Michael Hetterick MGMT 535

 Communication is challenging even though it is quite easy to accomplish.  Why is it challenging?  If I knew, I wouldn't be writing in this blog tonight, no offense.  There are many reasons why communication is lacking and it also depends on the situation and environment.  Regardless, there are many different avenues to inform each other.  There has to be the right balance.  We all know the what happens when we under communicate.  I have also heard before, "there is nothing wrong with over communicating."  However, yes, there can be issues with over communicating.  What I am taking from this class is to find the right balance of communication per person per situation.  That is my job as a manager.  Like the toy we all played with as kids, not every shape fits in the same hole.  That is the exact way I feel about communication efforts, to find the right balance to make everything fit.

 Recently, we had the opportunity to attempt creativity, but it was no easy task.  Our aircraft, EC-130H, is the oldest C-130 still flying.  As the logistics liaison, we have some unique challenges ensuring there are enough parts to keep this aircraft flying.  This systems and parts in this aircraft are old and aren't installed in the newer aircraft.  A lot of our parts are facing obsolesce.  For the past year we have been struggling to secure an Air Turbine Motor (ATM) for our aircraft.  We discovered there are no serviceable ATMs in the Air Force inventory.  The ATMs that are unserviceable are waiting on a parts kit from the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).  A parts kit is a bunch of components such as bearings, seals, valves, and other minor parts.  We found out that DLA hasn't had a buyer for the parts kit contract in over a year.   Now it was our time to get creative and figure out a solution.  We contacted DLA and ask...

 In my organization, we are limited to our boundaries.  As an action officer at Air Combat Command Headquarters, my conversations with people are limited to certain ranks.  I can speak to anyone below my rank, but I would have to inform their supervision.  That is because of my duty title or position.  Just the opposite I can only talk to a few ranks higher than mine.  If the rank of the person I need to speak with is out of reach, then I have to elevate it to my supervisor.  I am starting to notice how political it is.  Boundary movement is the same lateral.  We are able to conversate with others in different offices, but any tasking has to be coordinated.  It could take 4-5 different groups of people to solve an issue to lower units have with each other.  Also, I can only track down so much supply information before I step out of my lane.  I am then either doing too much or doing something someone else is doing.  Our bou...

 In some careers, the DIKA model is used everyday to make decisions or take actions.  The method the DIKA model is based out of is taught in different applications.  Applications like OODA Loop and Lean methods use similar strategies to determine solutions.  The DIKA model is used from everyday decisions to long-term solutions.  In military aircraft maintenance, we use the model to troubleshoot maintenance issues.  We use all the evidence that we find to get a general idea what system is having the issue.  Technical data assist the maintainers with narrowing the issue down to the sub-system or specific component.  From there, the technicians can decide if they need to repair wires, circuit cards, or replace a part.  In some circumstances, because of warranties, we may have to contact representatives from the company that manufactured the asset.   Communication is key to the DIKA model.  People need to connect to share ideas and...