TOP STORY > >What is a supervisor?

By Master Sgt. John Schmidt
62nd Airlift Squadron first sergeant

In today’s Air Force of increased workloads, deployments, personal and professional demands, it’s imperative we each have a supervisor we can trust and respect. Are you the type of supervisor your subordinates can go to with their problems?

Supervisors at each level are at the very core of our Air Force successes, and sometimes our failures. They are singularly responsible for their subordinate’s professional growth, and that responsibility shouldn’t be taken lightly. We are taught as young Airmen to put faith in our supervisors to show us how to adapt to the Air Force way of life. All of us can remember the best supervisor from our past who took the time to show us the right way to process the paperwork, to maintain an aircraft and took personal interest in our success. Unfortunately, we also remember the supervisor that didn’t take the time to show us the correct way to do things, who ruled through rank and intimidation and failed to attain the earned authority that is so crucial to being a great supervisor.

It’s my belief all supervisors actually want to be great supervisors. I don’t believe there is a supervisor out there that wakes up and says, “Today I am going to go to work and fail my subordinates,” or “Today I am going to ignore the needs of my Airmen and their families.”

Supervisors at all levels need mentorship and leadership from those above them, from the youngest senior airman fresh out of Airman Leadership School, to the major who has been leading and supervising for his entire career. No matter your rank, if your supervisor isn’t actively taking an interest in your personal and professional growth, they are failing you.

Almost all discipline problems can be eliminated with the proper application of leadership. I mentioned that I don’t believe there is a supervisor who aims to be a bad supervisor on any given day. I also believe there is no subordinate who gets out of bed in the morning and states “today is the day I am going to get a DUI,” or “today is the day I am going to cause problems for my supervisor.” If your subordinates trust in you as their supervisor and as a leader in your organization, they will trust you with their most sensitive and personal problems. Supervisors need to know their subordinates well enough to know when they are having a bad day, know their personalities and be able to identify when there is a change in their behavior.

Would your subordinate trust you enough to call you if their plan fails after a night of drinking or will they decide it’s worth the risk of a DUI than to have to face you at 2 a.m. when you arrive to pick them up from the bar?

That is the trust I have been talking about, your subordinates need to know you care about them enough to crawl out of bed at 2 a.m. and drive 45 minutes to pick them up and ensure they make it home safely. But all too often, our Airmen voice an inability to trust their supervisor, first sergeant or commander would actually come pick them up without some form of retribution.

Therein lies the challenge we all face as members of the Air Force. If our subordinates don’t trust us enough to call for a ride home after a night of drinking, how are they going to trust us to discuss things even more personal in nature?

Supervisors at all levels need to earn the trust of their subordinates and that starts by showing a vested interest in their personal and professional lives. When they know you truly care about them not only as an Airman, but as a person as well, they will trust you when it matters most.

Leadership and supervision is the cornerstone to any successful organization. If you lead them properly, your Airmen will surprise you with their capabilities.

If you foster their growth and take pride in their successes our Air Force will continue to be the best Air Force in the world.