Good work environments begin with you Published Feb. 22, 2007 By Nicole Campbell Staff Writer POPE AIR FORCE BASE, N.C. -- Ever wonder what might motivate a person to stay in the Air Force for more than 20 years and be happy to do it? Senior Master Sgt. Robert Fuqua, 43rd Contracting Squadron, believes he has the answer. "Every job must have at least two of these things for an Airman to be happy: Great location, great organization and a great boss. That's why I'm here and have a smile on my face, because I've been lucky to have at least two of those things everywhere I've been," Sergeant Fuqua said. What makes for a great location is highly subjective; Pope's small-town charm may not be so appealing to someone who enjoys big-city excitement. But whether you like the location or not, be reassured that great leaders (both formal and informal) tend to produce great organizations. Impact of leadership Of course the opposite is true as well. Poor leaders can have detrimental effects on their organizations. Lt. Col. Dave Knight, 43rd Operations Support Squadron commander, can look back on his career and know what type of leader not to be. As a young lieutenant, he said he acted like "Mr. Destructo," but finally learned from his mistakes and adopted a more effective leadership style. At this point in his life, he said he tries to teach young leaders so they don't make the same mistakes he did. He said if he sees a young leader exhibiting a destructive leadership style, he takes them to his office and lets them know what they can do to make their games a lot stronger to improve the organizational climate. Colonel Knight has learned much during his more than 15 years of service, including what motivates people to want to do their jobs. "When [the leaders] run the place with a sense of humor, people enjoy coming to work. When it's fun, it gets done," said Colonel Knight. Of course there are other factors that influence workplace dynamics, as explained by Lt. Col. Lisa Markgraf, the 43rd Airlift Wing inspector general. "Poor or lack of communication is one of the most frequent causes of troubled workplace relationships," said Colonel Markgraf. "Direct communication...that's talking and listening -- is probably the best resolution process available to positively cultivate long-term work relationships..." What should you do? Sergeant Fuqua, Colonel Knight and Colonel Markgraff offered valuable input about work environments, and now it's your turn. Even if you're in a perfect working situation, consider the following scenarios and think about how each might affect you, your troops and your organization: 1. You were recently promoted to airman 1st class, and a peer with six months time-in-grade belittles you if you make a mistake. Often, you see a senior airman treat your peer the same way, and no one in the organization seems to enjoy being at work, especially you. 2. Your peer argues a lot with his spouse, and he tells everyone with an ear about his problems. He thinks venting is healthier than keeping his feelings bottled up, but the constant drama is beginning to affect everyone's job performance. 3. You have a section commander who rules with an iron fist. Her mantra is, "You have to respect my rank even if you don't respect me." You believe she finds delight in making personnel stay late because she can. There is a chance at some point in your career you have experienced a variation of some (or all) of the scenarios. Maybe as you read you thought, "What can I, one little person in this giant Air Force world, do to turn things around?" or "I would make a change by doing..." While each person has his way of dealing with personality conflicts or workplace drama, maintaining clear lines of communication should improve working relationships. There are ways to resolve conflitct. Direct communication The message is, if you have a problem with someone, talk to him about it. "Pull the person aside and speak to him tactfully about the problem, or if he is much higher ranking, talk to your supervisor about it," said Staff Sgt. Eric Mosby, 3rd Aerial Port Squadron. Sergeant Mosby has been in the Air Force for seven years and has had his share of unsatisfactory work situations. He said it's possible people like the ones described in the scenarios might not know how they are affecting their people. Colonel Knight echoed that sentiment. He said some people may have a reputation for being a jerk, but don't know why, or even that they have the reputation. He added that it may be an uncomfortable situation, but an issue needs to get resolved by talking to the person directly about the problem instead of gossiping behind his back. Again, the magic word is "tact." Colonel Markgraf expanded on her earlier idea of direct communication. "Communication has two pieces: One, talking in a manner the other person can understand what you are attempting to communicate and two, listening and letting the person know if you do not fully understand," she said. If you've tried talking to the person without result, use your chain of command, as Sergeant Mosby suggested. Colonel Markgraf said, "Since your supervisor or the first shirt is right there in the unit and also has a direct communication line with the commander, letting the first sergeant know of the situation and allowing him to work it can be a quick resolve. "If you feel discrimination might be a source of the belittling or mistreatment, you should contact the Military Equal Opportunity office with what you have experienced or seen. The Installation Inspector General can also provide an avenue of resolve to ensure your chain of command is aware of the situation and can take appropriate action." Attitudes are contagious Attitudes also play a significant role, and negativity in the workplace spreads faster than the flu on a cruise ship. "Negative attitudes change the flavor of an organization and [the negativity] is far reaching. People take that home with them," said Colonel Knight. Fortunately, positive attitudes can spread quickly as well, and Sergeant Fuqua stated the importance of leading by example. "The energy, enthusiasm and smile that I bring to the office rubs off on people, and I hope it spreads across the board," said Sergeant Fuqua. "I remain positive, and the Airmen know if I have a smile on my face but have been at work since 0530 hours, they should be positive, too." Sergeant Fuqua said that in order for the work atmosphere to remain healthy, personnel must leave the that's-not-my-job attitude at the door. He reiterated that in the Air Force, "it's one job, one fight." Capt. John Warburton, 43rd Medical Group, who is trained in clinical psychology, also provided some advice for dealing with difficult coworkers. "Don't get too upset and try not to take it personally. And it may sound cliché, but be optimistic," he said. "Also consider if the issue is something you can just let go of. If not, seek guidance from your supervisor, or from the great personnel [at Life Skills Support Center]." You may even suggest your coworker talk to a "professional listener" at Life Skills or the chaplain's office, advised Colonel Markgraf. Hopefully you enjoy your job and get along with your coworkers, or now have a plan to make that happen.