Blog

Leaders Find A Way To Do That Which Cannot Be Done

June 2, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

Roman emperor and stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius wrote that something that appears difficult to one person should not be considered to be impossible for someone else to accomplish. Herein lies one of the secrets of Great Leaders, the recognition that leadership carries with it the responsibility for finding a way to get things done.

While weak leaders give up and make excuses for not completing what they set out to do, Great Leaders see the opportunities that are presented by difficult challenges. Great Leaders

acknowledge what has not worked in the past without dwelling on the past
embrace non-traditional thinking and the possibilities that this offers
recognize that just because something does not work, the effort does not represent a failure, it simply moves everything one step closer to success
continue to search for solutions until they find the one that leads to success

My first agency manager, Ray, repeatedly told us that getting knocked down did not mean you had failed. Failure only occurred when you refused to get back up and try again. Great Leaders know this; and, because they know and BELIEVE this, they do not fear setbacks; they do not fear trying something that is not a “guaranteed sure thing”; they do not hesitate to try something new. They know that hard work and effort will result in success. They instill this belief in those who follow them. They encourage renewed effort in the face of adversity and they recognize and reward that continuing effort when it occurs.

In the end, Great Leaders find ways to do what everyone else says cannot be done. If you have had the advantage of following a Great Leader, comment here to share how that person inspired your success.

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 from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: Building a Legacy, Character, dynamic leadership, Ethical Leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Leadership

Remembering and Honoring Quiet Leadership on this Memorial Day

May 26, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

In his blog article titled A Purposeful Memorial Day published on 05/25/13, John H. Clark III quotes an anonymous author who wrote:

Remember:
Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard, but always near; still loved, still missed and very dear.
~ Anonymous

This statement reminds me of my father, a quiet leader who led by example and brought out the very best in those around him.

Dad was a veteran of World War II, a Marine. He rarely talked about his experiences in the Corps; and, when he did, he spoke only of good times; of playing football on the beach of an unnamed Pacific Island; of the people he met while serving in China. That was my Dad, always looking for the good and the happiness … the best.

After his discharge from service, Dad attended college, entered the financial services industry, married, and started a family. He volunteered to help causes he felt were worthy of his support including serving as the Treasurer for the Boy Scout Troop I joined. While he did not particularly enjoy camping (he said he’d done all the camping he ever wanted to do in the Corps), he attended Scout campouts when his help was needed. He served as a merit badge counselor for the topic he knew best, personal finances, and helped many boys grow into financially knowledgeable young men. In all that he did, he exuded a quiet leadership by modeling the behavior that helped rambunctious boys grow into responsible young men.

Later in life, as a banking executive, Dad mentored several young branch managers sharing the experiences of his career and teaching them not only how to do their jobs, but how to manage employees in a compassionate manner and treat customers with courtesy, respect, and empathy. There was no rah! rah! about it. He simply went about his business demonstrating how to do these things … quietly.

In hindsight, I can see that he was not alone in doing these things. I once overheard one of my Scoutmasters talking about his time in the Army. Again, there was only talk of happy memories. And, again, Mr. Satzke led quietly, expressing faith in our ability to do whatever we set our minds to and pride in our accomplishments. In fact, the men that I have known who are, or were, members of what journalist Tom Brokaw called “The Greatest Generation” have pretty much fit that mold … quiet leaders who did not see themselves as heroes … or for that matter as anything special at all. They saw themselves only as men who were fortunate to have survived horrible experiences; who found the ability to look at the positive side of anything that happened; and, who had the opportunity to raise the next generation and provide it with the tools that would enable their children to surpass anything which they themselves may have accomplished.

Sadly, many of the men and women of that generation (including my Dad) have now passed on. We have only our memories of them and all that they taught us … and aren’t we incredibly rich for having these things? On this Memorial Day, let us pause and give thanks for the quiet leaders who touched our lives. God bless them all as He has blessed us by allowing us to know them.

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Integrity, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: dynamic leadership, Ethical Leadership, Integrity, lead by example, lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership

Do You Accept Responsibility and Give Credit Where it is Due?

May 21, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

Over 50 years ago, Americans were exhorted to ask not what their country could do for them; but rather, to ask what they can do for their country. Today, there appears to be a sense that people are making every effort to get more than they give. The exception to this, of course, is Great Leaders. They recognize that committing all of their skill, all of their imagination, to the betterment of the team builds success not just for themselves but for all team members.

Weak leaders look at life through the lense of ‘What’s In It For Me?” Their sole concern is their own personal aggrandizement and enrichment. They will do everything within their power to ensure that they receive all of the credit for the team’s successes; and, they will take whatever actions are necessary to deflect blame for the team’s failures away from themselves and onto someone else.

