Archives For leadership

12 Leadership Traits: #4 – Discipline

November 7, 2013

Have you developed the disciplined habits that will give you the momentum to keep moving forward as a leader? Do you have the discipline to put in the hard work in honing your existing skills and in developing new ones? If not, can you develop the necessary discipline to make the jump from being adequate to becoming exceptional?

Merriam-Webster defines discipline as, “Training that is expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior, especially training that produces moral or mental improvement.”

Whether as a business leader, musician, athlete, or military commander, natural talent is necessary and important. But talent alone is simply not enough. What many fail to understand is that a key factor in determining who will blossom into an extraordinary leader is the discipline to practice diligently, to perpetually learn and improve, and to provide a sound example to others in the organization.

Like so many other qualities, discipline begins at the top and filters down throughout the organization. Can you identify specific qualities that disciplined organizations so often exhibit? I’ll offer a few examples for your consideration:

• Exceptional focus. Steve Jobs decided to prune the list of Apple’s active products down to a relative few, and then focused intensively on making those remaining products industry leaders. Ritz-Carlton, in its focus upon customer service, instructed every employee that the ownership of any customer issue or complaint they personally received consequently rested exclusively with them. Discipline is an enabler of focus; focus then reinforces discipline.

• Ability to function under duress. When its Tylenol bottles were criminally tampered with in 1982, tragically resulting in 7 deaths, Johnson & Johnson initiated a recall of some 31 million bottles with a retail value estimated at $100 million. The company also distributed warnings to hospitals and distributors and halted Tylenol production and advertising. An undisciplined organization would have been crushed under the weight of such urgent logistical stresses, not to mention the intense public scrutiny that surrounded the event.

• Ability to adapt to rapidly changing conditions. Operational agility has been a hallmark of the U.S. Marine Corps throughout its existence. Marine unit leaders train and instill the necessary discipline to adapt to changing battlefield conditions, whether in a counterinsurgency street battle or a large-scale engagement in the desert. Highly disciplined Marines have the ability to adapt and succeed under virtually any circumstances.

So, do you have the discipline to be great? If not, begin taking steps to improve. Set goals that require discipline, and then achieve those goals. Also set an example of disciplined behavior that others can and will follow. Don’t let laziness or sloppiness stand between you and greatness.

All the leadership traits I write about in this series of posts are clearly identifiable in my main character, Conor Rafferty, in my novel That Deadly Space. Find it on Amazon by clicking here.

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12 Leadership Traits: #3 – Integrity

November 4, 2013

Is the term integrity something that is clear to you? Is it a complicated set of principles that can vary according to a particular moral consideration or a specific set of circumstances? Or is it simply doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do?

Think of integrity as the quality of having high moral principles, of being reliable and trustworthy. It does not mean that you are near perfection as a human being, but rather that you can be trusted with words and deeds. For you, if integrity means doing the right thing, even if nobody knows or notices, then you understand the concept. If you behave consistently and use your moral principles, reliability, and trustworthiness as your guiding lights, you can rightfully be described as a person of integrity.

For certain, it is a description that is earned, and one that should be prized. If you have it, guard and nurture it. If you don’t yet have it, pursue it zealously. It is well worth the change in behavior you will have to make to earn it.

Now think of the foundation of a company as its core values. Core values can be defined as those things which we believe are the most important aspects of who we are and how we treat others. Effective core values very often operate behind the scenes, much like a computer’s operating system, keeping everything functioning in a consistent, predictable manner. A leader’s core values come to be understood by an organization from that leader’s consistent behavior over time. Those core values are then inculcated into an organization based in large measure on the leader’s example. Hence, core values and integrity are inextricably linked; it is difficult to have one without the other.

So, if you consider yourself a leader with integrity, and you have made it a practice to communicate your organization’s core values to your employees, what benefits do you think would accrue to those same employees?

I would suggest the following:

• Empowerment. If a leader with integrity is a leader who can be trusted, it should generally follow that the leader places high levels of trust in employees. Being trusted can be empowering. Being empowered can lead to many other tangential benefits such as improvements in productivity, innovation, and morale.

