Developing and Growing Organizational Character

The first step in developing and growing a definitive and identifiable organizational character is the establishment and adherence to a set of core values. The core values should come from stakeholders inside and outside the organization. This is especially true for public sector organizations. In privately owned companies, the argument can be made that the owner of the company should be the author of the core values, since it is his company. It goes without saying that public sector organizations are different in that there is not just one owner but many. Even in a private company a wise business owner should give considerable attention to the thoughts and ideas of his stakeholders when deciding upon company core values. He would also be wise to consider them “owners” too, and make them feel an intricate part of the organization.


The days of employee inclusion is here and the days of autocratic management are gone. Organizations today are competing for qualified employees from a much smaller talent pool. There are many more available choices for employees today than in the past, the current recession excepted of course. With the vast amount of information available to potential employees today, they can pick and choose between competing organizations for their services. They vote with their feet. Although salary and benefits are very important to people, it is becoming more important to them to be identified with organizations that mirror their personal core values. It is therefore very important to consider employee input when considering core value identification, whether in the public or private sector. Employees, more than ever, want to feel they are a part of something larger and grander than just having a job.


The internal stakeholders are easily identified, but considerable effort should be made to identify the external stakeholders. A general rule of thumb is that anyone who is directly influenced or affected by the decisions and actions of the organization should be considered stakeholders. Similarly those outside the organization who influence the organization itself are also considered stakeholders.


When considering core values organizational leaders and members of the organization should give quality time to answer the following questions. These questions are not intended to be an all inclusive list for a survey, but should serve as a guide and should be the central theme behind a survey regarding the identity of core values of an organization.


• Who are we as an organization?
• How do we want to be known as an organization?
• What do we really believe as an organization?
• What do we want to stand for as an organization?
• How do we want to conduct ourselves?
• What standards do we want to be measured and judged by?


A rephrasing of these questions would make them appropriate for seeking the thoughts and ideas of external stakeholders regarding core values that they expect from our organization. Once all stakeholders are surveyed the leadership can begin to put together organizational core values that will precisely identify the type of organization the stakeholders want and expect.


Organizations should be careful to select only the core values that they can be loyal to and comply with regardless of circumstances. If core values are not internalized and committed to by the vast majority of members then they will not serve the purpose for which they were developed; to give boundaries to how business is conducted and to develop an organizational character or reputation everyone can be proud of.


Core values must be lived constantly by everyone within the organization. The constant and steady adherence to core values gives the organization and its leadership predictability. Over time the constant behavior in complete alignment with the core values becomes who they are; it becomes their organizational and leadership character. As the organization lives the core values daily under all situations, but especially difficult times, the values will be a benchmark for others to judge all future behavior and decisions. It is of utmost importance that the leadership team lives by the core values everyday and in every circumstance. There cannot be exceptions, they must set the example. Leaders cannot lead if they do not walk their talk. A leader cannot lead by directing the behaviors of his team in a manner that is inconsistent with his own behavior. Leadership behaviors must be aligned with organizational core values. Leading by example is one of the bedrock principles of effective and character based leadership. Development of core values will be dead upon arrival without the leaders adhering to them. Doing what is right even when the cost is more than we want to pay is one of the best definitions of integrity. The story below is about Gandhi. It is an excellent example of character based authentic leadership and about maintaining a perfect alignment between core values and leadership behaviors. Enjoy!


Years ago in India, a mother and her diabetic child travelled an exhausting 12 hours by train to see Gandhi. The mother wanted Gandhi to tell her son to stop eating sugar since he seem addicted to it and it was detrimental to his health being diabetic. After arriving and standing in line in the hot sun for several hours they finally got to see Gandhi. After the mother explained to Gandhi the purpose for the trip, Gandhi told them to go home and come back in six weeks. At the conclusion of the six week period the mother and child made the same difficult trip to see Gandhi again. As before, they had to stand in line a considerably long time under a blistering sun before finally getting to talk with Gandhi. The mother reminded Gandhi of the previous trip and his instructions, and they have now returned for his help. Gandhi, giving his full attention to the boy, shouted, “STOP EATING SUGAR!” The mother being quite complex told Gandhi that he could have said that on the first visit and saved them from having to make the second difficult trip. Gandhi replied, “No Madam, I could not, because six weeks ago I too craved sugar.”

Organizations, their leaders, and subordinates must know what they believe in and stand for. They must live it daily by their behaviors. Their decisions must be based upon organizational core values. They must lead authentically and without duplicity of character. It just will not work any other way. Only when we live and lead by our core values will we develop the individual and organizational character we desire to have, want to be known by and one which we can be proud of.


One final thought on this subject. Once an organization establishes it core values and the vast majority of employees buy into them a culture of moral and ethical character will begin to develop and grow. The moral culture will become so strong and ingrained that it will pressure those who cannot or will not adhere out of the organization. It will also serve as a moral magnet to draw into the organization those who admire its ethical qualities and those who would be proud to be associated with others who live, believe and think the same way. All of this takes time and effort, but it is only sure way to ensure ethical predictability by everyone within an organization.


