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Can a Great Leader “Play to Win” and Still be Ethical?

March 1, 2015 By

I once worked with a man who had an interesting way of viewing all potential actions. He asked himself if the action was ethical. He explained himself this way …

“Some will ask if a course being considered is legal. Many things are legal. However, just because there is no law prohibiting an act does not make that act ‘the right thing to do’. The more important questions must be ‘is it the right thing to do … is it the way I would want to be treated … does the course of action improve the lot not only of my business; but, does it benefit or harm the other party?”

This person is a Great Leader. Great Leaders in business recognize that they must “play to win”. They understand that, in the final analysis, the company must show a profit in order to succeed and survive.

Great Leaders also recognize that a reputation is a double-edged sword. Those who always choose to do the right thing … to make certain that deals truly benefit all parties … will have customers who are loyal and return time and time again; plus, those customers bring others with them and recommend that their friends do business with the firm as well.

Conversely, the individual who looks only at the immediate, short-term, picture will say and do anything to “do the deal”. This individual does not care if the customer truly benefits, only that the company does this deal. He or she will get a reputation for caring only about his/her own benefit and customers will look to do business with someone else … someone who is working toward the customer’s benefit.

Great Leaders win in business and in the game of life because they make ethical choices and do the right thing.

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, Integrity, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Great Leader’s View of Character

February 22, 2015 By

Presidents’ Day morning. My “In Box” contains a quote from a Great Leader, President Abraham Lincoln, about a person’s character and reputation. Lincoln wrote, “A man’s character is like a tree, and his reputation like its shadow; the shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing”.

Reputations are funny things. In some instances, they are based entirely on facts. In other cases, they are based on perceptions held by individuals or groups of individuals. By way of comparison, let’s look at two fictional individuals that we will call Clay and Stone.

Clay has a reputation for being a real savvy businessman. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time; a guy who can turn a profit no matter what he does and no matter how adverse the situation may appear to be. It’s as if he has an “inside track” on information that no one else has … because he does. Clay has built his business and his reputation by using inside information to the detriment of those he exploits to his own personal benefit. If Clay were in the securities industry, he would be guilty of insider trading … of using information that is not available to the general public for personal profit … a criminal act. Clay has a reputation for being in the right place at the right time. But, his character is lacking a strong moral compass. In Clay’s mind, what he is doing is wrong only if he gets caught. If history teaches us anything, it teaches us that the sun moves; the shadow shifts; and, ultimately, the deeds done within the shadows of unethical behavior will be exposed and the wrong-doer will be caught.

Stone, on the other hand, has character. As a Great Leader, Stone is “the real deal”. When presented with opportunities, he first checks his personal moral compass and asks, “Is it legal; is it ethical; does it treat others as I would wish to be treated?” If the answer to any of these questions is “no”, he abstains and allows the opportunity to pass him by. Great Leaders such as Stone know that if they conduct themselves and their businesses in a manner that never calls into question their character or their morality, the world will beat a path to their doors for the opportunity to associate with them, to work with them, to do business with them. They will be presented with more opportunities than they will be able to handle; opportunities to grow personally, professionally, and financially.

Reputations are mere shadows of the person they purport to be; always shifting, intangible, subject to the shifting tides of opportunism and “what’s in it for me?”. Character, when it is grounded with a strong moral compass, is unyielding in the face of temptation. When the character of a Great Leader is consistently asking the three questions above, constantly and routinely reminding itself to do what is right both morally and ethically, it is then that this character stays away from temptation and keeps itself morally straight. Great Leaders present their character in their daily conduct and allow it to speak more loudly than any reputation can.

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, Integrity, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, Uncategorized, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Great Leaders’ Views of Helping Others Varies With Their Personality Type

January 25, 2015 By

Two weeks ago, I shared with you a friend’s view that committing even small acts of kindness required courage, risk, and sacrifice. We’ve had several conversations during the past week and he made a very valid point. It was that, “what does the individual person view as a sacrifice?”. He went on to cite how an outgoing person might view interaction as opposed to how a person who is not outgoing might view the same interaction with another person.

