The Situation: Supportive Leadership Published Dec. 6, 2011 By Master Sgt. Jennifer Owen 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. -- The Situation: Dover Air Force Base, Del., has a high operations tempo, especially during Operational Readiness Inspection preparation. The fast pace can put stress on Airmen causing their behavior and mood to change in a variety of ways. Some Airmen internalize the stress and become a loner, believing no one understands or cares about them. Some Airmen are more vocal with stress and become disrespectful at work. When this happens, the whole organization suffers because we rely so much on their efforts. As supervisors, it is important to recognize and help combat stress in our Airmen before it becomes a problem. The Solution: The key is to prevent stress before it shows up. Create a work environment that aids in stress-relief. Organize workloads by using checklists, encourage Airmen to get out of office for downtime, and start a physical training program. Foster a genuine professional relationship with your Airmen to detect changes in their behavior and moods. This may help them feel comfortable speaking to you about issues they may be coping with. Refer them outside the office if they are not comfortable discussing an issue, and encourage those around them to be supportive. Everyone has a bad day, but if problems persist, press them further. Be aware of changes in operation tempo, effects of office-wide decisions, and do not push changes on Airmen without explaining them. If an Airman is a chronic complainer, expect complaints, but don't assume that they are crying wolf - they may have a legitimate complaint. - Master Sgt. Jennifer Owen, NCO in charge of plans and integration with the 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron