running head: afpc: how leadership can get us there

Running head: AFPC: HOW LEADERSHIP CAN GET US THERE

Southwestern College

Fritz Soechting

LEAD 500: Leadership Styles and Theories

The Air Force Personnel Center—Where We Are, Where We Want to Be, and How Leadership

Can Get Us There

May 6, 2012

Dr. Ron Beach

Southwestern College Professional Studies

AFPC: HOW LEADERSHIP CAN GET US THERE

Abstract

Highly affective organizational leaders use a myriad of styles while leading their organization.

The styles and theories they invoke can have a tremendous and profound effect on the

organization's followers. The Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) is no different. Leadership at

AFPC is facing huge leadership challenges in calendar years 2012 and 2013. Leaders at all

levels of AFPC are faced with the challenge of transformation resulting from the higher

headquarters directed merger of three currently separate and autonomous organizations into one

by April 2013. An analysis of AFPC's vision statement, leadership proposals, planning, and

responses to interview and survey questions provides an in-depth analysis of how AFPC plans on

bridging the gaps between their strategic vision and actual performance of followers in achieving

it. Although in the very beginnings of the transformation; it is clear, based on analysis, that

organizational leadership inside AFPC uses a broad spectrum of leadership approaches, employs

sound change management techniques, and general leadership that is producing positive follower

behaviors. These behaviors seem to be moving the organization forward and towards its vision;

gapping the bridge between the current state and the desired end state.

AFPC: HOW LEADERSHIP CAN GET US THERE i

Table of Contents

Table of Contents i

Introduction 1

Where We Are 1

History 1

Mission 2

Organizational Structure 2

The Vision Statement 3

Where We Want To Be 4

Challenges and Opportunities 5

Communicating the Vision and the Plan 6

How Leadership Can Get Us There—Bridging the Gap 8

Leadership Actions & Behaviors 9

Conclusion 15

References 17

AFPC: HOW LEADERSHIP CAN GET US THERE 1

The Air Force Personnel Center—Where We Are, Where We Want To Be, and How Leadership

Can Get Us There

Most leaders have at least one defining moment in their careers and for Major General

Stewart, the Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) Commander; calendar years 2012 and 2013

could serve as the challenge that defines him as a leader. This report analyzes the current state of

the center by reviewing the center‟s organization and background and its vision statement. Next,

the report provides a review of the challenges and opportunities presented by higher headquarters

directed mission changes, the transformation of AFPC into the “New” AFPC. Additionally, an

overview of how the leadership actions, behaviors, and styles used by Maj Gen Stewart are

reviewed for their effects on leaders and followers in the center and affecting the transformation.

It is important to understand that this is not the first time AFPC has faced huge transformation

initiatives.

Where We Are

History

When first established in 1963, the center was called The Air Force Military Personnel

Center (AFMPC) and was a field extension of the Deputy Chief of Staff, for Personnel. In 1971,

AFMPC became a separate operating agency and in 1978, the name was changed to the Air

Force Manpower and Personnel Center because manpower and personnel functions from the

U.S. Air Force Headquarters level were integrated into the center (United States Air Force,

2011). However, in 1985, manpower was realigned and separated from personnel and the center

was again renamed the Air Force Military Personnel Center. The center, in its current form, was

the result of a consolidation of the Air Force Military Personnel Center and the Air Force

Civilian Personnel Management Center in 1995 (2011). In 2006, the Air and Space


Expeditionary Force Center, Langley AFB, Va., was attached to AFPC as a direct reporting unit

but was completely integrated as an AFPC directorate in 2007 (2011).

Mission

AFPC provides personnel services and support on United States Air Force (AF)

personnel programs to AF commanders, Airmen, civilian employees and their families through a

service center approach (United States Air Force, 2011). AFPC also directs the distribution of

military officers (Lt Col and below), enlisted Airmen (SMSgt and below), and the staffing of

civilian personnel (GS-15 and below) (2011). In addition, AFPC plans and executes the Air and

Space Expeditionary Force, or AEF (2011).

AFPC also oversees the following personnel programs: performance evaluations,

promotions, retirements, separations, awards, decorations, uniforms, education, personnel

procurement, disability processing and the Air Force's voting program (United States Air Force,

2011). Finally, AFPC serves as the AF manager for the primary military and civilian personnel

data systems for active-duty, Reserve, Guard and civilian personnel (2011).

