Page 13 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt, May 2019

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Chaplain’s thoughts ...
Failing forward
by Staff Sgt. LISA BEAMER
56th Fighter Wing Religious Affairs
been intimidated, so many times I’ve felt out of my comfort zone, and I would have missed a lot had I let those fears stop me in my tracks. Nothing is as overwhelming as it feels, and there are very few problems in life that don’t have some sort of solution.
It is a bit of learning curve in itself to know when to accept failure as a lesson and give up on the enterprise, or when to adjust course and press forward. I am still getting a grasp on this and it dif- fers in every situation. Sometimes, there is simply no way forward, and the reality in front of you is it. This is the hardest for me to accept as I am the perpetual optimist, and am forever convinced that I can muscle through, or out-stubborn situations into going the way I feel they should. Obviously this is not always the case.
I think at the core of it all is intent, as is with a lot of things in life. Your intentions will shine through whether you’re consciously thinking about them or not. I have been given more grace than I deserve because the intentions I had were genuine and good. Your character will help you far more than your natural abilities. Skills can be learned while character is innate.
Embrace the setbacks for the lessons they are, celebrate the triumphs for they are earned, and don’t let yourself get too caught up in any of it. Try new things because life is so short and it would be a shame to miss out. Chase the mountains, because as breathtaking as the view is from the top, the trail there sure is a lot of fun.
For more information, or to speak with a chap- lain, call the Luke Air Force Base Chapel at 623- 856-6211.
Staff Sgt. Lisa Beamer
I am an endless learner and a perpetual failure. Both of these concepts I embrace completely. I chase after mountains that seem too big to climb, throw myself into learning skills I have absolutely no prior knowledge of, and happily soak up every bit of new knowledge I can acquire. I spend most of
my time failing at all of these new endeavors, but savoring every moment of them.
I am secure in knowledge that my failures do not define me and are simply a reflection of my continuous pursuit of learning.
Failing is something that used to scare me until I realized how valuable an asset it is. I used to be ashamed of my failures, and there are still times I am, and should be. For the most part, however; I have learned to harness my failures as tools to learn and propel myself forward. Failing shows me that I am actively making progress, teaches me how to do better and where I need to adjust. Success and failure work together in harmony giving me a continuous stream of understanding.
There is so much to know, things to try and skills to master. There have been many times I’ve
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of doing “group therapy” or group discipline, which does not work and tends to demotivate.
What actions would you need to take? You could have mini-drills and monitor until individuals meet the goal. Then, by the next drill, you will see those who do and don’t meet expectations. It will become clear this way of leading is not an easy process, but it does unite the team toward a common objective.
Follow the same process when leading your people to build a team. During the next fire drill, I chal- lenge you to be a role model, ob- server, change agent and leader to
make it better.
Make time and lead your people
effectively as it relates to the mis- sion, too. As you do this, you will see the culture in your team become more productive, positive and a model for others to follow.
behavior. We are what we constantly do, which makes excellence a habit. With clear expectations, leaders have to demonstrate what success
looks like. Be a role model.
Next, ensure people understand
the performance standards. This will not be the same for everyone. No cutting corners; take the time to ensure people understand the importance of changing their be- havior. Through good storytelling, vision, persuasion, conversations and role-modeling, the leader can ensure understanding.
Review progress and adjust course. When the next fire drill comes you will see a significant change, but likely will not see per- fect results. That is the time to ad- dress individual behaviors for those not meeting the standard, instead
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