INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey –
Ask any leader and I'm sure they have a leadership book or philosophy which has impacted who they are as a leader.
I've read a lot of different books throughout my career, but while there are many principles or "rules" I think help make an effective leader, these four are some of the most common and most important. They are gleaned from a book titled "The Art of Influence" by Chris Widener.
Golden Rule No. 1:
Live a life of undivided integrity. There's a reason integrity is at the forefront of our Air Force core values, because integrity matters. It doesn't matter if you're refueling aircraft, building flares or coordinating airfield operations, we need to know we can count on you. Integrity at its core is all about trust. If we can't trust you in one regard, how can we trust you in another? Once your integrity is called into question in one area, it can be called into question in others. I've heard many stories about "good Airmen," or should I say good workers who made bad or irresponsible choices. My response is always the same, good Airmen make responsible choices. So, if you want to be counted among the good, live a life of undivided integrity in every regard.
Golden Rule No. 2:
Always demonstrate a positive attitude. I realized early in my career no one desires to be around negative people, but positive people are like magnets. Attitudes are very contagious, so we must model the attitudes we want, even when things aren't going our way. After all, it's not about what happens to you in life, but how you respond to it. Choose to respond positively even when negative things come your way and you'll be amazed how much better you feel and how others around you respond. Leaders should be like thermostats, not thermometers. We set the environment to positive, especially when the temperature reads negative. A positive environment is a more productive environment. Always demonstrate a positive attitude.
Golden Rule No. 3:
Consider other peoples' interests as more important than your own. Have you ever worked with someone who only wanted to know "what's in it for me?" The only person they were concerned about was themselves. Perhaps you've had supervisors who were so focused on their career, they didn't have time to mentor you or set you up for success. Those people were great examples of what not to do; good leaders put their people first. People work harder when they know they're taken care of and appreciated.
Golden Rule No. 4:
Don't settle for anything less than excellence. As a friend once told me, "set high standards, get high standards." We get what we accept or tolerate. My hope is we all raise the bar of excellence, so we are stretched to a new level of achievement. Someone has to set the standard, and I challenge you to do so. In this era of lean resources, there's no place in our Air Force for mediocrity. We've got a mission we must accomplish to the best of our ability with precision and reliability. We only obtain those traits when we don't settle for anything less than excellence.
Remember these four golden rules, but most importantly, apply them to your life, and our Air Force as well as the nation will be better served because of you. Thank you for your service.