CONTACTS 
0201 - Dep Natrl Recrs & Consrvtn                                                                                                                                         O-00000395 0102
020101 - Mr. Wayne Wetzel; Deputy Director

SUBJECTS
Meeting Notes, Review
Anger, Frustruations from Erroneous Meeting
Clear Concise Complete Notes, Needs Special
Citations Empower Creativity Understanding
Meeting Notes, Formal Events Omit Analysis
Proactive Management Discovers Problems
Notice Provisions, Case Study Broadwater
Feedback Critical to Communication
Tape Recordings Inefficient Take a Lot of Time Expensive
Wiggle Room Deniability Fear Accountability SDS Maintains Alignment A
Triangulation SDS Accurate Causes Fear Tape Recording Not Effective

2713 -
2713 -    ..
2714 - Summary/Objective
2715 -
271501 - Follow up ref SDS 4 0000,
271502 -
271503 - Met with Wayne Wetzel to review the progress meeting earlier today
271504 - when Sletten asked about the scope and purpose of the Engineer's
271505 - record of prior meetings prepared with the SDS program. ref SDS 4
271506 - 3402,
271508 -  ..
271509 - During the meeting, Wayne responded to Sletten's questions by noting
271510 - that SDS records for the meetings on 880824, ref SDS 2 8366, and on
271511 - 880831, ref SDS 3 4829, are not a verbatim transcript of what was
271512 - said, and that Wayne intends to submit feedback on both the Engineer's
271513 - record and to any comments Sletten submits. ref SDS 4 3402
271514 -
271515 -     [On 880908 submitted notes to Wayne. ref SDS 5 5728]
271516 -
271517 -
271519 -  ..
271520 - People threatened by the truth will seek to disclaim it.
271521 - Notice Practices Apply Management Requirements for Avoiding Mistakes
271522 -
271523 - Briefed Wayne on notice practices applying SDS to prepare an accurate
271524 - record of the work.  Chronology of daily work and communications in
271525 - relation to objectives, requirements, and commitments enables the
271526 - Engineer, the State, and contractors to meet requirements for quality,
271527 - cost, and schedule, under the Welch assignment developed on 880815 in
271528 - a meeting with Clyde Earnest at Tudor's offices in San Francisco.
271529 - ref SDS 1 FS70
271530 -
271531 -    [On 880925 submitted letter to Tudor explaining contract management
271532 -    practices enabled by SDS. ref SDS 8 2475
271534 -  ..
271535 - Feedback from everyone is an important part of getting an accurate
271536 - record that makes management effective.  General criticisms and
271537 - complaints that are not supported, like those offered by Sletten
271538 - during the progress meeting today, tend to harm the source, and do not
271539 - deter good management provided leadership is not diverted from
271540 - support.
271542 -  ..
271543 - In any case we want Sletten to come forward with notice of errors in
271544 - understandings or direction by the Engineer, so that these differences
271545 - can be investigated and corrected, when warranted, in a timely manner.
271546 -
271547 -    [On 881003 Sletten claims SDS record inaccurate submits no
271548 -    corrections. ref SDS 10 5000]
271550 -     ..
271551 -    [On 881102 Sletten gos off-the-record to argue unspecified errors
271552 -    in project SDS record harms entitlement to extra payment.
271553 -    ref SDS 12 0629]
271555 -  ..
271556 - I am concerned that Wayne, other State people (e.g. Norm Barnard), and
271557 - the Engineer, have confidence in the accuracy and adequacy of the work
271558 - I perform on their behalf.
271559 -
271560 -      [On 880908 follow up discussion with Jeff. ref SDS 5 4920]
271561 -
271562 -      [On 881003 DNRC counsel reviewed tape recordings of meetings and
271563 -      finds SDS record is accurate. ref SDS 10 5000]
271565 -       ..
271566 -      [On 881007 Tudor requested less contact between Welch and DNRC.
271567 -      ref SDS 11 0951]
271568 -
271569 -
271571 -  ..
271572 - Engineer and the State Need Command and Control of the Record
271573 -
271574 - We reviewed the discussion earlier today during the Progress Meeting
271575 - with Sletten on the purpose of the record for managing the project.
271576 - ref SDS 4 5048   SDS enables effective management; it is not intended
271577 - to provide a verbatim transcript of what was said.
271579 -  ..
271580 - A transcript of daily communication takes too much time to obtain,
271581 - transcribe and correct; such a process would leave no time to do any
271582 - actual work, which defeats the purpose of communciation for improving
271583 - productivity.  SDS strives to balance competing objectives for speed
271584 - and accuracy in order to improve productivity by strengthening
271585 - understanding and follow up to get things done correctly, on time and
271586 - within budget.
271587 -
271588 -     [On 890809 "listening" to understand and follow up is weak link
271589 -     in communication. ref SDS 14 CJ9J
271591 -      ..
