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How Do You Measure Success?

December 6, 2015 By

How people measure success is a question well worth exploring. For the coach of an athletic team, it may be measured in terms of wins and losses. The entrepreneur might well measure success in terms of profits and losses; by the bottom line if you will. A Commander Personality, someone who is task driven, might well measure success in terms of projects completed or goals attained. The Entertainer Personality who is driven by factors such as likeability and friends made might judge success by his/her popularity. The Relater Personality may choose to measure success by the number of relationships created, bridges built rather than burned; by how well people “get along”. The Organizer will undoubtedly choose to measure in terms of compliance with rules and regulations or policies and procedures. Each personality type will have a standard against which success is measured.

At this point, I would like to suggest that there is a standard of measurement that all of the personalities could use. It is a standard that would be appropriate for each. The standard was suggested to me by a co-worker recently when he quoted Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and many other novels and stories.

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”

I believe that this is the standard by which Great Leaders judge their successes. They recognize that their legacy will be the future leaders that they identify, mentor, and whose successes they influence. Recognizing that their own time on this earth is finite, Great Leaders choose to put their efforts into building the future. They will be remembered for the new generation(s) of leaders that they create and leave behind to carry on the mission of helping people build successful lives and careers.

Have you had the opportunities afforded by influence of a Great Leader who influenced you and helped you build your success? Will you follow in that individual’s footsteps and build not only your own legacy but continue to build that person’s legacy? The effect of planting seeds is much like the ripples created when we throw a pebble into a pond. The ripples spread out and touch people we may never know … but the legacy is carried on by them. Click “Comment” to share the story of how a Great Leader helped you build your legacy.

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, How personality type impacts leadership, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

Giving Thanks For the Great Leaders We’ve Known

November 29, 2015 By

Two years ago, I wrote that I had had the privilege of knowing some truly great leaders; some professionally, others socially. In the ensuing years, I’ve been repeatedly reminded of the role these individuals have played in my life and in the lives of others.

  • My father taught me that leadership need not be loud and boisterous. He demonstrated that it could be quiet while setting an example for others to emulate; that the example would speak more loudly and more clearly than words ever could. He taught me that it required patience, honor, integrity, and honesty … honesty in one’s dealings with others and when seeing one’s own talents and shortcomings.
  • My first agency manager, Ray, introduced me to Napoleon Hill’s statement that, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve”. For Ray, this wasn’t simply a memorable quote, it was a credo that he taught to everyone and repeated daily until we truly believed in its truth. He was committed to helping each of his followers grow and become leaders … without ever voicing these words, he was committed to replicating the best qualities in him and shaping the lives of those who would replace him and become the leaders of the future.
  • The individuals who serve on Eagle Scout Boards of Review. These men and women not only donate two nights a month to serve on Eagle BOR’s but also serve as unit leaders, unit committee members, and unit commissioners.
  • The Scoutmasters, Assistant Scoutmasters, and Committee Chairs who make the local troops possible and empower them to function as the training grounds for future leaders.

This week, we gathered with family and friends to give thanks for the many gifts that we have been given. Please join me in giving thanks; not only this week, but in all the days and weeks to come, for the Great Leaders who have influenced each of our lives and the lives of so many 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: Building a Legacy, Dynamic Leadership, Great Leaders, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , ,

How Would You Answer This Question

November 8, 2015 By

“What are the characteristics of a leader you would choose to follow?” is a question I like to ask Eagle Scout candidates during their Boards of Review. The answers are as diverse as the individuals providing the answer.

