Attitude guides mission success

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Michael Larsen
  • 660th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  I recently returned from a deployment in the Middle East where I was a part of a team that generated tanker missions to refuel coalition combat assets supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. I can testify, from personal experience, that it is truly amazing to see our Airmen's optimistic attitude towards generating the Air Force's mission 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
When I would walk the flightline with the temperatures hitting 130 degrees plus, it resonated with me the commitment our men and women in uniform have towards ensuring mission success, regardless of the environmental factors. Have you ever wondered what keeps them going?

You probably have guessed what I think the most important ingredient is in mission success, a positive attitude. Search the word attitude in the Professional Development Guide and you will see it used in 28 instances. It is used in a variety of topics from feedback all the way to airmanship. So how does this define you as an Airman?

First, let us look at the definition. The dictionary defines attitude as the "manner, disposition, feeling or position, with regard to a person or thing; tendency or orientation, especially of the mind."

In addition, our attitudes are displayed either verbally or non-verbally. I would say it is simply our thoughts or mindset in action. It does not take long to learn what one's attitude is toward a certain subject or thing, all you have to do is listen and observe. With that thought, it is no surprise to me that a positive attitude is the first leadership quality listed in the PDG.

When I returned from my deployment I had the pleasure of meeting my new Maintenance Group commander. I was pleased to see a coin holder placed on the center of his desk with the inscription attitude is everything.

To answer the above questions of how to overcome challenges, defining yourself as a leader and how to continue to generate our mission optimistically, I would say that it starts with the leadership quality of a positive attitude.

Whether it is an inspector general inspection or performing the finer details of a job, your attitude can dictate whether you succeed or fail.

I will leave you with a quote from President Thomas Jefferson, "nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal, nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude."