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

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 [email protected]

A Great Leader’s View of Character

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 [email protected]

How Does a Leader Differ From a Boss?

I love serving as a member of an Eagle Scout Board of Review. The view of true leadership, stated by a young man who has spent up to seven years studying and demonstrating leadership skills, is both insightful and awe inspiring. A question that I like to ask the candidates is simply, “What is the difference between a leader and a boss?” While no two candidates have ever given the same answer, here is brief summary of some of the answers I’ve heard.

  • Bosses – Bosses sit back and tell others what to do. They seldom do the jobs themselves. In fact, it’s very possible that they’ve never done the job they’re telling others to do. Bosses pass judgment … a lot. They seldom tell someone what they’ve done well; but, they can always tell that person everything that’s been done wrong. Bosses find fault and have a unique ability to crush a person’s desire to improve or create something.
  • Leaders – Leaders, on the other hand, tend to be very hands-on. They’re not afraid to dig right in and help get the job done. They don’t ask others to do things that they are not willing to do themselves. Leaders look for opportunities to provide genuine and deserved praise. Genuine praise is specific about what was well done (i.e., “you did a great job of identifying that client’s need and showing them how it could be met by our product) rather than an insincere and vacuous “nice job” or “you did good”.  When something has not been done well, leaders will typically help the team member review the job or situation, asking “what do you feel you did well? what do you think you could do differently/better next time?” They help team members discover solutions for themselves by asking guided questions and commending the team member when he/she comes up with the solution.

Great Leaders may be in charge of a project but they are not bosses. They do all of the things that leaders do above … and then some. They find ways to go the extra mile to help the team reach and surpass a goal or objective.

Click “Comment” below and share your experience with a Great Leader who led rather than bossed.

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]

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

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 [email protected]

GREAT LEADERS WELCOME 2015 WITH GOALS SET!

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 [email protected]

What Are the Key Ingredients When a Great Leader is Setting Goals?

Great Leaders face the end of the current year with a mixture of emotions. They feel a sense of nostalgia as they look back at the year that is ending. They feel pride in the accomplishments that have been recorded. They feel humbled by the recognition that, perhaps, not every goal has been reached (yet). They feel gratitude for the efforts of others that made goal attainment possible. They feel optimism that the coming year will bring new accomplishments and achievements. They feel excitement for the challenges ahead.

As we anticipate the coming of the New Year on Wednesday night, let’s take a few minutes to look at the goals we’ve set and the key ingredients that are needed if we are to reach the goals that we’ve established.

  • Have the goals been written down and made public? Great Leaders know that goal attainment requires some form of accountability. A quick search of the internet will yield a multitude of websites designed to help us set goals.  Some tell us to write them down on a piece of paper.  Others instruct us to record them in a page on-line.  Still others will suggest that we post them on one or more of our social media pages.  Whichever method we choose, the important thing is that we have them written down someplace so that we can see them regularly.  Making them public doesn’t necessarily mean that they must be posted to social media; but, it is important that others know about them and will hold us accountable for them. Remember that every Great Leader is accountable to someone or somebody; a Board of Directors perhaps. For our accountability partners to be able to hold us accountable for the goals we set, they must know what those goals are.
  • Are the goals we’ve set believable? For a goal to truly motivate us, we have to believe that we can achieve it.  W. Clement Stone wrote that, “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve”.  To believe, we must be able to visualize ourselves reaching the goal and feeling the satisfaction that will come with the achievement.
  • Are the goals we’ve set specific? Goals that are vague aren’t really goals.  They are vague suggestions that provide no ultimate end point. To be truly motivating, the goals we set must be very specific. If the goal is to purchase a new car, the goal should specify not only the year, make, and model. It needs to specify the color, the options, the interior finish; everything about the car down to and including that “new car smell”.
  • Is the goal measurable? For a goal to truly motivate us, we have to be able to see how we’re progressing toward it and to know when we’ve reached it.  Let’s assume that the goal is to create an emergency fund that has 2 months of actual living expenses in it.  Since we know that our basic living expenses are $2,000 each month, we know that we need $4,000 in the fund.  Each month, we deposit $167 into the account and, when we get our bank statement, we can see the balance increasing by not only the deposits we make but by the addition of interest as well.  Viewing the increasing balance each month allows us to measure our progress toward reaching the goal.
  • Does the goal challenge us? Our goals need to be big enough to make us stretch.  Doing just enough to get by may keep our heads above water, but it won’t help us grow.  The sales person who knows that by doing the same thing every year he/she can reach his/her quota won’t grow and advance.  But, the sales person who challenges himself/herself to increase sales by an amount that requires a bit more effort is the person who rises to the top of the organization; both in terms of professional responsibilities and financially.
  • Does the goal inspire us? As the great motivational speaker Jim Rohn once suggested, setting the goal of earning enough money to pay our bills may be a goal, but it seldom inspires anyone.  Goals that inspire us to “go the extra mile” lead us to greatness.
  • Does the goal have a deadline? My first agency manager, Ray, told everyone that “goals are simply dreams with deadlines”. “Someday” is not a deadline.  “Someday” is a dream … an illusion … a mirage that may appear to be leading us somewhere we want to go; but, is really leading us to nowhere. Goals with specific deadlines help us see exactly where we are and how close we are to reaching the desired end-result.
  • Do we have a plan for reaching the goal by the deadline? Great Leaders know that goal attainment requires more than wishful thinking and hope. Reaching the goals that we set requires that we have a plan that details the actions that must be taken to reach the goal by the deadline. Whether the goal is a personal goal, a professional goal, a short-term goal, or a long-term goal, we need a plan, a road map if you will, showing what must be done to reach the goal. This road map must include “way points” along the way that we can check off and say “got it” because the more often we get to check off a way point reached, the more motivated we become to reach the ultimate goal. There is a real sense of achievement each time we check off a way point and get to say the words “got it”.

