Random Thoughts on Leadership

Ready – AIM - Fire

2011-12-31T12:07:00.001-06:00

…review of the READY phase…

So far in this series I have written that leaders set the pace. If that is the case, then part of setting the pace is setting goals.

In the READY phase I wrote that in order to achieve a goal it must be your goal and it must be written down.

AIM

As you take AIM at your goals I invite you to avoid the most common pitfall most people make when setting goals and that is creating excuses based on external conditions.

If you want to achieve a goal, realize you CANNOT wait for external conditions to change but you must start where you are!!

Ok Ron… “what do you mean by external conditions and starting where I am?”

Answer:

I will make this as simple as I can. The number one most set goal in the world is to lose weight. As for me, it is easy to say things like this…

“As soon as I learn to eat better I will exercise.”

“I will start to eat better when I have time to exercise.”

“It is to hot to run.”

“It is to cold to run.”

You see, eating, exercising, running in the heat, or running in the cold are all EXTERNAL CONDITIONS. And where I am, well, I am fat!

The moral of the story… if I choose to wait for the perfect conditions to form, I will never start working toward my goal.

Monday Challenge…

Identify your goals.
Write them down.
Own them.

Identify the external conditions that will not change but only serve as excuses not to begin.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

READY–FIRE–AIM…

2011-06-26T10:01:00.001-05:00

It must be your goal!

Thus far in this series I have written that leaders set the pace. I do not believe that many people, if any at all, will dispute that truth.

Leaders set the pace and leaders set goals.

Last week I delivered the first rule of goal setting; if you want to achieve a goal, it must be written down.

My second premise is this, if you want to achieve a goal, it must be your goal. Simply put, you cannot achieve another person’s goal. It simply will not work. Both reducing a goal to writing and then owning the goal are critical to success.

You say “OK Ron, so I get this on a personal level. But tell me how this works with goal setting in teams?”

You may also be wondering, “As a leader, why then would I set a goal and ask others to reach them?”

Answer:

An effective leader develops their goals first. Next, and this is the piece that many leaders do not get, the leader then presents their goals to the team and ask for an agreement from each team member to hit those goals. Once a team member agrees that the goals have merit and they are willing to work toward them, then the team leader has created dual ownership of the goals. Thus, everyone owns the goals.

Obviously, this is a different mindset of goal setting than most people are accustomed to using.

While I realize this may be a hard concept to digest, it works, it is effective, and it produces results.

Monday Challenge...

Do you have written goals for yourself?

Are these your goals or have they been given birth from someone or something else?

Do you have written goals for those people you lead?

Have you effectively created dual ownership of those goals?

If you have not taken these steps, I challenge you to begin today!

Happy Monday!

READY–FIRE–AIM and written goals…

2011-06-20T10:01:00.001-05:00

Low motivational levels, the feeling of a need to take action, compulsive financial decisions, and failed goals combine to create what experts call “Blue Mondays.”

These are days when individuals, teams, or organizations face the music for poor goal setting, lack of strategic planning, lack of preparation, and little - if any - attention to significant details.

Blue Mondays are the direct result of the “Ready, Fire, Aim” goal-setting process in which the competitive desire of an individual or organization to be first on the scene or first out of the box is often traded for proven, rock-solid, goal-setting and strategic planning techniques.

Blue Mondays, more often than not, are avoidable with a firm understanding of 10 fundamental core principles for individual, team, or organizational goal setting.

As I wrote in the previous blog, leaders “set the pace.” So, I want to invite you to explore rule number one of setting goals and realizing achievement.

First and foremost know this, if you want to achieve a goal, it must be written down.

During the last few decades countless research projects have been built around goals and achievement. One overriding common thread that points to success in virtually all of the research is that people who achieve goals have committed their desired outcomes to writing.

For me, this is true on both the personal and professional level. Why do I believe this to be true? Simple, once a goal is put into writing in the form of a commitment, then my integrity and personal accountability are on the line. In essence, I have something at stake to achieve that goal.

Monday Challenge...

Ask yourself the following questions:

What are my top three personal or life goals?

What are my top three professional goals?

What are the top three goals of the people or team I lead?

If they are not in writing, I invite you to commit them to paper.

Happy Monday!

READY – FIRE – AIM

2011-06-13T11:17:00.001-05:00

Setting the Pace…

One of my fondest childhood memories is watching the Indy 500 with friends and family. I can remember the first Indy 500 I watched and specifically - my captivation with the concept of the “pace car.”

The very first pace car I watched set the pace was a Chevy Corvette. I remember thinking, “this is a car race, what on earth does a pace car do and why do need it?”

At some point I asked the question out loud “what does the pace car do?”

Without any hesitation someone in the room replied “it is paces the drivers to insure they are up to speed and ready to start the race.”

I now realize that the “pace car” was actually the “pace setter” for the beginning of the race. I now also realize that the “pace car” does so much more that just set the speed. The “pace car” insures that the track is safe, all racers are on the track, that a manageable starting speed is set, and much more.

What Leaders Do…

In life, this is what leaders do. Leaders are the “pace cars.”

