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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

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Allow Your Team to Know That You Care

August 9, 2015 By

I once heard the great platform speaker and founder of the National Speakers Association, Cavett Robert, say that “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I was reminded of this quote at a recent leadership event which I was privileged to both attend and present.

A fellow presenter made the statement that he liked to, as he phrased it, “meet and greet” each team member as they arrived in the morning and ask a question about a subject that he knew was important to the team member. These questions had nothing to do with work or that person’s role within the team. Rather, to the person whose husband had had a surgical procedure, he asked her how her spouse was feeling; if he was recovering. To the person whose daughter had performed in a dance recital the night before, he asked the proud parent how the recital had gone; if there was a video he could see. He acknowledged that each team member had a life outside of work and that their personal life was every bit as important to that team member as his/her work life was. He developed a personal relationship with each team member and conveyed the assurance that, if there was ever a problem, he would be there for them and do all he could to help them.

Great Leaders are not afraid to develop this kind of personal relationship. They know that team members respond best to a leader that they believe in and have confidence will be there and “have their back”. Great Leaders understand that the development of these relationships enhances their “personal power” which is and always has been far more effective than relying solely on “position power” which invokes the phrase “because I said so”.

Have you had the pleasure of working with a Great Leader who let you know how much they cared about you, the person? Click “Comment” and 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 by Example, Lead from strength, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Saying Goodbye to a Good Friend and Great Leader

June 7, 2015 By

Working with a Great Leader is a wonderful experience. It affords the opportunity to study a leadership style; to see how it works in real life; to identify traits and techniques that can help you grow as a leader; and, if you are fortunate, benefit from the mentoring of that individual.

Sadly, though, each of us is born with only a set number of years or days to walk this earth and then we are called home. I recently had to say goodbye to a friend who was, in my opinion, a Great Leader because he lived the traits of great leadership.

  • Commitment: When Steve accepted a responsibility, he committed himself to doing the job well. When he became the Outdoor Committee Chairman for his son’s Boy Scout Troop, he promised that the scouts would have good, safe, outings. When it was time to leave on a camping trip, he had pre-planned the transportation ensuring that every scout had a seat and a seat belt. His was always the last vehicle to leave the meeting place so that he could make certain that no one was left behind. He did the same thing when it was time to leave the campground. At the end of the outing, he did not leave the parking lot until every scout had been picked up by a parent.
  • Lead by Example: Wanting to go backpacking at the Philmont Scout Reservation with his son, he began a physical conditioning/exercise plan and lost a significant amount of weight to make certain that he would be able to make the trek and support the scouts without becoming a burden on them. At monthly campouts, he firmly believed that those who prepared the meals should not have to clean afterwards; and, he made sure that his vision was reality … not by telling others to clean or wash dishes but by standing and announcing that he was going to start the clean up process and asking who would help him.
  • Caring: Steve cared about the boys and his fellow adult leaders. Noting that one of the adults was terribly overheated, Steve took a cold drink to that individual and had him sit in a car with the air conditioning running to cool him down. During that time, he educated that individual about outdoor clothing, helping him to see the value in wearing clothing that wicked moisture away from the body and helping it evaporate quickly in order to keep the body cooler.
  • Knowing How and When to Relax: When circumstances required a serious attitude and focus, he knew how to be both and how to bring others to that same level of concentration. Steve also knew that relaxation was also needed. He had a great sense of humor that never tore anyone down or belittled others. His joyous, heartfelt laugh could be heard throughout the campground and he told jokes, good clean jokes, that brought smiles and laughter to those around him.

At times, Steve was my student. At other times, he was my teacher. Always, he was my friend. I and those he lead will miss him. We say goodbye, for now, with this prayer …

May the trail rise up to meet you;
May the wind always be at your back;
May the sun shine warmly on your face;
When you come to the river, may you cross over gently
and rest in the shade of the trees;
And, until we meet again, may the Great Scoutmaster
of all Scouts hold you in the palm of his hand and give you peace.

Rest In Peace, my friend.

Tom Hoisington is a speaker, trainer, and author whose goal is to provide leaders and potential leaders with tools that empower them to build teams that are creative and cost effective along with a clearer understanding of how personality types interact within those teams. He can be contacted at tom.hoisington@eagleoneresources.com

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Can a Great Leader “Play to Win” and Still be Ethical?

