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Meet Major-General Langton
By Marion Grobb
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(Editor's note: Within the first week of assuming the position as CEO, Major-General Langton carved out some time to chat with our Director Communications. In this article, Marion Grobb asks the questions we all have on our minds and Major-General Langton readily shares his thoughts.)
What was your reaction when you first learned of your appointment to Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CFPSA?
MGen Langton: I think the first human reaction (anyone would have) was being a bit overwhelmed CFPSA is a big organization with about 5,800 employees. But then very quickly you say, “I'm not going to be doing this alone”. Success is not due to any one person. People are doing a great job and I know they'll continue to do that. I hope to make an equal contribution.
MGen Langton, what do you think are CFPSA's strengths?
MGen Langton: As a member of the CF, I bring existing perspectives: one as a former Wing Commander, the other as a CFPSA customer. It may sound a bit cliché, but I think our strength is our people and the outstanding service we provide. When I was appointed, a number of former Base and Wing Commanders talked to me and said that they were really pleased with the support they'd received in the field. I am impressed with the expertise of the people within this agency. So I think the CFPSA team is doing a great job and we just need to keep doing it.
What do you see as CFPSA's priorities?
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MGen Langton: Our first priority continues to be our customers and clients. While we will always have resource constraints and never be able to provide everything we'd like to, we need to ensure that we maintain high quality in the many areas we do deliver. The second priority is efficiency. I don't expect people to do more with less, but I do encourage everyone to constantly seek ways of doing more with what we have. Each and every member of the team is an expert in his or her field and has a part to play. The third priority is not really third because we can't accomplish the first two without a professional, dedicated team. The main role of us in Headquarters is to make sure that we're doing everything we can to support our “field forces”. I don't see any of these as a big change. I'd like to thank my predecessor, Mr. John Geci, for moving forward and leading the team in these areas.
What could we, as NPF employees, do to support these priorities?
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MGen Langton: Every employee should be able to link what they're doing everyday, to the agency's key objectives. We should see ourselves in the agency's core values. If we strive to reflect the core characteristics in whatever role we each play, our priorities will be more than achieved. There are lots of examples of good ideas out there, so I encourage people to talk to their supervisors and share their ideas.
How would you describe your management/leadership style?
MGen Langton: I think it's participatory. I aim to build consensus. Direction and orders have a place, there's no question, but in an organization such as ours, there's always time to consult with people. I see my role as asking the questions and getting advice from the experts whether it's the management here in Headquarters or the Base and Wing Commanders then to weigh that input and make the decisions. And, as the Chief (of Defense Staff) and ADM-HR (Mil) would tell you, I then am accountable for these decisions.
What type of “corporate culture” within CFPSA do you hope to create?
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Mgen Langton: I think it already exists for the most part. I go back to “customer service”. We are a service provider. For many of the programs, we use public funds. For the Non-Public Fund programs, we use funds that truly belong to our customers. We have a responsibility to use these dollars wisely. I think another important part of our corporate culture is a sense of team, and that's one of our core characteristics as well.
As CEO of CFPSA, what do you most look forward to?
MGen Langton: ...getting out to meet the members of the NPF team where they work. Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be meeting the folks here in Headquarters, then I plan on getting to the front lines.
What message would you like to leave to our employees?
MGen Langton: I want them to know that I consider it a privilege to have been appointed by the CDS as CEO of the CFPSA. I'm delighted to be here. I believe I've joined an organization of people who are dedicated to “Serving Those Who Serve”. So I guess my message to our employees is to keep doing the great job you've been doing.