Crisis of Character – Building Corporate Reputation in the Age of Skepticism, (2009) by Peter Firestein was used as a primary source for this article.


Esse Quam Videri!

Carpe Diem
Arete'

Building Trust through Having a Strong Devotion to Duty

This is a continuation of the postings on leadership traits that build trust as illustrated in chapter 14 of the book titled, Leadership Lessons from West Point. Chapter 14 is authored by Colonel Patrick Sweeney. This post will discuss the attribute of having a strong sense of duty. The attribute of duty, as you recall if you read the previous postings on trust, was ranked in a survey of military personnel as being number ten of ten of the most important attributes for developing trust by a leader.


Subordinates want to know that their leader is committed and compelled by honor to fulfill the responsibilities of their job, their office, or their profession. They want to know that their leader is committed to the end in the completion of the job or mission; that there will be no stopping or hesitation in fulfilling the assignment, irrespective of the cost or hardship. No quitting! Leaders do not quit! Leadership is not for sissies or the faint of heart. Leadership is for those with the courage to do their duty!




John Wayne

 This high expectation from our team members reminds me of the part in the movie Red River where John Wayne was asking for men to go with him on the long and difficult cattle drive. He basically told them that none were obligated or expected to sign up to go and if they chose not to go, there would be no hard feelings. But, for those who decide to go there would be no quitting. If you sign up to go there would be no turning back. John Wayne said…“there will be no quitting, not by me, not by anyone.” Those considering whether to go or not did not have to concern themselves with the question of whether John Wayne lacked a sense of duty to complete what he was about to start. He made that perfectly clear upfront. That is what our team members want to know about us! Subordinates want to know that if they go with the leader that when the going gets tough the leader is going to leaderup. They expect him to get as tough as the situation calls for and not turn and run with his tail stuck between his legs.

I must admit that I am a bit surprised that duty ranked the last of the top ten important attributes that build trust. I would have ranked it much higher, perhaps at the very top of the list. To demonstrate my high preference for duty as a leadership trait, I am including below a portion of the speech I was honored to give in 2006 to the North Carolina Highway Patrol 116th Basic Cadet class in which my son Ben was in. Here goes.



Ben and me at Basic School Graduation



"I want to talk with you this morning about what I believe is the most noble and supreme word in the English language. That word is Duty. The sterling Southern gentlemen, military genius, and Christian apologist, Robert E. Lee of Virginia, wrote the following words in a letter to his eldest son, who at the time, was a cadet at the United States Military College at West Point: I quote.

Duty is the sublimest word in the English language. You should do your duty in all things. You can never do more. You should never wish to do less. Unquote.


If you have ever visited West Point, VMI, or The Citadel, you would have seen these penetrating and thought-provoking words pinned by Lee engraved into bronze plaques secured to the walls of the sally port entrances to the cadet barracks.


Lee’s quote serves as a constant reminder to the cadets of their moral and legal obligation to their duty. Cadets in all of these great institutions spend many hours polishing those bronze plaques to ensure that the meaning of these words are infused into their moral consciousness.


I submit to you that these same noble and inspiring words should also adorn the walls of our training academy and Highway Patrol facilities across the state, to constantly remind each of us of our duty. Devotion to duty requires of us an unrelenting vigilance."


Lee



Little Round Top

When I think of the highest devotion to duty I often think of the battle on Little Round Top during the War Between the States. Duty was in great supply that hot July day in 1863 from both the northern soldiers of 20th Maine under the command of Colonel Joshua Chamberlain and the southern soldiers of the 15th Alabama commanded by Colonel William Oakes. Both sides were worn out, exhausted, and short of or out of ammunition. With the last charge up the extremely steep mountainside of Little Round Top by the 15th Alabama everyone was for the most part fighting hand to hand. Historians say it was the deciding factor in the outcome of the battle of Gettysburg. Had the southern soldiers defeated the northern soldiers on Little Round Top the left flank of the northern army would have collapsed. That would have spelled disaster for them and a victory for the southern Army of Northern Virginia.


Colonel Joshua Chamberlain was later awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his devotion to duty during that fight. Every soldier on both sides were equally deserving of the same honor because there was no shortage of courage, honor, or devotion to duty by anyone that bloody day, on either side.



Oates



Chamberlain



It you follow the three links below they will carry you a site that gives greater detail of the battle, a video of the battle, and a guided tour of Little Round Top. It has many great lessons for leaders. If you ever get the chance to take a leadership tour of the Gettysburg battlefield please take it. The fighting at Little Round Top is a vital part of the tour.

Duty is, as Robert E. Lee said, the most sublime word in the English language. May God grant each of us the courage to always do our duty. Our subordinates will not trust us, or nor will they follow us, unless we demonstrate that we have a unrelenting devotion to fulfill our duty at whatever the cost, whether it is on a battlefield, in a boardroom or in the squad room.


