Panthers: Help B3T by exhibiting C3T Published Feb. 27, 2015 By Maj. Douglass Eagleton 460th Comptroller Squadron BUCKLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Colo.- -- Building a Better Buckley is a recurring theme you may often hear from the 460th Space Wing Commander Col. John Wagner. Realizing he can't do it alone, he has empowered us to assemble as a team to bring that concept to life. We can do this by exhibiting the following three characteristics: commitment, communicating and creativity together, C3T. Developing these skill sets isn't easy, and to be able to successfully execute them can be even more challenging. In the midst of our most challenging fiscal times, when resources are scarce, it is important to stay focused and only be concerned about the things that are within your ability to control. Here are some key qualities that every good leader should possess and learn to accentuate. Commitment To be totally committed means pursing your goals, being a team player and performing your duties to the best of your ability. In the military, we often receive tasks that we feel are not that important, but we should look at these tasks as opportunities to excel. By proving that you're 100 percent dedicated to these tasks, you will not only earn the respect of your peers and subordinates, but it can inspire others within the workplace to exhibit that same level of effort. It's not only important to stay committed to tasks, but to also keep your word. If you pledge to lead a committee, attend a function or to help someone--then do it! You want to create a reputation of being a hard worker, and a person that is fully involved. Keep to your word and your folks are more likely to follow in your footsteps. Communicating Having healthy lines of communication is paramount, especially when there are new members to your unit. What that means is not just having an open door policy to your office, but making it a priority to go out and talk with your folks on a recurring basis to discuss work center or personal issues. This fosters trust within your organization, thereby making them less hesitant to share. However, there's a flip side to communication, which is to avoid miscommunication. For example, you may have a goal for your folks to achieve and what may seem clear to you may not always seem clear to them. If you are met with a puzzled look, the lightbulb should turn on and you realize there might be a problem. If you find yourself consistently having to correct or clarify things after you have given direction, then you may need to focus on sharpening your communication. If your vision is not clearly articulated, they may never complete the task or accomplish the mission. Creativity Let's face it--we, as leaders are not always explicit in our instructions to our people. We provide our vision but may not always have the adequate resources to achieve it. We must empower our people to come up with a plan that's both effective and efficient to get us to that end state. This is where the creativity comes into play, or the coined phrase "thinking outside of the box." Show us something we haven't seen before and don't be afraid that it may not work. When brainstorming for ideas sometimes the solutions may appear rather quickly, but more often than not the good ones develop over time. In his Technology, Entertainment, Design Talk on creativity, Sir Ken Robinson says, "Human resources are like natural resources; they're often buried deep. You have to go looking for them; they're not just lying around on the surface. You have to create the circumstances where they show themselves."