a “clique” is so often seen as a negative in the organisation, and to a degree it is however if it has occurred it must be for the right reasons.
ie the right people have got together, get along with each other and can work effectively together.
it is a struggle to break to reputation of a clique, and 9/10 it is false concept when as a new comer i have approached a group. But like them or loathe them, they work and only do so because friendships have worked
I was a cadet back in the 90’s and reached the rank of Cpl. My best friend’s father was OC at the time and it was because of them I joined as a cadet. I left the Corps at the age of 17 when I moved away and started a life of work and other things.
Fast forward 15 years, and I found myself back in the local area with some spare time. I decided to drop in on my old OC as his son and I are still good friends and see how things were going. We got onto to the subject of the squadron and I was surprised to hear that he was back as OC (There had been 3 others take his place over the years whilst he was promoted to Sqn Ldr and became a WSO, now retired and a CI). I asked of other staff and there weren’t any. This was when I decided to sign up as a CI as I remembered my time as a cadet fondly.
When I rejoined, there were 2 CWO’s about to age out and become staff. Since then all 3 of us have entered uniform and are bringing the squadron up to date, one has just been commissioned and will hopefully take on the role of OC soon allowing the current OC to take a back seat and provide support as a CI. He will also have my support and that of our other Sgt as all 3 of us get on well together and have similar aims and goals.
I went on to qualify as an RCO, I’m looking to do my SAAI course next year and am qualified as Ammunition Storeman. I have also been given the task of supply officer and once and for all sorting out our store. I love organising things so this is right up my street.
I’m not sure I can answer the question why I became staff, but I know why I do it, as others have said, you get a really good feeling seeing cadets that have never handled a rifle before, or been in an aircraft before come away from these things with a beaming smile on their face. It feels good that this is down to you and your efforts.
There’s a couple of subel differences between cliques and teams.
True. In my experience, cliques are a ‘closed group’ with a certain mind-set, loath to let outsiders in, not generally open to new ways of doing things and fairly set in their ways. Teams on the other hand, welcome anyone who is willing to work towards the common objective, especially if newcomers contribute new ideas and concepts.
i agree completely…and typically a clique is what a team is seen as from the outside looking in, while a clique will claim to be a team!
My team/ clique contains 6 squadron COs and 2 WSOs and another 3 Officers of long service, I’m one of the youngest with over 15years staff experience…
We socialise inside and outside cadets grew up with each other and each others families.
When I took seriously ill a few years ago I was off for nearly 9months my WSO went to the squadron after about 6weeks to See how things were and if they needed help as he hadn’t heard from anyone and was shocked to find that my friends were taking it in turn to go to my sqn once a week and help with any admin that the staff were not sure of or wanted help with…
We have had younger staff join us in the group then they move on to another more similar age group which is what they should be doing learning from the older ones and at the same time making good friends with staff that will be with them for the future as we leave the corps as we get older.
Here is a question for the longer serving staff amongst the forum and something for the younger ones to note…
Do you seem to have problems with younger staff?
I have seen quite a bit in my time as staff younger staff into uniform all full of promises and talk how there going to change X and do Y and how you will be told Z and if you don’t do it you will be out the corps and wing let them build their empire with their friends but after a few years the empire is crumbling and by 5/6 years there are away left the corps and the older ones are left mopping and rebuilding the fall out…
the only ‘problem’ with young staff i see is their vunerability to being manipulated by people with holes to fill - time and again i see young staff talked into taking positions they aren’t ready for, and then with the enthusiasm and drive of the young they go at warp speed for a few years until they get to burn out: they are trying to juggle first few years of their working lives, relationships, changing social circles and then some helpful soul drops them in at the deep-end at some zombie Sqn thats’ bumping along on the bones of its ■■■■…
its a pattern i see on a regular basis - cadet times out, has sunshine blown up their bottom, gets commissioned, does 6 months at either home sqn or a local, well resourced sqn, then along comes the ‘you’re an incredibly promising young Officer, you’ve really got the skills that Sqn X needs, its a great opportunity for you to make your mark…’ speech, and off they trot to a Sqn no one else would touch with a burning stick - deadwood staff, if any, and not much to work with. they apply themselves massively for a few years to the detriment of progress at work and their relationships, and all of a sudden they bin the whole thing so they can, in their mid-to-late 20’s, live a life.
at which point the merrygo-round starts again.
The problem with young staff starts and stops with older more experienced staff selling them a line (Hans Christian Andersonesque) put quite succinctly by Angus. There is nothing of what the reality of being in uniform as an adult means. One thing is under the current rules they could be in uniform until they are 65. They then go off thinking they can change the world and just go around like flies on a hot day … irritating people, as they have been told they are the best thing and can change the world. I refuse to have them as I don’t think they’ll stay I enjoy watching them and listening to them as they hit the problems we all know about.
I would liken what some Squadron and Wing Staff do as being tantamount to grooming.
One (late 20s) I have witnessed recently took a squadron and instantly decided to get rid of older staff (by p!$$ing them off), bring 3 of their mates in and while it worked for a while, one of them got the hump with his mate and who decided to leave altogether and as I understand it one of others is considering it. So now you have a squadron desperate for staff and no one wants to go there, but no one wants him anywhere near their squadron, but he’s one of Wing’s faves, so he’ll probably end up on Wing. I’ve heard this bloke talk to cadets and parents in a manner that is not appropriate (he’s probably lucky he’s not been given a slap, although cadets have left) and people I know from the ACF, SCC and RBL have all said they aren’t prepared work with him.
If there wasn’t an almighty rush to get cadets into an ‘adult’ uniform, they would get to know what the real world is all about, ie jobs, relationships, families and as a result develop an understanding of their limitations and people and make better longer term staff. Also they would get a better understanding of the Corps. I think this last point is the greatest concern as I feel they need to get them into uniform before they realise what exactly it entails or means and decide it’s not for them. The fact they are rushed into it is why they end up like they do and canning it after a few years. Frankly retention needs to be considered more than just recruiting.
I make a point of speaking to any ex-cadets I have come onto the adult side when they have been staff for about a 6 months, just to see how things are going. Every one has said they didn’t realise what being staff actually entailed, in terms of juggling your own life to accommodate the ATC and the hoops you have to go through for even the most basic activities. They have said even as ‘staff’ cadets they weren’t fully aware and felt staff were making things up.
Where does the model for ‘development’ moves come from? In my working life not one of my managers has said, we think you should move here to develop. Any move has been on my instigation.