In the early days of Boy Scouting, Sir Robert Baden Powell wrote extensively on the qualities of leadership and I had the good fortune to read one of those articles this past weekend. He cited four valuable characteristics of great leadership. They appear below along with my interpretations of these points as they relate to Great Leaders. They are …

  • The leader must believe wholeheartedly in the rightness of the cause – Great Leaders have a vision of the future they want to create; the goal they want to attain. They believe that the goal is attainable and the importance of turning the vision into reality that they become passionate about it. They convey that passion to their followers and team members. They lead those individuals into an irrefutable belief as well.
  • The leader has a personality that is likeable – Great Leaders are likeable. They tend to be cheerful, optimistic, uplifting. People like being around them. They have empathy for those who experience difficulties and help others work through those difficulties by being supportive and encouraging. When people are not experiencing trouble, Great Leaders provide an optimistic vision of a future that people want to be a part of.
  • The leader knows his/her job and has confidence in his/her ability to do it – Great Leaders believe that they are the “right person” in the “right place” at the “right time”. They see the course of action that should be taken and they feel compelled to do so. They believe, not only in the rectitude of what they do but in the rightness of why they do it. They believe that they have the ability to make a difference for the better and that they cannot idly sit by and do nothing.
  • The leader practices what he/she preaches – Great Leaders do not say one thing and do another. They lead by example.

The writings of Sir Robert Baden Powell are as valuable today as they were nearly a century ago. Great Leaders are willing to learn from others.

Have you thought about the characteristics of the leader you would choose to follow? Click “Comment” and share those characteristics.

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, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , ,

Great Leaders Under-Sell and Over-Deliver

November 1, 2015 By

Have you ever followed a leader who “promised the moon” and delivered nothing more than a “Moon Pie”? How much did you trust that leader the next time a promise was made? Believe me, I had no trouble hearing your answer to that question; and, while each of you had a slightly different way of expressing it, it was resoundingly negative.

Great Leaders know that they have been given the privilege of leading teams of highly talented, extremely capable, individuals. They also know that their own credibility is going to be key in helping the team deliver its very best efforts. The Great Leader knows that he/she must be honest and tell the team the truth. Here are three rules that Great Leaders abide by …

  • Don’t make promises you can’t keep – Nothing undermines a leader’s credibility than failing to keep promises. Great Leaders don’t make promises unless they are in a position to make sure the promise is kept. Great Leaders don’t say, “I promise you it will happen”. Rather, the Great Leader says, “I won’t promise you that this will happen; but, I DO promise you that I will do everything in my power to make it happen.”
  • Always tell the truth – A leader’s credibility will be destroyed when he/she is caught telling lies. Telling the truth can be uncomfortable, particularly when it shows culpability in failure; failure to deliver a product; failure to develop and implement a project; failure to keep a promise. Great Leaders know that making excuses and trying to shift the blame won’t work. They understand that they must tell the truth and accept full responsibility for their actions … or inactions.
  • Deliver more than “just enough” – Great Leaders know that “good enough” is never good enough. They understand that “squeaking by” is bound to disappoint even the most ardent supporter. Great Leaders advocate delivering “above and beyond” expectations; and, they go out of their way to make sure that they do go above and beyond what others expect from them.

How do you go “above and beyond” in the performance of your leadership duties? Click “Comment” to share your thoughts.

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, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , ,

What Would You Do if You Hired the Best?

October 18, 2015 By

What would you do if you had the very best people on your team? What would you do if you had the most talented people on your team? Would you dictate every action that they were to take; every move that they were to make; every strategy that they must pursue? Or, would you show them your vision for the future; the goals that should be reached; the desired outcomes?

When my first agency manager, Ray, was looking for new agents to bring into the agency, he would remind agents, supervisors, and sales managers that “1st class people hire 1st class people. 2nd class people hire 3rd class people.” This was his way of reminding everyone that we wanted the very best to be part of our team. He believed that the best leaders had no fear of someone surpassing them or being better than them. He lived the belief that the truest measure of a leader’s success was how many new, outstanding, team leaders he developed.

Great Leaders recognize the truth of this belief. Great Leaders know that the only way to build a strong team is to bring the very best people into the team, to show them what the end goal is, and give them the authority and the power to develop winning strategies for the attainment of that goal. As Ray used to tell us, let that talented individual see what can be accomplished and then get out of the way and let them do it.

