Southland Christian Ministry Training
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By Ian Whitley, on March 4th, 2011%
 Teaching Air Force Recruits is not always easy and the Padre gets some of the interesting topics like leadership and followership, seeking to help the recruits adjust to the challenges of communal living in a military environment. Here, workplace relations is a 24/7 job with very little private space or time. My role is to help recruits discuss the lessons learnt from watching segments from the movie “We Were Soldiers”, and assess how both leaders and followers acted and reacted in various situations.
While pondering the results I came up with 7 lessons we ALL need to learn:
1. LISTEN! No matter where you are in the chain of command it is imperative that you really pay attention. Multi-tasking is great but when orders are being given you need to be concentrating on one thing – getting the right information and getting it right.
2. EDUCATE! Each of us is under obligation to keep learning and sharing what we are learning with others. We all have different gifts and abilities, and when we share our knowledge we empower each other, so that the whole team benefits. A swift, agile, decisive response is no good if it is based on wrong information.
3. ASK RIGHT QUESTIONS! This is one area that recruits struggle with because they think that they will be labelled. That only happens when you ask the wrong questions as a result of not listening! Asking for clarification so that the task and the process can be carried out correctly is allowed and encouraged. Sometimes the key is asking the right questions at the right time.
4. DON’T INTERUPT! In an orders group all questions are to be kept till the end of the brief, therefore get used to taking notes which include things you may need clarified. Sadly we are not very good at this – we are all too eager to come up with easy solutions before we have heard the full story and so get it wrong.
5. EXAMPLE! Our words and our actions must agree. There is no place in the military for double standards – our real values are the ones we live out when no one is watching. Therefore seek to be a positive example to those around you, not just to impress others but because you know it is the right thing to do.
6. RESPECT! We are not all the same, we each have different gifts and abilities, we may come from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, we may wear different ranks or have a different uniform but we are all part of the same team. That team will only function if we all respect each other, and demonstrate it by how we relate up and down the chain of command.
7. SMILE! Finally, a swift, decisive, resilient, respected Air Force also needs to be able to laugh. Humour is the social lubricant that reduces friction in the barrack block, in the workplace and even in the battle space. Don’t take yourself so seriously, make time every day to relax and enjoy what you have got.
So, what started as a lesson on workplace relations became for me an affirmation that as defence members we are all called to be both followers and leaders! No matter what your rank, you are still required to be answerable to someone, and ultimately you may be required to plead your case before God. If that scares you, maybe you should join us for chapel service and listen to what he expects of us as leaders and followers.
Chaplain Ian S Whitley
By Ian Whitley, on February 11th, 2011%
For all those who, like me are not all that romantic, I have to remind you that it is nearly Valentine’s Day! Time is running out, but before you just believe the media hype that tells you it will cost a packet, I have a word of warning, it is not what you give but how it is interpreted that counts! Just because the local florist wants you to send flowers, or the jewelery store encourages you to buy a ring doesn’t mean that is the best way to express your love for that special person in your life.
One of the helpful books on my bookshelf is called “The Five Love Languages” by Gary Chapman. His basic thesis is that we all need to feel loved, and we often try to express that love to our partners but we are speaking a different language, and the message they receive is opposite to what was intended. Chapman recognises that early in a relationship we have the ability to be multi-lingual, and anything that our partner says or does proves their love, but the longer you stay in that relationship the more you revert to your primary love language. He lists five love languages:
- Words of affirmation
- Quality time
- Receiving gifts
- Acts of service
- Physical touch.
Note that only one of these is linked to gifts which is the usual focus on Valentine’s Day! Your partner might prefer to just get a hand written letter which tells them how much you appreciate them. There are many spouses who would rather have you home and more involved in family life than to get a bunch of roses. Others would measure your love and commitment in terms of how prepared you are to help with the dishes or do the laundry as much more meaningful than the words of a mass produced card. Maybe all that your significant other wants is an unhurried kiss and cuddle which would be much better for them than a box of chocolates.
This Valentine’s Day don’t just do what somebody else tells you is the right thing to do, think about it, look back on your past history as a couple and make a decision on the basis of fact. If you don’t know what your partner’s primary love language is, find out, because it will make a big difference to your love life!
Chaplain Ian S Whitley
By Ian Whitley, on October 3rd, 2010%
I have read a lot of self help books and this one is arguably one of the best. In short it is practical, easy to read and generally related to where I am in life! Stever Robbins has tackled a topic that most of us have struggled with, how to work less, yet at the same time do more, or at least more of the right things. The quick and dirty summary of the nine steps are as follows:
1. Live on purpose
2. Stop procrastinating
3. Conquer Technology
4. Beat distractions to cultivate focus
5. Stay organised
6. Stop wasting time
7. Optimise
8. Build stronger relationships
9. Leverage.
What makes it easy to read is that there is a logical progression between steps and the author’s unique sense of humour, which adds interest to the journey, though I’m not sure how zombies fit in. In seeking to assess how this book has affected me, I suppose the biggest impact is simply in terms of more tools for my tool bag, which I can use myself or make available for those I support and counsel. Knowing who we are what we want to achieve in life is crucial to all that follows, and sadly so many that I talk to have never sorted this out.
