Document created: 3 September 03
Air University Review, July-August 1975
The Junior Officer as Leader
It has been my observation that there is little information or guidance readily available relative to the practical aspects of command from the junior officer’s point of view. Since I had the opportunity to be a headquarters squadron commander while still a junior captain, this article has been written in the hope that other Air Force junior officers may find some profit from my leadership experiences and resultant philosophies.
A headquarters squadron is an organization composed of various divisions, each a separate organization of itself. The squadron section, which consists of the commander and his staff, is on the same management level as the divisions but has administrative responsibility for all personnel functionally assigned to the various divisions. The commander’s staff consists of a first sergeant, two supervisors who manage the administrative and training sections, and their subordinates. Three of the cardinal responsibilities of the commanders are the administering of disciplinary actions, maintaining a dormitory for bachelor and unaccompanied personnel, and operating an effective training program. Maintaining morale, health, and welfare at a high level, scheduling personnel for appointments and details, and counseling personnel are also some of his more important responsibilities. The divisions, which are further divided into sections, are headed by a chief, who has section supervisors reporting directly to him. The division chiefs are responsible to the wing commander for effectively managing their functional areas and therefore are relieved of command requirements that are performed by the headquarters squadron commander. The squadron structure makes it necessary for the division chiefs and squadron commander to develop a good social relationship that will insure spontaneous cooperation and teamwork, so that the administrative squadron commander can effectively discharge his responsibilities. Although the commander may have “positional authority” to make decisions without consulting division chiefs, more will be accomplished by his effectively using social skills to secure their involvement, participation, and cooperation with regard to decisions that he has to make. The squadron commander must strive to bring about the effective integration and meshing of the divisions into a unit with a singularly common goal of creating and maintaining those situations that will produce the necessary group and individual behavior to assist the wing in accomplishing its mission and satisfy the individual and group needs of the people.
the leader
The squadron commander is the designated leader of what can be considered the basic organization of the Air Force. An individual may be appointed to a position of command by virtue of someone with higher command authority; however, recognition as leader is earned by one who is generally accepted by members of his organization because of respect for his ability to make the proper decisions for the organization as a whole. Therefore, a major goal of the commander should be to become the accepted leader of the organization.
Perhaps the first step of a new commander is to accept the responsibility of
command, which is well expressed by a quote from the Air Officer’s Guide:
The commander is responsible for
the execution of all activities pertaining to the unit. This includes the
successful accomplishment of all missions assigned . . . . He is responsible in
every way for all that his organization does or fails to do. To a greater
degree than other commanders, he must be in intimate touch with his men, and
know their individual characteristics and capacities, their degree of training,
their morale, and discipline. He must provide for the welfare of his men in all
ways and under all conditions. . . . The conditions which the airman
experiences in his own squadron determine his opinion of the Air Force as a
whole.1
Every commander works from the same vantage point; that is he has the legal authority to impose punishment and reward appropriate acts and behavior by virtue of his position. He possesses the legal authority within the squadron. He can use that authority to build a strong, viable organization, or he can mismanage that authority (power) and cause the organization to wither to ineffectiveness. The assistance of the legal and personnel offices, as well as other specialized agencies, can help a commander avoid mismanaging his authority; however, the possibility of such a thing happening is always present. A commander must realize his responsibility and get on with the business of managing his squadron. In this regard, a new commander will rely heavily on those personal leadership traits that have been successful for him in the past.
An individual who is selected to command a squadron should possess personal
qualities perhaps described as follows: (1) The leader is somewhat more
intelligent than the average of his followers but not so superior that he
cannot be readily understood by those who work with him. (2) The leader is a
well-rounded individual from the standpoint of interests and aptitudes. He
tends toward interests, aptitudes, and knowledge with respect to a wide variety
of fields. (3) The leader has an unusual facility with language. He speaks and
writes simply, persuasively, and understandably. (4) The leader is mentally and
emotionally mature. He has come of age mentally and emotionally as well as
physically. (5) The leader has a powerful drive or motivation that impels him
to strive for accomplishment. (6) The leader is fully aware of the importance
of cooperative effort in getting things done; he therefore understands and
practices very effectively the so-called social skills. (7) The leader relies
on his administrative skills to a much greater extent than he does on any of
the technical skills that may be associated with his work.2
In addition to these sophisticated qualities, training in interviewing, coaching, and counseling is necessary in order to succeed in a commander’s role. Good training and experience in listening and understanding of individual and group sentiments can be obtained through participation on military court-martial boards, community council committees, race relations and drug abuse seminars, and Human Relations Council meetings. Additionally, the commander must develop his “social, diplomatic and diagnostic skills” and be creative, innovative, and imaginative to effectively generate teamwork, participation, and cooperation among the various groups and individuals within the squadron. However, of all the skills that might affect his effectiveness, the most important is his ability to communicate with others. He must be able to communicate in a manner that allows all personnel, regardless of grade, to understand him.
