Building courageous leaders through deliberate development

  • Published
  • 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- “Dig in, let it be uncomfortable and awkward at times because that's what real vulnerability is. If we allow it, we can all learn something incredible and lead in new and different ways.”

This was the charge Col. Angela Ochoa, 19th Airlift Wing commander, gave to Team Little Rock leaders as they started their three-day Dare to Lead workshop, Dec. 1-3.

On the back of Ochoa’s personal coin are inscribed the words: courage, strength, love, wisdom, character, and grace, which emphasize the skills and attributes she believes it takes to be a brave and courageous leader. Hosting the Dare to Lead course was a perfect opportunity to both learn and practice these skills with leaders across the installation.

“For me, this is a dream in the making,” Ochoa exclaimed. “I believe in this training so much that I promised myself if I was ever in a position to bring this to an entire wing or installation, I would.”

The Dare to Lead program, based on the research of Dr. Brené Brown, focuses on building courageous cultures by focusing on four skill sets that Brown believes are all teachable, observable, and measurable: Rumbling with Vulnerability; Living into Our Values; BRAVING Trust; and Learning to Rise.

“Words matter, but our body language, our ability to be vulnerable and truly empathetic are what matter most and allow us to truly connect with one another,” said Capt. Jessica Cicchetto, 19th Airlift Wing chief of public affairs and workshop participant. “This training provided the emotional literacy and communication tools necessary for leaders to be more present and engaged in order to build deeper meaningful connections with Airmen of all ranks. This helps build a culture where all Airmen are valued and feel a sense of belonging.”

In October, Ochoa released the 19th AW’s Strategic Plan, outlining the wing’s new mission, vision and enduring priorities. Listed at the top of those priorities is Airmen, stating that, “Airmen are our greatest strength and they must be courageous leaders or we will lose the future fight.” 

For the wing, this training directly contributed to her commitment toward building courageous leaders, resilient warriors and strong families.

“The real work begins after this training,” Ochoa challenged. “I'm counting on everyone that participated in the training to hold each other accountable to use it as a catalyst for the culture change we all seek – we are the culture, it starts with us.”

Ochoa intends for participants to come back together in the near future to share lessons learned and best practices for how members are implementing the training in their respective leadership practices.

“We must now approach this as a leadership practice, both as individuals and as teams,” Ochoa said. “I am excited to bring everyone back together in the near future and see how we can better incorporate these skills at all levels of the installation.”