Conversely, Great Leaders attribute the team’s success to the efforts of the team members. In success, they deflect the glory and accolades to their team members and accept only that they were fortunate to have a great team that made the success possible. In failure, they state quickly and without reservation that the fault resides not in the efforts of the followers; but rather, in the leadership that they themselves failed to provide. Everything that they do, every action that they take, is a commitment to the improvement of the team and tangible evidence of their belief in the abilities and capabilities of their team. In the final analysis, by giving credit for success to the team members and accepting responsibility for team failures, Great Leaders sow the seeds of loyalty and gratitude among their followers. These followers will go the extra mile to support the leader … and when the team enjoys greater success, the Great Leader will always attribute that success back to the amazing efforts of the team.

If you have had the luxury of working with a Great Leader, please share a comment here that illustrates what made that person 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, Integrity, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: Character, dynamic leadership, Ethical Leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership

What Is Your Personal Code of Ethics?

May 12, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

My father, a very wise man in his own way, frequently told me that a man must know what he stands for; otherwise, he’d fall for anything. I know, this was not an original thought that he created. He undoubtedly heard it somewhere and tucked it away with many other bits of wisdom that he would periodically sprinkle into our conversations. That’s the way he went about building character. He never sat down and said, “Here’s what you do.” He dropped these little bread crumb clues into casual conversations and let you discover them for yourself. Then, when you voiced them, he would act surprised and commend you for your great idea and congratulate you for making a fascinating discovery; and, of course, he then encouraged you to “get to work on that.”

I thought of my father when I read an article the other day in which the writer suggested that when a person interviews for a job, when asked if he or she has any questions, the person should ask for a copy of the company’s Code of Ethics in order to determine if the company was a good match for his or her own code of ethical conduct. My first reaction was, “what a remarkable idea! Who would have thought to ask that?” My next thought was, OK, if a person asks for the company’s code, he or she better be prepared to provide a copy of their own code.

Great leaders know what they stand for. They have a very clear understanding of what they feel is right and what they know is wrong. They live by this code of right and wrong and are prepared to walk away from things that they know are unethical and, more importantly, they will walk away from “opportunities” that just don’t pass “the smell test”. They may not see a specific law being broken; but, they recognize that it just isn’t right and they refuse to be a part of it … and they put a stop to it when they can.

Have you written out your own personal Code of Ethics? It’s not as easy as it first sounds. What do you think it should include? Should you have separate codes for your personal life and your business life? I’ve posted my Code on this website at https://eagleoneresources.com/index.php/code-of-ethics/. Please take a look at it and then comment here. Tell Great Leaders what you believe constitutes ethical conduct.

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

How Can a Relater Personality Be a Great Leader?

May 6, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

When people think of leaders, they tend to think of the person who takes command; who gives orders; who talks loudly; who moves through the crowd shaking hands with everyone and talking to everyone who will listen … and frequently to those who would rather not listen.

A Relater Personality (see Personality Types and Leadership – Part 3 published here on April 11, 2012) hardly fits the description above. Relaters tend to be introverted personalities; again, not what you expect from someone who aspires to a position of leadership. But, I believe that Relaters can be GREAT Leaders because they have some skills that are desperately needed.

They Listen: I once heard the great Cavett Robert say, “God gave you two ears and one mouth. It was a hint.” What did he mean by this? Great Leaders recognize that they do not know it all. Great Leaders listen twice as much as they talk; and, at this, Relaters excel. Relater Personalities listen to others, especially where there are differing opinions and points of view so that they can determine where common ground exists.

They Build Consensus: Once the Relater Leader knows where the common ground is, they are in a much better position to broker compromises in which all parties believe that they have gotten what they need. They rally people to the positions that all support and keep everyone focused on what they have in common; the positions that they all support. Rather than having team members see other members with differing points of view as opponents to be defeated, Relater Leaders help the team arrive at positions that the majority can support. Even those who don’t completely agree with the position feel valued in that they had an opportunity to present their opinions and ideas and that they were heard.

They Foster a Spirit of Teamwork: My former neighbor, Bobby, is a Relater Leader. Working in the construction industry, Bobby was a job-site supervisor and had a reputation for getting more quality work from his crews than any other supervisor in the company. Got a tough job with a hard completion deadline? This was the man you wanted on the job! I asked him how he did it and his answer was quite simple. He stated that his crews did not work for him … they work with him. If he needed the crew to work on Saturday in order to be ready for an inspection on Monday, he did not tell the workers that they had to work on Saturday. He told them that, in order to have the job done by Monday morning, some work needed to be done on Saturday. He told them that he’d be on the job-site at 7:00 a.m. with coffee and donuts; then, he asked who would be there at 8:00 a.m. to help him get the job done. He never lacked help; and, they usually showed up well before 8:00 and found him hard at work. His crew knew that they were a team; that they would succeed or fail as a team; and, that the leader of the team would work as hard, or harder, than he asked of them.