A leader in today’s Air Force must not only be socially and administratively adept; he must also be dynamic and should effectively employ charisma if he possesses that quality. Life itself is dynamic, and a leader must be dynamic to keep abreast of the people and situations about him. In order to deal effectively with dynamic situations, the commander must be thoroughly familiar with the organization he is leading. He must acquire good staff personnel to accomplish administrative tasks because he cannot afford to become so entangled in paperwork that he is stuck behind a desk. A capable first sergeant is the heart of a good staff, and the commander should exercise care in selecting a person for this position.
the people
The primary concern of the squadron leader should be his people because the individuals and groups of people that make up the squadron are those who actually “get the job done.” Commanders, managers, and leaders have one thing in common—they have to work with the one resource that is always used: people. The people who comprise today’s military organization bring a wide variety of experience and behavior with them that must be dealt with by the leader. In order to deal effectively with people and maintain an atmosphere that is conducive to mission accomplishment, the leader must have frequent contact with the people in the organization.
The leader, by his position, is visible to his superiors, peers, and followers in the organization he is leading. To be a successful leader, he must remain highly visible in the eyes of his followers. He should take advantage of every opportunity to come face to face with the people in the organization. Commander’s call, base parades, and council meetings provide the commander excellent opportunities for visibility and “leading by example.” It will become readily apparent that the people have little respect for a leader and place little trust in him if he does not set the example in duty performance and personal conduct. He should visit the various workshops and talk with people, eat in the airmen’s dining hall periodically, and make a genuine effort to appreciate the personal and official people problems, because the people’s problems sooner or later become his if they are not individually resolved. The commander should learn where the various groups of people spend their off-duty time. This is not to say that he should know every place the members of the organization frequent, but he should have a general knowledge of which groups or individuals frequent various types of social activities. This knowledge should provide him the familiarity to understand sentiments and allow him to create an atmosphere conducive to “cooperation, appreciation for others, patient understanding and teamwork within the squadron. Good human relations, in addition to enhancing the leader’s effectiveness, aid in fostering an atmosphere of mutual trust and understanding in the leader-follower relationship that thrives on trust and confidence. The leader must take it upon himself to understand and respect the people who follow him.
Keeping the people informed is perhaps one of the better ways of developing
a strong positive relationship between the leader and the people. Suspicion can
wreck a sound relationship faster than any other type of action. One earmark of
a good manager is his ability to keep suspicion and rumor to a minimum. The
“grapevine” operates with extreme rapidity. It can sometimes be used as a trial
balloon. If you want to know the possible reaction to a proposed course, let
the grapevine hear that such a course is in the wind. The kind of reaction
could help you determine whether to go the proposed route. Learn to use the
calculated leak to precondition the group to some unusual news that is apt to
follow. To keep the grapevine healthy, to keep suspicions and rumors from
developing: (1) Conduct yourself in an open and aboveboard way. (2) Keep people
well informed on what is going on. (3) Be constantly on the alert for things
that might be misunderstood or misinterpreted; you can become suspicious, too.
When you have questions, don’t speculate; go directly to the people concerned
and get the facts. Facts kill rumors.3
The squadron commander is probably placed in a more exacting role than a commander at any other level because of his more frequent interacting with the people. Since he has legal corrective and punitive authority, he must maintain the proper social distance in order to be objective in dealing with people and to exercise his authority judiciously. On the other hand, he must maintain sufficient contact with the people to be decisive and exert positive leadership with regard to people improvements. The nature of the situation and the personalities of the leader and the people involved should be carefully considered with regard to the degree of intimacy established between leader and subordinate. It is difficult to specify where the line should be drawn with regard to the contact a leader should maintain with his people, but he should not become involved in their personal affairs unless absolutely necessary. In most instances the people will solve their own problems, but the leader should be willing to assist those who need his help. Since the leader is often required to evaluate the capabilities of his subordinates, he should maintain sufficient contact to be objective in giving praise or corrective action.
