COMMUNICATIONS WORKING COMMUNICATIONS WORKING GROUPGROUP

William F. Spader, Deputy Manager for William F. Spader, Deputy Manager for CleanupCleanup

U.S. Department of EnergyU.S. Department of Energy

Savannah River Operations OfficeSavannah River Operations Office

May 23, 2007May 23, 2007

Presentation to the National Governors Association Federal Facilities Task Force

22

Institutional Institutional ChallengesChallenges

Institutionalize “Communication” Institutionalize “Communication” – just like “Safety.”– just like “Safety.”

Have effective communications Have effective communications abilities become an ingrained abilities become an ingrained skill.skill.

33

Internal/External Internal/External CommunicationsCommunications Action Planning Framework: Action Planning Framework:

– Guiding Principles and EM BrandGuiding Principles and EM Brand– Processes and PracticesProcesses and Practices– Communication MechanismsCommunication Mechanisms– PeoplePeople

Group Motto: Group Motto: ““LEARN THROUGH DOING”LEARN THROUGH DOING”

Resources: Resources: – Energy Communities Alliance Energy Communities Alliance

RecommendationsRecommendations– National Academy of Public Administration National Academy of Public Administration

ObservationsObservations– 2006 Intergovernmental Meeting Notes2006 Intergovernmental Meeting Notes– Environmental Management Advisory Board Environmental Management Advisory Board

RecommendationsRecommendations

44

““Quick Wins”Quick Wins”

Successful budget meeting (paradigm shift)Successful budget meeting (paradigm shift) Promulgate EM BrandPromulgate EM Brand Create career Communications position in EMCreate career Communications position in EM Conformity in websitesConformity in websites Leverage Field and HQ communication Leverage Field and HQ communication

professionalsprofessionals Communication training at Leadership offsiteCommunication training at Leadership offsite Field and HQ offsite (all on the same page)Field and HQ offsite (all on the same page)

55

Path ForwardPath Forward

Institutionalize our “Quick Wins”Institutionalize our “Quick Wins” Career Communications position Career Communications position

in EMin EM Standing CommitteeStanding Committee Communications Program PlanCommunications Program Plan

66

Your Thoughts?Your Thoughts?

Communication is two-way and Communication is two-way and key to continued improvementkey to continued improvement

Feedback on how we are doing Feedback on how we are doing and plans for progress and plans for progress

77

Back Up SlidesBack Up Slides

88

Develop Guiding Principles for Develop Guiding Principles for Communications and EM BrandCommunications and EM Brand

Purpose: Purpose: Provide the overall management philosophy Provide the overall management philosophy on communication and raise immediate awareness on communication and raise immediate awareness through the consistent use of an EM “brand.”through the consistent use of an EM “brand.”

Deliverables:Deliverables: Develop Communications Guiding Principles and Develop Communications Guiding Principles and

distribute for discussion and comment at the March distribute for discussion and comment at the March leadership meeting.leadership meeting.

Roll out the “Brand” with the FY 2007 budget and Roll out the “Brand” with the FY 2007 budget and institutionalize its use across EM.institutionalize its use across EM.

Focus on these themes:Focus on these themes:– Work is Getting DoneWork is Getting Done– Safety is # 1Safety is # 1– What We Will Accomplish (hi-lite 2 years out)What We Will Accomplish (hi-lite 2 years out)– The Work Continues (past current The Work Continues (past current

Administration)Administration)– Safety -- Performance -- Cleanup – Closure.Safety -- Performance -- Cleanup – Closure.

99

Processes and Processes and PracticesPractices

Purpose:Purpose: Establish processes and good practices to improve Establish processes and good practices to improve effectiveness and efficiency of internal and external effectiveness and efficiency of internal and external communications.communications.

Deliverables:Deliverables: Master Schedule/Calendar developed of key EM communication forumsMaster Schedule/Calendar developed of key EM communication forums FY 2008 Budget Roll-out key message pilot.FY 2008 Budget Roll-out key message pilot. Processes for preparing and delivering key messages. Processes for preparing and delivering key messages. Develop standardized checklist. Develop standardized checklist. Outline format beginning with safety focus and ending with Outline format beginning with safety focus and ending with

communications needs. communications needs. Manage the meeting according to agenda.Manage the meeting according to agenda. Compile list of assigned actions. Compile list of assigned actions. Determine effectiveness through metrics development.Determine effectiveness through metrics development. Document good practices and institutionalize guidelines for major Document good practices and institutionalize guidelines for major

communications activities (i.e., Budget Rollout). communications activities (i.e., Budget Rollout). Implement use of non-traditional communication methods (i.e., EM Implement use of non-traditional communication methods (i.e., EM

Blogs). Blogs).