Can a Relater Personality by a Great Leader? Comment here and tell us what you think?

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, How personality type impacts leadership, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Personal Coaching, Personality Assessment, Personality types, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: dynamic leadership, Ethical Leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Leadership, personality types

A Living Example Surpasses a Sermon on Any Day!

April 29, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

From the day we are born until the day we die, we are exhorted by one authority figure after another to tell the truth; to play fairly and by the rules; to obey the law. And, each and every day, we are presented examples of those same authority figures lying to their constituents, taking unfair advantage of others, violating the rules, and breaking the law. Consider these actions and the logical reactions.

A parent daily tells a child to always tell the truth. Then, one day, the telephone rings and as the child reaches for the telephone, the parent says, “If that’s for me, I’m not here”. Subsequently, the child tells a lie and the parent asks, “What in the world made you do that? Why did you lie to me?”

A law enforcement officer makes a routine traffic stop and asks the driver, “Do you realize how fast you were going? You were exceeding the speed limit and are guilty of a crime for which you will be required to pay a fine.” On another day, this same officer passes the same driver who is driving at the speed limit and rapidly disappears from sight. The driver asks himself, “Why is he allowed to speed when I’m not?”

A business manager insists that employees arrive for work on time and discharges those who are routinely late. Yet, that manager is regularly late for meetings, arrives at work long after all other employees have arrived and commenced their duties, and is never disciplined for this behavior. The typical employee must question why the rules apply to everyone but the boss.

Lawmakers make speeches and tell the public that everyone must pay their fair share of taxes (whatever that phrase means) and pass laws to ensure that citizens do so. One day, it’s revealed that a prominent politician hasn’t filed the required tax returns and owes thousands of dollars in back taxes; or, has utilized loopholes that ensure that he or she pays next to nothing. Who can blame the citizenry for losing faith in the system and their elected officials?

Weak leaders believe that the rules apply to everyone BUT them and they regularly display behaviors for which others would be censured and punished.

Great leaders, on the other hand, know that they are being watched and that their behaviors will be emulated. They know that the teams they lead will follow the example they set. Great leaders know that actions speak louder than words and they make certain that their example sets the standard to which they want their followers to adhere.

LIKE if you believe that, as individuals who aspire to be great leaders, we must closely examine our own behaviors before critiquing the actions of others?

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 from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: Character, dynamic leadership, Ethical Leadership, Integrity, lead by example, lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, management

As a Leader, Will You Choose to Succeed?

April 21, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

I was reminded this morning of the importance of mindset and how it impacts everything we do. Consider…

Manager #1 (we’ll call him Peter Pessimist aka Pete) has just been handed a project, the boss’s pet project. He recognizes this as a project that several of his co-workers have attempted to complete and have failed to do so. In fact, he knows that the consensus is that it just can’t be done. While Pete promises to give it his best effort, he is already thinking about all the things that have been tried, why they failed, and how he’ll explain to the boss everything that he tried to do; but, none of it worked; the project just can’t be done. This entire mindset is going to impact not only Pete’s own thinking, but how he communicates the project to his team; and, how they will go about their work on the project. If Pete is the project leader and he doesn’t believe it can be done, how can he expect his team to believe that they can succeed where others have failed. When members of Pete’s team offer an idea that hasn’t been tried, Pete immediately shoots it down with every reason he can think of that tell why the idea won’t work. The result is predictable. After the passage of sufficient time, Pete returns the project to his boss and explains all the reasons why the project cannot be completed.

Manager #2 (we’ll call him Oscar Optimist) is given the same project. He knows the history of the project and its reputation. However, he takes a different approach to the project. Oscar recognizes the attempts that have failed to reach the objective with an attitude of “we know what won’t work, so let’s look for something that hasn’t been tried yet”. Instead of focusing on the old, tried and true, methods, he looks for new and untested solutions. Oscar gathers his team and tells them that they are going to find a way to complete the project; that he has confidence in the team’s ability to think in unconventional ways and come up with ideas that no one else has thought of. When a team member offers up a theory of what can be tried, Oscar immediately looks for ways to encourage the team member and asks for suggestions on how to make the idea work. While the positive, “can do” attitude cannot guarantee success, there is certainly a much greater probability that Oscar and his team will find a way to make things work and complete the project

Great leaders create a vision of success and paint that vision so vividly that their followers cannot help but see it and strive toward its fulfillment. Their belief in the ability of their team is highly contagious and their optimism infects all who follow them. Great leaders do not see the failure of others as predictors of their own outcomes; rather, they see opportunities to succeed in the face of obstacles where others have seen only the excuses for failure. Great leaders choose to work for success rather than opting to accept failure.

How do you choose to lead?

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead from strength, Leadership, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: Create a Vision, dynamic leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Leadership, management

Is Integrity Really That Important?

