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Does Great Leadership Requires Foresight?

November 2, 2014 By

You seldom hear a Great Leader say, “I never saw that coming.” Why is that?

Foresight … Great Leaders have foresight. They do not focus so closely on the immediate here and now alone. Rather, they have the ability to keep today in focus while simultaneously looking down the road and foreseeing the likely effects of today’s actions on tomorrow.

When making decisions and taking actions, Great Leaders do not solely ask “will this solve my problem today?”.  They also ask “what are the possible consequences of this decision; this action?” They anticipate and plan for those possibilities. They develop, in advance, what we often call “Plan B”; sometimes, they develop “Plan C” as well.

Looking ahead and planning potential courses of action enable Great Leaders to see and recognize problems before they become emergencies. By anticipating what might happen and developing contingency plans, Great Leaders are able to adapt quickly to changing needs or circumstances. It’s why things usually appear to go smoothly for them. They did not need to “scramble” and look for solutions to problems or difficulties that arose … they’d already thought about what to do.

Does this mean that Great Leaders are never caught off-guard? Not at all. But, when it happens, the Great Leader has developed the talent for being able to identify the cause of the difficulty and quickly weigh each possible solution.

Have you had an experience where planning ahead and considering potential courses of action has made it possible for you to adapt “on the fly” when things did not go exactly as planned? Click “Comment” and share how having a contingency plan made your life easier.

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 from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

How Do Great Leaders Show Respect for Self and Others?

October 27, 2014 By

The Roman Emperor and stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius, wrote, “Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect.” This is good advice for one who wants to be a Great Leader. Consider this example of how a leader pursued a course of action that he thought would give him an advantage but ended up costing him dearly.

Shirley had been a counselor at the Family Counseling Center almost from its inception. As the agency grew, more counselors were brought on staff and everyone played “musical offices” so that clients and counselors could conduct sessions privately. In fact, Shirley had gone from having a private office to sharing the office with other counselors; to having a desk in the front office/reception area so that other counselors could use the office for private meetings with clients. Shirley was a team player and accepted the move cheerfully and was given the assurance that when the agency moved into a larger space in a few months, she would again be given a private office in recognition of her tenure and the nature of the work she was doing in addition to providing counseling.

On the day of the big move, Shirley picked up the box containing her personal belongings and went to the new office. Walking in the door, she was greeted by the FCC’s Director and led to a cubicle in what the floor plan called “the bullpen”. The Director told Shirley that he’d changed his mind, he didn’t feel that she needed nor deserved a private office. Other, less senior, counselors would be given the private offices. Needless to say, Shirley felt that she had been lied to and her dedication to the agency had been betrayed.

In the ensuing months, she wrapped up the various projects that she was working on and, when they were completed, she tendered her resignation and opened her own practice. Today, she has a very successful practice and does not regret her decision to “go independent”. As for the FCC, at last count, the Director had hired four new people to do the work that Shirley had previously done by herself. Over half the people who were on staff at FCC have now left having seen how the Director treated Shirley.

While it is unclear what advantage the Director believed he would achieve by his treatment of Shirley, what is clear is that the FCC lost a knowledgeable counselor who had been a valuable resource for the agency. It is also clear that he did not value or respect the talents and abilities that Shirley brought to the agency.

Great Leaders recognize the talents and abilities of those around them. They treat team members with respect, courtesy, and dignity. They keep the promises that they make. In doing these things, Great Leaders earn the loyalty and respect of the people who make up the team they have been given the privilege of leading.

How has a Great Leader demonstrated that he/she recognized the talents that you brought to the table? How did that individual show you respect? Click the “Comment” button and share your story.

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: , , , , , , , ,

What Could a Leader Accomplish If … ?

October 12, 2014 By

What could you accomplish if you believed that it was impossible to fail? Could you reach a goal that you had always thought was unattainable? Could you successfully complete a project that you had always been afraid to start for fear of failure?

What could you accomplish if you had faith in yourself and those who form the team you have surrounded yourself with? What could you achieve if you chose to ignore those nagging voices of self-doubt? What could your team accomplish if they knew that you had the ultimate faith that they could do the “undoable”?

What could you accomplish if you considered success to be inevitable? What could you accomplish if you believed, really and truly believed, that you were born to succeed and that you have all the talent, skill, and intellect that you will ever need to do whatever you set your mind to do?