• Frame of Reference. Employees who understand the organization’s core values, and who see the leader as a person of integrity, will have little difficulty in determining their correct course of action when presented with a moral or ethical dilemma. Employees thus have a reference point that will guide and inform them.

• Safety Shield. Employees who see that people with low integrity are smoked out and promptly separated from the company will find reassurance in working for a leader and an organization where doing the right thing is not only expected, but demanded.

Being an honorable, ethical leader is never without challenges, to be sure, but a leader without integrity is a pathway to ultimate oblivion.

All the leadership traits I write about in this series of posts are clearly identifiable in my main character, Conor Rafferty, in my novel That Deadly Space. Find it on Amazon by clicking here.

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12 Leadership Traits: #2 – Courage

November 1, 2013

Aristotle called courage the first virtue because it makes all of the other virtues possible. I believe it to be the most important virtue for leaders in the business profession, as well. Without courage, there is no effective leadership at any level. Without courage, there is no breakthrough innovation or radical transformation. Without courage, there is no resistance to the blurring of the ethical and unethical. The absence of courage will very likely place an organization on a quick pathway to oblivion when business conditions invariably turn difficult.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines courage as, “Mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” Let us use this description as the basis for our discussion.

If someone were to describe you as a courageous leader, what exactly would they be referring to? What actions or impressions would you have demonstrated to cause such a characterization? What odds would you have prevailed against or what doubts (yours or others) would you have overcome?

I offer the following likely explanations:

• You took risks that most others would have avoided. Perhaps a decision on a new product or service. Or an acquisition or merger. Or a change is business strategy. You stepped out of your comfort zone, took full responsibility, and made something happen based upon your intellect, insight, and strength of character. And your guts.

• You accepted conflict as a natural business occurrence, and you dealt with it forthrightly, candidly, and honestly. You didn’t ignore it or hide from it and thus exacerbate the problem. You didn’t let the conflict escalate until it boiled over. And in the end you made a decision, however difficult, and lived with the consequences.

• You constantly challenged the status quo. You kept asking “Why?” when others seemed perfectly content. You created a healthy tension to become more productive or more innovative or more forward-looking. You created a culture of excellence, adaptability, and a willingness to embrace change.

• You didn’t suffer from the cowardice of silence. You spoke up when others dared not. You raised difficult issues. You disagreed when you felt you were right. You provided tough guidance and counsel when necessary. You provided honest feedback in a constructive way.

• You developed people and then entrusted them to do their jobs. You empowered others and accepted responsibility when they tripped. You gave credit when deserved. You coached and mentored with candor and patience. You praised in public and corrected in private.

Everyone has the capacity to be courageous. It is a teachable skill, and as such is made better with practice and coaching. You too can be a courageous leader. Be under no illusion, however, that it always come easily, for leadership courage is often a lonely, gut-wrenching, nail-biting experience. It’s not always popular, and you will never always be right. Just understand that it’s all part of the package.

Still want to be a leader?

Of course you do. And good luck!

All the leadership traits I write about in this series of posts are clearly identifiable in my main character, Conor Rafferty, in my novel That Deadly Space. Find it on Amazon by clicking here.

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12 Leadership Traits: #1 – Ability to Communicate

October 28, 2013

The ability to communicate gives the prospective leader the opportunity to impart information, influence others, and direct others to action. Without this ability, a leader’s overall effectiveness is diminished.

Why, then, is this trait so critical to a leader’s success?

Good communication skills are more important than ever. Those who possess the ability to communicate skillfully and effectively are greatly needed in a world that is dynamic and changing, challenging and unpredictable, and often confusing and dangerous. Communication skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening are essential for a leader who wants to move his/her organization through the fierce, global competition that has become the norm.

Below are several reasons for the importance of communication ability in a leader:

• Inform. One of the primary functions of communication in business is to provide information. Whether the information concerns products, plans, or policies, a leader’s need to inform a diverse audience of employees, customers, and stockholders is crucial.

• Educate. Since education is an ongoing communication process, a leader who spends considerable time, energy, and capital in educating employees about plans, processes, and policies is a leader who is serious about success. The best leaders are very often also the best teachers.

