Page 2 - Desert Lightning News, Nellis AFB Edition, Sept. 1 2017

2 September 1, 2017 www.aerotechnews.com/nellisafb
Commentary
DeSert lightning newS S. nevaDa
Facebook.com/NellisDesertLightningNews
Progressive relationships
by Chap. (2nd Lt.) Marcus Brooks
Nellis AFB, Nev.
One of the greatest lessons I learned about building rela- tionships as a chaplain candidate came from the instruction I received from a first sergeant assigned to an explosive ordnance disposal unit.
The first sergeant briefed my chaplain candidate class about his unit’s accomplishments and responsibilities. One year prior, an EOD Airman was killed in action when he stepped on a mine while on mission; he paid the ultimate sacrifice. With red eyes and tears about to fall, the first sergeant explained what that Airman meant to the unit. Following, fellow chaplain candidates asked the first ser- geant questions.
When my opportunity came, I asked him one thing, “Of what would you like to see new chaplains do more coming into the Air Force?”
The first sergeant paused for a moment, looked me in the eye, and responded, “Come around before the bad things happen.”
He did not need to explain any further — I knew exactly
what he was saying. Building relationships is important because people need to know you care about them and what they do.
In order for someone to initiate a relationship, he or she must first establish trust, show effort and maintain account- ability. I’ve come to understand building a relationship is not always easy, but amazing things happen when good relationships form. Relationships give people a sense of belonging, identity and purpose.
Throughout my lifetime, my relationships have strength- ened my well-being and understanding of myself. In my faith, I have a tremendous relationship with God. In my per- sonal life, I have relationships with my parents, coworkers, spouse, coaches and trainers, as well as those with whom I serve in the military that have molded me into the person I am today. All these relationships take a great deal of effort to establish and maintain.
Building relationships can be quite challenging at times. Sometimes, we do not get along with someone, and tensions can rise; however, we can control how we respond and treat one another.
Author and motivational speaker Wayne Dyer wrote,
“... as you think so shall you be! Your relationships are all in how you think about the other people of your life. Your experience of all those people is only in your mind. Your feelings about your lovers come from your thoughts. For example, they may in fact behave in ways that you find offensive. However, your relationship to them when they behave offensively is not determined by their behavior, it is determined only by how you choose to relate to that be- havior. Their actions are theirs. You cannot own them. You cannot be them. You can only process them in your mind.”
Think about your relationships and ask yourself the following questions:
• Are you aware of how you influence others and how they influence you?
• When it comes to establishing a closer bond with those near you, what do you value?
• How can your choices positively improve the lives of those around you?
We are the United States Air Force. Although we are all individuals, we are one organization. When we work together, we’re uniting for one purpose. What happens to one, happens to all.
when stealing is OK
by Col. Patrick Miller
MacDill AFB, Fla.
My name is Col. Pat Miller, and I am a professional thief. I have been doing it for 19 years, and I’m not worried about being caught.
Now you may be thinking, “how is this possible?” Thievery goes against our core values. You may even want me to be held accountable in accordance with the Uniform Code of Military Justice. I argue the opposite. Because of a commitment to “Excellence in All We Do,” I better myself and others by stealing.
The real question you need to ask is, what is it that I so boldly confess to stealing? I’m a collector of leadership styles, problem solving techniques, and a myriad of other intellectual items. I watch. I listen. I process and learn. And then, I apply whatever tool is right for the moment at hand.
Over the years, I have become a firm believer that you learn something from ev- eryone — good leaders and bad. Each inter- action is a learning opportunity. Sometimes you learn what works; sometimes you learn what doesn’t. Regardless of the lesson, you
log the experience and try to recognize situa- tions where a lesson from your metaphorical “professional toolbox” can be applied.
At times the lesson of the moment is clear, spurred by either a dynamic leader or a toxic leader. Other times, the lesson is more subtle and harder to distill. You know you experi- enced something, but the “a-ha moment” doesn’t hit you until a few days, weeks, or months later. When it does, learn from the experience. Question your leadership style. Think about ways to incorporate or remove similar incidents. Most importantly, have the courage to operate outside of your comfort zone and try something new.
