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PHILIPPINE AIR FORCE LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK
PURPOSE
This framework intends to establish a more efficient system of formulating and developing procedures and policies related to the implementation of leadership development among personnel at all levels in the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and to set the strategic direction to guide and direct the activities of the organization while keeping grounded with the founding principles, objectives, and values.
SCOPE
This framework is derived from in-depth research conducted by leading institutions and benchmarking with other leadership centers within the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP). It provides information on the formulation, coordination, process, and framework of leadership development to be implemented within the PAF in synchrony with AFP regulations and related policies.
Elements
CORE VALUES
The framework is designed in such a way that the base structure espouses the core values of the AFP and the PAF. The organization capitalizes on these core values as indispensable to the overall development of both the individual and the organization.
AFP Core Values: Honor, Service, and Patriotism
The core values of Honor, Service, and Patriotism guide the men and women of the AFP. Honor instills a strong sense of personal dignity and self-worth, shaping their conduct. Service demands unwavering loyalty to the Constitution, ensuring obedience to the established political order and chain of command. Patriotism places paramount importance on loyalty to the Republic and the Filipino people, encompassing deep appreciation and pride for their country and its citizens.
PAF Core Values: Integrity, Service Above Self, Teamwork, Excellence, Professionalism
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is built upon its InSTEP core values: Integrity, Service Above Self, Teamwork, Excellence, and Professionalism, which collectively guide every airman's conduct and commitment. Integrity demands unwavering adherence to a strict moral and ethical code, prioritizing honor and right action over popularity, and committing to protect the Filipino people with dignity. Service Above Self underscores a profound dedication to duties and responsibilities over personal desires, requiring discipline, respect, and faith in the system to achieve collective missions while embracing accountability. Teamwork is paramount, fostering cohesion within the PAF, across the wider Armed Forces, and with the Filipino populace, through standardized training, open-mindedness, and cooperation to achieve both military and national development goals. Excellence is a continuous pursuit of the highest quality in all endeavors, encompassing constant personal and professional growth, rigorous training, and effective resource management to fulfill the PAF's mission. Finally, Professionalism empowers airmen to execute their duties with precision and impartiality, maintaining resilience and upholding the highest standards of conduct and leadership, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to stakeholders.
PILLARS OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The PAF Leadership Development Framework is supported by six crucial pillars:
Foundational/Pre-entry Training
Instills core values, self-awareness, and a sense of purpose in new airmen, ensuring they understand their role within the AFP and PAF.
Professional Military Education (PME)/Career Courses
Offers systematic knowledge acquisition and training (such as BAFOC, SOC, CGSC, and MNSA for officers, and BNCOC, ANCOC, and SMC for enlisted personnel) to develop technical, tactical, operational, and strategic leadership skills crucial for advancement.
Field and Operational Experience
Provides essential hands-on learning through various assignments at different echelons and in diverse environments, allowing leaders to apply theories, validate their effectiveness, and engage in continuous reflective learning
Other Institution Learning
Broadens perspectives beyond military training by encouraging engagement with civilian academic institutions and other organizations, fostering agility and flexibility through the adoption of external best practices.
Self-Directed Learning
Emphasizes individual responsibility for continuous personal and professional development, encouraging proactive learning through reading and seeking feedback outside formal requirements.
Coaching and Mentoring
Integrates all these pillars by fostering connections between leaders and subordinates, addressing blind spots, cascading best practices, and complementing formal assessments to ensure holistic development.
DOMAINS OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT
The PAF Leadership Development Framework outlines five key domains, or stages, of leadership development, reflecting the evolution of an airman's role throughout their career.
Self-Leadership
This foundational stage emphasizes an individual's self-awareness, confidence, and efficacy, enabling them to lead with purpose and intent. It involves self-evaluation to replace ineffective behaviors, develop personal commitment, and understand their strengths and weaknesses, aligning personal goals with organizational interests. Great leaders are also great followers, understanding their dual role in a hierarchical military structure.
Direct Leadership
At this stage, leaders expand their influence by directly guiding individuals and small teams. It involves transferring knowledge and skills to subordinates through tools such as coaching and mentoring, aiming for the accomplishment of specific tasks, and maintaining unit discipline. This level often entails face-to-face interaction and requires strong interpersonal, conceptual, technical, and tactical skills.
Team Leadership
Recognizing the limitations of individual effort, this domain focuses on equipping leaders to build and manage effective teams. It involves promoting harmonious relationships, open communication, and collective problem-solving, leveraging diverse perspectives, and complementing individual strengths and weaknesses for synergistic mission accomplishment.
