‘Set heading’ in a complex environment
SGT Craig Webber
By SGT Craig Webber, SNCOIC Instrument Systems, Avionics Squadron, Auckland
The annual Air Force Leadership Forum (AFLF) was held this year at Base Ohakea 18–19 August. In attendance were senior leaders of the Royal New Zealand Air Force—from Wing Commanders and above—as well as Command Warrant Officers and invited guests from across the Defence Force.
Also invited were three guest speakers to represent the ranks and speak on their behalf “from the engine room”. This year’s representatives were Corporal Matt Williams, a Physical Training Instructor from Woodbourne, Flight Lieutenant Greg Jane, a pilot from Ohakea, and myself.
The standard of all the presentations over the two days was high, and the mood was extremely positive. It was clear to me that our senior commanders are on the same page as the rest of us. They are passionate and motivated about the RNZAF and working hard to ensure the best possible future for the leaders of tomorrows Air Force, which will almost certainly be a very different one from that of today.
Two of the main points that I took away were:
Change
A common, (and perhaps overused), analogy is 'the change bus is coming'. Like most people I know, I was skeptical whether our leaders were travelling on the same bus, or even going to the same place as us!
But it only took the first ‘meet and greet’ to realise they are sitting in the seat right beside us and, while the route the bus takes may be unfamiliar, the destination is still the same—to carry out Military Air Operations.
As the RNZAF is a tool of the Government, our senior leaders aren’t necessarily driving the bus; however, they do have a window seat.
This is why we on the shop floor don’t always see the logic behind some of the decisions made, but after attending the forum and observing the level and depth of discussion held, it was obvious that command have the interests of the whole RNZAF at heart.
People
The AFLF included a number of briefs by guest speakers. One of these was Dr Emma Saunders, who is undertaking some consultancy work for the RNZAF. Her views of the people and culture within the RNZAF could not have been more positive. She stated that in all her work with large companies over the years, she has never seen an organisation that lives and breathes its values like the RNZAF.
The AFLF recognised this and are keen to break down the communication barriers of the old RNZAF, and engage with people across all ranks and trades. The AFLF agreed to consider opening up the forum to some junior personnel in the future.
It is clear that we need to keep tapping into the fantastic pool of talented individuals and teams we have at all ranks within the RNZAF.
We all know that as the RNZAF and Defence Force moves into the complex post-Defence Transformation Programme environment, we’ve got some tough challenges coming our way.
But if the AFLF was anything to go by, and with the calibre of people we have within the RNZAF, I’m confident we’re well placed to ‘set heading’ and navigate our way through them.