While Great Leaders understand on an intellectual level that failure is always a possibility, on an emotional level, they act as though failure is impossible; and, they inspire the team that they have been given the privilege of leading with the belief that the only possible outcome is massive success. They have faith in themselves, in their own abilities, and most importantly, they have faith in team members to accomplish whatever the team has committed itself to. Great Leaders act as if it is impossible to fail and in doing so, they inspire their teams to achieve heights far above those that anyone had previously thought possible. Great Leaders believe, as Napoleon Hill stated that, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”

Click “comment” and share what YOU could accomplish if you acted as though failure were impossible.

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: , , , , , ,

How Do Great Leaders Inspire Hope?

September 22, 2014 By

Great Leaders know that, in a perfect world, we would live enchanted lives where everything works exactly as we expect it to; where plans always yield the ideal outcomes; where obstacles are few and easily overcome. However, reality has shown us that we do not live in a perfect world. Things don’t always work as we expect them to. The best laid plans can and do go awry and yield less than perfect outcomes. We will encounter obstacles, some of which will not be easily overcome.

This is when the Great Leader is given the opportunity to shine. Great Leaders inspire hope. Inspiration and hope are their “stock in trade”. How do they do this?

  • They see the opportunity – Setbacks only become impediments to progress when we allow them to do so. Great Leaders see that every challenge presents an opportunity for creativity, innovation, to bring the special talents of a team member to the forefront where all can see it.
  • They look for solutions, not who to blame – Great Leaders are not interested in playing the blame game. In many ways, who is responsible for creating the problem is unimportant; who can solve the problem is the key.
  • They encourage – Anyone can be a critic. It takes no real talent to criticize the work of others. Great Leaders, on the other hand, encourage team members to try new things, to be creative, to innovate. Even if an idea does not work, the Great Leader praises the individual for being willing to try something that is “outside the box”.

While people can be forced to follow a mediocre leader due to that individual’s title or position, they choose to follow a leader who maintains a positive and hopeful attitude no matter how discouraging the situation may appear. They choose to follow a leader who inspires them and gives them reason to believe that the best is attainable. Great Leaders inspire such hope.

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: , , , , , , ,

Who Made You the Leader?

September 14, 2014 By

As children, we often had the experience of someone telling us what to do and how to do it. We wondered and often asked, “who made you the leader?” or words to that effect. If the person telling us what to do was an adult, hopefully, we were wise enough to not ask that question. But, if the person telling us what to do was another child, a peer, we usually asked the question loudly and with great conviction. Today, I believe we have a much clearer picture of who made you the leader.

The dictionary defines a leader as, “1. a person or thing that leads. 2. a guiding or directing head, as of an army, movement, or political group”. Please note that nowhere in this definition does it say that a leader holds a specific management position, political office, or designated job. Rather, it tells us that a leader is a person who leads, guides, or directs others. So, how does a leader do these things.

  • Leaders inspire others to dream. No great thing is accomplished by dreams alone. But, great accomplishments require big visions, big dreams of what might be possible “if only…”
  • Leaders encourage others to learn. Consider the Wright brothers. They had the dream of one day flying. But they knew that they did not know enough yet to make that dream come true. So, they studied birds and the shape of their wings and noticed what we now know as an airfoil, the shape that creates lift and enables the birds to soar.
  • Leaders motivate others to do more. Great achievements require great effort. When many are tired and tempted to give up, leaders help them keep the vision in sight and put forth the extra effort needed to turn that dream into reality.
  • Leaders empower others to become more. A young man facing an Eagle Scout Board of Review stated that a leader inspires someone to achieve things that he/she never thought could be done. It is still one of the best definitions of a leader I’ve heard.

Who made you the leader? If you did any of these four things, you made you the leader by doing so. If you did all four, you are well on your way to being a Great Leader.

Have you known a leader who inspired you to become more than you already were; to do more than you had previously done; to learn more and grow; to dream of the possibilities? Click “comment” and share that experience.

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: , , , , , , ,

When Was the Last Time You Sharpened Your Ax?

September 1, 2014 By

Dennis entered his sales manager’s office with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. He was the company’s top sales representative and knew why … he was the only person on the team who was willing to do the work, the real work, every minute of every hour of every day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. He’d earned every award and accolade the company offered. So, when his sales manager asked him to step into the office and close the door, he fully expected that he was going to be praised for his dedication, commitment, and hard work.

