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Lessons I’ve Learned from Terrible Leaders

August 16, 2015 By

When talking about leaders we’ve followed, the tendency is to talk about the good things that were learned; the habits developed; the techniques emulated. But, from time to time, we see or hear things that remind us of the worst behaviors we’ve witnessed from those who purported to be leaders. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned from terrible leaders … the lessons that tell Great Leaders what they NEVER want to be like.

  • Don’t keep promises you’ve made – Nothing will kill employee loyalty and morale faster than broken promises. When the person who claims to be the leader (in reality, “The Boss”) cannot be trusted to keep his/her word, those who are required to follow may do so; but, they will follow reluctantly and with little faith that they will receive what has been promised. Many years ago, I met “Joe”, the owner of a company, who promised nearly every person working in his company that, when the firm moved to larger facilities, each employee would have a private office. When the “offices” turned out to be 7’ x 7’ cubicles, while “Joe” felt that he had delivered on his promise of private space, the employees felt that they had been lied to and several left the firm. LESSON LEARNED: Only promise what you know you can deliver; and, be clear what the promise will deliver.
  • Berate people who want to take vacations – At a meeting with an employee who is considering a career change, the coach/mentor learned that when the employee had requested time off so that he could take his wife and kids on a one week vacation. The employee told “The Boss” a story about a contest between two lumberjacks to see who could chop the most wood in a day. At the end of the story, the lumberjack who took breaks and sharpened his axe was the winner. “The Boss” replied, “Well, you better figure out how to sharpen your axe while you work.” LESSON LEARNED: Recognize that people need breaks to refresh their minds and restore their creativity. Encourage them to take vacations and unwind. In the long-run, those breaks pay great dividends.
  • Get an overinflated opinion of your worth and wisdom – When a person is moved into a leadership position, there can be the temptation to believe that it is because “I’m the best that’s ever been … this proves that I’ve got the right to tell others what to do, to order them around, without any consideration for their feelings, talents, skills, and accomplishments.” This belief can be the shortest route to failure as a leader because it assumes that the newly promoted leader has all the answers and no one else can have a good idea. “Stephanie” shared a story with me about an encounter she had had with “The Boss” where she worked. Whenever “The Boss” disagreed with something she said, they had an honest difference of opinion. But, if she disagreed with something “The Boss” said, “The Boss” told her she was wrong. Consequently, she stopped offering ideas and feedback, ultimately taking a position at another company where her creativity could be implemented and was appreciated. LESSON LEARNED: Everyone has an opinion and ideas that can make a project more successful; a company more profitable. Listen and learn.
  • Assume that your promotion has given you license to take it easy – The view of the top always looks like there is no real work being done, right? Now that you occupy that top rung of the ladder, you can sit back, tell others what to do, and watch it happen. Your job is to be “The Boss”, not to actually do the work. This was the opinion of Erin when she was promoted to a supervisory position and her actions reflected it. LESSON LEARNED: Being placed in a leadership position does not mean less work, it means more work and more responsibility. Sometimes it means being on-call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Do it right and those you lead will follow your example.
  • Don’t ask for input unless you really want it – I once attended a meeting where the CEO invited the field managers to ask him about anything that was on their minds. For several years the company had experienced declining sales and decreased revenues. Several of the field managers felt that they had some good ideas for reversing these trends and took the CEO’s assurances that the meeting was a “Safe Zone” where anything could be asked or said without fear of retribution. The first person to ask a question concluded his question with the words, “Could we try something like this and see how it works?” As soon as the manager finished his question, the CEO began a profanity laced tirade that concluded with the words, “Why don’t you concentrate on running your $#@%& office and let me worry about running this company!” Needless to say, no one else asked any questions and the CEO walked out of the room clearly saying that he knew this idea had been a total waste of his time from the beginning. LESSON LEARNED: Don’t ask members of your team for their ideas unless you are truly willing to listen to them and give them a fair hearing.

