PD article

[DNall]

We debate a lot about managing/leading CAP volunteers... I read a quick little article today on yahoo that I thought was pretty good. You might give it a quick skim if you have a spare 90 seconds:
A Manager's Guide to Growing Happy Employees

[Al Sayre]

Excellent Article!

[SAR-EMT1]

Good editorial.  Its always interesting to hear how those with bus/management degrees interpret leadership.

[DrJbdm]

Pretty good article, Perhaps CAP could learn something. Maybe we can all learn something.

[RogueLeader]

No kidding, I'll take that to my management class to share.

[Fifinella]

Good article, DNall.

Quote: Each day, your employees ask themselves, "Am I getting enough out of this job to keep doing it?" And each day, you need to give them a reason to say, "Yes."

This is precisely why I separated from the AF.  I was NOT getting enough out of the job to keep doing it.

[DNall]

Particularly important in CAP where any meeting could be their last.

Any comments on how these particular suggestions apply to CAP, or other suggestions along these lines that you feel are applicable. A little discussion might be nice to make these ideas our own, and anything in the way of things you do locally to bring these concepts into execution would be nice.

I got a screwed up adult program & mid-rebuild on the cadet side. Even if it helps no one else, I'd appreciate seeing your comments.

[DogCollar]

I think that the first applicability is too find out from members (officers and cadets) that we are responsible for, if they are getting from CAP in equal amounts to what they are putting in!

CAP for the senior member is an expensive proposition (fees, uniforms, time for training, etc...) However, all of us joined for a reason.  We should ask..
1) Is the reason you joined still important to you?
2) Are you being fulfilled in your CAP career?
3) Are you receiving enough personal fulfillment through the work you are doing?

I, too, thought it was a very good article, which I have copied and shared with some of my fellow managers at the hospital were I work.

[Fifinella]

Particularly important in CAP where any meeting could be their last.

Any comments on how these particular suggestions apply to CAP, or other suggestions along these lines that you feel are applicable. A little discussion might be nice to make these ideas our own, and anything in the way of things you do locally to bring these concepts into execution would be nice.

I got a screwed up adult program & mid-rebuild on the cadet side. Even if it helps no one else, I'd appreciate seeing your comments.

"You talkin' ta me?"  My personal philosophy of leadership is derived from classes I've had at the undergraduate and graduate level, filtered through years of experience as an AF officer.  A large portion of it is what's called "path-goal theory", which basically means a good leader figures out what is important to 1) mission accomplishment and 2) each individual, and makes sure each person under his/her command/management has whatever tools/training/materials/equipment are necessary to accomplish the mission and their personal goals.  I think that's what your article was talking about in nos. 1-4.

I have been working to recruit new SMs and motivate the few cadets and SMs remaining.  A LOT of the success is coming from emphasis on flow of information.  I am currently writing a letter to the parents explaining the categories of adult membership.  I think I'll be able to convince a few dads to become Cadet Sponsor Members and help us do a rocketry program (among other things).  I think they currently just don't know how they could help make our program better, so I'm gonna explain it to them.  If anyone is interested, I'll be happy to post that letter when I'm done writing it.

Last week I sent home a letter asking the parents if we can expand our meeting time from 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours so we can accomplish more.  We'll abide by the majority vote.

We sat the cadets down and asked what they'd like to be doing.  They said more ES, the rocketry program, and more field trips/guest presenters.  Ok, those are goals.  Now I'm lining up the resourses to make those happen.  As an example, another SM & I will be attending Camp Atterbury this summer so we can become GTLs and properly train our cadets.

Individually: Cadet X was not having success with an award exam.  I found prep-quizzes at cadetstuff and forwarded them to him.  He passed the test on his next try.  SM Y stated his goal for the year is to make Major.  I supplied him with info about SLS and CLC courses, and encouraged him to accomplish OPSEC tng so his ES would be renewed.  He did his OPSEC tng, and got so motivated he cranked out his Yeager and all his specialty track level tests.  I posted the best practices excel spreadsheet on Sr. PD levels on the senior bulletin board.  We disseminate info on training opportunities through every means available.  We are actively pursuing first aid training for the cadets.  We will be driving 5+ hours next wknd to a SAREX so our folks can get training.  In fact, the cadets wanted more opportunities on the aviation side of a SAREX, so I've coordinated for them to get flight marshaller tng that wknd, and given them an introductory lesson on what they'll need to know to operate safely on the flightline.

I believe these are all examples of providing the necessary items so folks can accomplish mission and individual goals.  Additionally, some people are motivated by competition.  When they see someone else accomplishing goals and receiving awards, ribbons, promotions, etc., it motivates them to strive to accomplish the same things.

Our cadet chain-of-command had not been given responsibility for the meetings in the past.  We recruited someone who will be an excellent Leadership officer (SM), and we are working hard to prepare the cadets to assume responsibilities.  In line with #2 from the article, delegate your best work, we are working to have the cadet leaders involved in things like setting the goals and announcing the "good deals" to the rest of the cadets.  When a question came up a few weeks ago, and I turned to the cadet/cc and asked his opinion, he was stunned.  But he came up with an excellent suggestion.  We're working toward the CAP ideal of having the cadets run everything under competent adult supervision.

Bottomline: people are motivated by different things.  (Be happy to talk about that too, if you're interested.)  Find out what those things are, and help your people get them.  Keep everything moving toward mission accomplishment and you're going to have a motivated, successful organization.  [Some might argue that CAP doesn't have a single, clearly-defined mission.  I understand that.  Start where you are.  Define your place in a given mission and work toward accomplishing that.]

Hope that's what you had in mind.

[SAR-EMT1]

Very energetic approach. lol...wish I could do more of that but squeezing CAP in among 90 hours a week as an EMT is hard enough as it is. 

[DNall]

Thanks, glad everyone enjoyed the article too.