Organizational Structure

AFPC is led by Major General A. J. Stewart (Commander), SES Dr. Todd A. Fore

(Executive Director) and Chief Master Sergeant Ruben Gonzalez (Command Chief). AFPC‟s

manpower currently consists of approximately 2,400 military, civilian and contractor personnel

(United States Air Force, 2011). The center‟s personnel management programs affect over

330,000 active-duty members and 150,000 civilian employees (2011). The center is currently

comprised of seven directorates with each directorate managing several key programs.


The Vision Statement

AFPC‟ current vision statement is, “Trusted partner providing agile, seamless,

transparent customer support capability for our Air Force, Airmen and families, anytime,

anywhere” (Headquarters Air Force Personnel Center, 2011, p. 2). AFPC forges a strategic plan

based on the balanced scorecard, see Figure 1 below. This state-of-the-industry approach to

managing strategy incorporates quality management and lean thinking, and, “integrates them

with resourcing to provide the optimal context from which senior leaders can make deliberate,

responsible, forward-leaning decisions on behalf of the enterprise” (Headquarters Air Force

Personnel Center, 2011, p. 8). A1 is the higher headquarters element which AFPC reports to.

Figure 1 represents A1‟s scorecard and shows how AFPC champions two business processes.

Figure 1. AF/A1 Balanced Scorecard “Dog House.” AFPC is champion on two initiatives

in Business Processes. (Headquarters Air Force Personnel Center, 2011).


The center‟s strategic plan stipulates that, “[AFPC] provides products and services to our

customers each day. To ensure success, we‟ve created a framework that aligns with AF/A1

Balanced Scorecard and the Air Force Strategic Plan and Guidance [see figure 2 below]”

(Headquarters Air Force Personnel Center, 2011, p. 10). Organizational leadership at AFPC has

done a thorough job of implementing directives and policies which provide lower level

leadership with the flexibility and empowerment necessary to execute the vision and carry out

the strategy.

Figure 2. AFPC’s Balanced Scorecard. (Headquarters Air Force Personnel Center, 2011)

Where We Want To Be

On 1 December, 2011, Brigadier General Darrell Jones announced that AFPC, The Air

Force Manpower Agency (AFMA), and the Air Force Services Agency (AFSVA) would

transform into one organization with an interim operating capability (IOC) within 90 to 120 days


(Jones, 2011). He cited the following as reasoning for the transformation, “Consolidating the

FOAs will allow the A1 [personnel management] community to streamline processes, identify

efficiencies, and reduce overhead. In this consolidation, we will optimize our ability to provide a

full range of products and services for human resource management utilizing a flexible and

multi-skilled workforce” (2011). AFPC‟s Commander, Maj Gen Stewart, is the lead for this

transformation. The challenges and opportunities presented by such a transformation will be

historical but as we learned from the history of AFPC, it has been done before. AFPC and

AFMA have been combined once before and AFSVA was originally a part of AFPC so the

merging of these entities has some precedence. However, there will be plenty of challenges and

opportunities with this transformation.

Challenges and Opportunities

One challenge presented by the transformation will be the change itself and the stages

inherent to it. The planning and implementation of change combined with the tasks of

identifying efficiencies (seeking out antiquated or duplicated processes in the merger,

downsizing personnel where needed, and leveraging technology where able etc.) will require a

cross-functional effort but in the beginnings, managing change will be the biggest challenge

[presented to senior leadership at AFPC. As you can see, there are opportunities inside the

challenge that will enable lean thinking and open the door for innovation. With the loss of over

600 personnel positions in the transformation, there will be many challenges and even more

opportunities in all areas of leadership, management, and supervision (Jones, 2011). As part of

the change and future development of the combined field operating agencies (FOAs), leadership

needs to develop the plan to get us there by starting with the vision for where we want to be.


The gap between AFPC‟s state now and the state we want to be in is wide. AFMA and

AFSVA already have visions for their autonomous end states and so does AFPC. What happens

to those visions in the merger? The indications so far are that they will become part of the new

organizations vision statement. Maj Gen Stewart is supportive of letting the current AFMA and

AFSVA leadership to continue to set certain strategic direction for their agencies as they become

directorates under the new consolidated organizations as part of the IOC plan (A.J. Stewart,

personal communication, 24 Apr 12). However, he also understands that it is important to lay

the foundations for the future and in the future, strategic direction for AFMA and AFSVA will

come from the Commander of the new organization.

