this attempt failed, what obstacles did you hit? One of your squad leaders comes to you and says, “just tell me what you want done.” How will you respond?
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>First steps that you can take in order to transition to the leader-leader model versus the leader-follower model is pushing down control to where the information is. Give subordinate leaders intent rather than specific orders and let them take ownership and discover the answers for themselves.
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>If this attempt failed, it could have been because the mission was unclear or the competency was not up to par. If my squad leader came to me and just said “just tell me what you want done,” I would restate my intent and go over the mission and our goals as a team, and ask them what they think their piece of the mission would belong to them and how they could own it.
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>2. Conduct a pre-mortum. Assume your attempt to initiate the Leader-Leader transition have failed. Why did it fail?
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Leader-Leader transition could easily fail because of a lack of confidence. Both leaders have to trust in the transition, be open and transparent, and move with the changes. It could also fail because a lack of clarity on the mission or a lack of technical competency at the operator level.

<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>Purpose of Action: 
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>1. Google the phrase “tyranny of the now.” Like the author we are subject to numerous deadlines, regulations, and reports. Using ideas developed from the book, how can we break the “tyranny of the now” and get to what’s important?
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>To break the “tyranny of the now,” we can push control down to where the information is, and focus on the mission. Knowing what the mission is and how your tasks relate to the big picture helps refocus and meet the intent. Goal setting with checkpoints helps us remain accountable for our tasks and break the “tyranny of the now.” 
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>2. How does “tyranny of the now” drive us to make decisions? Are they good or bad decisions? Why?
<span style=”font-size: 12pt; font-family: Georgia; color: #333333; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;”>The “tyranny of the now” leads us to make decisions that are undeveloped, underdeveloped or just plain safe. It can cause you to find the quickest way to get the job done in order to avoid anticipatory fatigue. The “tyranny of now” causes people to run from difficulty. When refocusing more on the bigger picture and the future, you will be able to anticipate consequences and see how your decisions impact the mission.