Formal mentoring

  • Published
  • By Dr. (Col.) Robert Singler
  • 349th Medical Group commander
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  We're surrounded by mentors, and most of us put real effort into being good Wingmen. When we're asked, "Are you mentoring your subordinates?" the answer is usually "Yes!"

Then why are we having difficulty retaining our younger Airmen? Why aren't all of our associates as pleased with their careers as we are? It's not as simple as the stress of repeated deployments, serving under a difficult supervisor or feeling trapped in a dead-end job.

If a performance feedback is a discussion of a report card based upon standards set by the Air Force, then mentoring should be a discussion based upon standards set by the member. Where would they like to be in five years?

Finding current information on career guidance and how to properly mentor is difficult. Most resources are six to 10 years old and haven't been updated. AFI 36-3401, Air Force Mentoring, dates from 2000. Still, there is another side to the issue. Career information that used to live at the Military Personnel Flight is now online and just a few clicks away. If you combine a genuine interest in your subordinate's career progression with a little hard data, obstacles that seem insurmountable can become the stair steps in a rewarding career.

With that in mind, here are a few tips:

1) Time frame - Start early, right after a permanent change of station, because the typical time frame for big changes is typically around two years. This may seem a lifetime to an Airman Basic, but most of us soon find out how quickly time passes.

2) Get the data - Is your protégé a staff sergeant in a technical sergeant slot or has he/she already topped out? What does your subordinate know about the requirements for a Promotion Enhancement Program boost in rank? Are they thinking about the requirements for well-roundedness? When is an above-the-zone promotion board possible? Is your officer eligible? What can you do to demonstrate the critical importance of Professional Military Education?

3) Use the Web - Start with the Portal: the "My EDP" link, AFPAM 36-2241 and most importantly, the Virtual MPF. Click on Self-Service Actions and navigate to Personal Data | Record Review.

It's not just about promotion! If you have a difficult subordinate, are you your Airman's problem? What's your style as a supervisor? Even if you're even-handed, have you been honest with an underperformer? Have you had the courage to tell them their expectations don't match their performance or did you sweep their lack of success under the table with an average performance report that only pushes the problem down the road? If you've "told it like it is," make sure you also created a path of action to help them succeed.

In my experience, the very best usually do just fine. But there are real stars out there that are either just too shy or inexperienced to ask the right questions. And there are seeming "bad boys" out there who may only need to get an honest second chance with good supervision to be saved.

Do the right thing as a supervisor. In addition to an arm around the shoulder and a willing ear, go to the trouble to find the data that will show an Airman where they stand on their career path.