Post 2: Leadership Quotes of President George W. Bush from his 2010 Memoir:



President Bush

 This is second posting of leadership quotes I lifted from Decision Points.  I hope you will read the first posting too, if you haven't already.  It can be retrieved from the blog archive which is to the right of posting area.  The leadership trait that corresponds to the quote is included at the end of the quote along with the page number.  Have a great and safe week and remember:

"Character based leadership is from the inside-out."

“I had told Tony (Blair) that I admired Churchill’s courage, principle, and sense of humor-all of which I thought were necessary for leadership.” P.108


“Everyone was on time. That was what I expected. Timeliness is important to make sure an organization does not get sloppy.” P. 109 Punctual and disciplined


“I learn best by asking questions.” P. 109 Inquisitive


“I had constantly questioned my assumptions and weighed the options again and again. With the decision made, I felt a sense of calm.” P.119 Thoroughness


The measure of their (former presidents) character, and often their success, was how they responded (public opinion). Those who based decisions on principle, not some snapshot of public opinion, were often vindicated over time.” P.121 Integrity


“I found solace in reading the Bible, which Abraham Lincoln called “the best gift God has given to man.” P. 140 Faith and Prioritizing


“We started the Cabinet meeting with prayer.” P.145 Faith and Prioritizing


…the wall. Over time, the government had adopted a set of procedures that prevented law enforcement and intelligence personnel from sharing key information.” P.160 Communication and Openness


“Yet the man from Missouri (Truman) knew how to make a decision and stick by it. He did what he thought was right and didn’t care much what the critics said.” P.174 Decisiveness and Integrity


“The atmosphere (at Camp David) fosters reflection and clear thinking.” P.184 Reflection and relaxation


“Pray as if it all depends upon God, for it does. But work as if it all depends upon us, for it does.” P. 190 Faith and work ethic (Here, Bush is quoting a passage from St. Ignatius of Loyola)


“I did not try to manage the logistics or the tactical decisions. My instinct was to trust the judgment of the military leadership. They were the trained professionals; I was a new commander in chief.” P.195 Delegating and Trust


“I placed a high priority on personal diplomacy. Getting to know a fellow world leader’s personality, character, and concerns made it easier to find common ground and deal with contentious issues.” P. 195 Relationships


“If you would win a man to your cause,” Lincoln once said, “first convince him that you’re his friend.” P. 195 Relationships


“I offered advice and made request, but I was careful not to give him (Karzai of Afghanistan) orders. The best way to help him grow as a leader was to treat him like one.” P. 208 Personnel Development and Relationships

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Post 1 on Leadership Quotes of President George W. Bush from his 2010 Memoir: Decision Points

I just completed the reading of Decision Points written by former president George W. Bush. I highly recommend it to you or any aspiring leader. Irrespective of your politics, this book is full of leadership lessons particularly about the process of making tough decisions and desirable leadership traits. I would like to use the next few blog postings to list a few of the leadership nuggets of gold I unearthed as I plowed through the book. After each one I will list the page number and the leadership trait that is most prominent.

These postings are not intended to promote partisan politics or one politician over others. It is about learning to be better leaders. Generally speaking we can learn something of value from anyone we meet, whether it is in person or in a book, if we look deep beneath the surface and put aside our individual biases. So take the high road here, look beyond the politics and contemplate on the lessons of leadership that are contained in the quotes. We can disagree on whether any politician models certain leadership traits or not, but it is difficult to argue the importance of the trait itself.

Leadership!

“Of course, in the presidency, there are no do-overs. You have to do what you believe is right and accept the consequences.” P.xii. Decisive and accountable


“When you know you have unconditional love, there is no point in rebellion and no need to fear failure.” P.8. Love and Relationships


“I’ve never been afraid to make a decision….” P.27. Decisive


“Proximity to power in empowerment.” P.43. Empowering


“When people did not perform, we made changes.” P.47. Accountable


“Karen was my kind of person-one who put family first.” P.54. Prioritizing


“…I learned the importance of properly structuring and staffing an organization. The people you choose to surround you determine the quality of advice you receive and the way your goals are implemented.” P. 65-66. Communicator


“For major appointments, I interviewed candidates face to face. I used my time to gauge character and personality. I was looking for integrity, competence, selflessness, and an ability to handle pressure. I always liked people with a sense of humor, a sign of humor, a sign of modesty and self-awareness.” P.66. Integrity


“As was my habit, I got up around 5:00 a.m. After two cups of coffee, I was anxious to get moving.” P.70. Initiative and Work Ethic


“Win or lose, we would finish this race as a team.” p. 72. Team Player


“I told him that in Texas, it meant something when a person gave you his word.” P.78. Honesty and Integrity


“I wanted a structure that was tight enough to ensure an orderly flow of information but flexible enough that I could receive advice from a variety of sources. It was important that advisers felt free to express concerns to me directly, without passing through a filter.” P. 82. Communicator


“Most important, I trusted Dick. I valued his steadiness. I enjoyed being around him. And he had become a good friend.” P. 87. Integrity and Trustworthiness


“The decision came down to Harriet and Pricilla Own. I decided to go with Harriet. I knew her better. P.101. Relationships

LeaderUp!  Have a great and safe week and remember,

 "Leadership is from the inside out!"

Esse Quam Videri!
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Clean the Inside of the Cup First: Leadership is an Inside-Out Process

I have often written about leadership being an inside out process. The premise being that we cannot be effective leaders without having a strong ethical and moral foundation. A leader has to be an ethical individual if he is to lead ethically. A leader has to be a moral individual if he is to lead morally. The Laws of Nature prohibit any other way. Leaders must have congruency between their heart and their hand. If there is incongruence the real character of the person will sooner, rather than later, rise to top for all to see. The fruits of the heart, whether they are good fruits or bad fruits, will be seen and known by all in due time.


As Stephen Covey tells us in The Speed of Trust the real meaning of integrity is when there is no gap between intent and behavior, or has I stated above, between heart and hand. Leaders who have this “sameness” or congruency walk their talk. There is no duplicity or hypocrisy. Their leadership behaviors are founded upon their true values and principles from which is no variation or deviation.


