Page 2 - Nellis AFB Bullseye 10-23-15
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2 October 23, 2015 Commentary BULLSEYE
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All about perspective
By Chief Master Sgt. Jacob P.E. Dunbar us to adjust our approach and respond rationally. Poet Maya Angelou summed it up very well: “If you
Staying alert to the signals and tailoring our reac- don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it,
AFSOC Installations and Mission Support change your attitude.”
tion is key here; it gives us control over the situation. If
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. — Some people get spun we already know the issues that triggers us to change During a recent base-wide clean-up day, a colleague
up about the smallest things. They allow the actions from one color to another then we can use that to curb said: “There is nothing wrong with embracing the
and behaviors of other people to upset them, and they our emotions. suck. Embracing the suck is an art, and it is all about
lose their cool. perspective.”
As much as possible, strive to be yellow or green.
Getting mad is a personal matter, and gaining a Only on rare occasions, when something goes terri- This does not suggest you do everything robotically.
cooler head takes perspective and the ability to adjust. bly wrong, should you get to red. However, when you It means that when you are tasked to do something,
realize you’re in the “danger zone,” adjust quickly and voice your concerns professionally and from a yellow
Individual values, expectations, norms and cultures restore control. Each person has full control of the or green attitude status. However, when the decision is
often influence the manner in which each person deals switch; getting to and staying in the danger zone is a made, rally the team and get the task done.
with the situations they encounter. Don’t blame some- choice. People and circumstances influence a person’s
one else when you can’t control your impulses. So when emotions — mad, disappointed or sad — however, you Be aware of your “stoplight” situation and figure a
you say someone gets you fired up, probably what you control your reactions and behavior. We can’t blame way forward without whining about it and spreading
should say is, “I chose to get agitated.” someone else for that. negativity to others. Adjusting your perspective does
not automatically stop you from getting to red, but it
Each of us must develop a way to read our personal We all get asked to do something we do not like, and is a way to stay green longer.
“stoplight” chart to recognize our moods and triggers. often we can’t argue that it does not need to be done. It
Knowing what color drives our actions and responses just happens that you and I are the lucky ones tapped This is an emotion check, reminding you of where
— green means good to go, yellow means proceed to accomplish it. you are and what is expected. From there the decision
with caution and red means danger or stop — allows is yours.
Feedback is essential to AF integrity
By Lt. Col. John Hansen they reminded me I should take a great when giving feedback to your ratees. Subordinates can provide valuable
deal of time to carefully prepare the Most people take feedback given to feedback as well. There seems to be the
86th Comptroller Squadron commander Airman Comprehensive Assessment them seriously, and they may even take temptation not to tell the boss bad news,
(ACA) feedback worksheet, Air Force it personally. but, as the saying goes, bad news never
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany — I Form 724. gets better with age.
was going through some old files, and I Consequently, it is vital to take the
found a few notes that were written to me The Air Force specifically designed time to prepare the exact message you Telling the emperor that he or she
by the comptroller of a major command this new feedback form in order to want to convey and the most appropri- has no clothes might be difficult or
on several different occasions. better facilitate a dialogue between a ate method in which to deliver it. A embarrassing, but the only way to af-
member and supervisor. simple sentence may resound with your fect change is if subordinates provide
One letter conveyed his best wishes ratee long after your feedback session, positive, constructive, fact-based feed-
on my birthday. A second one thanked In fact, this form will need to be with positive or negative impacts lasting back to the organization’s leadership.
me and my unit for our hospitality dur- routed through the coordination pro- years or even throughout that member’s Subordinates, and everyone for that
ing his recent visit to the base. These cess for members’ enlisted performance entire career. matter, need to understand that there is
letters reminded me how important it reports. In addition to taking the time a tactful way to provide feedback, and,
is to maintain constant communication to complete the form, I sat down with Moreover, feedback should not be when in doubt, use the Golden Rule on
at all levels. each individual and provided feedback, one-directional. Subordinates and peers how you’d communicate feedback in
in terms of improvements to be made need to engage in a constant, fact-based that situation.
The letters also reminded me of the and behavior to sustain. cross-feed with one another. If your
lost art of written communication. These organization has a disruptive person, Honest and constructive feedback
were not short emails tasking me with a It is not necessarily easy to provide his or her peers have the responsibility is essential to the integrity of our Air
suspense or requesting information; they honest feedback. Obvious deficiencies to step up and let the person know that Force units. The Air Force has developed
were handwritten letters that showed he can be easy to identify and communi- they are negatively affecting the unit. the tools and processes to facilitate this
took the time to sit down at his desk and cate, but it can be difficult to come up Conversely, peers can provide positive dialogue, but it is up to each and every
write them longhand, with the singular with areas of improvement for your reinforcement when they see a member one of us, at all levels, to provide deliber-
purpose of providing positive feedback unit’s outstanding performers. Howev- suffering. That positive communication ate feedback to our subordinates, peers
from one professional to another. er, it can and must be done, as everyone can be the impetus for turning some- and leaders in a way that is tactful and
has room for improvement. one’s day or even their life around. professional.
As I am also in the middle of per-
forming midterm feedback sessions, You must be deliberate and judicious
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