Great Leaders learn from the best and from the worst. Being willing and able to learn from both empowers them to embrace and build upon the lessons of the best; and, to develop skills that avoid the mistakes of the worst.

Have you learned lessons from poor leaders? Click “Comment” and share what you learned.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at [email protected]

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Allow Your Team to Know That You Care

August 9, 2015 By

I once heard the great platform speaker and founder of the National Speakers Association, Cavett Robert, say that “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I was reminded of this quote at a recent leadership event which I was privileged to both attend and present.

A fellow presenter made the statement that he liked to, as he phrased it, “meet and greet” each team member as they arrived in the morning and ask a question about a subject that he knew was important to the team member. These questions had nothing to do with work or that person’s role within the team. Rather, to the person whose husband had had a surgical procedure, he asked her how her spouse was feeling; if he was recovering. To the person whose daughter had performed in a dance recital the night before, he asked the proud parent how the recital had gone; if there was a video he could see. He acknowledged that each team member had a life outside of work and that their personal life was every bit as important to that team member as his/her work life was. He developed a personal relationship with each team member and conveyed the assurance that, if there was ever a problem, he would be there for them and do all he could to help them.

Great Leaders are not afraid to develop this kind of personal relationship. They know that team members respond best to a leader that they believe in and have confidence will be there and “have their back”. Great Leaders understand that the development of these relationships enhances their “personal power” which is and always has been far more effective than relying solely on “position power” which invokes the phrase “because I said so”.

Have you had the pleasure of working with a Great Leader who let you know how much they cared about you, the person? Click “Comment” and share your story here.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at [email protected]

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Is This a Great Leader in the Making?

August 2, 2015 By

I recently had the honor and privilege of serving on an Eagle Scout Board of Review for a young man about to enter college. As part of the application process, the young man had written his “Life Ambition Statement” in which he stated that, after finishing college, he wanted to form his own company. One of the reasons that he stated for wanting to do so caught my attention. He wrote,

“As the head of my own company, I see it as my responsibility to inspire others as others have inspired me.”

One of the characteristics of a Great Leader is an ability to inspire. Recall, if you will, the Eagle Candidate who stated that a leader is someone “who inspires you to accomplish things you never thought you were capable of doing.” In both of these examples, these young men have focused on the critical element of inspiration.

Great Leaders see not only the current state of affairs. They also have a vision of what can be. They believe in this vision so strongly that they are able to inspire others to share the vision; and then, having shared the vision, they identify those who have the capability to help turn that vision into a reality and inspire them to join in a common effort to do so. They turn the vision of one individual into the vision of many. When many share a vision of the future, there is no limit to the power of that group to change the world.

Working with bright and talented individuals who have great dreams for the future, the vision to see them, and the will to make those dreams come true gives me great hope for the future. These are the leaders of the future and those of us who have been given the privilege of working with them today have been given the honor of helping create the Great Leaders of the future. We must do our very best. We dare not fail them.

Do you have ideas that will help develop the Great Leaders of the future? Click “Comment” and share them here.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at [email protected]

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Saying Goodbye to a Good Friend and Great Leader

June 7, 2015 By

Working with a Great Leader is a wonderful experience. It affords the opportunity to study a leadership style; to see how it works in real life; to identify traits and techniques that can help you grow as a leader; and, if you are fortunate, benefit from the mentoring of that individual.

Sadly, though, each of us is born with only a set number of years or days to walk this earth and then we are called home. I recently had to say goodbye to a friend who was, in my opinion, a Great Leader because he lived the traits of great leadership.