March 1, 2015 By

I once worked with a man who had an interesting way of viewing all potential actions. He asked himself if the action was ethical. He explained himself this way …

“Some will ask if a course being considered is legal. Many things are legal. However, just because there is no law prohibiting an act does not make that act ‘the right thing to do’. The more important questions must be ‘is it the right thing to do … is it the way I would want to be treated … does the course of action improve the lot not only of my business; but, does it benefit or harm the other party?”

This person is a Great Leader. Great Leaders in business recognize that they must “play to win”. They understand that, in the final analysis, the company must show a profit in order to succeed and survive.

Great Leaders also recognize that a reputation is a double-edged sword. Those who always choose to do the right thing … to make certain that deals truly benefit all parties … will have customers who are loyal and return time and time again; plus, those customers bring others with them and recommend that their friends do business with the firm as well.

Conversely, the individual who looks only at the immediate, short-term, picture will say and do anything to “do the deal”. This individual does not care if the customer truly benefits, only that the company does this deal. He or she will get a reputation for caring only about his/her own benefit and customers will look to do business with someone else … someone who is working toward the customer’s benefit.

Great Leaders win in business and in the game of life because they make ethical choices and do the right thing.

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

A Great Leader’s View of Character

February 22, 2015 By

Presidents’ Day morning. My “In Box” contains a quote from a Great Leader, President Abraham Lincoln, about a person’s character and reputation. Lincoln wrote, “A man’s character is like a tree, and his reputation like its shadow; the shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing”.

Reputations are funny things. In some instances, they are based entirely on facts. In other cases, they are based on perceptions held by individuals or groups of individuals. By way of comparison, let’s look at two fictional individuals that we will call Clay and Stone.

Clay has a reputation for being a real savvy businessman. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time; a guy who can turn a profit no matter what he does and no matter how adverse the situation may appear to be. It’s as if he has an “inside track” on information that no one else has … because he does. Clay has built his business and his reputation by using inside information to the detriment of those he exploits to his own personal benefit. If Clay were in the securities industry, he would be guilty of insider trading … of using information that is not available to the general public for personal profit … a criminal act. Clay has a reputation for being in the right place at the right time. But, his character is lacking a strong moral compass. In Clay’s mind, what he is doing is wrong only if he gets caught. If history teaches us anything, it teaches us that the sun moves; the shadow shifts; and, ultimately, the deeds done within the shadows of unethical behavior will be exposed and the wrong-doer will be caught.

Stone, on the other hand, has character. As a Great Leader, Stone is “the real deal”. When presented with opportunities, he first checks his personal moral compass and asks, “Is it legal; is it ethical; does it treat others as I would wish to be treated?” If the answer to any of these questions is “no”, he abstains and allows the opportunity to pass him by. Great Leaders such as Stone know that if they conduct themselves and their businesses in a manner that never calls into question their character or their morality, the world will beat a path to their doors for the opportunity to associate with them, to work with them, to do business with them. They will be presented with more opportunities than they will be able to handle; opportunities to grow personally, professionally, and financially.

Reputations are mere shadows of the person they purport to be; always shifting, intangible, subject to the shifting tides of opportunism and “what’s in it for me?”. Character, when it is grounded with a strong moral compass, is unyielding in the face of temptation. When the character of a Great Leader is consistently asking the three questions above, constantly and routinely reminding itself to do what is right both morally and ethically, it is then that this character stays away from temptation and keeps itself morally straight. Great Leaders present their character in their daily conduct and allow it to speak more loudly than any reputation can.

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

How Do Great Leaders Show Respect for Self and Others?

October 27, 2014 By

The Roman Emperor and stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius, wrote, “Never esteem anything as of advantage to you that will make you break your word or lose your self-respect.” This is good advice for one who wants to be a Great Leader. Consider this example of how a leader pursued a course of action that he thought would give him an advantage but ended up costing him dearly.

