TCT Refresher Session

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Operational Risk Management (ORM) Always conduct a risk assessment prior to a patrol. Contingency planning should be done and should include complexity of mission, environmental factors, crew fitness factors and any other circumstance that could impact the mission & most importantly the safety of the crew. Understand and review any risk management, GAR (Green, Amber, Red) forms used in your AOR and review them with the crew UPDATE YOUR RISK ASSESSMENT THROUGHOUT THE MISSION TCT Elements In Review

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Operational Risk Management (OMR) (Continued) Good News/Bad News The good news: problems and mishaps always happen to the other guy The bad news: to everyone else, YOU are the other guy Refer to COMDTINST for full details on Operational Risk Management – /CI_3500_3.pdf /CI_3500_3.pdf TCT Elements In Review

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Situational Awareness We must know what is going on around us to make good decisions. Plans are critical to success, that is for sure…but we must be ready to change. This will decrease the likelihood of poor decision making. TCT Elements In Review

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Adaptability Adaptability is the ability to react to changes in conditions, crew fitness, equipment failures, etc. and is based on the situational awareness we mentioned above. How flexible are we ? How receptive are we to different opinions ? Leaders do not necessarily have all the answers. Leaders do take advantage of everyones ideas and experience and remain adaptable to new conditions and challenges. TCT Elements In Review

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Communication Communication takes many forms. We have verbal and non- verbal (facial expressions, etc.) communication that everyone uses to convey thoughts and ideas. The key of course is to ensure that the person or persons we communicate with have a clear understanding of what we wish to convey. This involves closing the feedback loop. We can ask for feedback, or we can observe behavior to be sure the message was received. The key is a two way expression, either verbally or non-verbally, that confirms the communication process was completed. TCT Elements In Review

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Leadership Leadership is not about giving orders. Leaders do find ways to obtain the willing participation of others towards accomplishing a goal. That goal, in this case, must be consistent with the Coast Guards core values as well as consistent with the mission at hand. Since we cannot order anyone to do anything, we must strive to achieve the respect, confidence and loyalty of those entrusted to our care…all Auxiliarists have this opportunity to lead, regardless of their position. TCT Elements In Review

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Assertiveness The Coast Guard values people who are assertive, but not aggressive. The difference between these two characteristics is sometimes hard to see. The aggressive person seeks to bully his/her way though situations for their own ego or self image…. while an assertive person cares about the mission more than themselves and their ego. They will always communicate their concerns but they also try to get a reasonable resolution when ideas are in conflict without stepping on top of those who may disagree. TCT Elements In Review

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Decision Making Making good decisions is really at the heart of TCT. How do we ensure that we act or perform in a manner that maximizes mission success and minimizes risk to ourselves, our crew, the public, etc. The other elements of TCT all play a role in improving those decisions. We define a problem or condition, seek information about that problem, analyze that information, identify alternatives and select one or a range of alternatives. Then we measure our success or failure in order to adjust our course of action. This process can take us 20 seconds in the case of routine decisions, or 20 months in the case of large complex problems. The process is the same…the depth of analysis and level of importance is always changing. TCT Elements In Review

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Sea Story The Patrol Mission : Conduct a safe tow of a decorated barge past a reviewing stand of dignitaries during a ceremony that opens the boating season on a fresh water lake. Facility : 23 foot cuddy cabin with a single 175 HP outboard. [crew all coxswains - experience can be variable for discussions) Weather Air temp 92 degrees, 78 percent humidity, winds out of SW at knots. Scattered large cumulus clouds throughout the area… Forecast possible pop-up thunderstorms in late afternoon and evening.

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Sea Story Break up into crews of 3-5 Assign a note taker Review the details of the sea story you have just been given Find and document 3-5 points where the principles of TCT fell apart Find and document 3-5 points that were done correctly You have minutes

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Review of Key Issues The note taker from each team should now review the good news/bad news about what happened on this mission. Do not go to next slide until all reviews are done. When all teams have reported back in as a group select the top 3 good things and top 3 TCT failures of this mission

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Samples of good news Did your teams find these? What did the crew do correctly during this mission ? Some examples below, what others? (Situational Awareness, Leadership, Adaptability, Assertiveness, Decision Making) Good communication planning by placing qualified personnel with radios at each key venue. The OPFAC, the barge and the reviewing stand. Weather forecast was included in planning that included information about possible pop up T-storms. All crew members were qualified and experienced to perform a complicated mission of this type.

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Samples of Bad News Did your teams find all these? What did this crew do incorrectly during this mission ? ( Mission Analysis, Leadership, Communication) Coxswain initially goes along with the Ops officers desire to gut it out in bad conditions even though his own judgment was to abort. Should have made his feelings known to Ops officer. - Leadership Crew members reacted slowly to coxswains initial commands and felt they could react in their own way, and in their own good time. Leadership problems between coxswain & crew? Crew members did not maintain situational awareness of the weather change & the impact that those changes had on the tow. Communication & Situational Awareness

2009 TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response) Samples of Bad News Did your teams find all these? What did this crew do incorrectly during this mission ? ( Mission Analysis, Situational Awareness) Was their Risk Assessment updated during the mission and appropriately acted upon? – Situational Awareness Where was the contingency planning at the beginning in the event the storms got worse – Mission Analysis What Else?

2009 Have a safe and productive TCT Refresher Session Department of Operations (Response)