APRIL 5, 2021 – Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) has unveiled its new Strategic Framework. This is a tool that communicates the shipyard’s path forward on achieving its vision of delivering on time, every time, everywhere to protect America.
According to Quality Assurance Director (Code 130) George Fitzgerald, “The Strategic Framework is important in aligning our efforts across the shipyard on the most important initiatives in order to improve our performance. Our framework will aid in communicating those initiatives across our workforce to engage everyone in our improvements.”
NNSY’s Engineering Planning Manager (Code 200) Mike Zydron added that the Strategic Framework will help unify the shipyard workforce to work as one team toward one mission. “The Strategic Framework is key to unite all members of the NNSY team, whether they are directly or indirectly working on the one mission of delivering warships and training platforms. Improved understanding of the urgency behind why we do what we do and how to continuously and measurably improve in order to achieve our vision will result,” said Zydron.
The visual representation of the Strategic Framework resembles a house with each element representing a different component of the structure. The bedrock of the house is the shipyard’s mission to repair, modernize, and inactivate our nation’s warships. The ridge of the roof is the pinnacle, Warships, the single word that ties together everything NNSY does. Each component of the house helps it stand strong and firm, just as each element of the Strategic Framework is essential in ensuring NNSY’s success.
But the Strategic Framework is more than just a picture, according to NNSY’s Chief of the Contracting Office (Code 400) Brad Crosby. “It’s where we document what is important to us and tie all of the elements together, to include mission, culture, results, vision, principles and the pillars. The framework is our common language to identify what’s most important for our organization and rally behind it.”
The Strategic Framework was created by a work group, comprised of NNSY Department Heads. The group was led by Lifting and Handling Department Director (Code 700) Terri Makely. Makely said of the working group: “each of them heavily invested their time and expertise to this important task. I am proud to be a part of this team as it demonstrates how powerful we can be when we work together to accomplish our mission.”
In the process of creating the Strategic Framework, the working group pulled from previous shipyard-wide efforts, including NNSY’s C.O.R.E. values of Care, Ownership, Respect, and Excellence. “We reaffirmed our commitment to our C.O.R.E. values – which has now remained through three commanders,” said Crosby. “The Strategic Framework is expected to have the same staying power. We do acknowledge that the framework isn’t carved in stone and will evolve over time. We’ll learn, grow, and make purposeful adjustments. This is about writing down what’s important, aligning us all, rallying behind the cause, and then working aggressively to improve the areas that make NNSY the shipyard the Navy needs as one team with one mission.”
Moving forward, NNSY employees will see frequent reference to the Strategic Framework in Service to the Fleet and other communication efforts. NNSY employees are encouraged to familiarize themselves with all elements of the Strategic Framework as the shipyard’s new tool is implemented.
Story by Allison Conti
Norfolk Naval Shipyard