Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Vincent Howard. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Vincent , appreciate you joining us today. Looking back on your career, have you ever worked with a great leader or boss? We’d love to hear about the experience and what you think made them such a great leader.

I have had a number of highly influential bosses – Staff Sergeant Theresa Washington took a brand new 18 year old, saw potential, then laid the ground work for someone who would lead thousands. Major Matt Lewin was one who demonstrated every day that he was unconcerned with his own advancement but totally committed to the men & women in his command. But the leader I want to spotlight is then-Colonel John Cherrey. The Colonel was selected to command an entire combat wing, approximately 8000 men & women while also assuming responsibility for their families. Each wing commander is also to select any Chief Master Sergeant in the entire Air Force to assist him as the base’s Command Chief, be his primary advisor and take responsibility for the health, safety, discipline, morale & combat readiness of all enlisted Airmen. The Colonel could have picked anyone – but he selected me. It was a huge leap of trust but resulted in a loyalty, respect & connection that was lasted over a decade.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

After serving over three decades in the military, I completed my Masters Degree in Coaching and took on the responsibility of growing and maintaining resilience and whole person wellness in the community. Resilience is more than simply “getting up”…it involves preparation…then recovery…then growth, we must learn life lessons from winning & losing so that we can prepare all over again. Along the way, I received certifications and became an expert in personality assessment, strengths coaching, leadership development along with topics of diversity such as psychological safety, bias & microaggressions. I am very proud of my award-winning team!

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

The tenets of Psychological Safety on a team demand fostering an atmosphere of inclusion FIRST. Inclusion goes beyond race, gender, religion and other observable characteristics – inclusion must also involve topics like those members who are less popular, socially awkward, new team members, and average performers. Everyone has to FEEL like they identify with the team and there can be no barriers to it. Now – people have to earn what they receive – promotions, awards & standing. But the feeling of belonging should exist for everyone. That’s where it starts; then team members are free to voluntarily learn, share things they’ve found out and even go against the status quo. You want all of that but it doesn’t happen in the absence of true inclusion.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I ended my military career at the highest enlisted rank possible, but there was a period of 10 years in the middle of my career where I did not get promoted – I seemed frozen. For the first few years of getting passed over, I stayed hopeful. The next few years saw me down on myself and feeling I must have never been that good.

The next few years I got mad. I was angry at my organization and even hostile. But after all that, I decided I love what I was doing, I didn’t want to stop doing it, I knew I was doing it right so I stopped worrying about how my organization judged me. Doing what I loved was it’s own reward and I refused to be judged by
my rank.

And then I got promoted three times in rapid succession.

So I had to unlearn that rank & position is not the be all and end all; I unlearned the idea that it’s about the victory, sometimes it’s about the journey. And I absolutely unlearned the tendency to judge myself from anyone else’s eyes.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.vincentlhoward.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100082400994730&mibextid=ZbWKwL
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-howard-m-s-b2bb6366
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@vincenthoward19