In this blog series (Ready, Aim, Fire) I am going to spend a few weeks addressing goals and how they impact the pace of leadership and the pace of an organization.

The Monday challenge…

I am going to start this series by inviting you to answer this question...

“Do those I lead know my organization’s top three goals and priorities?”

If you believe the answer to be yes, I invite you to ask those you lead to clearly and cleanly articulate those goals and priorities back to you in order.
If you believe the answer to be no, I invite you to immediately begin to set the pace by sharing and reviewing the goals and priorities with everyone you lead.

Happy Monday!

Leadership and Communication… a recap of the blog series

2011-05-30T08:29:00.001-05:00

Leaders know that communication is critical to effective leadership. Words, voice, and non-verbal language all impact communication in either a positive or negative manner.

A leader who is not willing to take a look as his or her communication ability or skill may suffer. One of the teaching points I use in my leadership seminars is this:

“People that I see as lost or in a state of confusion may be responding to my communication. In fact, they may be attempting to accomplish what I have asked of them. The reality may be that I communicated my desires poorly.”

My last 3 blog posts have been focused on communication. Below is a simple recap of those posts:

What I say matters!

How I say it matters!

When I say it matters!

Where I say it matters!

The Monday challenge…

Repetition is the engine of memory.

Get it?

Repeat the four points above daily.

I invite you to simply repeat the 4 points above every morning before you communicate with another person.

I further invite you to repeat each of the points prior to the start of any meetings you may have or at the start of any conversations you may have that might be challenging.

Happy Monday!

55% and Leadership…

2011-05-22T08:52:00.001-05:00

My body speaks?

My last few posts have been focused on leadership and communication. As I wrap down this topic I want to remind you that words (7%) and tone of voice (38%) account for 43% of what is given and taken away in a conversation.

Research tells us that 55% of what is given and taken away is communicated through body language.

So, what are some elements of body language to consider as you communicate?

Facial expression – how I look while I am communicating.
Posture – how I stand or sit while I am communicating.
Eye contact – where I am looking while I am communicating.
Proximity – where I am in relation to the person(s) with whom I am communicating.
Movement – how my body is responding while I am communicating.

The Monday challenge…

Look for opportunities to intentionally improve or apply a non-verbal skill. I invite you have at least one conversation this week during which you intentionally change one of the 5 elements above. I suggest you do so simply by increasing your awareness and responsiveness to the item you choose.

Happy Monday!

38% and Leadership…

2011-05-15T14:59:00.001-05:00

What does 38% have to do with leadership?

Simple, as a leader communicates he knows that words are important. As I wrote last week, words are powerful, and once spoken, have consequences.

So aside from choosing words carefully, a leader must also realize that there is a value in the “tone” or in the “voice” he is using to deliver his thoughts and ideas. In others words, “how” you say something is just as important as the substance of what is being said.

Consider this research…

There are 3 basic elements of communication. These are spoken words, voice tone, and body language.
Research indicates that in the communication process spoken words account for only 7% of what is taken away from the conversation. The conversational tone accounts for roughly 5 times that – a whopping 38%.

So, how you say something accounts for 38% of the entire conversation!

The Monday challenge…

This week I invite you to look for opportunities to change your tone. I further invite you to purposefully have at least one conversation this week during which you intentionally change your tone. I suggest that you focus on a conversation in which you are apt to become “loud.” Use this time to challenge yourself to “take it down a notch.”

Take your time in the discussion and work to create a tone that can be heard and accepted by the other person or people.

Happy Monday!

Sticks and Stones…

2011-05-07T14:19:00.001-05:00

Do you remember the old childhood adage - “sticks and stone may break my bones but words will never hurt me”?

I am not sure who should get credit for that saying but my experience as both a leader and a follower is that words are powerful, very powerful.

Leaders know that words, once spoken, have consequences.

So then…

What you say matters!

How you say it matters!

When you say it matters!

Where you say it matters!

The Monday challenge…

Choose your words carefully this week.

I invite you have at least one conversation a day during which you listen to what is said and wait 2 to 5 seconds before you offer a response.

Happy Monday!

Hypocrisy ...The Killer of Authority!

2011-04-26T18:52:00.001-05:00

A few months ago I released the first and second articles in a series titled “Killers and Cornerstones”. The motivation for writing these articles came from a question I was asked while speaking at a conference:

“In your experiences coaching and developing organizational leaders have you observed a set of common behaviors that have a destructive impact on leadership?”

The answer is yes, and this is why I am writing this series based on the “Killers and Cornerstones” of leadership. In the original article I identified the four killers and the four foundational cornerstones of effective leadership. To refresh your memory, they are:

Leadership Killers	Leadership Cornerstones
Dishonesty	Trust
Hypocrisy	Authority
Unreliability	Dependability
Disreputability	Respect

As you read the list I ask you to keep in mind that I believe these to be “make it or break it” traits for all leaders. Think of it like this; dishonesty is the killer of trust, hypocrisy is the killer of authority, unreliability is the killer of dependability, and disreputability is the killer of respect.

