To be better
Rooney pulls from all sources to improve Sheppard
By Angel Riggs, Times Record News
March 23, 2003
Riding the current is easy — even a dead fish can go with the flow; with goals in place, the motivated salmon can swim upstream.
Brig. Gen. Arthur Rooney, commander of the 82nd training wing at Sheppard Air Force Base, took that story from a Sunday service recently. It seems to fit with his philosophy of setting goals for leadership and efficiency in a learning partnership with Wichita Falls.
"An organization without goals is treading water," Rooney said.
So, he’s looked everywhere from Disney World to United Supermarkets for ideas and advice on linking the business world with the base. And, an avid reader, he read daily, often while on an exercise bike for an hour.
He’s studied everything from Lincoln’s management practice of walking amongst workers for a first-hand view, to former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s thoughts on leadership.
"I think business leaders can learn a great deal from America’s military," he said. "Our core values, work ethic, discipline."
"But then there’s a great deal we can learn from commercial industry."
Many of the changes Rooney has made at the base in his first year, revolve around a problem that’s plagued business for years: old-fashioned efficiency.
But with Rooney’s leading, even the means of achieving efficiency is efficient.
Groups at the base are assigned projects, which can range from a quality of life concern to paperwork. As those groups work to complete their project, weekly reports are made in staff meetings, where information is shared and other group leaders develop ideas.
"In this process, people are communicating more," said Lt. Col. John Skinner, director of public affairs at the base. "The exchange of information is benefiting everyone across the base."
However, Rooney isn’t looking just at the base — he’s looked across the town for inspiration and education.
Ice cream and customer service
During a grocery shopping trip to United Supermarket, Rooney and his wife came across a sale on Blue Bonnet Ice Cream: two for $5.
"We walked out with about $30 of Blue Bonnet Ice Cream," he said. "Of course, that required help carrying it out."
A "good looking kid" helped the couple out to the car, ice cream in tow, but wouldn’t accept a tip.
"He said, ‘No sir, it’s been my pleasure serving you.’"
Not long after that, Rooney, back at United Supermarket, stood in line behind a customer who ordered an eggnog latte. The young salesperson asked the customer to taste his latte, just too make sure it was OK.
The customer said it was perfect, and the salesperson said, "Good, that’s the way it’s supposed to be," Rooney said.
"I asked if she received customer serving training, and she said, ‘Yes, does it show?"
It wasn’t long before a military bus showed up at the store, full of employees from Sheppard eager to learn how employees of all levels at the store gained such a motivation for customer service.
Tim Chase, president of the Board of Commerce and Industry, said he applauds "the general’s efforts to improve aspects of running a military installation by looking for private sector models that might be beneficial."
"I think that when the leadership of the military and the business community get an opportunity to see how each other operates it can only lead to improvements for both."
Keeping fit
The Houston-based Quality Institute of America is working closely with the base’s Manpower and Organization department in strategic planning and measuring of productivity and improvements.
Tech. Sgt. Erasmus Henriquez has worked at the base since 1995 and is now employed in the Manpower office. His background in the fitness industry has helped him understand Rooney’s plan for keeping business improvements on the front burner.
"We’re a body," he said. "If you want to make it better, you have to have a plan. Getting in shape is easy, staying in shape is the hardest."
"That’s what Gen. Rooney has down pat — staying in shape."
And a key to staying in shape is keeping current. Many employees have found themselves hitting the books, at the general’s request.
Henriquez walked into his boss’ office recently and found an article with a yellow sticky-note attached that read "The General wants you to read this," he said.
Lt. Matthew Human, support branch chief in the Manpower department, nodded in agreement. Rooney suggested he read "Jack Welch and the GE Way," by Robert Slater. While books on leadership and management make up big sections of Rooney’s library, they’re not the only ones he recommends.
"I have read more under this commander than I have in all my other commanders in all my 17 years combined," Skinner said. "This leader has a great interest in the base library, he wants a world-class learning facility."
Rooney had a stack of books in his office last week. As he worked his way through the pile, he noted what lessons could be taken from each one. "Gung Ho," by Ken Blanchard, is written in story form, he said. "It explains the importance of people in an organization understanding the mission."
He’s taken to heart a part of the book that talks about the importance of recognition.
"Something as simple as looking someone in the eye and saying ‘Thanks getting the job well done, that was great.’ We didn’t do enough of that," he said.
Rooney shared passages from Giuliani’s book "Leadership" with group and squadron commander on analysis and determining responsibility and accountability.
"I went to school and learned a great deal about management," Rooney said. "Without understanding the role of leadership, you could manage a company right out of business."
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