TRANSITION CENTER

Professionals embody practices and behaviors that set them apart.

I recently read THE CHECKLIST MANIFESTO by Dr. Atul Gawande. I have a history in aviation, so I was familiar with checklists and intrigued by the book’s title. Dr. Gawande, a general and endocrine surgeon in Boston, related the checklist concept to medicine and several other professions. Regardless of profession, checklists amplify good behaviors and minimize preventable human errors.

 “We need a different strategy for overcoming failure, one that builds on  experience and takes advantage of the knowledge people have, but somehow also makes up for our inevitable human inadequacies. And there is such a strategy—though it will seem almost ridiculous in its simplicity, maybe even crazy to those of us who have spent years carefully developing ever more advanced skills and technologies. It is a checklist” 

Dr. Atul Gawande THE CHECKLIST MANIFESTO p. 13

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“One key to successful leadership is continuous personal change. Personal change is a reflection of our inner growth and empowerment.” – Robert E. Quinn

I’m writing this article many years after my first shot at being in an upper management position, over a group of civilians. This position was offered to me after being in the military, where I was trained how to “manage troops”. First of all, if you’re a veteran, thank you for your service. I mean that from the bottom of my heart. I’m the daughter of a twenty year military veteran and my grandfather is a twenty year military veteran as well. I have several other family members who served honorably and I could list other family members who are presently serving in the military. I have a lot of respect for those who choose to serve our country.

I served in the Air Force as a reservist for ten years, working in the medical and flight medical service. I was honorably discharged as a Technical Sergeant (E-6). While being in the reserves, I also worked full time in civilian emergency medical services (EMS) as a Nationally Registered Paramedic, and I was often promoted to leadership positions at my civilian jobs because of my military training. I’ve learned a few important differences between these two leadership settings, and I wish to pass this along to other military veterans who may be placed in a position to lead civilian employees.

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When I was out of work, I began reading a column in the local paper by a career coach named Eli Amdur. I have actually had the privilege of speaking with Mr. Amdur either on the phone or via email and he is always willing to help, especially Veterans. One of his articles, which I have used to instruct in my resume writing class, was the top 20 resume mistakes to avoid when applying for a job. Below is a list of those 20 mistakes, of which, Mr. Amdur has found 19 on one resume. This is because one of these mistakes cannot exist with the presence of the other.

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I joined the Army in 2006 with the goal of getting out. That might sound strange, but in 2004, while living in my car in San Diego I’d made a 10-year plan. I had a pathway in mind to where I wanted to be at the end of my service. Part of my plan was to be strategic about using my GI-Bill. I wanted to maximize how I used it in conjunction with tuition assistance.

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Many veterans have the financial resources for higher education with benefits ranging from Tuition Assistance to the variations of the GI Bill. Where they need assistance is finding the right colleges and universities that truly deliver successful outcomes for their students. 

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Following up with a mentor seems simple– send an email, schedule a call. But too often hear “I lost touch with my mentor, I wish I had followed up but then 2 months passed and I felt awkward reaching back out.” First, don’t feel awkward about messaging 2 months later. Your mentors are there when you need them, even if it’s been a while since you spoke. But when you find the right mentor (personality, knowledge, skills-match), don’t leave things to chance. Schedule up a follow-up in the next 2 or 4 weeks. Here are 3 hidden benefits of following-up (that you don’t get in conversation #1):

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If you’re working with a mentor for the first time, you might be unsure about how to evaluate and apply all the advice that you receive. What I want to tell you here is that it is all up to you.

When I mentor someone, I say up front, “This is not about me. You should ignore anything I say or recommend that doesn’t fit your personality or focus. You should not worry about hurting my feelings.” Here are a few ways to figure out how you can use the advice that a mentor gives you.

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As a disabled veteran myself, I understand that many veterans have their reasons for not taking the time to research filing for benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). You’ve heard all the horror stories of backlogs and denials. And you may think, why apply for a handout when so many others have it so much worse?

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Reading should be a significant component of your military transition and there are many reasons why. It’s imperative to build and sustain daily or weekly habits of improving oneself through reading and introspection. Those that stop learning will become stagnant in other areas of their lives. How do you expect to push your limits past your uncomfortable boundaries into success without persistence, discipline, and determination?

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