Leadership development must therefore be an inside out process as well. It is the duty of organizations to help their leaders clarify personal and organizational values and beliefs. It is the foundation for developing organizational leaders of the future. Teaching rules, regulations, policy and procedure will get you only so far. Rules cannot replace character. In developing our organizational leaders we should help them to clarify, within their own minds and hearts, three things:


• What do they truly believe?
• What are they willing to do about the things they believe?
• How are they going to lead based upon those beliefs?


Again, leadership and leadership development is an inside out process. I recently read a couple of Bible verses from the book of Matthew that seem to make this point very well. See what you think!


Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Matthew 23: 24-28 (KJV)


I might as well just throw in the following to reinforce the point that we cannot live or lead a lie!
For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. Luke 6:44 (KJV)


I will close here as the greatest Leader of all has spoken, and who am I to add or subtract from it?


Esse Quam Videri!

Carpe Diem

Arete'

Character verses Rules

I have always held that an organization cannot rule, policy or procedure its way into an ethical entity.  Unethical people cannot lead ethically, ever;  regardless of the strength or multitude of rules in place. The only way to become ethical for the long haul is from the inside out.  Leaders of character must be people of high moral character. 

You should not expect to bring a competent but unethical person into your organization and hope to make him moral.  But, you can and should hire morally good people and then proceed to train them in job competencies. 

Always hire for character, train and develop for competence.

Alan Greenspan, the former head of the U.S. Federal Reserve, said it well.

"Rules cannot substitute for character." 

Great Quote by Warren Buffett, CEO Berkshire Hathaway

Warren Buffett

"I look for three things in hiring people.  The first is personal integrity, the second is intelligence, and the third is a high energy level.  But, if you don't have the first, the other two will kill you."

Integrity: Doing the Right Thing Even When It Hurts!

Stephen M. R. Covey, in his book, The Speed of Trust, tells a great story that really demonstrates and defines integrity. The story is about the tennis champion Andy Roddick. Roddick was playing in the 2005 Italia Masters tournament in Rome. His competitor was Fernando Verdasco. In the third round it was game point in favor of Roddick. On the second serve by Verdasco, the line judge ruled the serve shot “out.” Victory Roddick! The spectators began to cheer wildly for Roddick and Verdasco began his walk to the net to congratulate Roddick. With Roddick’s up close view he knew the shot was in and he refused to accept the judge’s call. Instead he pointed out to the judge’s attention a small indention on the clay court that the ball made as it bounced away. The judge agreed based upon the indention that the shot was indeed in play. He reversed his call, the point was given to Verdasco and the match continued. At the conclusion of the match Verdasco defeated Roddick.


Everyone was shocked and amazed at Roddick’s action. Tennis is a game that is not typically played upon the honor system but on the umpire’s judgment calls. Fans could not believe what they just saw. Roddick obviously did not want to win at any price. The price for him to accept the judge’s initial call and claim victory would have been a loss of personal integrity. He could have easily accepted the initial call and taken the victory. If he had, no one could have accused him of failing to follow the rules of the game or cheating. What he did was extraneous to the rules and ethics of tennis. But to have done differently he would have violated the rules of the game of life that he had chosen to live by. To accept the bad call by saying nothing, he would have lost self respect and self credibility. For Roddick the price was too high to pay.


As leaders it is important to do what is right, always, every time. Likewise we should understand that doing “what is right” is not always the same as doing “the right thing.” Warren Bennis who consulted with the Los Angeles Police Department years ago on police effectiveness determined that one of the biggest problems within the law enforcement profession was that police officers were so concerned about doing the right thing that they often failed to do what was right. I would say that is something worth thinking about and considering. Is this observation by Bennis true today in our organizations? Is it true of our own leadership behaviors?


I believe as does Bennis, that there is often a world of difference between “doing what is right” and “doing the right thing.” The Roddick example above clearly demonstrates that. Roddick could have chosen not to say anything to correct the bad call by the umpire. It was not a requirement of the game. If he had chosen not to say anything, based upon the ethics of the game of tennis, no one could contest that he won by doing the right thing. In other words, he would have won by following the rules of the game. He did not cheat. But, would he have truly been a winner? Roddick did not think so. I do not think so either and I am glad he chose the high road and did what was right rather than the right thing. What a wonderful example of integrity he gave us by choosing the hard right over the easy wrong, or perhaps I should say over the easy right. By doing “what was right” instead of doing “the right thing” he became a winner regardless of the outcome of the match. Following the rules of the game consisted, in this situation, “doing the right thing” but correcting the error and following the higher moral value of absolute personal honesty was a tremendous example of “doing what was right.”


Another example of doing what is right and doing the right thing is a scene from the Robert Redford movie, The Legend of Bagger Vance. The movie’s main scene is the golf tournament finale between two golfing greats Bobby Jones, Walter Hagen and a third unknown and underdog player, the fictional Rannulph Junah. Junah had a chance at the end to pull off a miracle and defeat two of the games’ greatest players. But as he was preparing for a shot he accidently moved his ball about an inch. No one saw it except Junah. He could have chosen to not mention it, played the shot and perhaps won the tournament easily. Instead he reported it to the officials and was properly penalized a stroke. He did what was right and the right thing according to the ethics of golf.


I remember watching this scene and seeing the small boy who had befriended Junah standing nearby. He was crying and asking Junah why was he going to report the incident knowing it could very well cost him a victory. Junah explained that it was the right thing to do and that winning is not everything or the most important thing. Winning with honor, fairly and squarely, is the only way to win. It is the only way to live, too. What a great but difficult lesson about personal integrity that young man learned that day along with the many thousands who watched the movie.


The great basketball coach John Wooden tells us, “A person who values winning above anything will do anything to win. And such people are threats to their organizations.” To Wooden character mattered greatly. He taught his coaches and players to, “Never lie; never cheat; never steal. Don’t whine; don’t complain; don’t make excuses.” A great lesson, one perhaps many athletic programs and organizations today could benefit from and should follow.


