In my first few months

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. Matthew Jones
  • 22nd Airlift Squadron commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  More so than most professions, Airmen face constant change in personnel and leaders

This time, I was the change as I took command just two years after my predecessor had done the same.  I received a note at my change of command ceremony that said, "Congratulations ... start strong, stay strong and finish strong!" Four months into my command, I really understand the sentiment in this advice.

One of the most disruptive forces to an organization is change. Sometimes change is positive and at other times negative, but it is always disruptive. Either way, we change positions, jobs, supervisors and assignments a lot in the Air Force. Organizations with high turnover like the Air Force particularly cannot afford for their leaders to start slow. 

This does not mean leaders will not err, but instead that they learn quickly from their mistakes and better yet from the mistakes of others. This dynamic environment requires more awareness as well as deliberate planning and execution.

With this in mind, I'd like to share some observations from my first few months that other Airmen could benefit from with the intent of helping others start strong.

Maybe I should start with a mistake I made on my first day. As I returned from my ceremony and was busy settling in and signing requisite appointment letters, I failed to attend a master sergeant promotion ceremony at the club. My first shirt and superintendent were there, but my absence was noticed. A base chief master sergeant and wingman from a past assignment promptly set me straight. 

I will not make this mistake again. The bottom line is we either care about people or we don't. Paperwork can always wait.  While I won't make this mistake again, there is no need for you to either.

My next observation is one I feel really strong about.  It's about morale. Yes, this term is sometimes overused, but is truly something commanders work on. I have quickly learned that time off and mandatory fun do little to help morale. Instead, I believe that nothing correlates higher with morale than accountability. You can never please everyone and should not spend much time trying. 

It is simple. Airmen want to be held accountable by receiving honest and timely feedback. They want the highest performers positively recognized and others held to account.  I have learned to balance the noise of the vocal minority with the example of the quiet majority.

My last observation as a new commander is the power of perspective.  Put another way, it is all about your attitude. I command AMC's largest flying squadron, but as we convert to the C-5M Super Galaxy, our flying hours are at historic lows.  While we purposely mitigate the effects of a slowdown in flying hours, we do not dwell on the downside of our plane's conversion. 

Instead we take great pride in knowing that we are part of an exciting conversion where the DOD's largest plane is improving by 20 percent in almost every measurable way.  It's all about perspective and spending your time affecting those things you can actually change. 

I've done my best to start strong and I am now focused on staying strong.  Change is our one constant, so learn from others, act with a purpose and lead boldly.