Author Topic: Is Leadership dead?  (Read 6043 times)

Offline Kermit de frog

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Is Leadership dead?
« on: June 01, 2010, 12:44:01 AM »
See Rule #4
« Last Edit: June 07, 2010, 09:51:12 AM by Skuzzy »
Time's fun when you're having flies.

Offline swareiam

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2010, 08:08:29 PM »
Wow!  :confused:

What did I miss?

Regardless, as always. Well stated Kermit.

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Offline Spikes

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2010, 08:50:01 PM »
I don't understand why this is posted because I normally don't fly events outside of FSO, but Kermit I think you have a calling as a motivational speaker bro.

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Offline 4440

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2010, 08:54:59 PM »
But it also takes prior leadership to instill the virtues and benefits of future leadership.

Some leaders are born great great, yet others need insight to realize it.

Offline Masherbrum

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2010, 03:41:48 PM »
After all of the Drama from the last Scenario (which after 8 years of playing this game, was my first one), I'll probably never participate in another one.   It's a shame too, I had fun. 

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Offline fudgums

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2010, 03:44:14 PM »
After all of the Drama from the last Scenario (which after 8 years of playing this game, was my first one), I'll probably never participate in another one.   It's a shame too, I had fun. 



you flew in TFB?
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Offline Masherbrum

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2010, 03:59:32 PM »
you flew in TFB?

Yep.   I flew Tempests with my CO Lute.   All of us had fun, singing on Range going into the Fights.   Hell, even Drex was my wingman.   What's not to love about someone from Michigan singing "Oklahoma!" on Range/Squad vox to someone in OK and they're loving it!?   

Unfortunately, some drama unfolded prior to the last Frame.   Someone on the Axis side changed their plans "in light of recent developments".   When it backfired, they "placed blame on others" and not themselves for believing it in the first.

I doubt JG26 will be missed in the next one.   
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Offline Kermit de frog

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2010, 05:45:17 PM »
But it also takes prior leadership to instill the virtues and benefits of future leadership.

Some leaders are born great great, yet others need insight to realize it.

That reminds me of a quote I heard in High School.  (I just searched on google for it.)
"Some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them"
-William Shakespeare

From what I remember, greatness was leadership, with each of the three parts having deep meanings I've forgotten.

What quotes on Leadership do any of you believe in, that you'd be willing to share?  Anyone with an empty cup can benefit from your sharing of words.

Here is another quote:
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
-John Quincy Adams


Time's fun when you're having flies.

Offline SuBWaYCH

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2010, 05:50:01 PM »
I don't think leadership is dead, I think that the leaders need to find themselves again. I am by no means a good leader but I do what I must to maintain the fun in the scenario's and snapshots.
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Offline WMLute

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2010, 11:03:48 PM »
I have had leadership roles in a quite a few Scenarios.  (either as a GL or XO) 

Each time, after it is all said and done, I tell myself "never again".

It is a combination of many factors but the bottom line is it ain't easy being the CO/XO.  You have to be able to be able to commit to the role and be ready to spend a ton of time and effort on it.  I know for the last Scenario I prob. averaged 2 hours a day on it for a solid month and 1/2.
(some days less, some days more, but that is prob. fairly close)

If you do your job well, expect grief from the other side.  If THEY do their job well, expect grief from your side.  It is hard to balance the fun factor and achieving victory; the two are not always the same and sometimes you have to sacrifice one for the other.  (more grief)

I really would like to see more communication between the leadership of both sides for future Scenarios and have CM involvement.  Maybe gather once a week, just the CO/XO's and the CM's. so they can talk out what just happened in the last frame.  I know there is an debrief thing we do immediately after the frame, but I would limit the meeting to ONLY the CO/XO/CM as they will be able to talk with a bit more candor if it is just them.

Like Subway I don't think leadership is dead, but many of the really 'great' leaders in this game have reached the same conclusion I did and have the "never again" attitude.  You work your tookus off for almost two months and, win or loose,  end up getting an incredible amount of grief from the community when all is said and done.

