LETTER TO THE HONORABLE ANNE ARMSTRONG FROM WILLIAM J. CASEY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88B00443R001500050043-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 30
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 16, 2007
• Sequence Number: 43
• Publication Date: March 15, 1984
• Content Type: LETTER

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PER - 0/DCI Debbi- 15MAR 1984
Orig & 20 to PFIAB (One for Each Member)
0/DCI
1 - DDCI
1 - EXDIR
1 - ER File
Have 6 More Copies
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Executive Registry
The Director of Central Intelligence
Washington, D. C.20505
15 March 1984
The Honorable Anne Armstrong
Chairman, President's Foreign
Intelligence Advisory Board
340 Old Executive Office Building
Washington, D. C. 20500
Dear Anne,
I thought that you and the Board would be interested in an exercise .
we are having at CIA to get every corner of the organization involved in a
reexamination of what we are, what we do and how we can do it better. I
started with a talk in the Auditorium reviewing what we have done with the
increased resources and new challenges we have had. To handle the greatly
increased flow of information and additional challenges coming in the years
immediately ahead, I asked for a searching reexamination of how we can get
more out of the capabilities and resources we can expect to have.
The usual way of approaching this kind of an exercise is to organize a
dozen task forces and have them labor for six months to a year to produce a
report of some hundreds of pages. I wanted something which would get everyone
involved and draw suggestions and reactions quickly. So I prepared a package
consisting of a two-page draft of goals, principles and standards for CIA,
similar statements used by star corporate performers described in the bestseller
In Search of Excellence, as well as some extracts from that book.
I asked that everyone in the organization be involved in small meetings tb,
improve my draft and generate ideas and suggestions over the following three
weeks. I received a stack of responses almost three feet high. They reflected
a combination of pride and concern about erosion of benefits and capabilities
and about a long-term growth of layering and bureaucratic impediments to
initiative and action, together with many thoughtful suggestions on how the
effectiveness and dynamism of the organization could be further improved.
I read through the final submissions, made ten pages of notes on them and
sent copies of those notes to some 650 people who had prepared the submissions
from meetings in which many thousands of people were involved. A task force
of five persons worked for a week to select recommendations which would be
implemented quickly and approve a CIA credo.
I attach a copy of that credo, a draft of my remarks reporting on the
results of this exercise, and a draft of the remarks I made in initiating it.
I think this will give you a unique insight into the kind of people and
organization we have here.
Attachments a/s
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We are the people of the Central Intelligence Agency.
We produce timely and high quality intelligence for the
President of the United States and other policymakers.
We provide objective and unbiased evaluations and are always
open to new perceptions and ready to challenge conventional
wisdom.
We perform special intelligence tasks at the request of the
President.
We conduct our activities and ourselves according to the
highest standards of integrity, morality and honor and
according to the spirit and letter of the law.
We measure our success by our contribution to the protection
and enhancement of American values, security and national
interest.
We believe our people are the Agency's most important resource.
We seek the best and work to make them better. We subordinate
our desire for public recognition to the need for
confidentiality. We strive for continuing professional
improvement. We give unfailing loyalty to each other and to
our common purpose.
We look. to our leaders to stimulate initiative, a commitment to
excellence, and a propensity for action; to reward and protect
us in a manner which reflects the special nature of our
responsibility, our contribution, and our sacrifices; and to
promote among us a sense of mutual trust and shared
responsibility.
We derive our inspiration and commitment to excellence from our
motto: "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you
free."
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IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE
6 MARCH 1 984
A FEW WEEKS AGO I-SPOKE TO YOU IN THIS SAME AUDITORIUM AND
ASKED FOR YOUR HELP IN UNLEASHING A PROCESS TO GET FROM EVERY
CORNER OF OUR ORGANIZATION A BROAD EXAMINATION OF WHAT WE ARE
ABOUT, AND WHAT WE WANT TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE. I ASKED YOU
TO DEVELOP A CONCISE STATEMENT OF GOALS, PRINCIPLES AND
STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE THAT WOULD BOTH REFLECT WHAT MAKES CIA
GREAT AND SERVE AS A CONTINUING CHALLENGE TO OUR OFFICERS NOT
TO REST ON THEIR LAURELS, BUT TO CONSTANTLY STRIVE FOR SUPERIOR
PERFORMANCE AND EXCELLENCE. TO GIVE YOU A STRAWMAN, I PROVIDED
A ROUGH DRAFT OF WHAT SUCH A STATEMENT MIGHT CONTAIN. I ALSO
ASKED FOR ANY OTHER IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS THAT ANYONE MIGHT HAVE
FOR FOSTERING AN ATMOSPHERE OF CREATIVITY, A BIAS TOWARD ACTION.
INSTEAD OF TAKING MONTHS AND PRODUCING VOLUMES AS OTHER ORGANI-
ZATIONS HAVE DONE, YOU WERE CHARGED WITH COMING UP WITH TWO
PAGES IN THREE WEEKS.
I'M VERY PLEASED ...
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I'M VERY PLEASED TO REPORT THAT AS USUAL, YOU CAME THROUGH
WITH FLYING COLORS. ON FEBRUARY 24TH I RETURNED FROM A TRIP
ABROAD AND FOUND 34 INCHES OF THOUGHTFUL RESPONSES WAITING FOR
ME. I HAD A HEAVY COLD AND STAYED IN BED FOR THE WEEKEND.
THAT ENABLED ME TO READ ALL OF YOUR DRAFT STATEMENTS AND
ADDITIONAL IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS. I MADE NOTES ON THEM AND I
SENT COPIES OF MY NOTES TO THE 663 OF YOU WHOSE NAMES APPEARED
ON THE SUBMISSIONS I RECEIVED. I KNOW THAT THOUSANDS OF YOU
'PARTICIPATED IN THE DIALOGUE THAT GENERATED THOSE IDEAS AND
SUGGESTIONS.
I HAVE TO ADMIT THAT YOUR CRITICISM OF MY DRAFT WAS GOOD
FOR MY SOUL. IF I HAD KNOWN THAT IT WOULD BE SCRUTINIZED SO
THOROUGHLY, I MIGHT HAVE SPENT MORE TIME ON IT. As I'VE
MENTIONED TO SOME OF YOU, THE UNKINDEST CUT OF ALL WAS, "IT
SORT OF RESEMBLES A GOVERNMENT REGULATION." THE BEST COMMENT
ANYONE COULD MUSTER WAS THAT IT WAS A RESPECTABLE FIRST TRY!
MANY OF YOU DID NOT MINCE ANY WORDS, AND I APPRECIATED THAT
CANDOR. I UNDERSTAND SOME INITIAL HESITANCY GAVE WAY TO
STIMULATING DISCUSSIONS AT ALL LEVELS OF THE ORGANIZATION. I
WANT THAT DIALOGUE TO CONTINUE.
