Leadership: Developing a Culture of Excellence

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Jarod Blecher
  • 436th Aerial Port Squadron
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Winston Churchill, arguably one of history's greatest leaders for so many reasons said, "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." It reminds me of leadership lessons I've either learned over the years or remember from various speeches.  Allow me to travel back and offer some of these for a brief moment as they relate to our culture of excellence.

Change happens for the better when strong leadership buy-in exists throughout the chain of command. Buy-in and leadership starts with you. I would submit to everyone that leaders exist at all levels despite what rank you hold. In fact, leading your peers perhaps is the hardest type of leadership. The Air Force possesses, requires, and demands leaders at all levels of rank, starting from Airman Basic. In other words, leadership is not based on your rank, you do not have to possess a title although often we perceive this.  Furthermore, leadership achieves effects and results in so many different places and venues that are not only duty related. These range from PT sessions, stripes on the line, volunteer events, and intramural sports to name a few. A peer often times produces better results by exerting peer pressure and motivation than a superior can produce. In order for our culture of excellence to exist it requires leaders at all levels who remain willing to step up to the plate.

As we transition in our Air Force, this culture entails commitment to integrity and honesty. We clearly see during the implementation of Airmen Comprehensive Assessments that raters must deliver upon the intended results of the new process in the first place to make it successful. Supervisors must engage with their ratee in a two-way conversation and provide them a path to improve their performance. This requires thorough observation to identify what must be improved upon in the first place. I often have heard during feedback sessions from the ratee, "No one has ever told me that before." How does an Airman know what to improve about their work ethic, communication skills, character, professional image and the many other attributes unless told and made aware of their shortcomings along with their endearing qualities? This cycle involves constant communication and work to improve every day. It takes leadership.

Harry S. Truman stated, "A leader is the man who has the ability to get other people to do what they don't want to do, and like it." It begs the question what type of leader would you rather follow, one who is arrogant and loud or a soft spoken, humble leader? If you were to ask me, I would choose the soft spoken leader full of humility and professional will. This character trait means something. It encompasses several qualities which everyone can learn from at some point. Humble leaders remain willing to listen at any time. One who puts aside their task at hand and provides their full attention to whomever they are talking with at the time. With humility comes mutual respect, which involves treating all people as you would treat yourself or someone close to you.  Lastly, it involves servant leadership and placing the needs of your fellow Airmen before yourself. Leaders of this nature deliver a culture of excellence that prevails not just for the present but also for the future.

Culture of excellence is about constant improvement in work ethic, processes, professional military education advancement, physical fitness, academic growth, and quality family time as well.  But it all starts with leadership from the front. Generally speaking, why do you think SNCOs and officers maintain higher fitness scores than our young Airmen? They understand that leadership matters, it starts with them, and consequences remain more severe. They understand and embody a culture of excellence because they know it begins with them.

Leaders certainly exist as a member of the larger team as well. This is where empowerment and trust become so important. Entrusting other Airmen to perform tasks involves empowerment and delegation. However, leaders empower and trust a certain individual until that person shows them they are unable to receive their trust. When a leader loses trust in someone to accomplish the tasks at hand, it then becomes a hard and long road to earn that trust back, and our culture of excellence takes a hit.

I submit to you that the above topics as they relate to culture of excellence are not an inclusive list of everything our culture represents. Rather, they are lessons which resonate home to me for various reasons. Let me close with another quote from Winston Churchill which further encapsulates our current culture, "To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." If the standards for excellence are not set high, we will never come close to achieving them. Incremental changes here and there are what achieve these goals.