Redefining excellence Published Aug. 22, 2017 By Lt. Col. Troy Pierce 821st Contingency Response Support Squadron TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – Does the Air Force value my contribution? What is my true value? We tend to believe our value is determined by Air Force systems that measure our performance. Our pursuit of accomplishment and “excellence in all we do” leads us to measure our success by stratifications, performance reports and board results. The problem is there are too many outside variables that determine exceptional versus average careers. I became much happier when I redefined success, and learned that my true value is not determined by performance feedback systems, but by the friendships, relationships and support I provide to my family, friends and fellow Airmen. It took me longer than it should to reach this conclusion. I entered the Air Force with no real dream of making it a career. The events of 9/11 and the deployments that followed gave me a sense of purpose, but I was always looking for something better. I wandered through my early years as a lieutenant and young captain. I did the things I needed to do, but I wasn’t “all in.” My mindset changed when I was lucky enough to work with leaders who truly cared about their people and impacted the culture around them. I decided I wanted to be one of these people, and that to do that I needed to be a squadron commander. I confused a leadership position with actual leadership, which was wrong. Worse, I realized I was pursuing a highly competitive position, and I was defining success by how I compared with others on promotion boards. The contrast between my promotions or school board results compared to my fast-tracked friends inevitably led to disappointment. I felt like my hard work should be rewarded with better results. My dreams of becoming a squadron commander were almost certainly crushed, so I began to build my civilian resume. My friends, family and a few Air Force leaders noticed my attitude change. They took the time to show me their support and let me know they appreciated my hard work. To this day, I am truly thankful for how they shaped my career. Their sincere encouragement helped me realize that the friendships and relationships we create throughout our careers are the real point of all this. My value is not in a position, title or board result. I can be OK with being “average,” because what really matters is whether I’m an exceptional teammate. Instead of asking myself, “Why didn’t I get selected for school or promotion below the zone?” I started asking myself, “How much support am I providing my fellow Airmen? Was I able to impact their lives in a positive way? Did I know when they needed help, and did I try and do something about it?” Was I a good wingman? Most importantly, was I a good husband and father? The minute I started asking these questions I defined success differently. I defined it in a way that even I, a truly average Airman, can achieve it in a way that, in the end, matters far more than the insignia on my epaulets. The message I hope I conveyed is “excellence in all we do” applies to all of us. Some of you will go on to amazing careers and reach dizzying ranks. Many of us won’t. I hope each and every one of you define success by how well we do as a team, not by how well we do as individuals. I hope we define success by how well we learn from each other, respect and support one another. I hope we recognize that “excellence in all we do” really means “excellence in all we do for each other.”