In other words, trust, authority, dependability, and respect are the cornerstones of effective leadership. If one of those four cornerstones is missing in a leader, then his or her leadership structure will crack. In a nutshell, the killers reduce effective or potentially effective leaders from an authority-based leadership position (ideal) to one that is entirely based on power and control (dictatorial). Further, the killers not only reduce effectiveness but over time demolish personal leadership capacity altogether.

This writing is focused on hypocrisy, the killer of authority.

Authority, a cornerstone!

What is authority? I have heard this question asked and answered many times over and over. To date I have not heard many answers that satisfy me. To get to the true meaning of authority it may better to look at what authority is not.

· Authority is not tangible. It is not something you can physically grasp. However, it can be seen and understood. In short authority is a one person’s perspective toward another person. It is shaped from a variety of factors and it is something granted from one person to another.

· Authority is not power. That being considered, many people holding leadership positions behave as if they have been granted the authority to be vice-president of the universe. The reality is those people are often functioning from a position of power. Often they use their power in managing (notice I did not say leading) their company or organizations. Often they wield it with great pride and sometimes pretend (out loud) that they are serving at the will of the people for the good of the people. And yes, many people will comply to their power simply because they do not know anything different or because they do not believe they have a choice. The power-based leader has no understanding of how to create authority.

· Authority is not a license. Over the years that I have studied and consulted in the field of leadership I have seen this thought play out many times. A leader is appointed and he or she assumes control. However, it is not his “control” that creates followers; it is the authority which he or she develops with people that will create followers. Herb Keller, former CEO of Southwest Airlines said it best... “Never had control, don’t want control.” For the leader, authority to lead is granted by his or her followers who make a choice to submit themselves to the leadership being provided. Thus, authority is granted by followers, not taken by leaders.

So, again I ask, what is authority?

· Authority is a respected and achieved influential station among people. Authority is given to you by those who hold you in high-esteem. It is based on their personal insight into your character. It is granted to you based on what you do and how you do it, what you say and how you say it, and how you behave. When you as a leader are gifted authority from followers, submission to your leadership is granted to you by those who are willing to follow you.

· Authority results from who you are as a person. For instance, when my personal perspective of a person reaches a high plateau and I have developed a relationship of respect and trust with that a person, I may grant them authority. In essence that means I submit a small piece of myself to them. This is done in an emotionally healthy manner and it allows me to listen to their advice, to be open to their feedback, and to follow them as a leader. This is not something demanded by the other person but, to the contrary, it is granted by me.

· Authority results from behavior. You are what you do, nothing more and nothing less. Do not be confused here, people comply everyday with those wielding power. Many of those people have no business being trusted in a leadership position. If your behavior is that of a power broker you need to realize that you may be the boss, but you will not be the leader. There is a difference!

· Authority opens the door to achieving true leadership. Not having authority equals to not having followers. Further, lack of authority severally hampers pure leadership ability. Authority is the merger of knowledge, wisdom, behavior and experience culminating together in a leader for the common good. People see this, people submit to it, and follow it.

You will recall that a few lines back I wrote that authority is not power. Now I will say that there is nothing further from the truth. Authority results in power. This authority-based power results in a healthy, non-destructive power that gives or grants a person a license to lead. Personally, when I grant someone authority in my life I grant them the power to lead me. I do this because I trust and respect them. I will follow them, even into the most uncomfortable circumstances or decisions.

“Danger Will Robinson - Danger”

You may recall that line from the old television series “Lost in Space.” I often picture that silly robot following me around and stating in his monotone-droid voice – danger Ron Morrison – danger. If you don’t get anything else from this article get this; if those around you have granted you authority, know that there are limits to your authoritative reach. Let me write that again, there are limits to the reach of your authority.

There is significant danger in what I call presumed authority.

Presumed authority looks like this... say you are the CEO of a large organization. You have developed authority with those closest to you. Your immediate team sees you as a person deserving authority. They grant it, you receive it, and now you are off and running as leader. They support you because they want to, not because they have to. They trust you because you are trustworthy and because you do not play games. They respect you because they can depend on you to do the right thing, even if it hurts. In fact, you are effectively leading your organization to new heights every day.

Now enter the idea of presumed authority. You reach the conclusion that since you have achieved authority within your immediate team, the entire organization holds you in the same esteem. And here is the flaw of presumed authority; you, the leader, make the assumption that your authority is trickling down to others outside of your team. So often this is a failed assumption. The reality is that decisions, actions and results are trickling down. I assure you that even if you are a CEO that has been granted authority by those closest to you; the authority you have been granted does not trickle down. I also assure you that people who are a tier or more removed from you as a leader may never grant you the authority you need to lead your organization. Authority simply does not trickle down.

Now I realize many of you reading this are leaders and may be thinking “well Ron, I have known this all along.” So I ask, really? Have you really known this? Do you behave as if you get this? What would your front line or middle management personnel tell me?