YOUR RESPONSES REFLECTED
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YOUR RESPONSES REFLECTED A STRONG UNDERCURRENT OF IDEALISM
AND A DESIRE TO ATTAIN EXCELLENCE. YOU HAD MANY GOOD THOUGHTS
ABOUT WHAT WE DO BEST, WHERE WE NEED TO DO BETTER, AND HOW WE
CAN DO THAT.
SEVERAL COMMON THEMES EMERGED:
--YOU HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF PRIDE IN YOURSELVES, IN YOUR
WORK, AND IN CIA.
--YOU DO HAVE A STRONG BIAS FOR ACTION AND
--YOU WORRY THAT CREEPING BUREAUCRACY MAY BE STARTING TO
TAKE A SIGNIFICANT TOLL ON OUR SPIRIT AND ON OUR ABILITY TO GET
THINGS DONE.
--IT CAME THROUGH LOUD AND CLEAR TO ME THAT YOU HAVE A
CLEAR CONCEPT OF WHAT WE'RE ABOUT AND THAT WHILE YOU WANTED A
CLEAR AND CONCISE ENUNCIATION OF OUR GOALS AND IDEALS YOU ALSO
LOOKED FOR FOLLOW THROUGH ACTION.
WHAT I WANT TO DO TODAY IS LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE PLAN TO DO
TO FOLLOW UP ON YOUR IDEAS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
TO ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK
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TO ESTABLISH A FRAMEWORK FOR OUR EFFORTS, I HAVE SYNTHESIZED
YOUR SUGGESTIONS FOR A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE INTO A CIA CREDO.
I BELIEVE THIS IS SOMETHING WE CAN ADHERE TO AND POINT TO WITH
PRIDE WHEN ANYONE ASKS US WHAT THE CIA IS ALL ABOUT. As YOU
WILL SEE, IT SAYS THINGS LIKE:
-- WE PRODUCE TIMELY AND HIGH QUALITY INTELLIGENCE
FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER
POLICYMAKERS.
WE PROVIDE OBJECTIVE AND UNBIASED EVALUATIONS AND
ARE ALWAYS OPEN TO NEW PERCEPTIONS AND READY TO
CHALLENGE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM.
-- WE PERFORM SPECIAL INTELLIGENCE TASKS AT THE
REQUEST OF THE PRESIDENT.
-- WE CONDUCT OUR ACTIVITIES AND OURSELVES ACCORDING
TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF INTEGRITY, MORALITY
AND HONOR AND ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT AND LETTER
OF THE LAW.
WE ARE THE AGENCY'S ...
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-- WE BELIEVE OUR PEOPLE ARE THE AGENCY'S MOST
IMPORTANT RESOURCE. WE SEEK THE BEST AND WORK TO
MAKE THEM BETTER.
WE LOOK TO OUR LEADERS TO STIMULATE INITIATIVE. A
COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE, AND A PROPENSITY FOR
ACTION: TO REWARD AND PROTECT US IN A MANNER WHICH
REFLECTS THE SPECIAL NATURE OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY,
OUR CONTRIBUTION, AND OUR SACRIFICES; AND TO
PROMOTE AMONG US A SENSE OF MUTUAL TRUST AND
SHARED RESPONSIBILITY.
WE DERIVE OUR INSPIRATION AND COMMITMENT TO
EXCELLENCE FROM OUR MOTTO: "YE SHALL KNOW THE
TRUTH AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE."
To CAPTURE ALL THE VALUABLE IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS PRODUCED
IN THIS EXERCISE. I CONVENED AN INTERDIRECTORATE TASK FORCE TO
PULL TOGETHER A STATEMENT OF OUR MISSION AND GOALS TO SUPPLE-
MENT THIS CREDO. WE'LL SEE THAT THIS IS WIDELY DISTRIBUTED.
ALONG WITH THE CREDO.
THIS GROUP ALSO CULLED ...
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THIS GROUP ALSO CULLED THROUGH YOUR IDEAS TO IDENTIFY WHAT
WE COULD IMPLEMENT RIGHT AWAY. I MET WITH THE TASK FORCE LAST
WEEK AND AGREED WITH THE VAST MAJORITY OF THEIR SUGGESTIONS.
HERE'S A SAMPLE OF WHAT WE ARE DOING:
--I AM SENDING ALL AGENCY MANAGERS A LETTER LETTING THEM
KNOW THAT OUR PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE DEPENDS ON THEIR PERSONAL
COMMITMENT TO COMMUNICATE OUR GOALS AND STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE
TO ALL OUR EMPLOYEES. I EXPECT THEM TO PRACTICE "MANAGEMENT BY
WALKING AROUND" -- TO BE VISIBLE, TO FOSTER SENSIBLE RISKTAKING.
CREATIVITY, AND INNOVATION; TO BE OPEN TO YOUR IDEAS AND RECOG-
NIZE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
--HARRY FITZWATER IS TAKING A LOOK AT ALL OF OUR ADMINIS-
TRATIVE PRACTICES TO DETERMINE WHERE WE CAN PROFITABLY STREAM-
LINE OUR PROCEDURES AND FLOW OF PAPER.
--WE WILL BEGIN BY ENCOURAGING. THE DELEGATION OF
AUTHORITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES WHEREVER WE CAN.
--WE WILL MAKE ANNUAL WORK PLANS OPTIONAL, DEPENDING
ON THE MUTUAL DESIRES OF SUPERVISORS AND THEIR EMPLOYEES.
WE WILL ELIMINATE ...
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--WE WILL ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENT FOR SEPARATE
DOCUMENTATION FOR PROMOTION RECOMMENDATIONS.
--WE WILL SIMPLIFY THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES OF
OUR OFFICE OF TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR EXTERNAL TRAINING.
--THE NEED TO FOSTER BETTER COMMUNICATIONS CAME THROUGH
CLEARLY IN YOUR RESPONSES. As I'VE ALREADY NOTED, I'M GOING TO
LOOK TO ALL MANAGERS TO GET MORE INFORMATION FLOWING, BOTH UP
AND DOWN.
--WE WILL GET MORE NEWS OUT THROUGH ODP'S ELECTRONIC
MAIL SYSTEM, AIM.
--EACH DIRECTORATE WILL DEVELOP ITS OWN "TRENDS AND
HIGHLIGHTS" PROGRAM THAT WILL BE OPEN TO ALL AGENCY
EMPLOYEES.
--THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL WILL PROVIDE PERIODIC
BRIEFINGS OPEN TO ALL EMPLOYEES ON THE STATUS OF BENEFITS
AND OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST.
