Leader Savvy

Leaders: Make a Decision

2008-07-08T00:52:00.002-04:00

Leaders are responsible for decisions. They are entrusted to make them and are expected to back them up. Unfortunately, many leaders are too hesitant to make decisions. They become overly concerned with the unknowns and the “what ifs” and end up missing key opportunities or losing the public’s confidence. Some of the real consequences to lack luster decision making are: lost revenue, reduced productivity, reduced growth and follower distrust. While opportunities come and go, regaining confidence once lost is a much more difficult process.
Some reasons I have noted that leaders fail to be decisive is their concern for the consequences. Often they feel that if they just had more information or that perhaps once a decision has been made there is no going back. These can be noteworthy concerns, but they should not paralyze the decision making process. The reality is that in a dynamic ever changing world it is impossible to know and calculate all contributing factors. So, good leaders note the risks and then execute measures within their control to mitigate those risks, but they move forward. And by moving forward they create success and seize opportunities.

Leaders are Bred

2008-04-23T00:07:00.004-04:00

Leaders are bred like thoroughbred racing horses. But, even the most genetically endowed thoroughbred is no more guaranteed to win than a common plow horse; it must work to become a recognized champion; because by all practical accounts they are physically the same. Likewise we are very similar to each other, we each possess potential, but it is our training, experience and socialization that evoke leadership.
Time and again the “dark horse” has come from behind, conquered all odds and shattered stereotypes, this is because effective leadership results are the sum of personal talents, and experiences based upon the development and application of innate traits. One cannot effectively lead others if their personal abilities are so limited that they easily become overwhelmed with personal challenges. They must first have the capability to manage themselves followed with the capacity to then turn outward and influence others. This requisite for leadership is not a physical breeding like animals rather it is based upon conjoining experience with natural abilities which then produces a leader.

Gettysburg

2008-04-11T22:49:00.000-04:00

I just got back from a trip to Gettysburg in which our tour not only covered the intriguing aspects of the battle but was hosted by an excellent guide, a retired Army colonel named T. Vossler who added his personal commentary on many of the leadership dimensions of this epic event. I came away with a much deeper appreciation for the responsibility leaders have for those they lead, for the devotion of followers and for the sacrifices of those men who fought during the Civil War.
This particular trip sparked some new thoughts related to leadership such as: risk, care, consequences, communication and determination. I plan on reviewing my notes and addressing these topics in future blog posts.

Know Thy Self

2008-02-27T20:20:00.000-05:00

Leaders need to have an understanding of their own strengths, weaknesses, capabilities and limitations. In fact the level of success that a leader has in influencing others in proportional to the amount of self awareness they possess. There are distinct ways in which leaders can develop self awareness. The first in self evaluation, often called reflection. This is accomplished by reading books and articles, reviewing past experiences even journaling. Many leaders participate in some form of self evaluation. But when feedback comes from a single source there are limitations, especially if the source is based on your own perspective. So, I suggest two more ways to gain greater self awareness as a leader, they are having a mentor and using a coach.
Mentors take the self reflection one step further in that they provide the external feedback necessary for real growth. A trusted mentor can help promote new thoughts and insights. Their encouragement can provide the motivation for lasting change. The final resource leaders can use to get feedback is through a coach. Coaches are great because their purpose is to cause personal change. Coaches challenge the personal status quo by making assessments and then helping the individual focus on measurable goals.

Leadership Mindset

2008-02-16T23:06:00.001-05:00

A leader must have confidence. Successful leaders have contagious attitudes that others draw upon as motivation. The key to having a contagious confident attitude is maintaining the mindset of a champion. Champions use constructive thinking to help mold their behaviors. One technique is the use of selective perception to see set backs as temporary learning experiences instead of permanent personal attributes and then using positive experiences to propel continued success. Another essential task is controlling self talk it is just as important as managing our personal perception. Too often we can be our own worst critics, by focusing on the negative whether real or perceived. Strong leaders do not put negative limits on themselves, rather the use the internal dialogue of the mind to help them evaluate opportunities and then implement ideas. We each face challenges, but taking charge can set the right mindset for success and provide more confidence for others to draw upon as motivation.

2008-01-15T23:01:00.000-05:00

“Balancing Act”

By Greg Grant Government Executive October 1, 2007

Chief of Staff Gen. George W. Casey Jr. seeks to steady an Army out of whack due to the debilitating demands of two ongoing wars.

When Gen. George W. Casey Jr. began his four-year tour as the Army chief of staff in April, one of his first initiatives was to put together two analytical teams. One he tasked with studying today's Army and how it's weathering the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The other he tasked with examining future security threats and how wars will be fought in 2020.

