Creating a Credible Work Environment (February 2010)

Often I receive comments from the field asking the same or similar question, “How can I spend more productive time with my partner on building long-term progress rather than just short-term solutions?” That is not an easy task because of the demands that we face in accomplishing the contract requirements and meet the deliverables demanded by the contract and the contracting officer’s representative.

Mentoring is as much an attitude as it is an actual method of work in building a working relationship with our partners and a credible work environment. One of our mentors wrote these comments in a recent survey regarding the importance of understanding our role in our partner’s progress and ultimately the progress of the partner’s organization.

“Nothing can prepare a mentor for the challenges that await him/her in terms of collating the numerous … issues that affect any given area of mentorship. Leadership (or lack thereof); enforceable discipline (or lack thereof); the separation between responsibility and authority … ; the loyalty octopus, i.e. never really knowing where one's loyalty lies in terms of family, birth city, religion, ethnicity, benefactor, or "payoff" chain of local loyalty as well as corruption. Whether or not any or all of the foregoing falls under a mentor's direct responsibility (can have) a profound effect on whatever field is being mentored.

A mentor must have the breadth of experience that includes increased levels of successful leadership and responsibility over a couple of decades, as in command-level leadership from new Lieutenant to Colonel (enlisted ranks through Sergeant-Major), intellect to cut through a lot of "crap", wisdom to drive on effectively in the face of adversity, maturity to maintain control and separate personal from professional feelings, and patience, patience, patience.”

ONLY FROM SUCH LEVEL AND LENGTH OF EXPERIENCE CAN ONE EXPECT TO MATURELY AND PROFESSIONALLY RECOGNIZE THE CHALLENGES PREVAILING WITHIN THE (Host Nation) CULTURE AND TO DEAL WITH THEM EFFECTIVELY WITHOUT CREATING POLITICAL OR DIPLOMATIC TURMOIL. I do not believe that can be provided from any train up, rather only from a history of effective experiences within the realm of leadership supported by ever increasing responsibilities over the course of time. These are traits that generally cannot be learned but that morph over time.”

This is very well said and well meant! As professionals, in our various functional fields, we do have the ability and skills to make a difference in dealing with our partners, be they Host Nation or US/Coalition uniform. The challenges are tremendous and may be overly daunting at times, but the knowledge and skills we bring to the contract are very essential to long term success of both the contract and our partners.

Finding the best way to involve our partners in the work we are faced with and the challenges to overcome is a key element in developing a credible work environment. Mentoring is a skill as well as an art. It is like a spice that when used in the correct proportions can make a dish exquisite, yet too much or not enough will spoil our efforts.