Leadership

Do You Curse the Darkness or Bring the Light?

August 11, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

When facing adversity, how do you respond?

Do you complain about the circumstances? Do you play the blame game, trying to make someone (anyone) else responsible for the problem? Do you bemoan the adversity, determined to prove that it’s not your fault? Playing the blame game is like cursing the darkness … it may feel good at the moment but it does nothing to solve the problem.

Or, do you look for constructive solutions? Do you identify the cause of the difficulty and look for ways to cure the cause? Solving problems is very much akin to lighting the candle that pushes back the darkness. It brings solutions to the table and changes the environment.

Great Leaders fall into the latter category. They know that few projects unfold without difficulty; few people face no adversity. Great Leaders acknowledge that “stuff happens” and they prepare themselves for the potential problems by planning in advance. How will they respond to a possible objection? How will they overcome a potential road block? What is their contingency plan if adversity presents itself? Great Leaders look ahead and identify potential problems and plan to overcome them. This is one of the factors that differentiate the Great Leader from the those who are satisfied with mediocrity; the ability and willingness to look into the future and actively plan for it.

Have you had an experience where planning ahead has helped you overcome adversity? Share your story here.

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: dynamic leadership, Ethical Leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Leadership

Your Actions Speak Far Louder Than Your Words

August 4, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

It is easy to tell others how to do something. All that must be done is open one’s mouth and let the words come forth. But, that is not true leadership. It is merely the parroting of things previously read or heard. While people may hear the words, they are seldom inspired by them.

Great Leaders, on the other hand, live by the words that they speak. They know that those who choose to follow do so because they KNOW that the words are not mere concepts to the leader. Rather, they are principles by which the Great Leader lives.

Perhaps one of the finest examples of a Great Leader exemplifying the choices and actions that he wanted his followers to emulate was George Washington, Commanding General of the Continental Army at Valley Forge. While many captains, majors, and colonels went home and left their troops to face the brutal winter and starvation, General George Washington remained in camp, on the job every day, living under the same conditions as his troops. He did not keep the army together by saying, “you need to stay here”. Instead, he said, “WE need to stay here” and then did as he asked of them.

Great Leaders do not preach a sermon and expect others to obey. Great Leaders set an example for others to follow.

Filed Under: 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

When Great Leaders Are In The Valley of Despair …

July 28, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

Do great leaders ever face challenges that seem overwhelming; setbacks that appear to be too great to overcome; failures that feel insurmountable? You bet they do! So, how do they overcome them and retake control?

The first step is to know which voices to listen to. No, I’m not talking about friends, advisors, coaches. Granted, all of those people can help the Great Leader in his or her quest. But, what I’m talking about here are the voices in our heads. The ones that tell us what we are capable of accomplishing and encourage us; and, the ones that try to convince us that we can’t attain our goals.

Mental attitude is so important when facing challenges. I once heard a speaker say “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right!” Great Leaders know the voices of negativity are not friends. They are insidious creators of doubts who will point out every obstacle they can find and create barriers where none exist. The positive voices see the impediments, recognize them as challenges, and whisper, “we can do this … we just need to find the way … there is a way.”

The second step is to take action; massive action. Great Leaders have a vision of the future and they recognize that the way to turn that vision into a reality is to take action proactively. They have neither the time nor the patience to be reactive. Nor do they have the willingness to dabble in baby steps. They know that the harder they work, the more actions they take, the sooner they will know if they are on the right track. If they are on the right track, they’ll attain their goals and turn dreams into realities sooner. If they are on the wrong track, they’ll find out quickly and be able to change course sooner.

Renowned sales trainer Ray Leone once asked the late, great, Zig Ziglar what he would say to people who were currently facing challenges, setbacks, or failures. Zig’s answer was that he would tell them that the food that would help them climb the mountains is grown down in the valleys.

Great Leaders recognize that the valley is where the source of their power originates. It is the wellspring of their inspiration; and, it is where they will find the tools that will enable them to achieve the pinnacles of success.

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

Are You Building a Legacy?

July 21, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

Greek history tells us that when Odysseus went to fight the Trojan War, he asked his friend Mentor to take charge of his palace and his son, charging Mentor with the responsibility of guiding his son, Telemachus, as he grows into manhood. Over time, the word “mentor” has come to mean one who gives of his or her time, experience, and wisdom in order to help another grow personally and/or professionally. It is through mentoring that Great Leaders build a legacy. But, why do they do this?

District Manager Ray was, undoubtedly, one of the finest mentors I ever met. He measured his success not by the number of dollars on his paycheck, but by the number of people that he was able to help grow and develop into successful agents and managers for the company he worked for. He took great pride whenever he heard about the success of someone who had passed through his tutelage. His pride was not based on “Look what I did!” but rather on “Look how this individual fulfilled his/her potential!” He worked hard every day to build a legacy of people who, through their own efforts, attained the levels of success to which others would only look with longing.

