“Revitalizing squadrons” was named General David Goldfein’s top priority when he took over as US Air Force’s Chief in 2016. Executive Leadership Group was asked to provide organizational behavior expertise to the Air Force team directed to tackle the problem (hey, they hire the very best!) and led by Maj General Stephen Davis. In fact, helping General Davis and his team is mostly how we spent an eventful 2016 and 2017.
The linked article explains why squadrons needed “revitalizing.” More important, it spells out what we learned from talking with thousands of Airmen. Namely, we learned four principles so basic and fundamental, you can use them running a hospital, a factory, or the world’s mightiest air force.
Even if you’ve never read an article in the Air & Space Power Journal, you might want to read this one – it’s this issue's lead article: “A Model of Air Force Squadron Vitality.” If you’re a leader at any level, there’s stuff here you can use now.
A book, plus some articles you might like
Executive Smarts: 25 Quick Reads on Managing for Results
If you're a successful leader, you're also a perpetual learner. And you're busy. A leader's need to learn more and more has run headlong into less and less time to learn it in. Nonetheless, good leaders find ways to do it. Executive Smarts is one such way.
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Albert Bernstein PhD
Excellent work. You have taken terms that are often bandied about without clear definitions and operationalized them so that they can be communicated and measured. I know that’s what you do, but in this case, you have done it exceptionally well. You keep setting the bar higher and higher. Thanks for sharing your efforts.