Zero Point Leadership

The January 29, 2015, episode of American Heroes Radio features a conversation with former United States Navy and US Merchant Marine servicemember Paul McFadden on Zero Point Leadership.

Program Date:  January 29, 2015

Program Time: 1500 hours, PACIFIC

Topic: Zero Point Leadership

Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2015/01/29/zero-point-leadership

About the Guest

Paul McFadden is Chief Operations Officer and Co-Founder of Zero Point Leadership™, a science-based leadership development and coaching firm with foundations in neuroscience, intelligent stress management and social intelligence. He co-developed the neuroLeader System™ and is Co-Founder of neuroLeader University™, a virtual brain-based leadership development academy. He is also Adjunct Faculty with OPM's Center for Leadership Development (OPM-CLD), the Federal Executive Institute (FEI) and the Eastern Management Development Center (EMDC) where he teaches mid – executive level government leaders the Neuroscience of Leadership and the Science of Resilience.

A seasoned executive leader, executive coach, facilitator and trusted advisor, Paul has been exemplifying leadership excellence for over (20) years in the Private, Public and Volunteer sectors. He is recognized in the leadership development community for his innate ability to help leaders, teams and organizations solve their most challenging problems through the integration of strategies and techniques grounded in science-based research from the fields of social cognitive & affective neuroscience, stress resilience, and social intelligence with cutting-edge coaching, leadership development and change management capacities and best practices.

Paul earned his Bachelor of Science degree at the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY, one of the (5) US Federal Service Academies and was honorably discharged from the US Navy Reserve/Merchant Marine Reserve in 1992 after (4) years of military service.

He earned his Result Professional Coach Certification (RPCC) from the NeuroLeadership Group, earned his Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credentials from the International Coach Federation (ICF) and is a HeartMath® Certified Trainer through the Institute of HeartMath®. Paul also holds active PMP® and ITIL® Expert certifications as well as has been trained in Black Belt Six Sigma Methodologies.

About the Watering Hole

The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life.  Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

           

About the Host

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years.  He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant.  He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University.  He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership.  Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One.  He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen from the Archive: http://www.hitechcj.com/americanheroesradio/zero_point_leadership.html

Program Contact Information

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA

editor@police-writers.com

909.599.7530

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/768716226537025

Against the Tide: Rickover's Leadership Principles

The January 8, 2015, episode of American Heroes Radio features a conversation with Rear Admiral Dave Oliver, United States Navy (ret.), the author of Against the Tide: Rickover's Leadership Principles and the Rise of the Nuclear Navy.

Program Date:  January 8, 2015

Program Time: 1500 hours, PACIFIC

Topic: Against the Tide: Rickover's Leadership Principles

Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/lawenforcement/2015/01/08/against-the-tide-rickovers-leadership-principles

About the Guest

Rear Admiral Dave Oliver, USN (Ret.) is "a 1963 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy who spent thirty-two years in the Navy, served at sea on board both diesel-electric and nuclear submarines, commanded a nuclear submarine, and served as chief of staff of the Seventh Fleet. His final military tour was as principal deputy to the civilian Navy acquisition executive. During the Clinton administration he was Principal Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics and in the Bush administration he was the director of management and budget for the Coalition Forces in Iraq. After leaving the Navy he was the CEO of the EADS, North America Defense Company as well as an executive at Northrop Grumman and Westinghouse. He now lives in Northern California."   Rear Admiral Dave Oliver is the author of Against the Tide: Rickover's Leadership Principles and the Rise of the Nuclear Navy.

About the Watering Hole

The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life.  Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

           

About the Host

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years.  He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant.  He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University.  He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership.  Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One.  He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen from the Archive: http://www.hitechcj.com/americanheroesradio/rickovers_leadership_principles.html

Program Contact Information

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA

editor@police-writers.com

909.599.7530

Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1588574141377059

To innovate, we can't be afraid to fail

by Col. Robert Novotny
Commander, 48th Fighter Wing

11/25/2014 - ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England  -- "Throughout history, people with new ideas - who think differently and try to change things - have always been called troublemakers." -Richelle Mead, author.

