Communication

So where do we start in improving our internal comms ????

 

its a serious question and one i want to do something about

 

forgot to say, give me a min to get my respirator and anti flash on

 

A secure version of Rum Ration for the RNR. Cos we arn't on DII or similar Military networks intranets. we cant get documents like course joining instructions. The Divisional system is only as good as the DO and the same goes for the PSI in the units, if you are luck you have little problems if not the chances are you leave.

If we had a way of networking that protected PERSEC and OPSEC that would be great, but given that the MOD doesn't not seem to be able to cater to Reserves to fill in their expense claims from home. I am not holding my breath!

That said things are actually improving at my Unit, it is just that coverage for communication is patchy and to open to poor performance if the person doing the communicating can't be bothered.

 

As the old BT advert used to say "It's good to talk".

Communication needs to be two way; what has struck me in recent years is that DNRES / COMMARES appears to have little awareness of what the grass-roots RNR rating is doing for the RN / RNR and makes policy based on a whim.

Yes I know, CMR is a 1* and we're not in a democratic organisation, but some of the policy decisions over the last few years have beggared belief; GSSR subsumed COMMS and MW because there wasn't a need for the these specialisations in the fleet - er, yes there was, the powers that be just didn't see it; COMMS were told, at the stroke of a pen, to stop instructing visual signalling to fall into line with the RN - we stopped instrucitng 8 months ahead of the RN, and the fact that RN and RFA commands need V/S trained operators was ignored. WIth a little more discussion and understanding of how people are being used and others could be used these knee jerk changes in policy could have much been better managed.

To get back to the question:

1. Listen to the RNR and the Functional Employers
2. Communicate efficiently and in a timely manner
3. Better monitoring of policy adoption (GSSR had a planned 5 year transition period - the majority of units ignored this and adopted the new specialisation in full on day 1)
4. Better flexibility - if a new policy is causing the same issues across the whole RNR be prepared to modify it!

 

MC- As an opening observation(and apologies if it has already been done) have you discussed this within the CMR heirarchy? My starting point would be to get some sort of 'buy in' from management that they also recognise that there IS an internal communications problem - just because the grass roots have issues doesn't necessarily mean that the grown ups consider there to be a problem in the first place.

It was my hope that the resurrection of the tribal chiefs (in the form of the branch SO1s) was a declaration of intent to improve internal communications - it just doesn't seem to be working (judging by comments on RR and my own personal experiences) - not sure if this is a failing of the RNR, a failing of the CMR organisation/commitment to these individuals or a failing of the individuals themselves but there is a disconnect somewhere.

We (the RNR) have a huge number of communication sharing opportunities ranging from Divisional Meetings to Branch/Specialisation meetings to Annual Conferences, COTMs, RNRTMs, the RNR website (which incidentally is hugely out of date form a corporate standpoint and lets down those RTCs who make the effort to update their bits.

Dare I suggest a dedicated SO1 Internal Communications whose job it would be to pull all the strands together, support, advise and cajole tribal chiefs, act as a repository for 'complaints' etc - He/She would be worked to distraction initially but what a challenge, and, for the right person, what an opportunity!

 

"The greatest problem with communication is the illusion that it has been accomplished"

George Bernard Shaw

 

DubaiPusser - i have indeed discussed this with the Highest Hierarchy and will be presenting on my findings in due course, i am collecting information and suggestions from all sources including RR .

I am aware i will get lots of drips, but hope for constructive advice and suggestions.
SO bring it on

 

See an earlier posting.

http://www.rumration.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/viewtopic/t=791.html

Things are definately getting worse and I'm not sure the reason - probably it's an institutional thing? What doesn't help is we are a part-time organisation spread out across the country and all busy with real full-time jobs that pay the bills.

ICT has always been a problem and you have to attend the RU to pick up emails. At our RU, we have one PC in an office with about 8/9 SRs and officers trying to get on it. Printer located down another corridor.

If an organisation is largely rudderless, as ours seems to be at the moment, is it any wonder that comms is dire and disjointed? If you look at previous posts on the RNR thread, direction is a real issue. The functional employer for any specific specialisation may only be in that post for a couple of years. Once they go on draft, someone else comes in with different priroties, adding to the lack of continuity. We've seen this on numerous occasions in nearly every specialisation over recent years.

Also, what are the staff like at CMR? On RDPs and suffering from NFI, or young, thrusting & dynamic team players?

When the big cheeses visit the units, do they get the real story or are they sold something entirely false by the CO who is trying top protect his/her own postion?

Would it be better if the respective SO1s were RN, with a team underneath tohelp co-ordinate training and manning up of exercises? Look at the size of the GSSR spec at the moment. There must be between 500-600 lads and lassies in that spec. Thta must be the size of a battalion?How can it be fair or reasonable to expect a body of men to be trained etc by a part-timer?

I'm stepping off my soapbox now!

 

I've already suggested a CMR Buzz Buster sticky. We post the Q, Master chief feeds in the answer. Add another sticky for official announcements. RR is well known in the RNR now - promulgate it further through daily orders and possinly a DIN?

 

No probs on this from me, as soon as MC says aye, then I shall make it so.

M(R)

 

Ok what the F is a Buzz Buster sticky ?

 

Someone would put up something like:

"I heard bounty is going to increase 0.5% of GDP to each person"

You would then ensure us that this is not the case

It would be sticky because it would be at the top of the boards at all times.

M(R)

 

Doh ok , happy to help

 

There are now two stickies. One for official announcements and one for the buzz buster.

Don't say I'm not good to you all!

M(R)

 

I would appreciate any comms from CMR. The answer must surely be as simple as a monthly email update? Most units already communicate by email. If people have any issues/questions subsequent to the email then they can raise it through the divisional system.

Having a secure comms system on DII should be additional to this for stuff that is restricted; even if we can only check it max once a week it is better than nothing. Is there a way to set up whole RNR, unit and branch mailing lists on DII?

 

hammockhead, you are assuming that most RNR have access to DII and to my knowledge most (especially us JRs) do not.

Also as this aint our day job we do not have the interaction with our DOs that make the divisional system work on board ship. For most DOs they go through the motions as a training experience, so we understand what the divisional system is for, for when we do get on board. They do not see it as a means of line management.

Like the idea of the month email from CMR though.

 

KA is pretty good with getting info out on email, such as monthly updates KATM's duty roster etc, but with the demise of the UPO and writers this will probably all stop. A monthly update from CMR in the form of a news brief would be great. If it included a 6 monthly Longcast for each regions training that would be fantastic and stop the old excuse that training wasn't promolgated early enough.

 

I dont think another SO1 would sort the problem. If we could get DII/F around the units and get ready access to the workstations, I am sure communications would be better; log on and read e-mail broadcasts from HQ, cutting out HQ and unit staff links. I think all the managers in the organisation are swamped with meetings, committees and report writing; communication downwards always suffers as a consequence.

 

The army have this

https://www.armynet.mod.uk/

How come the Navy cant have the equivalent? Or maybe they do and no one knows about it.