A521.1.4.RB_BorutyAlan_Stories in Your Organization

Organizational Stories

I retired from the USAF eleven years ago (so it is possible that things have changed), but at that time I do not recall storytelling being used as a leadership tool.  If used properly, I can understand how it is a powerful and effective way to influence employees in a positive manner.  But, I never performed a storytelling session like Stephen Denning describes in his book, “The Leader’s Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative”.  He explains that not only is it important to tell the right story, but the story must be told right.  To help improve storytelling skills Denning suggested that consideration be given to style, truth, preparation, and delivery for each story (Denning, 2011).   The purpose of leadership is not only to get people to change, it is to get people to want to change.  Why would one choose storytelling to do that?  According to Denning in a TEDx Talk, it is the only thing that works (2012).   A bold statement indeed.  I cannot say I agree that it is the only thing that works, but it could be the most effective.   Until this class I was unaware that storytelling was even an option for leaders.  Looking back now, I can see examples of good leaders using storytelling effectively; it just was not called storytelling at the time.

There are always stories being told in a large organizations and the Air Force is no different.  Some stories are as individual as the teller.  They are important and they serve a purpose (normally to entertain), but they do not linger and they leave no mark.  There are also stories of legend.  They are passed on from storyteller to storyteller and they make up the history of the organization to include important people and their contributions and the evolution of the organization including name changes, mission statement changes and significant accomplishments along the way.  The specific details of these stories are rarely questioned, but the major points are never altered.  These stories are the history, the heritage, and the source of unit pride for everyone assigned.  Then there are stories captured during ordinary operations when, without warning, the extraordinary becomes the requirement.  These stories define an organization.  That is exactly what happened to the 552 Air Control Wing, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma on September 11, 2001. 

That morning terrorists executed simultaneous attacks on multiple targets in the United States.  Each attack involved hijacked civilian aircraft.  America was in shock.  Almost immediately, every scheduled flight in the United States was cancelled.  Every flight that was airborne was ordered to land at the nearest airfield; those that did not land immediately were escorted by military fighter aircraft.  With few exceptions, the only aircraft allowed in American airspace was Air Force One, fighter escorts, and E-3 (AWACS) surveillance aircraft.  The 552 ACW was tasked to provide 24-hour surveillance of all U. S. airspace to enforce no-fly orders and exercise command and control of every authorized flight, a monumental tasking by every account. Many said it was physically impossible to do with the available resources and many agreed.  At the time of the tasking, AWACS was deployed in support of operations in three different theaters around the world.  Those aircraft could not be brought back to support homeland defense tasks.  Tinker is the major repair facility for the E3; many of the aircraft were undergoing repairs and scheduled inspections.  Simple math concluded that there were not enough available aircraft to sustain the mission for more than a day or two, if at all.  The situation was bleak and getting worse as Airmen began to understand that failure was likely.

The 552 ACW Commander was already arranging large assemblies where he spoke to most of his Airmen about the situation and the importance of their role.in the operation.  Twenty minutes later different people left the auditorium energized to accomplish what could not be done.  And that is exactly what they did.  In less than four hours, they achieved total airspace coverage.  They sustained that full coverage without a break in coverage for over a month with the resources they had.  Schedules had to be accelerated, parts had to be shared between aircraft.  Flight crews had to endure extended flights awaiting an aircraft to relieve them, but the attitude was now ‘whatever it takes’.  Everyone in the organization had to sacrifice to make it all happen.  There were no complaints; cooperation was the norm.  It would not have worked any other way.  Eventually help arrived. Canadian crews flew missions and aircraft returning from deployment added much needed assets.  But the significance of their accomplishment is forever recorded and recognized.  It speaks to the determination, integrity, and selfless sacrifice for the greater good. These traits are in line the organizational values expected of all its members.

During all of this, I was stationed at RAF Lakenheath, England.  I witnessed none of it.  I do not know what the commander said during his talks with his people, but it had to have been the right story told the right way.  The effect was powerful.  It inspired people that had accepted failure as the likely outcome, to succeed beyond all expectations.  The story is told wholly or in part, frequently. The numbers and statistics recorded are amazing and will not likely be repeated any time soon and will hopefully never need to be.

This story defines the 552 ACW.  It is pride, accomplishment, never quit attitude, and innovation bundled in a way that, at the time, created magic and continues to instill those values in newly assigned Airmen today.  I returned to Tinker in March of 2002.  Continuous 24-hour coverage had just ended.  Presidential escort missions flown by crews residing in alert facilities on dedicated aircraft in alert configuration were still on going when I retired in August of 2005.

References:

Denning, S. (2011). The Leader's Guide to Storytelling: Mastering the Art and Discipline of Business Narrative. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Denning, S, (2012) TEDx Talks. Storytelling -- The Secret Key to Leadership. Accessed 2016, August 13 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2012/01/12/tedx-storytelling-the-secret-key-to-leadership/#6fbde3de4a4c