Page 2 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis-Creech AFB Edition, July 19, 2019

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Sustain your authenticity
by Capt. John Bang
Schriever AFB, Colo.
For many years leadership scholars have attempted to define and determine the characteristics, personality traits and styles of great leaders; yet no clear profile of the ideal leader has come to fruition.
Thankfully, no cookie-cutter leader- ship style has been found, otherwise every Airman would just be the same. Being the same would equate to acting out a persona instead of being an authentic human be- ing others can trust.
People trust leaders when they are au- thentic and genuine. As an Airman and leader, you need to be who you are and not try to emulate someone you are not. Authentic leaders demonstrate a high level of self-awareness in which they practice personal values consistently, maintain a strong passion for purpose and lead with their mind and soul. Discovering your authentic leadership can start with learn- ing from your life story.
You can find inspiration through both good and challenging times in life that have brought you to where you are now. These formative experiences can give strength and meaning to a deeper un- derstanding of why you lead. This cannot
happen without the courage to honestly open up and examine such experiences to truly know yourself. As an Airman, this is likened to getting honest feedback - the good, the bad and the ugly from those around you. I enjoy getting tasks ac- complished and moving quickly towards the next mission — sometimes to a fault. I am thankfully humbled by my fellow Airmen as they point out missing pieces of information or better alternatives to my desired methods. Without such Airmen, I am less of a leader and more of a gambler “shooting from the hip.”
Authentic leadership is built upon the solid base of values formed from your beliefs and convictions. You will not know your true values until they are tested under pressure. It is easy to identify your values and live by them when things go well, but when the stakes are high, you truly learn what is most important. These values are translated into action that define your leadership principles. I value empowerment, which may translate into a leadership principle such as “creat- ing an environment where Airmen are allowed to fulfill their true potential and are respected for their contributions.” If placed into a position where I am hesitant to allow others to make decisions and
take calculated risks, do I truly value empowerment?
It is important to understand what mo- tivates you as both an Airman and leader. Though some may be reluctant to admit it, Airmen may be pressured to measure their success against external parameters. There are those who enjoy recognition through base awards, promotions, stratifications, etc. Yet others may relish the inherent challenge or opportunity of the mission at hand. Extrinsic motivation is not inher- ently bad. The key is finding the balance between extrinsic and intrinsic motivations to provide fulfillment in our duties. Striv- ing for fulfillment in turn, is essential to becoming a more authentic leader.
Authentic leadership is a social jour- ney. Authentic leaders build support teams who can provide counsel during uncertainty, encouragement through dif- ficulties, and celebration in success. These support teams are comprised of networks of people developed over time including family members, friends, fellow Airmen, and mentors. These are people with whom you develop a mutually beneficial relation- ship by supporting each other through all aspects of life. The same people with whom you can be completely yourself, be accepted unconditionally and yet they will
tell you the honest truth. If you are able to rely on such unconditional support, you are most likely to accept your true self.
As Airmen and as leaders, we all face the challenge of balancing our lives — bringing together work, family, com- munity, hobbies and friends. We need to integrate all elements of our lives so we can be the same person in every environ- ment. It is about staying grounded. Being a leader is tough and higher degrees of stress exist as Airmen move up in leadership roles. An authentic leader doesn’t avoid stress. Instead, they learn to maintain a sense of equilibrium. Spend time with family, engage in spiritual practices, go exercise — these are all essential to your effectiveness as Airmen and leaders — to sustain your authenticity.
The path to becoming an authentic leader starts with knowing your true self and the foundational values that give you purpose in leading fellow Airmen toward success. Take good practices shared by successful role models and add them to your leadership toolkit, but do not let the practices solely define who you are. Build and strengthen your relations with oth- ers and harmonize all aspects of your life to be your own definition of an Airman and leader.
things” we miss like birthdays, anniver- saries, school functions, as well as soccer, football or baseball games.
Don’t wait until a retirement ceremo- ny to get all choked up and thank your family for everything they did to support you. Thank them now.
Our families and friends make so many sacrifices daily to support us and they deserve some recognition and thanks more often. Whatever it is you do to show appreciation, do it today. We cannot accomplish all the great things the Air Force does without the love and support of our families and friends. As much as we may not want to admit it, we cannot be successful without them.
show families appreciation now
by Chief Master Sgt. John Overturf
Travis AFB, Calif.
As much as I hate to admit it, the other night my wife was right. She said I do not appreciate or understand all of the sacrifices our family makes to support my career. She was absolutely right.
All too often, we focus on mission ac- complishment and forget about what our families are going through while we are deployed. We may even forget about all the things they have to give up to support us. And when I say families, I don’t just mean spouses. This includes significant others, parents, siblings, children, close friends and relatives. We all have someone
who worries about us and supports us. Being assigned to the 621st Contingen- cy Response Wing [Travis AFB, Calif.], we are trained and ready to deploy in less than 12 hours to anywhere in the world. In October 2018, our group got the call to support Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. I remember this day very clearly. I heard we were going to send out a small team of
about 65 personnel later that night. What do you think the first thing I did was? I called my wife to let her know I was leaving for an undetermined amount of time and asked her to make sure I had clean clothes ready when I got home so I could pack. Not once did she complain
about me leaving, the plans we were go- ing to have to cancel or the suddenness of her being a single parent. When I got home, my daughter, who was 5 at the time, gave me a big hug, kiss, put her brave face on and said she understood daddy had to leave because I was going to help the people of Florida who needed me more than she did.
We ask so much from our families and sometimes we don’t even realize it. We ask them to follow us around the world, give up their careers, change schools, leave friends and family behind, and as much as we don’t want them to, worry about us while we are deployed. And this doesn’t even begin to cover all the “little
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