The internal review told him the Army is out of balance, in part because "the demand for our forces exceeds the sustainable supply," he says, and it's too focused on fighting today's irregular wars and not enough on the conventional wars it might face in the future. Casey's comments came during a Sept. 6 breakfast discussion with Government Executive Editor and President Timothy B. Clark.

Casey went on to say that Army readiness is declining as too many units do not have time to adequately train because they are recovering from combat deployments. "You can't just take these formations and put them away without fixing them up because they won't be ready for the next time," Casey said. The Army is struggling to fund its transformation from a Cold War force to a 21st century force. "We're about halfway through the largest organizational change in the Army since World War II," Casey said.

Recruitment and retention are major concerns as the Army plans to grow by 65,000 soldiers over the next five years, an expansion that comes with a hefty price tag, estimated at $70 billion between fiscal 2009 and fiscal 2013 for both personnel and equipment. While retention rates remain high, Casey worries about the potential damage from never-ending deployments to Iraq: "We just cannot keep asking our soldiers and families to carry that burden." He said this is the first time the Army has had to sustain an all-volunteer force during a protracted conflict since the Revolutionary War.

One of Casey's highest priorities is to restore balance by shifting to a policy that will keep soldiers at home two years for every year deployed. But before that goal can be realized, he said, "the demand for our forces worldwide is going to have to come down some."

Casey worries the Army might again become a "hollow force" due to wartime stresses. Retired Gen. Edward "Shy" Meyer, who originally coined the phrase to describe the 1970s post-Vietnam Army, warned Casey to look out for the "invisible red line out there . . . . you cross it, it's too late." The warning signs are when captains, majors and senior sergeants, the soldiers the Army has invested eight to 10 years to train, "perceive that they're not getting the support they need from the country . . . and start to walk," Casey said. It took the Army 10 years to repair the last hollow force, he added.

For many Army leaders, including Casey, restoring balance means reducing the focus on nation-building and irregular warfare, such as in Iraq and Afghanistan, and increasing attention to high-intensity, conventional combat, the service's traditional mission. "We have to have a versatile enough force to be able to operate across that full spectrum," Casey said. Looking into the future, he forecasts a world of persistent conflict, driven in part by growing populations in developing countries and the uneven distribution of globalization's benefits.

There are around 1,200 known terrorist organizations, some of which are bent on acquiring weapons of mass destruction, and he fears they'll find safe havens in the ungoverned spaces of the world.

On the likelihood of success in Iraq, Casey said he remains hopeful, though skeptical, that the Iraqi government will make the tough political choices that could lead to a stable central government. "The question in my mind has always been whether the opportunities created by the military can be taken advantage of by the Iraqi political leadership," he said.

Casey was replaced as commander in Iraq earlier this year by Gen. David Petraeus. Casey had publicly advocated a smaller American military footprint in Iraq, believing that training Iraq's army and police should be U.S. troops' top priority. He was criticized by Bush administration officials and leading Republican lawmakers for his handling of Iraq. President Bush, in his Sept. 13 speech to the nation, said the new American strategy in Iraq would be to begin to hand off security responsibilities to Iraqi security forces and draw down American troop levels. An edited transcript of Casey's Sept. 6 remarks follows.

On the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder among returning soldiers:

What you're seeing is the cumulative effects of six years at war on the force. And it's a reality - war is horrible and brutal, and when you're exposed to it, it affects you no matter who you are. If you look at a sample of 100 people who were exposed to war during a serious incident, 70 percent to 80 percent of that group would be affected by it. A much smaller portion, maybe in the 20 percent to 30 percent range, would have symptoms of some type of psychological effect. And a much smaller group than that, probably less than 10 percent, would have problems that required significant treatment. So everybody's affected by the horrors of war. We're human beings.

We have recognized this, and we are working very hard to, one, raise awareness about the psychological effects of this type of combat, and two, reduce the stigma on people seeking mental health counseling. And we, a month or so ago, put out what we call a chain-teaching package. It's the chain of command. Every leader teaches his or her immediate subordinates about post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. We did that, one, to educate our leaders to recognize these types of psychological challenges, and two, to reduce the stigma. One of the questions on the security form, another Cold War relic here, is have you ever sought mental health counseling. Talk about stigma. We've asked to have that changed, and the secretary of Defense has ordered a memo saying, look, we've got to fix this.

