About Leadership
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Corrin, Suzee
Date Posted: 17th December 2024
Characters: R'enh, T'gyrlan
Description: A discussion of Wing Leadership
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 8 of Turn 12
Notes: Mentioned: K'rel
Typical wing meetings were held in the wing's common room and R'enh was just wrapping up his review of the last 'fall and following sweep rides with a critique of their failures and successes.
His most recent Wingsecond had recently moved to the north and he had been reviewing the possibilities for a replacement that wouldn't seem favoritism. Cobalt wing had originally been fully staffed by River Bluff survivors but slowly it had become a place where new riders were learning their skills. Not exactly a nursery wing but he missed flying at the top of the formation with Azure.
The good thing was they were just above the Queen's wing where they were protecting the gold riders and he was very happy about that part. He could see Chioneth and the tiny rider as her flamethrower charred whatever had escaped his wing.
Mnoranth had recovered and his determination to protect left few tendrils or clumps to escape to the lower level. He'd seen enough to know who he wanted backing him up so... as the meeting broke up and the riders relaxed and began joking, eating, and playing cards he signaled T'gyrlan to follow him into his office.
T’gyrlan caught the signal and set down his cards. He was deliberately casual as he excused himself from his fellows, but a certain anticipation coiled tight in his chest. With the recent goldflight and the resulting shifts in rank, he couldn’t help but speculate as to what R’enh might want. He had tried to step up while Mnoranth was healing, just as he had when K’rel couldn’t hack it and transferred back out. Nothing presumptuous, just making sure the wing had what it needed. Maybe-- maybe that would pay off now.
He stepped into the office after R'enh. "Sir?"
"Have a seat," R'enh smiled. "I'd like to talk to you about the Wings Leadership."
"Certainly." T'gyrlan sat, giving R'enh his full and considerable attention.
"First I'd like to thank you for the work you did with the wing while Mnoranth was unable to /between/. It was appreciated, and you did a very good job stepping up when it became necessary. Our wing has a significant number of younger riders and you showed your ability to lead." R'enh smiled and nodded.
"It's been good to be of use again," T'gyrlan said with a rueful grin, referring to the injuries of his own bronze, which left them grounded until a few months ago. "And I was fortunate enough to have had prior experience, both with leading and straightening out young riders, at River Bluff." He had been a wingsecond, and then wingleader, before the destruction of the Bluff scattered his world to the four winds.
R'enh patted the hides in front of him. "Yes," he said. "I've been looking at your records and I thought we could chat a bit and discuss our philosophies in leadership. Maybe we'll discover we can work together to bring Cobalt up to speed. What do you think?"
"Sounds reasonable," agreed T'gyrlan. He shifted in his seat, leaning forward slightly as he spoke, his gaze intent, "I believe a leader’s first duty is to earn their riders’ respect, and you do that by setting an example. You ask _everything_ from yourself before you ask it from others. If that means training harder, working longer, and bearing the strain--then that’s what you do. You can’t command loyalty from a distance, you _have_ to be in the thick of it, showing them that if you can endure, so can they. When a wing sees their leader putting everything on the line, they’ll push themselves harder. Not because they’re told, but because they _want_ to.
"I think Cobalt has a lot of promise," he continued, slightly less intense than his earlier speech, but still with a certain verve. Clearly he had been giving this thought. "We have a good mix of youth and experience. There's a real opportunity to set some kids up with mentorship from their peers. That sort of thing that helps a rider find their place-- at least that's how it was for me. I don't know if it's still in my records, but I was pretty wild for my first decade or so. It was the Interval, you know, and I was a feckless teen. An older bronzerider, A'kades, took me under his wing. He helped me learn by Doing."
"Agreed," R'enh nodded. "So we need to find natural leaders within the wing for threes and nines." The corner of his mouth lifted, "and I need a 'second. Are you up for the job?"
T'gyrlan was glad R'enh had agreed with his take on leadership. That boded well for their future together. Perhaps he could work with this man in a way he never managed to with K'rel. He smiled, sharp and bright. "I'm ready and willing."
"Good," he smiled and pulled the Wingsecond knots out of the drawer behind him. Pushing them across his desk he added, "I'll inform the Weyrwoman." Nodding at something T'gyrlan had said, "A'kades is a good man."
"One of the best," T'gyrlan agreed, taking the knots. He preferred the weight and work of a wingleader's loops, but this would certainly do for now. It was good to be back in the saddle again. "Shall we get to work?"
Last updated on the January 1st 2025