Be a PROUD Leader
Throughout my time in the Air Force, I learned many lessons. Some from observing others, and some the hard way. I wouldn’t trade my time in uniform for anything. The Air Force way of life allowed my family to explore our great nation, and visit other countries, experiencing the different cultures and backgrounds that make us great. While I learned and grew a lot over the years, there is a great deal I can be PROUD of from my time in the Air Force. Most importantly are mission, Airmen and, families. Reflecting on my career created the acronym PROUD: Purpose, Resiliency, Opportunity, Understanding and Drive. Be PROUD of your time in the Air Force, be PROUD to be a logistician, and most importantly, be a PROUD leader!
Your PURPOSE is the fire that fuels your engine. It keeps you going when times get tough and is your long-term goal. It can, and likely will change throughout your career and life. Paulo Coelho, in The Alchemist said, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.” This is a great example of knowing your purpose and following it.
You will face setbacks along your journey. RESILIENCY is your ability to bounce back; to face adversity and keep on moving towards your purpose. As a leader, you will face challenging times; personal and professionally. Your unit may face tragedy, fail an inspection, or get short notice deployment orders. All of these require a resilient leader with the ability to motivate and guide their team to accomplish the mission, while caring for the Airmen and families.
I was recently asked how I overcame a difficult time in my life. My response was, looking back, I don’t know, I just modeled the work ethic I learned from my parents. Maybe I was on autopilot for a while, but I never thought about giving up. I was going to persevere despite the difficulty, perhaps because of the difficulty. I never lost sight of my purpose. The harder it got, the more I fought to emerge successfully.
Wayne Gretzky said, “You are guaranteed to miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” This is a great mantra in life. The same goes for taking care of your team—always submit deserving personnel for awards. You are guaranteed not to win 100% of the awards you do not submit. When an OPPORTUNITY presents itself—Take it! When your commander is looking for a volunteer to lead a team on a TDY or deployment—Raise your hand! If a request comes down for a new instructor, executive officer, or Aide de Camp, Logistics Career Broadening, master’s program, etc.—Volunteer!
Throughout my career, I benefited from several opportunities; some that I volunteered for, and some that I was recommended for. I was honored to be the Aide de Camp to the Twentieth Air Force Commander, a position I did not apply for. A colleague recommended me for the opportunity, and it was an incredible year of growth and exposed me to meetings and conversations I never would have participated in as a young captain maintenance officer. It also was the push I needed for in-residence Intermediate Developmental Education (IDE). Is your reputation such that people will mention your name in a positive light and recommend you for opportunities when you are not in the room?
The pivotal assignment in my career was the selection to be an Air Officer Commanding (AOC) at the United States Air Force Academy. This one assignment included a master’s degree in leadership and counseling, squadron command, and in-residence IDE. Over a three-year period, my knowledge grew through the AOC master’s program, hands-on counseling labs, and staff development courses. This was my first introduction to coaching concepts, which was foundational to how I led as a squadron and group commander and set me on the path to my post-Air Force career. I highly recommend this opportunity to be on everyone’s dream sheet!
Several years later, while working in the Pentagon, I was asked to be the next Chief of the Director’s Action Group. This was a fast paced, dynamic assignment which challenged me and enabled incredible growth in the ability to lead peers, as well as those who out ranked me, to accomplish the director’s vision. Opportunities are not always easy to spot ahead of time, but leadership development occurs in every opportunity.
When you listen, do you listen to reply or listen to understand? I never really thought about how I listened. Once I was exposed to the concept, I realized I listened to respond. After being educated on the differences, I now listen to UNDERSTAND. This means listening from a position of openness and curiosity. Open to learning the other speakers’ position and point of view, and curious enough to get to the root of their concerns. As Ted Lasso says, “Be curious, not judgmental.”
This served me well as a maintenance group commander, whereby applying this concept, I truly began to understand how maintenance impacted other organizations on base, and how they impacted our abilities and limitations. Most importantly, through this understanding and communication with my peers, we were able to truly work together to make the mission more effective.
None of this happens without DRIVE. Nothing is given; it is earned through hard work, your reputation, and past accomplishments. Together with everything above, it is the drive to succeed that will make you successful.
People have asked how I got to where I am today, and why I was successful when everything seemed stacked against me as a teenager. It was knowing my purpose and having the drive to attain it that kept me moving forward, no matter what obstacle was ahead of me. By being a PROUD leader, you, too, will be unstoppable!
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the US Government.
The photos included in this article are courtesy of the author.
About the Author:
Bill Barrington is an accomplished senior leader with over 25 years of experience developing high-performing individuals and organizations.
Bill is an International Coaching Federation (ICF) accredited Executive Leadership Coach and completed his coaching certification through Newfield Network. Additionally, he holds a M.A. in Leadership & Counseling from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, a M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Central Florida, a B.S. in Space Operations from the United States Air Force Academy.
His previous experience in the USAF includes leading a 470-person maintenance unit, and directing logistics, sustainment, and modernization for over 12,000 personnel across a seven-state region. Additionally, he led the training and development of 180 officer candidates, and oversaw talent management for 300 personnel, directing career development and education.
In addition to coaching, Bill facilitates courses and workshops focused on leadership development, organizational culture, and team dynamics. A strong advocate for talent development, he believes that selecting, nurturing, and developing people is the key to organizational success. He can be reached at bill@barringtonleadership.group, or on LinkedIn.