Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Don't try to change it all at once

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb209/baltimoresun05/change.jpg

Too much change will never stick...

Reference here: http://navycaptain-therealnavy.blogspot.com/2013/02/advice-from-steve-jobs.html

When you show up somewhere new, too many folks think "I need to change things and make it happen all right now!" The reality is, until you are established somewhere, unless you are the Commanding Officer, you are likely to NOT effect change quickly.

I made this mistake at my current command. I jumped into a project trying to fix something I wasn't asked to fix, and ultimately my time was wasted because the group I was helping rejected my idea. Waiting until after I had established myself (getting qualified positionally and as an IDWO), I then attacked a new problem (our IWO/IDWO qualification process). The change was quickly apparent. Whereas before I was essentially ignored, now I really made significant changes and improved the program dramatically.

It's not an excuse to not work hard from day one. However, especially if you move into something new, you need to realize what you can and can't control, and work accordingly. Get the mandate and backup needed to make real change, and then make it happen, rather than spinning your wheels and getting no where.