When I took command of an Army Brigade in the 101st Airborne Division in 2013, my wife Leslie was worried about the repercussions if I were to say or do something that offended someone. She cared because she knew me as a selfless, compassionate, man of character. We had seen too many commanders relieved of command for a variety of reasons, some simply over what they said. While many of these relieved commanders deserved their ultimate demise, we both knew how simply and rapidly this could happen and that I would find myself on the defensive - a place a leader does not want to be.
Read MoreI've always said knowing oneself is step one in leadership. Know yourself before you lead others. Know yourself so that you know when you are at your very best or worst. Know yourself so that you know if you are the right fit for a certain situation - for instance, you are not a details person and a situation requires you to be. It is scenarios like the last one which I'm referring to in this blog. When we are forced to be someone we are not, our brains, and thus our body are working harder.
Read MoreThere is one constant in organizations today - change. Perhaps it has always been a constant. Organizations are always adapting, growing, and changing to meet new demands, expansion, and environmental changes. Sitting in the middle of change is a resistant force called people. People yearn for order in their lives where things are predictable and where they can navigate their work and world with little thought and energy. This stated, people can and will embrace change but only under good leadership. It starts with communication. In periods of change, especially when it comes on quickly and is ill-defined, communication is key. Here are three of my thoughts on announcing and communicating change.
Read MoreIn the fall of 2013 I was an Army Colonel in command of an infantry brigade - a large organization nearing 5,000 people. Though I had a ton of authority, I still had a boss. One of my senior officers approached me to ask if I would promote him to Colonel. It was customary, even courteous of officers to ask their commander to host these types of ceremonies but there was a hierarchy - an unwritten rule of what rank could promote what rank. Officers were typically a few ranks above the one being promoted, for instance, a General promoting an officer to Colonel, not a Colonel promoting an officer to Colonel. I had the authority to promote this individual and I knew my boss's schedule was overloaded. I was touched that he had asked me, but for this promotion, it was right for me to ask permission.
Read MorePaid Time Off, a term I have come to know in my encore life after the military. We called it leave or liberty in the military. Same concept - one takes leave of work to enjoy family, a hobby, or just to decompress and relax. I call it bucket filling. Leaders, indeed, all people need this. Doing those things which bring you fulfillment and re-energize you is bucket filling. We come back from these events better leaders and better people, but only if we do it right.
Read MoreWhat to do, what to do? Leaders can profoundly affect their organization through their words and demeanor. Toxic boss, toxic organization. Weak, complacent boss, mediocre organization. What then, is the role of the led? It certainly is not meeting toxicity with toxicity, frustration with frustration.
Read MoreMen·tor noun - an experienced and trusted advisor. Life is hard. Leadership is hard. Business is hard. We all need a mentor, and a coach I posit. This person or people are important in our lives and they must be selected carefully. I've seen mentor and mentorship used cheaply in my time helping businesses, mostly in entrepreneurship. A person claims they are a mentor because they shared their contact information and are ready to help another person. Or a leader claims they have a mentor but they don't actually engage with and learn from that person. Here are my thoughts on mentors and mentorship.
Read More"Are we meeting today?" I've heard this often in my years leading and it indicates a few things.
1. We as an organization are not loyal to our meeting rhythm.
2. We as an organization are being managed, not managing a busy schedule.
I'm certainly not one to meet just for the sake of meeting or to conduct a meeting of little value. I'm also aware that sometimes the day, week, or even month is so chaotic, it prevents people from coming together.
Read MoreThe other day I was communicating with my team about a customer interaction. From what they shared, the customer sounded a bit curt and abrasive. My inner flame was lit. I have this 'mama bear' loyalty to my people. Mess with them and I'm coming after you. This is, of course, psychological safety I'm referring to. Your people must know they are safe under your leadership - safe to offer criticism, safe from outside threats, and safe to make mistakes.
Read MoreI blog this each year as I have found it to be one of the finest examples of vision I've ever found. I talk about vision all the time in organizations and help them create vision statements which inspire. Bill Gates imagined a computer on the desk of every person. Martin Luther King imagined children of all races playing together on the playground. Neither of these men were entirely sure how to get there.
Read MoreThere is no shortage of bad bosses these days. Recent articles by Gallup CEO, Jim Clifton highlight the, "Worlds Broken Workplace." Clifton cites research indicating only 21% of employees are engaged at work, meaning they are psychologically committed to work, their team, and their organization. 19% are miserable. Read more at Gallup's State of the Global Workplace 2022. At the core of this 'brokenness' is bad leadership. I and many others are working on this but we face a colossal challenge.
Read More"Don't just meet the standard, exceed the standard." This was drilled into me in my years of Army service. I can make the case for you that I excelled in the Army achieving the rank of Colonel and commanding an Army brigade. I didn't do this by working comfortably inside the hours of 9 to 5. I didn't excel by doing only what was written in my job description. I went the extra mile.
Read More"In view of these qualities and his/her demonstrated leadership potential...," so states the official promotion orders of the U.S. Army. These are read in a formal ceremony following the decision to promote an individual to a rank and position of leadership. Keyword, potential. It is impossible to measure one's performance as a leader without placing them in the position and it is irresponsible to place a person in a leadership position without the requisite rank and authority. Therefore, it is potential we must measure.
Read MoreFailing to ask important, challenging questions? It could be that you are afraid of what the answer might be. Questions like, "you seem to be impatient today, is everything ok?" or "how can I communicate better with you?" are the type of questions which address the true feelings of our people. When handled right, they strengthen relationships and increase efficiency. Unfortunately too many leaders avoid them.
Read MoreI run a business separate from my leadership business where we operate under the philosophy of, "getting our customers to yes." This means that if we do not sell what they are looking for or provide the service they need, we will find out who does and will go so far as to make the connection for them. It is a differentiator or a competitive advantage because we find it lacking today. Of course we won't entertain something wildly off the mark. We will politely decline, but we find those instances to be rare. Usually there is a solution and our customers deeply appreciate us going the extra mile for them. Leaders appreciate it too.
Read MoreWhat do you envision when you hear the word onboard? The assimilation of a person into an organization or a checklist of administrative requirements? If you were under my leadership and I tasked you with onboarding a new employee, this would summarize my intent. Our new teammate should go home each day saying, "this is the best reception I have ever received from an organization. They have made me feel at ease. I already feel like I belong." I would assign a peer as a sponsor - someone to see the journey through and with whom the new teammate could ask anything.
Read MoreThis blog goes out to my veteran brother Kenny. He and I talk about leadership often and I always enjoy his fresh perspective. Last we spoke he offered thoughts on leading and communicating at higher levels versus leading a small team so I thought I would share the main points of the conversation.
Read MoreIs this happening to you? Do you have a bad apple in the bunch demanding most of your attention? This can be a curse of leadership - trying to right a wrong in a person, spending time thinking about how to deal with an underperforming or misbehaving employee. It is not a good balance as a leader because those who are performing suffer. The greater team is ignored as you deal with the other one or few.
Read MoreOn the cusp of Memorial Day I thought I would share one of my favorite poems. I read this poem at the closing of a speech this week entitled, "Memorial Day. What it is and What it Means for All of Us." While it honors the fallen, it also sends a message (verses five and six) to the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts found in many companies today.
Read MoreLet's get right to it. What is your logic style, meaning how do you generally make decisions - through facts, feelings or a mix of both? I've always said that self-awareness is one of the most important parts of leadership - know yourself before you lead others. This includes knowing how you typically make decisions or what your logic style is. Which of these statements sounds better to you?
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