22JUN12 - Command Meet (NCO/Officer)

[Aryte]

[19:03:09] Aryte Vesperia: This is primarily tailored toward officers, however the message is one that applies to anyone in a command role. As such, I wanted you all to be present so the message resonates clearly throughout our chain of command.

[19:03:50] Aryte Vesperia: Foremost. Thank you for joining me on such a short notice. I will make this as quick as possible, however I do have several matters to touch on that are rather important to chew on. Specifically, I really want to address establishing a consensus of behavior and expectations.

[19:04:33] Aryte Vesperia: I feel a degree of tension just hovering in the air. It may only be something I perceive, but coming from spending the last five years in a very number driven career I can understand how a negative sentiment would build. We have a dualistic tier of expectations for officers: meeting numbers and demonstrating progressive atmosphere.

[19:05:32] Aryte Vesperia: I understand that it becomes a point of contention and generally burdening when there’s this constant sentiment of “must meet X number, or else.” It makes it less of a pass time and more of a motion as part of an unpleasant job. That is certainly not the goal here and I continually give people a great deal of rope on the matter of meeting goals, as I have been there and I know how not fun it is to constantly having a figure hovering over your back.

[19:06:49] Aryte Vesperia: However, the number of “must do X raids” and “must hold OIC” are goals intended to inspire and give guidance to basic metrics. I promise you I won’t punish you if you skip or fail on that from time to time. We are human and we have bumps. What I can’t allow is consistent failure and a sentiment of being checked out. You need to meet me halfway.

[19:07:22] Aryte Vesperia: Goals become a burden when they are being oppressive, if they are unreasonable, and if there’s no buy in to the goal.

[19:07:44] Aryte Vesperia: The goals are not being oppressive: most of you have not met them and I am giving you a pass on it and have for a long time. A very long time.

[19:08:24] Aryte Vesperia: The goals are not unreasonable: two raid a week for most of you? Two hours out of one hundred and sixty eight hours a week? Plus a couple hours of OIC time?

[19:09:12] Aryte Vesperia: But there is no buy in. I have touched on this time and time again. I do not want to make this oppressive by having to enforce it rigidly. I want to keep it open and respectful to people’s schedules. But if you are not contributing to our goals, nor using your rank to improve the group, then you need to step down.

[19:10:15] Aryte Vesperia: Officer involvement is critical. Your involvement in the goals builds confidence in the group. It also sets a strong standard. When an officer holds OIC, the OIC seat is properly fulfilled. When an officer leads a raid, the raid goes forth with high levels of experience. Even if you are not an expert-- you know how the group runs. You know how we want things done and how to handle situations based upon time in service alone.

[19:11:16] Aryte Vesperia: So, I reiterate and ask you with the utmost respect: check in and do your part. Do not make the goals oppressive or make me have to micromanage you to get the basic expectations handled. You control your destiny. You control the quality of our defense and offensive operations. You control and are responsible for whether or not we’re inactive or active.

[19:12:11] Aryte Vesperia: Next, I want to talk a bit about attitude. We need to be sure to set a positive example. We are not here to set a nanny-state sentiment of protecting everyone from negative sentiments, but we need to make sure our language and our presentation to both one another, enlistees, and enemies is honorable and respectful.

[19:12:56] Aryte Vesperia: You can be negative about something respectfully. To be sure, I have a share in this and I expect you to remind me when I am below the line on this as well.

[19:13:38] Aryte Vesperia: We need to be sure we’re on one another’s side here. The officer corp supports the officer corps. The officer corps supports the enlisted corps. We must be unified from the top down. If you have issues with any other officer, it must be professionally handled. Otherwise, it must be mediated and brought to my attention. Undermining another officer for the benefit of an enlistee is breaking our solidarity and will not be tolerated.

[19:14:37] Aryte Vesperia: Undermining an enlistee for the sake of self gain is breaking our solidarity. And it will not be tolerated.

[19:15:07] Aryte Vesperia: Further, respect of specialized departments is equally critical. Every one here plays a critical part to our success. Being disrespectful or developing an anti-X unit mentality will not be tolerated. It does not matter if you are AiR, IAC, IEA, Praetorian, Terra, Astra, or Munitorum. You support one another. If I hear mistrust of divisions being shared among personnel, it needs to be dealt with. If that mistrust is being shared laterally to enlistees, then it really needs to be dealt with.

[19:15:57] Aryte Vesperia: At the end of the day, you are all important to my office. Undermining or distrusting any element of the many facets of the Ordo’s administration undermines me. It cuts my ability to be effective and cuts the ability of the Ordo to grow and prosper.

[19:16:41] Aryte Vesperia: The Ordo survives and is strong because of solidarity. Distrust, disrespect, and any fracturing ends today. Without exception. I’d rather have a staff of five people who wholeheartedly support one another, than a staff of fifty who distrust and aim to undermine one another.

[19:17:17] Aryte Vesperia: Finally, I want to touch on the power meets.

[19:17:36] Aryte Vesperia: I am going to change gears a bit to really push the education role of my position. I am going to invest as much time as I can counseling each of you individually to maximize your positions in the Ordo. I am going to extend this to NCOs as well. I will painstakingly, one on one if necessary, ensure every officer is a raid leader, a defensive leader, and a successful administrator. We will sit down, discuss, set goals for achievement, mentor, and critique.

[19:18:57] Aryte Vesperia: That does not mean I will protect you from your own incompetence. You have to stand up and be willing to do a job, embrace it, and do it with excellence.

[19:19:15] Aryte Vesperia: We saw a bit of this with the 30/60/90 plan. Unfortunately I had issues doing follow ups. I aim to change that.

[19:19:45] Aryte Vesperia: Ultimately I want to see this whole topic ring home. We need to step up our game. The Ordo is the America of SL. And not unlike America, we stand poised to lose our luster if we don’t push. We have longevity. We have the means to do great things. We have the staff. We just need to stay in focus and push to keep moving.

[19:20:40] Aryte Vesperia: I am going to trim our personnel down to actives only. We’re going to cut the fat and then push for massive recruitment. We are going to revolutionize our region. We are going to revolutionize our gear. What I need you to do is just your part, be excited, and spread that excitement among our members. Exhibit our finery. Teach them what they need to know. Find ways to improve. Take care of matters you can take care of so my time isn’t spent handling tasks that are better managed by you.

[19:22:43] Aryte Vesperia: I want today to be the start of our next golden era. We've grown so far, and come to be so much. But we have become content with that. I am not comfortable with being #1. I am comfortable with being so far ahead as #1 that everyone else gives the fuck up trying to catch us.

[19:23:21] Aryte Vesperia: As always, I entrust you with tasks of grand proportion and grant you the authority to do what you feel must be done. Use it and prove me right. I didn’t hire you because you’re slouches. I hired you because you are excellent people. We have our speed bumps, we have our differences. Nothing wrong with it. Now let’s get over it, get over ourselves, and get back to doing what we do best: being the best.

[19:24:16] Aryte Vesperia: Mr. Hand needs volunteers to handle a mass training over our build layout. Unless you've something better to do, I'd appreciate you getting with him and making that happen.

[19:24:22] Aryte Vesperia: Dismissed.

Edited June 24, 2012 by Intus Infinity
Removed salutes

[Nightfall Foxclaw]

Cutting inactive personnel? Shit.

[Guest Ruin Nefarious]

You'll be fine.

[Nightfall Foxclaw]

<3 I'm saved! Don't want to leave the Ordo. Nope.

Edited June 27, 2012 by Nightfall Foxclaw