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Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words?

June 15, 2014 By

Over the years, I’ve listened to many individuals talk about the type of leader that they would prefer to follow. While they cite many different leadership traits, they usually come back to one trait that seems to be almost universally desired. They want a leader who “walks the talk”.

Perhaps this was best expressed by one of the great entrepreneurs of the late 19th century, Andrew Carnegie, who stated, “As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.”

Make no mistake. People can and do listen with their eyes. All of the well spoken platitudes from someone whose plan is to “fake it ’til you make it” vanish like a puff of smoke in a breeze when the behavior of the speaker is at odds with the spoken word.

Great Leaders know this and live their lives in such a way as to make certain that their behavior and their words are congruent.

  • When asking that they be treated with respect, Great Leaders treat others respectfully.
  • Desiring to be treated courteously, Great Leaders treat others with the same courtesy that they desire.
  • When speaking, they want others to listen. Thus, when others speak, Great Leaders give the speaker their undivided attention and actively listen, asking questions to better understand the speaker’s intent and meaning.
  • Asking others to arrive on time, Great Leaders arrive early and stay late.
  • Wanting a 100% effort from others, they devote their entire being and effort to the task at hand.

Great Leaders know that their actions will speak far more loudly than their words. They lead by example and demonstrate the character and traits that they desire from others. Who are the Great Leaders in your life that set the examples that you choose to emulate? Share your story by commenting below.

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: , , , , , ,

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: , , , , , , , ,

How Does a Great Leader Earn the Undying Loyalty of Others?

June 1, 2014 By

It is the winter of 1777-78 and the Continental Army has fought one losing battle after another. The seat of the Continental Congress and largest city in the Colonies, Philadelphia, has fallen and is now occupied by the Redcoats. There, the British Army rests while dining bountifully in warm colonial homes.

Meanwhile, the Continental Army has made its winter encampment at Valley Forge. There, they face shortages of everything; food, medicine, warm clothing, shoes. The soldiers sleep in cold, drafty, log cabins that they have hastily built. The soldiers witness the departure of many officers who request, and are granted, leave to go home to sleep in their own beds and eat well with their families. They also note that one officer does not leave. Promising to share their every hardship, Washington stays with the army at Valley Forge.

Great Leaders lead by example and do not ask those that they have the privilege of leading to do things that they would be unwilling to do themselves. They share the work, the good times, and the bad times. They know and understand what their teams know and have experienced because they, too, have shared the experiences of the team.

In the spring of 1778, the Continental Army marched out of Valley Forge led by a Great Leader who had earned their undying loyalty by remaining with them; by sharing their experience, their privations, their hardships. In June of that year, the Continental Army defeated the British at Monmouth Courthouse, the last major engagement in the Northern Theater of the Revolutionary War. Following the battle at Monmouth Courthouse, the British withdrew to New York City and shifted the focus of their campaigns to the Southern colonies. Ultimately, the British would surrender at Yorktown and a new nation, The United States of America, would take its place among the nations of the world … in large part because a Great Leader stood shoulder to shoulder with the troops and led them to victory.

If you have had the privilege of following a Great Leader who has earned your undying loyalty, 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, Uncategorized, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Remembering Great Leaders on this Memorial Day

May 26, 2014 By

In the darkest days of the first half of the twentieth century, as desperation, tyranny, and brutality ran rampant in the world, Great Leaders came to the fore and shared their visions of a better world; a world in which desperation was overcome by hope and prosperity; a world in which tyranny was defeated and the forces of democracy were victorious; a world in which brutality gave way to kindness and a spirit of sharing. Great Leaders such as …