--FEEDBACK FROM IG SURVEYS WILL BE SHARED AND
EMPLOYEES WILL BE INVOLVED IN SOLVING THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE
CITED.
MANY OF YOU VOICED ...
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--MANY OF YOU VOICED CONCERN THAT THE ONLY VISIBILITY THE
PUBLIC HAS INTO CIA IS THROUGH THE MEDIA, WHICH IS OFTEN
SLANTED OR INCORRECT.
--To COUNTER THAT, JOHN MCMAHON. MYSELF, AND OTHER SENIOR
OFFICERS WILL SELECTIVELY SPEAK TO RESPONSIBLE, INFLUENTIAL
GROUPS TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS INSTITUTION'S VITAL
CONTRIBUTION TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOREIGN POLICY. THIS
WILL NOT BE A PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGN. IT IS SIMPLY AN
ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THE UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT OF THE
AMERICAN PUBLIC ARE KEY IF WE ARE TO SUCCESSFULLY PERFORM OUR
MISSION. MANY OF YOUR RESPONSES MADE IT CLEAR THAT YOU WOULD
LIKE YOUR SENIOR OFFICIALS TO STAND UP FOR YOUR ACCOMPLISH-
MENTS, AND WE INTEND TO DO THAT.
--FINALLY, WE ARE MOVING OUT ON THE PERSONNEL AND TRAINING
FRONTS TO MAKE SURE WE GET THE FIRST RATE PEOPLE WE NEED AND
KEEP YOU ONCE YOU ARE HERE.
--OUR RECRUITERS' FULL COURT PRESS FOR CAREER TRAINEES
SO FAR THIS YEAR HAS ALREADY ALMOST DOUBLED THE NUMBER WE
TOOK IN ALL LAST YEAR.
INTENSE RECRUITING EFFORTS ..
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--INTENSE RECRUITING EFFORTS AT TOP FLIGHT SCHOOLS
LIKE STANFORD AND MIT ARE BEGINNING TO PAY DIVIDENDS. WE
HAVE MORE APPLICANTS IN PROCESS AT THIS TIME THAN WE HAVE
EVER HAD IN OUR HISTORY.
--WE WILL DEVELOP A BASIC INTRODUCTION FOR ALL THESE
NEW EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY CAN APPRECIATE THE MISSION.
GOALS, WORK ETHIC AND CULTURE OF CIA.
--WE WILL WAIVE TIME-IN-GRADE GUIDELINES FOR
PROMOTIONS TO REWARD EXCELLENCE IN PERFORMANCE.
--WE WILL ELIMINATE THE 8-HOUR DONATION RULE FOR
OVERTIME.
--WE WILL PROVIDE TEMPORARY CLEARANCES TO SPOUSES
ACCOMPANYING EMPLOYEES OVERSEAS SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE PART
IN SELECTED BRIEFINGS AND TRAINING COURSES PRIOR TO THEIR
DEPARTURE.
--SPECIAL PAY SCALES WILL BE DEVELOPED FOR HIGH
TECHNOLOGY JOBS AND OTHER CRITICAL SKILL JOB CATEGORIES.
--WE WILL TAKE A CAREFUL LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF
TECHNOLOGY ON OUR PEOPLE, THEIR JOBS, AND OUR OFFICE
ENVIRONMENT.
WE'RE ASKING THE OFFICE ..,
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--WE'RE ASKING THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL TO CONSIDER
POSSIBILITIES FOR A PHASED RETIREMENT PROGRAM -- THIS IS AN
IDEA THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS TOYING WITH TO PERMIT PEOPLE TO
DROP BACK TO PART-TIME WORK AND PHASE OUT GRADUALLY RATHER
THAN COMPLETELY. AS WE TRADITIONALLY DO NOW.
--MEANWHILE, WE ARE DEVELOPING A RETIREMENT SYSTEM FOR
PRESIDENTIAL AND CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL WHICH RECOGNIZES
THE UNIQUENESS OF CIA AND THE DEMANDS THE AGENCY PLACES ON
INDIVIDUAL EMPLOYEES.
THIS LAST POINT REMINDS ME OF ANOTHER COMMON THEME IN YOUR
RESPONSES--PRIDE IN "THE UNIQUENESS OF CIA." I WOULD LIKE TO
DIGRESS ON THAT FOR A MOMENT. I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT IN THE
THREE YEARS WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER. I HAVE COME TO APPRECIATE
THAT YOU ARE INDEED A SPECIAL GROUP OF PEOPLE. IN MY VISITS TO
AGENCY INSTALLATIONS, WHETHER OVERSEAS OR HERE. I AM ALWAYS
IMPRESSED BY THE HIGH CALIBRE OF OUR PEOPLE. I HEAR THE SAME
THING FROM CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS WHO HAVE VISITED OUR PEOPLE
OVERSEAS OR WHO HAVE BEEN BRIEFED BY THEM HERE ON A WIDE RANGE
OF COMPLEX ISSUES.
IN ORDER TO WORK HERE, ...
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IN ORDER TO WORK HERE. YOU HAD TO SURVIVE ONE OF THE MOST
RIGOROUS SCREENING PROCESSES KNOWN TO MAN -- THE HIGHEST SKILL
REQUIREMENTS- PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING. MEDICAL CLEARANCES,
SECURITY CLEARANCES, POLYGRAPHS. OUT OF AN AVERAGE 153.000
INQUIRIES A YEAR. WE INTERVIEW ONLY 23,000 APPLICANTS. OF
THOSE, 10.000 ARE ACTIVELY CONSIDERED BY COMPONENTS. ONLY
4.000 ARE PUT IN PROCESS. AND OF THOSE, 1.500 MAKE IT THROUGH
.THE ENTIRE SCREENING PROCESS AND ENTER ON DUTY. AFTER YOU HAVE
EMERGED FROM THAT FUNNEL. THEN YOU UNDERGO A 3-YEAR PROBATIONARY
PERIOD. ONCE YOU ATTAIN CAREER STATUS, YOU LIVE WITH ANY
NUMBER OF CONSTRAINTS -- SECURITY RESPONSIBILITIES, PREPUBLICA-
TION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS; ALMOST HALF OF YOU BEAR THE BURDENS
IMPOSED BY COVER. WITH ALL OF THIS, YOU ARE THE PEOPLE POLICY-
MAKERS TURN TO WHEN THEY NEED SOMETHING DONE WELL AND FAST.
