From Private to Squadron Commander: Two former Air Reservists share perspectives on leadership

When I was a non-commissioned member (NCM) with the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve I became acquainted with a collection of principles that leaders in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) were encouraged to embody.

Now, many years later, the essence of those principles are echoed in the words of two commanding officers within the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) who started their CAF careers as NCMs just like I did.

But, who are these leaders I speak of? Let me briefly introduce you.

First, there is Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur “Art” Jordan: the commanding officer (CO) for Winnipeg-based 435 Transport and Rescue Squadron (435 SQN). A son of a RCAF transport pilot, Lt.-Col. Jordan first joined the Air Reserves as a private aero engine technician (amalgamated into the aviation systems technician trade in 1997), at the rank of private in 1989. Later, in 1999, he was accepted into the navigation officer occupation (since replaced by the air combat systems officer trade). Finally, in July 2020 he was appointed to his current position at 435 SQN.

Second, there is Colonel (acting-while-so-employed) Tom Goldie: the CO for 405 Long-Range Patrol Squadron (405 SQN) and acting Commander for 14 Wing Greenwood. Initially unable to become an officer through the Regular Officer Training Plan (ROTP), Col. Goldie quickly changed gears and joined the Air Reserves as a private airframe technician (another occupation amalgamated into the aviation systems technician trade in 1997) in 1989. Later accepted into the University Plan for Non-Commissioned Members (UTPNCM) in 1999, Col. Goldie took a giant step forward to realizing his dream to become an RCAF pilot. Then, in June 2020 he was appointed to command at 405 SQN. Finally, with the sudden overseas deployment of Col. Brendan Cook, he stepped up into the role of acting Wing Commander.

And though it may seem that these two senior officers have few things in common, the fact is that they were once classmates at the now-decommissioned Air Reserve National Training School (once located in Penhold, Alberta) where they completed their basic military training and common training phase as Air Force technicians.

Flash forward to today and these long-time friends are now colleagues-in-command: colleagues who believe that anyone can be a leader.

Now, without further ado, here are some of Col. Goldie’s and Lt.-Col Jordan’s reflections and lessons-learned about leadership.

Achieve professional competence and continuously pursue self-improvement. Learn from your experiences and the experiences of others. Accept responsibility, be accountable, and admit when you make a mistake.

Like all members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), Lt.-Col. Jordan and Col. Goldie developed their knowledge and expertise through a combination of formal training (e.g. courses) and lived experiences on-the-job.

“While my definition of a good leader has expanded over time, professional competency is one of the keys to being a good leader,” stresses Col. Goldie. “Be the best you can be in everything you do. Try to learn something from every leadership opportunity and from those who have more experience. Do not be afraid to take some risks and, above all, have fun.”

“Knowledge is certainly key,” agrees Lt.-Col. Jordan. “Everything you learn goes into a bag of experience. Whether you are faced with a situation, a problem, or something new, you can reach into that bag and usually find something that you can use to help you.”

In both training and operations, leaders must constantly review performance with a critical eye and ask if there isn’t a better way. Learning from personal experience and the experience of others is critical to ensuring high reliability performance.

“The skills you learn and the experience you gain throughout your career is never wasted,” continues Col. Goldie. “Sometimes past experiences can be applied to new situations, other times, past experiences serve as an example of what not to do: an equally important lesson.”

“And be sure to seek out opportunities that allow you to explore the edge of your comfort zone,” points out Lt.-Col Jordan. “Life begins at the edge of that zone.”

“It is okay to be nervous when taking that first step,” reassures Col Goldie. “Even if a part of you is uncertain about whether you can do something, try telling yourself ‘I will do this.’”

Build teams through engagement and collaboration. Listen to others, communicate clearly and often and facilitate the sharing of information in a timely manner. Emphasize how each person plays an important part in mission achievement: from the most junior to the senior most.

From the very beginning of their careers, Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members are encouraged to work as a team to take advantage of collective strengths and to find ways to overcome any weaknesses.

“One of the take-aways from my early days was learning the balance between leadership and followership,” recalls Lt.-Col Jordan.