  • Franklin Roosevelt – In the darkest days of the Depression, President Roosevelt stood before the American People and acknowledged the truths and economic realities of the times. He then reminded them of all the blessings this country enjoyed and shared with them his vision of a better country, a better economy, and a plan to achieve these results. Nine years later, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, this same President stood before the Congress and the American People and shared his vision of victory declaring, “No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people, in their righteous might, will win through to absolute victory … With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph.” In both cases, the American People responded and gained the victories he foresaw.
  • Winston Churchill – As the island nation of Great Britain stood alone against the Nazi onslaught, Prime Minister Churchill boldly told the British People that he had “nothing to offer but blood, sweat, and tears.” When asked what his wartime policy would be, he stated plainly, “You ask, What is our aim? I can answer with one word: Victory—victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory however long and hard the road may be; for without victory there is no survival.” Churchill shared his vision of ultimate victory clearly, concisely, and inspired his nation and its empire to persevere against all odds; and, in the end, the people responded with dedication, determination, and shared sacrifice until the ultimate victory was won.

The visions articulated by these Great Leaders inspired the people of their nations. Many citizens stepped forward to serve in the various branches of the military; and, many of these citizens made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure the survival of our way of life and the rights that we hold dear. As we celebrate this Memorial Day, let us pause to remember those who have sacrificed so much over the centuries to protect and preserve the freedoms that we enjoy. May God bless them and comfort them and their families.

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: , , , , , , , , , ,

Which Leader Would You Rather Follow?

May 18, 2014 By

Two individuals, Joe and Mary, were hired into sales positions for the same company. They had different sales managers, Travis and Ray, who also served as their sales trainers. They completed the basic sales training courses in the classroom which taught them all about the company’s products and the company’s basic sales presentation. They received the same scores on their product knowledge tests. Now, it was time to venture out “into the field” where they would be meeting with real customers under the watchful eyes of their respective sales managers. Joe and Mary agreed to meet for a light dinner after their first day of “field work” to compare notes. When they met for dinner, they found that they had experienced very different days.

Joe had worked with Travis. After each customer meeting, Travis pointed out everything that Joe had done wrong. Travis told Joe everything he had to “fix” before they went out on more sales calls the next day. Joe concluded by stating that he had made no sales, was disappointed and frustrated, and was questioning his future in sales.

Mary, on the other hand, had spent the day working with Ray. After each customer meeting, Ray asked Mary to identify the things that she felt she had done well. Ray then pointed out things that he felt Mary had done well but she had not mentioned. Ray then asked Mary what she felt she could improve on and, through a series of questions, guided her as to how she could make those improvements. Mary concluded with the statement that, while she had not made a sale either, she was eager to make more calls the next day and was confident that would make sales.

Great Leaders understand that a major part of their role is to help team members discover their skills, their competencies, and what they do especially well. Rather than tearing down team members, they help build the team member’s confidence while building their skill sets as well. This does not mean that Great Leaders ignore those things that need to be changed and improved; but, Great Leaders help the team member identify those things for themselves and discover, for themselves, what must be done to become better every day.

If you will be a Great Leader, ask yourself who you would rather work with … Travis or Ray; then, model the behaviors of the leader you prefer and build the people you have been given the privilege of leading.

Click “Comment” and share your experiences of working with a “Travis” or a “Ray” type of leader.

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 Set An Example for Others to Follow?

April 27, 2014 By

Two weeks ago, we saw how a Great Leader can influence the life of a person without ever realizing that he/she had done so. Shortly thereafter, I ran across an article which began with the premise that a leader is anyone that other people choose to emulate; and, is someone who embraces the role.

Great Leaders want to be given the opportunity to lead; in fact, they thrive in leadership roles. They recognize that their behavior, their habits, their mindset serve as examples that others will choose to aspire to. How do they do this?

  • They maintain a positive attitude – While some see the glass as half empty, Great Leaders see the glass to be half full; and, they know that they got the very best in the glass.
  • They work toward a common goal with confidence – Great Leaders believe in the goals that have been set. They work toward those goals with confidence that the goal will be reached
  • They have faith in the team that they have the privilege of leading – Great Leaders have as much faith in the team as they believe in the goal. For the Great Leader, there is no doubt that the team can work together and achieve outstanding results. Great Leaders believe in the team and know that it will reach and surpass the goal.
  • They inspire the team – through their own confidence and faith, Great Leaders inspire others to reach for the moon and the stars; to believe that they can reach the goal, no matter how lofty it might be.

