Right place right time...... is it

I’m going to state something, which I believe a lot of us think regularly but very rarely voice.

In this Corps it is evident that if you are at Sqn level you can have the best ideas and methods of executing said ideas in the world, but unless your CoC is prepared, able, willing or interested in passing that info upwards. Nothing happens.

It is also early evident that there are (probably less than 20) individuals in the Corps who have far far more air time and attention paid to their ideas lately because they shout the loudest or through geography are closer to their Wing, region or Corps HQ. A few is because they have or have had the direct ear of the commandant.

How can we address this as an org?

How can we make the good ideas from the coal face reach the top?

How can the frankly shoddy middle management and durge and Wing and region level be allowed to just sit, stagnate and provide naff all.

We are according to all the fluff supposed to be an open, transparent and listening organisation.

I see nothing of this.
I see no ideas being taken on.
I see little wider appetite for change.

The small glimmer of anything comes from VDST.

But then how can other areas equally as important as IT policy etc get the attention it needs.

It is beyond frustrating seeing this Corps, eat itself through self annihilating policy failure at almost every level.

Thoughts.

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Scrap the CoC for internal communication, both upwards and downwards.

It’s got to the point where simply hearing the word cascade triggers me

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Absolute agreement!

The system doesn’t recognise the ideas and thoughts of those who do the majority of the work with our ‘customers’…

There is no internal communication system beyond ‘doing what the OC thinks is a good idea’

I’ve seen a number of wings and regions doing cadet forums / cadet voice groups - but not seeing anywhere doing similar for CFAV…of all ranks and positions. Maybe something that could provide a voice for more CFAV.

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That’s a valid point. My wing have had a senior cadet forum run semi-regularly during lockdown but nothing comparable open to all CFAV.

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So there are 3 things I should point out here…

  1. The CoC often provides a filter for bad ideas. Just because you think its ace doesn’t mean it is and also doesn’t mean it would be logistically, financially or politically viable. You don’t always know what is happening even if the idea does reach the top.

  2. The forums that people mention for cadets etc are great at up to regional level. Beyond that pointless as the RCs have such control over the Regions and do things so differently. (A debate in itself). HQAC wouldn’t be able to deal with CFAVs from all 6 Regions as every conversation starts with ‘my RC wouldn’t do that or allow that or we do it differently.’

  3. If you do genuinely believe you have the greatest idea since the PTS then please bypass the people you see as blockers and drop an email to a WSO or RSO who might show interest. If it’s just an idea then the worse that can happen is they filter you the same and you get told no. Best thing the blocker looks like a muppet for being a blocker.

Wasn’t there an all-region dial in thingy?

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True.
But that makes an assumption on peoples intelligence, experience and capability.

You’re making exactly those assumptions now…

Maybe? I was thinking more of at a local wing level.

Some wings have a ‘staff conference’ (pre covid) in one form or another. Ours included breakout groups to discuss what change we want to see at a wing/region/hqac level. There were some great ideas being shared.

Safe to say that those flip charts must have been promptly placed in the bin as no change was seen.

A reminder to everyone that the Ask The Team thing exists on SharePoint. Easy way to bypass the CoC and get some action for simple things! :wink:

To be fair to RC North, he seems to be able to get stuff done when he likes the idea.

Only my own.

Indeed

I think that’s remarkably unfair. He doesn’t head up the organisation and is merely being seen as its spokesperson. Clearly not everything suggested is possible and I happen to know that some good changes have occurred regardless of his own personal views. It’s frankly insulting to say any different and threatens to put a spanner in the works of such an avenue to suggest changes and improvements.

Can you name one example he has said no to because he doesn’t like it?

I clearly worded that completely wrong. “When he likes the idea” was not what I meant to get across there. That meant to come across as much more of a compliment to him to being someone who get’s stuff done, as opposed to being a blocker.

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No, you’ve assumed that everyone at wing/region level and above are “shoddy middle management”, you’ve said that there are “probably less than 20 individuals” who gain favour because of their location or their ability to “shout the loudest”, and then even said you think with some it’s because they have a direct line to the commandant.

You are very evidently questioning lots of people’s intelligence, experience and capability not only your own. I suggest you tone it down a little, because frankly you’re coming across as a bit Trumpian with your ability to throw things out on social media without any seeming proof or evidence…

Fair enough, I retract my statements above :slight_smile:

Only a bit…

Ok I will try harder. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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I’m sure a few years back (maybe quite a few) we did an ask the commandant thing on here, so clearly the solution is to have another :wink:

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Yeap. Then he came to the pub with us. Those were the days. Lol.

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