New 55th Wing Command Chief shares his thoughts on communication

Published July 3, 2014
By Senior Airman Peter R.O. Danielson
55th Wing Public Affairs

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Chief Master Sgt. Matthew Grengs, the 55th Wing's newest command chief, loves to talk to Airmen about communication.

"My wife Estelle and I are excited to be here," Grengs said. "My first priority is to engage and connect with Airmen who make a big impact on our installation. Regardless of how many stripes are on their sleeves or the rank on their collars, we all have the ability to make a difference in people's lives."

The chief arrived on Offutt May 10 and began work the next day.

"I hit the ground running fairly quickly after my arrival," Grengs said. "The 55th Wing is incredibly busy. In most cases, we are one of a kind with what we provide to the fight. When you talk about high demand, low density, that's us."

Grengs's last assignment was at the 52nd Fighter Wing in Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, where he served as the command chief for the last two years.

"The fortunate thing is, being a command chief at my last assignment gives me a familiarity with how things operate in general," Grengs said. "I'm working on understanding the scope and intricacies of our mission, but the biggest challenge is getting to know and connecting with the Airmen and their families in a very meaningful way during my tour. I'm so honored to have the opportunity to work with these great Americans."

Grengs said personal contact with Airmen is a key trademark of his leadership style. Face-to-face communication is the key to cultivating relationships with trust, something he sees as a vital component that can never be replaced by electronic means.

"I believe it's important leaders at all levels be active and visible throughout their organizations, connecting face-to-face with those they lead," Grengs said. "They need to 'walk the ground' often demonstrating they're leaders who genuinely care, respect and understand the people they lead. Besides, you can't get a good feel of the organization - its climate and culture - from behind a desk."

Besides being a good start to solving many problems related to communication, people who see their leaders on a daily basis start to understand that their leaders are working through some of the same issues, he said. This gives people more encouragement to reach out when they struggle with universal problems.

"When our Airmen see that we can humble ourselves and ask for help, it often times inspires them to the realization that they don't need to solve their problems by themselves," he said. "The courageous thing is to ask for help."

Some Offutt Airmen are struggling with force structuring. Grengs says that this is a perfect time for Offutt leaders to be honest and to look out for their Airmen.

"As we move forward and shape our force, we're looking to recruit and retain the best and brightest, those who will deliver a high performance act every day and serve honorably on- and off-duty," Grengs said. "However, in those cases where Airmen aren't meeting work or professional standards consistently, supervisors must provide honest feedback with corrective action and be willing to make the tough calls when it comes to performance evaluations, reenlistment opportunities and more. In the end, those who can't or won't meet our high standards of performance and professionalism put themselves at risk for involuntary separation or retirement."

A modern corporation who wants to downsize can hire in a company to fire people by the end of the day, said Grengs. This level of apathy towards employees has no place in today's Air Force.

"For those separating or retiring, the Air Force offers a wide range of resources, programs and counselling to help their transition," said Grengs. "Overall, I think the military does a great job helping people and their families throughout their transition back to civilian life."

Another important reason for leadership to be proactive and honest is to quell rumors, he said.

"With the amount of information that's available out there and people always wanting more, I sometimes find Airmen grabbing hold of misinformation and then perpetuating it," Grengs said. "We've got to be careful where we get our information from, and we need to be responsible for what information we have and share with others. We don't need to add more anxiety to an already stressful environment."

Finally, the command chief encouraged Airmen to look hard at their worries and at what fuels their drive.

"People especially those in leadership roles are often asked, 'What keeps you up at night?'" Grengs said. "However, I believe the more important question for all of us is, 'What gets you up in the morning?' For me, the answer is simple - another opportunity to wear my uniform proudly, another day to serve the men and women in the Profession of Arms, and a chance to make a difference in another person's life."

Grengs's new Facebook account offers Airmen a chance to connect with him. The new 55th Wing Command Chief facebook page is located here. (www.facebook.com/fightin55thchief)