Commentary

Trust is a small word with immense consequence. It is the key component to effective organizational communication, the driving force for innovation, and the key element of successful leaders and the organizations they lead. When you walk into an organization, you know if there’s a culture of trust. You either feel it, or you don’t.

The holiday season in Germany is a wonderful time full of fun, holiday markets and time spent with family and friends. But sometimes, the holiday season often brings unwanted guests like stress and depression.

It is truly a demanding time to serve overseas. This command continues to execute at a high ops tempo with new and enduring missions in Europe and Africa, providing forward-based combat airpower in an environment tempered by fiscal uncertainty and restricted budgets.

We need radical leaders. We need men and women who are not afraid to make changes to the way we accomplish our mission despite the pressure to keep doing things the same old way.

As I prepared the commencement speech for the recent Community College of the Air Force graduation ceremony, my mind kept returning to a familiar theme. I thought of this important accomplishment’s place on the journey to excellence.

Leadership is the cornerstone of tactical, operational and strategic functions in the Air Force. It is introduced to us at the very beginning of our Air Force careers.

Imagine yourself walking down the street, minding your own business, on your way home from a long day at work. It’s getting dark and someone in your peripheral vision stumbles down some stairs they didn’t see.