Ways to Deliver Results as a BN SIGO
Here are 7 critical factors on how you earn an outstanding reputation in delivering results as a Battalion S6. (plagiarized and revised from an article posted by Bill Hogg on Customer Service)
- Timeliness: Soldiers want their questions answered quickly and their problem resolved in a timely manner. Be specific about when something will happen and then make sure it happens.
- Attitude: Attitude is everything. When Soldiers are treated with respect, courtesy and professionalism they are most receptive to having a satisfactory outcome.
- Empathy: Having empathy to their situation will usually calm down the most irate Soldier (or Commander). Always treat others how we would like to be treated.
- Ownership: Take responsibility for the situation. Even if you cannot fix things yourself, make sure the Soldier or your Commander doesn’t get bounced around trying to find the right person to help them.
- Active Listening: Listen first, act second. Only when a Soldier feels that you have heard what their situation is will they have confidence that you will provide the correct solution. Plus, sometimes we inadvertently leap to an incorrect conclusion on the best solution before we have all the information. This leads to frustrated Soldiers, complaints and a reputation that the S6 doesn’t provide them support.
- Expertise: Be knowledgeable about the communications service that you provide. If you don’t know the answer, say so, and then quickly get the information from someone who does.
- Dependability: When you say you are going to do something, do it. Never leave it up to the Soldier to follow up. Even if you don’t have a solution, don’t leave the Soldier hanging with timelines like “as soon as possible.” Make a commitment to respond, even if it is to say “you are still working on it.” Let the Soldier know what is being done.
Bonus:
8. Follow up: People remember when someone follows up to make sure everything is OK. Many S6s miss this opportunity to turn Soldiers into fans!
DoD Business Development Manager, Motorola Solutions Inc.; U.S. Army General Officer (Retired)
4 年Ronnie, your comments (as reinterpreted from Bill Hogg) are spot-on! Having served as a Spec Ops BN S-6, a Corps G6, an ASCC G6 and CJ6 for CJTF OIR, I consistently found the use of a same/similar methodology as you described to be extremely beneficial regardless of echelon. Intentional & meaningful efforts to regularly engage with unit commanders, their staffs & Soldiers and the greater team of teams builds shared confidence in the competence and capabilities of your S6/G6 organizational members resulting in significantly increased trust - one of the strongest enablers of true Mission Command (People First!). The ability of 6’s and other Signal leaders to translate that hard earned trust into decisive and effective actions, underscored with with timely results (Winning Matters! at the speed of relevance), sets apart the truly exceptional Communications leaders from the rest. Thanks again for sharing your valued insights and personal knowledge. Keep doing great things!
Cyber Security Project Manager III / Scrum Master at Expeditors International of Washington | Army Veteran | CISM | SAFe 6.0 Scrum Master and Practitioner certified | ITIL Foundation V3
4 年The main advice I would add is that an S6 should not think of himself or herself as a technician first. Rather an S6, especially at Brigade and above, is a facilitator, leader and negotiator first and a technical liaison second. You are more hands-on at the Battalion level simply because of the small size of your staff, but you are the Commander's technical advisor. In that capacity, it is not your place to give a yes or no answer on behalf of your organization. The answer should never be, "Sir, we can't do this." The answer should be, "Sir, if we do this, this is what it will require/what it will cost you/the tradeoff you will have to accept risk on."
Director of Cyber Strategy and Partnerships | IT Strategy & Innovation | Strategic Partnerships & Collaboration | Global Cybersecurity Strategy | Executive Leadership in IT & Business Continuity | Active TS/SCI Clearance
4 年Inboxing you sir!