• Clarify. Leaders are routinely required to communicate clarifying information that amends, rescinds, or elucidates previous information that had been provided to audiences either within or outside the company, or both.

• Persuade. A leader who has the ability to communicate persuasively has a significant advantage over others not nearly as skillful. Persuasion should lead to desirable action; action should lead to results. Note that the ability to persuade is far more than spin control or other superficial attempts at deflection or avoidance. Nothing difficult would ever be achieved without persuasive leadership.

• Motivate. An inspirational leader can motivate employees with his/her words and actions; that same leader can motivate customers and clients into taking action on proposals, products, or services. And while it’s true that motivation doesn’t last, neither does a shower, and that is why it’s a worthwhile daily practice.

Communication is a perishable skill, so the leader must maintain proficiency with diligent practice. Can an impressive ability to communicate be a differentiator for the prospective leader among his/her peers? Yes, absolutely! A leader can create great plans for an organization, but without the ability to inform, educate, clarify, persuade, and motivate, those plans will likely not reach maximum effectiveness.

For more on communications, both verbal and written, please see my Kindle eBook How to Become a Successful, Effective Communicator. Find it on Amazon by clicking on the link.

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12 Leadership Traits

October 23, 2013

Leadership has often been described as the ability to get others to follow willingly. Political, military, business, and religious leaders have been studied throughout history in an effort to identify the traits that contributed to their huge successes.

Is there a common thread? And if so, what are those traits?

I spent years as a leader in military and business organizations, and I have studied leaders from those with whom I have had direct contact to those past and present leaders about whom so much has been documented.

I encountered a number of truly outstanding leaders in the business world who were highly successful and widely respected, and who provided inspiration for organizations to achieve remarkable results. In the military, I encountered Marine Corps officers and non-commissioned officers who had been highly decorated combat leaders for their performance under the most stressful and terrifying conditions imaginable, and whose troops nevertheless followed them into that dark hole of battle. With political and military leaders, I’ve studied the likes of Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, George Patton, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Chester Nimitz, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Douglas MacArthur, among others.

I’ve made it a point to learn about business leaders such as Jack Welch, Lee Iacocca, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Ted Turner, Herb Kelleher, Warren Buffett, and more recently, Mark Zuckerberg.

I have identified twelve traits that great leaders seem to demonstrate on a highly consistent basis. Some have strong traits that do not appear on this list and still others sometimes reflect attributes that are less than desirable, perhaps even lamentable, yet who succeed anyway. This list is not meant to be all-inclusive, such that every great leader embodies all twelve attributes. Rather, it is meant as a guide as to what I would consider the commonalities which are shared by many leaders who are clearly exceptional.

Please note that in future articles, I will take each of the twelve traits and elaborate further.

My twelve leadership traits are thus:

1. Ability to Communicate

2. Courage

3. Integrity

4. Discipline

5. Fairness

6. Unselfishness

7. Dependability

8. Vision

9. Assertiveness

10. Professional Competence

11. Judgment

12. Creativity

These are the twelve leadership traits that I have identified among the best of the leaders I have seen and studied.

Are you a leader? If so, how do compare your own self-assessed leadership traits to the above list? If you are preparing for a life of leadership, your possession and embrace of the above twelve traits would not guarantee you career success, since there are no such guarantees, but it would put you in good company.

Very good company, indeed.

All the leadership traits I write about in this series of posts are clearly identifiable in my main character, Conor Rafferty, in my novel That Deadly Space. Find it on Amazon by clicking here.

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An Open Letter to President Abraham Lincoln

October 11, 2013

Dear Mr. President:

Since I’ve always considered you the wisest among all American presidents, I respectfully seek your counsel on several troubling matters.

The United States is in the throes of a bitter ideological feud between those who lean toward a more progressive, socialist left and those of a more traditional, conservative right. It involves many things, to include the charge and size of government, the U.S. role as the most powerful nation in an increasingly unstable world, and the likely destructive consequences of years of gross fiscal irresponsibility. Too, we have deep divides on matters of religion, marriage, and the termination of unwanted pregnancies in what is termed, appropriately enough, abortion (or, as some would prefer, the right to choose, not unlike being of age and deciding upon whiskey or beer, except, of course, the difference in consequences).