Information site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Round_Top

Movie clip from Gettysburg Movie
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=11&ved=0CFMQtwIwCg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DwYDhAmjmxYk&ei=0dOcTKySDsH6lwf5pITHCg&usg=AFQjCNHzrlMknnm3ZfBVlRU_SbXVfePfpQ&sig2=uWt-9Wzwu2hPdYAtJbqlNw
 
Guided tour
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=12&ved=0CFcQtwIwCw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DrDhu75RN3wQ&ei=0dOcTKySDsH6lwf5pITHCg&usg=AFQjCNH10s0TKP1i-FlVozWWUF6hoyP8HA&sig2=Syna2LDbfI-qrwgGmbVguQ

Building Trust through Personal Connections

This is a continuation of the postings on leadership traits that build trust as illustrated in chapter 14 of the book titled, Leadership Lessons from West Point. Chapter 14 is authored by Colonel Patrick Sweeney. This post will discuss the attribute of personal connections or relationship building with subordinates. The personal connection attribute, as you recall if you read the previous postings on trust, was ranked in a survey of military personnel as being number nine of ten of the most important attributes for developing trust by a leader.


Colonel Sweeney begins this section on personal connections with the following statement: “This connection between the leader and subordinates is important because it increase the interdependence in the relationship and the likelihood that leaders will consider their soldiers as people and not simply as expendable resources” (p. 270).


This statement by Colonel Sweeney is directly opposite of the leader-led relationship mentality of Henry Ford. Consider Ford’s statement, “Why is it that I always get the whole person, when what I really want is a pair of hands?” Henry Ford viewed his employees as units of production rather than human beings with individual concerns and needs. As William Pollard states in his magnificent book, The Soul of the Firm, “We are not machines; we are people, with our own fingerprints of personality and potential” (p. 26). If my personal definition of leadership is accurate, i.e.,


the relational process of influencing and empowering people, individually and collectively, so they can grow and maximize the unique talents and gifts of their mind, body, heart and spirit, allowing them to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization and the individual,


then we as leaders or as organizations cannot be effective until we grow and develop our people.


To grow and develop people under effective leadership, they must be seen in the eyes of their leaders as individuals with their own unique set of needs, wants, fears, goals, aspirations and values. With this whole person approach to leadership, organizational and unit goals can be achieved if the individual team members grow and develop as human beings throughout the process. Pollard tells us, “It is not just what we are doing, but what we are becoming in the process that gives us our distinct value and is uniquely human” (p. 26). Leaders should ask themselves often, what is happening to my people in the process of carrying out the business of the organization? Am I treating them as a unit of production or as unique human beings? Am I manipulating or sacrificing them for the sake of profit, gain or personal benefit?


Teams want leaders who take the time to listen to their concerns and needs. They want leaders who go beyond words and take action to show they care. Our team members will not care how much you know until they know how much you care. Saying I care is not enough. A leader must take the time and effort to show and demonstrate the genuine care. Do not tell me you love me and then treat me like a dog, or perhaps worse, ignore me. You cannot show your care stuck behind a desk or secluded from your people. You must be out and about and visible to them. This, speaking from experience, is not an easy thing to do. It seems the paper work, emails, handling correspondence, preparing reports, etc., is overwhelming and keeps us stuck in the office. From someone who did not do so well in this area, I urge you handle the urgent and the important office work and then get out in the field and see your people. There always will be office work to do and if not careful you can make all of it urgent and important. I encourage you to make getting out of the office a priority equally too or greater than that of doing office duty. Put and keep it all in a proper perspective. Nothing is more important than developing a relationship with your team. It takes a visible presence to do that. It cannot be done through email, memos, and thank you notes.


Our subordinates want more than a steady pay check. Numerous surveys tell us that pay and money is seldom the most important motivator in seeking a job or profession. People want to feel a part of something bigger than themselves; they want to satisfy an inner need to belong and to provide a greater service to others. It is the leaders’ role to make the member feel they are a vital human being and a part of the team rather than just another cog in the wheel. To make individuals feel this vital connection to the overall success of the team we, as leaders, must get to know them as individuals. Our team should know that their leaders understand and see them as unique individuals and that they relate to them and their many concerns as a team members.


As we learn about their individual concerns and needs we learn what motivates them. When we know what motivates people we grow our leadership ability to influence them in ways that contribute to meeting their needs and goals. When they feel that they are an indispensable part of something great and important their efforts to meet the goals of the unit or organization will grow proportionally. This in turn adds value and leads to the success of the team and the organizational mission. What occurs is a true alignment in the effort to achieve individual goals and goals of the team and organization.


Communicate and show that you care and a relationship of mutual trust will manifest itself within your team. Every individual on the team should be made to feel indispensable to the team. Truly caring for our people and treating them with the dignity and worth they deserve as individual human beings, rather than treating them as just another pair of hands, is indispensable to your leadership success and the success of your team and organization.


In closing, I again quote William Pollard: “People are playing different instruments with different parts, but when they perform together from the same musical score, they produce beautiful music. They produce value” (p. 33). The duty of the leader is to align the musical notes of the organization with the notes of the individual team members. When the music from many parts come together in harmony the results are phenomenal.