Counseling is one of the more important skills that a leader should develop to assist his people in adjusting to the problems they encounter. The headquarters squadron commander will find himself counseling on personal problems more than on any other kind. In this regard, he will be concerned with both formal and informal counseling. Normally, formal counseling will take place in the commander’s office or an office setting. Informal counseling might take place in the dormitory after an inspection, in a workshop, on the street, or at other places where his people approach him to ask assistance in resolving a personal problem. Under formal conditions, the commander might initiate a counseling session as a result of noticing a subordinate’s discipline, personal appearance, or some other matter. In other instances, one of the people may request an appointment or just stop by his office to discuss a problem. When he knows in advance of a counseling situation, he should try to learn as much as possible about the individual before he begins to counsel him.
Perhaps the most important element of the leader and subordinate counseling situation is the leader’s ability to listen. Before the leader can be a good listener, he must be able to get the individual to talk about his problems. Putting a man at ease as quickly as possible will greatly facilitate matters. The leader should never sit behind a desk during a formal or informal counseling session if he can avoid it; the desk is simply a barrier to communications. By moving to a couch or chair alongside the individual, the leader will gain the minimal but crucial time needed to get psychologically prepared for “patient listening.” In addition, his moving from behind the desk will tend to alleviate the anxiety of talking with “the commander.” He should relate to the individual’s explanation of the problem and reflect a genuine interest in the feelings expressed. Often the leader will sit and listen patiently, contributing an occasional word or gesture of encouragement, while the individual being counseled talks through and solves his own problem.
Informal counseling is generally of shorter duration, as the problem may relate to something the leader dislikes and expects to see changed in the future. In other instances it may be a matter of a yes or no answer to a problem in the form of a question.
Counseling is an effective tool for the leader in providing for the welfare of his people, but he cannot expect to become a professional counselor because of his busy schedule. The Air Force has many agencies with professional counselors, such as the chaplain, Social Actions Office, and medical and legal staffs, that can assist the commander in dealing with his men and their problems. The leader must recognize cases appropriate for referral to a professional and schedule an appointment. The leader’s responsibility for welfare is for all his people, not for just a few.
Perhaps the squadron commander’s closest relationship will be with the first sergeant. To a greater degree than other noncommissioned officers in the squadron, the first sergeant is the most important link between the leader and the younger, lower-grade airmen. In essence, he is in a better position to keep the leader informed of the pulse of the organization. His advice should always be considered for the simple reason that normally he will have many more years of experience in dealing with people. He can and should resolve many people problems that do not necessarily need the attention of the commander. The commander and first sergeant should have separate offices but in close proximity, to allow frequent and sufficient discussion of matters that affect the organizational situation. The commander and first sergeant should seek every opportunity to learn from each other, because there are many situations when they will have to assume each other’s responsibilities. The commander and first sergeant must be truly committed to each other, to insure the effectiveness and enhancement of the organization. Keeping each other informed on situations and decisions made with regard to the people of the squadron is a must. There should be few secrets between the first sergeant and commander, if any. To insure this, the commander must give the first sergeant status and prestige by delegating authority and supporting him in his actions to carry out the mission of the organization. An active and effective first sergeant can truly be the “backbone” of the squadron.
policies and programs
A new commander should announce his policies and establish procedures for managing programs as soon as possible after assuming command. Many programs that must be continued by every commander should be retailored by each new commander to achieve the goals he has established for the organization. Although a squadron commander can establish policies pertaining to his organization, these policies are often reflections of policies established at higher command levels. There are many ways for publicizing policies and positions on programs. The commander can publish articles in the base newspaper at the more propitious times so that all members of the squadron are informed. Publishing letters and sending them to each division for circulation and posting on bulletin boards is another method. He should make use of every communication instrument to keep people informed of policies and programs.