On the stress on soldiers' families:

We are asking far more from the families than I would've thought possible. This war is very, very difficult and stressful on the families. Your spouse or your son or daughter is in a combat zone, and always in the back of your mind is the threat of that knock on the door, that they've been killed or severely wounded. And that grates on you over time. As my wife, Sheila, and I went around and visited bases, we talked to groups of families and family leaders and what they said to us was, running a family readiness group for the third deployment isn't the same as it is for the first. People are more stressed. It's just much more difficult to do that. I asked them, isn't the decision of the soldier to stay with the all-volunteer force so dependent on the family's happiness that we should treat families as a readiness issue? And everybody always said, "Yeah, what took you so long?"

On recruitment challenges:

It's a tough recruiting environment. If you look at what we deal with, the propensities to serve are down. The economy is up. And as we look at the population of 17- to 25-year-olds that we normally recruit from - just for starters, only three in 10 of that population are eligible to compete for the military because of the standard we've set. And so it is a tough recruiting environment.

That said, in the first nine months of this fiscal year, over a quarter of a million men and women have enlisted or re-enlisted in the Army, Army Reserve and Army Guard. That is not insignificant. There are still a heck of a lot of folks out there around this country who understand the challenges that we're up against here and are committed to the ideals the country stands for. Quality is down slightly from where we were a few years ago. But we are right at the goals, the policy goals, of about 80 percent high school graduates and about 4 percent what we call category four, the folks who test out at the lower end of the spectrum.

So we're right around those goals; we're not as high as we were, and I don't intend to go much below those.

On the junior officer shortage:

We do have shortages in captains and majors, and they are by and large a result of the modular organizations that we are converting to. Having watched these organizations on the ground in Iraq, they are far more capable organizations in this environment than are the Cold War formations that we are transitioning away from. We look at captains' retention at about the five- or six-year point, which is when their applications are generally up. And [the attrition rate among junior officers] is a little higher, but it's within 2 percentage or 3 percentage points of the norm. So it is not wildly out of whack. But I've talked to some of my predecessors who dealt with the Army after Vietnam, and what they said is, "Look, there's kind of an invisible red line out there, and even though you'll track indicators, you won't know it until you cross it, and once you cross it, it's too late." And that's why putting ourselves back in balance is so important to the long-term health of the force because people are making decisions based on what their future looks like. There are bonuses out there, but when we went out to our commanders and said, what is it that captains are looking for to stay with the Army, they said graduate school, station of choice, getting assigned to the post that they wanted to be assigned to, getting a particular military school. And what they said was - and this is not surprising because you have captains talking to colonels - the money's not important to us.

On the Future Combat Systems:

The Future Combat Systems program is only 3 percent of our 2008 budget. So 97 percent is going to other things, about 3 percent toward the future. That's a pretty minimal investment to give us the type of Army that we're going to need in the future. The [House Armed Services Committee] cuts are too deep; cuts of that size would cripple the program. We've got good support on the Senate side, and I think you know that the House Appropriations Defense subcommittee came in with about half of that cut. FCS is our first major modernization effort in about 20 years. And you know, they say that's not your grandfather's Oldsmobile. Well, in a few more years, it's going to be your grandfather's Abrams tank.

FCS is already yielding technologies that are being used by our soldiers in Iraq. We have this little unmanned aerial vehicle that's actually out there now that allows a lieutenant or a sergeant to see what's down the alley or up on top of the roof. These organizations that we're changing to - these modular organizations - came out of a design for the FCS organization. We have unattended sensors that a soldier can leave in a building and monitor from a distance. There are a lot of good things that are continuing to come out of this program that are helping us today, and it's also a bridge to the future.

On combat deployments for National Guard and Reserve:

We have a different paradigm right now for our reserve components than we had in the Cold War. In the Cold War, they were a strategic reserve, and the plan was the balloon goes up and you throw the switch, and we start cranking out units to go fight on the plains of Europe.

Clearly, that is not what we are doing now and haven't been doing for five years. We are looking to define that paradigm for reserve components to say, OK, one year [deployed], five years back. I mean, right now, we are about one year out for the reserves, about three and a half back. And so I believe we owe it to the men and women who are going to join the Guard and Reserve to . . . tell them what they can expect. We are moving toward a position where they are more of an operational augmentation force. Can our employers sustain the burden of deploying men and women for once every five or six years? That is something we need to discuss at the national level.

On contractors on the battlefield:

I had a group of my logisticians in yesterday, and we were discussing what our logistical force structure should be in the future. One question that comes up as you're discussing that is how much should you rely on contractors, on outsourcing, as you say. And that is a tough one, because if you look at what I said about the spectrum of conventional war to peacetime engagement, in conventional war, much like you saw on the attacks into Baghdad in the early days of the war, all of that support is provided by military logistical units in military vehicles. As you move away from conventional fighting to irregular warfare or counterinsurgency operations or engagements, you can move toward fixed bases. In conventional war, you put a fixed base up and the enemy fires artillery on it or bombs it with jets. Once you start operating on fixed bases, then you open up the possibility of contractor support because they are operating in a secure environment. Security contractors are a whole different situation, and it's much more challenging as we look at that. So I can't give you a maxim that says these are the areas where I think you could outsource more. But I do think that as we look at this, we will depend on contracting support in a range of areas to do the types of operations that we are going to be doing in the future.

