Course 15 Set B

MSgt Bixby used basic interpersonal skills effectively, which, according to the Interpersonal Communication chapter, basic interpersonal skills can be broken down into three sections: Pre-session, Session, and Post-session. Pre-session activities include: diagnosing, and preparing. During the session, opening, attending, responding, resolving, and closing skills are used. Post-session activities include follow-up actions. Bixby knows Johnson was showing up late, doing poor work, and failing to fulfill his supervisory responsibilities and schedules a meeting with Johnson for the next day (pre-session). He welcomes Johnson to the meeting and said, “I have noticed that your work performance has dropped off and you have been late for work several times. What is going on? (opening skills) Bixby notices Johnson looking uncomfortable, Bixby encouraged him. (attending skills) “What sort of problems?” Bixby replied. Johnson says, ““I rarely have enough money to make ends meet so I took a part time job. Now I work 16 hours a day and don’t have time for anything else.” Bixby asks, “Have you considered asking for help?” (responding/resolving skills) Johnson replies, “No! I didn’t want anyone to know.” Bixby said, “I understand how you feel, but since your situation is interfering with your work here we need to get you some help.” Johnson agreed. Bixby immediately schedules an appointment for Johnson with a financial counselor and then schedules follow up meeting. After Johnson departs, Bixby documents the session. (Closing Skills/follow up)

According to the Culture of Engagement chapter, bridging is a technique used to move from the reporter’s agenda to your message. Also, bridging is a way to smoothly transition from the question asked to your message. In the scenario, Sands has used this technique to move away from the question on Pakistan and into the positive message of the humanitarian expeditionary operation. This has demonstrated a positive impact on NCO effectiveness.

According to Culture of Engagement chapter, one of the guidelines of using social media is avoiding the offensive. It tells us not to post any defamatory, libelous, vulgar, obscene, abusive, profane, threatening, racially and ethnically hateful, or otherwise offensive or illegal information or material. Since Newby is recognized as an Air Force member, he is portraying a negative view of the Air Force by posting offensive pictures and comments and will reduce mission effectiveness.

According to the Negotiation chapter, cooperating is a negotiation style that involves an attempt to satisfy the concerns of all sides through honest discussion. In the scenario, cooperation took place because both parties won (e.g. Smith was able to gather intelligence and conduct his patrols and the villagers received food and medical care with less interruption to their daily routine).

This scenario best illustrates the warning signs of suicide, which according to the Emergent Leadership chapter, include thoughts of suicide, a suicide plan, and access to the method of suicide described. Brock recognizes these warning signs and offers to help Noble, as every good Wingman should.

According to the Discipline chapter, supervisors should take the least amount of action necessary to correct behavior and then progress up from there. Smith is not using the Progressive Discipline Process effectively; rather than use progressive discipline (i.e. LOC then LOA then LOR), he continues with verbal counseling for the same infraction which has not been effective.

According to the Resource Stewardship chapter, Requirement Determination is a competency that centers on the Authorization Change Request (ACR) which is a multi-purpose instrument used to propose adjustments to a Unit Manpower Document. ACRs are commonly used to request increases, decreases, or realignments of manpower requirements and/or to change attributes on the UMD. There is no evidence in the scenario that the squadron superintendent is requesting a manpower increase to support the additional aircraft. Without this request, the mission of the squadron will suffer.

The scenario best indicates the act of self-identification which, according to Emergent Leadership chapter, is when an individual that is not currently under investigation or pending action because of an alcohol-related incident willingly discloses they have a substance misuse problem with the intent of entering treatment. Once assessed, the ADAPT program manager along with the treatment team will determine an appropriate clinical course of action, most likely preventing an alcohol related incident.

The briefing BEST explains unlawful discrimination, which according to the Emergent Leadership chapter, includes discrimination based on color, national origin, race, religion, or sex.

The paragraph best explains the concept of Cognitive Flexibility which, according to the Change Management lesson, Cognitive Flexibility is the concept of scanning the environment to identify changes as they occur or to see the changes coming and making sense out of a situation. Additionally, it involves developing several possible plans for responding to change.

MSgt Bixby used basic interpersonal skills effectively, which, according to the Interpersonal Communication chapter, basic interpersonal skills can be broken down into three sections: Pre-session, Session, and Post-session. Pre-session activities include: diagnosing, and preparing. During the session, opening, attending, responding, resolving, and closing skills are used. Post-session activities include follow-up actions. Bixby knows Johnson was showing up late, doing poor work, and failing to fulfill his supervisory responsibilities and schedules a meeting with Johnson for the next day (pre-session). He welcomes Johnson to the meeting and said, “I have noticed that your work performance has dropped off and you have been late for work several times. What is going on? (opening skills) Bixby notices Johnson looking uncomfortable, Bixby encouraged him. (attending skills) “What sort of problems?” Bixby replied. Johnson says, ““I rarely have enough money to make ends meet so I took a part time job. Now I work 16 hours a day and don’t have time for anything else.” Bixby asks, “Have you considered asking for help?” (responding/resolving skills) Johnson replies, “No! I didn’t want anyone to know.” Bixby said, “I understand how you feel, but since your situation is interfering with your work here we need to get you some help.” Johnson agreed. Bixby immediately schedules an appointment for Johnson with a financial counselor and then schedules follow up meeting. After Johnson departs, Bixby documents the session. (Closing Skills/follow up)

Because the team used the first five steps of the Eight-Step Problem Solving Process, it is highly likely that they will continue through the rest of the steps to solve the work center problem, and solving the problem will most likely increase mission effectiveness. According to the Continuous Improvement chapter, problem solving is a team-centered systematic common-sense approach that involves an eight-step process designed to increase combat capability, make Air Force units more effective and efficient, and enhance and enable the war fighter. In the scenario, TSgt Gerry and her subordinates have used steps 1 through 5 of the eight steps: 1) Observe first-hand what is taking place, 2) Review key process indicators and conduct performance gap analysis, 3) Set challenging but achievable targets, 4) Determine root cause (analyze the primary causes of all the complaints), and 5) Develop countermeasures and determine their workability.

