Leadership Training

[arajca]

A couple years ago, when the National Conference was in Denver, I addressed the NB/CCC/??? about the lack of leadership training available to seniors in CAP. I got the distinct impression the CAP/CC and staff felt I was full of it and did not have a clue about what I was talking about.

So, a couple days ago, I was randomly clicking through the capmembers.com web site and I stumbled across this gem - PD CONOPS and Information paper on PD CONOPS.

Interesting turn of events.

[kirbahashi]

I am curious about your statement that there is a lack of leadership training made available to senior members?  And this isn't a shot across the bow.  The three or four courses (Level I, SLS, Course 13/OBC/or whatever new name they want to give it, CLC) available as CAP products cover a lot.  Right?  On top of that, a senior has access to the AU and can take SOS, ACSC, and AWC.  I think academically, a senior has many resources at their fingertips.  But I will be the first to agree graduating from AWC does not make you Robin Olds.

There is a difference between learning and applying leadership!

At the squadron however, I would agree that more could be done to mentor members.  But there again, the opportunity at squadrons to lead exists.  Both formally and informally.  Unless the climate or current command acts more like a hindrance than a help.

Commander development needs to be the focus, and I am curious to how they will go about it.

That's why my friends call me whiskers.

[arajca]

I am curious about your statement that there is a lack of leadership training made available to senior members?  And this isn't a shot across the bow.  The three or four courses (Level I, SLS, Course 13/OBC/or whatever new name they want to give it, CLC) available as CAP products cover a lot.  Right?  On top of that, a senior has access to the AU and can take SOS, ACSC, and AWC.  I think academically, a senior has many resources at their fingertips.  But I will be the first to agree graduating from AWC does not make you Robin Olds.

There is a difference between learning and applying leadership!

At the squadron however, I would agree that more could be done to mentor members.  But there again, the opportunity at squadrons to lead exists.  Both formally and informally.  Unless the climate or current command acts more like a hindrance than a help.

Commander development needs to be the focus, and I am curious to how they will go about it.

That's why my friends call me whiskers.

Was it a shot across the bow? Yes. Was it intentionally so? Yes. I had previous been polite about it and gotten ZERO response. So, when they asked for comments from the members, I let them have it. I also said CAP has good stuff for MANAGING our program. It's our LEADERSHIP training that is non-existent. I had also stated that CAP relies on corporate America and military for our leaders instead of developing our own. I also brought the point that we have a recruiting issue with younger seniors and having a leadership development program may help with that as they will need that out in the world.

Level 1 is an introduction to CAP.
OBC - I have not taken it and I cannot as I am listed as having completed it and I can't even get to see the materials.
SLS is not a leadership course, despite having "Leadership" in the name. It covers staff functions at the unit level.
CLC ditto, except for wing level staff functions.
RSC and NSC happen too late in most members' time to be useful.

SOS, ASCS, AWC are good courses, but again, we are relying on the AF for our leadership training. Also, how many CAP members take any of these?

[THRAWN]

It's good that you've identified an issue, but what is your solution? What sort of "leadership training" are you looking for? I've been through a lot of "Leadership training" courses in both the public and private sector. Most of them should have involved pompoms and building a human pyramid. The best training available is serving at the unit level and using the skills that are taught in the courses that you mentioned. You're not going to learn to lead from a book. You're going to learn to lead by doing it. Developing a good mentoring system to grow new leaders is much more beneficial to the individual and organization than another series of useless CBT.

[MAJORZ04]

My current Duty Assignment is the PD Officer for our Wing.
Our Wing has always tried to add the word "Leadership" to all our PD class... SLS..CLC...UCC...TLC.
Yes, these courses have materials that tell the students how they fit into the CAP System.  BUT.. if the classes are "led" not just power-pointed thru.. the students are encouraged to take all this info ..... "a tool box, so to speak"..... and use that info to LEAD themselves and others and
thus make themselves and thus their units a success too.
True LEADERSHIP is a combination of knowledge and experience.  CAP can provide the knowledge, and thru motivation can put any member
on a LEADERSHIP road.  Both CAP and the member have an equal responsibility in this regard.
A Leader does not always have to be the Unit,Group or Wing CC.

