Get on board with Air Force needs, work smarter Published June 19, 2006 By Chief Master Sgt. Carol Johnson 60th AMW interim command chief TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- There’s no big secret we’re in a difficult period of time. We’re being asked to “do more with less,” “get leaner” and “work smarter not harder.” The big question for many of us is “how are we suppose to do this with fewer people and the current ops tempo?” We are so accustomed to having an abundant amount of resources that when any are taken away our tasks seem virtually impossible to do. But if we stop and take a serious look at some of our processes it would be easy to see waste, unnecessary steps and/or procedures. If these steps or procedures were eliminated they could very well reduce the workload. This, in turn, might reduce the manning requirement or the amount of time we spend on a task. Of course embracing change isn’t always comfortable for us because we’re “creatures of habit.” But change is inevitable, something we can’t ignore, and necessary for growth. We each get paid to do a job and we should be performing to the required standard. Some personnel routinely use short cuts to quickly accomplish their work. While these don’t always impact us immediately they can eventually surface as a deficiency. Once a deficiency is noted, you know the drill: We create tiger teams or working groups to dissect the problem and present a solution. Although these groups are sometimes needed, they always increase your workload initially. Most of the time we end up back where we started years ago before the process was altered. Does this sound familiar? How often have you cut corners thinking this was acceptable? How often have you pushed off your responsibilities to the next level? When we don’t pull our workload it shows somewhere else down the line. It may reduce what you do today but increases what someone else has to accomplish. If you think there is nothing wrong with this, you’re probably getting over paid! If you agree and are tired of taking on the workload of others, voice your concerns through your chain of command so they can be held accountable. If the process is broke don’t just skip steps, fix them. If you know a better way to do something, take steps to implement a change and make it more efficient. Tomorrow’s Air Force will need people willing to carry their weight not push it off. Our Air Force is a well-oiled machine. When each of us does our part, it functions great. It works the way it was intended to work. But when personnel shrug off their responsibilities, it creates unneeded stress on others. I don’t have to take a poll to know we are a stressed organization, but we’ve made this great organization what it is by doing what works best: Doing what gets the mission accomplished the most effective and efficient way. Every one of us has a responsibility to do what we’re paid to do and to motivate others to do the same. I urge you to begin the process. Start looking at how to eliminate waste in your jobs. I ask you to look for smarter ways to do the job—don’t pass it on to someone else. If you supervise personnel who don’t meet standards, invest the time up front to correct. By your example, soon you’ll find others not meeting standards now complying. We can no longer afford to operate with substandard performance and antiquated processes. Team Travis, I invite you to get on board, carry your weight, hold people accountable and embrace the needs of our Air Force—don’t get left behind.