What do you stand for Published Oct. 6, 2009 By Col. Jim Jennings 21st Space Wing vice commander PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- Do you remember your first squadron commander, flight commander or supervisor? As a leader were they "good," "bad" or "indifferent?" Their leadership style, no matter what assessment you gave them, created an impression that shaped your attitude, initiative, and more importantly, your frame of reference regarding leadership. Around 1997, I started keeping a journal of the "good" and the "bad" I observed from leaders of all ranks, peers and events. I still write observations and review them so I can continually grow as an individual. Are these observations right or wrong? It depends, since how you view leadership goes back to your frame of reference and no matter your beliefs, I want you to ask yourself, "What do you stand for?" The Secretary of the Air Force declared July 2009 to July 2010 the "Year of the Air Force Family." Part of my leadership philosophy is taking care of people, Airmen and civilians. This is not just a single scope of concentration on the spouse, it extends to the children, parents, grandparents, and significant others. I firmly believe if you take care of the family and provide resources to address any concern the member or family have; the member can concentrate and take care of the mission. If that member is distracted with issues at home, they are not concentrating 100 percent on the mission and that can translate into failure. Failure is not confined to the mission; it can become a fatality because they are distracted, thinking about the family. Never forget, Airmen are our most precious resource, they are a national treasure and have been entrusted to our care by their loved ones. As a leader, you get to choose the following before stepping onto the stage of leadership: energy, enthusiasm, hopefulness and attitude. Of these four I think attitude is the greatest positive influence. From Gen. George S. Patton, President Theodore Roosevelt, Roger Staubach to Rocky Marciano, each had an attitude in life and within their profession. As leaders, troops look to you every second for guidance. If you have a negative attitude, that attitude will pervade every aspect of the organization and will cripple and corrode the effectiveness of the mission. Yes, there will be times where you will get bad news or have a bad day; however, as a leader you have to set a positive tone. The time to vent or scowl is behind a closed door and not in front of the troops. As a leader, you must see and translate the positives in every situation. Remember, attitudes are contagious....is yours worth catching? How many times have you seen something, made a conclusion, and then found out your opinion was wrong? Perception is a powerful influence. For example, a few weeks ago I completed my workout at the gym and was driving home. It was such a great evening I rolled down the window and decided to turn on the radio. As I drove on Peterson Road to leave the base I had to stop at a traffic light. The light turned green and I drove on. I looked back in the rear view mirror and noticed the car next to me did not move. I instantly wondered, did he have car trouble, was he talking on a cell phone and not paying attention, and then it hit me. I looked at the clock and it was 5 p.m. I stopped, turned off the radio and the notes of "Retreat" was playing. I was embarrassed. Even though I stopped, those individuals that saw me those few seconds driving off had the perception I did not care to pay respects to our nation's flag. As Airmen, no matter on or off base, individuals will perceive our actions, or lack of, as the standard by how all Air Force members act. My last thought is about teamwork. Mia Hamm stated, "I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team. I defer to it and sacrifice for it. Because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion." I grew up in a small town in central Texas. One night, there was a house fire and the volunteer fire department, all four active members whose average age was 65, responded in their 1950s era fire truck. The residence was a total loss. A few weeks later, a few individuals were talking about what happened and decided to join the department. At first the core members resisted this intrusion, but eventually they realized these "young-uns" had the interest of the town and the department in mind. Over the next few years, the five new upstarts established a training program, obtained fire protective clothing and equipment for members, and bought a "new" 1960s era pumper. These same five signed and took out a personal multi-thousand dollar loan to build a new fire station and buy state-of-the-art firefighting equipment. Today, membership is flourishing with more than 40 members, the loan is paid off, the department maintains the latest in firefighting equipment and individuals can attend courses to be certified in firefighting. I tell the story not because I was one of the five. I tell the story because it was the first time I saw a team come together and accomplish something bigger than anything I could have dreamed possible. It took teamwork, lots of hard work and long hours, and faith in each other to bring that vision of a viable fire department to fruition. The same goes to military service. How many promotion ceremonies have you attended where the promotee acknowledges and thanks the people who helped them get promoted? Personal and mission accomplishment - just like playing sports - takes teamwork. Every day within the 21st Space Wing I see individuals taking care of each other, having positive attitudes as they accomplish their given mission, and working as a team. I thank each of you for accomplishing your given task each and every day. I am proud to be a member of this fabulous wing and look forward to serving with each of you.