LAST YEAR YOU FORFEITED 97.000 HOURS OF ANNUAL LEAVE AND WORKED
UNTOLD HOURS OF UNCOMPENSATED OVERTIME. YOU WON'T FIND THAT AT
YOUR ORDINARY GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT OR AGENCY. YOU ENJOY NO
PUBLIC RECOGNITION FOR YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS AND MUST TOLERATE
CRITICISMS - RESPONSIBLE OR OTHERWISE - IN SILENCE.
I KNOW AND APPRECIATE ALL THAT. SO DOES THE PRESIDENT.
AND SO DO OUR CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES.
ONE FINAL NOTE ON ...
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ONE FINAL NOTE ON OUR FOLLOW-THROUGH ON YOUR SUGGESTIONS.
I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. WE'VE
ASKED THE DEPUTIES TO USE WHATEVER MECHANISM THEY WANT -- MAG
GROUPS, OFFICE-LEVEL TASK FORCES, WHAT HAVE YOU -- TO CONTINUE
TO PERIODICALLY GENERATE IDEAS TO IMPROVE THE WAY WE GO ABOUT
OUR BUSINESS. WE BELIEVE THIS EFFORT ONLY SCRATCHED THE
SURFACE AND WE WANT TO TAP INTO THE WEALTH OF IDEAS OUT THERE.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU PUT
INTO THIS EXERCISE. I HOPE THAT IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN
ONGOING PROCESS -- THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE AND THE EVER
INCREASING EFFECTIVENESS IN CARRYING OUT OUR NOBLE MISSION IS
SOMETHING WE ALL MUST STRIVE FOR TOGETHER.
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REMARKS OF WILLIAM J. CASEY
DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE
TO
CIA EMPLOYEES
CIA AUDITORIUM
24 JANUARY 1984
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As WE START OUR FOURTH YEAR OF WORKING TOGETHER, I WANT
YOU TO KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN A RICH AND GRATIFYING EXPERIENCE FOR
ME AND I WANT TO THANK ALL HERE FOR WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO
TOGETHER. AT THE SAME TIME I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT SOME
DISCUSSIONS AND EVENTS DURING THE FIRST WEEKS OF THIS YEAR WHICH
BROUGHT HOME TO ME HOW MUCH MORE THERE IS TO DO-
WEEK BEFORE LAST I PREPARED A RATHER DETAILED REPORT ON WHAT
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS AND
REVIEWED IT WITH THE PRESIDENT- MORE THAN ANY OTHER PART OF THE
GOVERNMENT WE ARE IN ACTION EVERY DAY, DEALING WITH THE WORLDWIDE
APPARATUS OF THE KGB, PLUS SOME 70 NON-GOVERNING COMMUNIST PARTIES,
PLUS PEACE AND FRIENDSHIP ORGANIZATIONS ALL OVER THE WORLD DIRECTED
FROM MOSCOW, PLUS THE EAST GERMAN, CUBAN, AND OTHER BLOC
INTELLIGENCE SERVICES--ALL WORKING TO STEAL OUR TECHNOLOGY, TO
DAMAGE OUR REPUTATION, TO DIVIDE US FROM OUR FRIENDS, TO
DESTABILIZE, SUBVERT AND OVERTHROW GOVERNMENTS FRIENDLY TO US-
THE PRESIDENT KNOWS THAT CIA IS THE ORGANIZATION IN THE FREE
WORLD MOST CAPABLE OF DEALING EFFECTIVELY WITH THIS ENORMOUS
APPARATUS AND FRUSTRATING ITS OBJECTIVES- I WAS ABLE TO SPELL
OUT FOR HIM HOW IN THESE THREE YEARS, ALMOST FROM SCRATCH, WE
HAVE CREAT.ED NEW CAPABILITIES FOR DEALING WITH WORLD PROBLEMS-
REVIEWED HOW, IN RECENT MONTHS, WE HAVE THWARTED TERRORIST
ATTACKS, RECOVERED STOLEN TECHNOLOGY AND CARRIED OUT RESCUE
OPERATIONS IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD.
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IN THE INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY AND IN CIA THE PRODUCTION
AND QUALITY OF FINISHED INTELLIGENCE FOR POLICYMAKERS IS AT THE
HIGHEST LEVEL IN HISTORY. FROM A LOW POINT IN 1980 OF ONLY 12
NATIONAL ESTIMATES, IN 1983 WE PUBLISHED SOME 50 NATIONAL
ESTIMATES AS WELL AS 25 OTHER INTELLIGENCE COMMUNITY ASSESSMENTS-
IN ADDITION, WE COMPLETED MORE THAN 800 RESEARCH PROJECTS ON A
NEARLY INCONCEIVABLE RANGE OF SUBJECTS FROM SOVIET WEAPONS SYSTEMS
TO POPULATION PROBLEMS TO THE IMPLICATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL
DEBT. THIS WAS IN ADDITION TO OUR STREAM OF PERIODICALS'-DAILIES,
WEEKLIES, MONTHLIES AND QUARTERLIES.
I WAS ABLE TO TELL THE PRESIDENT HOW OUR DIRECTORATE OF
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HAS COME UP WITH A WHOLE RANGE OF IMPROVED
METHODS OF ACQUIRING AND ANALYZING INFORMATION- I WAS ABLE TO
SPELL OUT HOW, IN 1983, THE KGB HAS TAKEN THE WORST SHELLACKING
IN ITS HISTORY AS 117 SOVIET INTELLIGENCE AGENTS DEFECTED OR
WERE EXPELLED FROM OVER 20 COUNTRIES ON ALL CONTINENTS-
IT TOOK ME 20 SINGLE-SPACED PAGES TO SUMMARIZE FOR THE
PRESIDENT WHAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED OVER THESE THREE YEARS-
HAVE NO INTENTION OF TAKING YOU THROUGH ALL OF THAT TODAY-
BUT I DO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE PRESIDENT REACTED STRONGLY
WITH PRIDE AND APPRECIATION IN WHAT YOU HAVE DONE IN REBUILDING
AND REVITALIZING THE NATIONS INTELLIGENCE ARM AND EXTENDS HIS
APPRECIATION AND CONGRATULATIONS-
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THIS WEEK, WITH OUR NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS, I AM
PUTTING THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON THE WORLDWIDE BRIEFING WHICH WE
GIVE TO SIX COMMITTEES OF THE CONGRESS AT THE BEGINNING OF
EACH SESSION. TOMORROW, IN THE FIRST OF THESE BRIEFINGS, WE
WILL TELL THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE ABOUT THE LARGE
NUMBER OF NEW STRATEGIC WEAPONS WHICH THE SOVIETS HAVE UNDER
DEVELOPMENT TO THREATEN US--HEAVY MISSILES, MOBILE MISSILES,
CRUISE MISSILES LAUNCHED FROM NEW SUBMARINES AND NEW AIRPLANES.