1010

Communication Communication MechanismsMechanisms

Purpose: Purpose: Identify improvements to existing Identify improvements to existing communications mechanisms and, if needed, communications mechanisms and, if needed, develop new mechanisms.develop new mechanisms.

Deliverables:Deliverables: Identify Relevant Activities for Posting on the EM Identify Relevant Activities for Posting on the EM

Portal and EM Master Calendar. Portal and EM Master Calendar. Develop and Launch Communications Subfolder Develop and Launch Communications Subfolder

on EM Lessons Learned Web Page on the EM on EM Lessons Learned Web Page on the EM Portal. Portal.

Improve Utilization of EM Portal.Improve Utilization of EM Portal. Support Redesign of Field Web Sites to More Support Redesign of Field Web Sites to More

Closely Align with the New EM HQ Web Site.Closely Align with the New EM HQ Web Site.

1111

PeoplePeople

Purpose:Purpose: Strengthen communication infrastructure Strengthen communication infrastructure with career federal employees to bridge gaps among with career federal employees to bridge gaps among strong political leadership (new EM front office slot strong political leadership (new EM front office slot and PA); strong federal group to support and PA); strong federal group to support communication with Tribes, advisory groups, and communication with Tribes, advisory groups, and other governmental organizations; and other governmental organizations; and communication experts in the field.communication experts in the field.

Deliverables:Deliverables: Baseline communications staff in existing HQ Baseline communications staff in existing HQ

organizations (EE, NNSA, NE, RW, SC).organizations (EE, NNSA, NE, RW, SC). Provide recommendation to EM-1 for additional career Provide recommendation to EM-1 for additional career

resources.resources. Work with the Office of Public Affairs to evaluate the Work with the Office of Public Affairs to evaluate the

opportunity to establish a career federal position opportunity to establish a career federal position focused on EM communications.focused on EM communications.

1212

Identify/Support Affinity Groups Identify/Support Affinity Groups and/or Communities of Practice and/or Communities of Practice (People)(People)

Purpose: Purpose: Improve quality and efficiency of Improve quality and efficiency of communication through affinity groups and communication through affinity groups and communities of practice.communities of practice.

Deliverables:Deliverables: List of current groups, POCs.List of current groups, POCs. Develop profile for each group.Develop profile for each group. Post profile on portal and web page.Post profile on portal and web page. Tabulate/survey results from existing groups.Tabulate/survey results from existing groups. Model charter and operating principles for new groups.Model charter and operating principles for new groups. Provide tools to support group interactions (web, Provide tools to support group interactions (web,

portal, calendars).portal, calendars).

1313

Develop Rewards and Develop Rewards and Incentives for Incentives for Communications ExcellenceCommunications Excellence Purpose: Purpose: Provide positive rewards for individuals that Provide positive rewards for individuals that

practice excellence in communications; establish practice excellence in communications; establish communication accountability at organizational and communication accountability at organizational and positional levels; define methods for measuring positional levels; define methods for measuring communication success; and establish standards for communication success; and establish standards for excellence in communications. excellence in communications.

Deliverables:Deliverables: Determine positive reward options.Determine positive reward options. Evaluate performance agreement language options.Evaluate performance agreement language options. Evaluate building communications standards into Evaluate building communications standards into

individual performance agreements.individual performance agreements. Determine and delineate recommended communications Determine and delineate recommended communications

standards and goals.standards and goals. Determine appropriate metrics for measuring success of Determine appropriate metrics for measuring success of

recommendationsrecommendations

1414

Develop a Communications Develop a Communications Training Plan EM Complex-Training Plan EM Complex-WideWidePurpose: Purpose: Assess current communications tools and Assess current communications tools and

methods, determine competency objectives and gaps, methods, determine competency objectives and gaps, and determine guidance and training to ensure that all and determine guidance and training to ensure that all EM employees have the ability to communicate at the EM employees have the ability to communicate at the level necessary for their duties and responsibilities. level necessary for their duties and responsibilities.

Deliverables:Deliverables: Review EM formal and informal communications Review EM formal and informal communications

methods and procedures.methods and procedures. Determine needed communications competencies.Determine needed communications competencies. Assess employees’ competencies against Assess employees’ competencies against

requirements.requirements. Develop procedures & training courses and sources as Develop procedures & training courses and sources as

required.required. Management review of communications proposal.Management review of communications proposal. Issue procedures and initiate training as needed. Issue procedures and initiate training as needed.

