Page 9 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Spring 2016

decreasing the suffering, and increasing the survivability is done so that staff can provide recommendations.
of the warfighter. Conversely, the staff should not hold a good idea
hostage just because they didn’t think of it.
Why is it important? Because we have been given the 3. Meetings to inform staff and meetings to inform the
medical responsibility to advise, assist, integrate, and boss are two separate meetings.
address asymmetrical threats to stability that are both 4. 5 Ws never fail. Who, what, when, where, why, and
inside and outside declared theaters of active armed amplifying remarks cut to the chase in a busy world
conflict. At the same time, to meet this requirement, we of e-mails.
are tasked with the innovation, transformation, coor- 5. “Read ahead” is ALWAYS a good idea (e.g., agenda,
dination, deployment validation, and employment of PowerPoint presentation, outline).
Special Operations personnel assigned from different 6. Invite ALL stakeholders.
commands, components, and agencies. 7. Have actionable recommendations.
8. Mutual but not necessarily symmetric objectives
Last, we are a highly sophisticated, multidisciplined as- need to be clearly defined.
sociation that possesses unique capabilities replicated
nowhere else within the US Government or the world. In my experience the key to improving your cause is
Figure 1 is from a SOCOM staff brief and shows the maintaining healthy relationships, communicating ef-
transition from where we have been to where we are go- fectively, and using resources efficiently. Easy enough
ing. I humbly recommend printing and posting it some- to say, a lot harder to put into practice. In the immor-
where you can see it as a gentle reminder. tal words of LTG. Gen. Harold G. Moore, “There is
ALWAYS room for improvement,” and to do a great job.
Here are some best practices/rationales gathered from
folks within the association: See you in Charlotte, if not sooner.
With much respect,
1. Agendas are to be followed (they are not merely a Steve
good idea). “Keeping names off walls”
2. No “shot gunning” the decision-makers with “good
ideas” that have not had the vetting of the staff. This

Figure 1 Strategic Planning.

From the SOMA President vii