Leadership: The Air Dimension

By Colonel William Lewis

There are very few disciplines that receive as much attention and study as leadership. However, in spite of the myriad of articles, books, motivational speakers and
courses on the subject, there is clearly not a universally accepted understanding of the scope, breadth, competencies and application of leadership. As explained by Bennis and Nanus, “Leadership competencies have remained constant throughout the years, but our understanding of what it is, how it works, and the ways in which people learn to apply it has changed over the past decades.”1 There have been many publications on leadership in a military context, but the majority of the writings and empirical research is focused on the United States Army or, more generically, from a land-based construct. Arguably, this focus on army leadership is due to the  profession of arms’ preoccupation with the “combat-warrior” image.2   For more on this article follow http://www.airforce.forces.gc.ca/cfawc/eLibrary/Journal/Vol2-2009/Iss1-Winter/Sections/04-Leadership-The_Air_Dimension_e.pdf