Morning/afternoon/evening,
So I’ll be stepping up and sitting in the big chair at my sqn due to unforeseen circumstances with the CO stepping down, any tips or gems of advice?
I’ve read the 100 tips for sqn commanders which I found immensely helpful but would appreciate to no end if anyone would expand on the tips.
Cheers
My top tip? Its only a hobby. Don’t lose sight of that.
Oh. And to quote a certain gambling addiction slogan; when the fun stops. Stop.
Have a pretty good idea of what the priorities actually are, and what the most important bits are. Then don’t get sidetracked by relatively un-important admin stuff.
A phrase to adapt and use in circumstances that hopefully you wont find yourself in:
‘That’s all very well saying I need to do it, but I don’t consider it a priority for my limited available time’
Add in the occasional Sir/Ma’am and a swear word or two to suit!
Don’t chain yourself to the desk. WXO gets paid to do admin, you don’t.
Welcome to the madhouse.
Remember that your own family and job and sanity, are the priorities the first two in that order, as being the OC can very, very easily take over your life. If you aren’t married or in a relationship (even if you are) make sure you put time aside for you to do what you like to do and switch off from the ATC.
I would suggest try to only look at emails on parade nights and try to resist using your phone for cadet systems. I know people who did and then stopped and found that the self-induced pressure eased immensely. I don’t put my mobile number on any cadet correspondence. How many school head master/mistresses put their mobile numbers on letters/correspondence? I tend to feel that if it’s important people come and see you. It’s how it used to happen, pre-mobile phones.
Bear in mind you will become everything to everyone.
Worth remembering the organisation needs you more than you need it. If they irritate you and you walk away they are back at square one.
Don’t expect help from above you. Create your own support by investing in a decent staff team.
When you’re having a bad week, tell someone. The same when you’re having a good week.
Expect idiots to try and ruin it. Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Value quality not quantity of cadets and opportunities offered.
Don’t be bribed into taking cadets to yet another random parade, created so people can wear medals and feel important. Stick to the really important ones.
Don’t be afraid to change things, but don’t change everything at once.
Be consistent.
Take a break now and then. It will do you good.
No matter what drivel comes into your inbox or via a Facebook update from a superior, don’t reply and tell them it’s drivel 
.
Find little shortcuts and tricks to make your life as easy as possible.
Be your own person, but don’t ignore advice from others.
Don’t try to be the Adj or the Training Officer as well. There are other roles you can take on as OC these aren’t them!
Alcohol won’t solve any of the problems you’re going to encounter… So no sending drunk rants up the CoC!
WRT to PEPs comment about no help from above, spot on. People who lauded you and cajoled you into a uniform will now become almost a nemesis. They have achieved their aim and have moved onto the next poor soul.
Much of not taking things on, depends on the knowledge / experience of your staff and yourself.
Another thing is GET OUT OF THE OFFICE, we are first and foremost instructors, so ensure you get in front of the cadets and not just be the bloke or woman who comes out for 5 minutes at the end of the night. This is a very easy default position to get into
Emails.
Save all of your sent messages. They will be invaluable when someone tries to stich you up in the future for not allegedly not doing something they think you should have.
If you ever feel the need to send a ranty email… don’t. Phone them up, and rant at them instead. Angry emails, however rightous they are, have a habit of coming back to haunt you. It’s much harder to discipline someone on the back of a phone conversation, than it is if everything is in black and white.
One way to do it, I’d actually say the opposite. Put a little time aside one evening off of a parade night to do your admin somewhere quiet and comfy without distractions. That way you can actually get stuck in on parade nights and get involved, so that you can remember why you do it!
Thankyou for all the words of advice much appreciated
Jim