The more effective social programs are, the more effectively the organization should function. These programs should be people-oriented and highly publicized as such. Maximum publicity should also be given to programs relating to complaints, equal opportunity and treatment, formal training, and career advice. The commander should go on record (both written and oral) that he expects these programs to be supported by everyone. If he is fortunate, he may find an officer who is willing to accept the responsibility for these programs and take a genuine interest to insure that they are viable and effective. He should insure that the individual administering these programs keeps him well informed. There are several programs that the commander should conduct and participate in actively. One of these is the squadron formal training program. The number of people in training for a given month could range from 100 to 120 people for a headquarters squadron. If he assumes command of a squadron with a high failure rate, he can assume that his training program is ineffective and the rate of disciplinary problems high, for training has a direct relation to disciplinary problems. An ineffective training program can generally be attributed to a lack of involvement and direction on the part of the squadron commander, division chiefs, and supervisors. There is a misconception that the squadron training NCO is responsible. That is not the case; the commander is responsible. The squadron training NCO should work directly for the commander, not for the first sergeant. The commander should insure that the training NCO and his assistants are highly qualified and that they have established administrative, inspecting, and monitoring procedures to account for the division training programs. The commander should develop a rapport with division chiefs to get their supervisors involved in the training program. One method that has worked is to appoint division training monitors and hold a monthly meeting, where they present their problems and proposed solutions. The cross-talk between monitors is often beneficial to other monitors, the training NCO, and the commander. If the training program is good, disciplinary problems should be minimal. The training administrative process must function properly with regard to training and developing individuals to foster adequate growth for assuming greater responsibilities. Training also helps one develop an appreciation for the job and a better understanding of the Air Force mission. These ingredients, blended with other factors, establish the degree of morale and healthiness of individual and group attitudes with regard to the discipline of the squadron.
Commander’s call is another program that the leader should conduct personally. The first commander’s call after assuming command is perhaps the most important because the initial impression one makes is normally a lasting one. Sometimes it is necessary to make drastic changes; however, a new commander should avoid making arbitrary changes for the sake of change. Perhaps at the first commander’s call he might announce his support of senior NCO’s in their efforts to enforce regulations that govern Air Force members and his support and expectations of members of the organization with regard to equal opportunity and treatment for all persons. The monthly commander’s call gives the commander an opportunity for face-to-face communication with all the people and to present awards as proper recognition to deserving individuals. He can also use this opportunity to answer questions and clarify situations that may have become misconstrued. To make this program more interesting, he might invite different staff agencies, such as legal, personnel, and Social Actions Offices, to talk on their areas of responsibility. The majority of these talks are not only informative but interesting. Do not try to stretch the time period because it is not fair to your people. Extending beyond the time allotted, especially after duty, is worse.
An incoming briefing can be beneficial to the commander. He can meet face to face with all newcomers and give them the opportunity to form their opinion of him without a great deal of influence from other people. We should try to get as much information as he can about each individual’s background, without prying, and try to remember the name of each individual assigned to the squadron. An open-door policy can also help; but once the people discover the commander will assist them even if they just drop in, he will have a difficult time accomplishing his paperwork during duty hours. The advantage is that he will have the opportunity to help an individual resolve his problem before it is blown out of proportion. Additionally, effective use of these tools can keep the AWOL rate at a minimum.
Dormitory policies and procedures should be published upon his assuming command. The condition of the dormitory can change from one day to the next. However, to establish some consistency, the commander must post standards and procedures and take corrective action to enforce compliance with them. In regard to the dormitory, there is often a tendency to apply group corrective action, but it is not recommended unless thorough inspection dictates it.
discipline of the squadron
The squadron leader has primary responsibility for maintaining the discipline of the squadron. The degree of discipline within an organization is affected by a number of factors, of which two, rewards and punishment, probably have the greatest influence. The leader must at all times consider how the discipline of the organization will be affected when he decides to mete out punishment or present an award. In either case, he must be fair, decisive, and consistent. Discipline is important because it reflects the readiness, willingness, responsiveness, and behavior of the individuals and groups of individuals as they interact with each other to accomplish the mission and satisfy their individual and personal needs. Discipline is not the result of a spontaneous reaction; the degree of discipline that is desired will come as a result of the emphasis the leader places on training and the conduct of his people both on and off duty. Compliance with standards regarding personal appearance, such as haircuts, mustaches, dress standards, cleanliness, et cetera, should indicate to him what degree of discipline his organization possesses.
