One of the great things about public affairs is you get to define what you do and how.
The only truly limited resource we have is time. Where are you going to spend yours?
One of the decisions you will have to make is how much time to spend physically with and working for your commander.
Some PAOs will serve as the HHC PAO, some will spend their time with their teams, some will be on facebook, some with the media, some in the JOC and some will roll deep with their commanders. The best find the right mix (minus facebook) for the environment they are in.
You have to make deliberate decisions about how you spend your time. You have to balance and keep organizationally important communication endeavors on track.
All this said, to get things done, you must spend time with the boss. Here’s why:
- The boss drives the organization’s agenda and culture. Obvious, yes but you have to hear and understand where the boss is going to support it.
- Being with the boss gives you organizational wasta. As an often junior ranking member of the staff, other staffies and your first line supervisor needs to understand who you really work for. When you need resources and support you are more likely to get it when people know you’re part of the boss’s team.
- The boss needs to learn. You will find a great deal of opportunity to teach your boss about communication when you roll with him. He (or she) will continue to get promoted, make sure you’re doing your part to build a future leader.
- The boss makes decisions which have public impact. You not only need to make him aware of the potential impacts but you also have to prepare for them.
For some, easier said than done. You’re going to have to convince your commander you add value, here’s how.
Just because you can roll like a boss with the boss doesn’t mean you should, all the time. I’ve been in situation where the aide automatically adds me to the manifest when the boss is travelling. Not so fast buddy, where are we going and why? What can I do for our organization by travelling? Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. What a great message you send by removing yourself from the boss’s manifest, ABM players.
Make deliberate and hard decisions about where to spend your time and always consider spending time with the boss at the top of your list.
Now go and do likewise.
Photo by Senior Airman Dennis Hoffman
