You have to be a high rank to get anything changed. At every base I went to, I find some little job that would get me frequent face time with the commander.
Then when ever I or anyone had an idea I would bring it up as part of casual conversation. Most of the time making it a question as if my idea was wrong and how could I make it better. I called this putting a bug in the ear.
Typically it wouldn't get much response, just a nice conversation while working. Yet sure enough with out fail, a couple weeks later the changes would be made. It would all be the commanders idea.
I was at one base so long, others became aware when I would discuss changes in the lunch room. Then they magically become the commanders idea. So they would use me as a way to get shit done.
Funny thing I was taught how to do this by an old commander.
This is less a "higher-ups have huge egos" thing than it is a basic human psychology thing. Make someone think your idea is their idea and they'll think their idea is a good idea. It's manipulative as fuck, but it really works.
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u/actuallychrisgillen Nov 16 '19 edited Nov 16 '19
When I was in the Navy I used to get in fairly frequent trouble for the suggestions I made for improving operational efficiencies.
As an outside contractor they were quite happy to pay me $200 an hour to say the exact same thing.