CREDO AND DRAFT REMARKS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP88B00443R001500050047-9
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 13
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 6, 2007
• Sequence Number: 47
• Publication Date: March 14, 1984
• Content Type: MEMO

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MEMORANDUM FOR: Deputy Director of Central Intelligence
SA/DDCI STAT
FROM: Director of Central Intelligence
A few overnight thoughts on Credo and draft remarks:
1. I'm a little reluctant to say, "We are the best." Other people
should say that. We seek the best and work to make them better more
accurately states our goal.
2. The list of what we've done looks like a laundry list unless we
set the items against the concerns and goals which they address. Also, they
might be grouped and sequenced better.
3. For example, describe in a sentence or so the concerns to which
the DDCI and I and other senior officials are responding in making the public
more aware of what we are.
4. The office level task forces listed first might better be the windup
saying there are other problems and. ideas and here's how we will continue to
address and evaluate.
5. Group the personnel actions, marked A, and introduce them with a
sentence.
6. Group the layering, red tape and flexibility issues, marked B.
7. Group the communications steps, aims, briefings, marked C.
8. Group participation steps, marked D.
9. You may find a better way to group them. Work in something about
the doubling, or whatever it is, of the recruitment rate of CTs and our recent
success at Stanford as described by
William J. Casey
STAT
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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 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, strive for
continuing professional improvement, and 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 bias 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
16 MARCH 1984
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 ESTABLISH A
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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 ARE THE AGENCY'S MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE. WE ARE
THE BEST AND WORK TO BE BETTER.
--WE LOOK TO OUR LEADERS TO STIMULATE INITIATIVE, A
COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE. AND A BIAS 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 ...
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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 HAVE DONE:
--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 EXERCISE ONLY
SCRATCHED THE SURFACE AND WE WANT TO TAP INTO THE WEALTH OF
IDEAS OUT THERE.
--JOHN MCMAHON, MYSELF, AND OTHER SENIOR OFFICERS WILL
SELECTIVELY SPEAK TO RESPONSIBLE, INFLUENTIAL GROUPS TO EDUCATE
THE PUBLIC ABOUT THIS INSTITUTION'S IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO
OUR NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOREIGN POLICY.
--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
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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
RECOGNIZE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
--HARRY FITZWATER IS TAKING A LOOK AT ALL OF OUR
ADMINISTRATIVE PRACTICES TO DETERMINE WHERE WE CAN PROFITABLY
STREAMLINE OUR PROCEDURES AND FLOW OF PAPER. WE WILL ENCOURAGE
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.
12 --WE WILL ELIMINATE THE REQUIREMENT FOR SEPARATE
DOCUMENTATION FOR PROMOTION RECOMMENDATIONS.
--THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES OF OUR OFFICE OF
TRAINING AND EDUCATION FOR EXTERNAL TRAINING WILL BE SIMPLIFIED.
--WE WILL FOSTER BETTER COMMUNICATIONS
--BY GETTING MORE NEWS OUT THROUGH ODP'S ELECTRONIC
(j''MAIL SYSTEM, AIM;
--BY HAVING EACH DIRECTORATE DEVELOP ITS OWN "TRENDS
AND HIGHLIGHTS" PROGRAM THAT WILL BE OPEN TO ALL AGENCY
EMPLOYEES.
THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL ...
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THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL WILL PROVIDE PERIODIC
BRIEFINGS OPEN TO ALL EMPLOYEES ON THE STATUS OF BENEFITS.
--FEEDBACK FROM IG SURVEYS WILL BE SHARED AND EMPLOYEES
WILL BE
NVOLV
IN
LV
I
ED
SO
ING Inc PROBLEMS THAT ARE CITED.
--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.
--WE WILL DEVELOP A BASIC INTRODUCTION FOR ALL ENTERING
EMPLOYEES SO THAT THEY CAN APPRECIATE THE MISSION, GOALS, WORK
ETHIC AND CULTURE OF CIA.
A --WE WILL WAIVE TIME-IN-GRADE GUIDELINES FOR PROMOTIONS TO
A
REWARD EXCELLENCE IN PERFORMANCE.
A --WE WILL ELIMINATE THE 8-HOUR DONATION RULE FOR OVERTIME.
A --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
A
ON OUR PEOPLE, THEIR JOBS, AND OUR OFFICE ENVIRONMENT.
a
--WE'RE ASKING THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL TO CONSIDER
POSSIBILITIES FOR A PHASED RETIREMENT PROGRAM -- THIS IS AN
IDEA THE PRIVATE ...
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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 ,..
I0
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I KNOW AND APPRECIATE ALL THAT. SO DOES THE PRESIDENT.
AND SO DO OUR CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEES.
I WANT TO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT YOU PUT
INTO THIS EXERCISE. I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT THIS IS JUST THE
BEGINNING OF WHAT I HOPE WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN ONGOING PROCESS
-- THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE AND THE EVER INCREASING EFFECTIVE-
NESS IN CARRYING OUT OUR NOBLE MISSION IS SOMETHING WE ALL MUST
STRIVE FOR TOGETHER.
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