Do I want a lifetime employee who I am going to invest in and pay their salary and health care and all of the rest of that, or can I better accomplish it by contracting for specific needs at a specific time. The cost of bringing a young man or woman into the Army through a 20-year career, as you can imagine, is getting more and more. And so do we keep folks on the books to take care of all of the logistical needs, or do we contract for them when we need them?

On the need for interagency cooperation:

It's not just the armed forces that are going to cause this nation to succeed at what it's doing in Iraq and Afghanistan and the war on terror. In this type of war, it's the political; it's the economic elements that have to reinforce what the military is doing. So there are huge opportunities for the rest of the government to contribute to what is going on here. And I think that is going to take some real cultural change in the different organizations of the government. The military wasn't the only one that was downsized as a result of the Cold War.

USAID [the U.S. Agency for International Development], the United States Information Agency, those things were really taken down, so we don't necessarily have the capability anymore to go out and do the things we need to. What do the other agencies or governments need to do to operate in the environment we're going to be operating in for the next decade or so?

Good to Great Leadership

2008-01-09T23:18:00.000-05:00

Good leadership is multi-level and great leadership is multi-dimensional. Good leadership influences others up, down and around. Great leadership has a lasting influence over time. One example of good leadership is when the leader petitions their next higher and is able to influence a decision that ultimately affects subordinates. That is good leadership. An example of great leadership using the same example would be that even after time has passed the result of the original decision is still in effect. This could be in the form of an established policy, personnel performance or a cultural value. The Founding Fathers demonstrated exceptionally great leadership as the architects of our nation and we still benefit from their leadership vision today.

Mentoring Important for Jr and Sr Leaders

2007-12-24T08:39:00.000-05:00

Leadership is about having a vision focused on the possibilities of the future.
And one way leaders can shape the future is through mentoring the next generation. Mentoring is a critical aspect of leader development.
Mentoring is an activity that mutually benefits junior and senior leaders because the mentoring relationship creates a safe learning environment through feedback.
Junior leaders benefit from the time and attention of more senior leaders as they glean wisdom from another person’s experiences without having to live through the same events. While at the same time senior leaders benefit by sharing their philosophies on leadership and listening to different perspectives on leadership issues from those they mentor.
Mentoring relationships can take on many forms. They do not always have to be formal, long term relationships. In fact great mentoring often occurs in rather informal settings.
But the best mentoring is guided. Guided mentoring provides an outline or theme, which facilitates discussion and encourages both parties to focus their attention to a defined topic. This method certainly is not meant to limit, rather like farming it helps to “loosen and prep the soil” of discussion, resulting in an enriched discussion and deepened development.

H.A.L.T.

2007-12-13T21:33:00.000-05:00

A few years ago I bought my first motorcycle but before riding it decided to take a basic riders course. This course taught fundamentals and principles essential to the development of good riding skills. The instructor taught that riding a motorcycle is much more involved that driving a car, and provided a simple memory aid to help us evaluate our riding capabilities in order to be safe riders. The mnemonic was H.A.L.T. and we were taught to skip riding if any of the following conditions true:
H- Hungry
A- Angry
L- Late
T- Tired
The reason these four conditions are bad is because they are personal distractions.
Well, just like bike riding, leadership is more involved than simply being part of an organization. So I suggest that as leaders we need to “halt” and consider conditions or distractions that may impair our judgment as leaders. By doing so it is possible to avoid simple pitfalls that can be leadership disasters.

Influencing Others

2007-12-08T12:11:00.000-05:00

As a leader one is constantly influencing others, the real question becomes “Am I really influencing others the way I think I am or the way I want?” And before that question can be answered it is important to understand one of the strongest ways we influence one another; which is through our words. Our communication with others consists of words, actions, meaning, tone, and sentiment. Our words are an extension of whom we are inside and help share what we think and feel. The problem is that other people must rely on their personal interpretation of our outward expression, which is based upon their internal values and since each person is different, we each come to individual conclusions.
So to be an effective leader we need to be perceptive to the reactions of others as we interact so we can modify our communication and hopefully come to the same meaning. Often times this is called emotional intelligence, the ability to not only understand how people generally react but being able to understand how each individual reacts and then adjust accordingly. Leaders that influence well, communicate well because they care.

