PURSUING EXCELLENCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP89B01330R000400590053-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 24, 2012
• Sequence Number: 53
• Publication Date: April 23, 1984
• Content Type: MEMO

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/24: CIA-RDP89BO133OR000400590053-2
Central Intelligence Agency
23 April 1984
SUBJECT: Pursuing Excellence
I am very pleased with the reports I have received from the
Deputy Directors on the progress being made in following up on
many of the suggestions you made to me in February.
I also have drawn on your papers in preparing an expanded
goals statement. I like to think of it as a checklist of
principles and operating standards. I am sending a copy to
each of you, and am particularly interested in having it used
in orienting and indoctrinating new employees to the mission,
standards, and work ethic of our organization.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/24: CIA-RDP89BO133OR000400590053-2
 Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/24: CIA-RDP89B01330R000400590053-2
PURPOSE
o Protect the United States, through the provision of
ample warning, from surprise armed attack (albeit from
terrorist bombing or nuclear war).
o Collect, analyze and appropriately disseminate Foreign
Intelligence in support of 'National interests related
to the full range of threats around the world to U. S.
interests and to U. S. relations with other
governments.
o Engage in authorized special activities in support of
U. S. foreign policy objectives and combat anti-U. S.
activities by hostile foreign powers.
ORGANIZATION
o Keep our energy and our resources focused on the
Agency's mission.
o Organize to adapt to fast-moving situations; ensure
quick reaction when needed; develop a workforce with
multiple skills which can be redeployed quickly as
issues or crises arise.
0 Minimize management layering without sacrificing
proper command and control.
o Keep abreast of state-of-the-art collection,
processing, analysis, and production techniques and
make them available to do our job.
o Set high standards of patriotism and respect for the
laws and Constitution of the United States. Protect
the lives and identities of our sources and assets,
most of whom are not protected by U. S. law.
o Recognize in our efforts the absolute primacy of
national loyalty and personal values over personal
loyalties and the desire for personal gain.
o Recognize that loyalty and values are worthless
without the courage to act in their light.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/24: CIA-RDP89B01330R000400590053-2
 Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/24: CIA-RDP89B01330R000400590053-2
o Strive for fairness and a generosity of spirit in our
internal affairs.
o Continue to stress security, both individually and
technologically, even into retirement. Consider the
security investment as a proportionate part of the
human and technological investments and always make it.
o Demand prudent use of government funds.
o Avoid conflicts of interests.
PEOPLE
o Hire the best, and expect the best in performance,
integrity, and commitment to the organization.
o Recognize that some experimenters, free thinkers, and
free spirits just might be the kinds of people that a
dynamic organization needs.
o Make the Agency an attractive place to work for the
highly capable people we want.
o Give individuals responsibility throughout their
careers and hold them accountable; people mature best,
find career satisfaction, build self-confidence, and
work hard to advance when they are given real
responsibilities.
o Give individuals freedom to try new things,
recognizing there will be some failures.
o Stress cooperation and teamwork as key factors in
individual and organizational performance.
o Continually strive for equity in performance
evaluation systems and communicate it to the employees.
o Pay the staff in accordance with their skills and
contributions. Specifically reward exceptional
performance appropriately, as it occurs.
o Individually and as an organization invest in a strong
and well-managed, career-long, educational program,
and encourage each individual to participate.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/24: CIA-RDP89B01330R000400590053-2
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o Give those whose skills have been diminished in value
by professional and technological advances a chance to
find renewed value through an educational investment.
o Maintain a sense of humor and encourage the same among
your people.
o Use the DCI's special authorities to establish
personnel systems responsive to the nature of the
Agency. Pursue this course with consistency.
MANAGEMENT
o Delegate responsibility to the lowest possible level.
o Set goals, define tasks, establish plans, and monitor
and measure progress.
o Be accountable and demand accountability.
o Display confidence in people and trust them to do
their jobs.
o Foster participation and a sense of belonging to the
Agency family.
o Devote time to expanding an individual's ability to
contribute.
o Never let a pressure towards mediocrity develop. Do
not make, or let others make, people who do more look
foolish; reward the outstanding employee.
MEASURE OF RESULTS
o Continually assess our ability to meet customer needs.
o Be alert to the barometer of demands for more
intelligence and the esteem in which CIA is held by
consumers and the Community.
o Analyze failure as well as success. Learn from
mistakes.
o Ask employees and consumers what they think.
Communicate.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/24: CIA-RDP89B01330R000400590053-2
 Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/24: CIA-RDP89BO133OR000400590053-2
STANDARDS
o Produce finished intelligence that is objective and
free of political bias. The product must be timely,
relevant and accurate.
o Strive for excellence by staying insatiable in the
quest for excellence.
o Strive to be the best intelligence service in the
world, second to none.
o Believe in innovation - be willing to take some
failures in stride.
o Know which pieces of the past to honor and preserve
while moving into the future.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/02/24: CIA-RDP89BO133OR000400590053-2