Let there be thunderous applause
Minneapolis-St. Paul IAP ARS --
Have you ever heard the old saying "it's lonely at the top" if that is true why do we work so hard to get there? We spend years preparing and working our way up to the top even though we hear how tough it is at the top.
We rely not only our skills to make it, but also on our supervisors, families and our mentors to assist us though out our careers.
When a person accomplishes a long-sought after goal of making the next rank, we tend to start focusing on what is needed to progress to the subsequent rank or position, and we forget about that other old saying "stop and smell the roses".
We may stop for a moment to listen for that internal clapping; the self-tap on the back, but for 27 members of the wing, the base recognition ceremony brought that internal clapping out externally into the open during a ceremony at the Navy auditorium Sept. 12. But that clapping was not as loud as I had hoped it would be. There were many people missing in the audience that day, people who should have been there to share in the joyous occasion with these Airmen.
It is so important to visually (and audibly) recognize people for their accomplishments. Those 27 promotes worked long and hard to obtain their goal and get a promotion and yet there were very few of their peers, families, and co-workers in the audience to recognize them. I know what you are saying ... "but this past UTA was so busy," or "I meant to make it but the important part is that they got promoted right?"
That whole "if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it does it still make a sound" theory is not applicable here. The point is not whether or not people obtain goals or get promoted. The point is that we should all be cheering and celebrating achievements of everyone around us.
Every recognition ceremony there should be thunderous clapping the likes this base has never seen or heard, louder than the last ceremony. This is what mentors our Airmen, shows them how to treat the next generation of achievers, and shows them how to recognize people for their hard work.
I would rather see an overfilled auditorium of supporters than to hear that you were able to complete an extra item or task by not attending.
I hope I see you all at the next promotion recognition ceremony. But if I don't see you there, I hope I at least hear you clapping and cheering for your peers for their achievements.
We rely not only our skills to make it, but also on our supervisors, families and our mentors to assist us though out our careers.
When a person accomplishes a long-sought after goal of making the next rank, we tend to start focusing on what is needed to progress to the subsequent rank or position, and we forget about that other old saying "stop and smell the roses".
We may stop for a moment to listen for that internal clapping; the self-tap on the back, but for 27 members of the wing, the base recognition ceremony brought that internal clapping out externally into the open during a ceremony at the Navy auditorium Sept. 12. But that clapping was not as loud as I had hoped it would be. There were many people missing in the audience that day, people who should have been there to share in the joyous occasion with these Airmen.
It is so important to visually (and audibly) recognize people for their accomplishments. Those 27 promotes worked long and hard to obtain their goal and get a promotion and yet there were very few of their peers, families, and co-workers in the audience to recognize them. I know what you are saying ... "but this past UTA was so busy," or "I meant to make it but the important part is that they got promoted right?"
That whole "if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it does it still make a sound" theory is not applicable here. The point is not whether or not people obtain goals or get promoted. The point is that we should all be cheering and celebrating achievements of everyone around us.
Every recognition ceremony there should be thunderous clapping the likes this base has never seen or heard, louder than the last ceremony. This is what mentors our Airmen, shows them how to treat the next generation of achievers, and shows them how to recognize people for their hard work.
I would rather see an overfilled auditorium of supporters than to hear that you were able to complete an extra item or task by not attending.
I hope I see you all at the next promotion recognition ceremony. But if I don't see you there, I hope I at least hear you clapping and cheering for your peers for their achievements.