Esse Quam Videri

Carpe Diem

Arete’

Building Trust through Open Communications

This is a continuation of the postings on leadership traits that build trust as illustrated in chapter 14 of the book titled, Leadership Lessons from West Point. Chapter 14 is authored by Colonel Patrick Sweeney. This post will discuss the attribute of openness in communications. Openness, as you recall if you read the previous postings on trust, was ranked in a survey of military personnel as being number eight out of ten of the most important attributes for developing trust by a leader.


Colonel Sweeny opens the section on openness with the following header: “Sharing information, especially in chaotic and dangerous situations, provides group members with a sense of predictability and control they need and crave, which facilitates successful stress management.”
Not all of us live and work in physically dangerous environments as do military soldiers and law enforcement officers. It is fair to say, I think, that quite a lot of people in our society operate in chaotic and stress filled environments where other types of dangers lurk. In non-dangerous jobs where there is no chance of losing your physical life because of poor leadership communication, the lost or injury to your professional life is always a viable possibility.


Regardless of what type of battlefield we traverse daily in our jobs, we need information so we can prepare ourselves to fulfill the demands of our duty. It is just blatantly unfair and unethical to send others into situations without sharing every tidbit of information that is practical and prudent. If team members know the details of what is in front of them they can prepare mentally, physically and emotionally for the demands they must meet. When totally prepared personal confidence, confidence in the leader, and confidence in a successful mission is raised to a higher level.


I will venture to say that in our careers we have been sent into meetings, on missions or into some job role without being given adequate information. Without knowledge of the landscape and intelligence of what can be expected is like walking into a dark cave without a flashlight. It is scary and it is, most of the time, unnecessary. It is in my opinion unethical and poor leadership to send team members into any situation, albeit, a military battle, a domestic law enforcement situation, a man hunt, etc., without adequate preparation. A huge part of preparation is in the form of accurate information communicated from the leadership. Giving people valuable information allows them adequate time to prepare mentally and to emotionally adjust to the demands of the duty.


Open communication by a leader with their organizational and team members fosters a team unity mentality to meet the demands of the job. Without openness within a unit the old “us versus them” mentality develops. When leaders are forthcoming with any and all available information it creates openness up the chain of command too. Information flows freely from the subordinates to the leaders. It comes down to, if I, as a leader, want to know what I need to know to lead successfully, I must communicate to others what they need and crave to know. It is nothing more than tell and be told, inform and be informed. Simply, if the team senses that the leader trusts them enough to share all the intelligence available, they will in turn develop trust in the leader and carry vital intelligence to him. Openness, then, creates trust and leads to trust from all directions within the team unit or organization.


Is there an open flood gate of rumors in your organization? Is the rumor mill churning at maximum power? Is your organization, or are you as a leader, still operating under the old school paradigm of “go and do as you are told and don’t ask why. If we think you need to know something, we will tell you?” This type of organizational culture feeds mistrust and accelerates the rumor mill to full throttle. Rumors and distrust grows best in the soil of ignorance and darkness.


When people do not know the facts they create them in their own minds and communicate them to others for feedback and support. Generally these “facts” are far from accurate, but it is all they have to prepare themselves. The problem with making preparations based upon false information is it is laying the groundwork for a disaster. When the subordinates gets into the throes of his assignment and realizes the reality of his environment is not at all what they thought and prepared for, panic and disorganization sets in. When this happens, mission success or the desired outcome of the job assignment is in jeopardy.


Success can only be realized if we will fertilize the soil with correct and timely information, and be available for questions, concerns and support during the process. Just shoot straight with the team and give them the best and most accurate information that is available. With this climate of openness your unit or organization will start to see a vast decrease in rumors and begin the process of developing trust in its leadership. Remember that well informed members in a trustworthy environment do not start rumors. They, instead, seek answers knowing and trusting that if the leader knows the facts and information it will be feely shared. If the leader holds back information then the team will grow suspicious, trust deteriorates and the rumor mill cranks up. The “us versus them” culture grows. The vital support and team unity needed to accomplish the mission is lost or at least terribly weakened.

Always remember that people cannot and will not function at a high level of effectiveness or be high level performers when they are preparing and operating on false information based upon rumor rather than accurate and timely information from their leader. People are not like mushrooms which grow best in dark and damp places; they are like sunflowers that need the fullness of sunlight to grow, develop and perform at their full potential. Communicate! Communicate! Communicate!


In summary Colonel Sweeney tells us that openness and a leaders’ willingness to share information serves four important functions:


1. Openness allows the subordinate to prepare for their duties and manage their stress.


2. Openness demonstrates trust between the organizations’ leadership and subordinates that they are not hiding anything unnecessarily.


3. Openness increases interdependence and team unity that is needed to meet the demands of the team and organization.


4. Openness leads to subordinated openness being reciprocated up the chain of command


Trust can only be developed in openness where there the information flows freely in all directions. Develop trust in your area of responsibility by sharing everything you can about the mission or the job at hand with your team.