“Dennis,” his sales manager, Ken, began, “First, I want you to know how much I appreciate all that you do. You are our top sales rep. Your customers love you. Customer service tells me that your customers say you always under promise and over deliver. Your mind is on the job 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; and, I’m worried about you. You don’t take vacation time you’ve earned. You don’t take time to celebrate holidays. You have a loving wife and beautiful children but, by your own admission, you don’t really spend a lot of time with them. I’m don’t want to lose you to burn out or health problems. So, I want to share a story with you and I hope you’ll spend some time this Labor Day Weekend thinking about it.

“Once upon a time, there were two lumberjacks. They were the greatest axmen alive. The young lumberjack bragged that he could cut more wood than the old one and after a while, the two agreed to have a contest to see who was the best. The day of the contest dawned bright and sunny. Both men were feeling great and began chopping wood. As the day wore on, everyone could see that one man was building a lead over the other and; as the sun was setting, it was clear that the elder lumberjack had won by a significant margin.

“The young lumberjack exclaimed, ‘How could you possibly win? Every time I looked around, you were sitting in the shade; you spent almost a half hour eating lunch while I didn’t take a single break and I skipped lunch completely! How could you possibly beat me?

“The older man smiled and said, ‘Son, what you didn’t notice was how I timed those breaks. After 50 minutes of work, I sat down in the shade for 10 minutes and drank some water. When I broke for lunch, I provided my body with the fuel it needed to work through the afternoon. You also failed to notice that each time I took a break, I spent the time sharpening my ax.’

As Dennis walked out of Ken’s office, the significance of what Ken had said hit him. He had known for a while that he was tired; that it was getting harder and harder to generate the enthusiasm that he had always felt for his job; that he could not recall the last time he’d watched his son play in a ballgame; and, he’d missed his daughter’s last two piano recitals. He’d felt for a while that his wife was drifting away from him and now he recognized that it was him who was drifting away. He didn’t need all weekend to think about the story … he needed to spend it with his family and renew those relationships and refresh the love that he felt for them.

As we celebrate this Labor Day weekend, let us rest in the shade and share the time with our friends and loved ones, nourish our bodies, and refresh our spirits. This is how we can sharpen our axes. Doing so helps us keep things in perspective and recognize the things that are truly important. Doing so also makes it possible for us to better motivate and guide those that we have been given the privilege of leading.

Happy Labor Day!

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, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Do Great Leaders Seek Small Improvements or Revolutionary Change?

August 24, 2014 By

You’ve seen it before, a new manager, new department head, new supervisor comes in and announces that “we’re going to turn this place upside down and change everything to make this place run better” (whatever those words mean). “If you can’t get behind the new way of doing things, then hit the road, your services are no longer needed.” You’ve also seen how this strategy usually works out … a number of old familiar faces leave; a number of new faces take their place; and, when things don’t run better right away, a new person comes in to replace the guy who came in and is now gone and a whole new wave of changes is coming to fix things and make them better.

Then, one day, a new leader arrives with a totally new philosophy; a philosophy that says, “let’s look and see what’s working well and then build on that foundation.” Gradually, small changes are implemented and integrated into the systems that were working efficiently and effectively. Each passing day and week witnesses a slow but steady improvement in both the systems and the employee morale.

It can be suggested here that this new leader is practicing the Japanese philosophy of Kaizen … a philosophy or practice that focuses on continuous and gradual improvement. It might also be suggested here that you are working with either a Great Leader or one who will soon be recognized as a Great Leader.

Great Leaders seldom advocate for revolution. Rather, they seek gradual and continuous improvement in all things … systems, practices, people. They seek out the very best in the people that they are privileged to lead and find ways to bring the best to the forefront where all can see it and benefit from it. It should come as no surprise, then, that Great Leaders achieve great results. They surround themselves with great people and provide those people with every opportunity to shine and be their very best. Through gradual changes, they achieve extraordinary (and often revolutionary) results.

Have you had the privilege of following a Great Leader who achieved extraordinary results through gradual and continuous change. Click “comment” and share that experience.

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: , , , , ,

Where’s The Top of the World?

August 10, 2014 By

If you’ve ever attained the pinnacle of your profession or been recognized as “the best” at your avocation, it can feel like you’ve reached the top of the world; you’ve got nothing left to prove and you can now step back and rest on your laurels. It can definitely feel that way; and yet, deep down inside, there is this little nagging voice that insists that there is still something left that needs to be done. While many people are able to ignore that voice, Great Leaders stop and listen carefully, recognizing the truth that is being spoken … there is still much to do if they are to truly reach the Top of the World.

