Posted on Apr 4, 2017
Punching Out: Latest 'Dear Boss' Letter Decries Air Force's Lack of True Leadership - John Q....
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I read this article and, I'll be honest, it made me cringe. I can see the frustration. I saw leadership like this when I was in, and I can only imagine it has gotten worse. I hope it gets addressed by the new heads.
(I apologize for some of the harsh language the fighter pilot used)
(I apologize for some of the harsh language the fighter pilot used)
Punching Out: Latest 'Dear Boss' Letter Decries Air Force's Lack of True Leadership - John Q....
Posted from jqpublicblog.com
Retention
Pilot
Leadership
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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I find this article interesting. I agree with some of the other posts that he could have used better words to get the point across. However, he is right. We (the AF) have become a group of bosses rather than leaders. We have a mentality of self preservation. We have a lot of bad bosses that have been driven to micromanaging their people. What we should be doing is giving them proper training, good equipment, and solid direction and letting them do their jobs. If they aren't, then hold them accountable. Another aspect of this is that we have been promoting our officers too fast. Most of our pilots don't get the full opportunity to lead till later in the CGO ranks then they are promoted to Field Grade without ever holding a true leadership position. Then if they keep their noses clean and protect their bosses, they continue to get promoted. Toxic leadership about protecting their ranks is a snowball effect and by the time it hits the rank and file it is an avalanche and that is why we have people leaving in droves. Money, additional duty reduction, less deployments, will not fix a problem with leadership. Senior leaders holding each other accountable will.
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SSgt (Join to see)
Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth could not agree w/ you more, sir. And, what does toxic leadership teach those that succeed under it? To simply continue that process.
We (AF) have become too business-minded, instead of military-minded. I like how the Navy is trying to separate itself from all the distance learning & going back to a more OJT focused training. All branches need this. Many people learn a task better if they are doing in hands-on, instead of simply reading about it, and forgetting it as soon as the subject matter changes.
I was lucky when I was in. I had a TSgt & SSgt that started to give me leadership responsibilities as an A1C. It helps build confidence and gives a sense of responsibility over your shop/duty. If you have no responsibility over what you do, then why do anything more than half-ass it?
We (AF) have become too business-minded, instead of military-minded. I like how the Navy is trying to separate itself from all the distance learning & going back to a more OJT focused training. All branches need this. Many people learn a task better if they are doing in hands-on, instead of simply reading about it, and forgetting it as soon as the subject matter changes.
I was lucky when I was in. I had a TSgt & SSgt that started to give me leadership responsibilities as an A1C. It helps build confidence and gives a sense of responsibility over your shop/duty. If you have no responsibility over what you do, then why do anything more than half-ass it?
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Lt Col Scott Shuttleworth
Good points with the OJT. I went to a formal training school when I was enlisted as a loadmaster because it was required. However, I learned more from my SNCO's about the job than I would have ever learned in a classroom. They gave me enough leadership rope to get way out on the ledge of leadership but pulled me back when I was about to head over the cliff. To teach leaders one must become a servant leader. What I mean is we as leaders have to groom those coming behind us and work for them. Give them leadership opportunities and guide them through it so when they are in our positions they will do the same. I always tried to leave as many decisions to my SNCO's and CGO's as much as possible. There were some that I had to make for legal reasons and I tried to bring in mid level NCO's and CGO's to let them take on the decision process and provide me with what they thought was appropriate then I made the ultimate decision and we discussed it. To many senior leaders these days make the decisions for the squadron level commanders so really they are just filling a seat and that does no one any good. We have to get back to letting Commanders command by taking acceptable risks and letting Chiefs be Chiefs versus E-9s otherwise this mentality will continue to perpetuate itself. For promotion we need to get away from the known people getting promoted over the performers. What I mean is the ones that do the dining out, volunteer downtown, Air Force Ball all the things that leadership see get the head nods while the others that are working around the clock to keep the Air Force Mission moving and can't do those things are getting the leftover table scraps. Not that those things aren't important but mission first.
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interesting story and Most critical and Harsh...
I think Part of the problem is the Politically... Fast tracked and oriented Butt Kissers.... and Not Just In the Air Force But all Branches of the services... After the BHO Purges of the last 7 1/2 Years of all the Old School Commanders and Now they have the Politically correct and Politicly Fast-Tracked to meet The Demands of the Political correctness regardless of Qualifications... I saw the beginnings of it In the 90's with Clinton and thank goodness I was already retired when BHO Regime started the Purges ...
I think Part of the problem is the Politically... Fast tracked and oriented Butt Kissers.... and Not Just In the Air Force But all Branches of the services... After the BHO Purges of the last 7 1/2 Years of all the Old School Commanders and Now they have the Politically correct and Politicly Fast-Tracked to meet The Demands of the Political correctness regardless of Qualifications... I saw the beginnings of it In the 90's with Clinton and thank goodness I was already retired when BHO Regime started the Purges ...
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Wow.
I remember reading Sergeant Carlos Hathcock book and how he was treated by leadership after he got out of the hospital and thinking, wow not cool.
That book made me really realize many things.
I remember reading Sergeant Carlos Hathcock book and how he was treated by leadership after he got out of the hospital and thinking, wow not cool.
That book made me really realize many things.
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SSgt (Join to see)
PO3 (Join to see) I keep going back to the movie Men of Honor. Especially the part with the officer who rewrote the manual on recovery divers, without ever having done the job. He was the epitome of the officer that is just in it for themselves and the next step up.
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SMSgt Thor Merich
Toxic leaders have been around a very long time. Its not a new phenominon. However, with the new SecDef, there is hope that things will change.
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