Remember to always “do what is right”, even when it hurts. It might not always be the same as “doing the right thing”. Learn to discern the difference and become a more credible and trustworthy leader.


Leaderup and have a great and safe week.


Esse Quam Videri!

Carpe Diem

Arete'

The Speed of Trust

Do you trust your immediate supervisor? What about the next level of supervision? Do you trust your chief, sheriff, or colonel? Do they trust you? Do your followers trust you and do you trust them? Does it matter? Does trust between people within an organization act as a lubricant that leads to all parts working together effectively and efficiently for the betterment of all and the achievement of individual and organizational goals? If you believe it does, as I do, then we must believe that the absence of trust must have the opposite effect. Lack of trust causes friction within an organization that tends to slow down all the moving parts and thus slows down the entire system. The result is the individual and the organization fail to meet their established mission and goals or at best, fail to accomplish them effectively and efficiently. Listen to the quote by Stephen R. Covey from the foreword section of his son’s (Stephen M. R. Covey) book titled The Speed of Trust: The One Thing that Changes Everything (2006).



Stephen M. R. Covey





Stephen R. Covey



Low trust causes friction, whether it is causes by unethical behavior or by ethical but incompetent behavior (because even good intentions can never take the place of bad judgment). Low trust is the greatest cost in life and in organizations, including families. Low trust creates hidden agendas, politics, interpersonal conflict, interdepartmental rivalries, win-lose thinking, defensive and protective communication-all of which reduce the speed of trust. Low trust slows everything-every decision, every communication, and every relationship.

Does your organization suffer these above mentioned ailments of low trust?


Covey makes the point in his book that trust means confidence and the opposite of trust is suspicion. When we work with people we trust we do not have to filter through the muck and mud before moving forward with our duties. Not so with those we do not trust. Dealing with those whom we do not trust and hold in suspect we have to wade through all sorts of clutter before we march forward. Think of it this way; our mission is to march from one destination to another. Marching with those we trust is akin to walking along an already cleared, straight and level path. You can begin immediately without any hindrances in your path. Not so with those you mistrust. Your path, in this situation, is cluttered with vines, rocks, cliffs and gullies. For you southern country folk reading this it is similar to walking uphill across a kudzu field. You either proceed forward slowly or you take precious time to clear the path and then proceed forward. Either way you choose it is much slower that traversing the clear path of trust. Edward Marshall says it best in that “Speed happens when people truly trust each other.” Jack Welch states, “If you’re not fast, you’re dead.” All very true!


Covey explains in his book that trust is a matter of economics. As the speed of trust evaporates speed decreases and cost increases. The opposite is true in that as trust increases, speed increases and cost decrease. The formula Covey uses is as follows:

↓ Trust = ↓ Speed ↑ Cost

↑ Trust = ↑ Speed ↓ Cost

Since we, in the law enforcement profession, are not in the profit creating business this model has limited value to us, except for those at the pinnacle of the organization who handle budgeting. The majority of us at the bottom and middle of the organization are more concerned with reducing crime, preventing collisions, and saving lives. We live and work where the rubber meets the road. Therefore our formula might look more like this:

    ↓Trust = ↓ Speed ↑ Crime    

↑Trust = ↑ Speed ↓ Crime

or

  ↓Trust = ↓ Speed ↑ Collision
    
    ↑Trust = ↑ Speed ↓ Collisions

or

   ↓Trust = ↓ Speed ↑ Fatalities 
   
   ↑ Trust = ↑ Speed ↓ Fatalities

Think about the things within your organization that you have to do most days before you get to the “real police work.” I am talking about the things, the paperwork, and the bureaucracy that is in place because of low trust. When I was a district first sergeant and captain I was always urging those under my command to maximize preventive patrol time. Preventive patrol time, the seeing and being seen part, and the taking of proper enforcement action were the collision reducing and life saving part of our jobs. It was the central mission and primary goal of our organization. But too often the supervisors and troopers were “stuck” in the office or elsewhere doing paperwork or other low impact things. There were always non-mission centric demands upon their time; always something to do which took away from preventive patrol time, from saving lives. Time away from preventive patrol equated to an increase in collisions and personal injuries and fatalities.


There were many examples of “slowing down” the mission that we had to contend with. One primary example I will mention here is that there were forms and reports upon forms and reports that had to be written and forwarded up the chain of command. Reports that had to go through so many hands that it was virtually impossible to get a report through the first or even the second try. Because of a lack of trust within the organization the reports themselves were cumbersome and burdensome and slow down our efforts to prevent collisions and save lives. The fact that some had to be completed at all and others had to go through so many people and before so many boards were the result of a lack of real trust within the organization. I am not against report writing; it is a necessary part of every job, but should be managed carefully. I understand the managerial and legal necessities of reports. But when they are based upon a lack of trust and slows down the organization so that the mission and goals of the organization are detrimentally affected (fatalities and injuries increase), then I question their value as used. I suspect many organizations can identify with this dilemma if they are truthful and have a realistic self perspective.


Lack of trust also leads to micromanagement within an organization. Cohen quotes G. K. Chesterton, the famous British author as saying, “When you break the big laws you do not get liberty; you do not even get anarchy. You get the small laws.”  Often a member of an organization will make an error in judgment and something negative happens. It happens in every organization. Too often administrators overreact and immediately jump in before thinking through the long term consequences of their actions. They demonstrate a lost and lack of trust in everyone by sending down the chain of command new and burdensome actions to prevent a recurrence. New policies, reports, and procedures that only slow the organization down more. Too often it amounts to killing a flea with fire hose. This micromanagement becomes, over time, the way of doing business. Trust evaporates and organizational goals become difficult to reach. If your organization micromanages in this manner, it is a sure sign that there is a lack of trust present and that speed and efficiency is absent. If this is the case, then you can be sure it is affecting the true mission and bottom line of the organization.


The gold nugget take away from this post is to find ways within your circle of influence to build trust. Eliminate all the things you control that diminish trust and create suspicion. Eliminate the things that slow down your ability to get to the front lines quickly and effectively. Search out and eliminate anything that negatively affects the outcome of your mission.