April 15, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

Not long ago, I overheard a disagreement between an employee and the owner of a company. The basic gist of the dispute was that the owner had directed the employee to take actions that the employee felt were both deceptive and dishonest. The owner of the company brought the disagreement to a close when he said, “Sometimes you take integrity to an extreme!”

Later, I found myself wondering, how can integrity be taken to an extreme? Isn’t integrity a bit like being dead or alive? One is either dead or one is alive. There is no real middle ground. Isn’t integrity something that a person either has or does not have?

Great leaders recognize that cutting corners in matters of right and wrong can quickly become a slippery slope. Once it becomes acceptable to tell a small lie, it becomes acceptable to tell the big lie if it means getting the deal done, making the sale, acquiring the customer. The problem, of course, is that one lie leads to another; and, when the deal doesn’t live up to the promise, the product doesn’t deliver what was promised, the customer loses faith not only in the person who told the lies but also faith in the firm that the person represents.

Great leaders who are employers and managers also know that integrity is paramount when leading their followers, their employees. They know that promises made must become promises kept if they are to retain credibility with their followers. Once promises are broken, future assurances become meaningless. Employees who know that their bosses don’t keep promises have no reason to believe that the promised incentive will actually be delivered. The boss never understands why the worker fails to make the extra effort to earn the promised reward; never realizes that his or her own past failures to honor commitments have forever destroyed the employee’s willingness to make the extra effort. The employee has learned to see the promised reward is just another false pretext to get more work, more production. The employee knows (perhaps rightly, perhaps wrongly) that the reward will never be received; the bonus will never be paid; the extra vacation time will never be approved.

If we are to be great leaders, we must begin by recognizing that integrity really is that important. Without it, are we even worthy of the title “leader”?

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Integrity, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: dynamic leadership, Ethical Leadership, Integrity, lead by example, lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, management

The Easy Way Out = The Road to Failure

April 8, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

Sometimes things jump out at you when you aren’t even looking for them. Case in point – I was searching on-line for information regarding banking relationships when a pop-up appeared that included a statement from President Theodore Roosevelt to the effect that there were only five things that would destroy this country; prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living, and a get rich quick attitude toward life. As I examined these five attitudes, I realized that each one indicated a person who was looking for the easy way rather than the right way.

Great leaders know that survival as an individual and as a nation is often dependent on foregoing the easy way and deliberately choosing to take the more difficult path. Great leaders recognize that doing the right thing is not easy; that standing up for core values and beliefs is not easy; that demanding integrity from yourself and those you lead is not easy. More importantly, great leaders inspire those around them to choose the more difficult path to success because it is not only the right thing to do, it also builds long-term relationships that benefit all concerned.

As people who aspire to be great leaders, each of us accepts the responsibility that great leadership carries; to do what is right and to inspire those who follow our lead to do likewise. A living example is far stronger and much more memorable than a well spoken lecture. Choose to do what is right; know the values and beliefs that you will not compromise; recognize and perform your duties; live in a manner that clearly demonstrates your integrity and your honor so that no one will ever question your motives. Be an example that others choose to follow and aspire to become.

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead from strength, Leadership, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: Building a Legacy, Character, dynamic leadership, Integrity, lead by example, lead from strength, Leadership, management

Who Is the Most Important Person You’ll Ever Meet?

April 1, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

Several years ago, I attended the funeral for a friend named Scott whose father had been my first agency manager. Many of us who were at the service had worked with Scott when he was an agent in his father’s agency. As is wont to happen at the wake after the memorial service, a group of us were standing and talking about “the old days” when we had all been newly minted agents in Ray’s office.

A young man I did not know walked up to the group and waited patiently for a break in the conversation. When it came, he introduced himself and said, “Everyone tells me that my grandfather was the best that ever was at what he did. Since you all worked for him, I was hoping you could tell me, what was it that made him the best at what he did?”

After a few moments of quiet contemplation, each of us offered our views. When all opinions had been voiced, the young man summed it up in one sentence. “My grandfather made each of you feel like you were the most important person in the entire world.” There it was in the proverbial nutshell!

No matter who Ray was with, he made that person believe that no one, no thing, could ever be more important than he or she was at that moment. Ray gave you his undivided attention. His focus was entirely on you.

Great leaders know that every person has a genuine need to feel important; needs to know that what they say and what they do is important; and, that the leader recognizes, respects, and appreciates their contributions. If we are to be great leaders, we should take a moment to look in the mirror and carefully examine how we treat others. Do we treat them as the important people they are; or, do we pay lip service to their unique abilities and lose their respect and their loyalty?

Who is the most important person you’ll ever meet? I would suggest that it’s the person you are with at the moment and that they deserve to be treated accordingly.

Filed Under: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Lead from strength, Leadership, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: Building a Legacy, dynamic leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Leadership, management