WOW! Has he made a good point. Consider the personality traits of the four COREMAP personality styles.

The Extroverted personalities, the Commanders and Entertainers among us, are very comfortable with interacting with others. In fact, interaction with others energizes both Commanders and Entertainers so much so that they will look for and create opportunities to do so.

  • Commanders tend to be interested in possibilities. For the Commander, helping another person is a step toward a brighter, more productive future. They see a situation requiring action and are born to be action takers. Reaching out to help another satisfies their need to affect outcomes.
  • Entertainers are friendly and tend to be curious about the unknowns. They are very adept at reading people and are excellent communicators and motivators For the Entertainer, that small, helpful, interaction is a chance to learn more about the other person; a chance to see what adventures their action can lead to; an opportunity to help another person reach their true potential.

Introverted personalities, Organizers and Relaters, are drained of their energy by interaction with others. For these individuals, interacting with others requires the commitment of a great deal of energy and for this reason they much prefer to stay quietly in the background

  • Organizers are very observant of details and abhor disorder and chaos. They tend to be good team players and will do what is necessary to ensure the success of the team. For the Organizer, the act of helping another presents the chance to bring order out of confusion; to learn facts and details that will help them solve problems; to take actions that promote the success of the team as a whole.
  • Relaters are very observant and tend to focus on the needs of others. For the Relater, committing a “random act of kindness” is all about meeting the needs of another person; resolving a problem with the aim of promoting the common good. Because these things are uppermost in their minds, Relaters are able to overcome their natural tendency to hang back in order to achieve these goals.

As my friend pointed out, in the final analysis, Great Leaders do not see that small act as a sacrifice. Rather, they see it as a part of their responsibility as a leader … to resolve problems; to take the actions that are required to create the desired outcome and lead the team to success; to help team members reach their full potential.

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: , , , , ,

GREAT LEADERS WELCOME 2015 WITH GOALS SET!

January 4, 2015 By

The great motivational speaker Zig Ziglar said that, “A goal properly set is halfway reached”. As we welcome the new year, Great Leaders will ask themselves these questions …

  • Are the goals I’ve set clear in my mind? Great Leaders recognize that, first, they must have a clear vision of the future that they want to create. This cannot be a collection of vague ideas. The Great Leader must have the clarity of thought to know precisely what they desire the future to look like.
  • Am I communicating my vision clearly and with specificity? Great Leaders understand that, having been given the privilege of leading a team, they now have the responsibility to deliver specific goals and objectives. They cannot allow team members to wander aimlessly in the wilderness of generalities that is populated with only the current industry buzzwords. The Great Leader must communicate their vision with clarity and in sufficient detail that team members can see themselves turning that vision into a reality. In essence, they empower the team members to feel the warmth of the goal attainment sun on their faces long before they complete the journey … they can smell the sweet smell of success that beckons them onward.
  • Do I have a road map in my mind that tells me what steps must be taken in order to traverse the path between vision and reality? If the Great Leader is to guide the team, he or she must know how to get from Point A (the vision) to Point B (making that vision a reality). Like the captain of a sailing vessel, the Great Leader must be able to identify the correct route and ensure that it is taken. There must be a specific course set and adhered to; no orders to the helmsman to set a course “thataway”.
  • Have I delegated tasks to the people most qualified to perform them? COREMAP shows us that each personality type has strengths and weaknesses that can significantly impact job performance. For example, if the job requires close attention to detail, it is probably best to assign that responsibility to an individual who has an Organizer personality (lives for policies and procedures that make certain that the job is done right) rather than to the person with a Commander personality (sees the “big picture” and prefers not to deal with details) or the person who has an Entertainer personality (may or may not know where to find the details). If the team has a number of clashing personalities, the Great Leader knows the importance of including a person who has a Relater personality, someone who is skilled at helping team members find common ground and building consensus.