The Air Force is pushing hard for us to innovate. You hear it when our senior leaders give speeches or post articles imploring us to improve. Examples include the AFSO21 process, or the new Airmen Powered by Innovation program launched in April. All of that is great, except for the fact that over the last 30 years, we've created an organization that is resistant to failure.

When was the last time you heard someone say, "It's okay to not spend all of your money at the end of the fiscal year," or, "Getting a three on your EPR [enlisted performance report] is awesome!" Never, right? Clearly we have a problem. Innovation and fear of failure are incompatible. Like oil and water, a culture afraid to take risk is inherently unable to explore the sometimes-ugly world of innovation.

Here's some good news. Since the birth of the airplane, Airmen have always been innovative. Innovation is resident in our DNA - just maybe a bit dormant right now.

A pair of brave, "troublemaker" bicycle mechanics took flight at Kitty Hawk, Doolittle's courageous "troublemakers" launched B-25 bombers off of the USS Hornet, and a fearless "troublemaker" named Chuck Yeager are all legacy examples showcasing the rich history of risk-taking Airmen.

If you've ever been to Edwards Air Force Base in California, you know that nearly every street is named for an innovative Airman who gave his or her life pushing the envelope - failing while innovating. Given that innovation is part of our culture, how can we create an environment at Royal Air Force Lakenheath where our Airmen are willing to innovate without fear of failure?

First, I think we need to agree that we have to be better than we are - with our precious time, our tremendous Airmen and our finite resources. In the past several months, the Air Force released more Airmen in an attempt to meet Congressionally-mandated end strengths. This reduction in manpower is stressing the team more than ever. Furthermore, our team is now in a period of mission-growth that I can't remember in recent history.

We all thought that the drawdown in Afghanistan would bring relief, but the new fight in Iraq and Syria, a pandemic virus coupled with declining security in Africa, and other resurgent threats, demand improvements in the way we accomplish our mission. It is only appropriate that an old English proverb stated, "Necessity is the mother of invention." I think that applies to us right now.

Second, and most important, we have to foster a culture that is willing to experiment and fail during discovery. I have a big role in this culture, but I am convinced our first and second-level supervisors will make or break this effort. Every time I meet with the first-term Airmen, I am reminded that we recruit and retain brilliant Americans, and they have great ideas. They are also a fresh set of eyes in the organization with a long list of questions about how we're doing business.

If you're a young supervisor, listen to your folks. Engage with them about how to improve the organization. Our Airmen, regardless of rank or experience, are the key to our future. You have to empower them to take action on their ideas, and reward them when they succeed - and fail. As soon as we admonish an Airman for trying and failing, we can be certain they won't try again.

Without a doubt, we know there are areas where failure brings a high price - like flight and weapons safety, and our healthcare. But there are countless areas around this installation, to include bureaucratic processes, communication, staffing, mission accomplishment and finances, where we can make improvements. If in doubt, start small and build some momentum. Every improvement, no matter how small, will make our team better.

I know this is easier said than done, and we can't change it overnight. I also know that some folks won't trust me when I say it's okay to fail. Fair enough. I can tell you we are listening to your ideas and making improvements. Because of your ideas, we've already raised the speed limit on the perimeter road, canceled monthly meetings, returned promotion ceremonies to the squadrons, deleted multiple briefing requirements, and so on. All of these improvements are incredibly simple and small changes that make our lives better - ideas that came from our Airmen. Those are not truly innovative ideas, but they are better ways of doing business, and we're listening.

Together we can push the boundaries. Our youngest Airmen hold the keys to this change. Listen to them, and take action. Don't be afraid to try and fail. I've got your back. Don't believe your idea will survive to implementation, but you still want to try it? Send it to me, and I'll try it. My post box is PSC 41, Box 1. Just scribble it on a 3x5 card, and stick it in the mail next time you're at the post office. They'll send it to me anonymously.