If your organization:

· Has noticeable amounts of fear and anger,

· Or, is not allowed to deal with emotional issues and emotional connectivity,

· Or, is needed to be told they lack submission to leadership

If your closest advisors:

· Are telling you that people in your organization “just don’t get it,”

· Or, they seem to have lots of smiles, giggles, and great news and feel bad for those who aren’t happy,

· Or, shield you from front line leaders and managers,

· Or, feel the need to protect you,

· Or, are willing to do what you ask without QUESTION, even knowing it will hurt the organization,

Then it is my belief that you don’t get this. Period – dot – the end!

So what does all this mean? What do you do with that information?

Simple, understand that each leader in your organization and on your team must earn and be granted authority by those who are subjected to their leadership. If your team is not capable of earning the trust and authority of those they lead, your authority as a leader is not only in question, it is in jeopardy. WHY? Because you are perceived as placing them in their position and blessing their work.

The authority of the CEO, the Grand Pooh Bah, the company President, or the Chairman of the Board is 100% limited to his immediate circle of influence. In order to extend authority-based leadership throughout an organization each person in your circle must become an ambassador of authority for both themselves and you. If there are people holding leadership positions in your organizations that are not leading by the permission of the followers, they are not leading, they are managing. And if there are people holding leadership positions in your organization that are acting as power brokers, your credibility is in jeopardy and your ability to truly lead is non-existent, after all, the perception is that you placed them in the position of power they hold.

Hypocrisy, the killer of authority

So, how does hypocrisy tie into all of this? It is a pretty simple concept. It looks like this – I say to you – “don’t yell at your people and make sure you treat them fairly” and all along I am yelling at my people and treating them like garbage. It could also look like this; I tell you “make sure you are on time to work, we don’t want lost time” and I spend time at work on small personal issues wasting the same amount of time you do being late. It may also look like this, I post a company mantra and tell you “we hire the best, brightest and most talented people we can find” and then I allow slackers to rule the roost. It may also look like this, I fire people on the front line for stealing a sandwich and I let executives “off the hook” for stealing thousands. In essence, it is me expecting one thing from others while I do something completely different toward that expectation. And no doubt, the people that do this believe they have every right to do it!

So how does hypocrisy kill authority? Simple, hypocrisy is the most blatant display of power that exists. It cries out that “I am exempt from what I ask of you.” Thus, I have the power to what I please and I do not need your respect, trust or grant of authority because I am above all of that!

Power... the root of Hypocrisy

Many leaders with whom I work or coach often confuse the concept of authority with that of power. Authority is the result of who you are; power is the result of taking control. There is a difference.

It is the quest of power that leads to hypocrisy. And it is the behavior of hypocrisy that kills authority. Read that again.

I realize that this may be hard to process. Think of it like this, I write a policy for the organization. A few weeks pass and I come face-to-face with that policy. I realize that I have choice, I can uphold the policy for myself OR I can serve myself by avoiding it. Once I make the choice to serve myself, even if no one is looking, even if no one knows immediately, I am a hypocrite.

Now I realize that the decision to exempt self from a simple policy can be rationalized, justified, and identified as necessary to the common good, but none the less, I am hypocrite. So here is the greater question I must face; why I would I do that? Why would I apply a policy, rule, guideline or social standard to someone else - yet when faced with the application of the same policy to me I want to circumvent it? Is it because I am better? Is it because I know more? Is it because no one else understands the demand of what I do? Is it because I am the big boss? Or, is it because I have the power to do so?

Once a person holding a position of leadership reaches the conclusion that they can exercise power to serve themselves they are in severe danger of losing any and all authority that has been granted to them by others. No matter how true the rationalization or the justification may be for the action of hypocrisy, it kills authority.

The root of hypocrisy is the desire of power. It is doing what you are doing because you can. And that is power!

The Value of Authority

Can you put a value on authority? People both need and want to grant authority to those who lead them. While hypocrisy and authority have been the failing points for many leaders throughout the course of history, it seems that many leaders do not pay attention to lessons learned from those blunders. In my limited experiences I have seen it over and over, again and again – authority sacrificed in the name of profit, political correctness, personal appearance, public relations etc… The most damming of all is that I have seen it for the purpose of personal gain, political aspiration and social achievement both inside and outside of a given leader’s inner circle and organization. And yes, I have even seen it in spiritual settings.

Authority is a leader’s greatest need. It is a foundational cornerstone to leadership. For me, it is authority that allows me to ask people to follow me toward new ideas and concepts. It allows me to ask people to stick with me during hard, uncertain, uncomfortable, or changing times. It allows me to break bad news and have it received without a devastating impact on the entire organization. Simply put, it must be cared for and nurtured.

It is my belief that authority is achieved – 100% - through your character and the perception of your character. Any break in my character chisels at the authority granted me by those I lead. In essence, authority is achieved through character!

Deadly Mistakes

Fill in the blank - perception is ________. Too often leaders lose sight that perception is very much indeed reality. Just the mere appearance of hypocrisy is just as deadly as hypocrisy. Leaders must make every effort to avoid the appearance of hypocrisy and abuse of power. Whether you are a frontline supervisor, middle manager, or the CEO – you must continually cultivate and grow your authority with those you lead. The following is a list of behaviors I have observed that lead to loss of authority:

Lack of Integrity

Integrity is the gateway to authority. There are several ways that integrity is broken resulting in severally diminished authority.