Mr. Lincoln, since your time the United States has won two world wars, cured polio, given women the vote, enacted legislation to ensure equal rights to all citizens, and sent men to the moon and back (really, we did, and more than once!). We built the most powerful economy in world history, and in the process assimilated countless millions of immigrants from all parts of the globe. Those immigrants came here in the belief that ambitious, hardworking individuals can move from poverty to relative prosperity based upon effort, not birthright. And by the way, we have twice elected a U.S. president of African descent.

But we’re far from perfection. We can quite literally transplant hearts and other vital organs, but we don’t do as well transplanting values. Our prisons are crowded, our young are too often poorly educated, and there is still racial prejudice, just as in your day, though more subtle. We bend over backwards in a near-comical attempt to avoid “offending” anyone, and in the process offend or inconvenience nearly everyone. Our citizens are increasingly suspicious of and alarmed by a federal government in which powerful components have been used to gather highly personal information and to sometimes intimidate or penalize innocent people for purely political reasons.

We seem to be at a crossroads, sir. Thankfully we’re not at war with one another as we were in your day, but we do have counties in some states who feel so ideologically and culturally detached that their citizens now speak of secession. I know you remember (and detest) that word. Our elected representatives seem more concerned about being re-elected than in solving the real problems that threaten our well-being as a nation. There is a certain smallness about Congress, and I’m sure you would recognize much of the pettiness and posturing, even the vitriol. There is also a smallness to the president, who seems aloof and detached from the actual governing and leadership aspects of his role. Like you, he won the job with great skill, but unlike you, he governs with virtually none of it.

Throughout the days of your presidency, would you have avoided engaging members of the opposing party as if they were poisonous reptiles, even if you thought dealing with snakes would be an upgrade? Would you have been able to raise an army and the revenue necessary to fight it without some level of bi-partisan support?  To ensure the abolition of slavery in all of the U.S., didn’t you push for passage of the Thirteenth Amendment which Congress passed by the necessary two-thirds vote in 1865?

Mr. Lincoln, is it conceivable that any sort of budgetary crisis would have ever convinced you to close Gettysburg National Cemetery and turn away veterans and family members from paying their respects?

We need your help here, President Lincoln. What should we do? Change the people? Change the terms under which they serve? It’s not getting better; the divides are becoming deeper.

Is there anyone out there like you who could step in and provide some desperately needed leadership? Can you recommend a person–any person–who could step forward and fill the void? If so, will you send me a text? Oops, sorry, make that a telegram.

And please, sir, hurry.

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Have Americans Lost Confidence in Business Leaders?

September 5, 2013

In a June, 2013 Gallup Poll (Confidence in Institutions), only 9% professed a great deal of confidence in big business, while 13% indicated quite a lot of confidence. In the same poll, 31% expressed very little confidence in big business. Ten years ago the value was the same at 31%. Twenty years ago, 28%; thirty years ago, 26%.

The values for small business were far better by roughly three times in a great deal and quite a lot categories, at 29% and 36% respectively. Only the military polled higher than small business. Americans trust small-business owners in the creation of jobs more than any other entity.

Though the results over thirty years don’t indicate a dramatic shift in the public’s lack of confidence in big business, there is clearly room for improvement. What drives this lack of confidence? What are the sources? Is it the seemingly endless number of highly publicized corporate scandals and criminality? Is it executive compensation? Outsourcing to foreign countries? Mass layoffs? Cutting of or reducing employee benefits? Greed as a primary operating principle?

It is all of the above, and probably more. At the heart of the matter, in my opinion, is executive leadership. Because of the relatively easy access to owners of small businesses, they are known by the public in ways that leaders of big businesses are not. Hence, small business owners are more likely to be accessible, accountable, and admired by the members of their communities when they conduct their activities with integrity and responsibility. If they act otherwise, they’re finished and they darn well know it.

Leaders of large businesses may not be well known to their own employees, much less the general public. They are mostly seen in newspaper or online articles when commenting on quarterly results or gaining millions in stock options or announcing a domestic plant closure or an overseas plant opening. Is it any surprise, then, that the public expresses low levels of confidence in business executives they know very little about, and who they assume know and care very little about them?

