Being a good flight sergeant

[17wiredfast]

I am Cadet Tech Sergeant Sutherland of the OKWG. In my 1 ½ years of service in the Civil Air Patrol  I  have seen good flight sergeants, and bad flight sergeants. Both kinds, with different ways and attitudes of teaching their fellow cadets. Some examples are using intimidation where it is not needed or, using the right amount of intimidation where it is needed. We all have different ways of giving commands and executing the assigned mission, but we also have to remember to keep the cadets under you in mind.
Being a good flight sergeant means giving the right amount of teaching and critiquing to your flight each time you are with them. For example, when a cadet gets a facing movement wrong don't  stop the drill time to chew and pressure that cadet to get it right. Depending on the cadet's individual standards, take them aside after drill time or talk to them during drill with other cadets being critiqued on that certain movement. DON'T SINGLE OUT 1 CADET! 
Make sure you use the criticism sandwich! (UNDER)   

Cadets in a flight feel more a part of the flight when they have a connection with you, the flight sergeant. Be nice to your cadets, but... don't baby them. If they fall, let them pick their selves up... with a little of your help. You are "THE FLIGHT SERGEANT"!

Some characteristics of a bad flight sergeant are, mean, power hungry, do what I say. Basically the number 1 thing I see flight sergeants doing wrong is being a DICTATOR. Cadets in a flight don't like their flight sergeants being rude and sarcastic with them because they messed up. They also don't like a dictator. DO WHAT I SAY!   Stop looking around CADET _________!  Fill in the blank to the left with your name. Now that you have done this... how do you think your cadets' feel when you single them out like this. This kind of trait is what makes cadets never return to your squadron meetings.
Intimidation is a good tool of motivation when it is used properly. Motivating your cadets for an activity is fine. Don't be that cadet nobody wants to sit by because they think you are going to kill them if they do. You need an intimidating side and a cadet friendly side packed inside your job. Different positions in your squadron require different amounts of both of these. Being a Flight Sergeant requires an equal amount of both. On the other hand, First sergeants need more intimidation than cadet friendly qualities. But still need to be a friend.
In conclusion, being a flight sergeant requires people skills, knowing how to connect with people. If you have a friend you hang around with outside C.A.P. , treat them like you would your friend. Be kind and understanding of the cadet's issues. If you need a crutch to stand on, use your element leaders, that is what they are there for. If you need to make sure a cadet takes this test, don't call the cadet immediately. Use your element leaders for that problem. If they don't do it then you can call that cadet.
Element leaders are Flight Sergeant's best friend. Use those element leaders to make your job much easier.
I am Cadet Tech Sergeant Sutherland of the OKWG. I send this message to all Flight Sergeants in Civil Air Patrol. I hope this message sticks to you like glue and you use it.

[Майор Хаткевич]

There's a lot you need to learn Sergeant.

[lordmonar]

Nothing wrong with singling out one cadet who screwed up......how is that cadet to know he is doing something wrong if you don't tell him?
Also.....I hate when I get lectured about something that someone else is doing wrong.

Remember that key to being a good leader is "situational" leadership.  Using the right technique and the right tools for the situation, person and time.

As USAFAUX said....you got a lot to learn.....don't get too wrapped up in one "style" of leadership.

[Fubar]

Nothing wrong with singling out one cadet who screwed up......how is that cadet to know he is doing something wrong if you don't tell him?
Also.....I hate when I get lectured about something that someone else is doing wrong.

I guess it comes down to how you define "yelling" when correcting a cadet individually:

If a leader singles out one specific cadet and yells at him in front of other cadets, this would be an example of behavior that is humiliating and demeaning.

So the trick is making sure any singling out is purely educational and instructional.

[jimmydeanno]

"Left, FACE!"

"Cadet Snuffy, you're timing is off."

"To The Rear, MARCH!"

"Cadet Snuffy, you turned the wrong way."

Singles them out, educational, and on the spot correction.  Waiting until after does nothing to fix that situation.  I'm not going to let a cadet in my flight keep screwing up, when they can fix it an move on, or waste my time having a "1-on-1" afterwards for something easily fixed while they're in formation.

[lordmonar]

Who said anything about "yelling"?

[Garibaldi]

Singling out bad:

"Hey, you got peanut butter in your ear, Cadet? I said LEFT, not RIGHT! Gawdamighty..."

Singling out good:

"Cadet, it's heel and toe. Your back should be straight. Eyes forward. Turn left. That's it. Try again."

[Майор Хаткевич]

Man, encampment would be really hard if cadets need to be somehow, without others seeing it, be pulled out, taken to a hidden spot, and corrected individually.

[Eclipse]

The best thing you can do to "be a good flight sergeant" is to model the behavior you wish others to emulate,
including how you interact with others, especially subordinates.

[ol'fido]

If you need to intimidate cadets to motivate them, you are NOT leading them. You are pushing them.

To the OP: You have the beginnings of some good ideas, but more important than being "intimidating" on one hand and "friendly" on the other is to be professional at all times.

[Garibaldi]

To paraphrase:

Don't try to be a good flight sergeant, just be a flight sergeant.

To wit, don't try to be all you can be right away, learn, grow, adapt. Watch others and learn from them and see what works and what doesn't in your own mind before going all Gunny Hartwell. Which would never ever fly here in CAP so don't do that. Please.

[Spartan]

Don't try to be a good flight sergeant, just be a flight sergeant.

I will add to this and help beat a dying horse.

