Tackle problems with unflinching leadership

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. James Trachier
  • 60th Communications Squadron commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Many Airmen have heard the phrase, "Every Airman is a Leader."

This saying speaks directly to our shared bond under the "clause of unlimited liability:" at a moment's notice, any of us might be required to go into harm's way to accomplish the mission.
 
Because leadership is an art as well as a science, there is no checklist for becoming an effective leader. Although students and practitioners alike commonly agree upon a core set of leadership traits or principles, actually leading requires each Airman to apply these principles through his or her own, unique leadership style. 

New Airmen, conditioned to be followers, often struggle with the concept of leadership and sometimes fail to recognize the leadership opportunities in problems they may face.  Borrowing from the gridiron, I've found one particularly useful analogy for communicating the concept of leadership to a younger generation of Airmen.  I call it "unflinching leadership:  the art of the open-field tackle."

First, identify and understand the problem. If you're not sure who has the football, you might tackle the wrong person. Fortunately, your coaches (chain of command) and teammates (co-workers) can help. Restate the problem as you see it and ask them for feedback. Never let an observed problem go unaddressed-doing so sets a new standard inconsistent with our core values.

Second, run toward the ball carrier (the problem). Our Marine brethren produced a great recruiting commercial that portrays Marines running toward a crisis after making an amphibious landing. The commercial's tag line is, "Which way would you run?" When done of your own initiative, closing the gap between you and the problem robs the problem of its momentum and gives it to you.

Third, square your shoulders. It's difficult to solve a problem if you're not totally committed. Face it head on. Don't shirk contact. Remember that your chain of command assigned this task to you or agreed to let you take it on because it has faith in your ability to succeed. Remember also that the most difficult tasks are usually the most rewarding ones.

Fourth, plant your feet and drive through. Doing so harnesses the power of your legs, which contain the strongest muscles in your body. Similarly, your training, experience and creativity, along with your work center's tactics, techniques and procedures, are the resources at your disposal for tackling problems. Just as football cleats grip the field to improve a tackler's leverage, your knowledge of authoritative guidance, such as Air Force Instructions and Technical Orders, allows you to dig in and bring these resources to bear.

Don't forget to maintain focus throughout the process. The noise of the crowd and the glare of the lights are part of the game, but don't let yourself be distracted. Track the problem closely, but also keep your head on a swivel to avoid getting blindsided by aspects of the problem you may not have noticed or anticipated.

Finally, remember to trust your teammates.  Leadership is a team sport that requires both leaders and followers. You may not be able to tackle every problem by yourself, but often the mere attempt will inspire others to assist. Such inspiration is often the key to successful "peer leadership," which is how most Airmen gain their initial leadership experience.

As we "do less with less," our Air Force needs each of us to be leaders who recognize and tackle the issues we face on a daily basis. Don't sit on the sidelines. Grab your helmet, buckle your chinstrap and get into the game. When the play comes to your side of the field, don't flinch.