“Follow me!” Are you ready to say this?
“Sure, I know where we’re going, follow me.” As you set off for the restaurant with friends in tow, you are filled with confidence. But… Read More »“Follow me!” Are you ready to say this?
Vision Mission and Values
The Mission: That Others May Live
The air around us was orange. That was pretty common after a dust storm as a fine powder of sand hung in the air. Through… Read More »The Mission: That Others May Live
What do you do when you fall short as a leader? (Pictograph)
I had been a commander of a flying training squadron for a few months. One Monday morning I was getting ready to go into work… Read More »What do you do when you fall short as a leader? (Pictograph)
Do They See What You See? Great Leaders Share the Vision
In my free time I enjoy powered paragliding. I have a unique perspective while moving slowly across the landscape from a couple hundred feet up… Read More »Do They See What You See? Great Leaders Share the Vision
The Unintentional Leader
Early in my military career I was taught that a unit will take on the characteristics of its leader. A sloppy unit will likely have… Read More »The Unintentional Leader
Heat, Wind, Sand, and A Critical Mission
The sand suspended in the air was worse than usual. A recent sandstorm had made the air almost opaque and I could only see for a few feet. I could barely see the 26 airplanes parked in front of me, or the approximately 200 mechanics who were working to get them ready to fly. (The picture was taken in the daytime) As I walked towards where I knew the planes were, I could begin to make out their shapes, and see the outline of the troops scurrying about. Within the next hour or so, at least 20 of those airplanes would be airborne.
The airplanes were C-130 transports many of which were more than 40 years old. They had spent their years in hard use, carrying heavy loads around the world often landing in barely improved dirt strips. They were old, tired airplanes. But because of the mechanics that toiled day and night to keep them mission ready, they could still do the job.
Those mechanics worked in conditions that were uncomfortable at best. Read More »Heat, Wind, Sand, and A Critical Mission
Sharing the Vision, Do You See What You See?
Last summer I checked an item off my bucket list and took up the sport of powered paragliding. It’s a unique perspective from a couple… Read More »Sharing the Vision, Do You See What You See?