The decision was announced, in a public meeting on Randolph Air Force Base, that the

new organization would retain its current name, AFPC. This “new” AFPC wants to be better

than the old one, leaner, more efficient, taking advantage of the merger instead of suffering ill

effects from, it (A.J. Stewart, personal communication, 24 Apr 12). By April 2013, the new

AFPC should be fully operational providing all the personnel services that AFPC has always

provided but with the addition of those that used to be provided by AFMA and AFSVA (Jones,

2011). This new organization needs to start thinking now, about a plan and vision to get there.

Communicating the Vision and the Plan

On 5 May 2012, the author accompanied Maj Gen Stewart as he delivered presentations

unveiling his vision and strategic direction to high and mid-level leaders from AFSVA, AFMA,

and AFPC. The General‟s message was succinct, very inspirational, and well focused on the

management of change from the strategic leader perspective. The presentations revealed the new

vision and mission statements.


The “New” AFPC Vision

“One Team, One Family, One Mission. Innovative, multi-talented, customer-focused

professionals delivering next-generation Force Support solutions” (A.J. Stewart, personal

communication, 5 May 12).

The “New” AFPC Mission Statement

“Define Requirements; Develop and Deliver: Airmen, Community Programs, and

Capabilities for the Air Force and the Joint Team (A.J. Stewart, personal communication, 5 May

12).

The new vision and mission statements capture key elements of transformational

leadership such as identifying and articulating a vision and intellectual stimulation (Podsakoff,

MacKenzie, Moorman, & Fetter, 2011). You could see the ice melting with some of the leaders

and managers while some seemed to be digging in deeper and preparing for even more levels of

resistance. However, General Stewart recognized this and was aware of its presence before he

even entered into the rooms to brief these leaders (A.J. Stewart, personal communication, 5 May

12). The General‟s main points always referred to something just beyond the new vision, a new

culture.

One of General Stewart‟s main concerns is the development of a culture that embraces

change and believes in the need for change (A.J. Stewart, personal communication, 5 May 12).

Figure 3 below is the General‟s take on where we are now as three separate entities with three

independent cultures. His vision and direction tells us that we want these three cultures to merge

into one of shared and like values, “One Team, One Family, One Mission” (5 May 2012).

General Stewart believes that while he has the authority to direct change, he needs to try and


manage the change in a way that results in a change of hearts and minds (5 May 2012). The

intelligence and instinct of the general in leading this change and imparting his vision should

serve him well in the months ahead (Gardner, 2006). However, as Maj Gen Stewart readily

admits, it takes more than words to transform an organization; it will take strong leadership

action to bridge the gap between AFPC‟s current state and the desired state.

Figure 3. The “New” AFPC’s Current Culture State (A.J. Stewart, personal communication,

5 May 12).


How Leadership can get us There—Bridging the Gap

Brown (et al.) define ethical leadership as, “…the demonstration of normatively

appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal relationships, and the promotion

of such conduct to followers through two-way communication, reinforcement and decision

making” (Brown, Trevino, & Harrison, 2011, p. 427). From the author‟s personal observations,

AFPC‟s senior leadership, Maj General Stewart and Dr. Fore, fit perfectly with this definition of

leadership. General Stewart and Dr. Fore are almost always together even if the General is doing

the briefing, concerning the transformation and the imparting of strategic vision and direction,

they always present a united front. However, as the center‟s commander, Maj Gen Stewart is in

a position of great responsibility and pressure concerning the transformation. He is the one

ultimately responsible for the success of the transformation. Therefore, it is important to analyze

the actions, behaviors, and styles of leadership demonstrated by Maj Gen Stewart.

Leadership Actions and Behaviors

Maj Gen Stewart understands his role in managing the change, “I set the vision and

strategic direction, with the help of my leadership team, and they ultimately make the vision a

reality” (A.J. Stewart, personal communication, 5 May 12). Pierce and Newstrom find that the

executive leader can have both a direct and indirect impact on the external and internal

environments in an organization (Pierce & Newstrom, 2011). However, the authors‟ most

striking reference to a leader such as Maj Gen Stewart comes when they say, “…top-level

leaders create the culture of the organization, which in-turn impacts the strength of commitment

displayed by members throughout the organization” (2011, p. 447). This has been this author‟s

observation over the last 20 months of service with Maj Gen Stewart but most importantly since

late 2011 when the higher headquarters transformation was announced. It is clear to any


observer of his actions and behaviors that Maj Gen Stewart has had a positive influence on the

culture at AFPC. However, in relation to the transformation, General Stewart also understands

that he has to impart that same culture to the two newly arriving organizations that will soon be

under his command. The General‟s awareness of his role transcends that of transactional

behaviors to high levels of transformational behaviors.