Have a great and safe week. LeaderUp!


Esse Quam Videri!


Carpe Diem


Arete'

Tom Peters' Excellence Always



Tom Peters

One of Tom Peters’ well known phrases is Excellence Always. You know who Tom Peters is, right? For those who haven’t heard of him, he is the Excellence guru and author of quite a few books on personal and organizational excellence. One of his most famous books is In Search of EXCELLENCE: Lessons from America’s Best-Run Companies. One of his more recent books is The Little BIG Things. I promise you that any publication by Tom Peters is worth your time and money to have and study. He recently published an interesting article in the November issue of Leadership Excellence, titled Excellence Always. I will use this post to discuss this article and the subject of providing excellent service.

Peters begins his article with the thought provoking idea that many leaders in our society have adopted. It is the concept that we cannot and perhaps should not pursue excellence in everything we do. The argument they make is that with the work overload we all experience daily, if we try to do everything excellently we would never survive or be very successful in our jobs. The thinking is premised on the idea that to excel in everything is to excel in nothing and that some things are just not worth doing excellently. “Just getting through the next hour is challenge enough”, as Peters quotes a work-at-home mom as saying.


Peters agrees, as I do, with the seemingly never ending in-box challenge that we all face in our jobs. It can be very over whelming and disconcerting to say the least. I use to say it was like drinking water out of a fire hydrant. Yet, neither Peters nor I are “ready to throw in the towel” and “throw excellence out of the window." Peters puts it all in perspective when he asks, “if not excellence, then what? If not excellence now, when? Excellence is not an aspiration; Excellence is the next five minutes.”  Man, I love that statement! Believing that you are too busy to be excellent is a recipe for mediocrity and an unfulfilling career. If leadership were easy then everyone would be doing it. I say leaderup or get a job stocking shelves at Wal-Mart!


What do you think Peters means when he states, “Excellence is not an aspiration - Excellence is the next five minutes?” To me it means that excellence is not a destination or an end goal, but rather a continuous, immediate and difficult journey. It is a journey where you never arrive. To use a sports analogy, you are no better than your last game. We never arrive at excellence because as long as we are breathing, living and engaged the “next five minutes” is always just ahead of us. With it arrives there is another opportunity to choose between excellence and mediocrity. So you see excellence is not a sometime thing, it is truly an always things. The opportunity to choose excellence or to dismiss it is always there.


If we make exceptions to excellence and choose mediocrity, overtime our exceptions and easy choices become habitual, ingrained and our way of life. It becomes who and what we are. What we have become, our very character. Whether we choose excellence or mediocrity we must wear its outward markings as badge of honor or as a scarlet letter. The choice is always ours and it is always present. I hope you will choose a life premised upon excellence. Be excellent and survive five minutes at a time.


As leaders we should all strive diligently to develop personal excellence as an example to others. We usually do not accomplish this doing great and important things. Modeling excellence is more often accomplished in the small and mundane duties. Peters quotes Helen Keller who sublimely said, “I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as thought they were great and noble.” Mother Teresa also stated that “We do no great things, only small things with great love.” Pretty good stuff, huh!


Peters also mentions the Football Hall of Famer and San Francisco 49ers’ coach Bill Walsh along with World War II General George Patton as examples of how success is found in the way small things are habitually done excellently. When Bill Walsh took command of the pitiful 49ers he began by creating a culture of excellence in his organization. The point Walsh makes in his book, The Score Takes Care of Itself, is that “the culture and preparation, finished before the opening kickoff, determine success or failure.” Bill Walsh’s goal was to establish 24/7 habits of excellence with his team. He did and turned a losing team into Super Bowl champions. It was a combination of many small things such as seemingly insignificant rule requiring proper attire while traveling with the team to name one. Pride in appears was one factor that led to pride in on-field performance.


General Patton, upon accepting command of his army in Europe, began with enforcing rules of better hygiene and the wearing of clean and sharp uniforms by his soldiers when possible. He turned a ragtag army around as they began winning battles and moving across Europe with lighting speed. Excellence and pride in appearance was a means to excellence and pride on the battlefield. Peters correctly points out that just as “the devil is in the details, so too is excellence.” Be excellent in all things and the score and the battle will take care of itself!


I will close with this comment by Tom Peters. “Anyone who takes on any leadership job, minor or major, assumes a Sacred Trust to practice Excellence Always.” Chose excellence in all of the “five minutes” of your life and wear the badge of honor with great pride. You will have earned it!


Leaderup and have a great and safe week!

Esse Quam Videri!

Carpe Diem

Arete'

Michael Josephson Commentary: The Cowboy Code 695.1

Gene Autry

This is another good post by Michael Josephson. The link is at the bottom.  It is a list of principles written by one of the great TV cowboys of all time, Gene Autry. If Gene said it, it must be right! There are far too few men like Gene Autry these days! I hope you enjoy it.

There is also a book by James P. Owen about cowboy values and western ethics that I would highly recommend to you. It is titled, "Cowboy Ethics: What Wall Street Can Learn from the Code of the West." The book has very little to do about Wall Street except that the author is a Wall Street veteran. It is applicable to any industry or profession. It is full of beautiful photographs by David R. Stoecklein, a renowned western photographer. Also it has wonderful poems by Red Steagall, the excellent cowboy poet. The Code of the West written about in this book are:

1. Live each day with Courage
2. Take pride in your Work
3. Always Finish what your start
4. Do What has to be Done
5. Be Tough, be Fair
6. When you Make a Promise, Keep it.
7. Ride for the Brand
8, Talk Less and Say More
9. Remember that Some Things Aren't for Sale
10. Know there to Draw the Line.

It is worth the time and money to get this book.  The beautiful pictures are worth the cost. 


Michael Josephson Commentary: The Cowboy Code 695.1

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Michael Josephson Commentary: Eight Laws of Leadership 695.5

This is a very good post from Michael Josephson on leadership laws. It is worth the read.