Rewards are effective as incentives and motivators for continuous good behavior. Rewarding can be accomplished in many ways other than presenting something of monetary value. For example, a day off duty, a verbal comment, or a letter of commendation can be of considerable value to the recipient provided the reward is presented in a genuine manner for a significant achievement. Rewarding individuals can be overdone to the extent that normal conduct or performance is considered less than desirable because the reward is no longer a motivating factor. The leader must keep in mind that a paycheck is given because one does his job. In essence, a reward should be based on a standard that is attainable by the membership of the organization, and the standard of achievement should be set somewhat higher than that normally expected of each member. When the leader decides to give an award, he should present it at some appropriate gathering, such as commander’s call, for proper recognition of the individual receiving the award. Individuals viewing the presentation may be motivated and develop an appreciation for the type of performance that is rewarded. Rewards constitute one way of guiding behavior that affects the degree of discipline within the squadron.
Punishment, the direct opposite of reward, is imposed upon the individual because his conduct or behavior is less than desirable. The first step in the administering of punishment is perhaps the publishing of those standards, policies, and procedures that the leader expects his followers to sustain. After an established rule has been violated, the next step is for the leader to insure that justice prevails in his efforts to rectify unacceptable conduct, performance, or behavior. He must realize that it is not so much the severity of the punishment but the certainty of punishment that will establish the proper degree of discipline in his organization. At times, imposing punishment may be inappropriate, especially if the individual does not understand the level at which he is to perform. When an individual is knowledgeable of the expected standard and fails to meet that standard, a just punishment is warranted. The lack of punishment for those acts that do not meet acceptable standards may result in a complete breakdown of the squadron discipline.
In his day-to-day activities, the leader may be required to mete out punishments in both formal and informal situations. The formal situation occurs in the office in the form of nonjudicial punishment under Article 15 or letter of reprimand. The highest form of punishment that the squadron leader, as a junior officer, is authorized to administer is the Article 15 under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Informal punishments may come as a verbal reprimand, admonishment, or a denial of what would normally be an approval. To be fair and just, the leader should be thoroughly familiar with the people and the administrative process that evolves within and around his organization. To become familiar with the administrative process, the new leader should become acquainted with and make appointments to talk with the Chief of Military Personnel, the Staff Judge Advocate, and the Office of Special Investigations, Security Police, and Social Actions. He should attend race relations classes and drug abuse seminars, become familiar with the scent of the smoking drugs, and learn what signs to look for that indicate an individual is using hard drugs. Additionally, he should review all unfavorable information files (UIF), to become knowledgeable of those individuals who have been identified as disciplinary problems and why. He may want to schedule all persons with a UIF for a personal conference, to inform them of what a UIF is and how it can be used. It would be appropriate to prepare a memorandum to the effect that he had counseled those persons with a UIF, because documentation is extremely important in taking punitive or administrative action against an individual.
In meeting out punishment, the leader will be dealing primarily with first-term airmen. Many of these individuals may come from an environment where discipline is not so strict as in the military. This should not dictate whether punishment is imposed; however, it should be taken into consideration. Two administrative actions that do not take money directly from a lower-grade airman are to withhold or deny promotion. Placement on the control roster is another administrative action that may deny a young airman a choice assignment he has been expecting. Although these are administrative actions, the individual on the receiving end more often considers them punishment. They are very effective in correcting undesirable behavior of lower-grade airmen. As the airman progresses in rank, administrative and punitive actions should increase in severity. As he advances in grade and responsibility, his behavior and conduct should have adjusted to that expected of a normal career-minded individual. Although punishment is a negative form of motivation, it is effective and often necessary to bring about the degree of discipline that a leader desires.
some personal experiences
In every situation, some experiences have more significance than others. My situation as a squadron commander has followed that pattern. With that in mind, I would like to relate some experiences from both social and official points of view, which may be of some value to other junior officers.