Organizational Leadership
As leaders ascend to higher organizational levels, this domain focuses on providing strategic direction and motivation for broader, more productive outcomes. It requires expertise in time-proven leadership techniques and management processes to navigate complex, uncertain (D-VUCAD) environments and contribute to the organization's overall development and service to the Filipino people.
Societal Leadership
This highest domain extends leadership beyond the military into the public sphere, emphasizing the ability to influence and contribute to community and national development. PAF personnel, even after retirement, are expected to be role models, driving transformational change, addressing societal problems, and fostering strong bonds between the military and civilian populace through responsible engagement and collaboration.
LEVELS OF LEADERSHIP
The PAF Leadership Development Framework defines five distinct levels of leadership, each representing an increasing scope of authority, responsibility, and influence.
Foundational Leadership is where the leadership journey begins, primarily during training in various institutions and schools. At this early stage, PAF personnel—including Officers, Enlisted Personnel, and Reservists—undergo regimented training to learn how to be both followers and leaders. This level focuses on self-discovery, identifying their roles, understanding their vision and mission, and grasping basic leadership concepts, with an emphasis on developing social capital and integrating it into the AFP. Civilian Human Resources also receives seminars to foster their knowledge and skills at this foundational stage.
Tactical Leadership is often referred to as first-line leadership, characterized by direct, face-to-face interaction with subordinates. Leaders at this level directly apply leadership principles to achieve specific tasks within operational objectives, with their influence spanning from a few individuals to hundreds. The challenge here is to execute and accomplish tasks by directly guiding individuals or sub-units, requiring close supervision and direct responsibility for unit culture, climate, cohesion, and individual well-being.
Operational Leadership serves as the link between strategic and tactical levels, driving the organization by ensuring the implementation and realization of strategy and objectives. Leaders at this level influence many people indirectly through multiple layers of subordinates, focusing on planning, application, and achievement of strategy at both operational and tactical tiers. They utilize visits to assess how well the Commander's mission and vision are understood and to reinforce priorities, with a focus on medium-term planning and an appreciation for the implementation of real-world decisions.
Strategic Leadership demands a clear vision and broad perspective to manage the improvement of enablers for mission success at the tactical and operational levels. Strategic leaders, responsible for the organization's overall direction, influence thousands to hundreds of thousands of people, shaping the organizational structure, distributing resources, and communicating the mission and vision for future goals. They operate in a complex and often uncertain (D-VUCAD) environment, applying multifaceted competencies to process information, assess alternatives, make long-term decisions with wide-ranging consequences, and secure support.
Public Leadership extends the application of leadership beyond military organizations, focusing on contributions to community development and addressing public concerns. This level of involvement increases as PAF personnel advance, presenting themselves as role models and actively participating in dialogues and activities that promote the betterment of society. It emphasizes responsible governance, problem-solving, and capacity-building through collaboration with community leaders and officials, aiming for tighter nation-building and recognition that the military's mission requires mutual cooperation and unity with the public.
COMPETENCY LEVELS
The PAF Leadership Development Framework outlines four ascending competency levels that PAF personnel progress through during their careers, indicating an increase in knowledge, skills, abilities, and responsibilities.
Basic proficiency
Characterizes new entrants, typically those in Salary Grades 1 to 9 for Civilian Human Resources, or individuals undergoing initial training. At this level, personnel possess a foundational understanding of concepts, functions, and procedures, operating under full supervision due to limited work experience. Their focus is on acquiring and developing fundamental skill sets, with leadership competencies beginning to emerge for those in SG-7 positions.
Proficient individuals
Capable of performing supervisory functions, often leading a team, though they still require moderate supervision. They demonstrate a broadened work experience and knowledge gained from introductory training, allowing them to understand fundamental concepts within their competencies. This level emphasizes sustaining the application of competencies across various situations and leveraging the expertise of other professionals and knowledge sources.
Advanced proficiency
Characterized by a solid understanding of core concepts, consistently demonstrated in diverse situations. Personnel at this level possess extensive work experience and can provide technical assistance, though they may still require initial support with more advanced concepts. They are capable of assessing the application of competencies and developing or recommending enhancements to existing policies, processes, and procedures.
Expert
Represents the highest competency level, where individuals demonstrate a clear and in-depth understanding of many advanced concepts. Experts act as integrators, recommending improvements to policies and programs, managing diverse functions and individuals, and serving as innovators who generate new ideas and creative solutions. They are recognized authorities in their field, making significant, long-term impacts on the organization and its operations. Competencies at all levels are developed, attained, and sustained through the six Pillars of Development, and enhanced through continuous learning, seeking feedback, and broadening perspectives.
