Reinvention Tips: Undercover Angel Reinvention Excerpt

Monday, May 19, 2008

Back Story:

It was my second year in the Air Force in the midst of Operation Desert Storm. My supervisors were sent to Kuwait and I remained behind-stateside and suddenly put in charge of retired military drivers and enlisted Airmen-like myself.

“After all, one day I was their equal and the next day I was their supervisor. This had to be a hard pill to swallow, considering my age (twenty-one) and gender. I remembered what I learned in basic training: “never make or accept an excuse.” This went over like a lead balloon. I felt like the Gestapo as I declined excuse after excuse over the next few weeks. The men didn’t recognize the new and improved, firm and authoritative Lisa. The grumbling began. They resented my power and made the smallest gestures to ensure I knew it; they snatched keys from my hand, gave me the evil eye and turned their backs on me as I relayed their assignments to them. I felt betrayed. They made it clear that they were OK working with me but not for me.

With the knowledge that men and women were sacrificing their lives defending our allies across the world, the last thing I wanted to concern myself with was how these men treated me. I pretended that our safe stateside base was in the middle of Desert Storm and no one was going to get in the way of completing our daily missions. I learned that change is first ridiculed, and then questioned, before it is ultimately accepted.

Par for the course, the men mocked my authority, questioned why I was chosen to lead them and tested me, before adapting to their new leader. It took nearly six weeks for them to accept my appointment and a few more weeks for them to socialize with me as they had before.I efficiently ran our unit as if my life depended on it. Less than a year later, I was nominated for and won the prestigious honor of Airman of the Year Worldwide for the Logistics Squadrons.”

Staying the course wasn’t always easy for me but I learned that remaining steadfast and persistent proved to be rewarding.

Lisa Lockwood is a Speaker, Author & Reinvention Expert
She can be reached at Lisa@LisaLockwood.com www.LisaLockwood.com

(This piece is copyrighted; please credit the author if you intend to use it.)

Labels: empowerment, Lisa Lockwood, reinvention, self-help, Undercover Angel

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Reinvention Tips

Undercover Angel Reinvention Excerpt

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