Giving is the Ultimate Goal!

Reflecting in over nearly 40 years of work, in actually two totally different career paths I have come to the conclusion that the times I was most fulfilled was when I gave back. Oh yes I have learned from the best, from the giants in the field, both in uniform and out, but it was when I broke off some of that learning and gave it away that I felt most alive! Oh the opportunities I had! The great ones I worked with (no name dropping). I was mentored by the best, learned from legends! Yet the greatest fulfillment was when I could share what I learned to those bright young minds that will replace me! It was my father that inspired me. He was the first to hire a young bright woman to lean when it was unheard of. She went on to become a great leader, my father was shunned for suggesting her. I remember the greatest day of my Air Force life was when one of my work center supervisors won the John Levitow Award from the NCO academy. The John Levitow Award is the highest honor presented to a graduate of Air Force Enlisted Professional Military Education (PME), including Airman Leadership School, NCO Academy, and the Senior NCO Academy only the top 1% win this award. I was so proud of her! From that point on I could care less about my own career, my section leader was the top 1% of the USAF!! How could you do better than that? In my career I was told in Professional Military Education that leadership lead from behind. I never really understood that, until I was faced with life changing decisions. Decisions that would make be choose between career advancement or protecting my family. Those are hard decisions! I will say that serving my country was the most important decision I ever made. Moving to corporate I wanted to continue to serve my country, that was my goal! I did not want to start a second career and start climbing the corporate ladder--even though I knew how to do that, I chose not to. It has not always been easy trying to work for a corporation and serve my country, but I will say the company I chose made it easy. I already was chosen to Command and My squadron achieved the ultimate reward, the achieved an excellent rating on on ORI, something that blew me away! Most in civilian and corporate worlds have no idea what that means or how hard that is to achieve, but that's okay. For the sake of my family I had to move on, I looked at alot of companies, some were very deceptive but in the end choose the most ethicial one I could find. They decided to serve the US as well, and in many cases it was not good for business, but it was good for the country. It was also clear to me that doing right was not always equated to to the best path to profits--not something Michale Porter would ever address, but freedom is a lot more important that five forces. Nevertheless, I continued on in my new career, upholding the values of an American Serviceman, and that meant taking care of the people that you serve (your subordinates) over your own aspirations or even company goals. I rad too much Tom Peters and spent too much time as a Special Operator to know that People are more important than profit. Truth being, I have not fared well in the civilian/corporate world for taking care of people under me finacially, but personally, I have never been sointernally rewarded. As a service member of the United States, sworn to oath to Protect and Serve the Constitution of the United States of America, I put Service over Self ever day. That is what my Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ tells me to do. It has not been a career booster, but it has been a life booster. I still track the career paths of "my kids" because that is what leadership is about. I had mentors that took care of me, guided me and gave me advice. It is now my turn to Give Back! I just hope I am up to the challenge! God Bless America!