TSgt Sparrow is the leader of a deployment team preparing for a large, joint exercise that involves multiple branches of the military and possibly international partners. The exercise is designed to simulate real-world operations in a high-stress, unpredictable environment, requiring all team members to be versatile and capable of performing a variety of tasks outside their usual specialties. As part of the preparation, TSgt Sparrow’s team has been assigned to learn skills such as assembling tents and off-loading aircraft, tasks that are critical for the exercise but not typically associated with their primary Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) or unit’s mission.
One of TSgt Sparrow’s teammates, SrA Jones, has expressed significant frustration and confusion about these additional duties. He complains that assembling tents and off-loading aircraft are not related to his AFSC, which focuses on technical and specialized tasks within their unit. Jones feels that his time would be better spent honing his specific skills rather than learning tasks he believes are irrelevant to his job and the unit’s mission. His dissatisfaction is beginning to affect his motivation and could potentially influence the attitudes of other team members.
TSgt Sparrow is aware of Jones’ concerns but understands the broader purpose of the exercise. He needs to find a way to convey the importance of these duties to Jones and the rest of the team, ensuring they understand how these skills contribute to the overall mission. TSgt Sparrow must also maintain morale and motivation within the team, while helping them see the value in being adaptable and prepared for any situation they might face during the exercise or in a real deployment scenario.
QUESTIONS:
Describe the two greatest collaborative challenges TSgt Sparrow is facing.
Describe at least one plausible root cause for these challenges. What is one viable strategy that could have helped prevent or mitigate this root cause?
Imagine this was your team. Describe how you might address these challenges using a minimum of two concepts from AIR-111S.
Justify and support your answer using your experience and course material (cited appropriately) from the assigned readings and material in AIR-101S or AIR-111S.