From: Jon Ozmint
Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 12:07 PM
To: Daniel Murphy; David Tatarsky; Donna Hodges; Gerri Miro; Glen Franz; Robert Ward; Russell Campbell; Aaron Joyner; Ann Shawkat; Barney Loyd; Bernice Wiggleton; Bruce Rivers; Cecilia Reynolds; Donald Beckwith; Doris Edwards; Fred Thompson; George Dodkin; Gregory Knowlin; Joe Counts; John Pate; Kenneth Weedon; Linda Bradshaw; Matthew Golden; McKither Bodison; Michael McCall; Nicholas Sas; Phyllis Hopkins; Richard Cannon; Robin Chavis; Roland McFadden; Stanley Leaks; Stephen Claytor; Tony Burton
Subject: Week of May 29, 2006

Good Morning,

 

Mission and Goals: A refresher.

 

I think that we are well on our way to ensuring that each of our employees is aware of their purpose in coming to work. That purpose is summarized by our Mission Statement, which should be posted at our entrances and carried with our ID cards.

 

That mission statement does not change. It represents who we are and what we are about.

 

Goals are a little different. Goals are targets that we set, which move us closer to accomplishing our mission or assist us in accomplishing our mission. Currently, we have two large, agency- wide goals:

 

  1. To be the best prison system in the nation is terms of appearance, order and cleanliness.

 

  1. To reduce security staff turnover.

 

Institutions and divisions may set other, more specific goals that are tailored to meeting these goals and fulfilling our mission. For example, our food service operations are focusing on reaching a new, higher level of consistency in cleanliness and service. Every cafeteria should be as clean for the last group of inmates served as it was for the first group. 

 

However, our goals must all be designed to assist in mission accomplishment.

 

There is a tendency in larger organizations to allow mission creep. I define mission creep as the diversion of resources and focus on tasks that are only tangentially related to the primary mission. That is why things like court transports drive me crazy. In relation to our mission, court transports make us less safe. While transports arguably serve inmates and the court system, they do not serve the public, and they are an inefficient use of our resources. We do them only because we must and we are hoping that our judicial branch will soon inform us of the appropriate video technology that will allow us to avoid court transports almost completely.

 

We all need a mission. In this agency, we have a very important mission. To enhance mission accomplishment, everyone should be working toward goals. This week and next, spend some time ensuring that members of your team understand our mission and their goals.  Walk around and ask the questions. Stand at the front gate and ask the questions. Help your shifts and smaller working units develop tangible goals that will move the organization forward toward mission accomplishment.

 

Have a great week.