Leaders not born, but made through training

  • Published
  • By Chief Master Sgt. Dennis Thorp
  • 749th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  How many classes, lectures and books have you seen on the topic of leadership?

In my career I couldn't even give you an accurate count, but suffice to say, from basic military training until your retirement ceremony, this topic ranks near the top if not the most coveted traits that we all desire to understand and become better at. Is this a skill that we can read about, listen to lectures practice and master or are great leaders born with the ability to rally the troops to a greater cause?

Many of the great examples of leadership have key elements that are evident. Examples can be found in the military, politics, sports, religion and business. Anywhere people have become united and focused in one direction, there will be a leader or leadership in place steering the ship. Without comparing merits or value of the cause, I would like to look at some traits of some very different leaders. 

If I said that Gen. George Patton, Dr. Martin Luther King, President John F. Kennedy or John Wooden, former head coach for University of California, Los Angeles, men's basketball, are all similar, I might get a few raised eyebrows. If I said they were all great leaders, no one could argue the fact.

Each individual had the ability to achieve success, motivate and impact change. One of driving forces behind these leaders is their inner belief in the cause. They possessed the ability to communicate this vision regardless if we are talking about military victory, racial equality, a man on the moon or being the best that you can be.
They could unite a group to a single overall focus with their words and actions.  They created a mental picture of what their vision looked like and allowed others to see this image of the future. As leaders, we must never lose sight of the real purpose of our actions. 

You may ask yourself, how does this relate to me?  We are all leaders in our organizations. Each of us provides leadership at different levels and in different situations. We could be placed in charge of a crew of three Airmen on a temporary detail, section leader, squadron, etc., you get the picture.  First recognize, your goals and then communicate the vision. Don't confuse leadership with tactical direction. There will always be the need to give an order, command an action without question, but without understanding the mission, we may not achieve the highest performance of which we are capable.

I challenge you to study some examples of great leaders to whom you can relate. This commentary can serve only as an introduction to learning. Think about the long range view and communicate this message.

A final thought; Do not focus on one particular incremental goal as a measure of success or failure. Wooden was one of the most successful NCAA coaches in history. He did not make winning each game his primary goal. The wins were the result of making each player rise to the greatest of his abilities.

Wooden strived to create the whole person who was as successful at life as they were at basketball. As leaders, we build our people every day, at work, play, in church or as the little league coach. Army Brig. Gen. Stanley McCrystal said, "Leaders can let you fail and yet not let you be a failure."

To answer the question I asked in the beginning of this commentary, I believe leaders are not born. They are mentored, honed and practiced. Through experiences and training, leadership skills are developed. I challenge you to open this door, learn and practice. We are depending on you.