Then again, the general public knows little about the military leaders who are entrusted with the nation’s defense, yet they indicate very high levels of trust in those leaders. Why the difference? Why is one group trusted and the other, not so much?

Military leaders are seen as having the public’s well-being at the heart of what they do. They are generally regarded as unselfish, committed to a life of service where the demands are great and the sacrifices are many. Great military leaders are seen as ambitious, sure, but never at the expense of their troops. The American military has long served this nation honorably and skillfully, and its tradition of sacrificial service has earned it a place of special trust with the citizenry.

Business leaders should consider this difference carefully. No, the business profession is not the same as military service. But great leaders are great wherever they are, in whatever capacity they serve. And in all fairness, big business has also unquestionably served this nation well, in peace and war.

So, have Americans lost faith in business leaders? I think not. But public confidence is not improving, which reflects the need for business leaders to think anew how they are perceived by the public, and how that perception can be upgraded. The business leaders in the forefront on this in an honest, ethical, and assertive way will be noticed. And appreciated.

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Leadership Roles – The Importance of Mentoring

April 23, 2013

Most successful leaders consider the development of people as a key leadership function. Aspiring leaders need guidance and role models if they are to effectively grow into their own leadership roles. Mentoring provides an established leader an opportunity to influence and teach an understudy by sharing knowledge and wisdom that has been accumulated over years of experience. Thus the mentor can not only reinforce the established practices, core values, and overall culture of the company, but can also challenge the understudy to see and think in new and different ways.

The benefits to the understudy are numerous. Broader knowledge, enhanced critical thinking, and an expanded professional network are but a few of the potential gains. Once the understudy has developed over time and assumed a leadership role, at some point the former pupil will likely become a mentor and pass along the value of their own experience. A culture of continuous learning is thereby established where corporate memory and corporate ideals are shared, reinforced, and retained.

Speaking of benefits, the mentor can reap a significant return for the time and effort spent in further developing more junior associates. Below are several of those rewards:

  • It can sharpen the mentor’s skills. The understudy should be expected to question everything, and in so doing the mentor will be expected to provide thoughtful, reasoned answers. Thinking about and answering questions concerning virtually every area of the business will challenge the mentor. Additionally, the mentor will be dealing with someone who is presumably younger, and who can perhaps bring a fresh perspective to problems or opportunities that the mentor may not have previously considered.
  • It can provide solutions to existing problems. A mentor who tasks an understudy with a specific business problem to delve into and then propose solutions for are not only developing the skills of the understudy, but bringing about a potential resolution to an existing obstruction.
  • It can retain the top leadership talent in the company. Retention and succession planning are important for any organization. Developing home-grown talent and then creating the right conditions for enticing them to stay is a very cost-effective way to build and then keep a leadership team.
  • It can be personally satisfying. If you believe that what you get is in direct proportion to what you give, then having an active role in the personal and professional growth of others will be immensely satisfying. Giving of ourselves is one of the greatest gifts we can offer. Seeing the results of those mentoring efforts giving rise to the blossoming of a successful, competent leader will indeed bring great fulfillment.

Leadership mentoring involves many things, but ultimately it is all about performance. Not just results, not just career progression, but performance. A leader can enhance the performance of an understudy with coaching and direction, to be sure, but that mentoring relationship has the potential to improve the mentor’s own performance, as noted above. Adding bright, motivated, energetic young leaders to the management team can also benefit the senior leader with an improved performance of the organization as a whole.

Leaders have a large stake in mentoring, for the good of everyone involved.

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Why Business Ethics?

April 9, 2013

I’ve been making my way around Atlanta speaking to various groups on the subject of business ethics. My talk is entitled Business Ethics – Why the Bother? In it, I make the case that a company can benefit in multiple ways from adhering to high ethical standards. Indeed, I believe it is well worth the bother to be known in the marketplace and society at large as an ethical entity. After all, with the mere summoning of Google and the avalanche of information that can follow, who wants to do business with a shady, ethically challenged company?