Leadership is Learning

2007-11-28T07:58:00.000-05:00

Too often I hear the complaint that current leaders lack this or lack that. And it is probably true, leaders are not perfect. Each of us comes up short somewhere or in something. These external criticisms are easily discounted in comparison to the personal criticisms we tend to provide ourselves. As leaders it is important that we overcome the irrational idea that because we are leading we are infallible. Or that there is a perfect solution to each situation faced and if it is not found the results will be catastrophic. The reality is that there are key principles of leadership that when applied regardless of the situation or our experience produce improved results. Good leadership is when the leader has learned key principles and applies them, such as innovation, inspiration and initiative. Each new circumstance is a different learning opportunity, and leadership is developed by learning how to apply the principles appropriately. So mistakes will be made and that is OK, keep trying and learn.

Passion not Position

2007-11-20T22:37:00.000-05:00

Leadership is about passion not position. Leadership is derived by influencing others and others cannot be influenced by you if your own personal belief as a leader is so weak that it does not even motivate yourself. In considering many effective leaders the one thing they share is the personal conviction of their “cause” whether business, war, religion or politics. When people support a leader they commit to the ideal espoused by the leader’s vision. Their commitment is based on their belief in the future, not on who the leader is or their position.

Speak with Confidence

2007-11-14T07:49:00.000-05:00

Leadership requires a certain level of competence, in order for others to have confidence in their leader. One of the quickest ways followers can loose confidence in their leaders is based on their ability to communicate. And most of the factors contributing to the listener’s confidence come from subtle cues such as eye contact, voice, body movement, pace, and articulation. Through preparation everyone can minimize distracters and improve their delivery.

Here are a few simple effective tips to improving a verbal presentation, whether to an individual or group.
- Preparation: rehearse, consider important questions the listener needs answered why, what and who, plan your time
- Introduction: catch the audience’s attention with the “why”
- Presentation: provide sufficient information in the body to fully cover the topic
- Conclusion: end with a action challenge, reminding them of the material and what they need to do

A leader on and of the “field”

2007-11-08T07:34:00.000-05:00

Good leadership is inspirational and good leaders need to be involved in order to inspire. A recent experience I had really brought home to me the importance of leader participation in activities outside of the normal organization’s activity. Leaders need to be there, rather than maintaining a distant persona, who can’t relate with the general populace of the group due to their leadership status. Instead leaders need to jump in and participate with the group in activities outside of the daily routine.
The example I saw was a flag football game between departments, on the sideline and on the field leaders from every level were out participating. It was fun, fast and flawed and the camaraderie developed was incredible. It seemed everyone was involved at some level whether playing, coaching or commenting from the sideline.

Deep vs. Surface Leadership

2007-10-27T10:25:00.000-04:00

I recently attended a symposium at an esteemed institution of higher learning and the topic was related to teaching and learning in depth rather than just touching on the surface of a topic. This concept was rather intriguing and as I considered it further it seemed to apply to many current leadership situations.

Our society seems to promote and operate too often at only the surface leader level and is seen throughout all levels of our society. Certainly technology has contributed in some part to this shallowness, with the rapid individualistic proliferation of information. Just look at how we interact, text messaging, web chatting or surfing. Very rarely does anyone say "how's it going" with the intention of really listening to a long involved explanation. Leaders need to take time for people, because leaders don’t lead things.
One way I suggest we can deepen our interpersonal interactions and improve as a leader is to slow down a bit, devote time to a topic or concept and invest in dialogue. By taking time to personally discuss an item we naturally deepen our thoughts and interest. In part because we generate new insights and ideas and we respond to other peoples comments, and thus all are edified.

Change the World Green

2007-10-17T22:22:00.000-04:00

Leadership is about innovation and innovation is about believing. Believing that there are other possibilities, untapped potential and exciting futures that await to be discovered. All of these beliefs correlate to leadership but they also correspond to environmental friendly world change.
There are other energy possibilities, we can tap incredible potential and considering the future is exciting. Leaders have a responsibility outside of their personal enterprise to exemplify responsible behavior and being green is one area that leaders can make a difference. By their very nature of being a leader and taking positive action, others will follow suit, creating a positive impact; the very same way leadership influences an organization.
So big or small, old or young be a “green” leader and have a global impact, right from your hometown.