· Connect what you say with what you do. This is the concept of walking the talk. Leaders are constantly under scrutiny for simply doing what they say they are going to do.

· Keep your promises. When a leader fails to keep promises, they are viewed as near sighted and non-caring. Even the simplest promises must be kept. If you cannot deliver, don’t promise.

· Honor your commitments. A commitment is your word. It your yes and it is your no. If you make a commitment, honor it. A leader with authority manages his or her schedule so that commitments are held and honored.

· Hold yourself and others accountable. Accountability is a lost art. There are ways to hold both yourself and others accountable without “beating yourself up” or demoralizing another person. The scary part is, people may not like you if you hold them accountable... and that is about them! If you do not know how to do this effectively, call me.

· Be honest. Honesty is beyond telling the truth. Being honest means that you are free from deception. A white lie is a lie. A bend in the truth TO PROTECT THOSE WHO JUST DON’T GET IT is a bold face lie. There is no dance around this...

· Use your influence. Authority is created daily, not in a day. Influence is key critical in developing authority. Use your influence to achieve your goals.

· Make decisions. Right or wrong, make decisions. Own them. Own the outcome. Make more decisions.

The Flipside…

Now consider this, on the flipside of integrity is the cornerstone of authority. It is integrity that creates authority, a foundational cornerstone of effective leadership. It is this cornerstone that I believe creates not only effective leaders, but exceptional leaders. Keep in mind that many people who hold leadership positions do not posses these cornerstones. Hence, there are discrepancies amongst marginal, good, great, and exceptional leaders. In my estimation, the exceptional leader is the one who has all of the cornerstones serving as a foundation to their personal philosophy and behavior. I assure you, if the cornerstone of authority is compromised, both leadership effectiveness and exceptionality will be negatively impacted.

What if...?

So Ron, all of this sounds great but what do I do if I have diminished my authority and not maintained my person integrity? Well – this is a challenge – but – not one that cannot be met. The question you must answer is this; “Am I willing to take true ownership – without rationalization or blame toward others - for times when I have failed to maintain my personal integrity and build authority?” If the answer is yes, then consider these actions:

· Admit when and where you have been out of integrity

· Admit you have made mistakes

· Make necessary apologies and ask for forgiveness

· Commit to maintaining personal integrity and rebuilding trust

· Allow others to hold you accountable to your word

· Change your behaviors

As I close this article I am going to challenge you to consider a few thoughts about both the killer named hypocrisy and the cornerstone named authority. Reflect on each of the statements below. Notice that your answer choices are limited to “yes or no.” I have presented it in this manner because there is no place in exceptional leadership for words like “sometimes” or “often” or “not sure.”

I connect what I say with what I do.	Yes – No
I walk the talk.	Yes – No
I keep my promises.	Yes – No
I keep my word.	Yes – No
I keep my commitments.	Yes – No
I hold myself accountable.	Yes – No
I hold others accountable.	Yes – No
I am honest.	Yes – No
I make decisions.	Yes – No
I admit mistakes.	Yes – No
I apologize when I am wrong.	Yes – No
I am trustworthy.	Yes - No

Now that you have considered these about yourself… ask these questions about each statement above:

· What do my peers say about these statements?

· What do those I lead say?

· What do my friends say?

· What does family say?

· What do people I do business with say?

· Consider journaling your thoughts down as journaling is a terrific tool for improvement.

As always, if you or your organization needs help with these ideals or principles, operators are standing by and I am a phone call away!

Dishonesty… The Killer of Trust!

2009-12-13T14:04:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago my quarterly article “Killers and Cornerstones” was released. The motivation for that writing was the result of this question I entertained during a presentation:

“In your experiences coaching and developing organizational leaders have you observed a set of common behaviors that have a destructive impact on leadership?”

The answer is yes and that resulted in the writing of the article, “Killers and Cornerstones.”

In that article I identified what I believe to be four killers and four foundational cornerstones of effective leadership. To refresh your memory, they are:

Leadership Killers	Leadership Cornerstones
Dishonesty	Trust
Hypocrisy	Authority
Unreliability	Dependability
Disreputability	Respect

As you read the list I ask you to keep in mind that these are what I believe to be “make it or break it” traits for all leaders. Think of it like this; dishonesty is the killer of trust, hypocrisy the killer of authority, unreliability the killer of dependability, and disreputability the killer of respect. In a nutshell, I believe the killers actually reduce once effective or potentially effective leaders from an authority-based leadership approach to one that is entirely based on power and control. Further, I believe the killers not only reduce effectiveness but entirely demolish leadership capacity altogether.

In this writing I am focusing on dishonesty, the killer of trust.

Dishonesty…The Truth it Brings

Can dishonesty bring truth? I believe it does. The truth that dishonesty brings – however - is never about the fable, white lie, small story, big lie, theft, misappropriation, ill intentions, cover-up etc… it is always about the person choosing to be dishonest. And the plain truth is that a dishonest person is not trustworthy. Thus, dishonesty kills trust and once trust is gone, leadership suffers.