Closed-door sessions, which I held on many occasions, were among the more dynamic situations in which I was involved. In these situations, I was generally interviewing, counseling, admonishing, or imposing punishment upon someone for deviant behavior. The situation usually involved a threesome—the first sergeant, the individual concerned, and myself—behind the closed door of my office. The first sergeant is a good witness when you instruct someone to do something. Besides, the first sergeant can advise you from his many years of experience, to keep you from instructing someone improperly.
One vivid experience involved a young airman who got drunk one Sunday evening and had to be taken to the hospital. I usually visited each member of the organization who was admitted to the hospital. In this instance I sent the first sergeant with a message for him to report to me upon his release from the hospital. The airman reported a few days later, and I let him stand before my desk for a minute before telling him to take a seat. I read his rights under Article 31 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, as I did with every individual who committed a violation. I believe that really frightened him, since he was not yet old enough to drink hard liquor. I let him know how stupid I thought he was for drinking the large quantity he had and that he could have killed himself. He looked as though he might cry, and I hoped I had scared him out of drinking forever. I told him I would investigate the matter further and let him know what action I would take. He returned three days later at my request, and I informed him I would not impose any punishment upon him because I felt he had learned his lesson. He swore he would not drink again.
I was involved in several situations that concerned prejudice or racism. A young airman convinced me that he was a racist during a 45-minute closed-door session; he admitted he was a racist prior to the session and subsequently convinced a medical officer. He was administratively separated. Another case involved an airman who denied on one occasion and admitted on another that he was a racist. I could not prove him a racist, but his behavior certainly so indicated. I counseled him on many occasions while he was under special observation and documented his situation as being insensitive to the needs of his fellowman. I learned that the first step in dealing with racism is to arrest the active and immunize the remainder in the organization by speaking against it as often as necessary.
I once encountered four airmen in a dormitory room where a drug was being smoked. I had recognized the scent of the burning drug in passing the room, returned and knocked on the door, and then someone said something like “Come in.” When I walked in, the occupants looked very much surprised. I quickly advised them not to speak. I read their rights under Article 31 and instructed one of them to get the clerk from my office. A search warrant was obtained, and the room was searched for more drugs. Two of the airmen pleaded guilty and were appropriately punished. The other two denied the use of drugs, and after thorough investigation the case against them was dropped.
One of the more significant events I experienced was the squadron Christmas party. The entertainment committee of the NCO/Airman Council had been asked to arrange the party. The council members and I were optimistic. I felt that if the party were a success it would create an atmosphere for cooperation, genuine teamwork, and participation. At the next commander’s call I announced my support of the party planners and asked all other members of the squadron to participate. Arrangements were going well, and the relationships between the individuals and groups within the various divisions began to improve. Things were going well approximately a week before the party when the vice-chairman of the council and another member suggested the party be canceled because most people were not interested and were not buying tickets. After a lengthy discussion, I asked them to continue with plans for the party. When they left the office, I called each division senior NCO and invited him and his wife to the party and asked that they encourage their subordinates to attend. In addition I called ten junior officers, who agreed to buy tickets and work as bartenders for the night. Ticket sales increased considerably, and the night of the party tickets were still selling at the door. I felt the party was a success, and I was convinced that social functions provide excellent situations to study, analyze, and understand individual and group sentiments because many people reveal their genuine feelings and behavior.
The most dynamic week I experienced as a squadron commander was the week the Air Force Inspector General (IG) team came to the base. The preceding three weeks had been unusually quiet, the Christmas party had been a success, and morale appeared to be higher than it had ever been in my eight months as commander. The morning of the day the IG arrived, the first sergeant came into the office and asked me not to inspect rooms that day because they were lousy. I agreed but told him to be sure they were in good shape by the next morning. Anytime your first sergeant asks you not to inspect, that is the time to inspect.
Well, the inspectors arrived that afternoon—three full colonels, one the wing commander and my boss. I would never have believed the rooms in “my dormitory” could be in such a state if I had not seen them myself. I was sick, and the first sergeant was visibly shaken. Needless to say, my boss was embarrassed, and that was the worst part of it for me. It was small consolation that I had the company of all the other squadron commanders at the chewing party that evening. A thing like that just could not happen to me, but it did!
