Students on Airmen’s Command Squadron have been getting to know the new ‘21 Personal Dimensions of Leadership’ intimately as our new courses look at the RAF’s approach to leadership in a contemporary context. They are learning that the 21 personal leadership dimensions highlight those principles, capacities and behaviours that individuals should develop within themselves and those they lead. Students are NOT being encouraged to define an ideal personality type but understand that everyone will develop their own leadership style and must learn to apply their own personality to best effect.
Image by: RAF Halton Photographics
The greatest debate currently is whether leaders at all levels are embedding a culture that drives better organisational behaviours in order to create Team Synergy, as this does not happen by itself, or whether leaders are happier to simply retain the status quo. The military, especially the RAF, are very good at inspiring team ethos and esprit de corps, encouraging individual and team excellence, but Team Synergy aims to achieve an effect greater than the sum of its parts by focussing on the higher purpose. This is nothing new, we have been collaborating as teams since the formation of the RAF in 1918. However, the contemporary makeup of the RAF’s Whole Force and the nature of current and future operations mean that we now need to work even more closely and inclusively with each other, sharing best practise, knowledge and intelligence and collaborating to deliver exceptional results. We have to be willing to ‘lead by example’ and, moreover, be prepared to empower leaders and teammates from the top down, allow reasonable challenge, respect expertise from subject matter experts. drive collaboration, value ideas and innovation, driven by curiosity, include all, including stakeholders, teammates and diversity of thought.
