Posted on Jun 28, 2016
How does the Air Force use interpersonal communication between the Supervisor and Subordinate?
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I have worked with Airmen in a Joint environment. What I would like to know is how do Airmen communicate during the daily work day? Is there just the expectation to quietly do your job alone or does the Supervisor ensure to Train, Counsel and Mentor their Airmen?
Airmen
Leadership
Mentorship
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 7
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A good supervisor will seek to understand their Airmen, understand what motivates them as individuals, then gives them the guidance needed to assure mission accomplishment.
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I was Army, in a Joint Command.. I shared an apartment with my cousin who was in the AF., we were the same rank. I got up early on a Saturday, dressed in my uniform.. He asked what was up, I told him I had NCO detail supervising the "extra duty" soldiers, He laughed and said..what are they children? Tell them what is to be done and let them do it, if Monday comes and it's not done.. THEN get on them. My CSM agreed.. the extra duty was always done and the troops appreciated the trust and confidence we showed in the. The Army way isn't always the "rightT way.
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TSgt Joshua Duplin - I am in agreement, I always treated my soldiers as adults, I would tell them their job, my job and what I expected of them. I would not ride them unless they "needed" it.. Unfortunately, there is a new generation of "entitlement kids" that have never been taught responsibility.
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In the USAF, we tend to give our Airmen the guidance of what needs to be done and the parameters in which they need to do it. Then, we let them do it as they see fit within those parameters. If they need further guidance, they can seek it. If we see they need further guidance, we give it. Good supervisors regularly interact with their Airmen and train, counsel, and mentor them, but not necessarily all of the above on a daily basis. We depend on our Airmen to be self-starters. Airmen who require daily training/counseling/mentoring usually don't make it too far.
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A good supervisor will do those things in your last sentence. However, we do take a big boy approach where you are trained and expected to be competent in your job. That does not mean that they are just left alone. They do not usually have a supervisor hovering over them. They are expected to be able to perform the basic functions with minimal supervision.
Supervisors do take notice and counsel as necessary.
Supervisors do take notice and counsel as necessary.
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