Great Leaders will ask and answer these questions; make adjustments as needed, and then, monitor progress toward the goal. With these questions answered, the Great Leader has taken the all-important first steps toward reaching the goals and turning the vision into reality. Make 2015 your best year ever!

Have you set your goals? Care to share? Click “comment” to share your goals for 2015 and how you will turn those goals into reality.

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, Goal Setting, Great Leaders, How personality type impacts leadership, Integrity, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, Personality Assessment, Personality types Tagged With: , , , ,

GREAT LEADERS SET GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR

December 23, 2014 By

Soon, the curtain will fall on 2014; and, one second later, the curtain will rise on 2015. Great Leaders have a vision of what the coming year will look like and they share that vision in the goals that they set. I had the privilege of working with a coach a while ago and she shared these goal setting techniques with me.

  • Decide what you really want. Great Leaders know what they really want. They know … they don’t think they want something … they know what they want. That want is a passion that drives them forward. It motivates them every waking hour of their day.
  • They believe that their goal is attainable. The belief of a Great Leader is strong; so strong, in fact, that they cannot imagine that the goal won’t be reached. Not only is the goal a part of their vision of the future, they envision themselves having already attained it.
  • Their vision is specific. Ask Great Leaders about their vision and they will tell you all about it. If you listen closely, you find that the vision is very specific … they know exactly what the final outcome will look like; what it will feel like to reach it and mark the goal “got it!”
  • Their goals have timetables. Great Leaders know that time is of the essence and they apply this knowledge to their visions and their goals. “Someday” is not an appropriate timetable; “by December 31st, 2015” is a very specific timeframe for a goal. Great Leaders establish a timetable and then measure their progress toward the goal against this timetable. On any specific day, Great Leaders can tell you if they are “on track” to reach their goal by the end date; if they are ahead of schedule; if they are behind schedule. Knowing their status in reference to the timetable helps the Great Leader determine if more work must be done faster or if they can reach the goal sooner than anticipated.

Next week, we’ll take a closer look at goal setting and establish the parameters for setting meaningful goals that lead to accomplishments that may be greater than you have ever foreseen.

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

Let Great Leaders Pause to Give Thanks

November 23, 2014 By

Leaders who would be Great Leaders know that few become who and what they are alone; with no help. It is only fitting then that we as a people, and especially those among us who are leaders, should pause this week to give thanks for the many blessings we have received; and, for those individuals who have shared the knowledge and experiences that helped shape who we are today. Here are a few of the people and things for which I am thankful this year.

  • The love, encouragement, and support of my family – For me, it all starts here. Without the love and support of my family, I could not do what I do. I am especially thankful for my wife, Lin, who supports and encourages the work I do in the Scouting Community to help shape the character and values of the next generation of leaders.
  • The examples set by my parents – Without a doubt, my mother and father set an example of unconditional love and acceptance; honor and integrity; justice and fairness. I recognize today that they did not “preach” these values but rather provided the example by living them every day of their lives.
  • Friends and associates I call “Talent Scouts” – I have been blessed with a number of friends and business associates who have seen talents in me that I never suspected were there; and, they encouraged me to use those; to let them “come out and play”. Even when I questioned my own ability, they were steadfast and encouraged me to exercise and grow those talents. They are far too numerous to mention each by name; but, you know who you are and I hope you know how much I appreciate the encouragement and support you have provided.
  • The selfless men and women of Scouting – A standard and running joke among Boy Scout Volunteers is that “it’s only an hour a week”. For most of these dedicated leaders, volunteering entails far more than a single hour a week; yet, they continue to give of their time and talents … some for many years after their sons graduate from high school and even college.
  • The country in which I live – I am thankful that I live in the United States of America, a country in which I am free to make my own choices and succeed or fail on my own merit and effort. Ours is a country in which a person’s opportunities are not governed by the class into which they were born; not limited by a government that determines the education that they will be allowed to obtain or what job they will enter. I pray that the people of this nation will not cast aside these freedoms to pursue the mirage of “safety and security” wherein someone else makes these choices for them.
  • Finally – I am thankful that I am free to write what I believe and to give thanks for the blessings I enjoy without fear of reprisal from someone who does not agree with what I believe or how I offer up my thanksgiving. May God Bless the USA and all who reside here.

