Lead with Integrity

How Would You Answer This Question

November 8, 2015 By Soaring_Eagle_One

“What are the characteristics of a leader you would choose to follow?” is a question I like to ask Eagle Scout candidates during their Boards of Review. The answers are as diverse as the individuals providing the answer.

In the early days of Boy Scouting, Sir Robert Baden Powell wrote extensively on the qualities of leadership and I had the good fortune to read one of those articles this past weekend. He cited four valuable characteristics of great leadership. They appear below along with my interpretations of these points as they relate to Great Leaders. They are …

The leader must believe wholeheartedly in the rightness of the cause – Great Leaders have a vision of the future they want to create; the goal they want to attain. They believe that the goal is attainable and the importance of turning the vision into reality that they become passionate about it. They convey that passion to their followers and team members. They lead those individuals into an irrefutable belief as well.
The leader has a personality that is likeable – Great Leaders are likeable. They tend to be cheerful, optimistic, uplifting. People like being around them. They have empathy for those who experience difficulties and help others work through those difficulties by being supportive and encouraging. When people are not experiencing trouble, Great Leaders provide an optimistic vision of a future that people want to be a part of.
The leader knows his/her job and has confidence in his/her ability to do it – Great Leaders believe that they are the “right person” in the “right place” at the “right time”. They see the course of action that should be taken and they feel compelled to do so. They believe, not only in the rectitude of what they do but in the rightness of why they do it. They believe that they have the ability to make a difference for the better and that they cannot idly sit by and do nothing.
The leader practices what he/she preaches – Great Leaders do not say one thing and do another. They lead by example.

The writings of Sir Robert Baden Powell are as valuable today as they were nearly a century ago. Great Leaders are willing to learn from others.

Have you thought about the characteristics of the leader you would choose to follow? Click “Comment” and share those characteristics.

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 tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

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: Attitude of Leadership, Building a Legacy, dynamic leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Leadership

Great Leaders Under-Sell and Over-Deliver

November 1, 2015 By Soaring_Eagle_One

Have you ever followed a leader who “promised the moon” and delivered nothing more than a “Moon Pie”? How much did you trust that leader the next time a promise was made? Believe me, I had no trouble hearing your answer to that question; and, while each of you had a slightly different way of expressing it, it was resoundingly negative.

Great Leaders know that they have been given the privilege of leading teams of highly talented, extremely capable, individuals. They also know that their own credibility is going to be key in helping the team deliver its very best efforts. The Great Leader knows that he/she must be honest and tell the team the truth. Here are three rules that Great Leaders abide by …

Don’t make promises you can’t keep – Nothing undermines a leader’s credibility than failing to keep promises. Great Leaders don’t make promises unless they are in a position to make sure the promise is kept. Great Leaders don’t say, “I promise you it will happen”. Rather, the Great Leader says, “I won’t promise you that this will happen; but, I DO promise you that I will do everything in my power to make it happen.”
Always tell the truth – A leader’s credibility will be destroyed when he/she is caught telling lies. Telling the truth can be uncomfortable, particularly when it shows culpability in failure; failure to deliver a product; failure to develop and implement a project; failure to keep a promise. Great Leaders know that making excuses and trying to shift the blame won’t work. They understand that they must tell the truth and accept full responsibility for their actions … or inactions.
Deliver more than “just enough” – Great Leaders know that “good enough” is never good enough. They understand that “squeaking by” is bound to disappoint even the most ardent supporter. Great Leaders advocate delivering “above and beyond” expectations; and, they go out of their way to make sure that they do go above and beyond what others expect from them.

How do you go “above and beyond” in the performance of your leadership duties? Click “Comment” to share your thoughts.

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: Attitude of Leadership, dynamic leadership, Ethical Leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership

What Would You Do if You Hired the Best?

October 18, 2015 By Soaring_Eagle_One

What would you do if you had the very best people on your team? What would you do if you had the most talented people on your team? Would you dictate every action that they were to take; every move that they were to make; every strategy that they must pursue? Or, would you show them your vision for the future; the goals that should be reached; the desired outcomes?

When my first agency manager, Ray, was looking for new agents to bring into the agency, he would remind agents, supervisors, and sales managers that “1^st class people hire 1^st class people. 2^nd class people hire 3^rd class people.” This was his way of reminding everyone that we wanted the very best to be part of our team. He believed that the best leaders had no fear of someone surpassing them or being better than them. He lived the belief that the truest measure of a leader’s success was how many new, outstanding, team leaders he developed.

Great Leaders recognize the truth of this belief. Great Leaders know that the only way to build a strong team is to bring the very best people into the team, to show them what the end goal is, and give them the authority and the power to develop winning strategies for the attainment of that goal. As Ray used to tell us, let that talented individual see what can be accomplished and then get out of the way and let them do it.

Great Leaders also know that micro-managing is a sure road to tearing down a strong team; to undermining the confidence of the people who comprise the team and turn them into drones who are fearful of taking any action without direct “say-so” from the boss lest they be criticized or penalized for having the audacity to take the initiative.

Steve Jobs once said, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do. We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do”. Great Leaders follow this advice!

Have you had the privilege of working with a Great Leader who showed you how much you were capable of accomplishing and then got out of the way and let you do it? Click “Comment” and share that experience.

