Billy Mitchell: A Leader Ahead

Billy Mitchell: A Leader Ahead of His Time

Billy Mitchell was a leader ahead of his time. His outspoken leadership style propelled him to legendary status that far exceeded most other leaders in his field. His remarkable sense of insight and intuition had a tremendous and enduring impact on the U.S. Air Force as well as the United States as a whole. Lastly, his willingness to stand up for what he believed in, even in the face of considerable personal sacrifice, solidifies Mitchell's place in American history as one of its greatest and most progressive leaders.

Born William Lendrum Mitchell on December 28, 1879, "Billy," as he was usually called, came from a wealthy and powerful background that laid the foundation for his future as the "father" of the air force. Mitchell was never afraid to speak his mind, and he used his outspokenness to develop a leadership style that would propel him far above traditional leadership standards. As with most outspoken leaders, his candor caused controversy. However, according to Meilinger (2003), most airmen tend to view him as "a courageous, farsighted, and dedicated patriot persistently thwarted by conservative soldiers and sailors who protected their turf" (p. 109).

It is certainly not unusual for outspoken individuals to be disparaged for their natural ability to cause controversy. What is important to remember about Mitchell is that he was not just spouting empty words for the sake of stirring the pot. He had truly innovative and important ideas that needed to be heard. Mitchell was not, as some critics claim, "an arrogant, disloyal, and self-promoting blowhard who played loose with the facts in order to push his own agenda" (Meilinger, 2003, p. 109). If that were the case, he would be a walking example of "all talk, no action." However, considering his numerous accomplishments, his ability to turn ideas into action, and his remarkable skills in innovation, claiming that Mitchell was nothing but a "blowhard" is entirely absurd.

When Mitchell was appointed Deputy Director of the Air Service in 1919, he was not shy about expressing his dissatisfaction with the way strategies and tactics were being handled in the "Great War." The notion that this was "the war to end the war" angered Mitchell, causing him to proclaim: "If a nation ambitious for universal conquest gets off to a flying start in a war of the future, "it may be able to control the whole world more easily than a nation has controlled a continent in the past" (Glines, 1973, p. 111). His outspokenness caused conflict with many of his superiors, but, as a leader ahead of his time, he was not about to kowtow to their demands. He was confident enough in his own vision that he knew he could never be simply a follower. Powerful, fearless, forthright leadership was second nature to Mitchell, and he was determined to fulfill his destiny as a man who made a difference.

The differences that Mitchell wound up making had remarkable impacts on the U.S. Air Force and the entire United States. Mitchell's enthusiasm for advanced technology propelled his famous bombing demonstrations of 1921, in which he showed military leaders how these bombers could be used to decimate battleships. Mitchell understood the power of the "seeing is believing" philosophy long before leadership theorists began touting the importance of visual and auditory supports. According to Rynecki (1998) "Mitchell's demands for bombing tests woke up the Navy to the significance of aviation-to what Alfred Hurley calls the Navy's 'aviation consciousness'." Unfortunately, "In pursuing this new Consciousness, the Navy had the clear advantage in institutional and bureaucratic infrastructure to successfully battle Mitchell" (p. 25).

Prior to that battle, however, Mitchell was responsible for many more accomplishments that represent his amazing and insightful leadership qualities. He used his skills of persuasion to convince U.S. Commander-in-Chief Jack Pershing that his ideas for a U.S. Air Force deserved attention. Mitchell then personally trained and organized the first pilots of the newly created air force, earning him the title as its "father." In addition, during the St. Mihiel offensive in 1918, he led the largest air fleet of the time, consisting of nearly 1500 allied aircraft. Perhaps most importantly, he envisioned the need for a progressively more independent air force, and he made no secret of his commitment to enacting this expectation. Unfortunately, in the process, he alienated many higher-ups in the army and the navy, making his leadership style one of questionable controversy rather than blind admiration.

Mitchell's difficulties with the military, which ultimately led to his court martial, were not, however, a result of poor leadership on the part of Mitchell, but rather a result of the lack of forward-thinking on the part of his adversaries. Those who opposed him fought Mitchell's progressive ideas primarily as a result of having their egos bruised by an outspoken leader who showed them a better way, when they could not find one themselves.

Leaders who demand improvement notoriously receive the wrath of those who take their ideas as insults to the way they have run things themselves. Even today, the exceptional leadership and visionary qualities displayed by Mitchell continue to be desired. For example, according to Kline (1997), "The large, relatively docile officer corps yearns for a cause celebre to forge a renewed commitment to airpower, amid all the promise those colorful words portend. The Air Force desperately needs a new Mitchell" (p. 71).