Those who are Great Leaders and those who would choose to become Great Leaders will take time this week to look around them, see how blessed they are, and offer up thanks. For what are you thankful? If you care to share, click “Comment” and tell others what you are thankful for.

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, Uncategorized, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

Great Leadership Requires Teamwork, Right?

November 16, 2014 By

It’s a funny thing about Great Leaders. Their alphabet seems to be missing a letter. The alphabets of Great Leaders also seem to have a letter or character that appears to be missing from the alphabets that many people use. Have you figured out what letter is missing and what letter has replaced it?

Great Leaders seldom use the letter “I”. Listen carefully and you soon realize that you seldom hear, “I did this” or “I did that”. In fact, Great Leaders use the letter “I” so seldom that it is only natural to assume that it has been removed from their alphabet. Instead, they’ve added the letter (character?) “we”, as in “we did this” and “we did that”.

Assembling and using the talents of a team is one of the great talents of true leadership. It is the abandonment of the concept that one must do everything oneself in order to have it done right. It is the mark of a Great Leader to embrace the realization that together, we can do so much more that we could ever hope to accomplish individually.

I remember, as a child, hearing a story told by the great singer Tennessee Ernie Ford. He told of a father watching his son try to move a large rock. The boy tried pushing, pulling, rolling … everything he could think of. Still, the rock remained unmoved. Finally, the boy stepped away from the rock and declared that he could not move it. The father asked if he’d tried everything that could be done and the boy responded “yes”. The father thought a minute and then asked, “are you sure you’ve tried everything?”  Exasperated, the boy affirmed that he’d tried everything. The father waited a moment and then suggested that there was one more thing the boy could do. “What is that?”, asked the son. The father replied, “You could ask me to help.”

Great Leaders do not believe that they must be capable of doing all things well. Great Leaders recognize that there are people who have talents and strengths that they themselves do not possess. Great Leaders willingly accept this fact and ask those others to join a team that, together, will accomplish so much more than any one individual can achieve. And, in the end, when the goal has been met, the Great Leader gives credit where credit is due … to The Team.

Have you had the joy of being part of a team that accomplished more than its individual members could have done individually? Click “Comment” and share what made the leader of that team a Great 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 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: , , , , , , ,

Leaders See Greatness All Around Them

November 9, 2014 By

Do Great Leaders instill greatness in their followers; or, is the greatness already there and the Great Leaders find ways to draw the skills, talents, and greatness out of the team members for all the world to see? I would suggest that it is the latter and here is how they do it.

  • They believe – Great Leaders believe in the members of their teams. They have faith that the team can rise to any occasion and any challenge.
  • They demonstrate confidence – Great Leaders allow their faith in the team to be evident for all to see; especially for the members of the team.
  • They encourage – Great Leaders provide encouragement. If they can see that something is not working, or is not going to work, they do not discourage effort. Rather, they provide encouragement and guidance that leads the team in a direction that will work.
  • They provide praise – Great Leaders deflect credit for success away from themselves and direct credit to the members of the team that made the success possible.

Great Leaders see talent and potential greatness all around them. They attract that greatness in others. These people choose to follow someone who expresses faith, confidence, encouragement, and praise. Great Leaders do not fear that surrounding themselves with talented people will diminish them. Rather, Great Leaders know that their own star will reflect the brilliance of the teams they assemble … and they give credit to the team for making them look good.

Have you experienced the joy of following a Great Leader? 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 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 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 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: , , , , , , , ,

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 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: , , , , , ,
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