Compliance: An element of excellence Published May 4, 2010 By Col. Jim Jennings 21st Space Wing vice commander PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- A customer walks up to the counter in a fast food restaurant and the employee asks "How may I help you?" The customer replies, "I'll take a hot apple pie and a vanilla shake." "Fine sir," the employee says, "Would you like dessert with that?" A patient is at the dentist office for an annual exam. After the exam, the patient asks the dentist, 'Do I have to floss all of my teeth?" The dentist replies, "Only the ones you want to keep." Each of these tales represents compliance. The restaurant employee executed their duties with precision, albeit they did not pay attention to what the customer wanted so the end result was less than stellar. The dentist however, had a laser focus and an awareness of the situation. He presented the clear consequences if the patient failed to comply with the results of flossing. Now, I want you to play the role of a pilot. As you step to the aircraft, you ask the crew chief, "Is this plane safe to fly?" and the crew chief responds, "Paperwork says so." Would you fly that aircraft? What if the crew chief responded "Yes sir/ma'am; I would fly with you on this mission." That response totally shifts your mindset from the first answer, but why? Now, think about your duties in your current position. If someone asked you a question similar to the one the pilot asked the crew chief, can you reply with the same confidence as the second response from the crew chief? We are human and we make mistakes. Even computers make mistakes because humans input the information or design the programs incorrectly. But the main question is why do humans make mistakes? We are smart and highly developed. Within the Air Force we receive the best training and tools that are available, but mistakes are still made -- why? Think about the last time you made a mistake. Why did it occur? Were you tired? Were you distracted thinking about your social life, the big party that weekend, sports or your family? Is there too much on the list and too little resources? The list can go on and on. All of the mentioned rationales factor into why a mistake is made, but is there a deeper reason? Do all Airmen and civilians really understand what is expected in attitude, behavior and performance within their respective duties? Do they understand the cause and effect of non-compliance for everything they accomplish? One of the 21st Space Wing's priorities is to continue to build a culture of compliance and continuous improvement. So what can we do as a team to ensure a culture of compliance? Compliance must fall into the same mindset as safety on our daily priority list. Each of these elements, safety and compliance, must be constantly in the forefront of your mind. Don't become the restaurant employee. You must pay attention to what you are doing even if you have accomplished the same task a million times. You must execute the task with precision and completeness. How many times have you prepared your uniform for the next duty day? You look over it to ensure it meets compliance; I'd bet you pay special attention to each item when it comes back from the cleaners. That same mindset magnified and multiplied is required when executing your duties. It should be applied 100 percent of the time, but sometimes we only go 99.99999 percent. It is that .00001 percent that usually results in an error. Only you can adjust your mindset and balance the distractions so you can apply laser-like focus on the tasks that you perform. You are entrusted to perform your duties and deliver a product of the highest standard. Don't fall into the mind-set, "This is good enough for government work." Any program, checklist you execute, or maintenance procedure should be viewed as if an Airman's life is dependent on you completing those actions properly -- because it can. Your products do impact the mission of your organization. We all strive to be and do the best we can each day. None of us wake up and say, "Boy, I can't wait to screw up everything I do today." Every day I see the results of compliance within the wing -- promotions, awards, personal recognitions, and units and programs passing inspections. Those accolades are the direct results of individuals and teams complying with a set of standards. These standards make the organization a place of excellence. I challenge you to focus and overcome the distractions so compliance is 100 percent in every effort you accomplish. With your dedication the 21st Space Wing will continue to set the standard for others to follow.