Based on surveys distributed by the author to followers from the Airman Assignments

division of AFPC, all of the respondents (42 in total) consider General Stewart to be charismatic

(F. Soechting, AFPC Leadership Survey, April, 23, 2012). Bass and Steidlmeier had this to say

about authentic transformational and charismatic leaders, “Followers identify with the

charismatic leaders‟ aspirations and want to emulate the leaders. If the leadership is

transformational, its charisma or idealized influence is envisioning, confident, and sets high

standards for emulation” (Bass & Steidlmeier, 2004, p. 2). Maj Gen Stewart‟s followers want to

emulate his behaviors and his leadership is considered by them to be envisioning and

inspirational (F. Soechting, AFPC Leadership Survey, April, 23, 2012). Based on observation,

it is clear that General Stewart and other leaders on his team are embedded in a leader driven

culture of equality that transcends mere behavioral compliance with authoritative direction but

rather relies on a change of heart in the follower inspired by intellectual stimulation provided by

General Stewart himself (Bass & Steidlmeier, 2004). Another facet of leadership that will drive

AFPC forward is the sense of leader-follower relations and its ties to transformational leadership

behaviors.

Again, Maj Gen Stewart displays, buy his behaviors and actions, a keen sense of the

Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) model or its variations (Scandura, 2011). General Stewart is

very sensitive to perceived groupings in the transformation of AFPC and is critical of the


implications that his behaviors might have on perceptions of organizational justice (2011). A

glaring example of this is the care in which the “New” AFPC „s vision statements includes the

term “family”, a nod to AFSVA, and “requirements”, a nod to AFMA (A.J. Stewart, personal

communication, 5 May 12) . These are positive behaviors that are indicative of transformational

leadership styles and another hallmark of the General‟s positive influence. General Stewart‟s

strongest influence seems to stem from his ability to leverage his charisma in the development of

a positive culture. His keen sense of diversity and the value of culture seem to inspire others to

see the world the way he does. Like Jack Welch, General Stewart believes in establishing flatter

organizations and knocking down boundaries (Pandya & Shell, 2006). Figure 4 below is one

example he used to inspire his leadership team to the new culture. He highlights the bricked in

arches on the left and the way that the openness of the arches in the original building design was

bricked over at some later point and the wide open space was reduced to a small window. The

“New” AFPC construction design will re-open those windows to their full capacity and the new

interior floor plans will be low walled open structures with no “boundaries” (A.J. Stewart,

personal communication, 5 May 12).

Figure 4. The “New” AFPC’s Boundaryless Infrastructure (A.J. Stewart, personal



A boundaryless organization is the General‟s ultimate vision and direction for where we

want to be in the “New” AFPC, “I want to tear down the stovepipes that separate one part of our

organization from another. There are stovepipes in AFPC now and I am sure that there are

stovepipes in AFSVA and AFMA in their current state as well” (A.J. Stewart, personal

communication, 5 May 12). General Stewart and Dr. Fore both stressed the importance of doing

away with this cylindrical thinking and mindsets. They envision an AFPC that is willing to

innovate and work cross functionally. If you refer back to Figure 4, the “To-Be” picture

provides a visual of the “New” AFPC‟s physical infrastructure; however, there are no pictures

yet of the organizational infrastructure, see Figure 5. This presents another challenge, probably

one of the toughest challenges for General Stewart and his team: what will the “New” AFPC

look like at full operational capability (FOC)?

Figure 5. Current Versus FOC Organizational Structure (A.J. Stewart, personal


While General Stewart and his team of planners have some ideas about what the “New”

AFPC‟s organizational schema might look like, there are still too many issues to overcome just

to get the new organization to IOC. Combine these challenges with the challenges and plans that


each organization was already pursuing, autonomously, and you can start to see the many

challenges and opportunities on the horizon, see Figure 6. General Stewart told his leadership

team that to get these milestones accomplished, while working towards the transformation,

would require all team members to run while changing, see Figure 7 below (A.J. Stewart,

personal communication, 10 Apr 12) .

Figure 6. “New” AFPC Milestones—30K Foot View--2012 (A.J. Stewart, personal

communication, 10 Apr 12).

