S upervisors are critical in attracting and retaining our most important asset - people - in this very competitive business world. To illustrate this point, I’ll share a personal, first-hand account. As an enlisted member, I was nearing the end of my second enlistment and was faced with a very difficult decision. I could reenlist and continue my enlisted career; I could apply for Officer Training School (OTS); or I could separate from the Air Force and start a civilian career. After significant personal reflection, I decided to separate from the Air Force. I was serious enough that I flew from Germany to interview for a job. For many, that would be the end of the story. However, I was blessed with a number of great supervi- sors who took an interest in my Air Force career. In- stead of allowing me to quietly leave the service, a young 2nd Lieutenant sat me down and discussed my goals, took a look at my current situation and spent the next two days discussing viable options. In the end, we agreed to push for my degree and apply for OTS. If I wasn’t selected, I’d still separate from the Air Force, but I’d have my degree and be better off for it. Again, for many this could be the end. Enter supervi- sor number two. I was going to school 5 days a week and things became challenging at different points over the next three years. Instead of allowing me to lan- guish, he would sit me down, pump me up, and send me back out the door. He wasn’t simply focused on my personal development though. He also never allowed me to forget about the mission, which could have been easy to do given the course load. He pushed me to focus on my daily duties, study for, and make the next enlisted rank, finish my 7 level Career Development Course, and complete my 7 level school. All of these could have been lost with a lesser supervisor. Ulti- mately, I was selected for OTS and the rest is history. The moral of this story is to get involved in your em- ployee’s career progression, while keeping them fo- cused on the mission. Inform them of the plethora of development opportunities available to them. If they appear to be struggling, discuss it with them and deter- mine an appropriate way forward. Feedback is golden. Beyond that, continue with your personal education as a supervisor. There are many tools available to you as a supervisor to enable you to grow. A great place to begin your search is the Supervisor Resource Center at https://afkm.wpafb.af.mil/src . You never know when you may be given the opportu- nity to shape someone’s career and influence their deci- sion to remain with the Air Force. Supervisors are Key to Air Force Retention SITES OF INTEREST: Supervisor Resource Center Professional Development Guide ACQ NOW Air Force Personnel Services My Development Plan APDP Information Trifold Three Steps to Planning Your Development A I R F O R C E M A T E R I E L C O M M A N D July 2011 Volume 1, Issue 6 ON THE WEB supervisor. Review those personal capabilities and job requirements and discuss the right mix of institutional competencies. Identify and discuss short- and long-term professional goals. Step Three: How do you get there? Create an Individual Development Plan using the Civilian Leadership Development Continuum (shown on page 2). Review the development opportunities to achieve professional goals and close the gap between per- sonal capabilities and job require- ments. Then determine, along with your supervisor, the training, educa- tion and assignment experiences needed to reach your professional goals. Be sure to track your progress as you strive to reach your potential. Send story ideas or suggestions to [email protected] . The force development newsletter for all Air Force employees... Force Development Highlights P rofessional development should be an ongoing process to ensure employees are staying current - if not one step ahead. Planning for continu- ous development must be anchored to the organization’s mission, goals, objectives, and needs, as well as be tied to the member’s career goals. Step One: Where are you? Identify your personal capabilities and your job requirements. Determine your leadership development level and identify and reflect on personal capa- bilities and job requirements. This is where you take a close, hard look at where you believe you are in your development. Step Two: Where do you want to be? Discuss your thoughts with your AFMC Force Development 4375 Chidlaw Road, Rm N208 WPAFB, OH 45433 T here are so many different plans available to civilians, it can be confusing. There are Individual Development Plans, My Development Plans, and Airman Development Plans to name a few. Last month’s issue focused on ADPs and how they’re used. This month, we’ll focus on Formal Training Plans (FTPs). FTPs are required when an employee is selected to a position with potential for non-competitive promotion to a higher grade. The hiring supervisor is required to develop the FTP and ensure it’s added to the position fill action. The FTP will include the Knowledge, Skill, and Abilities (KSA) required for the higher grade, the expected level of proficiency in each KSA, and how that level will be measured. It will also include functional and institutional competencies to be developed during the period of the plan. It will include the number of hours and expected completion date for each developmental activity leading to a KSA or competency. The plan will be signed by the supervisor and the employee. The employee, the supervisor, and the servicing Force Development Specialist should each have a copy of the plan. Formal Training Plans