Toward defining Air Force leadership - Vortices

Air & Space Power Journal, Winter, 2002 by Dr. Mike Thirtle

PRIVATE-SECTOR COMPANIES envy the Air Force--in some ways, one might even call it a "quiet desire." From an outsider's perspective, the Air Force almost seems to have an endless supply of good leaders. In fact, some companies exist for the sole purpose of funneling young officers and enlisted service members from the Air Force into the private sector early in their professional lives. The same process occurs at senior levels as well. Although technical skills are likely an important consideration for such recruiting, the usual marketing language indicates that businesses aggressively seek these people because of their leadership aptitude. (1) Similarly, Air Force members typically believe that they bring a significant commodity--their ability to lead--to the for-profit sector (post--Air Force experience). Why? The answer is that the private sector yearns for leadership and that the Air Force is a proverbial breeding ground for it. This rather amazing "supply meets demand" concept isn't very well quantified bu t is implicitly understood by both seller and buyer.

The for-profit sector uses this funneling because it realizes the benefits of having former military members employed in its organizations. (2) Military experience translates into results such as discipline, steadiness, character, performance, integrity, and caring. (3) I know this to be the truth. Having spent some time in both the private sector (outside the defense industry) and the Air Force as an officer, I have to say that some of the best leaders whom I have met are affiliated with the military--specifically, the Air Force. My discussions with colleagues in the for-profit sector have validated this impression.

Amazingly, however, observers outside the Air Force don't realize that for all of the great leaders we produce, we haven't documented--at least yet--the secret recipe of what contemporary Air Force leadership is in a comprehensible, universally articulated way. We "do" leadership; we sometimes talk about and debate it; and outsiders admire the "product"--even certain parts of the "production process." However, it is a challenge for anyone to point to a specific Air Force organization, document, doctrine, or comprehensive definition of what Air Force leadership is and how it is purposefully developed and articulated to that service's people. Simply stated, I don't think it exists. (4)

In Search of the Leadership Grail

For the past two years, I have had more opportunity to study the Air Force--more specifically, Air Force leadership--as part of my work in the Force Development Division of the Air Force Senior Leader Management Office, a task that I have relished. I left my for-profit, private-sector job to do this because of my desire to discover the secret recipe. In part, I have focused on assisting with the development of a new leadership core curriculum for training squadron commanders across the major commands; other activities have focused upon Air Force education and training. Every situation that I have encountered has justified my watching, listening, and assessing. I have seen various corners of the institution that I didn't know even existed; furthermore, I have had the opportunity to witness great examples of leadership and visit places where researchers and practitioners continue to pursue leadership truths. Whether one cites the great leadership talks around "academic circle" at Air University, the National Ch aracter Leadership Symposium at the Air Force Academy, or the interaction with Air Force professionals on a daily basis, I have seen many situations that I would characterize as "great" examples--examples that my colleagues in the private sector probably haven't seen. I have also realized, however, that we are a service in search of (and, I would contend, in need of) a unifying leadership theme that is Air Force-centric; that embraces the concepts of "leading airmen"; (5) that is both pervasive across our entire development spectrum and consistent across our various operations; that embraces our history, culture, and mission--and that resonates.

One can look around academic circle at the various professional military education (PME) programs or at our commissioning programs and realize that the institution does not have a comprehensive, cohesive concept of leadership that is uniquely singular and simultaneously well articulated across the board. Whereas concepts such as "situational leadership" are taught at Squadron Officer College, other methods are discussed at Air Command and Staff College and Air War College--our noncommissioned officer academies even talk about methods and approaches that differ from those learned by officers. The commissioning sources--as well as basic military training, for that matter--also have different approaches to discussing leadership. In almost all cases, a void exists in our current education and training process for discussing what is unique about Air Force leadership. Instead, at the earlier and later part of the spectrum, one finds various speakers relating diverse stories about what "worked" in their experience a nd what one "should do." New commanders are usually exposed to these anecdotes. Don't get me wrong here. I find such stories entertaining and meaningful--as well as necessary for passing along the lore of the organization.