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: Attitude of Leadership, dynamic leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Leadership

Leadership as an Opportunity to Serve

October 4, 2015 By Soaring_Eagle_One

In his book, Servant Leadership”, Robert Greenleaf wrote that “The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.” This is not now, nor was it then, a new concept. References to the leader being a servant can be found in the Bible and the writings of Lao-Tzu. For the Great Leader, service to others is a prime concept and a primary goal.

While the mediocre leader sees his/her position as an affirmation of his/her authority and recognition of his/her own greatness, the Great Leader recognizes that it is an opportunity to serve.

Great Leaders look at each individual team member and learn what is important to each; their goals, their aspirations, their motivations. The Great Leader recognizes that an opportunity exists to help each team member reach their goals and serves each by opening doors that will lead to the attainment of those goals. They help their team members grow professionally and as people.
Great Leaders offer help when it is needed. They know that there are times when the team member is very capable of performing unassisted and are wise enough to stand back and watch. But, when help is needed, the Great Leader serves the team member by providing guidance and instruction in such a way as to empower the team member to learn by doing. They help the team members gain the knowledge and experience that enables them be more self-sufficient and more autonomous.
Great Leaders provide team members with opportunities to serve others and become servant leaders.

The Great Leader does not seek nor take credit for these things, choosing instead to recognize the accomplishments of the team member and giving credit to that individual. Those who would choose to become a Great Leader will see that in serving others, he/she is building a solid foundation upon which the team, the business, and the community can grow and thrive.

Have you had the privilege of serving others; of working with someone who served you? Click “Comment” to share your experience and what you learned from it.

Allow Your Team to Know That You Care

August 9, 2015 By Soaring_Eagle_One

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.

Is This a Great Leader in the Making?

August 2, 2015 By Soaring_Eagle_One

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.

Saying Goodbye to a Good Friend and Great Leader

June 7, 2015 By Soaring_Eagle_One

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 tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

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: Attitude of Leadership, Building a Legacy, Character, dynamic leadership, Ethical Leadership, Integrity, lead by example, lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Moral Leadership

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

April 12, 2015 By Soaring_Eagle_One

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 tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

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: Attitude of Leadership, dynamic leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Lead with Integrity

“I’m Not Your Friend … I’m Your Boss”

March 29, 2015 By Soaring_Eagle_One

While watching a movie the other evening, I heard one character shout this line to another character. It got me thinking … can a leader be a friend to team members; or, must there be a line separating the leader from the team?

To answer this question, let me begin by repeating something that those who regularly follow this blog already know … there is a significant difference between being a leader and being a boss. As my first agency manager, Ray, always reminded us, “A boss is just a Double SOB spelled backwards.” Bosses are typically authoritarian figures who often demonstrate the negative traits of whatever their dominant personality type might be.

Bossy, controlling, argumentative, overly aggressive, insensitivity, thoughtless.
Suspicious, uncompromising, constantly on guard, accusatory, distrustful.
Easily hurt by criticism, feelings of helplessness, poor coping skills.
Excessively emotional, overly dramatic, whining, loud, boisterous, scattered and hyperactive, self-centered.

Great Leaders recognize that there is room for friendship but also recognize where they may act less as a friend and more as a leader.

Because they are the leader, they must sometimes deliver bad news; but, they do so in a manner that communicates the importance of the message while avoiding belittling any person or delivering the message in a demeaning way.
Because they are the leader, they must sometimes take corrective actions; but, they do so in ways that honor the good intent of the follower even when the action was unsatisfactory or inappropriate.
Because they are the leader, they must make hard decisions; but, they make those decisions with an effort to deliver the most positive outcomes for the team.

Can a leader be a friend and a leader? I believe the answer is yes so long as all parties recognize and acknowledge that there will be times when the Great Leader must act less like a friend and more like a leader.

Have you had the experience of working with a leader that you also considered a friend? Share your experience, where things went well and times when the friendship was tested, by clicking on “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 tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Is That Pause Indecision or a Moment to Consider the Facts?

March 8, 2015 By Soaring_Eagle_One

“Now wait … let’s think this through.”

Do these words sound like the reaction of a Great Leader to someone’s suggested course of action? If you are like most people, you’re probably thinking that these words sound indecisive; like the words of an individual who has little or no self-confidence. However, they could well be the words of a Great Leader who has a dominant Organizer personality.

COREMAP(TM) teaches us that Organizer leaders are sensing, logical, thinkers who rely on facts, figures, data … things that they can see, touch, feel, study when making decisions. They think things through rather than go with their “gut reactions”. To know that they have made the right decision, Organizers need to know that they have considered all possible courses of action; have thought about all of the benefits that can be derived from the decision or the potential for unintended consequences of each course of action.

When given the time to weigh all factors, Organizer leaders are able to be decisive and rock-steady in their pursuit of the determined course of action. If the ultimate decision is different from their original idea, they are able to endorse the other person’s idea with conviction because they have weighed the benefits versus the costs and are convinced that it is the best course to pursue. Likewise, if they truly believe that the actions proposed by another are not in the team’s best interest, they can voice their opposition with graciousness and in a manner that shows the proposer that his/her suggestion has been heard, considered, and acted upon.

Great Leaders make every team member feel valued and know that they have been heard. Great Leaders who have Organizer personalities do this especially well for all of the reasons listed above. If you’ve worked with an Organizer Great Leader, click “Comment” below and share your experiences.

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 tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, How personality type impacts leadership, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: Attitude of Leadership, Character, dynamic leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Leadership