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Great Leaders as Unsung Heroes

May 24, 2015 By

I’ve often stated that Great Leaders are all around us. On this Memorial Day Weekend, I would like to salute some of those “unsung heroes”, Great Leaders who had an impact on my life.

As the Scoutmaster at my first Boy Scout Summer Camp, Irv Satzke personified the Great Leader who genuinely cared about those he had been given the privilege of leading. He hiked with us; camped with us; ate with us; joked with us. Above all else, he cared about us and wanted ensure that we had a good time and camp and derived all of the growth opportunities that summer camp could provide to us.

That first year at summer camp, I decided to earn the Canoeing Merit Badge. Frankly, I don’t know why I chose it. I’d never been in a canoe in my life. It just sounded fun, so I signed up for it. Late in the week, we had to demonstrate our ability to survive outside of the canoe. First, we had to jump into the water, fully clothed, and convert our pants into a flotation device by tying knots in the pant legs, swinging them over our heads to fill them with air and then floating on top of the inflated pants while we kicked from one end of the pool to the other. Then, we had to “swamp” the canoe, tip it until it filled with water, and after getting out of the canoe, we had to lift it above our heads and empty it so that it would, once again, float on top of the water rather than under the surface. Finally, we had to get ourselves back into the canoe and paddle it the length of the pool. The merit badge class had a number of people in it and each of us had to wait our turn. Mine finally came at the end of the day as the sun was setting.

Anyone who has been to the Mogollon Rim country of Arizona will know what I’m about to describe. Those who have not … well, I’ll just have to ask that you accept it on faith. The sun does not really set at Camp Geronimo. It disappears … suddenly. Daylight turns into pitch darkness and the temperature drops from comfortably warm (even uncomfortably warm) to downright cold in a flash. By the time I completed the swamping of the canoe, swimming and paddling the length of the pool, it was cold and dark; and, I was wet, cold, and hungry. Even though the camp rules said you always had to travel with a buddy, I was the only one in my troop who had taken canoeing, so I knew I would have to hike back to our campsite (literally, a long uphill climb) by myself.

As I approached the gate that let us out of the pool enclosure, I saw Mr. Satzke waiting for me. He wrapped his jacket around me and walked me back to camp. Along the way, I remember he congratulated me for sticking with the class until I’d completed the requirements; for not complaining about being cold. He made me feel like I’d accomplished far more than just completing a couple of requirements for a merit badge. He told me that my perseverance and determination showed that I was destined for great things.

Irv Satzke was and always will be, in my opinion, a Great Leader … he cared about not only me, but about every Scout in our troop. He never sought praise or recognition for what he did and I don’t believe for a moment that I was the only Scout for which he performed this type of small acts of kindness. For the Great Leader, it is enough to know that the follower has been helped to see and reach his/her 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

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Great Leaders Think, Adapt, and Act Quickly When It’s Needed

May 17, 2015 By

Gettysburg — July 2, 1863 — It is the second day of what we now know as the Battle of Gettysburg. The 20th Maine has been tasked to defend the far left end of the Union lines at Little Round Top. Battle tactics of the era emphasized the importance of “turning the opponent’s flank” making Little Round Top a key defensive position for the Union forces. In many minds, had the Union forces failed to hold this position, the Confederate forces might well have won the Battle of Gettysburg. As the day progressed, Confederate forces from Alabama and Texas repeatedly charged the Union positions and were turned back by troops from Michigan, New York, and Maine.

While certainly not the only troops to defend Little Round Top, the troops of the 20th Maine under the command of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain proved instrumental in this battle. Recognizing that his men were nearly out of ammunition and that another Confederate charge was forming, Colonel Chamberlain ordered his men to fix bayonets and charge down the hill in a wheel-like maneuver that surrounded the Confederate forces. Overwhelmed by the ferocity of the 20th Maine’s charge, the exhausted Confederates surrendered. The Union position held and was a critical factor in the ultimate defeat of the Confederate forces at Gettysburg.

