9.2: Getting Approval: Staff Coordination

A formal coordination process gives interested individuals an opportunity to contribute to and comment on a communication product. Though most staff coordination involves written products (i.e., "the staff package"), important briefings can also be subjected to a formal review process. Formal coordination gives affected individuals a chance to comment, and helps ensure the best course of action is presented to the decision maker. Coordination also lets the decision maker know who supported or disagreed with the position stated in the paper and who agreed to take subsequent actions within their areas of responsibility.

Getting a staff package fully coordinated takes a lot of time, diligence, and hard work. The coordination process has to be closely monitored by the package’s OPR to make sure the package gets seen by everyone who needs to see it and doesn’t get forgotten in someone’s inbox. Here are several considerations that may reduce headaches as you work your package up to the decision maker.

The "Who" of Coordination

One of the first things you need to decide as you get ready to put your package through the approval process is who needs to see the package.

Check your organization’s policies on coordination.

In many organizations, policies exist on coordination requirements for routine packages: find out if your product falls in this category. Your boss may have a list of people who need to see your package. Also check to see what guidance is available electronically-many units have an Action Officer’s Guide posted on their website.

Check with key contacts in the organization.

Contacts throughout the organization can be very helpful during the staffing process. Fellow staffers, executive officers and secretaries can provide advice on who needs to coordinate on your package, including individuals or agencies that you hadn’t thought of. Also, they can give you perspectives on what the bosses will and won’t accept. As you build and get to know this "underground of expertise," use it to your advantage.

Realize that the coordination list may grow with time.

Don’t be surprised if other offices are added as the coordination process occurs. Depending on the material and which level of staff you’re dealing with (wing staff versus Air Staff), you may be unaware of all the offices that need to see your package.

Is there a person on your coordination list who carries a lot of clout?

When planning your coordination strategy, you should probably determine who the approval Authority is. Who is the one person that can make or break your package during coordination? Who is the one person who could kill your project with a nonconcur? These people often have strong feelings about how and when they are approached. Some of them may hate a "surprise package" and always want to be the first to be consulted on an issue. In this case you may want to get early buy-inwhich can help ensure that others fall into line. Others may want to see what others have to say about the issue before it ever reaches their desk. Use your contacts to find out who these influential people are, what their preferences are and how they like to be approached.

The "How" of Coordination

Aside from deciding who needs to coordinate on your package, you have other things to consider prior to releasing your package for coordination.

Do you want to send out a preview copy?

You may want to send a draft package out early to potential coordinators, especially for issues that are complex or for offices whose inputs are crucial to your package’s success. Doing so allows them time to study the issue and also saves time later during formal coordination. Also, you may want to coordinate by telephone for small packages, for people who are extremely familiar with the issue or with off-base agencies.

How are you going to route your package to the various coordinating offices?

You need to consider how you’re going to send your package around. Many organizations now utilize automated tools to assist with the coordination process, such as the Task Management Tool, or TMT. This method allows for multiple offices to see what others are saying about the product. Will you have only one copy that is routed to all affected offices? This may work for high-level packages that don’t have a lot of offices to go through, but the more offices you add to the coordination list, the longer this process will take. You may want to "shotgun" out a number of copies of the package so a number of offices can coordinate on the package at the same time. This will speed up the process, but you will have more copies of the package to keep track of and the various offices won’t get to see what each other are saying about the material. You will have to figure out which way will work better for your particular case. Also, don’t forget to determine when the certifying and approval authority will coordinate on your package.

Consider the boss and the schedule.

You’re not done yet. There are some more things you want to do while preparing to go for coordination. For one, get your boss’s blessing before going out-of-office. You want to make sure the boss agrees with what you are saying. You probably want to establish a tentative schedule, based on any deadlines you are up against. If you have a deadline for completion, build a schedule backwards from that point to allow for reviews, changes and recoordination. As part of your schedule planning, check to see if any key personnel coordinating on your package are going to be TDY or on leave for extended periods.

If you’re using e-mail to send your package around, consider the following.

Specify who is coordinating, who is getting an informational copy, and who will be approving the package. Use "COORD,” "INFO," "APPROVE," or other keywords in the Subject line. Use clear instructions (i.e., how do you want comments documented and what do you want the offices to do with the package when they’re finished with it?) and finally, attach all attachments. Chapter 12 provides specific guidance for e-mail communication.

WAIT! One final check.

Before you hit the SEND button or before you go to make all of those copies to send out, get someone else to review the package to make sure you haven’t forgotten something obvious. Do one last check for spelling and grammar errors.

Following Your Staff Packages

Know where your staff packages are at all times. Use secretaries, contacts or automated tracking systems to track your package(s) and follow up, follow up, follow up. Keep the packages moving according to your schedule. You want to avoid suspensing higher offices, but at the same time you want to let them know what the situation is so they can help push your package along. As you get the packages back, keep all correspondence and comments and make sure you retrieve all coordination copies before going for signature. Make sure you’ve incorporated any appropriate suggestions into the final product. You may want to summarize the comments and inputs for the approving authority.

Nonconcurrences

How do you handle a nonconcur? Generally, you only want to send up packages that have received concurrence from all offices. So, do you change the package or do you just include the nonconcurrence in the final package? That may depend on where the nonconcur is coming from. You probably would concede the point to someone with a lot of clout; otherwise your package is as good as dead. Short of that, what can you do? You may be able to persuade the other party to see your point of view. If that doesn’t work, do you give in by making small concessions or make a stand? Before you decide to make a stand, you probably want to think about a couple of things. For one, is the issue that important, or can you make a concession? Remember also that with the give and take of staff work, a compromise now may help you later. Choose your battles carefully; however, there comes a time to stand firm when you know you’re right. Finally, do you have the full support of your boss? Any unresolved disputes at your level may need to be highlighted for resolution at a higher level.

Starting Over

Too many substantial changes may require you to start the coordination process all over. You’ll have to decide if you’ve crossed this threshold once you see what kind of inputs you’re getting on the package. If you decide to start over, recirculate both the original and changed packages to illustrate the changes you’ve made and why you’ve made them.

Finishing Up

Don’t give up. You’ll eventually work your way up the chain until you reach the final audience. Remember what we said at the beginning: getting that staff package fully coordinated takes a lot of time, diligence and hard work. Don’t get frustrated. Along the way, you will receive lots of suggested improvements to your package, but remember why you are coordinating this material in the first place - to present the boss with the best course of action and to tell him or her who agreed with it and had inputs to it. So don’t be surprised by inputs that keep your message consistent with previous decisions by the boss and the other supervisors in your chain of command.

Coordinating On Others’ Packages

When asked to coordinate on someone else’s package, don’t put it off. Review it, make your inputs to it and keep it moving. It helps keep your desk clear and the other person may remember your efficiency when he or she gets your package. This will also keep you from busting the suspense. If you need more time to review the material, ask for an extension. But don’t wait until the suspense to ask for an extension-be proactive. Finally, ask if there are any nonconcurrences on the package so you can take that into consideration.

SUMMARY: As a staffer, you have to remember the big picture. Your job is to get the corporate stamp on the package. You do this by first getting feedback from a few key individuals to make sure your message is loud and clear. Then, you get other offices to approve what you are proposing through the coordination process. Only after the package is fully coordinated can you provide the boss with the best course of action and tell him who is supporting that action.

Proper coordination is the oil that lubricates complex organizations and enables efficient operations. How you view the process and your critical role is crucial. Is coordination just a bureaucratic hassle that you have to endure, or will you meet the challenge head-on by doing a professional, proper job? Your attitude is key to success.