COMMENTARY: Operation Bold- Helping Airmen to become better Leaders

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Sajjan Singh
  • 349th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  Being a great leader is not easy. There are many traits that go into being a leader. On Feb.6, 2015, at Travis Air Force Base I attended Operation Bold--Bring On Leadership Development, where an emphasis was regarding the qualities it would take for us (Airman) to become exceptional leaders for the Air Force.

At the start of the day, the trainers encouraged everyone to take the initiative and be "bold" by standing up and introducing ourselves to the class. From this experience I learned that the first thing a leader must do is take charge.

After the introductions we went into discussing the key traits necessary to be a good leader. I gathered that to be a good leader I would have to be admit when I make a mistake, know to follow as well before leading, know when to step in and help, know how to take criticism, and also learn from my mistakes and bounce back.

After the discussion on leadership traits we went into an activity. The activity had us all knotted up with each other in ropes. The goal was for us to work together and come up with a way to free ourselves. I experienced that working together is necessary; also that keeping calm while under duress is a top quality of great leader.

Our next item on the agenda was to meet and learn from established leaders. We got to meet the chief master sergeants of various squadrons from the base. We got to ask them questions and to learn various challenges they faced, and what kind of an effort they had to make to reach their level.

Following the chief master sergeant's panel, each participant got a one-on-one mentoring session with a noncommissioned officer. The NCO's were there to teach us to learn from our past experience, where others may have made mistakes, which let us down. This was to help us understand so we can grow out of those mistakes and not make them in the future when we become leaders. This mentorship truly helped me define the path to becoming a strong leader.

Operation BOLD showed me if you want to become a successful leader - the will to reach that potential must be greater than the will to breath. I learned that being a good leader is not easy and no one is a born leader. Leaders are made and Operation BOLD pointed me in the right direction.