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High Expectations Lead Air Force to Success

by Lt. Col. Jennifer Kilbourn

Over the years I have learned to become somewhat suspicious of the "management or leadership program du jour." As a brand new second lieutenant, I was the Quality Air Force monitor for my squadron and recall chasing down flight and element chiefs to get updated status on their programs to meet a regular suspense for updating our initiatives.

It seemed we put a lot more time in meeting, tracking and charting than we did in actually making the QAF program work. A big QAF challenge was trying to fit scientific management concepts into a war fighting organization that was also looking for solid leadership. There is much truth in the old adage that one manages things and leads people. However, I believe the interface between people and machines and our reliance on technology causes today's Air Force leaders to have to be good leaders and good managers.

Leadership's challenge is to take the best from the corporate world and implement it as a "militarized model." Many still remember Total Quality Management or the program called Quality Air Force. Our previous Chief of Staff, Gen. John Jumper said, "we were a quality Air Force ruined by a program called Quality Air Force." From this mixed bag of results from management improvement programs, I believe there is at least one consistent element that can be applied to our quest to keep our Air Force the greatest the planet has ever known.

Clearly declaring a vision and expectations is essential for leadership success on the battlefield or in the corporate boardroom. Military planners refer to this as establishing the "commander's intent." Establishing clear expectations is the beginning of the road to successful mission accomplishment or program management.

At the very beginnings of our nation, a young Scottish seaman in the American colonies threw in his lot with the fledgling rebel navy. In 1779 he took a refitted old French warship renamed the Bonhomme Richard to sea to raid English merchant ships.

In the midst of a life and death struggle with the British warship Serapis, when asked to surrender he rallied his troops to victory by declaring his expectation with the statement, "I have not yet begun to fight!" Brig. Gen. Anthony McAuliffe declared his expectations and rallied the 101st Airborne Division to defend Bastogne against the Germans in the Battle of the Bulge. His now famous reply to the German commander's call for surrender, "Nuts," helped steel his troops resolve to hold on until reinforcements arrived.

These examples from combat operations show the importance of defining and declaring expectations to ensure mission success on a short term basis. Another perspective on articulating expectations is the need to impart an organizational vision or future view.

One of the greatest dreamers of the 20th century was Walt Disney. Any person who could create the first sound cartoon, first all-color cartoon, and first animated feature length motion picture is definitely someone with vision. For Disney, vision was never a problem. Because of his creativity and desire for excellence, he always saw what could be. If you lack vision, look inside yourself. Draw on your own natural gifts and desires and if you don't sense a vision of your own, look towards a leader whose vision resonates within you.

Leaders in tactical and strategic environments who clearly articulate their vision and expectations set their organizations up for success. Armed with clear expectations, I am amazed at how resourceful our Air Force team can be.

Declaring expectations is essential across the entire leadership spectrum starting with each individual to the organizations most senior leaders. Regardless of the management philosophy your organization espouses, one of the most critical steps to organizational success is to clearly declare and define your vision and expectations.

judythpiazza@gmail.com