We also have an active AFSO21 team that can help you get your ideas off the ground. Have you heard about the 48th Component Maintenance Squadron's egress team that just finished an AFSO21 project on ejection seat inspections? To date, they have saved 21,000 man hours, $450,000, and turned in 501 tools while increasing the quality assurance pass rate from 67 percent to 100 percent.

That great idea was successful because the master sergeant running the shop listened to a senior airman and a staff sergeant. Ideas like that don't come from colonels. Those ideas come from Airmen. We're currently working an AFSO21 project on munitions scheduling, and I just asked a team of airmen and junior NCOs to help improve our sponsor program. They had the ideas, not me.

Innovation will save us money - which is good - but, more importantly, it will save us time. Time that will go back to you and your team. I want you to keep that elusive "white space" time for yourselves. You know best what to do with your time.

Hopefully you'll use that time to get to the gym, travel Europe, mentor a young Airman, or experiment with ways to do our mission better. We can innovate together if we accept the fact that it comes with a price. A price we're willing to pay.

I like Winston Churchill quotes, so I'll leave you with this one: "No idea is so outlandish that it should not be considered." Trust your intuition, and let's get after this together.

20th Air Force Fall 2014 Leadership Symposium

by Airman 1st Class Sahara L. Fales
Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs

11/24/2014 - MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- This year's 20th Air Force Leadership Symposium brought together approximately 120 leaders at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., to discuss opportunities and challenges in the intercontinental ballistic missile mission.

Joining the Task Force 214 and 20th Air Force commander, Maj. Gen. Jack Weinstein, was distinguished speaker Adm. Cecil D. Haney, commander of U.S. Strategic Command.

"I certainly appreciate the leadership and commitment to this critically important mission," Haney said. "We wouldn't be where we are today without the remarkable folks that work for us."

Leading transformation of the ICBM culture and defining the way ahead were key topics of discussion at the symposium.  Gen. Darren McDew, commander of Air Mobility Command, and Command Sgt. Maj. Patrick Alston, senior enlisted leader of U.S. Strategic Command, offered their personal insight into these topics.

"Our ultimate role is to ensure that the ICBM force is a safe, secure and strategic deterrent," Weinstein said.

Weinstein stressed the important role every Airman has in the ICBM mission.  As the technical experts, Airmen are utilizing the Force Improvement Program, which empowers Airmen by soliciting bottom-up feedback and acting on their suggestions, to identify ways to better execute the ICBM mission.

"Our Airmen are hand-selected to come into this business; it is our responsibility to give them the resources they need to be successful," Weinstein said.

During the past eight months, 20th Air Force and the missile wings have enacted many improvements in executing the mission and caring for Airmen and their families.  As improvements continue, commanders and senior enlisted leaders remain critical to the process, Weinstein said.

"Everybody is in here because you were personally chosen to lead the nuclear enterprise," the 20th Air Force commander said.  "Together we can fix any problem."

It was helpful for those who attended the symposium to network and discuss tactics with peers in their career fields, said Chief Master Sgt. Jason Colon, 91st Operations Group superintendent. 

"It's always good to be able to come together and talk to other operations group senior enlisted leaders in settings like this," Colon said.  "Together, we can trade ideas and find out how the other person is handling different issues or implementing improvements."

One improvement Colon discussed with peers is training realignment for facility managers of missile alert facilities.  "The new construct is much more efficient and effective," Colon said.  "It was valuable to hear how others were implementing the realignment."

In addition to training realignment, recent ICBM improvements at Minot include the purchase of new trucks for missile crews to drive to their sites and cleaning / refurbishment of Launch Control Centers.

Secretary of the Air Force’s 10 lessons in leadership and life

November 19, 2014

By Air Force Public Affairs Agency

Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James conducted her first tweet chat Oct. 25, and discussed her top 10 leadership and life lessons. James said she was excited to share lessons learned during her 30-year career working in the government and industry. Those who weren’t able to participate in her original tweet chat can read all the questions and responses below.