Michael Josephson Commentary: Eight Laws of Leadership 695.5

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Guilford Courthouse Leadership Walk – Level 5 Leaders

 This is second post based upon the Guilford Courthouse Battleground leadership walk.

Level 5 Leaders 

As the leadership group followed Dr. Bowman, our facilitator, to the large and beautiful monument of General Nathanael Greene the discussion turned to what is a Level 5 leader and why are there not more of them. Level 5 leadership theory comes from a study conducted by Jim Collins and written about in his exceptional book, Good to Great. Mr. Collins, in a nut shell, explains that a Level 5 leader is one who builds an enduring greatness and legacy through personal humility and professional will power. These two attributes may seem on the surface contradictory, but not necessarily so as will be explained as we move forward. Let us now look at what makes Level 5 leaders, why there aren’t more of them at the top of organizations and how we might change that.

In my 54 years of life I, like many of you, have had the opportunity to observe many different people in numerous walks of life. Plainly speaking, my experiences lead me to believe there are two kinds of people in this world; there are givers and there are takers. Without sounding too pessimistic, most people, as a general rule, tend to fall into or closer to the taker side or category than the giver side. Looking after number one at others’ expense is a way of life with far too many people including leaders. This attitude and way of life is nothing more than a selfish egotistical existence, where one consistently puts himself and his wants and needs first. It is only when organizational or others’ needs align with theirs are their efforts considered mutually beneficial.

Perhaps you think I am being overly dramatic or pessimistic? Maybe so, but think back across the years of your professional and life experiences and count the number of top level leaders you have worked with or are familiar with who always put the organization and its members first and themselves last. I will bet you did not use all of your fingers on just one hand, did you? Now count the others, the takers. If you need to, take your shoes off and count on your toes. The plain but sad truth is that the takers outnumber the givers considerably.

The takers are the ones who always looks for their personal advantage or gain in every situation. Their thought process is always me first and everyone else second. Every decision or action is always preceded with questions such as, “Is this going to help me get promoted”, or “will this help me get a pay raise”, “will this help me get a corner office”, or “how is this going to benefit me?” These types of leaders are what General Norman Schwarzkopf calls careerist. Every decision a careerist makes is premised upon what is best for the leader; not the team or the organization. You get the idea; the mentality is that it is always about me, me, me. It is my world and you are just traveling through it. The shame is that far too many of this type of leader get into high positions within organizations.

Level 5 leaders are just the opposite. Level 5 leaders are the rare but unique individuals who are humbled and caring. They are the leaders who have a strong belief in the organizational mission and higher purposes. They also believe in a high moral standard to care for the needs of other people and to fight for higher causes. They see others in the organization as team members and not adversaries to step on or over on the way to the top. They do not see employees as just a pair of hands, as did Henry Ford. Rather they see other people as individual human beings with families, needs, hopes, dreams and concerns of their own.

  

Level 5 leaders are also ambitious individuals who desire power and position. They want a seat at the table just like everyone else. There is nothing wrong with that. The difference with Level 5 leaders is they want this power and position for the more noble reason of helping the organization achieve its mission and helping others within the organization fulfill their goals. They believe in the higher things and see purpose behind their work. Power to them is not a bad thing; they understand that it is how it is used that determines its value or worth. There is nothing wrong with being ambitious and wanting to be promoted and have power within the organization, if the primary reason is that you believe you can use this power and position to promote the organizational interest. It is when the craving and lust for power is for purposes of advancing one’s personal interest that causes power to become a negative thing. Robert F. Kennedy explained it this way;

“The problem of power is how to achieve its responsible use rather than its irresponsible and indulgent use - of how to get men of power to live for the public rather than off the public.”

General Nathanael Greene

I submit to you that Level 5 leaders want and use power for the public and organizational interest and not for personal gain. Nathanael Greene was a Level 5 leader. Did you know that when the government was unable to supply his army with needed provisions, he personally signed the notes and requisitions to buy them? He became personally responsible for the payments. Does this sound like a leader who only cares for his own well being? I would venture to say that he cared first and foremost for his soldiers and the cause he was fighting for. After the war he had to sell much of his property to pay these war time obligations. This is the stuff of Level 5 leadership!

Why then do so few Level 5 leaders rise to the top of organizations? My experience again tells me that there are quite a lot of Level 5 leaders in the middle and lower echelons of organizations. Yet too few rise to the highest ranks of the organization. You know the ones I am talking about; the caring and giving first line supervisors and the district commanders who work their tails off to meet the organizational goals while simultaneous taking care of their people. They are the ones that you have seen go to mat fighting for your best interest even when you may not have deserved it, or when it may not have been in their best career interest to do so. They are the ones who assume the risk of being seen as “disloyal to the boss” as they fight for and stick up for their people.

Shamefully, very few of these Level 5 leader types ever make it to the top rungs of the organization. Again, why do you think this so? Surely they earn it and deserve it more than the leaders of the “taking mentality.” It is my belief that they are too busy doing their jobs and doing what is best for the organization and others to take the time to promote their individual interest. They are consumed with the organizational mission and work extremely hard to fulfill it. They believe in the cause; they believe in what they do, and they work to accomplish it! They are not concerned about the spot light but quietly work behind the scenes like Trojans to get the job done. They just do not take the time to advance themselves in the minds and eyes of the powers to be. They have their priorities in the proper order. Generally these are the people who have a clear and deep understanding of what is important in life and what is not. Rank, power and position is important to them, but not the most important thing. It is not as important as fulfilling their duty, doing their job excellently, taking care of their people or meeting the goals and mission of the organization. But I submit to you that more Level 5 leaders should do a more effective job in getting themselves and others into positions of power and influence. It should be done the Level 5 way!

Every organization has Level 5 leaders within its ranks. Are you one? If not then I challenge you to develop yourself and others into Level 5 leaders and then find ways to get yourself and other Level 5 leaders into positions of greater power and influence within the organization. Always remember there is nothing wrong with putting yourself in your best light with those who have control over your career. Just learn to sell yourself in a Level 5 way; a way that does not diminish your humility, your values, and your character, and does not diminish others in the process. You do not have to back stab and cut throats to get your deserved recognition. We should see the acquiring of power and position as a way to help the organization and your people and not as a way to just help yourself. Seeing power and position in this light should lead Level 5 leaders to put more emphasis on the necessity of gaining personal power and position. Remember power is not a bad thing if used for greater purposes other than yourself.