[TheSkyHornet]

It seems to be common belief in many composite/cadet squadrons that senior member training should employ some of the training the cadets do, like basic drill/customs & courtesies. That's a huge lacking area in the senior community. And I do feel strongly that this can improve leadership at the squadron level if you know enough of the most basic of protocols when it comes to C&C. Way too many people, of relatively high grades, especially in the pilot circles where many people are CFIs and early promote to Captain, don't have the level of knowledge of C&C that you would expect to see from someone of that grade.

There are many areas of leadership that could be enhanced. You're going to get a lot of feedback on this topic, and many varying views, so I'll just stick to this one specific area for now in this post since I could go on all day with areas for improvement. This is all just my opinion anyway, so that doesn't mean others will agree.

[THRAWN]

It seems to be common belief in many composite/cadet squadrons that senior member training should employ some of the training the cadets do, like basic drill/customs & courtesies. That's a huge lacking area in the senior community. And I do feel strongly that this can improve leadership at the squadron level if you know enough of the most basic of protocols when it comes to C&C. Way too many people, of relatively high grades, especially in the pilot circles where many people are CFIs and early promote to Captain, don't have the level of knowledge of C&C that you would expect to see from someone of that grade.

There are many areas of leadership that could be enhanced. You're going to get a lot of feedback on this topic, and many varying views, so I'll just stick to this one specific area for now in this post since I could go on all day with areas for improvement. This is all just my opinion anyway, so that doesn't mean others will agree.

There's a lot more to it than drill. Will being good a drill make you a good CAP professional leader? Not likely. Will knowing how to mentor? Yep. CAP squadrons are great leadership labs, especially for SMs who have never had a leadership role before. You're required to, very quickly, learn how to get organized, learn your specialty, and pass on your life experience to other members. It's not just cadets that you are going to be leading, you need to understand how to motivate cadets and other seniors. Understanding your program, the cadet program, and your specialty will make you much more able to be an effective leader than just reading about leadership in your classes.

[Ned]

As a practical matter, CAP will always turn to senior leaders that have developed the great majority of their leadership skills from industry or the military.  That just seems inevitable for a part time volunteer organization.  I don't meant to downgrade the terrific PD program that so many have devoted so much time and effort to, but a recognition of the logistics of leadership training.

The Army sent me to a lot of schools, starting with pure leadership training in ROTC.  Then a lot of various multi-month formal schools with standardized curricula and full time instructors.  Air Force leaders have as much or more schooling in both the officer and enlisted tracks.

Even my civilian job requires that I go for multiple weeks a year to professional development courses, including schools specifically designed for new leaders and separate schools for experienced leaders.

CAP has a limited number of contact hours available, and the great majority of those are devoted to operational (as opposed to pure leadership) training and activities.  I cannot imagine any reasonable scenario where a CAP member could be exposed to the necessary leadership and management training to be able to competently run a wing (essentially a multi-million dollar corporation with significant assets), let alone a region or national.  That is why most of our leaders have received the great majority of their leadership training and experience outside of CAP.

Maybe somebody smarter than me can figure out a way, but for my brief four years on the Board of Governors I wrestled with this problem and was unable to offer any meaningful changes.

[CAPDCCMOM]

Drill and Ceremonies can make you a more effective Leader in the eyes of your Cadets. If they see Senior Members that are careless in Uniform, Courtesies, and Protocol, they will also be careless. We must lead by example at all times. I am not saying that Senior Members need to be Drum and Bugle Corp, but we must at the very least be knowledgeable.

You can't teach what you don't have. The Cadets are watching us at all times, even the SM's that don't work as much one on one with Cadets. We Lead by example. Young people with model the people they respect, good, bad and otherwise.

[THRAWN]

Drill and Ceremonies can make you a more effective Leader in the eyes of your Cadets. If they see Senior Members that are careless in Uniform, Courtesies, and Protocol, they will also be careless. We must lead by example at all times. I am not saying that Senior Members need to be Drum and Bugle Corp, but we must at the very least be knowledgeable.

You can't teach what you don't have. The Cadets are watching us at all times, even the SM's that don't work as much one on one with Cadets. We Lead by example. Young people with model the people they respect, good, bad and otherwise.

