Making "leadership" yours Published Oct. 31, 2007 By Lt. Col. Douglas Engberson 60th Aerial Port Squadron commander TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- How often have you been directed to complete a task, or told to pass important information and you completed it with enthusiasm? How did you present this task to your Airmen? Did you say, "Well, captain said..." or "The commander wants this done?" Or, did you employ leadership, own the task and complete the mission through the influence of leadership? The leader who takes the task given, understands the task and the meaning behind it, and then empowers subordinates to take on the task in a way that allows Airmen to grow into leaders. The job of a leader is to get things done through influencing others. My definition of leadership is simply influence. I like defining leadership this way because it is simple. Leadership is the capacity to establish direction, to influence and align others toward a common goal, motivating and committing them to action, and holding them responsible for their performance. Perhaps the simplest model of leadership is action-centered leadership, which focuses on influence, which is the enabling factor to action. Former President Dwight Eisenhower said, "Leadership is the art of getting people to do something you want done because they want to do it." This is true. I encourage you to involve your subordinates in decision-making, listen to their ideas and try to incorporate them (when it makes sense.) Get to know your peers' strengths and weaknesses so that you can lean on one another for big projects. Buy-in on your supervisor's ideas and think about the intent. Before you know it, your priorities will become the flight's priorities. Leaders are often described as being influential. They are recognized as a result of actions accomplished. This doesn't happen alone. The actions are a result of the leadership influence on a group of people who are influenced to perform. I challenge you to make any task yours and empower Airmen to do the same. The Airman who tells his subordinates to do something because someone else said so is at a disadvantage. Ultimately, the difference between the two is choice. One person blames the external influence and doesn't have any real power behind assigning the task. However, if you understand the intent behind the task and dedicate yourself to the success of that task, your subordinates can sense the difference. That's leadership. As a result, their attitudes will be different and the success of the task will be determined through your influence.