Core Values Coaching empowers 86th AW leaders

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Larissa Greatwood
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  From March 21 to 25, 86th Airlift Wing leaders had the opportunity to be the first operational Air Force members to participate in Career Values Coaching.

The 86th AW invited Tina Erzen, Air Force Academy Center for Character and Leadership Development program director, to come to Ramstein and teach this unique workshop.

CVC is primarily taught to cadets at the Air Force Academy and has been nationally recognized and honored with the 2013 Jon C. Dalton Best Practices in College Student Values award.

The training focuses on teaching Airmen the importance of communication, empathy and guiding their peers in a positive direction with personal and professional goals.

"The purpose of the training is to take the best of what there is to offer and bring it to the leaders for their professional development, to in turn, help their Airmen in the best ways possible," Erzen said. "It's important to empower our Airmen and help them along the way, but also for them to learn the skills themselves."

Erzen said the training not only teaches leaders how to talk with their Airmen, but also teaches the leaders how to become better Airmen themselves.

"One of the really cool things about this training is the communication skills we teach will hopefully make all bonds stronger whether it's coworkers, supervisors or leaders - Airmen to Airmen being aware of how to communicate with one another to make those bonds stronger," she said.

As one of the first people to go through the training here, Jan Devitt, 86th AW community support coordinator, said the training far exceeded her expectations.

"After going through the training, I can now see how vital it is," Devitt said. "I think it's good to be reminded that no matter where we are or what we're doing, someone always sees. Sometimes it's easy to forget the importance of core values, so this was a good reminder to not only live by them but set the example for others."

Devitt added that whether a person is a coach or being coached, everyone involved was able to benefit from the training.

"As part of the training, we had to pick from a list of virtues that we wanted to change about ourselves," she said. "I had such an awesome partner that, at the beginning, I came up with one and he was able to get me to realize the issue was really something else."

With the training reaching the operational Air Force population, the lessons learned can be put into use when it comes to improving communication and the overall Ramstein mission.

"I hope this training gives the Airmen at Ramstein the unique opportunity to take skills they already have and harness them in a very purposeful way to help their fellow Airmen grow and develop," said Erzen. "The intent is for Ramstein to continue to lead the fight and move forward in a very empowering way and enhance the things they're already doing to keep in alignment with the core values."

With the training the leaders received, they now have the tools to teach their Airmen and peers the importance of communication, empathy and support for each other. By strengthening these bonds, Airmen can focus on the mission to their best of their abilities.