Leaders…Are we more connected or distracted?

  • Published
  • By Maj. Rayna Lowery
  • 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Over the last few years I've observed American culture becoming more focused, to the point of obsession, with technologies that provide us various ways to stay informed and connected.  We want instant updates on "happenings" around us and the world.  We rely on 24/7 news and the Internet to check our status on Facebook, Twitter, text messages, YouTube, and Instagram.  With all this constantly streaming data, are we truly more connected to the events and people around us? Or are we losing something by becoming a culture of distracted people?  Has instant gratification, popularity, hashtags, and entertainment stolen our attention, leaving us distracted with less time for human relationships?  More importantly, how do we lead Airmen if we're all distracted?  

For those that cannot imagine life without iPhones, you may want to stop reading.  For those witnessing this growing trend of people looking down at screens rather than looking at the faces or places around them, read on.  Which means more: receiving verbal praise on a job well done or seeing the number of "likes" go up on your Facebook post?  I'd argue the former carries more emotional and long lasting impacts than the latter.  I think as a culture we have a choice and we need to start facing these ongoing distractions by addressing them.  As the Air Force right-sizes, we must continue to enforce our core values and teach the next generation of leaders how best to connect with people utilizing both intra-personal and multimedia methods. 

So what options do we have?  I'd offer the best answer is to strive for better "balance" between staying in touch via technology and staying connected personally.  Use Facebook and its counterparts appropriately and sparingly. Updates allow followers to receive instant information, but try not to over post!  Not everything is update worthy. Fewer, meaningful posts carry more weight than a plethora of empty updates.  This also means finding a good balance between verbal and written communication.  For those, like me, that generate and receive an average of 20-200 e-mails a day, we may take for granted the significant advantage to talking with someone in person or over the phone.  In trying to clear out the inbox faster and move to the next task, we start to lose the interpersonal connection between ourselves and those with whom we are communicating.

Within the 436th Logistics Readiness Squadron we started a 10% less e-mail campaign!  The main point to this initiative was to stop "SPAMMING" ourselves!  All the same topics or information is now covered during squadron, flight, or personal interactions allowing more face-to-face engagements at various levels.  Furthermore, reducing these e-mails gives Airmen greater opportunities to develop and brief.  A bi-product of less e-mail is to also encourage more talking between subordinates, peers, customers, and leadership.  We're still running this campaign, but 10% less e-mail is the goal with the hope of 10% greater personal connection.

Lastly, we must tackle the fact that our culture is becoming less and less comfortable with silence.  When every second of downtime is spent on a device, we lose the ability to think...truly think, brainstorm, even dream.  Silence lets your mind wander and wonder.  Leaders need to be comfortable "unplugged" as constant connection can lead to endless distraction. 

I'd ask each of you to evaluate how much time you are dedicating to your "devices" and judge for yourself if they are delivering on making you more or less connected. If they are not, then change your habits.  You just might find without the distraction you feel more connected to those around you.