WE WILL TELL THEM ABOUT NEW CONVENTIONAL WEAPON SYSTEMS TO BE
DEPLOYED TO SUPPORT A DOCTRINE OF HIGHLY MOBILE MANEUVER FORCES
SUPPORTED BY MASSIVE ARTILLERY FIRE AND TACTICAL AIR STRIKES-
WE WILL TELL THEM ABOUT THE WORLDWIDE OCEAN EXERCISE LAST
SEPTEMBER-
WE WILL SPELL OUT HOW THE GLOBAL REACH OF THE SOVIET UNION
HAS EXPANDED OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS SO THAT SOVIET FORCES NOW
OPERATE FROM FULL-FLEDGED BASES IN CUBA, VIETNAM, SYRIA, SOUTH
YEMEN, ETHIOPIA, LIBYA, ANGOLA, AND OVER A DOZEN ADDITIONAL
COUNTRIES ALLOWING MORE LIMITED ACCESS. A SOVIET MILITARY
PRESENCE IS NOW ESTABLISHED IN EVERY MAJOR REGION OF THE WORLD.
WE WILL SPELL OUT HOW COMMUNIST AND RADICAL ARAB STATES USE
DOZENS OF MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS, SCORES OF TERRORIST
TRAINING CAMPS AND A WIDE ARRAY OF AD HOC TERRORIST GROUPS AND
LIBERATION MOVEMENTS TO THREATEN AND ATTACK OUR PEOPLE, DISRUPT
THE PEACE AND INFLAME RACIAL, RELIGIOUS AND OTHER CONFLICTS
AROUND THE WORLD- PREPARING THESE BRIEFINGS BRINGS HOME VIVIDLY
z
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THE TREMENDOUS RESPONSIBILITY WE HAVE TO KEEP TRACK OF, TO
UNDERSTAND AND TO WARN ABOUT THE EVOLUTION OF AN AWESOME ARRAY
OF SOPHISTICATED NEW WEAPONS SYSTEMS, OF NEW MILITARY DOCTRINES
AND STRATEGIES, OF THE RISE AND FALL OF NATIONAL ECONOMIES, OF
POTENTIAL INSTABILITIES AND CHANGES OF DIRECTION IN COUNTRIES ON
WHICH WE DEPEND, OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES WHICH AFFECT BOTH OUR SECURITY
AND OUR PROSPERITY, OF THE POLITICAL DRIVE.IN EUROPE TO BREAK UP
THE WESTERN ALLIANCE, OF THE RACE FOR SUPREMACY IN SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY. THIS IS THE STUFF OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN THIS
ORGANIZATION- MEETING THE CHALLENGE OF DEALING WITH THIS PANORAMA
OF FAST MOVING EVENTS BOTH DEMANDS AND BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN
ALL OF US-
THE FIRST WEEK OF THE YEAR WE PUT THE FINISHING TOUCHES ON
OUR BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 1985. THE PRESIDENT AND THE CONGRESS
HAVE BEEN GENEROUS IN GIVING US THE RESOURCES TO BUILD AND IMPROVE
OUR CAPABILITY TO MEET THESE CHALLENGES- WE ARE WELL ON THE WAY
TO RECOVERING THE GROUND LOST DURING THE 70s. BY 1986 WE WILL
BE EXAMINING THE WORLD MUCH MORE CLOSELY AND WITH NEW TECHNICAL
MARVELS COLLECTING INFORMATION WHICH WE DO NOT NOW REACH. To
HANDLE THIS GREATLY EXPANDED FLOW OF DATA, GET IT WHERE IT IS
NEEDED, SORT IT OUT AND FIGURE OUT WHAT IT MEANS, WE ARE MODERNIZING
OUR COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK, DEVELOPING NEW COMPUTER SYSTEMS AND
OTHER ADVANCED METHODS OF MANAGING AND TARGETING THESE COLLECTION
SYSTEMS AND PROCESSING AND ANALYZING THE DATA THEY WILL PRODUCE-
OVER THESE THREE YEARS OUR HUMAN SOURCE COLLECTION HAS GROWN
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SUBSTANTIALLY. OUR ANALYSTS WILL BEAR THE BRUNT OF COPING
WITH A SHARPLY INCREASED VOLUME OF INFORMATION. IN THE LAST
THREE YEARS THE BUDGET OF THE DIRECTORATE OF INTELLIGENCE HAS
INCREASED BY ALMOST 50 PERCENT AND BY THE END OF THIS YEAR WE
WILL HAVE ADDED MANY NEW ANALYSTS TO.THE ROSTER. RESOURCES FOR
OUTSIDE EXPERTISE TO HELP AND CRITIQUE OUR ANALYSIS HAVE ALMOST
TRIPLED - WE HAVE CONDUCTED A MASSIVE CAMPAIGN TO PUT OUR ANALYSTS
IN TOUCH WITH EXPERTS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, UNIVERSITIES, THINK
TANKS, PRIVATE BUSINESS HERE AND ABROAD- WE HAVE MOVED ANALYSTS
INTO THE COMPUTER AGE WITH HUNDREDS OF THEM NOW HAVING A TERMINAL
TO BRING NEW REPORTS TO THEIR DESK EVERY DAY, ORGANIZE THEIR DATA
AND BRING IT BACK AS NEEDED- ONLY WITH IMPROVED METHODS WILL
THE SAME NUMBER OF ANALYSTS CIA HAD IN 1960 BE ABLE TO COPE WITH
THE FAR BROADER PROBLEMS OF THE 1990S.
IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE IMPROVED PUBLIC ATTITUDE TOWARD THE
CIA THAT LAST YEAR ABOUT A QUARTER OF A MILLION AMERICANS ASKED
ABOUT SIGNING UP WITH THE CIA. FEWER THAN ONE PERCENT WERE
HIRED. THAT'S VERY TIGHT SCREENING AND SELECTION. To COPE
WITH THIS INCREASED HIRING, TO DEVELOP NEW SKILLS AND HELP ALL
OF US DO BETTER AND MORE RELEVANT WORK, OUR TRAINING CAPABILITIES
HAVE BEEN EXPANDED AND IMPROVED WITH NEW COURSES AND PROGRAMS-
THIS SPRING WE WILL BREAK GROUND FOR A NEW BUILDING ON THIS
CAMPUS WHICH WILL GIVE US MORE THAN AN ADDITIONAL MILLION SQUARE
FEET OF SPACE AND GREATLY IMPROVE THE. EFFICIENCY WITH WHICH WE
WILL BE ABLE TO DO OUR WORK-
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ALL OF US CAN TAKE PRIDE IN WHAT WE HAVE UNDER WAY, AND
HOW WE HAVE USED THE RESOURCES THAT HAVE BEEN PROVIDED US-
BY 1986 WE WILL HAVE COMPLETED MOST OF THE BUILDUP PROJECTED
THREE YEARS AGO. BUT THE PROBLEMS WILL BE GREATER AND MORE
COMPLEX- THE AMOUNT OF DATA BEING COLLECTED WILL THREATEN TO
INUNDATE US. WE WILL BE ABLE TO STAY ON TOP OF IT AND MEET OUR
RESPONSIBILITIES ONLY BY HIGHER QUALITY PERFORMANCE. WE ARE
WELL INTO THE PROCESS OF RESTORING OURSELVES QUANTITATIVELY.