Aware that others are always watching them, Great Leaders are mindful of their own behaviors and attitudes seeking always to ensure that they are worthy of emulation. They make certain that they project only the positive traits so that others will choose to follow in their footsteps.

Who are the Great Leaders who have inspired you? Think back and you will recognize them. Click “Comment” to 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, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , ,

Can You Impact the Life of Another and Not Even Know It?

April 15, 2014 By

I recently attended an Eagle Scout’s Court of Honor and heard the Eagle Scout give credit to those who had helped him along the way. He presented what is known as an “Eagle Mentor Pin” to several individuals, citing what each had done to help him reach Scouting’s highest rank.

As the young man talked about one of his Mentors, he related how, when he was only 11 years old, this individual had made a comment to the effect that the young man really had no choice but to become one of the few who attain this honor, that it was his destiny to become an Eagle Scout. The young man went on to tell that whenever he thought about quitting, he would remember this comment and it kept him working toward the goal.

Later that evening, I got to talk with the Mentor and I asked him about that comment. Had he really told the young man that he was destined to become an Eagle; that he had no choice; that it was something he had to do? The Mentor smiled and shook his head from side-to-side saying, “You know, I have no memory of that conversation. I don’t remember telling him that. Clearly though, it made a big impression on him.”

Great Leaders often say and do things without really thinking about the positive impacts they are making on others. They may offer encouragement when it is needed most; guidance without realizing that the recipient is feeling lost; an encouraging word to someone who is feeling down; and, they don’t even realize that what they’ve done could be making all the difference in the world to that person.

Perhaps what is most encouraging about this is that the impact the Great Leader has made does not stop there. Like the ripples on a pond spreading out from where a tossed pebble breaks the surface, that impact is passed from its original recipient to others with whom that original recipient interacts for the rest of his or her life. Someday, somewhere, that original recipient will recall how his or her life was changed for the better by someone who took the time to care and will pass along that encouragement to another. Great Leaders make the lives of others better and oftentimes don’t even know that they’ve done it.

Who was the Great Leader that made your life better? Have you passed it along to someone else yet? Perhaps the opportunity to make a life changing impact is still in your future. Perhaps you have already made it. There are many opportunities in the world for you to do this.  Look around and you will find them.

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, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Does a Great Leader Take a Little More or a Little Less?

April 6, 2014 By

Who gets the credit when a project goes well; is completed on time; comes in under budget; exceeds the client’s expectations?

Who gets blamed when things don’t go well; are not done on time; experience cost overruns; result in dissatisfied customers?

The answer depends on the leader.

The mediocre leader basks in the glory of the job well done and takes credit for the results. The mediocre leader is convinced that his/her leadership made all the difference in the world and, therefore, is deserving of all the credit. Of course, when things go badly, the mediocre leader seems to either melt into the shadows and cannot be found when accountability comes into play; OR, the mediocre leader, the poor leader, looks for the person or persons at whom the finger of blame can be pointed. This poor excuse for a leader makes statements like, “It’s not my fault” or “I couldn’t help it” or “What do you expect with the losers assigned to my team?” “They wouldn’t listen” and “They did not follow my instructions”. “It’s their fault”.

Great Leaders, on the other hand, share the congratulatory limelight with team members when the “attaboy points” are being handed out. They make comments like, “The team was great. They did the work. My biggest job was staying out their way and letting them do what they do best”. Conversely, when the customer is unhappy, the budget limit has been busted, a deadline is missed, the Great Leader shields the team from blame and retribution. The Great Leader takes responsibility and is held accountable. The Great Leader says, “I could have provided clearer direction. I could have watched costs more closely.”