The Value of Trust

Can you put a value on trust? People both need and want to trust those who lead them. While dishonesty and lost trust have been the failing points for many leaders throughout the course of history, it seems that many leaders do not pay attention to lessons learned from those blunders. In my limited experiences I have seen it over and over, again and again - honesty and trust - sacrificed in the name of profit, political correctness, personal appearance, public relations etc… The most damming of all is that I have seen honesty and trust sacrificed for the purpose of personal gain, political aspiration and social achievement both inside and outside of a given leader’s inner circle and organization.

Trust is a leader’s most prized possession. It is a foundational cornerstone to leadership. For me, it is trust that allows me to ask people to follow me toward new ideas and concepts. It is trust that allows me to ask people to stick with me during hard, uncertain, uncomfortable, or changing times. It is trust that allows me to break bad news and have it received without a devastating impact on the entire organization. Simply put, honesty and trust must be respected and safeguarded, even if it means that I admit when I am wrong or I have made a mistake. And that is very often hard to do.

It is my belief that trust is achieved – 100% - through honesty. Any break in my honesty begins to chisel at the trust granted me by those I lead. So trust is achieved – plain and simple – through honesty!

Deadly Mistakes – The Look of Dishonesty

Fill in the blank - perception is ________. To often leaders lose sight that perception is very much indeed reality. The appearance of dishonesty is just as deadly as dishonesty. Leaders must make every effort to avoid the appearance of dishonesty. Whether you are a frontline supervisor, middle manager, or the CEO – you must work to maintain your honesty and safeguard the trust of those you lead. The following is a list of behaviors I have observed that lead to loss of trust as a result of broken honesty:

Lying.

There are three types of lies that are typically perpetrated. They are the white lie, the bold lie, and the protective lie. Each is told with its own self-created legitimacy or rationalization.

The white lie is a “safe” lie. The story line to self here is “my little white lie will hurt no one.” The reality is that the person telling the white lie simply does not want to tell the truth – for whatever reason, justification or rationalization– it is simply easier to lie. As you know, the beauty of the white lie is that is grows and compounds over time and eventually spirals out of control.
The bold lie is the one often told out of fear. Typically the person perpetrating the lie knows with 100% certainty that the information being provided is flawed or wrong. The story line to self here is “I must do this or face some type of severe consequence” or “I must do this because people will not understand my situation.” There is no excuse for this except for lack of character – even if the truth if difficult or hard to tell or hard to hear.
The protective lie is the one told to protect people. The story line to self here is “I must tell this lie for another person’s good.” Again, there is no excuse for this except for lack of character.

Stealing.

There are three types of stealing that are typically perpetrated. These are the theft of items or services, theft of personal confidence and theft of reputation. Each of these thefts occurs with its own self-created legitimacy or rationalization.

Theft of items or services. The story line here is “I deserve, want or need this. I have worked hard – and since I don’t get what I need- and my work is not fairly rewarded – I will take this item or service. After all – I deserve it.” The reality is that whatever or however a person rationalizes taking something that is not theirs, does not offset the fact they are stealing.
Theft of confidence. This occurs when you are asked to hold confidence of a situation, set of data, etc… The story line here is “I will share this information… maybe it will make me look important… maybe it will give me power… maybe people will like or respect me if I reveal this information…” the reality is that when this occurs, confidence is broken and a person shows themselves as untrustworthy.
Theft of reputation. This occurs when you share information about other people outside of their presence and without their knowledge or consent. The story line here is “I need to help this person… or this person needs my help… or I am doing this for their own good…or I am doing this to warn others…or this person doesn’t deserve the respect I do.” The list of rationalization can get long when dealing with our own behavior in relation to others. However, regardless of the accuracy of the information, the theft of reputation still points back to the character of the person disseminating information, regardless of their intention.

Whether it is dishonesty through lying or stealing, the cost is loss of trust! People see and hear what you do! People simply need to look within themselves to correct these behaviors and build trust with those they lead.

Personal Responsibility… The Leader’s Role

Be honest in:

All that you do
How you behave
How you treat others
How you deliver good news
How you deliver bad news
How you handle your emotions

Create an environment:

That is open and forthright
Where honesty is revered, not feared
That allows people to be honest in mistake making
That is focused on solving problems not placing blame

The Flipside…

Now consider this, on the flipside of honesty is the cornerstone of trust. It is honesty that creates trust, a foundational cornerstone of effective leadership. It is this cornerstone that I believe creates not only effective leaders, but exceptional leaders. Keep in mind that many people who hold leadership positions do not posses these cornerstones. Hence, there are discrepancies amongst marginal, good, great, and exceptional leaders. In my estimation, the exceptional leader is the one who has all of the cornerstones serving as a foundation to their philosophy and behavior. I assure you, if the cornerstone of trust is compromised, both leadership effectiveness and exceptionality will be negatively impacted.

