I grew up playing sports. I think there are countless leadership lessons to be gained from sports, especially team sports. For example, hard work and sacrifice for a common goal, forgoing individual acknowledgement for team success, not letting your teammates down, physical and mental toughness, practice, practice, practice, and the list could go on.
However, there is one saying that I learned long ago and it has stuck with me since. A sign was posted in our football meeting room. It read, “Consistent execution of aggressive fundamentals.” It is not long, it is not complicated, but it illustrates the main focus of a leadership philosophy.
Obviously, “fundamentals” form the foundation. Whether you are playing sports, building a deck, going on patrol, repairing equipment, flying an airplane, or leading an organization, there are fundamentals that provide the building blocks of the process. They are the most important part and you have to get them right. Good leadership begins with solid, fundamental and quality individual characteristics.
For me, the first fundamental is that I’m a son, a husband and a father first. Before I am Lt. Col. Finnan, I am Sean and Daddy. If I live and act with family in mind, I will be a good dad and husband. To do that, I need to be a role model, help out, care, praise when appropriate, discipline when appropriate, empathize, communicate, plan for the future and remember that I was a kid once, too. Those attributes can directly translate to successfully leading an organization.
The second fundamental is integrity. People have to trust you. People have to believe that you are acting in their best interest. People have to unquestionably know that you will do the right thing — even when no one is watching.
The third fundamental is respect. I am a firm believer in the “Golden Rule.” Respect for each other is essential to a good organization. Also important is respect for the profession of arms. Respect those who have come before you. Respect those who have “been there and done that.” Respect the history of the military, and respect the country and citizens you serve.
The U.S. Air Force Weapons School oath, “Humble, Credible, Approachable,” makes up the last three fundamentals. For me, humble means subservient. I enjoy serving others and being part of something bigger than myself. There are no superiors or subordinates. Junior officers and enlisted do not work for me; they work with me. Service is important — to them, to the organization, to the military and to the country.
Credible means you have to be good at your job. Whatever the primary skill-set is in the organization, you have to be proficient at it. Credibility applies to the individual, as well as the organization. We, as an organization, must accomplish the mission. That is achieved by credible individuals doing their part as an integral member of the team.
Lastly, leaders must be approachable. That means they must be accessible, easy to talk to and open. Make time for others and expect others to do the same. I also think that approachable means to have fun. Someone who smiles and laughs is more approachable than someone who doesn’t. Be serious when you have to, but don’t miss an opportunity to have fun.
Having established the fundamentals, they should be aggressive. By this, I do not mean you should be brash or forceful. Rather, it implies being deliberate and controlled. Think about what you are going to do, consider the consequences of that act, and then deliberately take action. People need to actually see or witness the previously stated fundamentals. This requires establishing purposeful, aggressive fundamentals and then executing them.
Key to this is the actual execution. You can’t just talk the talk. You have to walk the walk. You have to take action and execute. Successful organizations do not wait for something to happen. They make things happen. They create their own opportunities for success. Leading is not passive. It takes work and action.
And, finally, execution can’t be a sometimes thing. It needs to be an all-the-time thing. It must be consistent. Leaders and organizations must execute over time. Steady and regular execution builds confidence, molds behaviors and establishes the conditions for success.
This leadership philosophy is framed by the slogan, “Consistent execution of aggressive fundamentals.” Six fundamentals establish the foundation: be a good husband and father, have integrity, show respect, be humble, be credible and be approachable. Be overt and deliberate (aggressive) with these fundamentals and consistently execute them. That is what an organization can expect of me and this is what an organization should expect of every Airman.
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News for the Ramstein, Kaiserslautern, Landstuhl & Baumholder military communities in Germany 
I grew up playing sports. I think there are countless leadership lessons to be gained from sports, especially team sports. For example, hard work and sacrifice for a common goal, forgoing individual acknowledgement for team success, not letting your teammates down, physical and mental toughness, practice, practice, practice, and the list could go on.
However, there is one saying that I learned long ago and it has stuck with me since. A sign was posted in our football meeting room. It read, “Consistent execution of aggressive fundamentals.” It is not long, it is not complicated, but it illustrates the main focus of a leadership philosophy.
Obviously, “fundamentals” form the foundation. Whether you are playing sports, building a deck, going on patrol, repairing equipment, flying an airplane, or leading an organization, there are fundamentals that provide the building blocks of the process. They are the most important part and you have to get them right. Good leadership begins with solid, fundamental and quality individual characteristics.
For me, the first fundamental is that I’m a son, a husband and a father first. Before I am Lt. Col. Finnan, I am Sean and Daddy. If I live and act with family in mind, I will be a good dad and husband. To do that, I need to be a role model, help out, care, praise when appropriate, discipline when appropriate, empathize, communicate, plan for the future and remember that I was a kid once, too. Those attributes can directly translate to successfully leading an organization.
The second fundamental is integrity. People have to trust you. People have to believe that you are acting in their best interest. People have to unquestionably know that you will do the right thing — even when no one is watching.
The third fundamental is respect. I am a firm believer in the “Golden Rule.” Respect for each other is essential to a good organization. Also important is respect for the profession of arms. Respect those who have come before you. Respect those who have “been there and done that.” Respect the history of the military, and respect the country and citizens you serve.
The U.S. Air Force Weapons School oath, “Humble, Credible, Approachable,” makes up the last three fundamentals. For me, humble means subservient. I enjoy serving others and being part of something bigger than myself. There are no superiors or subordinates. Junior officers and enlisted do not work for me; they work with me. Service is important — to them, to the organization, to the military and to the country.
Credible means you have to be good at your job. Whatever the primary skill-set is in the organization, you have to be proficient at it. Credibility applies to the individual, as well as the organization. We, as an organization, must accomplish the mission. That is achieved by credible individuals doing their part as an integral member of the team.
Lastly, leaders must be approachable. That means they must be accessible, easy to talk to and open. Make time for others and expect others to do the same. I also think that approachable means to have fun. Someone who smiles and laughs is more approachable than someone who doesn’t. Be serious when you have to, but don’t miss an opportunity to have fun.
Having established the fundamentals, they should be aggressive. By this, I do not mean you should be brash or forceful. Rather, it implies being deliberate and controlled. Think about what you are going to do, consider the consequences of that act, and then deliberately take action. People need to actually see or witness the previously stated fundamentals. This requires establishing purposeful, aggressive fundamentals and then executing them.
Key to this is the actual execution. You can’t just talk the talk. You have to walk the walk. You have to take action and execute. Successful organizations do not wait for something to happen. They make things happen. They create their own opportunities for success. Leading is not passive. It takes work and action.
And, finally, execution can’t be a sometimes thing. It needs to be an all-the-time thing. It must be consistent. Leaders and organizations must execute over time. Steady and regular execution builds confidence, molds behaviors and establishes the conditions for success.
This leadership philosophy is framed by the slogan, “Consistent execution of aggressive fundamentals.” Six fundamentals establish the foundation: be a good husband and father, have integrity, show respect, be humble, be credible and be approachable. Be overt and deliberate (aggressive) with these fundamentals and consistently execute them. That is what an organization can expect of me and this is what an organization should expect of every Airman.