 How do flight commanders in the Air and Space Forces develop the skills needed to lead innovative teams in today's complex security environment? How do today's leaders develop critical leadership skills without attending an in-residence leadership development program? The answer, of course, is simple. They learn from their peers and with plenty of practice. But it takes a lot of time. That's where the Air University Flight Commanders Edge program comes in. Directed by the Air Force Chief of Staff in 2018, the Flight Commanders Edge provides curriculum and practical experiences for action officers or project managers tasked with building flight-level leadership development programs. If your organization has an existing leadership development program, or if you're looking to start one, the Flight Commanders Edge can help by providing professionally developed lessons designed to meet your unique needs. Designed with the best practices of personal leadership development in mind, these lessons focus on developing the desired attributes needed by all tactical leaders. The core lessons are designed to be experiential and practical. They focus on the sharing of key knowledge and experience between peers. Why? Because we learn best from others. These discussions are expertly designed to highlight the experience of individual group members. They make teaching easy and learning rewarding. Instructors service facilitators presenting key information and asking important questions provided in the lesson plan. No prior teaching experience is required. Just a willingness to host a group discussion and share good ideas among peers. Flight Commanders Edge lessons address important topics such as The role of the flight commander Emotional intelligence Followership Building teams Developing others The enlisted force structure Mentoring Time and meeting management And taking care of families. The Flight Commanders Edge program also provides informal lesson guides which can be used to harness the expertise of base agencies and commanders to emphasize the aspects of critical policies, procedures and guidance important to the junior leader at the local level. One size does not fit all, so you can pick the content that resonates the most with your organization's leadership. By connecting flight level leaders together, the Flight Commanders Edge enables participants to build a professional network of peers, trusted people they can turn to for advice on problems and problem solving. When fully executed following the course templates provided, the program includes a coaching and mentoring component designed to close the loop at the toughest level of leadership, the junior level. This ensures students know what leaders expect and leaders get feedback on how learning can help strengthen the squadron. With key elements specifically designed to strengthen the squadron, junior leaders are able to directly and immediately apply what they learn in this program to their job. With coaching and mentoring from both peers and squadron leadership and developing a personal leadership plan tailored to their own leadership journey, a graduate of a course following the Flight Commanders Edge model will be equipped and motivated to develop, manage, communicate and lead with confidence. The Flight Commanders Edge, connecting, communicating and collaborating to strengthen Air and Space Force squadrons.