271592 -     [On 911130 Justice Mosk with the California Supreme Court
271593 -     commented on SDS methodology. ref SDS 15 0I7I
271595 -  ..
271596 - Tape recordings, which Bill Merriman proposed for meetings today,
271597 - ref SDS 4 3402, provide a verbatim transcript and are not effective
271598 - for management because business meetings do not have the structure and
271599 - planning that makes court testimony focus on relevant and material
271600 - information.  Sletten will discover that this method will not improve
271601 - their management nor help them avoid accountability for failing to
271602 - perform contract requirements.
271603 -
271604 -     [On 880922 Bill Merriman requested to turn the tape record off.
271605 -     ref SDS 6 8538]
271607 -      ..
271608 -     [On 881102 Sletten gos off-the-record to argue unspecified errors
271609 -     in project SDS record harms entitlement to extra payment.
271610 -     ref SDS 12 0629]
271612 -      ..
271613 -     [On 971024 reviewed this issue with Max Wideman. ref SDS 19 7137]
271615 -      ..
271616 -     [On 990225 reviewed again on voice recognition. ref SDS 20 4758]
271618 -  ..
271619 - Tudor hired Welch to improve contract performance and to resolve
271620 - claims equitably and timely, as discussed with Clyde on 880815.
271621 - ref SDS 1 7301
271622 -
271623 -     [On 890324 Clyde found SDS is overkill. ref SDS 13 6894
271625 -  ..
271626 - SDS facilitates management by expanding span of attention to increase
271627 - the chance of obtaining a favorable balance between speed and
271628 - accuracy in performing the work.
271630 -  ..
271631 - A clear, concise and complete record expedites the work by placing
271632 - understandings from meetings, calls, documents and events in the
271633 - context of objectives, requirements and commitments based on project
271634 - history.  This enables common recognition (shared meaning) by affected
271635 - parties of factors that impact performance, so that timely, effective
271636 - and complementary action can be taken to maintain progress of the
271637 - work, which is essential to meet budget and schedule objectives.  If
271638 - time and budget objectives are not met, the project fails, causing
271639 - damage to people and organizations.  As a result, a corollary goal of
271640 - the SDS record is to enable people to avoid taking conflicting actions
271641 - that delay the work and cause extra cost to fix mistakes, called
271642 - "rework."
271643 -
271644 -     [On 911123 reviewed SDS procedures with Justice Stanley Mosk.
271645 -     ref SDS 15 5006
271647 -      ..
271648 -     [On 960620 prepared paper explaining "clear, concise and complete
271649 -     communications. ref SDS 16 1643
271651 -  ..
271652 - Misrepresentation is avoided in the record by obtaining timely
271653 - feedback that corrects and refines understandings so that work can
271654 - proceed without delay and extra cost.  Contract notice provisions
271655 - require all parties to make timely review and correction in advance
271656 - taking action. SDS further improves accuracy by a triangulation
271657 - methodology of aligning new information with prior history, related
271658 - communications in documents and calls, and with the organic structure
271659 - of the project that shows correlations, implications and nuance that
271660 - are otherwise hidden by the press of daily business.  SDS methodology
271661 - provides summary that supports clarity and perspective; and, links to
271662 - original sources provide an audit trail for quickly obtaining deeper
271663 - understanding about specific details when needed.
271665 -  ..
271666 - Sletten for example complaines that "...several statements and/or
271667 - positions made by Sletten [at the meeting of 880824] were either
271668 - misrepresented, added to or speculated on by the minutes author"
271670 -  ..
271671 - During the meeting on 880831 Bill Merriman made the same complaint.
271672 - He was asked to point out a specific error, and he cited the record on
271673 - 880824 that says in part...
271674 -
271675 -    Bill advised that the bracing was not installed because Sletten
271676 -    management did not believe it was necessary in order to accomplish
271677 -    a correct assembly. ref SDS 2 9904
271679 -  ..
271680 - Bill said today that he did not make such a statement; and so he was
271681 - asked again to explain why Sletten did not install bracing on the DTL
271682 - pipe.
271683 -
271684 -    Bill advised said that Sletten constructed the DTL the way they
271685 -    believed was appropriate and they believed that bracing was not
271686 -    needed. ref SDS 4 526J
271688 -  ..
271689 - Clearly, there is no material difference between the language in the
271690 - record on 880824 that Bill characterizes as inaccurate "opinion," and
271691 - the "correction" he offered today.  This reflects the point above that
271692 - if the record is unpleasant, there will be efforts to avoid
271693 - accountability by claiming inaccuracy. ref SDS 0 6927
271695 -  ..
271696 - It is telling that this passage is not among those lined out or
271697 - disclaimed by Sletten in its letter of 880902 submitting corrections
271698 - to the record on 880824.  Sletten does, however add to this particular
271699 - passage grounds to justify its conduct on this matter.