Great Leaders also know that micro-managing is a sure road to tearing down a strong team; to undermining the confidence of the people who comprise the team and turn them into drones who are fearful of taking any action without direct “say-so” from the boss lest they be criticized or penalized for having the audacity to take the initiative.

Steve Jobs once said, “It doesn’t make sense to hire smart people and then tell them what to do. We hire smart people so they can tell us what to do”. Great Leaders follow this advice!

Have you had the privilege of working with a Great Leader who showed you how much you were capable of accomplishing and then got out of the way and let you do it? Click “Comment” and share that experience.

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, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

Is a Title Needed to be a Leader?

October 11, 2015 By

The July/August Readers’ Digest contained an excerpt from Hector Tobar’s book Deep Down Dark about a mine cave-in which occurred in August 2010 in Chile. The excerpt tells the story of thirty-three miners who spent sixty-nine days trapped in a gold and copper mine nearly a half-mile beneath the surface of the earth. It contains an interesting story that illustrates how a person need not have a title to be a leader.

Shortly after the miners discovered that all routes of escape were sealed and that there was no way out, the shift supervisor told the miners that he was no longer their boss; that, since they are all trapped together, they should make decisions together. While his position that they should make decisions together is admirable, with this decision he removed himself from his leadership position; a position which could have been instrumental in providing guidance in the decision making processes.

Conversely, another miner who has no standing in the mining hierarchy, Mario Sepulveda, decides that he will take control of his own fate and the fate of his fellow miners. He focuses on survival and optimism. When he finds that some of the miners have broken into the emergency food supplies, he stops them from eating those supplies immediately, reminding them that they may be trapped for many days or weeks; that those supplies will be needed. He then tallies the supplies on hand to determine their resources and how to make them last. He creates a plan for a single daily meal and distributes each miner’s portion.

By his actions, Mario Sepulveda showed himself to be a true leader. He held no title, no position of authority. Yet, he directed the activities of his fellow miners, shared his vision of survival, and in the end, made that vision a reality for all of them.

Have you known someone who held no rank, no title, yet stepped into a leadership role and turned a vision into a reality? Click “Comment” and share your experience.

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: , , , ,

Leadership as an Opportunity to Serve

October 4, 2015 By

In his book, Servant Leadership”, Robert Greenleaf wrote that “The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first.” This is not now, nor was it then, a new concept. References to the leader being a servant can be found in the Bible and the writings of Lao-Tzu. For the Great Leader, service to others is a prime concept and a primary goal.

While the mediocre leader sees his/her position as an affirmation of his/her authority and recognition of his/her own greatness, the Great Leader recognizes that it is an opportunity to serve.

  • Great Leaders look at each individual team member and learn what is important to each; their goals, their aspirations, their motivations. The Great Leader recognizes that an opportunity exists to help each team member reach their goals and serves each by opening doors that will lead to the attainment of those goals. They help their team members grow professionally and as people.
  • Great Leaders offer help when it is needed. They know that there are times when the team member is very capable of performing unassisted and are wise enough to stand back and watch. But, when help is needed, the Great Leader serves the team member by providing guidance and instruction in such a way as to empower the team member to learn by doing. They help the team members gain the knowledge and experience that enables them be more self-sufficient and more autonomous.
  • Great Leaders provide team members with opportunities to serve others and become servant leaders.

The Great Leader does not seek nor take credit for these things, choosing instead to recognize the accomplishments of the team member and giving credit to that individual. Those who would choose to become a Great Leader will see that in serving others, he/she is building a solid foundation upon which the team, the business, and the community can grow and thrive.

Have you had the privilege of serving others; of working with someone who served you? Click “Comment” to share your experience and what you learned from it.

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, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Great Leaders Take the Time to Know Their Team Members

September 20, 2015 By

Walking the battlefield at The Cowpens in South Carolina, I was reminded of General Daniel Morgan’s use and handling of the militia at that battle. The night before the battle, Morgan moved from campfire to campfire, speaking with small groups of men at each, encouraging them and telling them what he wanted them to do. He spoke their language, the plain talk of the Wagoner he had been before the war.