  • Commitment: When Steve accepted a responsibility, he committed himself to doing the job well. When he became the Outdoor Committee Chairman for his son’s Boy Scout Troop, he promised that the scouts would have good, safe, outings. When it was time to leave on a camping trip, he had pre-planned the transportation ensuring that every scout had a seat and a seat belt. His was always the last vehicle to leave the meeting place so that he could make certain that no one was left behind. He did the same thing when it was time to leave the campground. At the end of the outing, he did not leave the parking lot until every scout had been picked up by a parent.
  • Lead by Example: Wanting to go backpacking at the Philmont Scout Reservation with his son, he began a physical conditioning/exercise plan and lost a significant amount of weight to make certain that he would be able to make the trek and support the scouts without becoming a burden on them. At monthly campouts, he firmly believed that those who prepared the meals should not have to clean afterwards; and, he made sure that his vision was reality … not by telling others to clean or wash dishes but by standing and announcing that he was going to start the clean up process and asking who would help him.
  • Caring: Steve cared about the boys and his fellow adult leaders. Noting that one of the adults was terribly overheated, Steve took a cold drink to that individual and had him sit in a car with the air conditioning running to cool him down. During that time, he educated that individual about outdoor clothing, helping him to see the value in wearing clothing that wicked moisture away from the body and helping it evaporate quickly in order to keep the body cooler.
  • Knowing How and When to Relax: When circumstances required a serious attitude and focus, he knew how to be both and how to bring others to that same level of concentration. Steve also knew that relaxation was also needed. He had a great sense of humor that never tore anyone down or belittled others. His joyous, heartfelt laugh could be heard throughout the campground and he told jokes, good clean jokes, that brought smiles and laughter to those around him.

At times, Steve was my student. At other times, he was my teacher. Always, he was my friend. I and those he lead will miss him. We say goodbye, for now, with this prayer …

May the trail rise up to meet you;
May the wind always be at your back;
May the sun shine warmly on your face;
When you come to the river, may you cross over gently
and rest in the shade of the trees;
And, until we meet again, may the Great Scoutmaster
of all Scouts hold you in the palm of his hand and give you peace.

Rest In Peace, my friend.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at [email protected]

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Great Leaders Think, Adapt, and Act Quickly When It’s Needed

May 17, 2015 By

Gettysburg — July 2, 1863 — It is the second day of what we now know as the Battle of Gettysburg. The 20th Maine has been tasked to defend the far left end of the Union lines at Little Round Top. Battle tactics of the era emphasized the importance of “turning the opponent’s flank” making Little Round Top a key defensive position for the Union forces. In many minds, had the Union forces failed to hold this position, the Confederate forces might well have won the Battle of Gettysburg. As the day progressed, Confederate forces from Alabama and Texas repeatedly charged the Union positions and were turned back by troops from Michigan, New York, and Maine.

While certainly not the only troops to defend Little Round Top, the troops of the 20th Maine under the command of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain proved instrumental in this battle. Recognizing that his men were nearly out of ammunition and that another Confederate charge was forming, Colonel Chamberlain ordered his men to fix bayonets and charge down the hill in a wheel-like maneuver that surrounded the Confederate forces. Overwhelmed by the ferocity of the 20th Maine’s charge, the exhausted Confederates surrendered. The Union position held and was a critical factor in the ultimate defeat of the Confederate forces at Gettysburg.

Colonel Chamberlain led the charge with the Color Bearer at his side. Bearing the colors (the Regimental Flag) was a great honor and an incredibly dangerous job in that the flag served as a focus point for opposing forces. Many Color Bearers were killed in the course of battle. Standing next to the flag was, perhaps, the second most dangerous place to be. Moreover, Colonel Chamberlain demonstrated an important component of Great Leaders … the ability to face difficult situations and think creatively outside the parameters of conventional wisdom. Great Leaders do not lead from behind. They are out in front, thinking creatively, inspiring others.

As Memorial Day approaches and we remember those who gave their lives in battle, let us also remember those who led from the front … the mark of truly Great Leaders. Click “Comment” and tell us who you believe are the greatest leaders of their time.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at [email protected]

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

When Plans Fall Apart, Great Leaders Lead the Way

May 10, 2015 By

Last week, we remembered the actions of General Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. when he was part of the initial landings at Utah Beach, the only General to land with the first wave of troops on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Today, we look at another example of leadership from the front, Brigadier General Norm Cota.