Great Leaders understand that they are within reach of the top, but they are not there quite yet. To truly reach the top, they must now identify those individuals who have the ability to excel but may never do so without the help of another … a coach, teacher, mentor, advisor who comes along at the right time to help them overcome a hurdle that may be blocking or delaying their progress. Great Leaders offer that helping hand, the timely suggestion, the encouragement that is needed and helps another achieve his or her goals, the pinnacle of their success.

For Great Leaders, helping another to succeed is a passion, a commitment that drives them. Great Leaders realize that the true “Top of the World” comes when they get to sit in the audience and quietly think, “I helped this individual realize this moment.” Great Leaders do not brag or boast about this. They do nothing to detract from the other individual’s moment in the spotlight. They do, however, enjoy a momentary smile as they look around and ask themselves, “who can I help today?”

Have you enjoyed a “Top of the World Moment”? 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: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Is Never Making a Wrong Decision a Sign That You Are Not Making Enough Decisions?

June 30, 2014 By

Helen was recently promoted into a leadership position. She was happy with her new job and new title and recognized that she was going to be making decisions in situations that she had never had to face before. She also knew that her new supervisor, Victoria, was going to be judged by her bosses since she had promoted Helen ahead of more senior and experienced people. In fact, Helen’s old manager would now be reporting to Helen.

When facing situations requiring a decision during the first few weeks, Helen would analyze the facts and personalities involved; consider all of the options that were available to her; and then, she would sit down with Victoria to review all of the facts, the options, what she thought her decision should be and why. In most cases, Victoria would endorse the course of action that Helen proposed. But, occasionally, Victoria would point out facts or background considerations that Helen was not aware of that needed to be considered.

Victoria understood that Helen wanted to make the right decision. However, she also knew that vacillation and delays in decision making made Helen look indecisive and weak; like a follower rather than a leader. So Victoria had a heart-to-heart talk with Helen, telling her

“Helen, I chose you for this job because I believe you are intelligent and have the ability to reach logical conclusions based on facts and the personalities involved; to examine evidence and available options and reach the best possible decision. Make decisions. Right or wrong, I’ll back you in public. If you make a poor decision, we’ll talk privately and determine what might have been considered and what might have been done differently. Be decisive and understand that if you don’t make a wrong decision from time to time, you aren’t making enough decisions.”

As a result of this “pep-talk”, Helen became more decisive. She made good decisions for the most part and, in the end, she became a Great Leader who mentors others to become the Great Leaders of the future.

Have you had the privilege of working with someone like Victoria who helped you to become a better leader? Share your story here by clicking “comment”.

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: , , , , , , ,

Do Great Leaders Believe That One Person Can Really Make a Difference?

June 8, 2014 By

How many times have we all heard companies trumpet the phrase “our employees are our most valuable asset” only to see them treat their employees as a disposable commodity to be used up, burned out, and thrown away to be replaced by a newer, younger, worker who costs less? This is the mark of mediocre (or worse) leadership.

Great Leaders know that there is a better way. They believe that one person CAN make a difference and they show this by demonstrating these leadership traits.

  • They treat team members like they are the most important people in the world … because they are. It is through the labors of the team that expectations are met and the team’s goals are reached. Great Leaders rely on team members to put forth a 100% effort and exude confidence in the team’s ability to do so. Consequently, the team strives to show that the confidence is warranted.
  • They treat team members like they make a difference. Great Leaders know that any one individual can make a difference whether it be by increasing the team’s productivity or ensuring that the customer, internal or external, is provided with the goods or services that they truly need and that provide the greatest benefit to the customer.
  • They listen, truly listen, to ideas from every member of the team. Great Leaders know that great ideas, game changing ideas, can come from anywhere and anyone. They know that any member of the team can be the person to put forth an idea that will make the difference between success and failure; between meeting a quota and exceeding a quota; between living up to an expectation and surpassing that expectation.
  • They treat each team member with respect. Great Leaders know that respect is a “two-way street”. While respect is, and should be, an earned quality, Great Leaders show respect until such time as the team member shows that he/she is unworthy of respect … and it takes a lot to convince the Great Leader that respect is undeserved.

Great Leaders know that by treating each person as someone who can make a difference, each person that they lead will strive to live up to that expectation and become “the difference maker”.

Have you had an experience where you did everything in your power to make a difference in someone else’s life because a Great Leader expressed confidence in your ability to do so? Click “Comment” and share your experience.

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 from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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