271701 -  ..
271702 - I don't recall Bill offering the added justification during the
271703 - meeting on 880824. ref SDS 2 9904  But, there is nothing wrong with
271704 - supplementing the record in this manner, since it discloses reasons
271705 - that must be dealt with sooner or later, and so allows the Engineer
271706 - the opportunity to revise the decision, if justified by the record.
271707 -
271709 -  ..
271710 - Feedback is a critical purpose of SDS record on daily work, including
271711 - communication in meetings and calls.  Feedback enables people to
271712 - discover conflicting understandings and intentions in time to avoid
271713 - and mitigate damage, which is the purpose of contract notice
271714 - provisions.
271715 -
271716 -    [On 990908 Jeff is worried about using notice provisions.
271717 -    ref SDS 5 4920
271719 -     ..
271720 -    [On 880925 submitted letter to Tudor explaining contract management
271721 -    practices enabled by SDS. ref SDS 7 2475
271723 -     ..
271724 -    [On 880929 reviewed purpose of feedback with Norm. ref SDS 9 3528]
271726 -     ..
271727 -    [On 881102 Sletten gos off-the-record to argue unspecified errors
271728 -    in project SDS record harms entitlement to extra payment.
271729 -    ref SDS 12 0629]
271731 -     ..
271732 -    [On 961011 reviewed feedback with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers --
271733 -    cannot get agreement of everyone. ref SDS 17 4907]
271735 -     ..
271736 -    [On 961017 explained purpose of feedback and use of conflict for
271737 -    early notice of problems that need attention. ref SDS 18 2068]
271739 -  ..
271740 - As a result, "corrections" offered by Sletten are helpful to the State
271741 - for dispute resolution  because a neutral fact finder may well
271742 - question the credibility of a party that seeks to purge the notes of
271743 - unfavorable facts that are established elsewhere in the record.
271744 - Sletten's "corrections" are clearly self-serving and do not show any
271745 - material misrepresentation of comments or intent.  In fact Sletten's
271746 - only problem with the notes is that they disclose too clearly an
271747 - improper intent to avoid performing the contract, and the consequences
271748 - thereof.
271750 -  ..
271751 - We discussed Norm Barnard's review of the notes for the 880824 meeting
271752 - and that he offered one clarification for the 20 issues covered in the
271753 - notes.  Norm, also, observed that the narrative constituted "opinion."
271754 - I asked Norm if the Notes misrepresent the substance and intent of
271755 - remarks by attendees at the meeting, or cite the contract incorrectly?
271756 -
271758 -  ..
271759 - Norm said that the notes accurately capture the essence and important
271760 - understandings from the meeting.  Since this is what managers need to
271761 - manage effectively, I believe these notes serve the interests of the
271762 - State and the Contractor.
271764 -  ..
271765 - Similarly, Ken Carlson read the notes and reported one minor
271766 - correction, ref OF 2 line 30
271767 -
271768 -     [DNRC counsel reported notes are accurate based on tape
271769 -     recordings. ref SDS 10 7007.]
271771 -  ..
271772 - Wayne observed that it is impossible not to have some degree of
271773 - disagreement about details and implications of context needed for
271774 - managing the work.  If details are omitted from the record in order to
271775 - avoid controversy, then the record is not very useful.  He cited notes
271776 - he prepared of a meeting on 880811 with Sletten that caused a lot of
271777 - controversey and in his mind he felt the record was accurate and
271778 - necessary to protect the State's interest.  This opened his eyes to
271779 - the fact merely because people object to the record does not justify
271780 - ignoring the record.
271781 -
271782 -      [On 880908 discussed same point with Jeff. ref SDS 5 5100
271784 -  ..
271785 - Wayne said that he is satisfied with results so far to approve
271786 - continued use of SDS for managing the work.  He feels this is a
271787 - different way of doing things with greater emphasis on "paperwork."
271788 - Most people are trying cut down on paperwork, but the SDS method of
271789 - showing everybody how things are interdependent, and everything is
271790 - tied back to the contract has proven effective.
271792 -  ..
271793 - Wayne commented there has been significant change in the way Bill
271794 - Merriman handles himself during meetings now that he sees his remarks
271795 - relate to project history and contract provisions in SDs.  Wayne said
271796 - the "leapard" has not changed its spots, so there will continue to be
271797 - problems of performance by Sletten, but he feels that SDS has "belled
271798 - the cat."  At least meetings are civil now and that is a big
271799 - improvement.
271801 -  ..
271802 - This addresses one of the issues Tudor wanted to acocmplish on 880815.
271803 - ref SDS 1 NF6M
271804 -
271805 -
271806 -
271807 -
271808 -
271809 -
271810 -
271811 -
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271813 -
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2719 -