The dual meaning of purpose Published Aug. 31, 2011 By Lt. Col. Dwain Kuehl 5th Flying Training Squadron commander VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- Often during my time as an instructor pilot I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with the parents of our student pilots and graduates. Through the course of conversation I have been asked numerous questions about the details of the student pilot training mission at Vance. Questions vary from, "How many sorties do you fly a day?" to, "Who buys your fuel?" However, at one memorable track select, I met a parent who changed my view on how to think about the concept of an individual's and organization's purpose. The more I spoke with the student's father the more I realized he was clearly uninterested in "general" facts about pilot training and Vance Air Force Base. I quickly learned that this individual was purpose driven as two constant themes dominated his line of questioning. What is the purpose of each job and skill-set here at Vance? What drives you to do the things the way you do in order to produce graduates? The conversation lasted much longer than I anticipated. However, I took away a very important lesson from our discussion. I realized that purpose is extremely important to both individuals and organizations. The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes purpose as two-fold. First it states that purpose is "something set up as an object or end to be attained" while the second definition includes "a subject under discussion or an action in course of execution." The first definition, as it pertains to supervisors and subordinates, came to light this past week when our unit gained a new member. While reviewing our new captain's very thorough in-processing checklist, I noticed a host of requirements demanding completion. The checklist had become a two page document with over 88 separate requirements from 21 agencies including personnel, safety, medical and others. Unfortunately, there was nothing on the checklist to tell the captain why he was needed or what we needed him to do. It would appear our new member was simply expected to know his purpose. It became clear that I was not only going to inform him of his duties, but more importantly, tell him how his job fit into the Vance mission. I had incorrectly assumed that somewhere among the "details" of in-processing someone would cover the importance of his purpose to our unit. Merriam-Webster's second definition of purpose is what I believe to be the most important because it applies to the health of an organization. How many times have you heard "That is the way we do it here," or, "We used to do things this way." I have come to realize that the most important question about organizational issues is, "What drives both you and your organization to accomplish things the way they are done?" As both fiscal and manpower resources become increasingly constrained, it is important to continue asking if current processes are the most efficient possible. The status quo may or may not be the best course of action. It is imperative that every member of an organization challenge others to discuss issues of action in the course of execution. Simply put, supervisors must not only empower subordinates to offer up solutions to the challenges we face today, they must provide the necessary tools for members to act on solutions. I benefitted greatly from the discussion I had with that student's father, who turned out to be the CEO of a major corporation. He helped me realize how important the dual meaning of purpose is to the members of an organization. Individuals need to understand the importance of the work they do and must feel empowered to improve the processes of the organizations they are a part of.