Please & Thank you

2007-10-09T21:28:00.000-04:00

I have worked with too many “leaders” or executives that have lost sight of one leadership basic, the importance of thanking others and acting nice. Oh, sure everyone has a ceremonial certificate or a big annual recognition activity. But what I am talking about are the simple acts that make the workplace more civil. For example thanking someone who holds the door, or asking someone to “please pass” an item, or taking time to talk to the custodian and show some appreciation for his/her effort.
As leaders progress it is important that they do not loose their appreciation for others efforts. Sometimes because of the diligent work of others, they come to expect that everyone will just do what they are told. Or that they are more deserving and are some how better based on their occupational position. If this happens the leader looses some of the emotional sensitivity critical to successful personal interactions. Often cited as a lack of emotional intelligence, the general prescribed response is to conduct training.
Recently I have been trying to do better in this area of taking a moment and letting others know that I appreciate their efforts. Normally I like most of us would probably not notice their quiet behind the scenes contributions, but by putting at the front of my mind I have been better. The results have been interesting: a new friend, an inside tip of an office change, a lot more “hellos” and “how are you doing” and an increase in job performance. I have always tried to by cordial, but what I was missing was the power of thank you. So take a little time out of the day to say “Please” and “Thank You”.
Thanks

Problem Solving

2007-10-02T22:04:00.000-04:00

“The problem-solving approach allows for mental double-declutching. It does not require a direct switch from one point of view to another. It provides a period “in neutral” where there is an openness to facts and, therefore, a willingness to consider an alternative view.
William Reddin-Management Consultant
Collaborative problem solving is an effect tool for leaders to use. It is silly to think that just because one is in charge or responsible that they have all of the answers, yet too often we find ourselves either acting that way or treating others as if they should know it all just because they are at the helm. Certainly a good leader quality is decisiveness, but this does not mean that leaders should not solicit input to solutions. In fact the wise leader will get input, weigh the benefits and then decisively choose a course of action. Weighing the benefits is exactly what Reddin is referring to in “a period in neutral where there is openness to facts.” These brief moments between information assimilation and decision can be moments of clarity, where sheer genius is allowed to spring forth, and innovation is derived. I encourage everyone to take a few moments and consider the effect before deciding, and if time allows collaborate a little with others while considering the outcome. The results will be well worth the time spent.

Lonely at the Top

2007-09-24T23:39:00.000-04:00

Leadership is lonely; so then why do so many people esteem to be leaders? Why is leadership often looked on as positive endeavor? For the very reason that being a leader is lonely. Because being a leader is a distinction that comes through effort not position.
Leadership can be lonely because a leader can’t always enjoy the comfort of consensus, actually it is the very fact that the individual is not swayed and cajoled with everyone’s whim that helps to solidify them as a leader. But not everyone can be a leader, like great athletes leaders must practice their art and hone their skills, but most importantly they have to distinguish themselves from the pack. By doing so they move to a position from which they can lead.
Now, imagine a mass of people with someone stuck in the middle to give direction from the middle crowd. It will never work. Not until that person separates themselves from the group, usually by climbing up so they can see and be heard above the crowd can they be effective. From their new vantage point they are in a position to lead, because they have a better position to see and direct.
So what can you do if you are a leader and feel isolated? Well, just because leadership can be lonely does not mean you have to be alone, or isolated. In fact it is critical to get in the mix, talk with others and participate in the organization. By doing so your reality as a leader is grounded and the others you work with will recognize your genuine efforts. My only word of caution is to not to get so chummy that when a tough decision has to be made, personal emotional biases become the determining factors instead of principles of sound leadership, such as what is best for the organization.

Reflection

2007-09-18T07:58:00.000-04:00

Personal reflection is vital to successful leaders. There are two basic types of reflection, internal and external. Reflecting provides the opportunity to digest and process our personal interactions. Too often we find ourselves busy each day conducting business, and then we dismiss the critical part of reviewing our day due to “lack of time”. But individual reflection can be as simple as turning off the radio while driving and focusing your thoughts on different personal transactions of the day. Reviewing what went well and why, and what we could have done to be more effective. Individual reflection can also be very sophisticated, for example personal inventory tests or personality assessments are examples of concentrated personal reflection. These reports can be generated by our own thoughts, feelings and impressions, and then the results are compiled in a report for review. Interesting enough these reports are simply the jump point for us to sit back and mentally review.
The other type of reflection is external in which the feedback we receive comes from others. We are constantly getting feedback from others through their facial expressions and body language, but external reflection requires more than just adapting to the environment. External reflection requires investigation and direct feedback. A very simple but effective method is asking someone you trust, “what is something I could be doing better?” but be ready for some tough answers. If you overreact you will never get honest feedback, but if you take it in stride and do a little follow on investigating you will usually find out the root of the issue. On the high end of external feedback there are 360 reviews and performance reports. These all help to provide a picture of how others perceive you and your effectiveness.
So if you have not taken time to stop and reflect on how things are going and how you could be more effective, you are missing out on a relatively easy but very effective leadership multiplier.

