OCR Text |
Show I Ii 2 TIMES Aug. 9, 2012 T HillI top COMMENTARY The Cracked Pot Theory, insight to team leadership CHIEF MASTER SGT. JEFF NELSON mE eekly Since 1941 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter ... Standard-Examiner publisher Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Katina L. Ventura Hilltop Times Writer Krista Starker Hilltop Times Correspondent Kim Cook Hilltop Times Correspondent Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the Friday prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items e-mail hilltoptimes@standard.net or call 801- 625-4273. For Classified Advertising, call 801-625-4300. For Retail Advertising, call 801-625-4388. The Hilltop Times is published by Ogden Publishing Corp., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under, and in compliance with, a Memorandum of Understanding with Hill Air Force Base. The content of the Hilltop Times does not necessarily represent the views of, nor is it endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or Hill Air Force Base (collectively, the Government). The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Government of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Standard-Examiner, 332 Standard Way, Ogden, Utah, 84404. Additional editorial content is provided by various military and civilian wire services and Hill Air Force Base public affairs departments. Call 801-625-4273 with story ideas or comments, or contact the editor, Mary Lou Gorny, at mgorny@standard.net . Call 801-6254300 for Classified Advertising or 801-6254388 for Retail Advertising. HAWC Nest Fitness Tip from the Health and Wellness Center Up to 12 weeks of FREE tobacco cessation medication is available to federal employees and up to 6 months is available for active duty, dependents and retirees when attending the tobacco cessation series. Call the Health and Wellness Center at 801-777-1215 for further information. THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2012 DUIs: 10 Chief Enlisted Manager 729th Air Control Squadron I n my 29 years in the Air Force I have seen a lot of things change but there has always been one constant — Airmen. It does not matter what you are engaged in there are Airmen making it happen. Our senior leaders constantly remind us the world's greatest Air Force is dominant not because of technology but because of our team of Airmen. However, our technology may be having a detrimental effect on our team. I will use the term "institutional isolationism" to articulate what I am referring to. Our migration to electronic systems has replaced a large portion of the human interaction that occurred early on in my career. When I reflect back on my first term, I immediately remember my supervisors and their role in helping me adjust to the Air Force. In those days, a typewriter with memory storage was considered high tech! All of our personnel and financial processes were paper-based and front-line supervisors had to understand and teach these procedures to junior Airmen. I learned about reenlistments/promotions, career job reservations, travel orders and vouchers, Leave and Earning Statements, training records, assignments, in/out processing checklists, records reviews, and the list goes on from my rater or NCOIC. Back then, these functions required face-to-face interaction to accomplish. Today most of them are "network enabled." As a result front line supervisors are sometimes on the periphery of their execution. As a general rule, the social interaction requirements of these institutional processes are declining as technology auto- From page 1 In the performance and service category, Master Sgt. Angela Sanders-Crum, 414th Supply Chain Management Squadron, received a $100 scholarship. Baker went on to speak to the group, including logisticians, scholarship winners and their families, noting the high degree of participation by the Wasatch Chapter of LOA in providing the scholarships. He acknowledged the support of the families in students' efforts. The general said he and his wife had four children in college for 12 consecutive years, adding that he was pretty excited at the last child's recent graduation. "That LOA provides these scholarships is pretty important," Baker said. When his first child was contemplating college, he encouraged his oldest to apply for every scholarship possible. Baker emphasized the importance of not only LOA, but all professional organizations and the mentoring such organizations provide once graduates enter their career fields, encouraging students to consider membership in their respective professional organizations. "It is interesting the last few years it has really become kind of cool to be a logistician," said the general. He cited a recent commercial where a man assembles his ducks in a row — "that's logistics," 0frizeizateek44 Scroevre ..57,zate6topt Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Call 777-1111 to request a ride anytime. Hours of operation: Fridays-Saturdays 10 p.m.- 6 a.m. Sundays 9 p.m.