I also think that Level 5 leaders have a rare gift for being lifted to the top from below, rather than pulled up from the top. They have a unique ability to achieve both power and position through helping others fulfill their talents and abilities. They do this while maintaining their own dignity and self-worth. Perhaps Level 5 leaders who make it to the top of their organizations are just better at balancing these different dimensions. It is not an easy task, if it were there would be more Level 5 leaders at the top. My final challenge is for you to go as far as your talent will carry you in your organization just do it the Level 5 servant way! That is how you serve the organization and its people. That is the way to leave a Level 5 legacy of service, humility and character.

Have a great and safe week! LeaderUp!

Esse Quam Videri!

Carpe Diem

Arete'

Guilford Courthouse Leadership Walk - Core Values Matter!

This past Thursday I had the opportunity to participate in a one day leadership walk through the Guilford Courthouse Battlefield in Greensboro. I was invited to attend by the Highway Patrol as a group of their supervisors were participating in the walk. The program was sponsored by Methodist University and facilitated by one of their professors, Dr. Mark Bowman. Dr. Bowman is also a retiree from Virginia Beach Police Department. Dr. Bowman used his expertise as a Revolutionary War historian combined with his excellent leadership knowledge and experience to facilitate the leadership walk. He used his expertise gained through his police and military career to initiate thoughts and discussions about our personal leadership as well as aspects of organizational leadership. It was a wonderful warm fall day with clear skies which contributed to a tremendous historical and leadership learning experience. It was really special for me to see and spent time with troopers whom I worked closely with during my career with the Highway Patrol. Many of them I had not seen since my retirement in 2007.

Since my very recent posting has been about core values I will begin this post with some of the discussions we had on this topic. I am going to use the next several post to discuss some of the other leadership lessons discussed on the leadership walk, so please log in later for that.


Our group agreed, after some discussion on the topic, that core values are very important to personal and organizational effectiveness and character. This discussion was conducted mostly at the monument honoring the founding fathers and signers of the Declaration of Independence. I think this was a very appropriate place to hold a discussion about core values. These great men who “pledged their lives, fortunes and sacred honor” to the cause of freedom and liberty certainly had to have core beliefs that motivated and inspired them. Without a deep internalization of the core beliefs about freedom and liberty by these great men the war would have ended quite differently. These were men of great intellect, vision and wisdom. Arguably it was the greatest concentration of intellect and wisdom ever experienced in any nation at any one time. These giants of men believed in something bigger and greater than themselves. At their core they believed in the inalienable right of man to live free. These strong beliefs led to victory against the greatest nation on earth at the time and gave birth to a new nation conceived in liberty and freedom for all men. In the future take some time to study the resulting sacrifices made by these original signers. Many lost their lives, health, fortunes and property for their part in this great cause.


Although this monument is dedicated to the signers of the Declaration of Independence, the men who fought the battles of this war and those who lead them into battle also had strong core values and made great personal sacrifices too. How else could they have withstood the unbelievable difficulties they had to endure? You don’t stand fifty feet from the world’s best trained soldiers to hold your line without believing in the values of the cause. You don’t cross the Delaware River in cold freezing December, marching through snow for miles without shoes and warm clothes, leaving bloody footprints and freezing to death to fight for a cause you half-heartedly believe in. Core values matter! Acting upon your core values matters too!


Dr. Bowman pointed out the crossing of the Delaware and the march to Trenton, New Jersey is memorialized in the official song of the U.S. Army, The Army Goes Rolling On. The third stanza is as follows:


Men in rags, men who froze,


Still that Army met its foes,


And the Army went rolling along.


Faith in God, then we’re right,


And we’ll fight with all our might,


As the Army keeps rolling along.


During the day one attendee noted that organizations tend to respond to ethical and moral issues by creating more policies, procedures and regulations. This is sadly very true and happens regularly in too many organizations. The lesson take away here, I think, is that an organization cannot “policy and procedure” itself to perfection of character. When an organization has an operational philosophy based upon core value compliance it does not have to take the route of creating more and more rules and regulations. It relies upon its core values and beliefs to guide actions and behaviors. This can only happen in organizations where this core value philosophy is bought into and lived by the vast majority of members. It must be talked about and correlated into all business situations and behaviors. It is the life blood of the organization. It is like Dr. Bowman stated, core values are of limited value if they are not lived by every organizational member and unless they are identified as an integral part of the very character of the organization. If you have not read my recent posts on incorporating core values as an operating philosophy into an organization, I hope you will take the time to do so.


Core values basically come down to this. “What do I really believe, and what am I willing to do about it?” What do you believe? What does your organization believe? What are you and the organization willing to do about the things you believe in? The answer to these two questions makes all the difference in the world. For those soldiers and statesmen mentioned above it was the difference between living in freedom or in tyranny. Thank God for them!  As leaders, if we want people to follow us barefooted, freezing, bleeding and starving, then we better know what we believe and what we are willing to do about our beliefs. Perhaps more importantly, we must be willing and able as leaders to develop and guide others to these same noble beliefs and instill in them the dogged determination to live and fight, against great odds, to achieve these higher and more exalted causes. Core values may very well be more important to the success of the mission than beans, blankets and bullets! If we could ask the brave men who fought the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, the men at Valley Forge during that cold winter of 1777-78, and the men who cross the Delaware to fight the enemy soldiers in Trenton, I believe they would agree.


LeaderUp, and have a great and safe week!


Esse Quam Videri!

Carpe Diem

Arete'

The Founders Monument at the Guilford County Courthouse battleground.