When General Cota landed on Omaha Beach an hour after the first men came ashore, it was clear that the assault plan, a plan which had taken over a year to create, was quickly falling apart. German defenses had blocked all exits from the beach with barbed wire, concrete pillboxes, land mines, and well planned zones of fire.

Rather than telling men to go forward, General Cota led by example, climbing over the seawall and showing engineers where he wanted them to place explosives that would tear holes in the barbed wire and create an exit off the beach. When the detonation created a hole, Cota was one of the first men through the breach. Inspired by his example, soldiers followed and overcame the defenses that had been meant to keep them out of mainland Europe.

On each of the landing beaches, individual officers and non-commissioned officers took similar actions that inspired their fellow soldiers to overcome the obstacles that stood between them, the destruction of tyranny, and the preservation of liberty. In the final analysis, it was the cumulative effects of many individual initiatives that propelled the Allies to victory.

As we look ahead to the Memorial Day Weekend when we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice on the altar of liberty, let us look at those who led from the front … the mark of truly Great Leaders. Click “Comment” and tell us who you believe were the greatest leaders of the “the greatest generation”.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at [email protected]

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , ,

Great Leaders Lead from the Front

May 3, 2015 By

June 6, 1944 — D-Day — soldiers from the United States, Canada, England, France, and other allied nations stormed ashore at Normandy Beach. The initial landings were led by Captains, Majors, and Colonels; and, one lone General accompanied those first troops. He did so because he believed that a leader leads from the front and he was determined to do so.

Initially, this General’s requests to lead the initial landings were declined. The reasons, no doubt, ranged from the fact that he was not a healthy man; to his age (he was nearly 57 years old); and, to his family lineage. But, he persevered, requesting the opportunity to lead his troops ashore in the first wave not once; not twice; but, three times. Finally, on the third request, his request was reluctantly approved. His commanding officer did not expect him to survive the landing! When asked why he was determined to land in the first wave, the General stated that it would be good for morale, adding, “They’ll figure that if a general is going in, it can’t be that rough.”

Despite the fact that he limped as a result of crippling wounds suffered in World War I and required the aid of a walking stick; despite the fact that he suffered from a serious heart condition that would end his life a mere 5 weeks after the D-Day landings, Brigadier General Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, Jr. led his 4th Infantry Division ashore at Utah Beach, encouraging them to fight and to fight hard to secure the beachhead. When he learned that the troops had been landed 2 kilometers away from their intended landing zone, General Roosevelt stated firmly, “We’ll start the war from right here!” General Omar Bradley described Roosevelt’s actions on June 6, 1944 as the “single greatest act of courage” he witnessed in the entire war. General Roosevelt was a Great Leader. He did not tell others to “go there … do that”. He said “follow me” and lead by example.

As we begin the month of May and look ahead to the Memorial Day Weekend when we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice on the altar of liberty, let us look at those who led from the front … the mark of truly Great Leaders. Click “Comment” and tell us who you believe were the greatest leaders of the “the greatest generation”.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at [email protected]

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

How Do You Compliment and Recognize Introverted Personalities?

April 19, 2015 By

Last week, I shared with you my embarrassing experience of finding out that I did not know as much about motivating people as I thought I did. So what does work and with whom does it work best?

COREMAP(tm) teaches us that introverted personalities, Organizers and Relaters, respond best to specific types of recognition …