According to the Leader Influence chapter, connection power is the perception of the leader’s association with people of influence inside or outside of the organization. This was achieved by Johnson using her connection with the individual at the patient advocacy office to help Carney. This scenario best illustrates Johnson using her connection power and its impact on the NCO effectiveness.

According to the Team Building chapter, stages of team development are known as the Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning. It helps determine the progress of the team’s development by identifying typical events that occur during each stage and how to properly manage them. In the scenario, there are indications of the work group going through those stages (Forming: introductions and team objective; Storming: disagreements; Norming: when Tuckman refocuses the group; Performing: identifies the problem and develops a plan.) and Tuckman is helping the team move along in those stages to ensure team success.

The narrative BEST explains Decision Analysis, which according to the Continuous Improvement chapter, “Decision Analysis is a systematic process based on the thinking pattern that you use when making choices.” As NCOs, when you have to make critical decisions and solve complex problems, you should use a “systematic” process to make good, confident, reliable, and justifiable decisions. …a process that allows you to stand back and look at “the whole picture” of the situation, in order to make the wisest and safest choice—through careful consideration of ALL the factors.

According to the Leader Influence chapter, system level rewards are things the organization provides for being a member such as training which is identified in the scenario. Additionally, supervisory rewards are given to those who go beyond the standard such as Bell presenting an Airman with an award for excellence. The efforts of Bell will most likely increase subordinate effectiveness.

According to the Resource Stewardship chapter, a Financial Execution Plan is an Air Force product used to balance available funding while delivering goods and services to customers. A well-developed plan includes a prioritized list of known unfunded requirements with justification for each unfunded requirement and a spend plan that projects when and how funds will be spent throughout the fiscal year. The scenario depicts Caskey’s understanding of importance of how a well-developed Financial Execution Plan can impact mission success. By training Griggs and developing a solid plan, the organization was prepared to execute the budget and postured for the unfunded request.

According to the Negotiations chapter, Negotiation readiness is defined as the capacity of parties to decide it is in their best interest to negotiate an agreement rather than to continue to dispute. Negotiation Ripeness refers to the timing of negotiations. Timing is critical to successful negotiations. The flight chief failed to understand ripeness and readiness as evidenced by his surprise at the section chiefs’ responses and how they held firm on their positions which further indicates the situation was neither ready nor ripe for negotiations. Overall, the Flight Chiefs’ actions will have a negative impact on his effectiveness.

TSgt Perez used the Unfreezing Phase of Change Management, which according to that lesson there are three phases of change: unfreezing, changing, and refreezing. During the Unfreezing (phase 1) the first step is to recognize the need for change (was recently informed), next create a felt need for the change, that is sell the importance of the change (planned how to tell his team), then deal with resistance to change by developing a plan to calm fears, to put them at ease by informing them how their new responsibilities can positively influence change (After answering several questions), and talk with personnel directly affected by the changes (gathering everyone for the announcement and implementation). All of this will increase the likelihood of a successful change.

According to the Team Building chapter, there are roles that people find most comfortable fulfilling based on their most natural thought processes and behavioral tendencies. TSgt Bair used his understanding of team roles to pick creators, refiners, and advancers to give his team the best chance for success. Because TSgt Bair used his understanding of team roles to build his team, this will most likely enhance team success.

According to the Discipline chapter, prevention is the first and most important step to prevent behaviors that are detrimental to personnel or productivity of a work center. Additionally, the supervisor must communicate standards and expectation clearly. Marble assumes the Airmen understand and does not communicate it to them, which will more than likely result in substandard performance.

In the scenario, TSgt Cho demonstrates effective interpersonal skills by listening and valuing his subordinates viewpoint (Working Relationships), providing and accepting constructive feedback (Working Relationships), and allowing subordinates to discuss their job (“Because our patient questionnaire is several pages long, it delays patient in-processing. If we sent the questionnaire to our patients ahead of time, it would speed up in-processing.”) (Working Relationships). According to the Interpersonal Communication chapter, one of the benefits of effective interpersonal skills on improving working relationships with subordinates was they are willing to share finer details of the job and their performance of it. Furthermore, his regular meetings to discuss the goals of the clinic and how the goals align with his subordinates personal goals demonstrates an understanding of the work center Climate (situational climate), which according to the Interpersonal Communication chapter, the situational climate contends that organizational and individual goals need not be at odds with one another; thus, this climate falls midway between the dehumanized and over humanized climates. The perception of similarity between personal and organizational goals should promote increased productivity, which, in turn, may increase the amount of intrinsic motivation and a greater sense of responsibility by subordinates.

The scenario best illustrates the warning signs of stress, which according to the Emergent Leadership chapter, include irritability, emotional outburst, and significant mood changes. SSgt Hightower is showing some of these warning signs (emotional outburst and substandard job performance).