CHARLESTON AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. –
Throughout my Air Force career I have garnered many experiences, run into numerous people and dealt with far more personalities than I can count -- all contributing to the path I have taken. One common attribute of successful leadership and followership has stood out. Do you know what it is? It extends beyond our core values. Integrity first, service before self and excellence in all we do are definitely words to live by in the Air Force but it goes much deeper than that.
Have you ever wondered what people think about when they are saluting the flag during retreat? Are they worried about the next task they need to complete, hoping the song ends soon or are they reflecting on the day's accomplishments and thinking about the nearly 500 Charleston Airmen deployed supporting the Global War on Terrorism?
Quite often we really don't know what is going on in their mind, but other times it is obvious. I was driving behind a woman last month who flipped her cigarette butt out the window and asked myself: What is she missing that would have her do the right thing? I am sure she didn't think twice about her actions, but they are no less frustrating for people like you and me. What about the guy who has gone "ROAD," (retired on active duty) just waiting for his retirement date to roll around? What makes him perform poorly or no longer measure up to standards?
I was conversing with a colleague of mine the other day and he pointed out a simplistic viewpoint to these and many other topics of discussion. Quite often we seek to solve issues by looking at the symptoms. It isn't the symptoms we should be looking at. Rather, we should be looking at what is driving the behavior. There is one critical factor missing from these "issues." I believe this factor, if consistently applied, could cause things to turn out differently. So what are some of our coworkers, subordinates or friends lacking?
Michael Josephson, renowned author and founder of the Josephson Institute of Ethics, puts what I am talking about in perspective with a few rules for success: be a positive force, always give your best, be accountable, build your knowledge, be honest - all the time and treat everyone with respect - whether they deserve it or not.
So what is he driving at? If we were to put all of that in one word, what is it? Well, I have held you in suspense long enough! That one thing is character.
Character is defined in many ways but put shortly, it is a moral or ethical quality. It is the force behind our ability to live up to the Air Force core values. It is the reason we spend one minute and fourteen seconds crisply holding a salute, watching the flag lower and thinking about our 2,500 comrades who have fallen in the name of freedom or simply what we have done for our great nation today. It is the reason we don't litter, why we work hard up to the very end. Character is what we need as notable leaders and followers in today's military.
Don't worry, we all have it. Sometimes we just need to take a look and polish it up a bit. Maybe those of you who are supervisors need to spend time mentoring your folks about having character and emphasize this quality at every opportunity. Finally, I leave you with this one question: At the end of the day, do you want to be thought of as someone who is a character or someone who has character? Choose wisely -- your Air Force depends on it!