DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Would you like to be a better version of yourself?
Dyess Air Force Base has initiated a series of short videos on leadership to inform Airmen how to be effective leaders.
Dr. Brianne George, 7th Medical Group psychologist, creates and records the videos, which Airmen throughout the base receive every week. They are also available on the “AF Connect” smart phone application. These three- to five-minute videos are called leadership “snacks” and focus on what every leader should know and put into practice.
The leadership snacks are offered as a valuable tool. Several topics focus on many things leaders take for granted or assume they can handle.
For example, how to build a resilient organization with modern day challenges, how to encourage Airmen to increase positive communication and outcomes in the workplace, and how to deal with difficult circumstances and overcome them are just a few of the topics.
Another video covers how to discover a personal leadership style and includes a leadership style survey. The results could be quite revealing to the viewer.
“We wanted to have brief, actionable leadership engagements that weren’t just a senior level tool,” said Dr. George. “It has already evolved from being leadership driven, to evidence based skills building, and will continue to progress as we interject the voice and experiences at all levels here at Dyess.”
She said the hope in the videos reaching Dyess Airmen each week is that it fosters personal leadership growth.
“More specifically, we will know it is successful if our mid-range supervisors, NCOs and CGOs are able to grow and use these skills earlier in their careers,” Dr. George said. “But honestly, imagine if each one of us were more emotionally intelligent. What could each of us achieve and how would Dyess look?”
Dr. George said the hope is to keep releasing the weekly “snacks” into “the foreseeable future.” The videos will remain on the AF Connect App so Airmen can watch them anywhere they have access.
Dr. George said she’s received positive feedback from the videos.
“I have been honored for Airmen to talk to me while I am out and about,” she said. “People have recognized my voice and then tell me that they’re using the videos. I have heard that it is easy to use and integrate, but to me, I appreciate that people are talking to one another about it. Do I expect everyone is using them or loves them? No, but I sure hope they have watched with a growth-based mindset. This stuff works and makes life richer and fuller.
“Probably the number one question I have received is if I can record a book on tape for sleep,” Dr. George continued. “While I don’t have a moonlighting career, I hear the ‘ask.’ I plan to record some meditations tailored to us here at Dyess, so stay tuned.”
Dr. George said she has some feedback too.
“If you watch the videos and are practicing them, feedback is welcome,” she said. “If you have an idea, or want to learn more about a topic, I need to know these things. I want this to be for you.”