To an extent. It's the responsibility of all uniformed members to make sure that they know the basics: facing movements, how to march in a straight line and on parade, but does it make you a better leader? I know many SMs who have no idea how to drill, but are some of the most widely respected leaders in their units. Why? They take the time to Savage the members of their units, vice Hartman them. I also know some great DC guys who couldn't lead a squadron out of a paperbag.

The point is, squadrons are great leadership labs for all members, not just the cadets. Take what you learned in LVL1, OBC, LMNOP, whatever, and put it to use. If it doesn't work, try something else that you learned.

[FW]

The point is, squadrons are great leadership labs for all members, not just the cadets. Take what you learned in LVL1, OBC, LMNOP, whatever, and put it to use. If it doesn't work, try something else that you learned.

I would tend to disagree.  Senior members in positions of responsibility should already have an understanding of "applied leadership" principles.  If problems resulting from leadership are forming, the 'chain of command" becomes essential.  This is why CAP "leadership" keeps emphasizing "mentoring" in leadership development.  BTW; is there a lack of qualified leaders in CAP?  Do we have a leadership dearth?  Exit surveys do show we have a problem with lack of leadership at the unit level, however I'm not sure if "leadership" is the reason.  It may be a lack of good communication, inclusion, and cordiality to a new member. or a lack of focus in the unit.  It may be poor management skills.

I think having "leadership training" may not be the best way to go...
just my $.02...

[TheSkyHornet]

The leadership training was already covered in previous posts, so I didn't want to touch on that again.

My point about the D&C was stemming from the presentation side of leadership, especially when you're in a very "open view" position. The guy in the back of the formation may be the greatest mentor ever, but nobody's eyes are focused on him when it comes to looking sharp during a ceremony. This also expands on to public perception of the person in charge.

Say you have a squadron commander or Deputy Commander for Seniors who is the first person some meets at the recruiting booth or open house, but they look sloppy in everything they do. They may be the nicest person ever, and have a bulk of information to share, but they may not get the confidence of people below them or prospective members because they see someone who can't perform the most basic of tasks between a proper salute or putting their rank insignia on their collar. Imagine you walk up to a squadron commander to learn more about CAP's role, and while they're going on about emergency service missions and whatnot, you keep starting at their patrol cap, which is slightly cocked to one side and the rank insignia is an inch off-center.

How you present yourself physically will, at times, carry over to what people think of your abilities. Don't judge a book by its cover, but that only goes so far because the reality is that people will do just that, right or wrong aside.

[TheSkyHornet]

The point is, squadrons are great leadership labs for all members, not just the cadets. Take what you learned in LVL1, OBC, LMNOP, whatever, and put it to use. If it doesn't work, try something else that you learned.

I would tend to disagree.  Senior members in positions of responsibility should already have an understanding of "applied leadership" principles.  If problems resulting from leadership are forming, the 'chain of command" becomes essential.  This is why CAP "leadership" keeps emphasizing "mentoring" in leadership development.  BTW; is there a lack of qualified leaders in CAP?  Do we have a leadership dearth?  Exit surveys do show we have a problem with lack of leadership at the unit level, however I'm not sure if "leadership" is the reason.  It may be a lack of good communication, inclusion, and cordiality to a new member. or a lack of focus in the unit.  It may be poor management skills.

I think having "leadership training" may not be the best way to go...
just my $.02...

Leadership includes the ability to adapt and perform, to accomplish objectives through empowering others. This involves being able to teach others, to an extent, as well as take your knowledge and put it to practical use.

Lack of communication is a tick on the checklist of poor leadership. But that's just one area. It's an inability to troubleshoot issues and share information, or obtain information. Part of being a manager is being a leader. Knowing numbers and solutions does not mean you can convince people that your solution will work. It's all intertwined.

There are many different types of leaders, too, not just "good or bad." So you do have to find what works for you. I think a big problem the people who say "no leadership" are having is not that they necessarily feel the leadership doesn't care or is too authoritative, but that they don't feel comfortable with some people in leadership positions when it comes to receiving feedback or being adaptive to different types of audiences. Sure, there are people who want to get into a unit and if things don't go their way, it's always the unit's fault, not their own, right? But some people do have legitimate issues with the leadership they encounter, and it could be that the so-called "leaders" don't lead because they don't know how to plan to accomplish a goal that they set, or they don't know how to utilize the resources at their disposal and it becomes sloppy.