Scoutmaster Duane mentors young men to become the leaders upon whom local businesses, his community, the state, and the nation will depend to help us, as a people, realize the dreams of the founding fathers. He does not do this because he wants to point to a plaque on the wall and say “See what I produced!” He does it because he wishes to repay all those who have helped him become the man he is today; and, to prepare those he has the privilege of mentoring with the tools that will enable them to assist future generations.

Great Leaders subscribe to the “ripples on the pond” theory of life. Just like a pebble tossed into a pond creates ripples that travel out to the shore rebounding to come together again in the center of the pond, mentors build a legacy that travels out from their points of contact with their mentees into a world where those ripples will touch countless lives for generations to come. Great Leaders are great mentors who touch and change lives for the better far beyond their own lifetimes.

Know a great mentor who impacted and changed your life? Share that experience by commenting here.

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

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.

RESPECT – Great Leaders Earn It; They Don’t Demand It

June 23, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

R – E – S – P – E – C – T. Everyone wants it; not everyone gets it. Great Leaders know that respect is not handed out as an entitlement. It must be earned. So how do they go about earning it?

They take responsibility rather than delegate blame – Great Leaders take responsibility when things don’t go according to plan. Rather than delegate the blame to a subordinate, Great Leaders step up and say, “As the leader of this team, the responsibility is all mine.” Great Leaders recognize and accept that they are held accountable for results.

They give credit for success to the team – Great Leaders know that they accomplish little by themselves. While the weak leader will point to the successful completion of a project and say, “Look what I did!”, the Great Leader points to the team and says, “Look what you accomplished! You are the greatest!”

They listen – While the Great Leader knows that he or she is ultimately responsible for making decisions, the Great Leader takes the time to seek out and truly listen to the opinions of team members. Only after listening and hearing everyone’s input, the Great Leader makes the decision that he or she believes is in the best interest of all concerned.

They follow up – Great Leaders don’t just delegate tasks, they monitor progress, ask what tools or resources are required and obtain them. The person to whom the task was delegated knows that it’s not busy work; that outcomes are desired and that the Great Leader is there to help them obtain the desired outcome.

They “walk the talk” – Great Leaders lead by example. They never ask more of their followers than they would be willing to do themselves. They “practice what they preach” and display the same behaviors that they expect from others.

Great Leaders know that respect must be earned every day and their actions will be closely scrutinized by their teams, their followers, to determine if they’ve earned it … every day.

Do you have an example of how a Great Leader has earned your respect? Comment here and share it, please.

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: dynamic leadership, Ethical Leadership, lead by example, lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership

Great Leaders Care!

June 9, 2013 By Soaring_Eagle_One

I recently had the privilege of attending an Eagle Court of Honor for seven (yes, I said 7) Scouts who had earned the highest rank that Scouting offers. To understand how special this Court of Honor was, it’s important to know two very important facts. 1) Less than 4% of all boys who join the Boy Scouts of America will ever earn this rank. 2) All seven of these young men were members of the same patrol in the same troop. And, they all had something else in common … a Great Leader.

That Great Leader was a man I’ll call Mr. Bill. Mr. Bill joined this group of young men on the day that their patrol formed. His son was a member of the patrol; but, from the first day, he saw himself as having seven sons in that patrol … they were all his boys and he would do everything he could to help each of them grow to become the men they were destined to be.

In the early days, he stood in front of them and showed them how to perform tasks both basic and complex. As the boys learned and then mastered the skills, Bill began to step back and let the boys lead themselves, always with the knowledge that he was there to help them if they ran into a problem. As the boys matured and undertook high adventure treks, Bill accompanied them; but now, he watched them as each took a turn leading the others and he answered their questions with the question, “what do you think you should do?”

Knowing that rank advancement was important to building a young man’s self-esteem, Mr. Bill constantly monitored their progress. If one of his charges fell behind, he provided encouragement and, when needed, gave the Scout a nudge to keep him moving forward. As the boys neared their 18th birthdays, he made sure that each was fulfilling the requirements to attain the rank of Eagle Scout. He genuinely cared about the success of each of these young men and could not envision an outcome other than each of them attaining the pinnacle of Scouting.

As the Court of Honor wound down to its conclusion, each of these outstanding these young men stepped up to the microphone to provide encouragement to those younger Scouts in attendance; and, to express his gratitude to those who had helped him along the way. Each Scout expressed the customary gratitude to parents, relatives, and friends. Each also thanked various volunteer leaders for things that the young man felt had helped him. All thanked Mr. Bill … for his guidance; for his support; and most of all, for caring.

Great Leaders care about those they lead. Great Leaders care enough to do whatever is needed to ensure that their followers have the tools and resources necessary for success.

“Like” if you appreciate all that Great Leaders do to help their followers succeed.

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

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.

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