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Character Development is a Life-Long Pursuit

Character development is a life long pursuit. It is really the pursuit of the only thing of lasting value you can both take with you and leave at your death, i.e., your character. We can become morally better as individuals and leaders if we put forth the effort. Sometimes it may be a moment by moment effort, but certainly as leaders we should strive every day to be morally superior to who we were the day before. Character development is not a competition with anyone else but yourself. As Mr. Josephson states in his posting that is linked below, we should strive to become the kind of person all children want their parents to be. This reminded me of a poster I saw a few weeks ago in the vets office. It was a poster of a big dog and it said, "Be the kind of person your dog thinks you are." That is a pretty high standard if your dog is like mine. My dog Gus thinks, other than my wife that is, I am the greatest thing since puppy chow! I bet your dog thinks highly of you too! Click the link and read this short but good article by Michael Josephson.

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Michael Josephson Commentary: We Shape Our Own Character 687.1

Building Trust Through Courage Part 2

Part 1 was posted on Friday, September 10.  Please read it first before reading part 2 if you haven't done so. Thanks for your continuing support of this blog.

Coupled with humility the courageous leader is foundationally prepared with the moral authority to lead others. You cannot be a principled leader if you are not both courageous and humble. Universal principles will not permit it. Humility is paramount because it requires the principled leader to understand and accept his proper place in the universe. It requires of him to accept the truth that there are universal principles and standards that are beyond his control or power to change or manipulate. Without this humility and wisdom, courage could serve as our enemy as well as our friend. History is full of examples where courage has been used by leaders for good and evil or a combination of both. “Courage becomes a virtue only when it serves others.” Humility is what enables the practice of servant leadership. Courage and humility are the support structure of principled leadership.


When we as leaders accept the fact that there is a consequence for each decision we make, are we able to use the virtue of courage as our ally to manifest great achievements in our organizations. It mandates that the leader understand he has been given free moral agency to make decisions, but the consequences of those decisions are controlled by universal principles. Moral laws are just as constant and reliable as all the other laws of nature. The law of gravity is no different than law of honest relationships. If you throw a ball into the air it is going to come back down. If you decide to cut corners on a business deal, treat your co-workers badly, or cheat your competitors, it too will have fixed results. The end is fixed by nature, but the choice of the means to those ends is freely made. The immediate consequence of your choices is the quality of your moral self-worth and over time, your true character will be revealed as others are affected, for good or bad, by your behavior.

It is humility and wisdom that teaches us that the consequences of our decisions are beyond our control. It is courage that strengthens our will and reason to obey the higher and immutable principles, knowing that good decisions will produce good outcomes and wrong decisions will produce bad outcomes. It takes courage to make these tough decisions that are principally based, all the while knowing that the short-term results will hurt more than we would like. Knowing that a principled decision may cost the company thousands of dollars or that the decision may cost you your job, requires great courage to make. Based upon this premise, courage could then be defined as the inner quality of making principled decisions even when the cost to us is greater than we would like to pay. Courage is that virtue that gives us the fortitude to forego the pain or pleasure of the moment so as to remain true to principled conduct and reap the good that is inevitable when decisions are made from right reasoning.

It is because of pleasure we do things that are contrary to principled virtues and to avoid pain we refuse to do those noble things. Socrates explains to us that courage is that virtue that whether the spirit is pressured by pleasure or pain, the individual still maintains command of reason about what he should fear or should not fear and makes decisions that are principled. Courage, according to Thomas Aquinas is a “condition of every virtue” and Aristotle believed courage is “…a requisite for every virtue to act firmly and immovable.”

The principled leader should feel trepidation, regarding both pain and pleasure, if it leads to the violation of principled conduct. As Aristotle explains it, our actions determine our character and it is a common principle that we must conduct ourselves according to what is good and right. We must love what is good and right and hate that which is bad and wrong, and through the development of habitual courage conduct ourselves according to principled virtues.

It is through right reasoning that determines right conduct. Right conduct repeated time and again creates moral habit which in turn determines our integrity. Integrity maintained by habituation of rightful conduct over the long haul determines our character. This is true with all the virtues including courage. Aristotle tells us that we learn to be courageous by acting courageous. Just as “men become builders by building and lyre players by playing the lyre; we too become just by doing just acts…brave by doing brave acts”.

Character is derived from the Greek word that means to stamp or engrave upon. Principled leaders wear the stamp of principled character as a badge of honor. We often hear the statement that someone has a good reputation, but rarely do we hear that one is of good character. Is there a difference and does it matter when we uses the terms interchangeably? I think it does. The difference between character and reputation is really quite simple. Your character is who you really are and your reputation is who others think you are. The stamp of character is the cumulative from birth to date. It is a stamp upon your forehead for everyone to see. It is placed there by you and is based upon your true and objective adherence to principled virtues. The stamp of reputation is at best the subjective and temporary stamp placed upon your forehead by others which is based upon your perceived adherence to their values.

