DECEMBER 7, 2021 – On Feb. 2, 2021, the Air Force announced 10 Airman Leadership Qualities (ALQs) focused on key performance characteristics Airmen need to succeed in future conflicts. The 10 ALQs, emphasizing both character and competence, were released as an addendum to the Airman Comprehensive Assessment and were optional for feedback to all senior non-commissioned officers and officers in all grades. The release allowed parts of the force to become familiar with the 10 ALQs and begin transitioning toward evaluating and incentivizing Airmen on what we value in their performance. Effective March 31, 2022, the ALQs will be integrated into feedback for all Airmen, enlisted and officer, across all ranks. The ALQs will also form the basis for the new officer and enlisted evaluation systems projected for release later in 2022.
“The ALQs represent the performance characteristics we want to define, develop, incentivize, and measure in our Airmen. Increasing the everyday usage of the ALQs is crucial to developing the Airmen of tomorrow and fully integrating them into formal feedback accelerates us towards that goal,” said Lt. Gen. Brian Kelly, Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services.
Over the past three years, the Air Force made several large-scale modifications to its talent management system. This initiative is part of that larger reform and shifting the Air Force toward ALQ-based performance feedback is the next step in releasing a more comprehensive quality-based evaluation system.
The four major performance areas that categorize the ALQs stem from AFI 1-2, Commander Responsibilities, and AFI 90-201, The Air Force Inspection System:
Executing the Mission
- Job Proficiency: Demonstrates knowledge and professional skill in assigned duties, achieving positive results and impact in support of the mission.
- Initiative: Assesses and takes independent or directed action to complete a task or mission that influences the mission or organization.
- Adaptability: Adjusts to changing conditions, to include plans, information, processes, requirements and obstacles in accomplishing the mission.
Leading People
- Inclusion and Teamwork: Collaborates effectively with others to achieve an inclusive climate in pursuit of a common goal or to complete a task or mission.
- Emotional Intelligence: Exercises self-awareness, manages their own emotions effectively; demonstrates an understanding of others’ emotions, and appropriately manages relationships.
- Communication: Articulates information in a clear and timely manner, both verbally and non-verbally, through active listening and messaging tailored to the appropriate audience.
Managing Resources
- Stewardship: Demonstrates responsible management of assigned resources, which may include time, equipment, people, funds and/or facilities.
- Accountability: Takes responsibility for the actions and behaviors of self and/or team; demonstrates reliability and transparency.
Improving the Unit
- Decision Making: Makes well-informed, effective and timely decisions under one’s control that weigh constraints, risks, and benefits.
- Innovation: Thinks creatively about different ways to solve problems, implements improvements and demonstrates calculated risk-taking.
Additionally, the ALQs align with and are a subset of the Air Force’s 24 Foundational Competencies, which focus on competency-based development and lay the foundation for ‘Developing the Airmen We Need’ for both officers and enlisted.
“We want our Airmen to strive for continual, meaningful growth,” said Chief Master Sgt. Derek Crowder, senior enlisted leader, deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services. “Implementing these qualities for all Airmen encourages deliberate feedback in areas to align with what we value and develop the qualities we know our Airmen will need to be successful in future conflicts.”
All Airmen are encouraged to download the Airman Comprehensive Assessment Addendum – AF Form 724-A, familiarize themselves with the ALQs and have ongoing discussions with their rater and ratees. The ALQs will be embedded as part of the feedback process in the new evaluation platform, myEval, projected for release in early 2022. The ALQs will also be incorporated into the new officer and enlisted evaluation system released in myEval later in 2022.
For additional information and details on the addendum, go to MyPers.
Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs