Page 102 - Never Fly Solo

BREAK RIGHT! | 75
cockpit. Find the best wingmen possible for your formation.
The higher the standards you set for your wingmen, the higher
your standards will be, and the higher you’ll be able to
climb.
The next step to establishing your wingmen partnerships
is to establish mutually agreeable “contracts” and relation-
ship expectations. The best way to do this is to ask your wing-
men to be brutally honest with you when they see you getting
complacent or lacking accountability. Don’t accept yes-men
and -women into your formation. Solicit feedback and encour-
age each other to participate mutually in your professional
development. A good technique is to ask, “How can I become
better?” rather than “What am I doing wrong?” Finally, don’t
get defensive when receiving feedback that may not be favor-
able. Keep an open mind—good wingmen will challenge you
to grow and stretch beyond your comfort zones.
As you continually seek to build and nurture partnerships
in your life, set your sights high and have a mind-set that
seeks to serve others as you would want to be served. If you
see a wingman struggling with clipped wings, don’t let him
crash. Be what I call a wing giver. True, you may have to lend
your wings at times, and this can temporarily keep you from
soaring as high as you might. But have faith that when the
time is right, this wingman, or perhaps another, will be sure
to help you fly to new heights.
In the Air Force, one of the three core values is “service
before self.” It serves as a constant reminder that as a military
organization, we are here to serve. What if everyone in your
organization or local community were committed to service?
Imagine the productivity and heightened morale that would
result.