It takes courage to habitually execute the good and forego the bad. Aristotle tells us that, “It makes no small difference, then, whether we form habits of one kind or of another…it makes a very great difference, or rather all the difference.” Courage is indispensable to developing a principled based character, without which, no person is worthy to lead, or to be honored with the noble title of leader.


Sources:
 
Mortimer J. Adler, ed., Great Books Of The Western World: The Syntopicon: An Index To the Great Ideas, Book 1 (Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 1990), 198.



Comte-Sponville, 50.


Mortimer J. Adler, 348-349.


Ibid, 349

Building Trust through Courage - Part 1

Principled Leadership Requires Courage


This is the seventh of ten postings on attributes that build leadership trust. This post is about courage. Since it is a little lengthy, I will post it in two parts.  If you have been following the previous postings, then you know that this series of postings is based upon the 14th chapter of the book titled, Leadership Lessons from West Point (2007). The chapter is authored by Colonel Patrick Sweeney.

Courage is that single virtue that everyone desires for themselves and most respects in others. Courage, arguable, is the single most universally admired virtue known to man. It is the stuff of heroes, and we all love the hero. Simply, courage is the moral and mental strength to act principally when faced with difficult situations. Courage is not the absence of fear but the moral power to overcome fear and act principally. It is that virtue we so often doubt we possess in ourselves during times of great need.

Like Henry in The Red Badge of Courage, most all combat soldier wonder if they will fight or flee in the heat of the battle. We wonder if we will have the courage to face death eye to eye like Mike Durant did when his Blackhawk helicopter crashed in Operation Gothic Serpent in Mogadishu in 1993. Painfully we wonder if we would have the courage of heroes like Gary Gordon and Randy Shughart, posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor recipients, for their heroic acts while under fire in Mogadishu. We ask ourselves would we, like Gordon and Shughart, volunteer to rope down to Durant’s crashed Blackhawk to save him and the crew knowing fully the incredible odds against survival as hundreds of the enemy was approaching. After September 11, 2001 we searched our souls trying to determine if we would have had the courage, like Todd Beamer and the other Flight 93 passengers, to retake the plane from the terrorist to prevent it from being crashed into the White House or U.S. Capitol building.

Fortunately most of us in leadership positions will not have face those life and death decisions where courage is so much needed. Still today’s leaders are faced with monumental decisions every day that requires courage to meet them head on. The young leader, who has not experience the demands of leadership, may be wondering if he has the courage to make the right business decision, much like those of us do when considering the life and death decisions of heroes as shown in the preceding paragraph. Where we have not ventured, we all have doubts whether we have the courage to make the journey. Courage, then, in its truest sense, is thus exhibited by those who make the choice to go equipped only with hope and faith but knowing that the only personal gain is having the knowledge that the noble deed was done.


When considering the question of courage, the paramount question for all leaders to ask is why courage is such an important virtue to have and one worthy of developing. It has been said that courage is that virtue that makes all others possible. C. S. Lewis tells us in Mere Christianity that you cannot adhere to other virtues very long without the cardinal virtue of courage. Courage is that single virtue, according to Aristotle, that all the other virtues “pivot or hinge” upon. Thomas Aquinas taught that courage is “a condition of every virtue”. It is from the wisdom of these great and influential teacher-philosophers that we, at least partially, understand why we should develop personal courage and to exercise it daily. To live a principled and virtuous life, and to contribute to a noble cause, there is no substitute for courage.


Sources:
1. Andre’ Comte-Sponville, A Small Treaties On The Great Virtues (New York: Henry Holt and Company, 1996), 44.



2. C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York, Simon & Schuster, Inc. 1952), 62.

Esse Quam Videri



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Arête

Building Trust through Confidence

This is the sixth of ten postings on attributes that build leadership trust. This post is about confidence. If you have been following the previous postings, then you know that this series of postings is based upon the 14th chapter of the book titled, Leadership Lessons from West Point (2007). The chapter is authored by Colonel Patrick Sweeney.

If a leader wants to earn subordinate trust they must become a confident leader. A confident leader is one who believes in the rightness of his character, has a high level of job knowledge in his field of choice, and has the ability to get the job completed successfully. As Christopher Kolenda tells us in the book, Leadership: The Warrior’s Art, leadership demands confident leaders who have prudent judgment, clear understanding, vision, and foresight. They must be independent and firm when making decisions, determined and energetic in carrying out the mission at hand (p.195). A leader who doubts his moral underpinning, who has limited job knowledge and the inexperience from a lack of successful accomplishments, will not be confident or exhibit confidence to his team.

Lack of confidence by a leader cannot be masked. The lowering of the head, the darting of the eyes, the reluctance in the step, and the posturing of the body, if nothing else, will tell volumes about one’s lack of confidence. No one can hide a lack of confidence and no one can hide a high level of confidence either. If the leader tries to fake his confidence, or anything else for that matter, he will lose any and all confidence and respect he may have with others. His subordinates will read him like a book and see him as he is. The point being is to not try to fool anyone, but develop your leadership skills through education, experience, and by modeling successful leaders who have a track record of success. In fact, learn as much as you can now from the experiences of others. Confidence is a natural consequence of knowledge, experience, and success. It is all about being a confident as well as an authentic leader. Developing your leadership skills now will save you a lot of bumps and bruises in the future. The school of hard knocks is a tough way to become successful. If it were not true, this school’s colors would not be black and blue.