Great Leaders have the privilege of leading great teams; and, they earn the respect and loyalty of team members by taking more than their share of the blame and giving the credit for a job well done to the team they have the privilege of leading.

Have you had the privilege of working with a Great Leader? Click comment to share your experiences and tell us what made that leader great.

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: , , , , , , , , ,

Do Great Leaders Always Inherit Great Followers; or, Do They Provide Great Training?

March 23, 2014 By

While visiting my mother in Arizona recently, I had the opportunity to have dinner in the dining room at the Independent Living Facility where she resides. Now, don’t get me wrong … they do a lot of things right at this facility and Mom appears to be very happy there. But, I saw a lot of things in the dining room that, in my mind, were like dragging fingernails across a chalkboard.

I watched the server hand one of the residents a spoon with her thumb squarely in the middle of the “business end” of the spoon; saw another server cover a soiled and stained table cloth with napkins rather than replacing it with a clean one. At a table designed to accommodate six people, I witnessed a party of three being served their dinner while dirty dishes from the six diners who had previously been served at the table were stacked at the far end of the table. Having worked in the restaurant industry while I attended college, I knew that these behaviors were not proper food service etiquette. Some discreet inquiries revealed the underlying problem … new servers received minimal training. Basically, they were assigned to a “veteran” who was told to “show ’em how we do things”.

Great Leaders recognize that in order to have those who follow them provide great customer service, they must make certain that those followers know what great service looks like. This requires training! How do Great Leaders provide great training?

  • When classroom training is delivered, Great Leaders make sure the training is fun, interactive, and memorable – No one wants to sit in a chair all day and listen to the teacher drone on and on. They want to be on their feet doing something. They want to be a part of the program, not an attendee but rather a participant. At the end of the day, they want to walk out the door thinking, “I’m glad I came … I learned things I can really use to make my customer/client happy; and, I had fun doing it.
  • Great Leaders include what has been called “Field Training” – While classroom training may provide the textbook “how to’s”, practical application is where the new skills become ingrained habits. This is also where mentoring comes into play. The person who is being trained works closely with, or “shadows”, a person who can demonstrate the proper execution of the skills; then, the field trainer watches the person who is being trained perform the same skills and coaches him/her in techniques that enable him/her to become more skillful.
  • Finally, they make certain that those who are doing the training are the best at what they do – The trainers do the job right and provide the best examples for others to emulate. They pass along the “best practices” of whatever skill they are teaching. They are professional and are lifelong learners who are always working at upgrading their own skills in order to continue to be “the best of the best”.

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: , , , , ,

Whose Brain Power Do You Use?

March 9, 2014 By

I once worked with a man named Jack who, when asked for his opinion of something, had the habit of asking “do you want me to tell you what I really think or what you really want to hear?” Personally, I found this habit annoying because I felt one who would be a Great Leader would only want the benefit of this veteran’s experience. My feeling was confirmed one day when I heard the District Manager respond, “Jack, I don’t need a ‘yes man’, I need the opinion of a man who has your experiences and has learned something from those experiences”.

Great Leaders are smart enough to recognize that they cannot possibly have seen it all, heard it all, or done it all. They look to others whose experiences are different from their own and ask for input based on those different experiences. As someone once said, “I use all the brainpower I’ve got and all that I can borrow”.

Great Leaders are willing to learn. They make no pretense of having all the answers. They value diverse opinions and experiences and are willing to benefit from what the great Cavett Robert called “O.P.E.” … Other Peoples’ Experience.

Great Leaders are inclusive. They seek out individuals whose backgrounds and experiences are different from their own. They surround themselves with people who will bring different points of view to any discussion. They encourage those individuals to “speak up” and offer their perspectives; and, they actively listen to those perspectives in order to obtain new ideas and improve plans.

Will you be a Great Leader? If so, open your eyes, your ears, and most importantly your mind. There is a wealth of knowledge and wisdom available to those who will listen for what they need to hear.

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: , , , , , ,
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