management

Why Do I Follow That Leader?

June 30, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

I recently had a “conversation” via e-mail with the son of some of my oldest and dearest friends. Bill is in his middle 30’s, an Eagle Scout who has some interesting insights into the concept of leadership. When asked what traits he believed caused an individual to say “I choose to follow that leader”, Bill wrote the following reply. With his permission, I share it with you.

“The sort of traits that cause a person–or me, at least–to say, “this is someone I choose to follow,” are: authenticity, integrity, character, honesty. These are naturally related to each other and are the antithesis of the more common “do as I say, not as I do” leaders (using the term loosely) we tend to find otherwise. Whatever a person’s convictions or beliefs, to claim some title, adjective, or position as one’s own, but then behave in diametric opposition thereto is fraud, plain and simple. This establishes the moral authority to be a leader, but that is not the sole requisite of genuine leadership. I have heard it said that there is a difference between a manager and a leader: the former maintains the status quo, whereas the latter makes an original and positive contribution to those he or she leads. Put another way, a person may be compelled to follow a manager, but will voluntarily follow a genuine leader.

“Perhaps the most striking example of a genuine leader is Pope Francis. The full and formal title belonging to his office is: “Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Sovereign of the Vatican City State, Servant of the servants of God.” Not only does this lengthy description imply that the incumbent has some rather large shoes to fill, it is about the last phrase that I wish to comment. Personal beliefs and practices, such as they may be, aside, taking on the title of “Servant of the servants of God” echoes teachings attributed to Christ, according to which and to whom he should necessarily be conducting his own affairs and those of the Church. Let us consider this news story (http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/24/us-pope-concert-idUSBRE95N0S920130624) published just this week. Of particular interest in the Reuters article is the description of him putting his work ethic above social affairs, consistently declining the material wealth normally associated with his office, and conducting his daily duties as closely as possible to ‘the people,’ rather than in seclusion. This, to me, is the definition of moral authority: he is conducting his own affairs and is evaluating plans for conducting those of the Church both according to his understanding of Christ’s teachings and to the Jesuit mission. The fact that his doing so seems to surprise people might suggest that we should evaluate our own expectations as to what exactly we believe ourselves to be entitled, as opposed to privileged to have. Certainly the contributions Francis will make to the Church are expected to be positive (and God help the Church if his approach is actually original), making him a genuine leader.”

Authenticity, integrity, character, honesty … four words that speak to the high moral disposition that inspires others to follow. Great leaders who desire to positively impact the lives of those who choose to follow would do well to keep Bill’s answer in mind.

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]

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 from strength, Leadership, management

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 [email protected]

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, management

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 [email protected]

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

Is Flexibility a Sign of Wishy-Washy Leadership?

January 25, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

This past week, I met a gentleman who was thrust into a position of leadership at a young age. Over the years, he has held a variety of leadership positions and, by all accounts, has acquitted himself very well in each of those positions. As we talked about the qualities of a great leader, he suggested a trait which many would find surprising … flexibility. I asked him to explain what he meant. Here is his answer.

“If a leader wants to be a great leader, he or she can’t assume that his or her way is the only way to do something. A leader needs to listen to the followers … the people that he or she leads. When they’re the ones on the front line, they often have insights that the leader can benefit from. They see changes in the marketplace … they see how situations and circumstances change … how some actions might have unanticipated consequences. The leader needs to be willing and able to adjust when changes have occurred or can be foreseen.

“Think of it this way. When a hurricane comes, we often see houses blown down and trees still standing. Why? Because the house is inflexible. It was designed and built to stay right where it is; unchanged; unbending. On the other hand, the tree bends with the wind. It flexes. It usually sheds leaves. It may occasionally lose a limb. But, in the end, it is still standing when the storm passes.

“The real leader is the same way. The leader may see some preconceived ideas blown away; may have to give up a pet project or an idea that is shown to be impractical or unsuccessful; may find that those he or she leads have great ideas that can make the team, the project, the endeavor more effective, efficient, successful. When the leader demonstrates this kind of flexibility, everyone on the team wins and the project is successfully completed.”

Great leaders will study the tree in the hurricane and benefit from the lessons it teaches. The boss will see the house; fail to heed its lessons; and, in the end, be overwhelmed and swept away.

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Lead from strength, Leadership, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: lead from strength, Leadership, management

VISION IS VALUABLE … BUT THE ABILITY TO MOTIVATE OTHERS TO WANT TO TURN THE VISION INTO REALITY IS PRICELESS

August 20, 2012 By Soaring_Eagle_One

At a recent retreat, Board Members found signs on the walls … signs extolling the virtues of their organization; signs with motivational slogans; signs with parables. One sign stood out from all the rest. It simply said,

A Good Leader Creates A Shared Vision

One of the dictionary’s definitions of vision is the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be and it is this meaning that the sign was referencing. A good leader creates a vision of what a business or the world will look like in the future if specific actions are taken today. A good leader is able to describe this future in a way that enables others to see it as well. This is what a good leader does.