I am sure next year I will be up for another go at it 'cause I am stupid like that, and I hope that many others that have burned out will give it another try down the road.
"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."
— George Patton

Absurdum est ut alios regat, qui seipsum regere nescit

Offline Kermit de frog

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #10 on: June 03, 2010, 11:41:39 PM »
I have had leadership roles in a quite a few Scenarios.  (either as a GL or XO) 

Each time, after it is all said and done, I tell myself "never again".

It is a combination of many factors but the bottom line is it ain't easy being the CO/XO.  You have to be able to be able to commit to the role and be ready to spend a ton of time and effort on it.  I know for the last Scenario I prob. averaged 2 hours a day on it for a solid month and 1/2.
(some days less, some days more, but that is prob. fairly close)

If you do your job well, expect grief from the other side.  If THEY do their job well, expect grief from your side.  It is hard to balance the fun factor and achieving victory; the two are not always the same and sometimes you have to sacrifice one for the other.  (more grief)

I really would like to see more communication between the leadership of both sides for future Scenarios and have CM involvement.  Maybe gather once a week, just the CO/XO's and the CM's. so they can talk out what just happened in the last frame.  I know there is an debrief thing we do immediately after the frame, but I would limit the meeting to ONLY the CO/XO/CM as they will be able to talk with a bit more candor if it is just them.

Like Subway I don't think leadership is dead, but many of the really 'great' leaders in this game have reached the same conclusion I did and have the "never again" attitude.  You work your tookus off for almost two months and, win or loose,  end up getting an incredible amount of grief from the community when all is said and done.

I am sure next year I will be up for another go at it 'cause I am stupid like that, and I hope that many others that have burned out will give it another try down the road.


What do you wish to accomplish with these meetings between frames and amongst the CO/XO/CM?

Most people here do not care if they win or lose, as we are all here to have fun in the journey a scenario can provide.  Why must a decision be made to accept more grief to obtain victory?

As with life, while you get what you put in, nothing is guaranteed.  Leading these scenarios is a lot of work, but this is why there are GL and players that help share the workload through delegation.  Thus anyone can lead a scenario without much hours, as long as you can delegate, maintain good character and understand the reason why we are all here.  I've seen a few scenarios require very little hours by the CO.  I've seen players put more hours into scenarios when compared to GLs or even COs.  Many AH players enjoy helping GLs and COs, in their journey, all you have to do is ask.  :)
Time's fun when you're having flies.

Offline WMLute

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #11 on: June 04, 2010, 12:19:41 AM »
It is very import. that communication is kept up between both sides and that both leadership and the CM's focus on what is best for the players in the Scenario.  It is clear that in the last Scenario, both sides had a diff. opinion on the write up and the focus of the Scenario.  Do you not agree that a simple conversation would have cleared it right up?

It is very import. that an "us vs them" mentality doesn't happen with the leadership of both sides.  The best way to avoid that is communication.  Both sides are 'in it to win it' but the enjoyment of the players on BOTH sides needs to be taken into consideration while the Scenario is running.

Not quite sure what you are asking re: the grief vs. victory.

As far as delegation, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. 

" Delegating work works, provided the one delegating works, too. "
- Robert Half

There's a leadership quote for ya'.

Here is one of my fav's.

“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”
- Lao Tzu
"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."
— George Patton

Absurdum est ut alios regat, qui seipsum regere nescit

Offline WMLute

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #12 on: June 04, 2010, 12:23:30 AM »
It is very import. that communication is kept up between both sides and that both leadership and the CM's focus on what is best for the players in the Scenario.  It is clear that in the last Scenario, both sides had a diff. opinion on the write up and the focus of the Scenario.  Do you not agree that a simple conversation would have cleared it right up?

It is also very import. that an "us vs them" mentality doesn't happen with the leadership on both sides.  The best way to avoid that is communication.  Both sides are 'in it to win it' but the enjoyment of the players on BOTH sides needs to be taken into consideration while the Scenario is running.

Not quite sure what you are asking re: the grief vs. victory.

As far as delegation, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. 