  • Organizer personalities prefer private forms of recognition. They are much more comfortable with a quiet side conversation that acknowledges their achievement; and, because they are very detail oriented, they value the compliments and recognition when they are very specific. Example: working with a counselor that we’ll call Lisa, it was always a pleasure to see her when she arrived at work and I wanted to let her know that. I could have told her, “it sure is great to see you every morning”. It would have conveyed the essence of the compliment. Instead, one morning when she was the first to arrive, I went to her desk and said, “I sure am glad to see you in the mornings. You always have a smile on your face and your whole attitude conveys that you’re excited about what you do. You make it a great day for everyone you talk to”. How do you think Lisa responded? If you guessed that she perked up, smiled, and said thank you, you’re partially right. She also made it a point to be the first to arrive each day thereafter and greet each of her co-workers with a smile.
  • Relater personalities, those people who are all about building relationships and helping everyone get along, prefer recognition that provides an act of service or quality time. Sales rep Joe was a Relater personality and his desire to do what was best for both his customer and the sales team he was part of was a key reason that he was a top sales person. Wanting to recognize Joe’s contributions, the account manager, Alex, went to him at the end of the day and told him simply that he was going to buy Joe’s lunch the next day. They ordered sandwiches and spent the lunch hour talking about Joe’s participation in a little theater company and the role he was going to play in its current production. Needless to say, Joe was thrilled by the lunch and the conversation … in fact, he did not realize that Alex knew anything about his activities outside of the workplace.

Great Leaders take the time to get to know the members of the team that they are privileged to lead. They take the time to determine what is important to each team member and they convey their appreciation in ways that are most valued by each individual. Have you worked with a Great Leader who took time to really find out what was important to you? Click “Comment” and share that experience. – OR – Click “Comment” and share how you like to be recognized for something well done.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at [email protected]

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, How personality type impacts leadership, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , ,

When It Comes to Compliments, “One Size Fits All” Fits No One

April 12, 2015 By

Newly promoted into sales management, I was given the opportunity to attend management training classes. Of course, being young and full of myself, my thought process was, “what do I need training classes for … I know how to motivate people”. Fortunately, the trainer (his name was John) at one of the first classes I attended volunteered me to role play a situation with him where it was my job to recognize his achievements and compliment him.

After John had set the scene, he sat down in my seat in the meeting room and told me to begin the exercise. I announced that I had a plaque to present him and called him to the front of the room. He quietly told me that he had a wall full of plaques, more than he could count, and that they really did not excite him. He’d rather not get another plaque.

I asked him to come up anyway so that I could tell everyone about his accomplishments. He quietly told me that he was really a shy person who felt it was his job to do the best he could and being glorified in front of people really made him uncomfortable.

At this point, John let me off the hook and told me that not everyone likes to receive recognition in the same manner; and, that not everyone wanted to receive that recognition in the same way that I obviously liked. That experience of standing in front of a roomful of my peers and learning that I did not know everything started me on a quest to learn all that I could about what motivates people and how they want to be recognized for their achievements because John was right … different personality types have very different preferences when it comes to recognition and compliments.

Are you curious to know how different personalities want to be recognized? Next week, we’ll take a look at what works well with introverted personalities.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at [email protected]

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, How personality type impacts leadership, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

Just Enough or A Little Bit More?

April 5, 2015 By

How many times have we heard someone use the phrase, “it’s good enough”? How many times have we used that phrase ourselves?

Great Leaders know that “good enough” is never good enough. They know that excellence requires that each of us do just a little more. For example …

  • The average sales representative who is making cold calls quits when he/she decides that they’ve called enough. The sales rep who is driven to succeed and be a leader makes the same number of calls and a few more.
  • The average athlete performs the required workouts and then quits for the day having done enough. The athlete who is determined to become a champion performs all of the required workouts and then invests additional time working in areas where he/she knows that improvement is needed to excel.
  • The average author and editor review the proof of a new book and find a few minor mistakes but decide to publish it anyone assuming that it is “good enough”; that no one will notice. The author and editor who will be superstars insist that the errors be corrected because they noticed and know that true professionals have a responsibility to their readers to put forth their very best efforts.

Great Leaders do not accept “average” or “good enough” from themselves or their teams. They have the drive and the determination to ensure that their customers all receive the very best product that can be delivered; and, that team members receive the very best guidance, assistance, and leadership that the Great Leader can provide … they give it everything they’ve got and a little bit more.

Click “Comment” to share your experiences when you had the good fortune to work with a Great Leader who gave his/her all + a little bit more.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at [email protected]

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,
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