A great leader, on the other hand, takes it a step or two farther. Great leaders create a vision and lead their followers into it; first in the mind and then in reality.

Great leaders communicate their vision in terms that empower their followers to believe that it can become a reality. They describe their vision in terms that enable their followers to see it; to smell it; to taste it; to feel it. They use words that appeal to the senses of the listener. Most importantly, great leaders communicate that vision so clearly that their followers can see themselves in that vision and know how great it will be when they turn the dream into a reality. To illustrate, consider two individuals who qualified for the same incentive trip awarded to top sales people by the company that they worked for. Both were asked by a colleague to describe a part of the trip and why they had both been willing to work so hard to win the trip. Ironically, they both talked about the same part of the trip when they answered the question.

David’s answer: “It was really great. We went to this winery where they make champagne. They gave each of us a glass of champagne. We drank it out on the patio.”

Louie’s answer: “We took the most awesome trip to a wine cellar where they make champagne. After touring the winery and seeing how champagne is made, they gave each of us glasses of champagne and invited us to go out on their patio for champagne with sour dough bread and cheese. It was amazing! Here we are, sitting on this terra cotta patio with this huge fountain in the middle of it under a sky that was so blue and so bright that it hurt your eyes to look up at it. When you looked across the patio, there were these little white cotton ball puffs of cloud floating over the hills. When I closed my eyes, I could hear the breeze rustling the leaves in these huge eucalyptus trees and the water drops tinkling in the fountain. When I took a bite of the bread, it had this really sharp bite to it from the sour dough. Then, I put a piece of cheese in my mouth and it was so smooth it just melted in my mouth. Finally, I took a sip of the champagne and felt the bubbles dancing across my tongue. In that moment, I thought, ‘this is living … this is why I worked so hard … so I could savor this moment!”

As the people standing nearby listened to Louie’s description of that afternoon, they could see the sky; taste the bite of the sour dough and the melting cheese; feel the champagne bubbles dancing in their mouths. Most importantly, they could see themselves qualifying for the next incentive trip and enjoying a similar moment.

Like Louie, great leaders communicate their vision so that others see it and see themselves being a part of it. Great leaders inspire their followers to pursue the vision and build it as a reality.

As you share your vision with your followers, choose your words with care and make certain that you draw your listeners into the vision and help them not only see it, but help them feel the pride of success that comes from turning that dream into reality and being a part of the team that made it so.

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Lead from strength, Leadership, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: dynamic leadership, lead from strength, Leadership, management

What Did You Learn From the Worst Leader You Ever Followed?

June 4, 2012 By Soaring_Eagle_One

At one time or another, many of us have had that rare opportunity to follow a leader who personified the definition of leadership; someone who we would follow to the ends of the earth and beyond. That individual had some trait, some characteristic, that sparked your passions and devotion to a cause and you were willing to do whatever it took to further the cause. It’s easy to learn from leaders or this sort. We recognize what they did that inspired us and resolve to do the same things to inspire others.

Unfortunately, each of us has also had that all too common experience of being lead by someone who did it all wrong; who failed to inspire; who, as one person put it, “couldn’t lead a bunch of kids into a candy store”. It’s easy to adopt the initial reaction of “I don’t want to learn any of this person’s leadership skills”. But, let’s think about that reaction for a moment and see if a different perspective helps us learn something positive.

What was it about the poor leader that “turned off” our willingness to follow? Can we learn from this experience to determine behaviors that we don’t want to display when leading others? To illustrate, let me give an example of two leaders I’ve had in my life at different times. To protect their privacy, I’ll simply refer to them as “Leader #1” and Leader #2.

Leader #1, when you asked if he would talk with you about something, would immediately set aside what he was working on, literally clearing his desk so that he could give you his undivided attention. He’d instruct the receptionist to hold his calls. While his door might still be open, anyone coming to that door would be waved away; a gesture understood by everyone in the office to mean “this person and I are talking; please don’t interrupt”. Leader #1 spent time with you until you indicated that the conversation could be ended.

Leader #2, on the other hand, would invite you into his office when you asked for time; usher you to his conference table; and, take his cell phone from his pocket and sit it on the table where he could look at it simply by glancing down. When his cell phone rang, he’d think nothing of answering it while you were talking. If he received a text message, he’d read it and frequently respond to it while you were talking. If the receptionist announced a call, he would often walk over to his desk and pick up his telephone to take the call … while you were talking.

Which leader made you feel important? Which leader demonstrated that he was there to help you? Which leader would you rather follow?

The answer to that third and last question tells you what kind of leader you want to be. While Leader #2 was a poor leader, he taught you something about how to lead by showing you how not to lead.

Filed Under: Dynamic Leadership, Lead from strength, Leadership, Uncategorized, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: dynamic leadership, lead from strength, Leadership, management