Dare to C-A-R-E Published June 5, 2015 By Chief Master Sgt. Brandi M. Thomas 14th Medical Group Superintendent COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- Since I became a non-commissioned officer, charged with the careers and well-being of subordinates, my leadership philosophy has revolved around taking care of people so they can focus on the mission. I CARE. I learned this early on as a senior airman from one of my very favorite supervisors. He took an interest in me, my family and my goals. He supported me when I made mistakes, showed me the right way to do things and didn't write me off or make me feel unworthy for making some. I remember the day I learned just how valuable a supervisor who takes the time to CARE can be. My son, who was a baby at the time, became very ill. I was a new mom and distraught at my baby being so sick. I was trying to take him to be seen, and in the craziness of cleaning up after him and trying to get an appointment I had forgotten to call my supervisor. By the time I realized I was supposed to be at work, my phone was ringing. I felt horrible. I couldn't believe I didn't make that call in time. He didn't yell or tell me to get my butt in right then, he simply asked if everything was ok. I remember that my anxiety faded away as he listened to my hysterics and calmly said, "Take care of what you need to do with your son and if there is anything we can do to help you, please don't hesitate to ask." Not only did he not yell at me, like I had expected, but he showed that he genuinely cared about what I was going through and gave me the time I needed to take care of my child. This was only one instance, but it's the little things he did that made me so dedicated to our mission and to him. Dedicated to the point that if he called me at 3 a.m. and said I needed to go in and complete something, I would have been the first person there no questions asked because of the support he always gave me. He showed me how to be a good supervisor and to CARE, C-A-R-E. C is for Concern. Show your subordinates that you are concerned about their well-being, their situations, their stressors, and their lives. It's easy to get wrapped up in your own issues, we all have them. Taking the time to show concern for subordinates will pay big dividends in their allegiance to you and to the mission. Taking a few minutes just to ask how their class is going, how their spouse is doing, how the kids are will go a long way in establishing a relationship. A - Ask about goals. Remember that every Airman, big "A," has a story. Perhaps it's a unique reason they joined the Air Force, or why they decided to stay after their commitment was up. It's important to spend a few moments understanding their motivations and goals. Whether they be career related or personal goals, communicating with subordinates about where they want to go, things they want to accomplish and your role in helping them achieve it shows you have an understanding of who they are as people. R - Reward/recognize positive behavior and correct negative ones. Remember to tell people "thank you" or "you did a great job today" or "I noticed when you accomplished this you did it this way ... have you considered doing it like this?" or "That isn't the right way, let me show you." Give constant praise and corrections when needed. It doesn't always have to be documented in a Letter Of Counseling; too often I see supervisors jump to use this valuable tool, but don't actually take the time to show the offender how to get back on track. It's more important someone recognizes they did something wrong, and then you show them the correct way to move forward, then to hold them accountable using formal paperwork right off the bat. Also, don't forget about recognition programs and doing your part to groom your subordinate to be competitive and putting together the product. In today's competitive force, awards are important. Even if you don't necessarily need them to feel good about yourself, they set people apart from the pack. E - Empathize. Empathy is the ability to feel with a person. It's accomplished when you put yourself in that person's shoes and feel with them. It's easier to do when you too have experienced something similar to what they are experiencing, but even if you haven't, trying to imagine the way you would feel if you were going through the situation or hardship can be very useful in getting there. This is helpful because it shows people they are not alone, that you are there to help them through whatever it is and that they can trust you to have some understanding of the situation they are in, leaving them feeling supported and not judged. Although very simple, the road to taking care of people so they can take care of the mission all begins with the word CARE. Showing Concern, Asking about goals, Rewarding positive behavior and correcting negative ones and Empathizing with your subordinate's specific situation are the tools you need to be an effective leader in today's Air Force.