One year from today, each of us will look back at what we have accomplished in 2015.  Will we like what we see; or, will we look back with regret for what might have been?  Only you can determine what you will see. Make 2015 your best year yet!

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]

GREAT LEADERS SET GOALS FOR THE NEW YEAR

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 [email protected]

Even Bad Leaders Can Be Great Role Models

In the article titled, “Let Great Leaders Pause to Give Thanks”, we talked about the importance of Great Leaders taking time to give thanks. Reflecting this past week, I realized that there were a few thank you’s that I had neglected to offer. While Great Leaders are usually the result of the wonderful examples set by other Great Leaders, it occurred to me that, sometimes, bad examples are also instrumental in the development of a Great Leader.

This realization was prompted by a short time spent at the counter of a diner I ate at while traveling. It was late Saturday morning and the diner was relatively busy. The manager was standing at the “pass out window” where the cooks would set the plates that were ready to be delivered to the patrons at the tables. His job was to organize the various meals by ticket so that the server could pick up a tray and all of the meals for that table would be on the tray. While the manager was doing this, he was constantly yelling at the cooks and berating the servers. The overall attitude of the staff was very negative and it was reflected in the service that they provided. This incident brought to mind a time when I worked as a cook in a coffee shop and the manager, we’ll call him Larry, was a crude, rude, and verbally abusive drunk. I remember watching the way he treated everyone and thinking, “I don’t ever want to be a manager like him.” Through his bad example, he made me realize the importance of treating others with courtesy and respect regardless of their position in the company’s hierarchy. Thank you, Larry, for setting that example of how NOT to treat employees.

While I’ve frequently cited the great leadership skills of my first agency manager, Ray, I also recall the behaviors and actions of several agency managers that I met who belittled their agents, questioned the agents’ potential to “ever amount to anything”, treated staff members with disdain, were deceitful, and were generally rude to everyone. One of the agents who transferred to my agency after working for one of these other managers remarked, “I learned a lot from (former manager). I learned what I don’t want to be like.” Thank you, (former manager), for showing me why agents left other agencies to work for a different manager.

Great Leaders, today and always, learn from everyone around them. On some days, they see an example of how they want to lead, an example that they want to emulate. On other days, they see, first-hand, behaviors that they want to avoid at all costs. Regardless of which day it is, Great Leaders see and learn from everything and everyone around them. For this, we should all give thanks.

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]

Great Leaders on a Day in Infamy

On “December 7th, 1941, a date which will live in infamy,” as President Roosevelt called it, the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor was attacked. Today marks the 73rd anniversary of that attack.

As President of the United States and leader of the American People, FDR made no effort to hide the fact that extensive damage had been sustained and many lives had been lost. He united the country in its resolve to undertake the hardships and sacrifices required in wartime. But he was not the only Great Leader on December 7th and the days that followed.

Men and women in the armed forces stepped up and organized efforts to fight back; led efforts to rescue individuals whose lives were in peril; and, cared for those who were injured and wounded.

Civilians volunteered to serve in  the military; organized and led to scrap metal drives; planted “victory gardens” in which they raised fresh fruits and vegetables; participated in “bond drives” so essential to the funding of the war effort;.

In the days following Pearl Harbor, the American people demonstrated that there is the potential to be a Great Leader in each of us; that, when circumstances require it, each of us is capable of leading others to do what is needed. Let us pause today to remember all of the “unsung leaders” of the Greatest Generation.

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

Let Great Leaders Pause to Give Thanks

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 [email protected]