Correcting Dishonesty and Rebuilding Trust…

So Ron, all of this sounds great but what do I do if I have been dishonest and have destroyed the trust of others? Well – this is a challenge – but – not one that cannot be met. The question you must answer is this; “Am I willing to take true ownership – without rationalization or blame toward others - for times when I have failed to maintain honesty and trustworthiness?” If the answer is yes, then consider these actions:

· Admit you have been dishonest

· Admit you have made mistakes

· Make necessary apologies and ask for forgiveness

· Commit to maintain honesty and rebuilding trust

· Allow others to hold you accountable to your word

· Change your behaviors

As I close this article I am going to challenge you to consider a few thoughts about both the killer of dishonesty and cornerstone of trust. Reflect on each of the statement below. Notice that your answer choices are limited to “yes or no.” I have presented it in this manner because there is no place in exceptionality for words like “sometimes” or “often” or “not sure.”

I am honest.	Yes – No
I am trustworthy.	Yes – No
I safeguard my honesty.	Yes – No
I do not tell white lies.	Yes – No
I do not tell bold lies.	Yes – No
I do not tell protective lies.	Yes – No
I do not steal items or services.	Yes – No
I do not steal confidences.	Yes – No
I do not steal reputations.	Yes – No
I keep my word, my promises and my commitments.	Yes – No

Now that you have considered these about yourself… ask these questions about each statement above:

What do my peers say about these statements?
What do those I lead say?
What do my friends say?
What does family say?
What do people I do business with say?

Consider journaling your thoughts down as I believe journaling is a terrific tool for improvement. As always, if you or your organization needs help with these ideals or principles, operators are standing by and I am a phone call away!

Killers and Cornerstones…

2009-09-13T17:33:00.001-05:00

Question at a conference…

A year or so ago I was presenting at a conference in Florida. At the conclusion of my session a gentleman in the back of the room approached the microphone and asked a very simple question.

He asked, “In your experiences with coaching and developing organizational leaders have you observed a set of common behaviors that have a destructive impact on leadership?”

Speaking in front of large crowds and having intense leadership related discussions have taught me to think on my feet. However, this question hit me like a ton of bricks. I answered the question the best I could with a firm and somewhat obvious answer of “Yes!”

Traits of leaders…

Understand this, I have studied the traits of effective leaders for years and could provide you, on a moments notice, a list of traits and behaviors that we all would agree are needed in order to be an effective leader. Traits such as being kind, caring, responsible, accountable, and respectful are some of that come to mind. However, to clearly identify behaviors that lead to failure… now that was a different question. And if I could narrow them down, what would they be? And to simply flip the positive traits or behaviors to negative tense behaviors seems obvious but does not necessarily answer the question that was presented.

As I have reflected on this question during the last few months, I have found myself asking “what have I have actually seen that reduces effective leaders from an authority-based leadership approach to one that is based on power and control?” Beyond that, “what have I actually seen that not only reduces effectiveness but demolishes it altogether?”

I feel certain that the answers will not surprise you. I strongly believe there are definitive, observable, and impacting behaviors that kill effective leadership. I know that each and every leader has particular, and in some cases peculiar, behaviors that may inhibit effectiveness at times. However, I am not talking about inhibitors; I am talking about leadership killers. These are behaviors that rapidly reduce a leader’s effectiveness to virtually zero. And, it takes only one.

So what are they…?

After reflecting carefully over my personal experiences during the last decade, reviewing hundreds of pages of notes from sessions I have conducted, gathering data from reports, analyzing years of performance feedback, and simply watching leaders that I have worked for, coached or trained, I have composed a list of four outright leadership killers.

My next few articles will address each of them separately. But first I want to say that since we are all human, it is my belief that every leader wrestles with each one of them to some degree. I realize you may not agree with my belief, but none the less I believe it to be true. I have reached that conclusion based on the common threads I see in my experiences with leadership and organizational development.

The Flipside…

Now consider this, on the flipside of each leadership killer is a cornerstone. A cornerstone is a foundational principle of leadership. These “cornerstones” are what create not only effective leaders, but exceptional leaders. Keep in mind that many people hold leadership positions and do not have all the cornerstones firmly in place. Hence, there are discrepancies amongst marginal, good, great, and exceptional leaders. In my estimation, the exceptional leader is the one who has cornerstones serving as foundational points to their philosophy. I assure you, if one of the cornerstones is compromised, both effectiveness and exceptionality are negatively impacted. However, unlike the leadership killer, it may not decimate the leader or the organization; it simply may reduce effectiveness and slow growth toward exceptionality. So with each killer I will also discuss a corresponding cornerstone. I do believe that if the killer is present, the cornerstone will disappear and will do so with great expediency.

Killers and Cornerstones…

In this article I simply intend to identity the killers and cornerstones. I am not going to elaborate on them as that will occur in my next few articles. However, I am going to challenge you, especially those of you who know me and my work, to answer a few questions at the end of this article about both the killers and cornerstones. View this as your own personal 360 degree survey.

Drum Roll …

Again, I do not think these will surprise you. They are very simple. I encourage you, especially if you are an organizational leader, to really reflect on these.