He did not ask the militiamen who would be in the first line of colonial forces to stand and face the feared British bayonet charges. Knowing and understanding these citizen-soldiers, he knew that was something they would not do. Rather, he asked them to stand and fire two (some reports say it was three) well aimed shots before retreating to the second line held by the Continental soldiers.

When, after firing their shots, the militiamen began running back to the second line, the Redcoats began chasing what they saw as a defeated army running away only to find that they were running directly into the trap set by Daniel Morgan. This led to a crucial victory for the Continental Army.

As I thought about General Morgan’s campfire instructions to his troops, I realized that he had carefully crafted his message to each audience he was facing; and, isn’t this what Great Leaders do when leading their teams? They recognize that each team member has his/her own communication style (based on personality type) and each has his/her own goals and desired outcomes. Great Leaders craft communications to their intended audiences and assign roles based on the strengths of each team member.

Have you had the privilege of working with a Great Leader who knew how to work with and communicate with you in a manner that was conducive to clear communications? Click “Comment” and share that experience.

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, How personality type impacts leadership, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , ,

My Effectiveness as a Leader is Judged When You Disappear Over the Next Hill

August 23, 2015 By

How easy is it to say you are a successful leader when everyone you lead is within your field of vision? Pretty easy. You can see everything your team does and they know that you are watching. But, it’s what they do once they are out of sight, over the next hill if you will, that determines if you as the leader have done a good job of imparting skills. I learned this lesson from a Scoutmaster who was a Great Leader in the eyes of the young men he had been given the privilege of leading.

The patrol his son was a member of had decided to go backpacking in the Pisgah National Forest to Shining Rock. All members of the patrol were teenagers between 14 and 16 years of age. As the Scoutmaster said, “they were young and hiked fast; he was not young and hiked slow”. Knowing that the young men would become impatient if they had to wait for the older adult leaders, he made a deal with them. They could hike as fast as they wanted to; but, whenever they came to a fork in the trail, they had to wait until everyone was there before anyone could proceed further. He told them that he knew he could trust them when they were in sight of him. It was how they behaved when they crossed over the next hill and he could not see them that would tell him if they were ready for the deal he had just made with them. He reported after the excursion that, whenever there was a fork in the trail, everyone was there, waiting for him and the other slow hikers. Sometimes they had begun pumping and filtering water from a nearby stream; other times, they had begun preparing an appropriate trail snack or meal. Always, they were waiting for everyone to arrive.

I was reminded of this lesson when I met a lady who had built a very large and successful team of sales professionals in one state and had to move to another state. She had been with her team constantly, encouraging, training, mentoring; always right there with them. When she moved, she was still their immediate supervisor and leader; but, she was not physically there. For some leaders, leaving the team unsupervised would be a recipe for team disintegration and ultimate dissolution. However, her team had learned valuable lessons in self-discipline, self-motivation, self-empowerment from her and continued to perform at a very high level. While she was still available to them by telephone and Skype, the team members had learned the business and life skills that enabled them to continue doing all the right things when she could not physically see them.

Great Leaders empower individuals and teams to find the very best within themselves and set examples that other individuals and teams can emulate and aspire to. They develop the mindset and skill set that make it possible for team members to lead themselves and succeed.

Have you had the privilege of knowing or working with a Great Leader who helped you identify the best within you and succeed when that leader was not present? Click “Comment” and share your experience with that 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, Lead by Example, Lead from strength, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , ,

Lessons I’ve Learned from Terrible Leaders

August 16, 2015 By

When talking about leaders we’ve followed, the tendency is to talk about the good things that were learned; the habits developed; the techniques emulated. But, from time to time, we see or hear things that remind us of the worst behaviors we’ve witnessed from those who purported to be leaders. Here are a few lessons I’ve learned from terrible leaders … the lessons that tell Great Leaders what they NEVER want to be like.

