During my time in Services (been on both sides of fence) I have seen some exceptional SNCOS and indeed NCOs. As an airman I saw some crap flt lts and sqn ldrs but never saw any wg cdrs really to pass judgement.
Anyway rather than pass judgment I went for a commission myself - it was not difficult, you read the papers and play some leadership games and pretend you know the Defence White Paper inside out and can name the SofS for Defence - game over you're in boy.
So after some trg I am now a leader of men, but not really, I am a manager and it is true about being one of the lads and being popular - uh uh leaders are not popular. But you can be fair or try to be fair, but you cannot please everybody - there are winners and losers.
Now I am progressing up the ranks - play the game, do sec duties and all of a sudden I have ample spare capacity therefore must be a good leader - crap.
People get promoted because it's a game - we all know the score. Work hard, be fair, do some extra stuff, say yes 95% of time but 5% you are allowed to argue your case and convince your boss this is a bad idea but make him look good anyway.
But past wg cdr and beyond this is where policy, deceit and games, teddy's out of window time all takes place - because if things do not go right then it must be their fault and promotion is being hindered.
A good leader would communicate why it had to be done. This is easy on a sqn - there is a clear task. Similarly at second line there is a clear task to be done - we can guide, control, motivate etc.
But in Command, or Logs or in IPT - this is where it becomes a muddle. 30% or the work is briefs, so the big bosses know what the little bosses are doing. Very rarely will the big bosses tell the small bosses how to do it better - that is the job of the small bosses to think how and what saving can be achieved.
And ultimately the policy makers pass crap down to the Stn, and the mud in the muddle flows with it, but when the mud comes back up the chain of command - well we all know the crock of gold story where gold is made from pure poo - oh so true.
But no different in industry or other companies in UK - the RAF is in entirley the same boat. We can all moan about BR, the Transport System much of a muchness really. Don't believe that we are the creme de la creme and all that and therefore we have the best leaders in UK by default.
If I have one word to descibe leadership in RAF and in the UK
We could do better.
However - cadets on IOT - we have a question for you.
How big are you balls to tell it how it is - or are you all studing Alchemy - good luck!!
Ps some of this might be crap but they are my own views .