Photo By Senior Airman Addison Barnes | A group of Airmen listen to superintendent of Learning Development with the I. G....... read more read more
One thing that every wing, squadron or detachment needs is a leader. Leaders can be found in officers, senior enlisted or even younger enlisted, as they will become the senior enlisted of tomorrow.
TEC University instructors travel the country to provide an opportunity for all enlisted to gain skills related to leadership such as learning how to give feedback, how to communicate, and other fundamentals through lectures and seminars. It is a program developed by the I.G. Brown Training and Education Center located in McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base near Knoxville, Tennessee. Their teachers include prior service, active duty, national guard and civilians.
Master Sgt. Todd Beran and Lawrence McCoy, curriculum developer and superintendent of Learning Development with the I. G. Brown Training and Education Center, are two of the many teachers who help Airmen discover and build upon their leadership skills. They recently visited Tulsa Air National Guard Base, Okla., to meet with Airmen to develop and grow through a series of classes. TEC University’s lessons can be formatted as a lecture or it can be more one-on-one coaching to help students develop. McCoy is an Air Force veteran while Beran currently serves. Both men work with TEC University due to their interest in education and have worked there for seven years and two years respectively.
Beran and McCoy have encountered various challenges while teaching for TEC University. One issue is trying to spread the word about TEC University to Airmen who haven’t heard of it. While TEC University travels to Air Force bases to provide its services it cannot reach every base.
“The biggest [challenge] I would say is trying to accurately determine what the Airmen in the guard actually need,” McCoy said. “We have supervisors come to us all the time and say, ‘I want this, I want that’, but what do the Airmen actually need to perform their mission?”
McCoy and Beran have also witnessed a lot of good in their work as well. TEC University is a unique experience that isn’t offered at every Air Force base, but those who have attended the seminars have given the two men positive feedback and reviews.
“We had an individual who was so fearful of getting in front of people that he would physically lock up,” McCoy said. “Through mentoring, coaching and working with them we were actually able to get him past that.”
If there’s one thing that should be taken from their lectures McCoy and Beran agreed it would be effective communication and taking care of those around you.
“Don’t be afraid to ask questions,” Beran said. “If there’s a better way of doing things, make suggestions. If you can see a better way of doing a process don’t be afraid to speak up just because you may be at an earlier stage in your career. You may have more experience than those people above you.”
| Date Taken: | 06.02.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 07.12.2023 12:16 |
| Story ID: | 449000 |
| Location: | TULSA, OKLAHOMA, US |
| Web Views: | 37 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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