Commentary Search

  • Competence

    I have had the pleasure of serving in the Air Force for 21 years. When asked to write an article related to leadership I thought long and hard about what to say. I wanted to share my thoughts on one important aspect of leadership with you, competence. John Maxwell wrote “Competence goes beyond

  • I am a military brat

    On our base and in communities all across Kansas, April is month of the military child. As likely one of, if not the most senior military child on McConnell I am a proud to call myself a life-long Air Force brat. Some people do not like that term, but I do.

  • Starting with why

    In his book “Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action,” Simon Sinek presents the idea of a Golden Circle to describe organizations, which consists of three concentric rings with “why” at the center of the circle moving outward to “how” then “what.”Sinek proposes that the

  • Pioneers of innovation

    Americans are innovators. We are part of a remarkable bloodline of problem-solvers, tinkerers and out-of-the-box thinkers. As Airmen, we continue this heritage by pushing the boundaries of what is possible, but I think it is important to give our inventive culture some historical context.

  • The importance of empowerment

    The Air Force is not slowing down, every day our Airmen are asked to do more and more with less. As leaders we continue to push through these challenges with our Airmen. However, we do not always have the answers or know how to solve the problem. This is why empowerment has a vital role within our

  • The obligation of balance

    According to Webster’s Dictionary, the definition of balance is: an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady; keep or put something in a steady position so that it does not fall.

  • Why?

    MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. — Simon Sinek offers the thought, “There are a few leaders who choose to inspire rather than manipulate in order to motivate people,” but choosing to inspire requires different skill sets than choosing where to eat for lunch.Sinek goes on to explain that inspiration

  • It’s all about the sauce

    My favorite food is pizza. Red pizza or white pizza, lots of veggies or meat lovers, thick crust or thin crust—it doesn’t matter to me, if you keep out the anchovies, it’s all delicious.

  • Professional obligations as leaders

    On Aug. 24, McConnell’s newest staff sergeant selects hosted a release party. What should have been an incredibly joyous event for the wing was overshadowed by the lack of participation by some of our selects. As the names were called of individuals not in attendance, it became evident that a

  • Humility in good leadership

    There is a lot that goes into being an effective leader in the U.S. Air Force, but I find the most important ingredient to start with is humility. Humility isn’t thinking less of oneself; it’s thinking of oneself as no better than anyone else. It’s understanding that we all contribute to the