FORT BELVOIR, Va. –
Defense Logistics Agency employees at every major subordinate command and headquarters directorate are being asked to participate in a bottom-up review of their team’s ability to effectively and efficiently support warfighters while preparing for future missions.
The assessments will measure agency strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, referred to as SWOT in the McKinsey 7-S framework being used to guide the analysis. The results are expected to help shape the 2024-2029 DLA Strategic Plan.
In a March 1 memorandum announcing the 90-day review, DLA Director Army Lt. Gen. Mark Simerly said the agency must set the conditions to transform as it faces challenges like contested logistics, rapidly advancing technologies and global power competition.
“The assessment will be a product of our collective wisdom to continue moving the agency forward. I expect DLA leaders to be personally involved in this opportunity for organizational learning and improvement,” he said.
The 7-S model is designed to help leaders identify and manage organizational change in seven areas: structure, strategy, systems, shared values, style, staff and skills.
Teams should review strategic documents related to their business or operations to identify potential gaps and opportunities that align with priorities set by national and Defense Department priorities.
Employees are also encouraged to use information already gleaned through recent agency-level reviews to inform their analyses. Examples include the DLA Culture and Climate Survey and the Defense Agency and Department of Defense Field Activity Review. Customer feedback to the Customer Interaction Center, Service Day events, and other engagements with customers and industry partners may also help frame employee input.
DLA Transformation is leading the effort and conducting weekly sessions to assist agency-wide staffs as they work to complete their input by noon April 15. DLA Transformation will then compile the data for presentation to senior leaders for review and approval.
Simerly noted that assessments aren’t new to DLA.
“As leaders, we welcome such opportunities to continually improve to better support the warfighter to sharpen our effectiveness and efficiency,” he said.