This is quite the challenge, indeed, “I wish we could just announce that AFPC, AFSVA,

and AFMA were shutting down for a year while we work out the details of our merger and

reopen as the “New” AFPC a year from now, but that is not going to happen” (A.J. Stewart,

personal communication, 10 Apr 12). However, General Stewart‟s transformational, and honest

leadership approach, lends itself well to inspiring his team towards the vision. As Kirkpatrick

and Locke found, traits like those possessed by General Stewart, do matter (Kirkpatrick &

Locke, 2011). General Stewart has many of the traits that these authors wrote about: drive,


motivation, and most of all, honesty and integrity (2011). General Stewart emulates McCall and

Lombardo‟s formula for successful leadership, “I will do exactly what I say I will do when I say

I will do it. If I change my mind, I will tell you well in advance so you will not be harmed by my

actions” (as cited in Kilpatrick & Locke, 2011, p. 75). Of final note concerning the leadership

behaviors and actions presented and observed by the author are the types of power on display in

General Stewart‟s actions.

Figure 7. Managing the Challenge of Run and Change (A.J. Stewart, personal


Maj Gen Stewart is well aware of his legitimate and coercive power bases, “I have been a

Commander 6 times. I know I can tell Airmen to do this and that and they will do it but I want to

change their hearts, I want them to want to do it” A.J. Stewart, personal communication, 5 May

12). This is a testament to his visionary style and charismatic, authentic leadership base.

However, his military and civilian followers seem to respond well to this and General Stewart‟s

behaviors so far extend well beyond those usually implemented by military leaders. His extra


efforts seem to be creating a climate that produces the highest levels of effort and inspiration in

his followers, indicative of charismatic, transformational leadership (Hollander, 2011 ). Maj Gen

Stewart is also a visionary leader and this could cause some problems for him during the

transformation.

The author‟s observations, surveys, and interview data have provided a great deal of

insight into the mind and heart of General Stewart and he truly lives in the vision of the

institutions future. He possesses a deep desire to change the hearts of his followers while forging

a vision of the future and exploring new boundaries. This desire to change the hearts and minds

of his followers is testament to his status as a visionary leader. This also introduces implications

such as those proposed by Conger (1990), “…such personal visions encourage the leader to

expend enormous amounts of energy, passion, and resources on getting them off the ground”

(Conger, 2011, p. 405). However, the General‟s career path indicates he knows when to throttle

back and he has surrounded himself with successful, intelligent, and compassionate team

members who will also keep him in balance. The General is faced with a truly complex and

challenge riddled task. However, he has chosen to tackle it through and incredible, energy filled

combination of inspiration and perspiration which mirrors the man himself.

Conclusion

AFPC is faced with tremendous challenges in the next two years and the gap between the

current state (Where We Are) and the desired state (Where We Want to Be) is almost

inconceivable in its complications. The three autonomous organizations, AFPC, AFSVA, and

AFMA, already had their own challenges as a separate entity. Now they have the added

challenge of merging as one under new leadership but with 600 fewer personnel. General

Stewart is the AF lead for this transformation, it is left to him and his team to plan and execute


the transformation. However, he does have the advantage of historical precedence on his side, as

presented earlier, this is not the first time the organization has undergone similar transformations.

Additionally, research so far indicates that Maj Gen Stewart has a strong influence on his

followers as survey data indicates he is considered charismatic and honest (F. Soechting, AFPC

Leadership Survey, April, 23, 2012). This combined with the General‟s repeated focus on

winning the hearts and minds of his followers instead of forcing the transformation with an

autocratic hand, indicate to the observer that this transformation is in good hands. Maj Gen

Stewart‟s honesty and open communication behaviors lead to trust and devotion in his followers

and his attention to detail in managing this change extends well beyond that normally taken by

military leaders in similar situations. While it is unknown whether Maj Gen Stewart‟s behaviors,

actions, and planning will be successful, it is clear that he has had a positive impact on his

followers and that his visions for the future are well planned and meticulously executed so far.

Once an analysis of the visions and planning for this transformation are complete, it becomes

clear that the gap between the current state and the end state are bridgeable and, in most respects

seem natural as if this was the way it should have been all along. It is also clear that that is

exactly as Maj General Stewart desires it. If this change is General Stewart‟s defining moment

as a leader, research so far indicates that it will define him as a leader amongst leaders.


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running head: afpc: how leadership can get us there

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