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Usefulness of Modern Drill [Split from Paying Compliments]

[quote author=gcclarke]I mean, you do know that "leading change" and "initiative" are on the PER, right? We're supposed to be making the organization better as time goes on. Eliminating things which were put in because they served a purpose at one point but are now more harmful than beneficial is one of the things we're supposed to be doing.
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You'll need to use a new argument once the new PaCE comes into effect next week.
PaCE: Performance and Competency Evaluation, replacing the old PER system.
 
Wait till the people leave the Forces and discover that every industry has it's quirky bits like safety meetings every day, or pep talks by the manager you all despise or expected unpaid participation in social events to make your boss look good, etc, etc. A wee bit of drill won't kill anyone and lot's of ways around dispersed work places. Like I said, the Taxpayers who pay your wages have an expectation that you look somewhat like a military unit, basic drill meets that expectation. I have met few jobs that require full on attention that people can't fit in a occasional task that is scheduled in advance. Throw in some timbits and coffee bought by the boss and have some fun with it. Hell even throw in a challenge that your crew can't do X drill movement and see if they respond. 
 
gcclarke said:
"If you don't like it quit" is exactly the type of attitude which leads to absolutely no improvements ever being made in an organization. Overall, I like my job, but there's aspects of I feel are anachronistic.

I mean, you do know that "leading change" and "initiative" are on the PER, right? We're supposed to be making the organization better as time goes on. Eliminating things which were put in because they served a purpose at one point but are now more harmful than beneficial is one of the things we're supposed to be doing.

It is my belief that the "Leading Change" button on our PERs have caused more harm to the CAF than any time spent getting an Honour Guard together and practice prior to a special event.
 
FSTO said:
It is my belief that the "Leading Change" button on our PERs have caused more harm to the CAF than any time spent getting an Honour Guard together and practice prior to a special event.

My eternal comment: It's "Leading Change" when it should be "Leading Effective Change".
 
dapaterson said:
My eternal comment: It's "Leading Change" when it should be "Leading Effective Change".

But what about when you have to implement an ineffective change that flows down from the Big Giant Head Collective (TM)?  That usually takes real leadership.

As a guy that kept getting tagged with PERMON, that one always bugged me.  It's not about creating a change, it's about managing the implementation of something in flux so that it's not a cluster.  Doesn't really take much to apply that to any of the million things in our normal day to day work as we go about doing our jobs, and pretty easy to see why looking at something, understanding the impact it will have, and working with other people to get it sorted out is an important skill set you want senior people to have.

Think people that push new ideas to get the mastered on 'leading change' should also lose points on their 'reading' score, as well as the attention to detail related scores!  ;D ;D

Really looking forward to see the new system, hopefully it's actual meaningful change instead of window dressing. Not a big fan of the lack of a writeup for current PERs that aren't immediate; that's really not helpful for the member. Even if you do regular feedback, putting something in writing is a helpful exercise for everyone, and useful to read over afterwards. With the effort that saved on the PER, would have been really easy to give someone a PDR as well.  Bit of work, but think the informal feedback is a lot more useful than what is actually put into a PER.

But seriously, did drill in basic, did a bit more on phase 2, then there is some minor practice before some kind of parade or whatever.  Aside from being able to throw a high five, don't need any more than that on the day to day, so it's a pretty front loaded training at a time when you are at your cheapest, and they need to keep you busy anyway.

Like going to the range once in a while, I see drill as a reminder that, even when I'm basically a cubicle jockey doing civil servant work, I've signed my name to be part of something much bigger than just pushing paper. I find that helpful when I'm staring down the barrel of yet another pointless working group/oversight review/bureaucratic meeting flavour of the day to keep a project rolling. I also think (like general dress an deportment) it's a pretty easy, low hanging fruit to get right and not look like a soup sandwhich. Rather than fight a losing and pointless battle, figure I may as well make the (really minimal) effort required to do it properly.

There are many hills to die on, this one's not mine. People expect the military to do drill, it's not going away, so why get frustrated about it? my  :2c:
 
dapaterson said:
My eternal comment: It's "Leading Change" when it should be "Leading Effective Change".

Change is effective if it results in higher meriting for you regardless of the effect on others. 
 
Furniture said:
I'd say much of the CAF has already reached a near ideal state. We all know how to do basic drill, and can be brought up to speed for major public events when required.

I think questioning of usefulnes of drill comes in when some people(generally ex combat arms) declare that to fix the woes (real and imagined) of the CAF we need more marching up and down the square.

Poorly disciplined troops with low morale won't magically become better because we force them to march around more, but maybe we will drive out good people that want to do work related to their trade. People forgetting they are military, and not civies in funny clothes has more to do with a lack of practical military training(shooting, gas hut, etc.), and lack of enforcement of proper deportment than it does with a lack of marching up and down the square.

Agreed.  There is no place for drill as a 'morale improver'.  There is a place in 'must be able to perform basic drill' and not embarrass self/unit on parades.

That's about it though.  If there are units out there doing drill for the sake of 'doing drill'...I'm glad I'm not part of them.
 
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