-midnight. KIM COOK/U.S. Air Force (Left to right) Logistics Officers Association scholarship winners pose with Brig. Gen. H. Brent Baker Sr., Ogden Air Logistics Complex commander on July 31. They are: Northridge High School student Joshua Wilding, 414th Supply Chain Management Squadron Master Sgt. Angela Sanders-Crum, NHS student Veronica Doumit, Gen. Baker, NHS student Breanne DeMar and Airman 1st Class Jeric Hernandez. LOA gave out scholarships ranging from $100 to $1,250. he said. He quoted a former mentor and boss from the Pacific Air Forces, former Commander Gen. Gary L. North, "It's all about logistics," he would say as he pulled Baker aside. "Logistics is a primary reason why the U.S. wins most confrontations." 777-7000 Puce 30 75e house." Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. Your take away should be the front line supervisor (elderly Chinese woman) knew her team (the pots) and the technology (pole) allowed her team to be more efficient but did not interfere with their relationship. So I ask each of you, has technology interfered with how well you know your team? Back in the 1990s, the nation was hearing about a leadership concept called High Tech/High Touch which basically stated that technology will intrude on the human social sphere. The theory was the more technology advances the harder we must work to retain the social interaction needed to sustain relationships. I clearly remember as a supervisor my job was to negate the impact technology would have on reducing my interactions with my Airmen. Back then social networking was accomplished via vocal cords or written letters; today social networking has a whole new meaning. There are scores of social networking apps/sites and communication can occur instantaneously via smart phones operated by fast moving thumbs. Our young Airmen have communication skills and preferences that are much different than I tend to use. However, at the heart of our Air Force is a very basic requirement — teamwork. Our teams make us strong, whether we are talking about mission or about family, our social skills are still required. Technology is infringing on our interpersonal skills, and I believe we need to recognize that fact and work to incorporate as much face-to-face interaction as possible into our institutional processes. I challenge you to know the Airmen who work for you. LOA Hill's Last DUI: Unit Involved: mates them. I am not advocating we return to the "good ole days," however this changed dynamic cannot be ignored. I ran across the following cracked pot story a long time ago, I think it has relevance so I will share it. An elderly Chinese woman had two large Chief Master Sgt. Nelson pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which she carried across her neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, but the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it finally spoke to the woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house." The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the When you call or send an e-mail, Please give your supervisor and fore calling the Action Line. This will your comments will be recorded and chain of command the opportu- help me better serve your interests. staffed through the agency respon- nity to work with you in answering Items of basewide interest will be questions and solving problems be- published in the Hilltop Times. sible for action. Phone numbers — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their services: Security Forces 24-hr, Crisis Information Force Support Squadron Base Restaurants Retirement/Compensation (civilian) Equal Opportunity Office Employer Relations Military Pay Civilian Pay Air Force Suggestion Program Baker thanked the very active chapter members of LOA, complemented them on their efforts and again congratulated the scholarship recipients. The scholarship winners will go on to compete at the national level in their respective categories. action.line.pa@hill.af.mil Report suspicious activity via t he AFOSI EAGLE EYES program Dial: 777-3056 / 3057/ 3058. watch — Report - Protect Force Protection is Our Business - Everyone is a Sensor 777-9696 Hill Pride Hotline 777-7433 777-3056 Hill Straight Talk Public Affairs IG Complaints 777-5305 777-5333 777-3056 Military Housing 825-9392 777-4134 (for appointment) 777-2043 IG Complaints 777-5361 Maintenance 777-6142 Safety Office 777-3333 (after hours) Safety Office Hotline 586-9300 777-5361 Fraud, Waste or Abuse 777-5455 Sexual Assault Response 777-1985 (recording) 777-7129 Coordinator (or) 777-1964 1-877-885-9595 777-1851 Loud Noise Union 777-3257 (complaints) 777-6246 777-1852 777-4918 AFOSI Narcotics Hotline 777-6901 75th Medical Group Family Assistance Center 777-3090 Civil Engineering 777-1856 (when activated) SUICIDE PREVENTION ASSISTANCE Mental Health Clinic 777-7909 Chaplain 777-2106 Military OneSource (800) 342-9647 National Suicide (800) 273-8255 Prevention Line TriWest Crisis Line (866) 284-3743 TriWest Behavioral (866) 651-4970 Health Contact Center EAP (800) 222-0364 777-1163 Occupational Medicine Services Wingman Advocates 777-2255 |