Leaders need to Listen

2007-09-11T21:45:00.000-04:00

“The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help them or concluded that you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership.” Colin Powell

I have included this quote from Colin Powell a retired general that had a very distinguished public service career, because it helps to illustrate the point that leaders need to listen. And what should they be listening for? Leaders must be “listening” to many different levels of communication in order to be effective. They need to attend to each individual’s personal comments and they also must listen to organizational issues.
All of us have experienced the casual salutation “How’s it going?”, but do we stop and really find out? As a leader stopping and taking time to find out, through listening makes all the difference. It may not change the entire organization in a day, but it will change that person’s day as they remember that someone cared. The key to listening to the individual is reading the total person, not just hearing the words, but understanding their meaning. Many authors and experts have touted the importance of Emotional Intelligence, or the ability to sense and emphasize with another’s feelings, because without meaning the message is lost. Many times I have told the person “you don’t look, ok” and often get a more sincere response with a brief discussion of what is really going on in their lives.
Next it is very important for the leader to stop and listen to organizational issues. Essentially that is one of the leader’s key tasks; listen, take recommendations and then issue direction. Too often leaders are found providing guidance and direction without any input from the implementers. The result is misunderstanding, confusion, cynicism and lost productivity. Alternately the leader that takes the time to listen and employ a participative style of leadership gets diverse opinions. These can then be used to make a better informed decision.
Listening and understanding take time and practice, it is an important leader talent, but well worth the effort. So get out there and listen to what’s going on.

Leader Talent

2007-09-04T23:14:00.001-04:00

Leadership is a talent and just like every talent there are two kinds of people: the ones who are naturally talented and the ones that are not. We all know someone that has a sort of gift, a special ability, something that just comes naturally to them, sometimes they don't even realize it. Well some people are endowed with the talent of leadership. They've got the "it"; people are attracted to them, they enjoy challenges, working in divers and ambiguous situations motivate them. These folks are natural leaders, they are like Mozart, Picasso and Da Vinci so to speak within the art of leadership.
Then there is the larger more common group of individuals, who have key attributes, but their leadership ability is developed over time and through practice. These leaders are excellent at what they do, because of the effort they invest. Within this group are professionals that take pride in pursuing excellence and influencing others to achieve high standards. They are like great athletes, musicians or artisans. Because they build upon the natural abilities they possess and seek opportunities to strengthen personal weaknesses. This group of leaders develop their talent, just like a great jazz musician, through trial and error, testing boundaries and discovering best practices.
Lest someone reading this becomes discouraged because do not feel like a natural leader, fear not, because like anything worth pursuing, becoming a good leader can be achieved. It takes practice, concentration and dedication. This does not mean one should stop what they are doing only to pursue great leadership qualities; rather in being dedicated and through practice the leader emerges from the experience. In essence you become the leader in doing, not simply by pursuing leadership.
This why so many leader development programs fail, they pool together the important skills, attributes and qualities of leadership, but they fail to allow for leadership to take place and consequently fail to develop a good leader. If you are truly interested in becoming a better leader, reflect on what you've got and what you need. Then in the moment of truth act appropriately, soon you will find that your leader attributes will be strengthened and your leader influence expanded.

Attitudes Influence

2007-08-23T22:06:00.000-04:00

One way to make a difference as a leader is through attitude, whether positive or negative.
Being excited about the task at hand can go a long way for making even the most mundane positive. It is important for the leader to help everyone see the “vision” the vision of what the future will look like, what they will be like, what achievement will feel like. Being a leader takes passion and the leaders we love show it. Many of us love the movie Braveheart and other stories because of the leaders’ enthusiasm. So I challenge all leaders everywhere to get excited, motivate others and make a difference.

“A leader’s job is to give their people hope.”
Rudy Ruettiger, Notre Dame Football Player

Leading Teams

2007-08-14T22:24:00.000-04:00

Leaders have a responsibility to regularly engage in the team building process. This can be done by hold meetings, receiving progress reports or simply interacting with team members.
Leaders are team members too, and need to remember that they should be focused not just on the team product but on the continuous improvement of the team itself. Team leaders are in the business of team building, the team in turn accomplishes the task whether it is evaluations and recommendations or making something or even managing.
Being an effective team leader is a challenge, often it is easier to simply participate, and while this can help accomplish the task at hand it does little in building the team up for further tasks or greater challenges. So like all leadership opportunities the leader needs to have a vision for the team both present and future oriented. By having a vision they are able to guide the team to further successes.

