In the last several months, we’ve
considered being resilient. How can we build resiliency in our troops? What are
some of the things we can do as a leader to mentor and develop our followers.
As leaders getting to know your
followers is a key component in being able to detect trends and possible issues
that impact the person and the mission. In the book, “It Worked for Me: In Life
and Leadership,” Colin Powell, discusses the walk-about that he would do from
the time he was a young officer in the Army through being the Secretary of
State. By doing so, it allowed, as the Gen says, “I followed precise paths
through troop areas and predictable times. Junior officers, NCOs and troops
knew when and where they could ambush me with their problems. I found out
things that would never or not easily flow through the staff or up the chain of
command.” i He followed up on each of the problems, but did it in a
way that didn’t undercut the chain of command.
This demonstrated that there was legitimate concern for the wellness of
the personnel assigned to the unit and still supported the formal chain of
command.
Management by Walking Around
(MBWA) is a concept that’s used in many organizations. Cornell University
Industrial and Labor Relations (ILR) School list the benefits:
·
Builds trust and relationships.
·
Motivates staff by suggesting that leaders take
an active interest in its personnel.
·
Encourages staff to achieve individual and
collective goals.
·
Strengthens ability to drive cultural change.
·
Refreshes organizational value.
·
Makes work less formal.
·
Creates a healthy organization. ii
When you consider the benefits
listed, you can see how Gen Powell was so effective. During the last UTA, I
noticed that many of the Airmen I worked with in Comm saw me at the change of
command and took the time to come over, shake my hand and say hello. This shows
the impact someone can have by just bringing someone into being. We as senior
leader, (Senior NCOs, Officers and First Sergeants) taking the time to manage
(lead) by walking around can build a stronger and more cohesive unit. When we
have a good relationship and knowledge of those we work with, it is much easier
to detect if there is something terribly wrong.
With the increased stressors on our Airmen, we must be proactive and
watchful for changes that would indicate a problem. Is it time for a walk
about?
i Powell, Colin, “It Worked for Me: In Life and
Leadership,” Harper Collins Publishing, 2012
ii Serrat, Olivier, “Managing by Walking
Around,” April 1, 2
