15 Tips to cultivate a leader – Are there weeds in your garden?

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Kathleen Samuel
  • 436th MDOS commander
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  I attempted to grow a garden this summer. My goal was to have more vegetables than grass or weeds - I failed miserably.

As I think back on it, I realize my garden did not flourish because I did not lay a solid foundation and I did not nurture what I had planted.

The grass grew without any help, not all in a row like I planted my seeds, but everywhere. If I had taken the time needed to cultivate the soil and water the plants regularly, I could have had a beautiful garden.

As I think about my garden, I think of the many members of our Air Force family who could possibly be growing like my weeds - everywhere, without proper direction.

There are times when you might have heard people say 'well, they're an NCO or officer, and they should know this or that by now.'

I think there are many people who have had this said about them. They were not nurtured, groomed, mentored or given the proper feedback.

I realized that when we get to a certain point in our career, we should be ready to fly, and there are a lot of great members who are independent and fully functioning, but for those who are not, we owe these Airmen the opportunity to succeed.

Here are ways for supervisors to cultivate productive leaders:
· Recognize excellence whenever and wherever it happens.
· Make sure all Airmen know the importance of the roles they play. Their contributions, perhaps small in the 'big picture,' are important to the success of their unit and the ultimate freedoms our nation enjoys.
· Treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. This is so basic. Would you want to follow someone who treated you as if you didn't exist?
· Treat everyone with honor and respect. Remember that people are your most precious resource. To be effective, you must tolerate different beliefs.
· Lead by example. Exhibit professional behavior, military bearing, respect for authority and the highest standards of dress and appearance. Instill this in your subordinates.
· Clarify standards of duty performance, safety, on or off-duty behavior, professional and unprofessional relationships, personal appearance and make corrections immediately.
· Epitomize excellence. Serve as a role model for Airmen to emulate. Keep yourself fit and be physically ready to accomplish the mission.
· Take the leave you have earned and rejuvenate yourself. We can easily tell when our physical reserves are depleted. When we are hungry we eat; when we are tired we sleep; when we are thirsty we drink. So, when our spirit and soul are used up, we must replenish them as well.
· Above all else, maintain integrity. Start with doing the right thing regardless of who is watching. If you do, it won't be long before your organization knows that you can be trusted.
· Understand the difference between a mistake and a crime. This is crucial to your success, and more importantly, to the lives of those who your decisions will affect.
· Take responsibility for your actions and those you supervise. If you make a mistake, admit it. No one is perfect.
· Lead from the front. It doesn't matter who you are leading, you can't lead from behind the desk.
· Praise, praise often and praise correctly. If you want others to do what you say, then praise them in public and criticize in private.
· Collaborate with other Airmen. Get to know members across the base. If you have the opportunity, tour squadrons outside of your own so you can see what the rest of the wing is doing.
· Be a strong leader and loyal follower.

I can think of a time in my life when I was not the most likely one to succeed ... then, someone reached out and caught me. They made me believe that I was worth believing in, I was worth the time of day. If that person had not extended their hand to me, I cannot imagine where I would be today.

Finally, thank your members, they are all volunteers and are doing the best job they can. They are proud members of the Air Force and I am proud to serve beside them.