1515

Energy Communities Alliance Energy Communities Alliance “The Politics of Cleanup-Lessons “The Politics of Cleanup-Lessons Learned from Complex Federal Learned from Complex Federal Environmental Cleanups” (2/07)Environmental Cleanups” (2/07)Engaging the Community through Consulting, Engaging the Community through Consulting, Coordination, and Communications:Coordination, and Communications: The Parties Must Build a Working Relationship--All parties The Parties Must Build a Working Relationship--All parties must take the necessary steps to develop and maintain trust, must take the necessary steps to develop and maintain trust, accountability and opennessaccountability and openness Be Organized—Local governments and the community must Be Organized—Local governments and the community must be organized and proactive, and strive to speak with one voice.be organized and proactive, and strive to speak with one voice. Resources Ensure Parties Can Participate—The Federal Resources Ensure Parties Can Participate—The Federal Government and Congress must provide regulators and Government and Congress must provide regulators and communities with the financial resources necessary to organize communities with the financial resources necessary to organize and retain the staffing resources they might need.and retain the staffing resources they might need. Following the Minimum in Law is Not Enough—Minimum Following the Minimum in Law is Not Enough—Minimum regulatory requirements are insufficient to support substantive regulatory requirements are insufficient to support substantive public involvement; the parties must develop public involvement public involvement; the parties must develop public involvement processes that are tailored to site-specific needs, recognizing processes that are tailored to site-specific needs, recognizing that process is different from negotiations.that process is different from negotiations. Engage Each Other Regularly—the parties must substantively Engage Each Other Regularly—the parties must substantively engage each other throughout the entire cleanup process.engage each other throughout the entire cleanup process.

1616

National Academy of Public National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) Observations Administration (NAPA) Observations on EM Organization/Management on EM Organization/Management (1/07)(1/07)

Improved communications is a goal for most organizations. No Improved communications is a goal for most organizations. No matter how adept an organization is, there is always room for matter how adept an organization is, there is always room for improvement. EM’s internal communications system faces improvement. EM’s internal communications system faces significant challenges. EM’s 4th Guiding Principle, significant challenges. EM’s 4th Guiding Principle, Communicate With ExcellenceCommunicate With Excellence, speaks to this when it directs , speaks to this when it directs staff to visibly encourage a no-fault environment within which staff to visibly encourage a no-fault environment within which full, open, accurate, and honest communication in all directions full, open, accurate, and honest communication in all directions is practiced and valued. NAPA believes that some of the is practiced and valued. NAPA believes that some of the communications challenges in EM are exacerbated by a lack of communications challenges in EM are exacerbated by a lack of clear roles and responsibilities throughout EM.clear roles and responsibilities throughout EM.

Effective communications with outside stakeholders are crucial Effective communications with outside stakeholders are crucial for EM’s ability to accomplish its mission. Being able to develop for EM’s ability to accomplish its mission. Being able to develop consensus with local communities on end use for a site and the consensus with local communities on end use for a site and the path to achieve that end are often more important than solving path to achieve that end are often more important than solving the technical barriers facing a cleanup project. NAPA believes the technical barriers facing a cleanup project. NAPA believes that EM headquarters needs an organizational focus for that EM headquarters needs an organizational focus for communicating corporately with its many stakeholders.communicating corporately with its many stakeholders.

1717

2006 Intergovernmental 2006 Intergovernmental Meeting (Nov 06)Meeting (Nov 06)

Summary: Summary:

There is a foundation to build There is a foundation to build upon but there is a lot to work on.upon but there is a lot to work on.

1818

Environmental Management Advisory Environmental Management Advisory Board 9/06 Report: Board 9/06 Report: Communications/Outreach Communications/Outreach RecommendationsRecommendations

Establish a permanent position to provide Establish a permanent position to provide the needed communications role in EM.the needed communications role in EM.

Incorporate communications into all aspects Incorporate communications into all aspects of decisionmaking.of decisionmaking.

Incorporate a communications element to Incorporate a communications element to performance appraisal plans for key performance appraisal plans for key managers.managers.

Measure the effectiveness of current Measure the effectiveness of current communications tools.communications tools.

Ensure that timely, adequate information Ensure that timely, adequate information and responsesand responses are provided to local, state, and are provided to local, state, and tribal governments. tribal governments.