On another note, the SECAF will host a live town hall meeting Dec. 16 from the Defense Media Activity at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland. We’ll be collecting questions from our followers on Facebook and Twitter before then, so keep checking our social media pages to submit your questions!

@SecAF23: Thanks for joining my first tweetchat! I’m excited to share my top 10 life lessons, and I’m looking forward to hearing yours too.

@SecAF23: I’ve worked in government and industry for the past 30 years, and I have learned a lot. I’m excited to share my lessons learned with you.

@SecAF23:

Leadership Lesson 1: Be prepared to zig-zag. Life throws curveballs—be prepared to change, take risks, be agile.

Leadership Lesson 2: Seek a mentor and be a mentor. No matter your age, it’s important to help each other.

Leadership Lesson 3: Build and value a network both inside and outside your organization. Diversity is key to a strong network.

Leadership Lesson 4: Build competence in your career field and beyond. Continue to train, educate and learn.

Leadership Lesson 5: Communicate. Written and verbal skills are important, but 50% of communication is listening. Be a good listener.

Leadership Lesson 6: Be a role model both on and off the job for how you want people to behave. Integrity, Service, Excellence

Leadership Lesson 7: Be ethical. While compromise is important in life, ethics should not be compromised.

Leadership Lesson 8: Be upbeat. If you can’t see through fog and challenges as a leader, then who can?

Leadership Lesson 9: Persistence pays off. Government processes are tedious and require persistent focus and leadership.

Leadership Lesson 10: Have fun and have balance. Family and friends are important. Make time for them and yourself.

Q1. What’s the greatest challenge you’ve had as a leader in such a top leadership position?

A1. Making important decisions in a short amount of time without full information, but having to make a decision and move on.

Q2. Do you think inability to PCS and gain experience outweighs the cost of their PCSs? No assignments means no experience.

A2. Balance between experience vs. resources. It comes down to having the right Airman at right place at the right time.

Q3. Ma’am, what challenges do you run into being a female in such a high leadership position?

A3. I try to play to my strengths—Congress, budget, business. I value the team to support me in areas I know less about.

Q4. Who did you look up to as a mentor and why?

A4. Over time, I’ve had teachers and senior colleagues/mentors. I learned something different from each of them.

Q5. Is the Air Force less transparent than your former companies, and will you work to make information less restrictive and open?

A5. I’m a big believer in transparency, that’s why I’m doing this tweet chat.

Q6. I just heard from an Airman who was separated with Voluntary Separation Pay. He has still not heard from the Air Force. Will all Airmen be contacted?

A6. We’re working with our lawyers to get this fixed. While the timeline isn’t optimal, we’ll work to inform affected Airmen as soon as possible.

Q7. Do you have any reading recommendations – any books that helped you develop your leadership and decision-making skills?

A7. “Leading with Honor: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton” by Lee Ellis – A POW Story; “The Medici Effect” by Frans Johansson on the power of diversity; and “Just Be Honest” by Steven Gaffney on the importance of communication.

Q8. Ma’am, with the current budget issues, will there still be opportunities for continuing education?

A8. Yes! Military tuition assistance is fully funded, GI Bill and other opportunities for civilian education.

Q9. Has there been any word on where the missileers’ new testing program has started and how it’s going so far?

A9. Monthly proficiency exams are now pass/fail, standard is the same – 90%. So far, so good.

Q10. When can we expect resolution of the Transitional Assistance Management Program insurance error impacting 1,000 VSP recipients? Many of them are in crisis.

Q10. This is on my radar big time. We’re working with the lawyers to get this fixed. Hopefully not much longer.

Q11. How do you spot a toxic leader from your level, and how should organizations deal with them?

A11. We’re doing 360 reviews on our top people, culture and climate assessments

- See more at: http://airforcelive.dodlive.mil/2014/11/secretary-of-the-air-forces-10-lessons-in-leadership-and-life/?source=GovD#sthash.kOTS9327.dpuf