If a leader was able to hide a lack of confidence through his body language he would not be able to hide it by his performance in the arena. His decision making, his judgment, and his ability to complete and accomplish his mission effectively will report on him every time. A leader has to make decision under stress and usually with incomplete information. A confident leader has to move and act and be prepared to change and adapt as the mission unfolds. No leader has the luxury or time to wait for all the information before acting and deciding. A confident leader starts the ball rolling while adjusting as necessary to new information and intelligence. As an interesting side note, retired General Colin Powell believes that when you have enough information that gives you a 40% to 70% chance of success and your gut feeling is telling you to go; then go, move, act, do, lead!

A confident leader manages and controls the field, be it the battlefield, the sports arena, or other areas of professional settings, with expertise. He is not afraid to be proactive and chooses not to be reactive. He strives to know what is happening, what is not happening, and what he can do to influence change in a favorably manner. He takes the initiative to control and shape the events and to influence outcomes that favor mission success.


This is a tough order and leadership is not a discipline you can play role. Leadership is not for the weak minded or the faint at heart, the sissy or the coward. It is not an endeavor one should enter into lightly or without adequate preparation. You cannot fool people or play the make believe leader game when the heat is on and the game is on the line. People get hurt that way! As the old cowboy adage says, when you are riding through hell you have to keep riding, there is no time to get off. You just have to cowboy-up or rather leader-up! While riding through hell you cannot fake leadership nor learn it on quick and or the cheap. Poor leadership and excellent leadership both will stick out like a sore thumb. Prepare as much as possible now before you have to take the ride through hell.


The more a leader is tried in the fire of adversity and difficulty the more confident he will become and the more he will be seen as a confident leader. But too much fire too quickly is a recipe for disaster, so get as much experience as you can before you are thrown into the lion’s den. A little success here and a little bit there will tend to bring greater success later. Nothing builds confidence in one’s ability more than a good solid win. Success breeds success. Your team will have greater confidence in you when you demonstrate the ability to succeed. The more difficult the win the more confidence you will gain in yourself and the more you will get from your team members. There is nothing quite like bringing the trophy home!


We cannot always win the game, this we all know. Even when we do not win we can build self confidence and gain the confidence of our team if we played the game well. If we made the right decisions at the right time and for the right reasons, and took responsibility for the outcome, then we will earn the confidence of others and have more respect and confidence in ourselves. If your team loses you want them to say, or at least think, “Well, we lost a tough one but no one could have done any better leading us out there than you.”


So get out there and lead now as best you can while preparing earnestly for more difficult rides that surely will come your way! Learn your business through and through, know yourself, know your team, know your enemy. As you do these things you will earn greater trust of others because you will become a more confident and successful leader.


Esse Quam Videri

Carpe Diem

Arête

More Rules Will Not Necessarily Make You More Ethical

The Michael Josephson commentary linked below is a very interesting one. It discusses the concept that rules cannot make a person ethical or good. I suspect most people would agree with that, but what is the first thing we tend to do when we discover an ethical crisis in our organizations? Is it not to make more policies, regulations, and rules? Not only do we make additional rules, but don’t we tend to stand up tall and straight and stick out our chest and say to one and all, "Break these rules and we will fire you; if you don’t believe us, just try us; we are not going to tolerate this mess!" Have you ever heard this kind of nonsense before? I have, too many times to count.

The point Mr. Josephson makes in his commentary is that what organizations need to do, along with having values guiding policies, is develop an organizational culture of ethical behavior. A culture where ethical behavior is not only expected and demanded, but is a predictable certainty. A culture where anything but ethical behavior would be a surprise and shock throughout the organization.

Since ethical behavior is character based it must be a mutually inclusive way of living and doing business, i.e., personal and professional oneness. It is a culture where leaders (we are all leaders of ethical behavior) throughout the organization do the right things themselves thus modeling the right way. The way of knowing, doing and becoming. Character (being) results from a thorough knowledge (knowing) what is right and wrong behavior plus a continuing and willful choice to do what is right (doing). Rules are needed but will not work without good character.

To develop an ethical culture in our organizations we must continually train and develop our people to know, to do and to become. Modeling ethical behaviors is the best way to teach them and to aid in character development. The more an individual sees and repeats observed ethical behaviors, the more he develops an ethical and virtuous character. Repetition of right behavior becomes a habit and our habits become our character. We know, we do and we become.

Remember that transformational leadership, as well as effective following, is an inside-out process. The quality of our leadership depends upon the quality of our character. We cannot be effective leaders without being of good character. The quality of our organizations depends upon the cumulative quality of the character of all leaders and subordinates within the organization. Becoming a leader of character is impossible until we learn to love the right and hate the wrong, and act accordingly. Yes, it is a tough job being a leader, but who promised us it would be easy?


