EEO manager wins Air Force award

Published June 15, 2007
By Kandis Murdock
Tinker Air Force Base Public Affairs

Tinker Air Force Base -- Paula Cochnauer and her office are knee-deep in problems and conflicts, and they can't avoid it.
   Day in and day out they endure angry, hurt or even belligerent people with disputes, but many leave better than they came.
   That is why this office is so special, and there is no dispute about that.
   Ms. Cochnauer, Equal Employment Opportunity manager for the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, received the Air Force Distinguished Equal Opportunity award in the Complaints System category in late May. She said she couldn't have won had it not been for her staff of experienced and dedicated EEO counselors and administrative assistants.
   In the last fiscal year, EEO received a little less than 600 contacts (informal inquiries or complaints) and only 19 percent, or less than 110 contacts, resulted in a formal investigation.
   "The key is communication and early intervention," she said. "I have found that people have to sit down and talk in order to work out problems. If you cannot engage in communication, problems will not be resolved."
   EEO counselors serve as facilitators between employees and managers.
   "It takes a special person to deal with conflict effectively," she said. "Many people become uncomfortable when faced with problems in the workplace and do not like to deal with conflicted employees.
   "You have to be able to listen, be patient, stay calm and not take anything personally," she added.
   She said it is the counselors, who want to do a good job and provide quality resolutions, who are responsible for the success.
   Yet, lead counselor and 20-year EEO veteran Mary S. Pinkston said it is Ms. Cochnauer's leadership that creates a team-oriented environment.
   "Paula is a fantastic leader," Ms. Pinkston said. "She allows her employees to broaden their knowledge and continually encourages them in their career growth. Her leadership, knowledge and abilities are recognized all the way up through headquarters Air Force level."
   The Civilian EEO Office, whose staff is usually working behind the scenes, does not usually gain recognition of this stature, so to receive an Air Force level award was exciting, Ms. Cochnauer said.