Being best all comes down to attitude

  • Published
  • By Col. Harold Bugado
  • 60th Mission Support Group commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  "Ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it." -- Raymond Thornton Chandler, American novilist

The Consolidated Unit Inspection season is in full swing at Travis and we will have a full slate of inspectors evaluating us during the next few weeks to validate our programs, processes, training, and personnel.

A non military friend of mine recently asked me to explain what that truly means, so I told him that equates to the Travis team preparing to play in the Olympics, Super Bowl, and the gameshow "Jeopardy"all at the same time.

He looked at me with disbelief and asked, "Are you ready?" My reply was "Absolutely."

What I didn't let him know is that all of these inspections are basically an assessment of what we either do or are prepared to do on a day-to-day basis in order to meet the mission and we do that quite well.

We've trained hard, refined our processes and set the conditions to achieve success in all aspects of the CUI, so now it all comes down to attitude.

"For success, attitude is equally as important as ability." Harry F. Banks

All of us have seen or can easily recall a situation when someone with a positive attitude set the tone for an encounter. It could be the professional greeting you receive as security forces scans your ID coming through the gate or the dental technician carefully prepping you for a routine procedure, but ensuring your comfort and understanding along the way.

In each case, this attitude translates into a reassurance that whatever follows is done competently and to the best of people's ability. You naturally tend to expect good results and it becomes a more memorable experience of the positive interaction. That's the lasting impression we should always strive to achieve.

However, you also may have seen the opposite at some point in your career. Perhaps you've seen the individual that may blame others for a mistake or claim "it's not my job." This corrosive attitude makes you question the competency of the individual and in turn the group performing the function. That individual may be well-versed in the task but now you wonder about their motivation and ability. You end up looking for mistakes instead of marveling at how well they perform.

That's the difference between a group that goes through the motions of performing their jobs and the world-class organization that strives to be "America's First Choice". That's the difference between an excellent inspection rating and an outstanding. That positive attitude is what is prevalent at Travis on a day-to-day basis.

Travis, it's time to shine. Bring on that positive attitude. It doesn't matter what specific job you do or which corner of the base you work or live. We are all a part of making the Travis machine run smooth and that attitude begins with you.