Please read the commentary linked below.


Michael Josephson Commentary: Ethics Codes Don't Make People Ethical 684.1

Building Trust through Self-Control

This is the fifth of ten postings on attributes that build leadership trust. If you have been following the previous postings, then you know that this series of postings is based upon the 14th chapter of the book titled, Leadership Lessons from West Point (2007). The chapter is authored by Colonel Patrick Sweeney.

Building Trust through Self-Control

The members of your team are always watching you, their leader. They continually assess the manner in which you do your job and the effect it has on them. They watch every move you make, your body language, the tone and reflection of your voice, and your level of emotional anxiety. Your subordinates are always assessing whether to trust you or not. Colonel Sweeney puts it this way, “Leaders must be aware that subordinates are always assessing their reactions to stress to predict how they will react in extreme stressful situations where the consequences have the greatest importance” (p.263). This assessment never ends; it’s the price of leadership.

Depending on how you handle yourself under normal stress will determine whether your team will place their trust in you to lead them into the deep and dark unknowns. They will not trust you to lead them in difficult times if you cannot handle the daily stress of normal duties. If a leader blows his cool over small stuff and acts like a kid who has just had his toy taken away, he will be perceived as a hot head. Subordinates will always be uncomfortable with the leadership of a hot head and will follow only as far as duty demands.


If the leader losses his head and self-control during any level of stressful situations and starts yelling and blaming everyone around him he is, plainly speaking, unfit for leadership. A hot headed leader cannot make sound, rational, and timely decisions and cannot be trusted and should not be trusted either. As Major Bach said in his speech to graduating army leaders, “In garrison or camp many instances will arise to try your temper and wreck the sweetness of your disposition. If at such times you “fly off the handle” you have no business to be in charge of men” (See August 8 post for the entire speech). When the bullets of war or business begin to fly we all want a leader who is clear and cool-headed; a leader on whom we can trust to lead us out of the mess and to higher ground.

If your subordinates continually observe that you are cool, calm, and collected during a continuum of stressful situations not only will they trust you but you gain leadership credibility with them. They will come to the right conclusion that you are the real thing, a real leader who is dependable in a pinch; a leader who will make the right decision at the right time, and for the right reason. I recall a scene from a movie I was watching about the Vietnam War where a regiment was in furious battle with an overwhelming outnumbered enemy. The enemy had overrun the perimeter and was within the command post area. The commander was on the radio calling in an artillery strike on the very ground he was standing. I could not get over how he was so exceptionally cool and calm even though he knew he was calling in his own death from friendly fire. This is the kind of heroic leadership that people will follow into hell armed with only a glass of ice water. If the commander could keep his cool moments before certain death, I think we can keep ours’ during much less dire conditions, don’t you?


Subordinates especially watch closely how you react when they bring you bad news. How you react also determines your level of trustworthiness in their eyes. They ask themselves, “Can I trust this guy with bad news?” If a leader goes off when a subordinate brings disturbing information, he is less likely in the future to receive bad news. The subordinate will either not bring it or water it down so as to keep him from blowing up with him. It is just plain human nature to try to avoid a whipping.


This behavior is nothing more than killing the messenger because of the message. Lines of communication will break down as the leader will receive less information and facts or at best receives less reliable intelligence. You have got to be able to handle the truth if you want to consistently receive reliable information in a manner that you can use in a timely and effectual way to make right decisions. Always remember that good news or bad news should be equally appreciated.


A few years ago I was attending a mandatory supervisors’ meeting with the new organizational commander. He began the meeting by expressing his belief in openness and asked everyone to speak their minds. One officer spoke up (huh, wonder who that was?) and said the “wrong thing” and the commander berated him in front of his peers because it was not what the commander wanted to hear. Do you think anyone else opened their mouth during the meeting? No way! They were all afraid of having their head bitten off. Do you think there was some important information the commander need to hear and would have heard had he not bit one of the hands that fed him? I believe so!


If you want to shut down the vital lines of communication then kill the messenger over bad intelligence. No intelligence or watered down intelligence all leads to two things, i.e., organizational ineffectiveness and leadership ineptitude.


As Colonel Sweeney tells us:


Leaders who can manage stress and maintain composure have the means to apply their skills to make decisive decisions in tough situations. Also, their ability to maintain composure when and after receiving bad news facilitates the open flow of communications with subordinates, which greatly facilitates the leader’s ability to make timely and informed decisions (p.265).


So, a leader’s ability and emotional stability to handle stress and to be in full self-control at all times leads to his credibility and trust with his team. Your team will be willing to run through the hot fires of hell with you as long as they know you can handle the heat.


Leaderup!

Esse Quam Videri


Carpe Diem


Arete’

Attitudes

The link below is from Dave Anderson who is a leadership trainer and developer.  The link talks about attitude and the importance of having a team that possess positive attitudes.  As a leader attitudes are difficult to change if at all.  Click on the link below and listed to what Dave says about attitudes and the limitations we face as leaders when dealing with people who choose to have poor attitudes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci4pAeWjhuI