Making my way from writing a novel to speaking on business ethics isn’t quite a straight line, is it? While my novel Dare Not Blink is a business thriller, it also deals with ethics. The book’s protagonist, Dave Paige, is a business executive of high character who becomes embroiled in a nasty power struggle with others of another, lesser sort. So does the ethical guy win in the end? Well, for no less than the sake of the American system of capitalism, let’s hope so.

I exaggerate, I confess. That a novel would have a discernible bearing on the survival of American free enterprise is a bit of a stretch, to be sure.

But in real terms the idea of the ethical guy winning in the end has everything to do with our free-market system either flourishing or fading away. Americans are fast losing confidence in many of our long-standing institutions, to include government, the press, the public school system, the church, and business. Some in the political class, who themselves are regarded in a now famous survey as only slightly more preferable than cockroaches, have made a sport of bewailing the behavior of many business leaders, especially those on Wall Street. The criticism is not entirely without merit, in all fairness.

That’s why I’m speaking up. The vast majority of the men and women I dealt with in my business career were virtuous, conscientious people who tried to do the right thing for their customers, employees, and suppliers. Of course they weren’t perfect, but they were guided by an ethical code that drove them to do the right thing. They are the good and righteous nucleus, the backbone of the business profession.

Much work still needs to be done at the executive levels in adopting and then maintaining a rigorous code of ethics in their respective companies and industries. Leadership is critical here, and there is little chance of regaining the trust of the public without the broadly positive examples that only leaders can provide.

Additionally, students of business should be exposed to ethics in a far more intensive way. These are our future business leaders, and the global, ultra-competitive, cutthroat arena they will enter will be fraught with ethical challenges. They should be made to understand that a profession with little appetite for policing itself will bring about the ubiquitous and ruthless regulation from the outside, the cumulative results of which will resemble death by a thousand cuts.

We have lots of challenges ahead of us as a nation. Political, economic, and cultural issues abound, many with implications that could alter our society in ways that we can’t yet foresee or even understand. But our free-enterprise model has done so much for so many, and has so much potential yet unrealized, that its healthy continuance should be central. We should relentlessly seek to improve upon it, but never apologize for it. As far from perfect as it is, it’s still the best economic system in the world. And it’s up to us to make it better.

That’s the reason I advocate for business ethics.

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A Model For Ethical Leadership

February 1, 2013

Are you a leader who aspires to set an example of ethical leadership in your organization? If so, you are headed in the right direction.

An organization’s leadership is responsible for influencing others to perform an action, complete a task, or behave in a specific manner. Leaders must be people-oriented, decisive, and bold, with a well-developed ability to inspire and motivate. They must also be able to do what is sometimes inconvenient, unpopular, or perhaps even temporarily unprofitable. Leaders must do all of the above, and those leaders who are viewed as ethical and honest will have a far greater chance of gaining and keeping the loyalty of employees and others. To be viewed as otherwise is indeed a slippery slope.

The following steps may be useful in establishing an ethical-leadership model:

  • Set high ethical standards and meet (or exceed) them. Standards should be established and promulgated for both professional and personal conduct. Those standards should be maintained and monitored, with the leadership team always setting the proper example. Drive a culture of ethical behavior by constant reinforcement and demonstration, and clearly establish that partial or non-compliance from anyone is unacceptable.
  • Openly share information. Transparency should be more than a promise or a slogan. Make sure your employees understand that you share information with them because you trust them, and thus you expect them to make the right decisions because of their being well-informed.
  • Be fair in all personnel decisions. Merit and fairness should always factor disproportionately in decisions affecting employees. Never assume that employees can’t detect favoritism or prejudice; they can. Always assume that examples of unfairness will do great damage to the fabric of your organization; it will. Know that fairness will help gain and maintain trust; it does.
  • Keep your word. This should be common sense, right? Often, however, it’s uncommon practice. Your word is truly your bond. The more your employees can count on you to do what you say, the stronger the bond. They can count on you, you can count on them–there is a direct correlation.
  • Treat everyone with respect. An ethical leader leads in a manner that respects the rights and dignity of others, both within and outside the organization. It is critical that this behavioral characteristic starts at the top; it is not a bottom-up process.

The above steps can help establish in everyone’s mind the importance of ethics. It is the leader’s responsibility to build the trust, set the example, and drive a culture of high ethical standards in an organization.

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