Leadership
Originally published April 5, 2020, on a site that is no longer online; republished without the original image.
Instructors are the lifeblood of a unit. They can break down a cocky mentality and reach down to raise someone up who needed to be shown the path to success. Every instructor, regardless of their rank or job, is responsible for maintaining the integrity and cohesion of a unit. Each instructor should display three key traits for success: humble, approachable, and credible.
Humble is defined as "having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's importance." Instructors should never believe they are the best of everyone else. They must understand that there is always room to grow, and you should never stop learning, even from new students. It is critical to remember that everyone received help to get to where they are, whether they realize it or not. The story from Charles Plumb is an excellent reminder of this. Charles Plumb was a U.S. Navy pilot of an F-4 Phantom in over Hanoi on May 19, 1967. He was shot down on his 75th combat mission. He was taken prisoner, starved, tortured repeatedly, and survived the next 2,103 days as a Prisoner of War, until he was released on February 18, 1973. Today Charles Plumb is a motivational speaker about his life experiences.
One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"
"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.
"I packed your parachute," the man replied.
Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, "I guess it worked!" Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."
Approachable is defined as "friendly and easy to talk to." Instructors must be someone that others are willing to approach. This is especially important if the student believes that they have a dumb or insignificant question. You should strive to make others comfortable to approach you. Being approachable will encourage others to want to speak with you, ask you questions, and work with you. This is key to being a great instructor. If no one wants to ask you questions, you start to lose credibility as an instructor and a leader. When a commander or supervisor says they have an open-door policy, this means nothing if you are not approachable.
Credible is defined as "able to be believed; convincing." Instructors must be capable of showing others that they have done their homework. You can lose credibility quickly when the ones you are supposed to instruct, lose confidence in your ability to teach them. It is critical that we, as instructors, take time to remember that there are things we do not know. When you can admit this and show humility, you gain respect from your students by being honest.
I have seen that the quickest way to lose your student's trust is by giving answers to a question, just to answer, even if it is wrong. The students will begin to doubt more and more information that you attempt to teach them. Chapter 7 of the FAA Instructor Knowledge book explains that an instructor must admit errors.
Admit errors—no one, including students, expects an instructor to be perfect. The instructor can win the respect of students by honestly acknowledging mistakes. If the instructor tries to cover up or bluff, students are quick to sense it. Such behavior tends to destroy student confidence in the instructor. If in doubt about some point, the instructor should admit it.
As an instructor, your students must trust you. They rely upon you to treat them with respect, to tell them the truth, and above all else, never give up on them. We must set the example and do our best to see the potential in the students that we teach. A great leader doesn't merely look at someone and assume they have reached their highest capability. They must look at the ones they guide and see their true potential. They must reach down and grab this person from the depths and raise them high above themself without any regard for credit or benefit for themselves. An instructor who puts other's success above themself will lead the squadron to victory.
References
Burnside, P. (2016, June 29). Who Packs Your Parachute: A True Story About Charles Plumb. Retrieved from https://www.indres.com/news/who-packs-your-parachute-a-true-story-about-charles-plumb
Federal Aviation Administration. (2009). Aviation Instructor's Handbook. Skyhorse Publishing Inc..