Teaching Subordinates to Make Good Decisions

We expect our team members to make good decisions.  We hold them responsible and accountable for them.  This is how it should be.  But, seriously, do we teach them how to make these good decisions?  Do we give them a techniques, guidelines or examples to follow to make responsible decisions especially in the heat of the moment?  To answer my own question, generally speaking, I don't think we do.  But we as responsible leaders should!  I am going to post a leadership action/decision guide that may be helpful to you and to anyone you wish to share it with. 

The idea for this guide belongs to The Westfall-Gallagher Group.  They created one and use it in their leadership development seminars.  I took their guide and modified it somewhat to better fit my philosophy of leadership decision making.  I certainly appreciate Bill Westfall for sharing his seminar material, including their Action Guide, with me and giving me permission to use it.  If you ever have an opportunity to attend a Westfall-Gallagher seminar I encourage you to do it.  It is a great experience.  For me it was the very best leadership development seminar I have ever attended and it is the model I use in my leadership development efforts including this blog site.  The guide is one suitable to print and frame.  It really looks good printed on photo paper.  Please feel free to use it as you deem helpful.  If you want a printable version just email me and I will send you an attachment.

THE LEADERSHIP ACTION ASSESSMENT

Am I doing the right thing?

Am I doing it at the right time?

Am I doing it for the right reason?

Am I doing it the right way?

Am I willing to take ownership of the outcome?

Actions for Establishing and Integrating Core Values into the Hearts and Minds of Stakeholders as the Organization’s Operating Philosophy (post 4)

I hope you had the opportunity to read the first three postings on this subject. If not please do so when you can. Today I will discuss the next step in the process of core values integration.

Action Step 6

Establish a team from across the organization to review forms and reports and policy and procedure to cross check for alignment with the values.

Two separate teams may be best depending upon the size of the organization. If your forms and reports manual and policy and procedure manual are quite large, as is with too many organizations, the task may be done more efficiently with two teams. Either way each form and report and each policy and procedure should be reviewed and discussed as to how well it reflects the organization’s core values. It could be that they are in total alignment or totally out of alignment or somewhere in between. I would suspect there will be some of each to contend with during the review. The team should make recommendations to the CEO or appropriate individual or group as to any changes that need to be made to enhance alignment with core values. The team should look for ways to promote core values through each form or policy.


Forms and reports and policies that regulate conduct and used in employee discipline and evaluation should be give very close scrutiny. Also any that regulate high risk job task such as use of force or vehicle chases should also receive very close attention. These are the ones that will be considered most important by the organizational members. They will see these as ones that affect them personally. It is only natural to look at change in the light of “how is it going to affect me.” If a policy or form is perceived to, “hang the member out to dry”, it will not align with a core value such as “respect for organizational members.” It is very important also to scrutinize these types of forms or policies closely because these will be used by members to judge the magnitude, seriousness and sincerity of the organization in making real change in the way business is done.


I would suggest strongly that any form used to document behavior, albeit positive or negative, have a check off or fill in the blank block for the affected core value. The thought here is to always associate behavior to organizational core values. For example, let’s assume an employee has been suspected to have lied about a job related behavior. The charge sheet, or whatever the form name that is used, should read something like this.


“It is alleged on May 5, 2010 Officer Smith was untruthful in a written and verbal statement given to Officer Jones from the Organizational Values Compliance Section. Officer Smith stated untruthfully that while on duty this night he was not at his home at 10 pm on March 4, 2010 watching basketball on television while monitoring his radio. He stated untruthfully that he was on routine patrol. This alleged behavior is a violation of Policy A-5, subsection (e), Untruthfulness. Untruthfulness is a behavior that does not align with the organizational core values of: (1) Integrity and (2) Honesty.”


The exact wording in the above example is not the point here, but the fact that every behavior that is recorded, whether good or bad, should be associated with one or more of the core values, as are applicable. It ties behaviors to the core values and creates an immediate as well as a long term association. The purpose here is that with continual association and reinforcement of core values to behaviors it will lead organizational members to align future conduct with core values.


Most organizations have a report form to complete to acknowledge positive behaviors too. Here is another example for positive behavior recognition of an employee.


“On Saturday, June 5, 2010 Trooper Hendly spoke to the Elk Club about highway safety and safety belts. He received a letter of thanks from the club for his excellent presentation. This commendation report is to recognize Trooper Hendly for his exception service toward building better community relations with organizational stakeholders. This behavior is in alignment with the organization’s core value of: (1) maintaining excellent community relations.”


There is nothing an organization can do that will guarantee perfect employee conduct all of the time. Common sense tells us it will not happen. At first perhaps it will not be second nature for employees to “think” about core value alignment before making decisions and taking actions. But when an organization strives continually to associate and reinforce core values with behaviors in every aspect of its business functions more employees will begin do the right thing. Then it will become habit and a way of doing business. The habit of asking oneself “Is this action I am about to take in alignment with the organizational core values”, will be natural and second nature. It will become the norm; the way we live and work. When members start asking themselves that question you and the organization can be assured it is well on the way to obtaining and sustain a reputation of having an ethical and moral character.


I hope you all had great weekend. LeaderUp again this week and be safe out there.


Esse Quam Videri!

Carpe Diem

Arete'

Super Trooper

Perhaps my series of recent postings on core values has been a little too stiff and serious.  So to lighten things up a little I have posted below, supposively, a true story that is really funny.  Enjoy!

Super Trooper

In most of the United States, there is a policy of checking on any stalled vehicle on the highway when the temperatures drop down to single digits or below.


About 3 AM, one very cold morning, Trooper Allan Nixon #658 responded to a call there was a car off the shoulder of the road outside Shattuck, Okla. He located the car, stuck in deep snow, and with the engine still running. Pulling in behind the car with his emergency lights on, the Trooper walked to the driver's door to find an older man passed out behind the wheel with a nearly empty vodka bottle on the seat beside him.


