1. CIVIL AIR PATROL CADET PROGRAMS LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS
For the next 5 or 10 minutes, I’ll brief you on some new ways we’ll be helping you develop your leadership skills.
[ Last Updated: October 2006 ]
CIVIL AIR PATROL CADET PROGRAMS LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS

2. Leaders are not born, they are made
Each of you can become a leader if you take your leadership training seriously.
Question: Leaders are not born, they are made. But how?
-- Hands-on experience
-- Classroom study, textbooks
-- Learning from example
-- Mentoring
-- etc.
Your own wisdom will get you only so far. If you really want to develop your potential, you need a coach or mentor who can help you see where your strengths are and what areas you need to work on. That’s called “feedback,” and that’s where we come in.

3. Objectives Understand why CAP has set leadership goals for cadets
Understand how you can use the “Leadership Expectations” chart to develop your own potential
Understand how we will use feedback sessions to help you grow as a leader
Here’s what we’ll be talking about for the next 5 or 10 minutes, and what I want you to take away from this briefing.
Feel free to ask questions.

4. The Leadership Expectations Chart
The goals are progressive
They guide us in deciding whether you’re ready to be promoted
How can you use this chart?
[ If possible, provide each cadet with a hard copy of this chart, which is available at under “leadership” ]
The “Leadership Expectations” chart shows what leadership skills we expect to see from cadets during each phase.
These goals are progressive. In other words, they get more challenging as you advance. I’ll give you an example in a moment. [ie: next slide]
When you become eligible for promotion, we’ll use the Leadership Expectations chart to help us decide if you’re ready for new challenges.
Question: Cadets, how can you use this chart?
-- Find out what leadership skills you should be working on.
-- Once in a while, review the goals for your phase and ask yourself how you’re doing in those areas.
-- Use the chart as a tool to help you take charge of your own development as a leader.

5. The Leadership Expectations Chart
The goals are progressive and help us decide if you’re ready for new challenges or if you need more time to grow.
Example: “Sense of Responsibility”
Phase I
Phase II
Phase III
Phase IV
Follow directions
Enforce standards
Take a project from start to finish
Lead large projects with little supervision
The “Leadership Expectations” chart sets some goals for you during each phase. This slide shows some of the goals in the “sense of responsibility” category.
First, you can expect that as you advance in the Cadet Program, you’ll earn more prestigious opportunities and bigger challenges.
This slide shows how we see you growing in your sense of responsibility. New cadets can claim success if they simply follow directions. From our cadet NCOs, we expect more, we expect them to follow directions and ensure airmen do, too. Cadet officers have an even greater challenge. We expect them to take full responsibility for the projects or activities they run.
Second, you should know that we’ll use the goals listed in the chart to help you improve your leadership skills and see whether you’re ready for new challenges or if you need more time to grow.
Question (to check for understanding):
Why are the leadership expectations progressive? Why do the expectations become more challenging?
-- As you advance, you should get better at leadership, so you need bigger challenges
-- It’s fair to hold officers to a higher standard than airmen, for example
As you advance, you’ll earn greater challenges

6. Feedback: Breakfast of Champions
Who: Each cadet will be reviewed by a senior or cadet officer
What: Feedback is simply a discussion about how you’re doing as a leader
When: At least once per phase
Where: Private setting
How: By comparing your performance with the Leadership Expectations
Why: To help you grow as a leader
How should you prepare for feedback?
[ First review the info on the slide; this is also a good time to explain any local practices you’ll be following as you implement the program. ]
Check for Understanding:
Question: Why is CAP calling feedback the “breakfast of champions?”
-- Feedback helps you improve your skills.
-- It’s like good nutrition for leaders.
-- Leaders who take feedback seriously are successful. They’re the champions. Leaders who skip feedback lose out.
Question: What should you do to prepare for a feedback meeting?
-- Look at the “Leadership Expectations” chart and think about how you’ve been doing in each of those areas.
-- Be prepared to explain what you think you’re doing well, and what areas you think you should be focusing on.
-- If you’re confused about any of our expectations or your duties, ask for help or clarification during the feedback meeting.

7. Core Principles Positive: We’re here to help you succeed as a leader
Constructive: We’ll offer advice on what you’re doing well and what you can improve upon
Specific: We’ll give you practical tips on how to improve your leadership skills
The principles on this slide will guide us as we offer you feedback.
Feedback meetings are NOT oral exams. You won’t be tested on aerospace and leadership.
Why?
-- You’ve already passed written tests on those subjects
-- Feedback is a time to look at your leadership *performance,* not your academic knowledge
We will take feedback meetings seriously and expect you to demonstrate your professionalism.
But simply put, feedback meetings are a time for us to talk about how you’re doing as a leader.

8. “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
Closing Thought
If you want to become a leader, you have to develop a habit of constantly examining your performance.
We’ll be using the “Leadership Expectations” chart and feedback meetings to help you succeed.
Are there any final questions?
Thank you.
“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
PRESIDENT KENNEDY