The men in the dormitory cleaned their rooms that evening, but the wing commander was still not satisfied. He talked of firing my first sergeant or reducing him in grade and giving me a letter of reprimand. When I left the wing commander’s office, I was determined to have the dormitory immaculate. On returning to my office, I called the first sergeant in and informed him of what had happened. I asked, “Do you want to quit?” and he replied, “No, sir.” That evening I held a dormitory meeting and informed all residents that I intended to have the dormitory cleaned to the satisfaction of the wing commander. I told them that I could not require it but that the dormitory had to be that clean to help the entire wing during the final inspection the next day. I informed them that, if they did not clean the dormitory for me, the wing commander would certainly get someone else to do it, and they would have to start over again breaking in a new squadron commander. With that, the men went to work. They cleaned every square inch of that dormitory. My staff and I worked with the men until 0130 hours in the morning. Later that same morning my staff and I inspected the rooms again. That dormitory was immaculate. I was pleased with the responsiveness of the men. When the general arrived that afternoon, he inspected every level of the three-floor dormitory. During the inspection he commented that “Someone has really done some cleaning.” The men deserved the credit, and later that evening I told them exactly what the general had said.
I learned some valuable lessons from that experience: (1) Beware of the slack period in your activities; if you look around, you may find that some things are not getting done. (2) When a subordinate has doubts about acting, the leader must help him. When he understands exactly what to do and fails to get the job done, some corrective action must be taken. (3) Get to know your boss. More than likely he has been over the same road and can help you avoid some of the pitfalls.
Perhaps the most significant of all my experiences as a squadron commander were those of bringing about change within the organization and the self-change that must occur incidental to progression from a staff to a command position. Change is inevitable; however, change within the squadron should be planned and accomplished through effective management. As squadron commander I often found it necessary to create situations to bring about changes, so as to accomplish the mission and satisfy the individual and group needs of the members within the organization. To bring about change effectively, the leader must gain cooperation and teamwork through his competence, personality, attitude, and approach to motivating and directing. A good record for being fair and honest will help tremendously in making changes. As commander I initiated some of my first changes through developing my immediate staff. I learned that each subordinate had a different amount of potential, and by the same token a different method had to be employed to develop each man. Management of self-change is also crucial. Effective management of time, scheduling of appointments, effective writing, selective reading, physical exercise, and dealing with job tension should be properly coordinated to avoid frustration in such a demanding job. It is often necessary to initiate self-change before you can begin to make other changes effectively. I learned that the “oriented manager” can more effectively bring about change because he is in a better position to understand sentiments in managing the organizationalist, professionalist, and socialist man than is generally found within the organizations in which we work today. People must be prepared for change.
In essence, I was working toward becoming an “oriented manager.” I realized that my job could be exhausting and time consuming, but I was determined to make things happen without totally expending myself. I also realized that I was on my own in the sense that nobody could do the job for me. For the first time as a manager, I had the opportunity to put it all together. It was a matter of finding the necessary tools to build a good organization to accomplish the mission. The best of tools are available for every squadron commander; it is a matter of becoming knowledgeable of them and learning when, how, and where to use them.
Squadron Officer School, Air
University
Notes
1. The Air Officer’s Guide (Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Company, 1967-1968 edition), p. 171.
2.Cecile E. Goode, Significant Research on Leadership (Gunter Air Force Base, Alabama: Extension Course Extension Institute, Course 1B, Phase II, Lesson 4, 1972), p. 38.
3. Gabriel S. Carlin, How to Motivate and Persuade People (West Nyack, New York: Parker Publishing Company, 1964), pp. 100-101.
Captain Richard R. Ray (M. P. A., University of Missouri) was recently assigned as a personnel officer in Thailand following duty at Richards-Gebaur AFB, Missouri, as a Headquarters Squadron Commander, later as Base Chief, Quality Control, CBPO. Previously he served as a supply services officer in Turkey. Captain Ray is a graduate of Squadron Officer School and in 1974 was selected as one of the Outstanding Young Men of America.
Disclaimer
The conclusions and opinions expressed in this
document are those of the author cultivated in the freedom of expression,
academic environment of Air University. They do not reflect the official
position of the U.S. Government, Department of Defense, the United States Air
Force or the Air University.
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