Know and perform your job as it is stated in CAPR 20-1 and cadet staff handbook.  Look at local policies and demonstrate them through your behavior and example.  Communicate with your chain of command often and see where you can make improvements; both from your subordinate leaders and your supervisor(s).  Don't be afraid of advice on being a better leader, follower and all around person, but take EVERYTHING you hear with a grain of salt.  That is a pretty good start.

When you are able to be a flight sergeant, aspire to more and try to be the kind of flight sergeant you would want if you were one of the cadets you lead.  Do you communicate enough?  Do you encourage and empower rather than discourage?  Do you resolve issues as quickly and equitably as possible?  Are you fair and impartial when assigning work details (cleaning), rewards and reprimands (verbally or in a capf 50 or capf 50-1/capf 50-2)?  Are you mentoring your junior leaders?  Are you making sure they mentor their followers?  Do you process paperwork efficiently with your flight commander to ensure your people get their awards in a timely manner (red service, community service, milestones)?  Feedback from your leaders and immediate followers will help you to be a better flight sergeant. 

An honest look at how you are doing will do you some good.  Look at your original post and think about if you are leading or trying to drive your flight.

[17wiredfast]

I'm going to revise and edit this essay. I agree with your comments. Things are different for every squadron. I define yelling as speaking with high volume and correcting somebody. With no disrespect ... I was just speaking my mind and not from the book. If I made someone disappointed im sorry.

[Eclipse]

I define yelling as speaking with high volume...

No issue here.

and correcting somebody.

Here's where you get into trouble.

Anytime it is necessary to get someone's attention in a loud environment, "yelling" is acceptable...
...until you get their attention.

Once you have it, there's not much point to it.  Anyone with children learns that quickly. 

One trick I learned from an esteemed Army Lt Col was to actually speak more quietly then others
(in a direct manner, looking people in the eye, etc.) because it forces people to pay more attention.
If you abuse it, people catch on, but used correctly it can be very effective.

Yelling to intimidate, harass, punish, or similar hardkewl behavior is unnecessary, unacceptable in CAP,
and generally ineffective.

Something else life has taught me, if you have to explain something "simple" twice, it probably
isn't as simple or intuitive as you thought, or your explanation is flawed.

As a Flight Sergeant, you have some small authority as delegated to you by your superiors, but a
far greater responsibility to train your subordinates in very important baseline skills.

[Walkman]

I'm going to revise and edit this essay. I agree with your comments. Things are different for every squadron. I define yelling as speaking with high volume and correcting somebody. With no disrespect ... I was just speaking my mind and not from the book. If I made someone disappointed im sorry.

If you follow some of the asvice in this thread, you'll grow as a leader. I applaud you for being ambitious and wanting to do a good job as the Flight Sgt.

I've seen and heard several discussions (here and in person) about what is "yelling". IMHO, volume isn't what makes it yelling. If I'm speaking a a large group outdoors without a mic, I'm going to have to speak at a high volume. If the content and emotion behind my words are "Hey everyone, you did a great job and I'm proud of you!", that's not yelling. If I raise my voice and the my intent is to communicate anger, frustration or a general negative message, that's "yelling".

[LSThiker]

I've seen and heard several discussions (here and in person) about what is "yelling". IMHO, volume isn't what makes it yelling. If I'm speaking a a large group outdoors without a mic, I'm going to have to speak at a high volume. If the content and emotion behind my words are "Hey everyone, you did a great job and I'm proud of you!", that's not yelling. If I raise my voice and the my intent is to communicate anger, frustration or a general negative message, that's "yelling".

Correct.  Yelling is simply raising one voice in a scream, cry, or shout.  It is not by definition a negative.  What makes "yelling" as used in the above quote is a combination of tone, message, and volume (to a certain degree).  I can discipline (as defined as the yelling in the above quote) a person without raising my voice by simply changing my tone and message.  What that quote really is trying to say is "do not play drill sergeant".  The CP staff are in a hard position when it comes to writing stuff like this.  They want to make the language simple for everyone (cadet and senior alike), but still try to convey a message.  Unfortunately, this is where experience comes into play.   

If a leader singles out one specific cadet and yells at him in front of other cadets, this would be an example of behavior that is humiliating and demeaning.

For example, when a cadet gets a facing movement wrong don't  stop the drill time to chew and pressure that cadet to get it right. Depending on the cadet's individual standards, take them aside after drill time or talk to them during drill with other cadets being critiqued on that certain movement. DON'T SINGLE OUT 1 CADET! 
Make sure you use the criticism sandwich! (UNDER)   

Stop looking around CADET _________!  Fill in the blank to the left with your name. Now that you have done this... how do you think your cadets' feel when you single them out like this. This kind of trait is what makes cadets never return to your squadron meetings.

What is humiliating and demeaning varies with each person.  However, this does not mean that every time a person makes a mistake, you need to take the person aside and talk with him/her.  Make an on-the-spot correction and move on.  Will this person feel humiliated?  To a certain degree probably yes.  Many young adults are emotionally vulnerable and when ever they make a mistake they will naturally feel humiliated.  Now this is dependent on a number of factors:  age, household, experience, etc.  What is important is what follows next.

In your case of the looking around.  Make the correction "Cadet Donuts, stop looking around".  The matter is finished.  However, if you follow this with a spectacle, then that is wrong.  Now, if the cadet is constantly doing this and you have corrected him/her a few times prior, then pull the cadet aside and talk.

You have a good start, but I think you are looking at the subject too narrowly.  For you, there are only two options "dictator" and "friend".  In situations like these, there are rarely only two options.  As ol'fido said, professionalism is important.  Leadership is not "one or the other options", it is a continuous range similar to a spectrum of light.  There are points in the spectrum where most people would say red or orange, but where we start calling it red and orange is subjective.