OUR THRUST FOR THIS YEAR AND BEYOND MUST BE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY
OF OUR SKILLS, OF OUR PERFORMANCE AND OF THE SERVICE WE PROVIDE
OUR CUSTOMERS-
WE START WITH WHAT IS PROBABLY THE MOST PROFESSIONAL AND
DEDICATED WORK FORCE IN THE US GOVERNMENT- WE HAVE TRADITIONALLY
MAINTAINED A POSITION ON THE LEADING EDGE OF TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
IN THE COLLECTION AND HANDLING OF INFORMATION. THE QUALITY OF
OUR ANALYSIS IN MANY AREAS SURPASSES THAT PRODUCED ANYWHERE ELSE
IN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT "OR, FOR THAT MATTER, IN THE PRIVATE
SECTOR- WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN SOME OF THE
BEST MINDS AVAILABLE IN ANALYTICAL, OPERATIONAL, TECHNICAL AND
SUPPORT SPECIALTIES. WE NEED TO RECRUIT YOUNG PEOPLE WITH BRAINS,
CREATIVITY, DEDICATION AND DRIVE- WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER THEM IS
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ORGANIZATION UNIQUE IN THE
CHALLENGES IT FACES, IN THE RESPONSIBILITY IT CARRIES, IN THE
SPIRIT AND THE CAN-DO QUALITIES IT MANIFESTS. EVERY ONE OF US
SHOULD MAKE IT PART OF OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO BE ALERT TO PEOPLE
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WHO CAN MEET OUR STANDARDS, TO CONVEY THE MESSAGE THAT THERE IS
A SPECIAL PRIVILEGE AND A SPECIAL SATISFACTION IN OUR WORK AND
DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROVIDE THE EXAMPLE, THE LEADERSHIP, THE
GUIDANCE AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP NEW RECRUITS DEVELOP AS WE
WOULD LIKE THEM TO-
CIA MUST HAVE DONE THIS WELL OVER THE YEARS. LET US NOW
FOCUS MORE CONSCIOUSLY ON DOING IT BETTER AND MORE COMPREHENSIVELY-
WE ARE CONSTANTLY FACING THE LOSS OF PROVEN EXPERIENCE AND
ABILITY THROUGH RETIREMENTS. WE WILL HAVE TO FILL THAT GAP FROM
BELOW AND THE RAPID ACCUMULATION OF NEW THREATS, PROBLEMS, AND
CONCERNS FOR US TO HANDLE PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY AND THE
PRESSURE TO BRING OUR NEW RECRUITS AND YOUNGER PEOPLE ALONG
RAPIDLY TO BOTH HIGHER RESPONSIBILITY AND BETTER PERFORMANCE-
WE MUST REMEMBER THAT WHEN THE SPIRIT AND ATTITUDES WE
CHERISH HERE WERE DEVELOPED CIA WAS A MUCH SMALLER GROUP OF
PEOPLE, MANY OF WHOM KNEW EACH OTHER AND HAD WORKED TOGETHER
BEFORE- WE NOW HAVE MORE NEW PEOPLE THAN WE'VE HAD IN A VERY
LONG TIME. WE NEED TO TAKE SPECIAL CARE THAT WE PRESERVE,
TRANSMIT AND RENEW THE QUALITIES WHICH HAVE BEEN INSTILLED HERE
OVER 37 YEARS.
GOOD AS WE ARE, THESE NEW CHALLENGES DEMAND THAT WE WORK
TO IMPROVE OUR PERFORMANCE. HOW DO YOU GET SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE
FROM A VERY LARGE ORGANIZATION? IT'S NOT COMMON AND IT'S NOT
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EASY. IN SEARCH OF EXCELLENCE--LESSONS FROM AMERICA'S BEST RUN
COMPANIES IS THE NAME OF A BOOK WHICH FOR MANY MONTHS NOW HAS
REPLACED AT THE TOP OF THE BEST SELLER LIST VARIOUS GUIDES ON
SEX, ON HOW TO GET RICHER AND ON HOW TO EAT WELL WITHOUT GETTING
FAT- THIS BOOK EXAMINES THE IBMs, THE BOEINGS, THE HEWLETT-PACKARDS,
THE MINNESOTA MININGS, THE MCDONNELLS, THE BECHTELS AND SOME 30
OTHER OUTSTANDING CORPORATE PERFORMERS TO SEARCH OUT WHAT IT IS
THAT ACCOUNTS FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP, THEIR SUPERIOR SERVICE AND
THEIR GENERAL PERFORMANCE-
HOW DO THEY DO IT YEAR AFTER YEAR? MUCH THE SAME QUALITIES
RUN THROUGH THESE ENTERPRISES ENGAGED IN BROAD SPECTRUM OF DIVERSE
ACTIVITIES. THERE IS A BIAS FOR ACTION, THE CLOSEST ATTENTION
TO SERVING THE CUSTOMER, ENCOURAGING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE
ORGANIZATION, LOOKING TO THE RANK AND FILE AS THE ROOT SOURCE
OF QUALITY IN PERFORMANCE, FOSTERING LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION
AT ALL LEVELS, PRACTICAL RISK-TAKING, LEAN STAFFS, LOTS OF SMALL
TASK FORCES TO TACKLE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS IN A SHORT TIME FRAME, A
HIGH PREMIUM ON FLEXIBILITY, ON RAPID AND EFFECTIVE LEARNING, ON
ADAPTATION AND COMMITMENT- IN A VARIETY OF WAYS THEY ENCOURAGE
INITIATIVE, SUPPORT SELF-STARTERS, CREATE TASK FORCES WITH SHORT
TIME FUSES TO REACT QUICKLY, BREAK NEW GROUND, CROSS FERTILIZE
EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE. THEY PUSH THEIR MANAGERS AND STAR
PERFORMERS TO LEAD AND DEVELOP YOUNGER PEOPLE BY FORCE OF EXAMPLE,
TO IDENTIFY THEIR COMERS AND TO FORCE THE PACE OF THEIR DEVELOPMENT.
