In a team, group, or organizational setting, transformational leadership impacts performance, attitudes, …show more content…
Idealized influence (i.e., leaders instill pride, provide vision and a sense of mission, act as strong role models for followers which facilitates identity with the leader, trust, and respect, and a desire to emulate the role); During my career as a fighter pilot, I was assigned to eight different squadrons (i.e., a group of approximately 30 pilots). Each squadron consisted of a commander (i.e., the leader of the group), operations officer (i.e., the second in command), and four flight commanders (i.e., team leaders). The flight commanders lead about 8 or 9 other pilots. Three of my squadron commanders or leaders (3 out of 8 squadrons) were fired for inappropriate behavior. When they were fired, it was not surprising. Although these men seemed to be popular and often in the spotlight, …show more content…
This leader was my primary instructor pilot as I upgraded to becoming a “flight lead” in the F-16 fighter jet. A flight lead is on the “point of the spear” as he leads 3 other jets into combat. My instructor pilot was also the most demanding pilot I’ve ever known throughout my 23 years of service. He rarely smiled, he was serious, organized, and with strongest knowledge based for what mattered the most in the F-16, employing it as a weapon. Although I dreaded every flight where I had to lead him around the skies at very low altitude and high speeds to attack both ground and aerial targets, he made me stronger through adversity. I respected and trusted him more than anyone else, despite all the tough days where encouragement had to come from within after reading my bleeding grade sheets. He created an environment where I had to be creative and innovative to solve problems and adapt to rapidly changing, dynamic environments. That was in 1993. Ten years later, I faced the most difficult challenge in my life during a night combat mission in a storm helping troops surrounded by the enemy who had no hope for survival. The night was successful only because of my ability to handle the adversity place on me ten years earlier. Regardless, there is still the presence of a sting from that night that will never subside despite the successes and awards. This leader, my instructor, is now a 4-star