The Leadership Journey
Abstract
Numerous annual training requirements exist for todays Air Force members. Annual Human Relations training? Check. Annual Anti-hijacking training? Check. Annual Human Trafficking Training? Check. Annual Leadership training? Crickets there is no annual leadership training requirement nor any applicable guidance for the informal leadership development of Air Force members. The Air Force formal training programs touch on leadership, but unfortunately they only occur at various Professional Military Education (PME) milestones which are four to six years apart. How is it possible that an organization that prides itself on developing the future leaders of our nations military provide such little guidance in regards to individual leadership development? According to President John F. Kennedy, Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.1 But, how and where is the leadership learning taking place in the Air Force today? I argue that it is not happening throughout most of the Air Force, as many commanders and supervisors are just too busy to develop individuals below them or to continue learning and improving on their own leadership skills. Unfortunately this apathetic attitude towards leadership limits the potential pool of future Air Force leaders, to only those who were lucky enough to have been exposed to a boss who made leadership learning a priority.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- AD1020279
Entities
People
- Jannell Macaulay
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College