I resonated with many of the concepts shared but the most challenging was the third step on conquering technology. It was great to be reminded that I am not the only person who wastes an inordinate amount of time trying to get technology to work for me and not me work for it! Like many others I swallowed the lie that said computers, voicemail and mobile phones would give me more freedom and help me to work less but all too often I find they make me work more. Robbins’ approach to this, when coupled with his suggestions of how to stay focused and organised will hopefully revolutionise my office practices, if I can just get round to starting them! OK maybe I need to re-read the chapter on procrastinating…
Finally, the section on relationships and how to intentionally develop them was excellent, as were the suggestions for resolving conflict. The fact is relationships are central to everything, especially if they can help you work less and do more.
Great book, now all I have to do is apply it and “get it done’!
By Ian Whitley, on September 16th, 2010%
One of the unexpected parts of my job as a chaplain is telling stories. People sometimes try to repeat my stories but find that they don’t “work”. The problem is that they have failed to grasp the basics of effective communication. The fact is, poor communication is the real cause of many of the frustrations we all face in daily life – even in the military! The challenge is for all of us to lift our game in how we communicate, especially those of us who are leaders, that includes NCO’s and officers. But, where do you start? If you have been asked to give a presentation here are ten things to consider:
- Know what you are trying to communicate! Do your homework, and in the early stage check up that you clearly understand what is required of you and the time limits you are working within. I then try to summarise what I am trying to say and what response I am expecting in just one sentence.
- Develop an outline! This must be clear so that your listeners can follow it and see the logical steps between points. The shorter the presentation the more preparation required, thus for a 5 minute talk I will usually write it out word for word, so I can be confident that I have covered all the material in the time allotted.
- Look at your audience! Make eye contact because that will help them to connect with you. The bigger the audience the harder it is, but it is essential to effective communication.
- Share yourself! Tell a story or a joke that says something about you and your interests. That will help your audience to feel at ease and help you to develop credibility as a real person.
- Identify with your audience! Show them that you like them, and that you want to be there and understand their situation. Be honest about the limitations of what you are presenting, and maybe the need for further work and the importance of their input.
- Illustrate the application! I find that the best way is to tell a story that will help people to see the impact of doing or not doing what I am trying to teach, but telling stories should probably be reserved for another ponderings!
- Get feedback! Involve your audience in providing at least some form of response to what you are presenting, proving that they are not asleep. If that feedback says that they are not with you, don’t just plough on go back and clarify.
- More is not always better! The pitfall of many new public speakers in to try to say it all on the first occasion, so beware of overloading people with too much information. Keep going back to the specifics of what you are trying to communicate at point.
- Be authentic and passionate! Speak from your heart and show that you really believe what you are sharing. If you are not excited about this information then how can you expect the receivers to do anything with it.
- Evaluate! Get some specific feedback from your supervisor or a trusted colleague so that you can improve your technique and fine tune your presentation so that you can become a more effective communicator.
I have to admit that being an effective communicator is hard work. I have suffered all too many presentations that are less than effective and threatened to put me to sleep! Don’t allow yourself to slip into that rut, apply these ten steps and become a more effective communicator.
Chaplain Ian Whitley
By Ian Whitley, on September 14th, 2010%
 This week we celebrate the Battle of Britain with a formal ceremony in Martin Place involving myself and a few others from here at RAAF Base Richmond. Why? Surely after seventy years, for a battle that took place on the other side of the world, there is not much relevant to us? WRONG! The fact is it still has a lot to teach us, but sadly most Australians in the 21st century know very little about it. So here is your crash course to wet your appetite.
The name ‘Battle of Britain’ stems from a famous speech by Prime Minister Winston Churchill who announced to the House of Commons: “The battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin…” (June 18, 1940) and shortly after it did! The battle lasted from 10 July 1940 to 31 October 1940, and is usually celebrated on 15-16 September, to commemorate the turning point in the battle.
Most historians consider this battle a watershed event in air power studies because it was the first battle fought entirely in the air. The aim of the German Luftwaffe was very clear, to gain total air superiority as a prelude to invasion. The British aim was to survive and keep getting up one more time. The statistics are shocking, for both sides, but in this battle of attrition the biggest loser was Germany, and it never really recovered.
There were many who felt that England could never survive such an onslaught, but inspired by leaders such as Winston Churchill they beat the odds, and over time won the war. It was of this battle and particularly fighter command of the RAF that Churchill said:
“Never in the history of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few”
(House of Commons, 20 August 1940).
Sometimes it is all too easy to just latch onto one liners like that and think you have the whole story. If you want to know more, take the time to read the context of this and other speeches of Winston Churchill. A recent book called “Speeches that changed the World” (ISBN1 74045 663 7) is a great resource to do just that. To go one step further, have you recognised that you have power to change the future through your words, your vision and passion? Consider, what would it take for you to lay down your life for your country or to call others to do it? Churchill offered only “blood, toil, tears and sweat” and in this short time Wikipedia lists Britain as losing 544 aircrew killed, 422 aircrew wounded and 1,547 aircraft destroyed…
We need to know our history or as someone once said we will be doomed to repeat it.
Chaplain Ian Whitley
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