Just my thoughts

[THRAWN]

The point is, squadrons are great leadership labs for all members, not just the cadets. Take what you learned in LVL1, OBC, LMNOP, whatever, and put it to use. If it doesn't work, try something else that you learned.

I would tend to disagree.  Senior members in positions of responsibility should already have an understanding of "applied leadership" principles.  If problems resulting from leadership are forming, the 'chain of command" becomes essential.  This is why CAP "leadership" keeps emphasizing "mentoring" in leadership development.  BTW; is there a lack of qualified leaders in CAP?  Do we have a leadership dearth?  Exit surveys do show we have a problem with lack of leadership at the unit level, however I'm not sure if "leadership" is the reason.  It may be a lack of good communication, inclusion, and cordiality to a new member. or a lack of focus in the unit.  It may be poor management skills.

I think having "leadership training" may not be the best way to go...
just my $.02...

Colonel, in a perfect world, maybe, but you know as well as I do that just ain't the case. We have people on this board and on this thread that are young, inexperienced, and have to learn the job on the job. How many times have we heard of a new member with less than 90 DAYS of service who is suddenly the "deputy commander for whatever"? It is at the squadron level that these members learn leadership, just as the cadets do. I'm speaking from experience here. The lessons I learned at the squadron have carried over into my professional life well, and it was because I had to sink or swim when I was a 20 year old Mark 1-MOD 0 SM...

[FW]

^The problem with using the squadron as a "leadership lab" for senior members is the consequences of getting things really wrong. I truly understand what you're saying, and I understand it's what is happening in most squadrons.  If this is what we want, however it must be done with an experienced and knowledgeable commander to direct the program.  The only way, IMHO, we will retain a "CAP"able membership is to have the willingness to use our resources wisely; not continuously reinventing the wheel. OJT learning is one way to do it, however I would prefer a more structured approach.  We have a rather large cadre of former leaders who would enjoy passing down some wisdom for those "20 year old Mark 1-MOD 0 SM's".... 

[Flying Pig]

Some of the best leadership training you can receive in CAP is by making yourself a BTDT (Been There Done That) type.  Nothing worse than dealing with a CAP member who has been in CAP for years or came in with an advanced promotion who knows nothing about the basic operations but wants to be a "leader".  If you want to be a leader in CAP, come in and learn as much as you can.  And I dont mean checking boxes.  "Unit Supply Officer Oct 1/15 - Oct 30/15 - CHECK

We all know that Senior Member who has been in 3 years and still needs someone to log him/her onto E-Services.  If you want to be a leader in CAP, start by becoming a subject matter expert on the program overall, and more specifically your job.  Leadership training is great.  But being technically proficient in CAP comes first.   Many times, just being competent at your job is an excellent way to develop your leadership abilities.  Managers do not have to be leaders, leaders do have to be good managers. 

[TheSkyHornet]

The point is, squadrons are great leadership labs for all members, not just the cadets. Take what you learned in LVL1, OBC, LMNOP, whatever, and put it to use. If it doesn't work, try something else that you learned.

I would tend to disagree.  Senior members in positions of responsibility should already have an understanding of "applied leadership" principles.  If problems resulting from leadership are forming, the 'chain of command" becomes essential.  This is why CAP "leadership" keeps emphasizing "mentoring" in leadership development.  BTW; is there a lack of qualified leaders in CAP?  Do we have a leadership dearth?  Exit surveys do show we have a problem with lack of leadership at the unit level, however I'm not sure if "leadership" is the reason.  It may be a lack of good communication, inclusion, and cordiality to a new member. or a lack of focus in the unit.  It may be poor management skills.

I think having "leadership training" may not be the best way to go...
just my $.02...

Colonel, in a perfect world, maybe, but you know as well as I do that just ain't the case. We have people on this board and on this thread that are young, inexperienced, and have to learn the job on the job. How many times have we heard of a new member with less than 90 DAYS of service who is suddenly the "deputy commander for whatever"? It is at the squadron level that these members learn leadership, just as the cadets do. I'm speaking from experience here. The lessons I learned at the squadron have carried over into my professional life well, and it was because I had to sink or swim when I was a 20 year old Mark 1-MOD 0 SM...