“You can’t do it all yourself; a good leader will draw on the strengths of the team they are building. Search and rescue (SAR) in Canada, for example, is only possible through the cooperation of many organizations crossing federal, provincial, municipal and sometimes international jurisdictions. From the logistician securing supplies and the administrator arranging travel to the technician maintaining the aircraft to the search and rescue technician providing aid at a rescue site, teamwork is key.”

Col. Goldie agrees that working as a team makes much more possible. “There are many similarities between being a squadron commanding officer and a Wing Commander, however there is a much broader scope of responsibilities,” Col Goldie says of his experience as acting-Wing Commander at 14 Wing Greenwood. “Thankfully, I have a staff of officers and non-commissioned members I can depend on to help me.”

Teams work best when everyone understands the intent of the mission or task. “When people know and understand the role that they play in mission completion, it usually pays out in dividends,” stresses Lt.-Col Jordan, recalling his experience on part two of his basic officers’ training course.

“There were eight of us who had prior experience as non-commissioned members,” recalls Lt.-Col Jordan. “We were able to bring some perspective to the tasks of basic training by conveying to our course mates that many of extra tasks given to us were not designed as punishment, but rather meant to bring us together as a team through the development of common experiences.”

Be the example. Mentor and develop your subordinates. Treat subordinates fairly, respond to their concerns and represent their interests. Be mindful to share their risks and hardships.

Whether we are aware of it or not, the people around us have an influence on how we act and think.

“Most of us take ‘bits and pieces’ from the people we meet throughout our careers,” acknowledges Col. Goldie. “For example I learned the value of kindness and empathy from one of the master corporals who helped me through some things when I was an NCM. These are the things that I have hoisted onboard and have included in my own tool box.”

 “I also had a few supervisors that really stood out during my time as an NCM,” recalls Lt.-Col Jordan. “Not only did these individuals possess broad technical knowledge in their occupations, but they were also able to balance compassion for others with meeting the needs of the service.”

But, there are “times when you meet people that reinforce what behaviours you do not want to imitate. I think each of us has at least one person that we don’t want to be like,” warns Col. Goldie.

Aside from setting a good example, effective leaders coach and mentor the people who work with them and under them.

“When I was a technician I worked as part of a maintenance team comprising of a sergeant, master-corporal, a group of corporal trade specialists, and privates,” recalls Col Goldie. “While the sergeant was the de-facto leader of the team, it was the corporals who were responsible for training and mentoring the privates.”

“Mentorship comes in many forms,” adds Lt.-Col. Jordan. “Starting from my first operational posting through to subsequent postings, I have had the opportunity to step into the role of my boss. Being exposed to these different experiences really helped me learn and grow both as a person and as a professional”

“Leadership is a journey,” Col. Goldie reminds us.

“Each opportunity, each experience, is chance to grow as a leader.  There are risks, but I learned early on that there is more value in sticking your neck out and seeking leadership opportunities than there is to being the ‘grey man’ and staying in the shadows.”

Are you interested in learning more about leadership in the Canadian Armed Forces? Here are some online resources you can explore.

Leadership in the Canadian Forces: Conceptual Foundations
https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2013/dn-nd/D2-313-2-2005-eng.pdf

Leadership in the Canadian Forces: Doctrine
https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2013/dn-nd/D2-313-1-2005-eng.pdf

Leadership in the Canadian Forces: Leading People
https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2013/dn-nd/D2-313-3-2007-eng.pdf

Duty with Honour
https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/dnd-mdn/documents/reports/2019/duty-with-honour-en.pdf

Professional Development Resources and Links (Intranet)
http://rcaf.mil.ca/en/2-cad/rcaf-pd/pd-resources2.page

Royal Canadian Air Force Library (Intranet)
http://trenton.mil.ca/rcaf-awc/en/library/index.asp

Royal Military College Saint-Jean Electronic Resources
https://www.cmrsj-rmcsj.forces.gc.ca/bib-lib/aeb-oel/re-er-eng.asp