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WE HAVE IN CIA MANY OF THE FEATURES THAT CHARACTERIZE THESE
HIGH-POWERED PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS- WHEN WE AWARDED THE
PERFORMANCE BONUSES HERE LAST WEEK TO SENIOR MANAGERS, WE
RECOGNIZED INDIVIDUALS WHO CARRY THE PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITY
IN OUR GOVERNMENT FOR ASSESSING THE SOVIET STRATEGIC THREAT, FOR
COPING WITH THE SOVIET-CUBAN SUBVERSIVE THRUST IN THE CARIBBEAN
AND CENTRAL AMERICA, FOR MODERNIZING OUR WORLDWIDE SUPPORT
SYSTEMS FOR WATCHING SOVIET VIOLATIONS OF ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENTS
AND OTHER SPLENDID ACHIEVEMENTS WE ARE MOVING YOUNGER PEOPLE
INTO GREATER RESPONSIBILITY AS OFFICE DIRECTORS AND HEADS OF
MAJOR OPERATIONS OF WORLDWIDE IMPORTANCE- WE HAVE MID-LEVEL
OFFICERS BRIEFING THE PRESIDENT AND WORKING ON TASK FORCES
TACKLING HIGH NATIONAL CONCERNS ABOUT INSURGENCIES, ABOUT
TERRORISM, ABOUT DECEPTION AND DAMAGE TO OUR INTELLIGENCE
CAPABILITIES, ABOUT THE STABILITY OF MAJOR COUNTRIES IN WHICH WE
HAVE BIG STAKES- WHERE ELSE CAN YOUNG PEOPLE GET THAT KIND OF A
CHALLENGE?
THOSE WHO WILL BE OUR FUTURE MIDDLE AND SENIOR LEVEL MANAGERS
WILL ALSO BE JUDGED ON THEIR RECORD IN IDENTIFYING AND DEVELOPING
TALENT AS WELL AS ON THEIR OWN PERFORMANCE. THE PROCESS OF
MAKING ASSIGNMENTS--DECIDING HOW MUCH AND WHAT KIND OF EXPERTISE
MUST BE FOCUSED ON THE VARIOUS TASKS WHICH CONFRONT IIS, AND
DECIDING TO WHOM TO ENTRUST THESE TASKS" IS OF CRITICAL IMPORTANCE-
SOME ASSIGNMENTS STRETCH THE CAPABILITIES OF OUR PEOPLE--SOMETIMES
SETTING THE STAGE FOR GREAT GROWTH- OTHER ASSIGNMENTS MERELY
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TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT A PERSON ALREADY KNOWS HOW TO DO- As YOU
CARRY OUT THIS ESSENTIAL TASK, CONSIDER THE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
ASPECTS OF EACH ASSIGNMENT AS CAREFULLY AS YOU DO THE NEED TO
ACCOMPLISH SUCCESSFULLY WHATEVER TASK IS AT HAND.
YOU WILL FIND OTHER WAYS TO FOSTER AN ATMOSPHERE OF CHALLENGE
AND OPPORTUNITY, TO TEST OUR YOUNGER PEOPLE, TO BRING THEM MORE
RAPIDLY INTO HIGHER AND BROADER RESPONSIBILITY, AND TO INSTILL
IN THEM A SENSE OF PURPOSE AND A CONFIDENCE IN THEIR CAPABILITIES-
IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO A QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE. THAT IS AND
ALWAYS HAS BEEN ALIVE AND WELL IN THIS ORGANIZATION. NOW CAN WE
INTENSIFY AND TRANSMIT THAT ASPIRATION TO EVERY CORNER OF THIS
ORGANIZATION AND BRING OUT LATENT TALENT WHEREVER IT EXISTS.
WEEK BEFORE LAST, AFTER A DAY VISITING A LEADING CORPORATE
RESEARCH CENTER, I CAME AWAY WITH NEW INSIGHT INTO HOW QUALITIES
OF THRUST AND DRIVE, FLEXIBILITY AND RESPONSE TO CHALLENGE AND THE
QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE CAN BE MADE TO PERVADE AND ANIMATE A HUGE
ORGANIZATION. A MAJOR KEY TO ITS SUCCESS IN MAINTAINING HIGH
PERFORMANCE, FOCUS AND DRIVE IN A LARGE NUMBER OF COMPONENT
ORGANIZATIONS SPREAD ALL OVER THE WORLD IS A STATEMENT OF
OBJECTIVES AND PRINCIPLES WHICH THEY TAKE VERY SERIOUSLY- WE
HERE AND OTHERS IN GOVERNMENT HAVE A CODE OF CONDUCT WHICH
PRIMARILY TELLS US WHAT NOT TO DO. THAT IS IMPORTANT AND MUST
NOT BE NEGLECTED. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE EVER IN OUR MINDS A
CALL TO ACTION, A STATEMENT OF POSITIVE PURPOSE, AN ARTICULATION
OF STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE TO WHICH WE CAN RALLY AND ASPIRE-
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?
THE TONE AND ATTITUDE AT CIA IS RIGHT BUT I BELIEVE AN
ARTICULATION OF OUR POSITIVE OBJECTIVES CAN INTENSIFY THE
EXCELLENCE WE HAVE ACHIEVED HERE AND SPREAD IT MORE BROADLY-
I'VE COLLECTED FROM A NUMBER OF CORPORATE STAR PERFORMERS
STATEMENTS OF THEIR OBJECTIVES WHICH THEY RELY ON TO GIVE THEIR
PEOPLE THE FREEDOM AND RESPONSIBILITY TO WORK TOWARD THOSE STATED
GOALS IN WAYS THEY FIND BEST IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS OF
RESPONSIBILITY.
HOW DO WE GET SUCH A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE, AN ARTICULATION
OF STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR THIS ORGANIZATION IN A WAY WHICH
DEVELOPS FROM WITHIN AND REFLECTS THE VIEWS, ASPIRATIONS AND THE
EXPERIENCE OF ALL OUR PEOPLE AND, ABOVE ALL, WHICH HAS THEIR
COMMITMENT. IN THE THREE YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE, I'VE VISITED
MANY OF OUR PEOPLE OVERSEAS AND HAVE VISITED MOST ELEMENTS OF
THE ORGANIZATION HERE IN THE CAPITAL AREA. I DO AS MUCH OF THIS
AS I CAN FIND TIME FOR BECAUSE I ALWAYS LEARN AND FEEL BETTER
ABOUT THIS OUTFIT FROM TALKING WITH YOU ONE ON ONE OR IN SMALL
GROUPS. RECENTLY, I REALIZED THAT I NEEDED MORE CONTACT WITH
THE MANY SUBSTANTIVE COMMITTEES WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY AND
THOSE WE HAVE IN THE CIA. SO 1 WROTE TO THE CHAIRMAN OF EACH
COMMITTEE ASKING FOR A THREE-PARAGRAPH NOTE TELLING ME (1) WHAT
THE COMMITTEE WAS UP TO, (2) HOW WELL IT WAS DOING AND (3) HOW
IT MIGHT DO BETTER- I RECEIVED GOOD RESPONSES QUICKLY AND THEY
LED TO GOOD, PURPOSEFUL MEETINGS AND VALUABLE NEW PROJECTS FOR
THE MORE ACTIVE COMMITTEES AND THE EXTINCTION OF SOME WHICH HAD
SERVED THEIR PURPOSE.