Shirley had been a counselor at the Family Counseling Center almost from its inception. As the agency grew, more counselors were brought on staff and everyone played “musical offices” so that clients and counselors could conduct sessions privately. In fact, Shirley had gone from having a private office to sharing the office with other counselors; to having a desk in the front office/reception area so that other counselors could use the office for private meetings with clients. Shirley was a team player and accepted the move cheerfully and was given the assurance that when the agency moved into a larger space in a few months, she would again be given a private office in recognition of her tenure and the nature of the work she was doing in addition to providing counseling.

On the day of the big move, Shirley picked up the box containing her personal belongings and went to the new office. Walking in the door, she was greeted by the FCC’s Director and led to a cubicle in what the floor plan called “the bullpen”. The Director told Shirley that he’d changed his mind, he didn’t feel that she needed nor deserved a private office. Other, less senior, counselors would be given the private offices. Needless to say, Shirley felt that she had been lied to and her dedication to the agency had been betrayed.

In the ensuing months, she wrapped up the various projects that she was working on and, when they were completed, she tendered her resignation and opened her own practice. Today, she has a very successful practice and does not regret her decision to “go independent”. As for the FCC, at last count, the Director had hired four new people to do the work that Shirley had previously done by herself. Over half the people who were on staff at FCC have now left having seen how the Director treated Shirley.

While it is unclear what advantage the Director believed he would achieve by his treatment of Shirley, what is clear is that the FCC lost a knowledgeable counselor who had been a valuable resource for the agency. It is also clear that he did not value or respect the talents and abilities that Shirley brought to the agency.

Great Leaders recognize the talents and abilities of those around them. They treat team members with respect, courtesy, and dignity. They keep the promises that they make. In doing these things, Great Leaders earn the loyalty and respect of the people who make up the team they have been given the privilege of leading.

How has a Great Leader demonstrated that he/she recognized the talents that you brought to the table? How did that individual show you respect? Click the “Comment” button and share your story.

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: , , , , , , , ,

How Do Great Leaders Inspire Hope?

September 22, 2014 By

Great Leaders know that, in a perfect world, we would live enchanted lives where everything works exactly as we expect it to; where plans always yield the ideal outcomes; where obstacles are few and easily overcome. However, reality has shown us that we do not live in a perfect world. Things don’t always work as we expect them to. The best laid plans can and do go awry and yield less than perfect outcomes. We will encounter obstacles, some of which will not be easily overcome.

This is when the Great Leader is given the opportunity to shine. Great Leaders inspire hope. Inspiration and hope are their “stock in trade”. How do they do this?

  • They see the opportunity – Setbacks only become impediments to progress when we allow them to do so. Great Leaders see that every challenge presents an opportunity for creativity, innovation, to bring the special talents of a team member to the forefront where all can see it.
  • They look for solutions, not who to blame – Great Leaders are not interested in playing the blame game. In many ways, who is responsible for creating the problem is unimportant; who can solve the problem is the key.
  • They encourage – Anyone can be a critic. It takes no real talent to criticize the work of others. Great Leaders, on the other hand, encourage team members to try new things, to be creative, to innovate. Even if an idea does not work, the Great Leader praises the individual for being willing to try something that is “outside the box”.

While people can be forced to follow a mediocre leader due to that individual’s title or position, they choose to follow a leader who maintains a positive and hopeful attitude no matter how discouraging the situation may appear. They choose to follow a leader who inspires them and gives them reason to believe that the best is attainable. Great Leaders inspire such hope.

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: , , , , , , ,

Who Made You the Leader?

September 14, 2014 By

As children, we often had the experience of someone telling us what to do and how to do it. We wondered and often asked, “who made you the leader?” or words to that effect. If the person telling us what to do was an adult, hopefully, we were wise enough to not ask that question. But, if the person telling us what to do was another child, a peer, we usually asked the question loudly and with great conviction. Today, I believe we have a much clearer picture of who made you the leader.

The dictionary defines a leader as, “1. a person or thing that leads. 2. a guiding or directing head, as of an army, movement, or political group”. Please note that nowhere in this definition does it say that a leader holds a specific management position, political office, or designated job. Rather, it tells us that a leader is a person who leads, guides, or directs others. So, how does a leader do these things.