I think myself and a couple of others I've seen since joining CAP in March, including those on this board, are living proof of that.

Not even two or three months in and squadron commanders are not just offering the job up, but saying "I'd like you to be this," and many of them won't accept the answer of "I don't feel ready." In more so, most people won't step up and say they won't take the job because they don't feel ready for it. It usually ends up that they come onto CAP Talk or chat with others in their squadron and panic because they feel rushed without very little knowledge and experience.

You also get a lot of cadets who become senior members that don't transition well and still try to play the cadet role with the cadets while not doing the work expected of senior members in positions of significant responsibility, such as CDC.

^The problem with using the squadron as a "leadership lab" for senior members is the consequences of getting things really wrong. I truly understand what you're saying, and I understand it's what is happening in most squadrons.  If this is what we want, however it must be done with an experienced and knowledgeable commander to direct the program.  The only way, IMHO, we will retain a "CAP"able membership is to have the willingness to use our resources wisely; not continuously reinventing the wheel. OJT learning is one way to do it, however I would prefer a more structured approach.  We have a rather large cadre of former leaders who would enjoy passing down some wisdom for those "20 year old Mark 1-MOD 0 SM's".... 

I really liked this comment.

A lot of people don't get out of the squadron enough to see how others do it, or to learn from others through official training or just observing. I took it upon myself to reach out to other squadrons and request to visit. I've become a common face with a lot of people outside of my own squadron and I've helped out those others people as my way of paying them back for the free participation and training. Sure, it takes up more free time and I lose some sleep over it, but I find it much more important to get out there and learn from people than it is to wake up feeling refreshed each day if that's what it takes. I've had other squadron commanders pull me aside and thank me for the extra hand and have tried to get me to join their squadron (in an appropriate way, not stealing members), but I'm committed with my primary unit.

Learning is a responsibility of the individual to seek out opportunities. It is also a responsibility of the organization, including the people running it at all levels, to try and make those opportunities known to members. But still, as a "developing leader," I need to step up and take the initiative to go out and ask questions and enhance my knowledge and abilities if someone doesn't come to me with it all on a silver platter. And that's a problem I see in a lot of people, from cadets to senior members---they sit around and wait for someone to come to them rather than walking up to someone else.

Some of the best leadership training you can receive in CAP is by making yourself a BTDT (Been There Done That) type.  Nothing worse than dealing with a CAP member who has been in CAP for years or came in with an advanced promotion who knows nothing about the basic operations but wants to be a "leader".  If you want to be a leader in CAP, come in and learn as much as you can.  And I dont mean checking boxes.  "Unit Supply Officer Oct 1/15 - Oct 30/15 - CHECK

We all know that Senior Member who has been in 3 years and still needs someone to log him/her onto E-Services.  If you want to be a leader in CAP, start by becoming a subject matter expert on the program overall, and more specifically your job.  Leadership training is great.  But being technically proficient in CAP comes first.   Many times, just being competent at your job is an excellent way to develop your leadership abilities.  Managers do not have to be leaders, leaders do have to be good managers. 

I think one of the best things a person can do is to jointly train with those they will be leading some day. Get involved with them. Learn their jobs. You don't have to be an expert at what they do, but know what it is that they do. And don't treat them as if they are less than you.

I was privileged to have a really great mentor when I was younger, who was a been-there-done-that officer in the Army. He said the worst thing you can do when you step into a new unit is to walk around like you're the new chief and act better than your subordinates. You have no idea who these people are. These may be privates or specialists, but they come from everywhere. You may have a box of rocks, or you may have someone with a masters degree in chemical engineering, or someone that could rebuild an engine with their eyes closed. You have no clue what they know, and you have once chance to not isolate yourself what the knowledge and experience that have to offer. There's going to come a day when you have to rely on them to provide you with that knowledge, and they're going to stand there and watch you fail because you did everything to deserve it.

[Flying Pig]

A leader is technically and tactically proficient.

[Holding Pattern]

OBC - I have not taken it and I cannot as I am listed as having completed it and I can't even get to see the materials.

This is RIGHT ON THE EDGE OF NECRO, but I'm pulling it back in the hopes that this helps you:

http://www.capmembers.com/cap_university/officer-basic-course/