So where do I stalk my prey? Naturally, our military community is a target-rich environment.
By the nature of our profession, we are surrounded by leaders and mentors, both military and civilian. Keep your eyes open at not just formal meetings, but at social gath- erings as well. Analyze the way a supervisor addresses a discipline issue or motivates a group. Note the nuances between leading a few Airmen versus leading many and the variation in approaches. Leadership is not a
“one size fits all” activity; leadership is about inspiration.
Another prime target is our professional development pipeline. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to attend numerous leadership courses depending on our rank and position. Although the content is high quality, look for the more subtle lessons. How does your instructor interact with the class? Eavesdrop on (or better yet, participate in) the post-lesson conversations between stu- dents. Odds are, someone is talking about an experience similar to the lesson taught. The peer-to-peer dialogue is where you steal the best ideas.
The final, and perhaps most ripe quarry, is our surrounding community. You need to be a trained knowledge sniper to glean nuggets from community involvement. Whether you realize it or not, each activity gives you an opportunity to pilfer or polish a skill. As an engineer, Habitat for Humanity is a target rich environment for our craftsmen. Work- ing hand-in-hand with other tradesmen can teach a young carpenter a new way to frame a structure or an electrician a more efficient way to wire a panel. The new skill, if applied
in the proper setting, could enable a job at home station or downrange to be executed more efficiently. The same can be said for speaking engagements, organizing events, or judging science fairs. With each engage- ment you are not just helping the commu- nity, but you are helping yourself – pirating knowledge and experience that betters your communication and organizational skills.
When I found out I made colonel, I sent a letter to former mentors and peers thanking them for making me the officer and Airman; leader and follower; husband and father I am today. At some point in my life, they challenged me, provided guidance and direc- tion when I needed it, gave me the freedom to act, trusted me, allowed me to succeed, and allowed me to fail. The successes were clearly theirs, but the failures were mine to own--in those instances I simply forgot the lessons I stole.
I encourage you to look for opportuni- ties to better yourself. Steal every great idea or leadership style possible and apply them when the situation calls. Do it right, and your thieving will be rewarded. Time to find my next victim. Odds are, I’ll be watching you!
Desert Lightning News Staff
Paul Kinison, Publisher, Aerotech News and Review Stuart Ibberson, Editor
Tinna Sellie, Editorial Layout
Karl Dean, Advertising Sales
CONTACT: Editorial Staff at 334-718-3509
For editorial staff: e-mail editor@aerotechnews.com CONTACT: Advertising Sales at 702-460-9974
For display ads: e-mail KarlDean@aerotechnews.com or sbueltel@aerotechnews.com
For classified ads: e-mail classifieds@aerotechnews.com
Desert Lightning News, So. Nevada edition is published by Aerotech News and Review, a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force. Contents of Desert Lightning News, So. Nevada edition are not necessarily the official views of, or endorsed by, Aerotech News and Review, the U.S. government, the Department of Defense or the Department of the Air Force.
The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts and supplements, does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of Defense, the
Department of the Air Force or Aerotech News and Review of the products or services advertised.
Everything advertised in the publication shall be made available for purchase and use of patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other non-merit factor of the purchaser, user or patron.
The deadline for submissions to Desert Lightning News is no later than Monday, 4:30 p.m., the week of desired publication date.
For all submissions, a name and phone number of a person to contact must be included in the event questions arise.
All material is edited for accuracy, brevity, clarity and conformity to the Associated Style Guide, to include military ranks and proper writing etiquette.
Corrections: Desert Lightning News staff members strive for accuracy each week. If you notice an error in fact, contact the Desert Lightning News staff at 334-718-3509, or e-mail editor@aerotechnews.com, and we will consider publishing a correction when appropriate.
Desert Lightning News, So. Nevada edition can also be viewed online @ www.aerotechnews.com Printed by Aerotech News and Review, Inc. (877) 247-9288 • www.aerotechnews.com