  • Leaders inspire others to dream. No great thing is accomplished by dreams alone. But, great accomplishments require big visions, big dreams of what might be possible “if only…”
  • Leaders encourage others to learn. Consider the Wright brothers. They had the dream of one day flying. But they knew that they did not know enough yet to make that dream come true. So, they studied birds and the shape of their wings and noticed what we now know as an airfoil, the shape that creates lift and enables the birds to soar.
  • Leaders motivate others to do more. Great achievements require great effort. When many are tired and tempted to give up, leaders help them keep the vision in sight and put forth the extra effort needed to turn that dream into reality.
  • Leaders empower others to become more. A young man facing an Eagle Scout Board of Review stated that a leader inspires someone to achieve things that he/she never thought could be done. It is still one of the best definitions of a leader I’ve heard.

Who made you the leader? If you did any of these four things, you made you the leader by doing so. If you did all four, you are well on your way to being a Great Leader.

Have you known a leader who inspired you to become more than you already were; to do more than you had previously done; to learn more and grow; to dream of the possibilities? 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: 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: , , , , , , ,

Must a Great Leader Have Humility?

July 22, 2014 By

This past week, I had the chance to talk with a man who I knew and respected; but, I had never considered him to be a leader. Our conversation changed my mind on this point.

He shared a story about a situation in which he had recently found himself; a situation in which he disagreed with an associate. As he recounted the incident, it became clear that, while the disagreement had been resolved, it still bothered him … a lot. When he finished his story, I told him that I sensed the incident was still bothering him even though, by his own admission, the disagreement had been resolved and the incident had been put behind them. It was his response that changed my opinion of him as a leader. He said,

“I was put in charge of this project because my judgment was trusted; because people believed that I could separate my personal feelings from the position and its authority and do what was right and best for the group. In this case, I failed … I allowed my personal feelings to override my judgment and create conflict where I should have been preventing it. I handled the whole thing badly.”

I asked him what he thought he should have done; or, were he to find himself in that situation again, what would he do differently. After a few minutes of silence, he shared with me what he thought he should have done; what he would do differently; how he should have responded to his associate.

Great Leaders recognize that they are imperfect human beings; that they will sometimes make mistakes. Rather than ignoring their imperfections, they review the event that they feel could have been better handled, they reflect on it and look at the options that they did not initially consider. Great Leaders have the humility to acknowledge that they can still improve their leadership skills. They see these errors in judgment as opportunities to learn and to grow, to become better leaders. This conversation made me realize that this gentleman was, in fact, a leader who was well on his way to becoming a Great Leader.

The odds are that you, too, have had this kind of opportunity to improve your leadership skills; to become a better leader, perhaps a Great Leader. 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, Lead with Integrity, Leadership, Leadership Qualities, What characterizes good leaders Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Do Actions Speak Louder Than Words?

June 15, 2014 By

Over the years, I’ve listened to many individuals talk about the type of leader that they would prefer to follow. While they cite many different leadership traits, they usually come back to one trait that seems to be almost universally desired. They want a leader who “walks the talk”.

Perhaps this was best expressed by one of the great entrepreneurs of the late 19th century, Andrew Carnegie, who stated, “As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.”

Make no mistake. People can and do listen with their eyes. All of the well spoken platitudes from someone whose plan is to “fake it ’til you make it” vanish like a puff of smoke in a breeze when the behavior of the speaker is at odds with the spoken word.

Great Leaders know this and live their lives in such a way as to make certain that their behavior and their words are congruent.

  • When asking that they be treated with respect, Great Leaders treat others respectfully.
  • Desiring to be treated courteously, Great Leaders treat others with the same courtesy that they desire.
  • When speaking, they want others to listen. Thus, when others speak, Great Leaders give the speaker their undivided attention and actively listen, asking questions to better understand the speaker’s intent and meaning.
  • Asking others to arrive on time, Great Leaders arrive early and stay late.
  • Wanting a 100% effort from others, they devote their entire being and effort to the task at hand.

Great Leaders know that their actions will speak far more loudly than their words. They lead by example and demonstrate the character and traits that they desire from others. Who are the Great Leaders in your life that set the examples that you choose to emulate? Share your story by commenting below.

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: , , , , , ,
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