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“Trust, but Verify”
Posted 10/14/2011 Updated 10/14/2011
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Commentary by Maj. Joseph Ringer
Commander, 14th Security Forces Squadron
10/14/2011 - COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Trust, but verify. This translation of an old Russian proverb, succinctly conveyed the intent of then President Ronald Reagan--and by extension the United States--to follow-up on the provisions contained in the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty that he and former Soviet General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev were about to sign. Most remember this now famous quote from President Reagan, but few remember that Mr. Gorbachev responded with, "You repeat that at every meeting." This brief exchange resolutely established between the two leaders that trust alone would not guarantee a successful treaty. Moreover, through the consistency of his past actions, Mr. Reagan established that persistent verification would play an integral role in ensuring the efficacy of their paradigm shifting accord.
To be sure, Air Force leaders, at all levels, must strive to gain the trust of their superiors, subordinates and peers. Trust strengthens internal as well as external organizational bonds, and reinforces the belief that expectations will be met, if not exceeded. However, trust does not provide assurance that a task has been completed, or that it has been completed correctly. Simply put, trust is not a substitute for authentication or validation. Assurance can only be attained through some form of verification, or as it's often referred to as, follow-up. Leaders by definition are accountable, and as such we have an obligation to follow-up on tasks within our span of control until they are properly completed.
Much like the technology that now dominates how we network and communicate, follow-up in today's Air Force has also taken on new complexities. Delegation via email has become common place and phrases such as "a task assigned does not a task completed make," and "an email sent does not equate to an email read," have become fixtures in our collective Air Force vocabulary. But despite these new complexities, follow-up still boils down to our responsibility to verify actions and corroborate information.
To be effective, you should first establish a schedule or timeline for follow-up. For example, after receiving a task ascertain from the process owner how often he or she would like to receive an update on your progress being sure to identify when the task is due. If your task can be delegated, and you chose to do so, clearly prescribe your expectations for task status updates to your action officer. As applicable, follow-up that well-crafted email you just sent with a phone call. For tasks that are large in scale, an office visit may be more appropriate. This interpersonal communication also presents an opportunity to mentor your action officer on the importance of follow-up. You should strive to convey that follow-up does not imply distrust, but rather your obligation to see the project or task through to effective completion. Finally, as the suspense nears, contact the action officer and remind him or her of the impending due date. Remember, once you've received the task, regardless of whether you chose to delegate it or not, accountability is yours alone.
In summary, most of us will likely never have the responsibility of negotiating international arms reduction treaties, but the tasks we perform daily are essential to the organizations and mission we support. By inculcating follow-up as a fundamental element of how we do business, we go far towards establishing a level of assurance that we have completed our assigned tasks and responsibilities as prescribed. Our nation trusts that we can and will perform well when called upon, as leaders we must verify that we are ready to meet those expectations. |
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