  • Don’t keep promises you’ve made – Nothing will kill employee loyalty and morale faster than broken promises. When the person who claims to be the leader (in reality, “The Boss”) cannot be trusted to keep his/her word, those who are required to follow may do so; but, they will follow reluctantly and with little faith that they will receive what has been promised. Many years ago, I met “Joe”, the owner of a company, who promised nearly every person working in his company that, when the firm moved to larger facilities, each employee would have a private office. When the “offices” turned out to be 7’ x 7’ cubicles, while “Joe” felt that he had delivered on his promise of private space, the employees felt that they had been lied to and several left the firm. LESSON LEARNED: Only promise what you know you can deliver; and, be clear what the promise will deliver.
  • Berate people who want to take vacations – At a meeting with an employee who is considering a career change, the coach/mentor learned that when the employee had requested time off so that he could take his wife and kids on a one week vacation. The employee told “The Boss” a story about a contest between two lumberjacks to see who could chop the most wood in a day. At the end of the story, the lumberjack who took breaks and sharpened his axe was the winner. “The Boss” replied, “Well, you better figure out how to sharpen your axe while you work.” LESSON LEARNED: Recognize that people need breaks to refresh their minds and restore their creativity. Encourage them to take vacations and unwind. In the long-run, those breaks pay great dividends.
  • Get an overinflated opinion of your worth and wisdom – When a person is moved into a leadership position, there can be the temptation to believe that it is because “I’m the best that’s ever been … this proves that I’ve got the right to tell others what to do, to order them around, without any consideration for their feelings, talents, skills, and accomplishments.” This belief can be the shortest route to failure as a leader because it assumes that the newly promoted leader has all the answers and no one else can have a good idea. “Stephanie” shared a story with me about an encounter she had had with “The Boss” where she worked. Whenever “The Boss” disagreed with something she said, they had an honest difference of opinion. But, if she disagreed with something “The Boss” said, “The Boss” told her she was wrong. Consequently, she stopped offering ideas and feedback, ultimately taking a position at another company where her creativity could be implemented and was appreciated. LESSON LEARNED: Everyone has an opinion and ideas that can make a project more successful; a company more profitable. Listen and learn.
  • Assume that your promotion has given you license to take it easy – The view of the top always looks like there is no real work being done, right? Now that you occupy that top rung of the ladder, you can sit back, tell others what to do, and watch it happen. Your job is to be “The Boss”, not to actually do the work. This was the opinion of Erin when she was promoted to a supervisory position and her actions reflected it. LESSON LEARNED: Being placed in a leadership position does not mean less work, it means more work and more responsibility. Sometimes it means being on-call 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Do it right and those you lead will follow your example.
  • Don’t ask for input unless you really want it – I once attended a meeting where the CEO invited the field managers to ask him about anything that was on their minds. For several years the company had experienced declining sales and decreased revenues. Several of the field managers felt that they had some good ideas for reversing these trends and took the CEO’s assurances that the meeting was a “Safe Zone” where anything could be asked or said without fear of retribution. The first person to ask a question concluded his question with the words, “Could we try something like this and see how it works?” As soon as the manager finished his question, the CEO began a profanity laced tirade that concluded with the words, “Why don’t you concentrate on running your $#@%& office and let me worry about running this company!” Needless to say, no one else asked any questions and the CEO walked out of the room clearly saying that he knew this idea had been a total waste of his time from the beginning. LESSON LEARNED: Don’t ask members of your team for their ideas unless you are truly willing to listen to them and give them a fair hearing.

Great Leaders learn from the best and from the worst. Being willing and able to learn from both empowers them to embrace and build upon the lessons of the best; and, to develop skills that avoid the mistakes of the worst.

Have you learned lessons from poor leaders? Click “Comment” and share what you learned.

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: , , , , , ,
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