" Delegating work works, provided the one delegating works, too. "
- Robert Half

There's a leadership quote for ya'.

Here is one of my fav's.

“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”
- Lao Tzu
"Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity."
— George Patton

Absurdum est ut alios regat, qui seipsum regere nescit

Offline Guppy35

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #13 on: June 04, 2010, 01:25:26 AM »
Just my opinion, and purely based on scenario experience.

The priority of the COs, XOs and GLs first and foremost needs to be on providing the best possible experience for the players on both teams.

The second the priority becomes more on scores and 'winning', everyone loses

The beauty of a scenario is it offers the opportunity to combine the history so many of us crave and the teamwork that can come from flying the operations that scenarios provide that are so different from the MA.

That doesn't mean that it shouldn't be competitive, but too often folks get lost in trying to 'game' the scenario rules and forget that it's about the actual scenario experience not the points.

The greatest thing AH has to offer is that moment in a scenario where you get lost in the radio chatter, the sight of all those planes, and when you get sucked into the 'cockpit' and it feels as real as it can in a computer game.

One of the moments I was proudest of, during DGS was when there was a time where we could have raised some question about something the other side did, and it may have impacted the 'points'.  To a man the CO, XO and GLs all said, forget it.  We'd had fun and enjoyed the event, and it didn't matter beyond that.
Dan/CorkyJr
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Offline Kermit de frog

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Re: Is Leadership dead?
« Reply #14 on: June 04, 2010, 03:19:58 AM »
It is very import. that communication is kept up between both sides and that both leadership and the CM's focus on what is best for the players in the Scenario.  It is clear that in the last Scenario, both sides had a diff. opinion on the write up and the focus of the Scenario.  Do you not agree that a simple conversation would have cleared it right up?

It is very import. that an "us vs them" mentality doesn't happen with the leadership of both sides.  The best way to avoid that is communication.  Both sides are 'in it to win it' but the enjoyment of the players on BOTH sides needs to be taken into consideration while the Scenario is running.

Not quite sure what you are asking re: the grief vs. victory.

As far as delegation, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. 

" Delegating work works, provided the one delegating works, too. "
- Robert Half

There's a leadership quote for ya'.

Here is one of my fav's.

“A leader is best when people barely know he exists, when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.”
- Lao Tzu

Both sides are "in it to win it".
The truth is most people are not in it to win it.  They are in it to have fun.  Most people don't use deception, thus they can be trustworthy.  The last time this idea of having both sides communicate to prevent the "us vs them mentality", Dantoo exposed me to his manipulation tactics he uses upon the CMs, as well as the role Bearkats has taken as the public image, along with much much more.  Sorry, but I don't trust this idea one bit.  Many past scenarios have not had serious issues with opposing leadership teams, except for the ones Dantoo/Bearkats and other "ends justify the means" type of people are involved.  The XO/CO/CM on both sides already get together on the forums privately, why the need for another form of communication?


"As far as delegation, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link."
Yes, this is true, but so what, isn't this the nature of teamwork?  Do you see this as something that should be avoided?

If you do your job well, expect grief from the other side.  If THEY do their job well, expect grief from your side.  It is hard to balance the fun factor and achieving victory; the two are not always the same and sometimes you have to sacrifice one for the other.  (more grief)
If you sacrifice fun for achieving victory, in the end, what have you won?  Pursuing victory and achieving victory are different.  Fun can come from pursuing victory, but it should not be sacrificed to achieve victory.

What is this belief of winning without fighting, in a game where fighting is winning?<---question goes to Lute, Dantoo & Bearkats.


I think I am in 100% agreement with what Guppy just said.


Being an XO/pilot/CO/GL is tons of fun, with many people enjoying themselves.  I only wish more would participate, to help continue the great experiences we can have with the great opportunity we are given by the hard work of the CMs.  If it were not for Scenarios, FSO and HTC, plus Fencer and Guppy, along with many more, I would have never read so many WWII books, eventually inspired to meet living WWII vets to give thanks.  I'm sure this is the same for many others.

All this time away from battle is making us scenario pilots restless!
Time's fun when you're having flies.