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WHAT I WANT TO DO NOW IS TO INSTITUTE A PROCESS TO GET
WITHIN A SHORT TIME FRAME, FROM EVERY CORNER OF THE ORGANIZATION,
A BROAD EXAMINATION OF WHAT WE ARE ABOUT, WHAT IT IS WE WANT TO
FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE, AND THE KIND OF THINGS WE CAN DO TO ACCOMPLISH
THAT. FROM THIS WE WILL DEVELOP A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE APPLICABLE
TO THIS ORGANIZATION, TO OUR MISSION, TO THE KIND OF CUSTOMERS
WE SERVE, AND TO THE KIND OF WORK ENVIRONMENT AND TASKS WHICH
OUR MISSION REQUIRES- OUT OF THIS EXERCISE I BELIEVE WE CAN
LEARN AND TEACH EACH OTHER A LOT. I WOULD LOOK FOR THE KIND OF
POSITIVE STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE WHICH
WILL SUPPLEMENT THE CODE OF CONDUCT WHICH NOW TELLS US HOW WE
MUST BEHAVE AND WHAT WE MUST NOT DO- OUT OF IT I BELIEVE WILL
COME A HIGHER SENSITIVITY TO HOW WE CAN ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY,
INDEPENDENCE OF ACTION, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, GET SMALL TASK FORCES
ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES, TAKING ON A PROBLEM AND GETTING SOMETHING
DONE WITHIN A RELATIVELY SHORT TIME FUSE. THAT'S THE WAY TO
MAKE THINGS MOVE, TO GET SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE IN ANY ORGANIZATION?
SET TASKS, SET DEADLINES, MAKE DECISIONS. ACT. STAY FLEXIBLE-
CHANGE COURSE IF EXPERIENCE INDICATES. GET IT DONE AND MOVE ON-
THAT'S THE TEMPO WE WANT AND NEED HERE-
HOW DO WE GET THIS DONE? SOME 15 YEARS AGO THE STATE
DEPARTMENT, AFTER A SERIES OF OUTSIDE PANELS AND COMMISSIONS
CREATED BY PRESIDENTS, BY CONGRESS, SOME OF THEM SELF-APPOINTED,
HAD PRODUCED PONDEROUS AND UNREAD REPORTS, DECIDED TO EXAMINE
ITSELF TO SEE HOW IT COULD DO BETTER. TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY
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FOREIGN SERVICE OFFICERS DEPLOYED THEMSELVES INTO 13 SEPARATE
TASK FORCES AND LABORED FOR 11 MONTHS TO PRODUCE THIS 600-PAGE
VOLUME UNDER THE LABEL DIPLOMACY FOR THE SEVENTIES. IT IS
COMMENDABLE THAT THE FOREIGN SERVICE APPLIED ITS OWN KNOWLEDGE AND
EXPERIENCE TO DEFINE A NEW DIPLOMACY AND THIS WAS A GOOD EXERCISE
FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT- OUR STYLE IS DIFFERENT. I'M LOOKING
FOR TWO PAGES IN THREE WEEKS PLUS ANY VALUABLE IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS
WHICH A QUICK AND SEARCHING SELF-EXAMINATION, INVOLVING NOT 250
PEOPLE BUT ALL OF US, CAN GENERATE. OUR STYLE IS TO LOOK FOR
PROBLEMS AND NEEDS, TO SEARCH.FOR AND MARSHAL THE EXPERIENCE AND
TALENT TO RESPOND, GET IT DONE AND MOVE ON TO THE NEXT THING AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. WE WANT TO EXTEND THAT SPIRIT, THAT STYLE,
THAT TEMPO TO OUR NEW RECRUITS AND MORE WIDELY AMONG THOSE ALREADY
HERE- WE'LL DO OUR SELF-EXAMINATION WITH A TASK FORCE- BUT IT
WILL BE A BIG AND LOOSELY STRUCTURED TASK FORCE. IT WILL ENCOURAGE
AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY FOR INDEPENDENT INITIATIVE AND THOUGHT
FROM ALL LEVELS- IT WILL BE SHARPLY FOCUSED AND HAVE A SHORT
TIME FUSE. EVERY MANAGER WILL RECEIVE A PACKAGE CONSISTING OF
THREE PARTS: A ROUGH FIRST DRAFT OF A STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES
AND PRINCIPLES FOR CIA, A SAMPLE OF COMPARABLE STATEMENTS FROM
A FEW OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OF OUTSTANDING QUALITY, AND A QUICK
SUMMARIZATION OF FEATURES AND METHODS THE AUTHORS OF THIS BOOK
FOUND IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS OUR COUNTRY
HAS DEVELOPED. EACH MANAGER WILL BE EXPECTED TO USE HIS JUDGMENT
ON HOW BEST TO GET THE PEOPLE HE WORKS WITH INVOLVED IN CRITIQUING
AND IMPROVING THE DRAFT STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES AND GETTING
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THEIR BROAD UNDERSTANDING, ACCEPTANCE AND COMMITMENT TO THOSE
OBJECTIVES- I WOULD RECOMMEND WORKING IN SMALL GROUPS AND IN
SHORT MEETINGS, BUT URGE THAT YOU FOLLOW YOUR OWN INSTINCTS AND
DEVELOP YOUR OWN METHODS TO INVOLVE THE PEOPLE WHO WORK WITH YOU-
WILL EXPECT EACH MANAGER TO HAVE BY 22 FEBRUARY AN IMPROVED
STATEMENT OF GOALS FOR CIA AND A SUCCINCT MEMO SUMMARIZING THE
IMPORTANT THOUGHTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH DEVELOPED IN THIS
PROCESS AMONG THE PEOPLE WHO REPORT TO HIM- I WILL READ AND
DISCUSS THESE RESPONSES CAREFULLY AND WE WILL PROMULGATE A
STATEMENT OF OUR ORGANIZATIONAL OBJECTIVES BEFORE FEBRUARY IS
GONE-
THANK YOU!
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