HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Chuckles reverberated through the Hanscom Theater Monday afternoon as Chief Master Sgt. Henry Hayes, the installation command chief, held the second of a series of three talks on leadership and development for enlisted Airmen, officers and civilians.
Hayes’ informal speaking style, frequent crowd engagement and occasional self-effacement kept the audience engaged as he pulled off a difficult trick in front of military personnel: introducing new acronyms.
“One of the main tenets of my leadership style is inclusivity,” said Hayes. “I’ve kept a fallen leaf on my desk for months to remind me of what something as simple as a fallen leaf can teach us. For me, L.E.A.F. means ‘Leaders Evaluate All Facets.’ Your experience and perspective on a problem I’m facing could be the answer, so as a leader, I must evaluate all of your opinions.”
Approximately 60 base personnel attended Hayes’ talk. The chief asked all attendees to bring something they learned back to their unit, and to continue performing miracles as they manage weapons system programs relied on by Airmen in combat every day. The chief scheduled his final talk, tailored to senior non-commissioned officers, field grade officers and senior civilians, at 2 p.m., Oct. 30 at the Hanscom Theater.
In his time here, Hayes has made a point to include Airmen in educational trips he and other senior leaders take. The chief invited Senior Airman Kenneth McGuire, accounting technician with the 66th ABG comptroller squadron, to present lessons he learned during the September Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium in Oxon Hill, Maryland, with Hayes and Col. Roman Hund, installation commander.
McGuire explained his initial experiences at the squadron. “When I first arrived, I think they did it right and plugged me right into the accounting system,” he said. “During AFA, it dawned on me that it was, in fact, the way the Chief of Staff of the Air Force asked us to run our squadrons. We have to empower even the newest Airmen to learn, make mistakes and make decisions. Not all units are doing this, but I think Chief and Colonel Hund are actually focusing on squadron empowerment.”
Invitations to the chief’s talks specifically included civilians, who make up the bulk of Hanscom’s workforce. Those who attended had one message for fellow civilian employees: Attend Hayes’ next talk.
“I can’t remember the last time a command chief invited us, civilians, out to hear their take on leadership,” said Nancy Mansolillo, executive assistant to the 66th Air Base Group commander, who has worked at Hanscom since 1989. “It’s a perspective we need, and Chief Hayes is as personable on stage as he is in the office. I highly recommend it.”
Hayes became Hanscom’s command chief in August and is evaluating how often he will hold all-calls and sessions like these.