Influence in Leadership is Key

2007-08-06T18:56:00.000-04:00

Too often when leadership is discussed the focus is solely oriented toward the relationship between the subordinate and the leader. But good leaders are influential on multiple levels. These levels are up, down and around. The influential power of good leaders are not limited to just the group they directly lead, they also create influence among peers and supervisors.
Certainly each leader must remain focused on attending to those within their group of followers, because a lack of concerned interaction will render them completely ineffective. Most leaders soon learn that subordinates will only put forth as much effort as they perceive that their leadership is willing to invest into the same activity. And a leader that does not take time to get to know individuals will miss out on pivotal personal interactions.
Another important group is a leader’s peers. Leader peers can make life easier by providing feedback and personal experiences. Influence between peers can also help foster a sense of appreciation for one another and the different challenges each leader faces. By interacting with peers, leaders can get valuable input from an outside source that is not directly related to their group.
Interestingly enough inadequate attention to one’s supervisors can also cause ineffectiveness as a leader. This is because if the subordinate leader is unable to shape expectations and decisions of the next higher level, they will forever be subject to direct input, without any “vote”. This can have devastating effects on the leader and the led, because if the situation is not corrected a sense of helplessness ensues as everyone begins to feel that they are nothing more than a cog.

Trust is a Must

2007-07-31T11:51:00.000-04:00

Just today while coaching a young leader who had just accomplished a very large and successful project involving a couple hundred participants, I had to remind him that as a leader you must have a level of trust in those with whom you work.
Basically the activity had ended and we were sitting around discussing the Successful Points and the Improve Points, and he kept getting upset and frustrated with one of his site managers. Who did in fact completed the task, but had a rough beginning, until he had worked into a rhythm. As we talked I helped him realize that as the overall leader he had to trust in the abilities of the executor, or he would forever find himself doubting, burnout and disappointed. I pointed out that often those whom we lead will not complete the task just as we envisioned, despite lengthy planning sessions. But if the task was accomplished to standard then it is O.K. One because it builds the subordinate and two because it allows the key leader to focus on critical issues. The key to successful supervision as a leader is not allowing the standard to slip, even if the technique used to accomplish the task is varied.
So remember leaders, trust is a must, even when right may not look quite right; atleast not in the moment.

Use Informal Leaders

2007-07-28T23:19:00.000-04:00

Every group has one, an informal leader that is, someone who influences others in the group more than average without a title or position. Informal leaders shape expectations and influences decisions often through their referent power. While most groups have a formal leader; someone identified by a position or title, they may not be the one with the most influence. Let me provide a semi-comical example most of us can relate to either personally or through observation. We have all seen it, parents strolling through the mall with kids in tow. When one of the children suddenly decides they want to see this or do that. And while the “formal” leader the parent protests, soon the entire family is at the pet store staring at puppies, or checking out balloons, or even worse spending money on the momentary distraction. So what happened? In this example our little informal leader knew the cues required to get attention drawn to his agenda and create sufficient influence to support it.
Another familiar scenario can be set in the workplace. The formal leader may call a well intended meeting with a planned agenda and objective, but the meeting soon deteriorates as attendees redirect their attention on the informal leader’s influence. These distractions can be quippable questions, criticizing comments or just plain immature antics.
The key to success is to use the informal leader. A little time invested up front to get buy in from them or at least run down some of their questions prior to execution will translate into a great investment in influence. By using the informal leader, group members will present less resistance and participate more, generating stronger results, which in turn will facilitate group accomplishment and satisfaction. Not to mention the reduced stress you’ll feel in trying to lead a group of individuals.

True Leaders are True Believers

2007-07-23T12:25:00.000-04:00

I have found that true leaders are true believers.

They believe in others.
They believe in the cause.
They believe in themselves.

True leaders have an undying belief in others abilities and potential. Some might say they wear rose colored glasses, but it is more than just a happy go lucky faith. Rather it is the ability to treat others with confidence in what they can achieve.

True leaders are more than just sold on the idea, they are personally invested in the "cause". This can be a product, business, religion, political view or movement. Their investment is personal and emotional which causes others to respond. Some get on board and others become antagonized.

True leaders believe in themselves. They may or may not have all of the key attributes required for ultimate success, but their personal belief is sufficient to move them forward and motivate others. Truly, who would follow someone that doubted themselves? If anyone, not for long.

So if you are leading others or preparing to do so put trust them, really believe in what you are doing and have confidence in yourself.

Leadership Defined

2007-07-19T21:18:00.000-04:00

I have seen several definitions of leadership, but they all seemed incomplete to me, so over the years I have developed my own definition which I think is the most comprehensive.

I have found leadership to be:

The ability to influence another through inspiration to do that which they would not do otherwise.