Commentary ? How to get closer to your GSU without leaving your ...

Commentary by Maj. Austin Hood
23rd Space Operations Squadron Detachment 1 commander

8/27/2012-THULE AIR BASE, Greenland?The 50th Space Wing has 18 geographically separated units spanning the world and the better part of 7,900 dedicated professionals supporting those GSUs in delivering decisive global effects. Your outstanding GSU support is a result of strong working relationships. So how can you get closer to your GSU without leaving your desk? Communicate. Good communication is critical to developing, maintaining and improving those relationships.

The 23rd Space Operations Squadron Detachment 1 at Thule Air Base, Greenland, receives excellent GSU support from a variety of organizations but there is always room for improvement. I have never heard of a mission failing because the communication was too good. Obviously, nothing can replace a visit to places like Thule AB, but travel to a GSU is a limited resource. A great alternative is to maximize those lines of communication that we use every day.

For communication foundations, I defer to the article written by Lt. Col. Fred Taylor, then50th Space Communications Squadron commander, Improving Your Communications Will Help Develop High Performing Teams. To optimize communications, collaborative tools provide a content-rich environment to get your message across as well as receive much needed information from your mission partners at the GSUs.

When developing or utilizing a collaborative tool or process, consider a design centered on your customers experience. Industry information technology companies have capitalized on this approach to deliver tremendous capability to their customers.

Additionally, some GSUs, like Det. 1, are bandwidth challenged and thus are unable to make full use of heavy collaborative applications, a fact which may hinder relationships rather than help them.

Solid relationships are at the core of mission effectiveness for Det. 1. We work hard to keep the lines of communication open not only within the 50th Space Wing but also with our mission partners at the Defense Information Systems Agency, industry and the 21st Space Wing, especially the 821st Air Base Group here, as well as our coalition partners.

The reason we put so much value on maintaining and developing these relationships can be derived from a concept documented in a book by David Alberts, John Garstka and Frederick Stein titled Network Centric Warfare: Developing and Leveraging Information Superiority. The authors describe the concept in this way:

NCW is more about networking than networks? As we will show, the power of NCW is derived from the effective linking or networking of knowledgeable entities that are geographically or hierarchically dispersed?The net result is increased combat power.

To me, this means relationships among people who communicate well. Our livelihood at Det. 1 depends on it.

During my initial interview with the 50th Space Wing commander, Col. James Ross, prior to taking command, he let me know that everyone in the 50 SW makes a difference. I wouldnt know the full meaning of his words until after I took command. Though it may seem like another day in the office at Schriever AFB, another package to process or even another question to answer from the field, I can tell you that its not. At Det. 1, we feel Schrievers impact every day. Whether it is protocol support for an upcoming distinguished visitor tour, logistics support to release an asset from supply or administrative support in taking care of our personnel, we convey what Schriever does into mission effectiveness.

Being a GSU of a GSU brings its own challenges but all can be overcome by strong relationships and good communication. Apply those communication concepts, develop those collaborative toolsets, but above all, keep the lines of communication open with your GSU. At the top of the world, Det. 1 is delivering global decisive effects because everyone makes a difference.

Source: http://www.stcharlesriverfrontarts.com/2012/09/25/commentary-how-to-get-closer-to-your-gsu-without-leaving-your-desk/

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