“AFMC Connect is a program that encourage people to have open and genuine conversations with their team,” said Chief Master Sgt. Jason Shaffer, 88th Air Base Wing command chief. “This helps replace formalized training and lets people have an open dialogue on different topics. We’ve got to have better relationships and better connections when talking to our teams.”
As part of AFMC Connect, “Let’s Get it Wright” is an initiative Shaffer helped devise alongside Col. Patrick Miller, 88 ABW and installation commander.
“We have a discussion about Airmen every day,” Shaffer said. “How do we get out and let our Airmen know the things that they care about are important to us? How do we show Airmen that the things that are important to them, we are actually discussing and trying to help them?”
“Let’s Get it Wright” mirrors AFMC Connect while also allowing for discussions on Airmen and letting them gain insight on leadership dialogue.
“The boss is an Airman and I am an Airman. We think the same things they do and we care about the same things they do,” said Shaffer. “We want to show them that we care. We know that there are concerns out there, and I think this is a good way to get after them.”
Miller and Shaffer unveiled “Let’s Get it Wright” in a pair of videos released in late 2020. The clips provide another opportunity to talk to Airmen while being mindful of COVID-19 and physical distancing.
“I think the hardest part of what is going on right now is that we’re not out as much as we’re used to. We’re not in those venues where we see people face to face,” Shaffer said. “The boss says it so many times, ‘It’s not social distancing, but it’s physical distancing and we need to stay socially connected.’
“This is another way of letting our Airmen know we are there for them.”
Making a connection with Airmen is one of the important takeaways from the video series, Shaffer added.
“I was at the commissary when an Airman walked up to me and said, ‘I saw your video and thank you so much. I believe you were talking to me,’” he said. “I don’t know if he would have walked up to me in a COVID environment because otherwise he may not have known who I am.
“Our videos are an unscripted dialogue. We talk about what we believe and what is in our hearts. We need Airmen to watch these videos and let us know what we said right or wrong and give us feedback because we need their input to make positive decisions for them.”
Shaffer wants Airmen to believe they can openly talk to the base command team.
“I’ll tell you the most important part of leadership is feedback,” he said. “It’s not about continually giving out orders and setting direction. It’s about getting feedback to know if what we’re doing is right.”
AFMC Connect has quarterly themes designed to connect monthly topics. The first-quarter focus is on “belonging” and the topic for January is “trust.”
The “Let’s Get it Wright” videos are available on the Wright-Patterson AFB website at www.wpafb.af.mil/. They can also be viewed on WPAFB’s Facebook page @wpafb.
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