Wing commander shares 'top 10' leadership tools Published July 15, 2009 By Col. Walter "Buck" Sams 419th Fighter Wing HILL AIR FORCE BASE, UTAH -- Face it; all military members are leaders in some capacity. As a long-time student of leadership, I've acquired some tools that have helped through the years. I've also learned a great deal from former supervisors and commanders who served as mentors during my career. I've consolidated my most effective leadership techniques into what I call my top 10 list. Set the vision · Define the objective - plant a flag on the horizon and lead the charge. Be prepared to break paradigms if necessary to get there · Constantly communicate the vision, ask questions to ensure the vision is well understood by all members. Strive for buy-in so members understand the value of doing the work · Evaluate progress, fight for feedback, and don't hesitate to make adjustments when necessary Prioritize and delegate · Mission first, people always! · Understand the difference between being a leader and manager. A manager is concerned about manipulating resources while a leader motivates people to reach an objective · Leaders are seldom given all the resources needed to do the job. Determine what's important and focus resources on "show stoppers." Put first things first · Empower people at all levels. Give them the authority and responsibility to accomplish their task Know the organization - know the people · Don't lead from behind the desk; get out and talk with people · Always be approachable. It starts with an open-door policy but should be more than that alone · Members at all levels should feel comfortable telling you what's on their mind Know your boss's goals · If you want your boss to be happy, know how to keep your boss's boss happy · Ask for time to get to know your supervisor and seek mentorship opportunities Leaders show their true character when things don't go well...and things seldom go well · Occasionally, it may be OK to get angry in public but don't stay angry. Colin Powel, former Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is quoted as saying, "Get mad, get over it, and get on with it" · Understand the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. With setbacks in the workplace (force shaping, personnel moves, funding cuts, etc.), symptoms of grief will appear. Realize that you, the leader, will also experience these symptoms. This is normal, however, as the leader, you must be the first to move through the stages. Your organization will not reach acceptance unless you have led them there A leader is never off duty · Whether at the gas station, grocery store, or soccer practice, someone is always watching. If your actions are not worthy of being a leader there, you'll lose credibility with that observer when back in the workplace Protect innovators - sniff out those with low integrity and mediocre performance · Those who find solutions without being prodded are like gold; they will keep the organization thriving! · Those who are in it for themselves and perform at the minimum possible level need to be confronted and their behavior must be adjusted immediately. A strong indicator of this is someone with an "entitlement mentality." If a member is constantly telling you what they are entitled to, they usually care more about themselves than the mission · Those who intentionally break rules are poison to the unit; they must be removed. This is one of the toughest jobs as a leader but is absolutely necessary for mission success Be humble · The leadership profession is about service to others. Take your job - not yourself - seriously · It's not about you, so keep the ego in check. A leader's job is to provide resources, eliminate barriers to progress...and stay out of the way so members can get the mission done! Good leadership is a journey, not a destination · One should never feel he or she has arrived as a good leader; there is always room for improvement. Developmental education is only a start in this journey · Be a student of leadership; there are thousands of great books on leadership... read! · Stay up to date on the latest periodicals of your profession · Become a member of professional organizations - participate and network Take care of yourself; guard against burnout · Set your priorities. Mine are: 1) Creator, 2) family (gotta keep momma and the kids happy), 3) career · Plan for vacations; get away from work and spend time with family. Trust me, if you've hired good people and empowered them appropriately, the world won't come to an end if you are away for a week · Exercise regularly · Develop interests and hobbies; no matter how busy, take time to get your mind focused on something other than the stresses of work Mission success is about teamwork--you can't do it all yourself. Hopefully this short list will help you build your team and lead them to victory. This list has served me well and I revisit it often. I'd like to encourage you to create your own, personal "top 10." You are a leader no matter where you fall within the chain of command. A list of your own leadership tools and principles will help chart your course, define your character, and reach your goals. Lead boldly!