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(U) What We Can Learn from 'Play Station,' Grooming Leaders, and
More: An Interview with
FROM: SIGINT Communications
Unknown
Run Date: 12/21/2005
(U//FOUO) In our continuing series of interviews with SID leaders, SIDtoday talked to
, Chief of Information-Sharing Services (S12):
(U) What is the most exciting project for the future that your organization is working on?
(S) There are so many, it's hard to choose just one. One thing I foresee is that we'll streamline
the way we issue multimedia reports -- multimedia files should be embedded within the textual
reports when they are first released, rather than added after the fact, as is the current situation.
(U//FOUO) Regarding SIGINT reporting, I'm also interested in developing a vision of the future,
but not one so exotic that we can't achieve it. What I have in mind is this: we need to get a
better idea of how people absorb information that is new or alien to them. For example,
if you ever watch young people using a Play Station, you will see that they are able to
immediately observe and act upon all of the data that is bombarding them from every corner of
the screen as they play the game. By contrast, if I try to play the game, most of the information
displayed means nothing to me and goes right past me in a blur!
(U//FOUO) I think there's a lot we could do to engage with industry in planning for this new
generation of intelligence professionals, to understand how to most effectively get information
across to a customer, and to plan out a way ahead. We're still in the talking stage about this, but
I'm hopeful that we'll be able to push ahead with this in the coming months.
(U) What is the biggest challenge facing your organization right now?
(U//FOUO) As of now, we're pushing hard to speed up the delivery of JOURNEYMAN. [Note:
JOURNEYMAN is a major program designed to improve the way NSA delivers SIGINT to its
customers, moving beyond the legacy systems in use today.] The problem is one of too much
red tape hindering its progress. In the past, NSA has taken a strict view of acquisition, slowed
down by the need to conform to numerous DOD requirements. Now NSA is working with our
overseers to try to get more flexibility into the system, while still having accountability. As it is
now, the red tape is cumbersome and delays the rollout of new systems.
(U) What was your first job at the agency?
(U//FOUO) I was a computer geek! I programmed the "CIVORG" and "TELE" M204 computer
system databases in the old A4 organization.
(U) What is the most memorable experience you've had during your career?
(U//FOUO) "Memorable" is a relative term - my experiences in the computer world might not
compare with some of the stories our military colleagues could tell! In any case, I remember
working with a great team on the development of ORCHESTRA and ROSECROSS. I had dealings
with top NSA management for the first time, as we argued for the cancellation of the MINSTREL
program. Everyone from that team is still here at NSA, and we developed good relationships
that continue to this day, with people on both sides of the argument.
(U) If you could change one thing at the Agency, what would it be?
(U//FOUO) In my view, we need to do a better job of singling out and grooming our future
leaders. Under the FERS program, there isn't as much incentive for people to stay on at NSA for
their whole career, so there's the danger that talented employees will leave the Agency before
we recognize their leadership potential. What qualities are we looking for? Well, people who can
identify an objective and move towards it, people with common sense, people who can see the
bigger picture and who have the right personality for the job.
(U//FOUO) What about hiring leaders from outside NSA? Well, we've had success bringing in and
retaining GS-14s and GS-15s, but we've been less successful in hiring and retaining senior
executives. It may be hard for them to adapt to the government's way of doing things, just as
we might find it challenging to switch to the private industry environment. In any case, there
will always be a need for people who "grew up" in the organization and understand the NSA
culture.
(U) To new employees who want to make a career at NSA, and be a leader, I recommend that
you take matters into your own hands: find an experienced, savvy person to guide you in
your career progression.
(U) See other recent interviews on SIDtoday:
(U) Charlie Meals: Thoughts as Retirement Approaches
(S//SI) Is NSA Going Deaf? What Is "Golf Cart Reporting"? -- An Interview With MENA's
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108