SOUTHWEST ASIA -- Have you ever said to yourself, “if I only knew then what I know now, my whole life would be different?” I am willing to bet that you have.
For me, it’s something that I think about quite often. Having spent 21 years in the Air Force, I feel rather comfortable in saying there are a few lessons that I have learned. Some of these lessons were easy and others have left some memorable scars to say the least. It’s these areas of my life that I think of when contemplating the aforementioned statement and in fact it’s a large part of my leadership style.
Whenever I have the opportunity to mentor someone, speak to an audience or simply have a casual conversation with an Airman, I think of it as an opportunity to share thoughts and experiences and learn from one another. During many of these conversations, I find that an Airman or young officer is experiencing something that I went through many years ago. I view these moments as opportunities to share my mistakes and thoughts on what I would have done along with the possible outcomes. In many of these instances, depending on the conversation, I don’t attempt to tell an individual what they should do rather share what has and hasn’t worked in my experience and the experiences others have shared with me.
These “opportunities” to lead someone in a positive direction can come at any time from anyone. During these times I truly find myself being extremely focused, bluntly honest and truly humble. You would be surprised of the impact a 10 minute open and personal conversation can have on a person’s life. So the next time we’re talking and you say, “Chief, what’s your recommendation?” be prepared for an experience.