The driver woke up when the Trooper tapped on the window. Seeing the rotating lights in his rearview mirror, and the State Trooper standing next to his car, the man panicked, jerked the gearshift into 'drive' and hit the gas. The car's speedometer was showing 20-30-40 and then 50 mph, but it was still stuck in the snow, wheels spinning. Trooper Nixon, having a sense of humor, began running in place next to the speeding, but still stationary car. The driver was totally freaked, thinking the Trooper was actually keeping up with him. This goes on for about 30 seconds, and then the Trooper yelled at the man to 'Pull over!' The man obeyed, turned his wheel and stopped the engine. Needless to say, the man from Dumas, Texas was arrested, and is probably still shaking his head over the State Trooper in Oklahoma who could run 50 miles per hour.


Who says Trooper's don't have a sense of humor?

Actions for Establishing and Integrating Core Values into the Hearts and Minds of Stakeholders as the Organization’s Operating Philosophy (post 3)

If you had the opportunity to read the first two postings on this subject you will recall that the first step was for the CEO was to declare “a new day” going forward with the inculcation of the new core values. The second step was for the CEO to declare to the organizations’ members that he is personally and publicly committing his personal and profession conduct totally to the core value standards and he expects to be held accountable by everyone within the organization. The third step was for the CEO to meet with his command staff to discuss and commit each member verbally and in writing of their support and adherence to the core values. Much to do was to be made over the event which was to include a news conference to further advance the new operating philosophy. Now for the next recommended action:

Action Step 4

Begin the education and commitment process of the core values philosophy for all employees.


Step four immolates step three in all accounts. The newly committed staff members begin the process of pushing this new way of doing business via core values down the chain of command. Each member is to meet with their direct reports and follow the example of the CEO in selling and committing each person verbally and in writing. Again, this is a big deal and it should be handled accordingly. This action step should continue down the chain of command until all members of the organization are informed and have committed to this new core value concept. The CEO should also develop, initiate and set in motion a process for external stakeholders to be educated in the new core value philosophy of the organization. The process will vary and be as unique as are the many different types of stakeholders. The method used can vary from a personal phone call to an in-person briefing by the CEO. I will not discuss this step further at this time other than to say it is very important and should be done.

Action Step 5

Incorporate into the Investigative/Compliance Department a section totally dedicated to continuous values and ethics education and awareness.


Every organization that is worth its salt has some type of internal section whose purpose is to monitor organizational behaviors to ensure compliance. The names and divisional duties are again as varied as are the many organizations. I would suggest that the organization’s CEO take an in-depth look at this section. First the name, its duties, reputation and responsibilities should be critiqued thoroughly. I personally dislike the old standby name, “Internal Affairs.” It is jaded and tends to project the image of a bunch of witch hunters in black suits looking around every corner having as their sole objective in life to “catch” someone doing something wrong. That thought reminds me of an incident I had as a young sergeant. I was in a 12 week Officer Management School and was gathering data I could use for my term research paper. I went over to Headquarters and met with an officer who had gathered some information for me. As I was talking with this officer the director of Internal Affairs walks by and said, “Haven’t we fired you yet?” I replied, “Not yet”, and laughed it off, but I left thinking you dumb***. Believe me, I wanted to tell him exactly what I was thinking too, but since he was a major and I a sergeant I didn’t think it very wise to do so. Had I said what I was thinking he surely would have gotten his wish and fired me. If I were the commanding officer and heard a remark from the IA director like the one he made to me, I would reassign him as soon as possible. Wouldn’t that set a confident tone throughout the organization that we respect our employees?


I never forgot that comment though, and how it instilled in me the belief that Internal Affairs truly followed the principle of “catch and fire” and did not really have the member’s best interest at heart. Right or wrong that was the image I carry for years in my mind. How much more effective this section can be if the prevailing attitude was to catch someone doing something right as much as or more than catching them doing wrong? If this catch and fire is the image your IA organization has, changes need to be made immediately. It should not be very difficult to change; remember, now they too have a code of core values to operate by just like everyone else. They should be held accountable as to how they conduct business in alignment with core values. Instead of the dread and fear being our dominate emotion when the investigative unit is visiting us, we should feel confident that they will do everything possible and ethical to help us, while representing the overall best interest of the organization. These two actions are mutually inclusive and not mutually exclusive in an organization that has respect for all employees as a core value.


Of course it is up to the CEO to rename this section as he thinks appropriate. I personally like the name, “Ethical Education and Compliance Section” or “Organizational Values Education and Compliance Section.” The name is important but not as important as what and how the section carries out its duties. I strongly suggest the section have two equally operating departments; the first is an educational department and the second is the compliance/investigation section. They should be directed by officers of the same rank. My thoughts today will be toward the educational section rather than the investigation/compliance section since everyone has, I assume, a general knowledge of the latter.


It is vitally important to emphasize the point that the ethical education element is as important as the compliance investigation element, perhaps more. If anyone thinks an organization can punish and threatening their way to ethical compliance had better give that concept some serious thought. It is a shame to acknowledge it, but that is how far too many organizations still operate. How about yours? I challenge you to find any organization where that method alone has consistently worked. You might want to start with the prison system. The old adage that “I am going to continue with the beatings until your behavior changes” doesn’t work so well. Somewhere along the way we have teach, educated, and give helpful assistance to those who are trying to do the right thing.


The educational side of ethical compliance to core values is vitally important and may be a new concept to many organizations. The section should be responsible for developing training programs in ethics and the core value philosophy of the organization. They should develop methods for incorporating core values awareness and continual learning deeply into every aspect of the organization. Their imagination should run wild creating new ways to educate and help members to be remindful of their new commitment to follow the newly established ethical core values.


They should establish ways to recognize members whose behaviors and actions go above and beyond the normal adherence to core values in business relations. This is in part a telling of the organization’s story. Part of their duties should be to create processes for discovering the many good things employees do on a regular bases, yet never seems to find the light of day. These stories should be widely distributed throughout the organization and to the public via the public information office. Organizations cannot develop an exceptional and ethical reputation when they make the news only when someone has done something wrong. Make the bad news the exception rather than the rule when citizens read about you in the paper or see you on the television news shows.


There will more on this subject in the next post. LeaderUp this week and have a safe and productive week. Thanks for all you do!

Esse Quam Videri!

Carpe Diem

Arete'