Leadership Killers	Leadership Cornerstones
Dishonesty	Trust
Hypocrisy	Authority
Unreliability	Dependability
Disreputability	Respect

Look at it this way…

Unreliability kills dependability
Dishonesty kills trust
Disreputability kills respect
Hypocrisy kills authority

So then, a leader that is dependable, trustworthy, respectable can lead with authority. And a leader who has lost respect, trust, and dependability cannot lead with authority but must instead lead by power.

The Capstone…

In essence, there is a capstone, one prevailing principle that binds all this together. That capstone is integrity. It is integrity that creates the exceptional leader. In his book - “Integrity” - Dr. Henry Cloud ties the ideals and principles of personal integrity to what is needed in an exceptional leader.

Simply put - limited, lost or no integrity = no exceptionality.

As I close this article I am going to challenge you to consider a few thoughts about both the killers and cornerstones. Reflect on each of the statement below. Notice, there is yes or no. I have presented it in this manner because there is no place in exceptionality for words like “sometimes” or “often” or “not sure.


I am reliable.	Yes – No
I am honest.	Yes – No
I am reputable.	Yes – No
I am sincere.	Yes – No
I am dependable.	Yes – No
I am trustworthy.	Yes – No
I give and take respect.	Yes – No
I lead with authority.	Yes – No
I keep my word, my promises and my commitments.	Yes - No

Now that you have considered these about yourself… ask these questions about each statement above:

What would people I work with say?
What would people I lead say?
What would my friends say?
What would my family say?
What would people I do business with say?

As I close, consider journaling your thoughts down as journaling is a terrific tool toward improvement.

As always, if you or your organization needs help with these ideals or principles, operators are standing by…

The Trust Fall

2008-01-12T08:00:00.000-06:00

If you have never been on a ropes course, then you will not understand the trust fall. Last week I published a picture and asked you to study it carefully. I now want to show you a few more pictures from that event. (By the way, you can click on any picture to enlarge it.)

Visualize yourself standing on a platform about 48" (4 feet) off the ground. You move to the very edge facing backwards so that only the front of your feet remain on the platform. Behind you is a group of people consisting of your co-workers, perhaps your friends, perhaps those you supervise, perhaps those who supervise you, or perhaps even your family. The are called spotters. And yes, you are going to fall into their arms from 4 feet above the ground, with your back to them, and they are going to catch you when you fall!!!

So, you cross your arms and ask "spotters ready?"

You may even look back like this young lady to see if they are really there!

They respond "spotters ready!"

You say, "falling!"

They say, "fall."

Your heart rate accelerates, your breathing becomes deep and rapid, you close your eyes, you fight through your fear, and then you let go and release your body to fall completely backwards from the 48" platform into their arms.

That is trust!

Choosing and then allowing your well being, your physical, emotional, and mental safety to be placed into the hands of others. I can think of no better way to demonstrate trust than to let go and fall off of that platform!! And yes, I have done it!!

So how does this relate to leadership?

Simple. Leaders build and create trust!

In the picture on the left, this young lady has let go! She is not talking about trust, she is trusting!

As I have learned through experience, there is no magic formula for leadership! But I do know, that leaders build and create trust! Nothing, I repeat nothing, can replace trust!!

Laws of Leadership

I highly recommend John Maxwell's, 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership in which he states "that leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less." I agree with him 100%; however, a leader who is not capable of trusting or developing trust with others will never have influence. So, as I close I say this, the sum of all leadership is trust.

Trust

2008-01-07T08:00:00.000-06:00

Study this picture carefully.

Do you know what is happening?

Do you know what is about to happen?

Can you imagine what is happening?

Can you feel the anxiety?

Thoughts on leadership from this picture?

How about thoughts on last weeks Top 10 list?

Top 10

2007-12-31T11:16:00.000-06:00

Traits of Life Leaders...

During the last few years I have had the privilege to personally poll about 3500 people regarding people of influence in their individual lives. Each of the people polled was asked to reflect on their life and identify the one person who had the most positive influence on their life as a "life leader."

As they visualized that person, I asked them to identify traits or characteristics that person possessed. During this exercise, a consistent set of 45 traits emerged. When the results were dissected to create a "Top 10" list, these 10 traits were identified:

Caring/Loving 31%
Honest 16%
Intelligent/Smart 11%
Funny/Humorous 9%
Knowledgeable/Wise 8%
Kind 6%
Supportive 6%
Dedicated/Hardworking 5%
Helpful 5%
Friendly 4%

Personal Take Away...

As I look at the list, I wonder how I am perceived. Better yet, I wonder what my behavior is reflecting in these categories. The overriding result is that I can see my deficiencies. While some of the traits may be present in my life, there are some that need work and maybe one or two that are absent.

For me, my challenge is to close the gaps. I must admit, some will be easy but some will take some work.

I challenge you to take a look at the list and ask yourself how you stack up!!

Traits and Qualities

2007-12-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Random Thoughts on Leadership!! I have three questions to ask. Here they are:

What do you think are the greatest traits and qualities of good leaders?
What are the traits and qualities of bad leaders?
What makes a good leader a GREAT leader?

I have my list and I am definitely curious what you think. I will begin expounding on my list next Monday!! Make a note a visit often!