Colonel Chamberlain led the charge with the Color Bearer at his side. Bearing the colors (the Regimental Flag) was a great honor and an incredibly dangerous job in that the flag served as a focus point for opposing forces. Many Color Bearers were killed in the course of battle. Standing next to the flag was, perhaps, the second most dangerous place to be. Moreover, Colonel Chamberlain demonstrated an important component of Great Leaders … the ability to face difficult situations and think creatively outside the parameters of conventional wisdom. Great Leaders do not lead from behind. They are out in front, thinking creatively, inspiring others.

As Memorial Day approaches and we remember those who gave their lives in battle, let us also remember those who led from the front … the mark of truly Great Leaders. Click “Comment” and tell us who you believe are the greatest leaders of their time.

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

When Plans Fall Apart, Great Leaders Lead the Way

May 10, 2015 By

Last week, we remembered the actions of General Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. when he was part of the initial landings at Utah Beach, the only General to land with the first wave of troops on D-Day, June 6, 1944. Today, we look at another example of leadership from the front, Brigadier General Norm Cota.

When General Cota landed on Omaha Beach an hour after the first men came ashore, it was clear that the assault plan, a plan which had taken over a year to create, was quickly falling apart. German defenses had blocked all exits from the beach with barbed wire, concrete pillboxes, land mines, and well planned zones of fire.

Rather than telling men to go forward, General Cota led by example, climbing over the seawall and showing engineers where he wanted them to place explosives that would tear holes in the barbed wire and create an exit off the beach. When the detonation created a hole, Cota was one of the first men through the breach. Inspired by his example, soldiers followed and overcame the defenses that had been meant to keep them out of mainland Europe.

On each of the landing beaches, individual officers and non-commissioned officers took similar actions that inspired their fellow soldiers to overcome the obstacles that stood between them, the destruction of tyranny, and the preservation of liberty. In the final analysis, it was the cumulative effects of many individual initiatives that propelled the Allies to victory.

As we look ahead to the Memorial Day Weekend when we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice on the altar of liberty, let us look at those who led from the front … the mark of truly Great Leaders. Click “Comment” and tell us who you believe were the greatest leaders of the “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 tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , ,

Great Leaders Lead from the Front

May 3, 2015 By

June 6, 1944 — D-Day — soldiers from the United States, Canada, England, France, and other allied nations stormed ashore at Normandy Beach. The initial landings were led by Captains, Majors, and Colonels; and, one lone General accompanied those first troops. He did so because he believed that a leader leads from the front and he was determined to do so.

Initially, this General’s requests to lead the initial landings were declined. The reasons, no doubt, ranged from the fact that he was not a healthy man; to his age (he was nearly 57 years old); and, to his family lineage. But, he persevered, requesting the opportunity to lead his troops ashore in the first wave not once; not twice; but, three times. Finally, on the third request, his request was reluctantly approved. His commanding officer did not expect him to survive the landing! When asked why he was determined to land in the first wave, the General stated that it would be good for morale, adding, “They’ll figure that if a general is going in, it can’t be that rough.”

Despite the fact that he limped as a result of crippling wounds suffered in World War I and required the aid of a walking stick; despite the fact that he suffered from a serious heart condition that would end his life a mere 5 weeks after the D-Day landings, Brigadier General Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, Jr. led his 4th Infantry Division ashore at Utah Beach, encouraging them to fight and to fight hard to secure the beachhead. When he learned that the troops had been landed 2 kilometers away from their intended landing zone, General Roosevelt stated firmly, “We’ll start the war from right here!” General Omar Bradley described Roosevelt’s actions on June 6, 1944 as the “single greatest act of courage” he witnessed in the entire war. General Roosevelt was a Great Leader. He did not tell others to “go there … do that”. He said “follow me” and lead by example.

As we begin the month of May and look ahead to the Memorial Day Weekend when we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice on the altar of liberty, let us look at those who led from the front … the mark of truly Great Leaders. Click “Comment” and tell us who you believe were the greatest leaders of the “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 tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,