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Leadership; it's all about the people

  • Published
  • By Capt Rickardo Bodden
  • 386 AEW/PA
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  People discuss leadership but few really know about it. Leadership is an art, and being a leader can take many years for one to be a seasoned and skilled one. But what
do your leaders think about leadership and what guides their actions? I had the distinct pleasure to ask the top officer and enlisted person on the "Rock" for their thoughts
on leadership. 

"Leadership is all about doing your duty" Colonel Paul Curlett, 386 Air Expeditionary Wing commander said. "As the wing commander I have to know and understand my
mission requirements, but more importantly, I have to know and understand the people who are detailed to do it and enable them to take care of the mission." 

Col. Curlett is a leader with over 30 years of military experience.  He likes to know his people and practices a more personable leadership style. To accomplish the mission of putting boots on the ground, "You have to know and trust your people and you must make a thorough effort to tie yourself into individual lives to make sure everyone has the
right site picture and that they are implementing the correct procedures to ensure the mission is accomplished." 

"Leadership to me is all about being a servant," said Chief Thomas Narofsky, 386 AEW Command Chief Master Sgt. "Airmen don't serve me, I serve the Airmen." Chief
Narofsky's view is refreshingly opposite from the way some people in positions of authority think about themselves in comparison to the people they lead. 

"You take care of Airmen and they take care of the mission. John Maxwell says everything rises and falls on leadership and that's a true statement," Chief Narofsky
said. "As long as I'm growing the next generation of Airmen, my replacements, the Air Force will continue because I'm growing the most valuable asset we have, the Airmen." 

Some leaders only have their personal dreams and goals at the forefront of their minds but not the top leadership here. "When you take your eyes off the people and
only focus on the mission that's when you make your first leadership mistake," Chief Narofsky said. 

Col. Curlett said, "The people who think it is all about them instead of the people quickly derail. It doesn't take long for people to see if their leaders are just into themselves and do not care about the Air Force or the Airmen.  I've seen leaders lose the respect of their people. Once you lose it the ability for that leader to meet the mission requirements become more challenging." 

The Air Force shares core values all Airmen are supposed live by. 

"First and foremost, I can't be a leader unless I have integrity. As far as excellence goes, I set and enforce the right standards so they are emulated wing-wide. I serve the population from enhancing quality of life to making sure they are trained and equipped properly. I try to make sure I've provided everything I can to ensure Airmen will be successful on their jobs and successful in life," said Col. Curlett. "If you do those three core values you'll definitely be at an advantage to meeting the goals of your organization and the Air Force." 

Chief Narofsky believes, "The foundation of everything we do as leaders is the core values. If we don't have that, nothing else really matters." 

Since the leaders here emulate the Air Force core values, I wondered what other leadership practices the top to people do here.
 
"The commander and I practice front line leadership, walking and working shoulder to shoulder with Airmen. No matter what the mission: combat patrols in Iraq, walking
the flightline and wing walks with maintenance, post check with Viper teams and more. You cannot be a leader if you don't know what the pulse of your people is," said Chief
Narofsky. 

"I am not going to ask an Airman to go do anything I would not be willing to do myself" Col Curlett said. Leaders who give orders to for tasks they would not do themselves
are not esteemed in this colonel's mind. 

Many leaders have regrets. Regrets for things they wish they had done or known before but did not. "I wish I understood earlier that it is not about me. When I first came
in the service I was only concerned about what I wanted to do and how I could accomplish it. When I really learned to put emphasis on how do I contribute to the Air Force and fulfill its vision and goals and achieve them as opposed to nurturing myself to getting to the next level, is when I figured that out I was tremendously more successful in my career" said Col. Curlett. 

Chief Narofsky wished he would have put more emphasis on Service Before Self earlier in his career. "When I was a master sergeant (10 years into his career) the light
came on for me. "I authored an award package for some of my troops and we won. To see the reaction on the troops who realized the potential they had was great and all I did
was write the award package. Watching their dreams and aspirations come alive was more exciting for me then personally getting award or recognition." 

The leaders here seek to impart the Servant Leadership Style. You lead by serving all. This style shows others the leader is there to help them accomplish the mission. Serving others is a way of life and is the hall mark of what the military is all about. 

Leadership can be acted upon and directed in numerous ways. No matter how it is defined or dealt, leadership is all about the people you are leading, not about the leader. Col. Curlett said it so well, "If I do my duty the rest will take care of itself."