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Show Page 2a Leadership: 113 By Lt. Col. Tim Brown 34th Fighter Squadron commander Dive with me for the next few paragraphs into this business of leadership. I doubt there's a person in this wing who wouldn't agree on the need for it. Though we all nod our heads to its importance, defining all its characteristics is quite another matter. Furthermore, the means through which leadership is exercised (called style) varies significantly from one individual to another and tends, I think at times, to obscure the more important issue of leadership principles. There are five such leadership principles I'd like to share with you today. They are by no means original to me, or all inclusive for that matter, yet after 14 months at the helm of the 34th I've found them both to be true and extremely relevant. Let me share them with you: First and foremost, be the example for your people. As a professional airman I live a life marked by integrity. I am a man (or woman) of my word and my actions are consistent with what I say. Nothing hurts my credibility as a leader more than saying one thing yet living out something far different. With respect to my job I do what everyone else does. There are no "short cuts" for the boss. If I ask someone else to do something, I better be prepared to do it myself. If I'm not willing to do it, that word gets around and the cohesion of the unit as a whole suffers. Be proficient in your field Know your mission and how to effectively get it accomplished. If you're new to the business, learn as much as you can be a "sponge." You get better by picking the brain of those who've been around. I think you know who they are seek them out If you've been in the business for a while, don't rest on your experience. Continuing technological breakthroughs and upgrades mean that what worked yesterday won't necessarily work well tomorrow. I'm convinced there are always better ways of doing ir be it a 4 v 4 engagethings ment or disposing of hazardous materials. So don't rest on what you know, always seek to learn more. ACChasaterm for this it's called "continuous improvement" air-to-a- Know your people & look out for their People well-bein- g are the most important r "77 ask someone else to do something, I better be Walking the talk Set the example Fighter Country Commentary re- - prepared to do it myself. " Lt. Col. Tim Brown 34th Fighter Squadron commander source in any organization. Know their strengths and weakness. Seek ways to allow them to better themselves. Seek their welfare. If the people in your outfit are convinced you're seeking their good, the real winner will be the organization itself. it you ensure your people get the training they need; with it you ensure your sec- tion has the necessary resources to do your job. Train as a team Teamwork is critical to the proper functioning of any organization. If my team fails in sports then I lose the game. Ensure the task is understood, In this profession, second place is no supervised & accomplished Sound communication is absolutely place we must win. To develop a strong sense of teamwork, training is needed critical to effective mission accomplishment. Though a simple concept, I'm con- continuous training for the military makes an extremely fluid environment Last tinually amazed at how difficult "getfeedmonth's winning team may PCS tomorbe. Ask for out" can the word ting back, or better yet go to the other end of row, leaving me with a group of individuthe communication line and find out what als who've not yet become a team. In they were told about the issue. That will this regard, regular deployments to pargive you a good idea on whether or not ticipate in training events such as the Flag what you said is the word that's actually exercises and Combat Archer are critigetting out But the battle does not stop cal they not only help me develop my while the task needs to be propthere skills thereby becoming more proficient it be has to erly communicated, properly in my field, they also help to build the supervised as well. Solid supervision is team. essential at all levels of an organization. Well there they are; not all inclusive, With it you ensure the task is accombut all important Oh, by the way, you plished correctly; with it you set the right don't need to be a cornmander to try these priorities for what needs to be done; with principles out either. Even airmen can make a difference By AIC Aimee Groben Staff writer How could I touch people with my writing when I of w hat they did to make those fly. had to write about things like the squadron Christmas about my story Although I wasn't always "gung-ho- " and the upcoming exerparty, the subjects I was determined to put my heart into my work. cise? Every time I did an article I learned a little more about I can recall the time I was assigned to take photos people, the Air Force and myself. at the 388th's The hangar was The more I focused on people and how they felt dimly lit airmen stood silent in formation and the audiabout doing their jobs, the better my writing became. ence looked on intently. As the commander stepped up Soon, I found myself snooping around the backshops to pass the guidon I made my way out to the center of on the flightline just to see what was going on. I wanthe floor. I pressed the little gray button and waited to dered from office to office trying to pick up on all the hear the click of the shutter as the commanders turned latest I shifted from an anxious deadline hound to a remy way. Nothing. There I was kneeling before them, my camera foporter interested in telling stories about the Air Force cused but not working for what seemed to be an eter- and the many different talented people who make it what nity. My face was burning with embarrassment and I it is. was sure the moment would never end. Finally, my Yes, it's true, I am only an AIC and my stories flash went off and I breathed a sigh of relief. aren't always award winners. But when one person I hated that assignment but it taught me tells me they read my story and it had some kind of something. I learned that day how to keep my cool in a tense situaeffect on them I know that my job is important tion. There were times I was sent to do stories about how I guess what I'm trying to say is that no matter the work on and the maintenance side things flightline what you do in the Air Force, your work affects people of the house. Just as the people I was interviewing didn't and that makes your job important and worth doing with understand what my job was all about, I hadn't a clue your whole heart. F-1- 6s change-of-comma- When I first arrived at Hill, straight out of tech school and ready to take on the world, I had no idea what I was in for. One of my first assignments was to interview an incoming commander. A colonel. (In tech school they rank up there somewhere near God) I begged; I pleaded with my boss not to make me do it. She took no pity. With dry mouth and a palpitating heart I fumbled through the interview. That was the first in a long list nd change-of-comman- of assignments I dreaded. As I took over as editor of the Fighter Country I realized I would be doing many things I had never done before. Some of those things didn't really mean a lot to me because I didn't see them as part of a bigger picture. I didn't think my role as story writer was very important. As I began to piece together this puzzle called the Air Force I found some missing pieces. I didn't understand how I was supposed to make my mark by writing n about a concept called quality, or about this I aircraft knew dollar nothing about. multi-millio- d. Fighter Country H edited, prepared and provided by the 388th Fighter Wm Public Affair Office. Submit editorial copy to 388 FWPA (Bldj. 20. Room 3) ont week prior to that iitue. For more Information. aH the public affair office 0 1 1 tt Col. Bent ley Ftayburn TSft D.H.J. Emit Commander, 388xh fighter Wing NCOtC, PuMcAflbirs SrA. J.C.WoodHnj 1st Lt.John J. Thomas Editor AIC Aimee C rob en Chief, Public Affairs Fighter Country is a supplement to the Hilltop Times, published by MorMedia, Inc. a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under exclusive written contract with the Ogden ALC Public Affairs Office. This commercial enterprise Air Force newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military services. Contents of Fighter Country are not necessarily the official views of, or 777-320- A.! Staff writer of th. otherwise mdicated. all photo, ,re U.S. Air Force phoTos. Advertisements contained herein do not constitute endorsement VI , r the U.S. Air Force or Hill AFB Everything to race, color, rehgior, sex, or other nonment factor of the purchaser, user or partS. ,BT TT" |