Leader Business

Sustainable Energy

2011-08-16T10:54:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I just spent 365 days in wonderful Afghanistan. Twelve months is a long, hard, grind. We worked 7 days a week, probably logging around 15 hours per day -- day after day, no weekends to recharge, no sleeping in. And if I can be honest, I think I had it pretty easy! I won’t even begin to try to compare my pace to what so many of our Troopers were dealing with every single day on the front lines!

Nonetheless, it was a demanding routine, one which certainly challenged my skills as a leader. It was physically and mentally exhausting. Yet, people were looking to me for guidance and inspiration. No matter how tired I might have been, I had to be on my game at all times. I couldn’t postpone decisions until I was better rested, I couldn’t delegate key organizational issues to someone else to figure out. And with people’s lives literally in the balance, the pressure to perform only further heightened the stress and added to the drain on leaders like me throughout the combat zone.

Toward the end of my deployment, one of my subordinate leaders asked how I was able to stay as positive and energized as I was throughout our time together. He wanted to know how I did it. I shared several thoughts with him, which I layout below. But be sure, it’s no accident that he recognized this characteristic. This is how I try to operate, no matter where I am and regardless of what arena I’m in. I think it is critical to bring positive, inspiring energy to everything we do. In fact, I think it is one of THE most important leadership characteristics I look for in people that I hire or those I promote. I definitely see it as Leader Business.

Here is what I told my teammate as to how I kept up my energy. First, I believed in what we were doing. (We were managing a $5B+ reconstruction program focused primarily on the Afghan Security Forces) It is certainly easier to sell a product when we believe in its merits. I definitely believe in what we were doing. I enjoyed the work, I loved the people I was working with, and despite the daily grind, I thought it was fun and certainly was energized by what we were doing. In other words, not only did I bring energy to the job…but the job gave energy to me! I know what we were doing mattered and I was pretty sure that my contribution to the team and our mission did as well.

Second, I told him that in my approach, leaders can’t have an off-day. When I wasn’t feeling it, and there were plenty of those days, I’d fake it. My bad day or personal problems were not going to trickle down to those whom I knew fed from my energy. When we are in leadership positions, people are always watching. We have to keep up the high level of energy even if, like I said, we have to fake it. In my experience, there is no room for being negative, cynical, or depressed if we are going to lead. Thoughts like that should be kept to one’s self. They tend to bring down the team and drain organizational energy. Instead, leaders must stay positive and be a source of energy for others.

Third, I found it critical during a one-year deployment to stay balanced. I tried not to get too high on the highs or too low on the lows. I tried to be consistent and not let the emotions of the moment drain me. The adage of deployment being a “marathon versus a sprint” certainly applied. I’ve seen far too many high-energy leaders who react radically to good or bad news, especially the latter. They are the red-faced yellers, the angry bosses who personalize everything and are one negative report away from a “coronary!” We can’t get like that. Instead, I think we have to maintain a steady, positive, balanced attitude that brings people up as opposed to tearing them down. Stuff happens and we are charged with dealing with it. People needed to know they could bring bad news to me without fear of losing their head…or their job! Staying positive and energetic, no matter the situation of the moment, kept everyone focused on our mutual goals and objectives, focused on helping each other, and ready to deal with any situation…with the necessary energy to do so.

Finally, I tried to stay fit. Even with 15-hour days, I tried to start each morning with an investment in my spiritual and physical fitness. I can honestly say that both were a source of my energy each day. It is a fact that those who are physically fit have more energy. Well, it doesn’t come without an investment. No excuses. Even with early morning commitments, it was not a question of IF I was going to exercise but how early I’d have to get up! Similarly, I have found that daily time for reflection keeps me grounded and sustains my energy. For some it is a quiet walk or yoga or prayer. For me, it was a chapter a day in my Bible. Both areas of fitness are worthy of consistent investment in order to sustain a high level of energy.

So what about you? Are you a source of deliberate (on purpose!), inspirational, and sustainable energy that makes people want to follow you? My friends, it matters. To lead effectively, we MUST have this leadership trait. If it does not come naturally (i.e if you are an engineer like me!), learn it. Fake it if you must! Whatever it takes, if we want to be truly effective, we need to be the sort of leaders that people willingly follow. That only comes when we can bring our A-game to every situation – 24/7 and 365 days per year. Trust me…I tested this theory and it worked. I’m positive!! That’s Leader Business!

Got Leadership?

2011-08-13T15:46:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I just got back from Maui after a week of R&R with my wife. It was a nice vacation, to be sure. I needed the time away and that is definitely a great place to do so. I mean, what is not to like: beautiful beaches, perfect weather, snorkeling, parasailing, eating WAY too much, and those drinks with the little umbrellas!

But do you know the first thing we did when we got back? We paid off our credit cards! Makes sense, right? We had saved up the money while I was deployed and then settled up once we got back. Now, contrast that with our “leaders” in Washington. What is the first thing they did after running up the credit card to the max and then doing nothing to pay it off? They created chaos in the markets, struck a deal that only raised the credit limit on the card, and then they all left town and went on…vacation!

Now, I don’t want these pages to become a political battleground. I generally stay out of politics here but then again, we find examples of good and bad leadership in all areas and it drives me crazy to see this example of horrific leadership. There is no sense of urgency, no building of consensus, very few new ideas, and no solutions. We have a real economic hairball, one that we would not allow in our own businesses, let alone our families. Yet this mess will inevitably damage our businesses and our families for generations. Those responsible for it pat each other on the back for making a deal, leave town, and avoid accountability! They stay away from hard choices, going for the “easier wrong” instead of the “harder right!” They blame each other instead of working together. Am I frustrated? You bet I am. Aren’t you? Little wonder that we have the lowest consumer confidence in 30+ years and approval rates among our political leaders that suggest they ALL may be looking for new jobs in November! That may not be such a bad thing!

Meanwhile, we HAVE to find solutions! I’d like to think that the framework for Leader Business might offer a few questions to help us figure our way out of this mess.

Plan – How do we develop a national plan for the way ahead? Note: Forming a committee ain’t it! Where in the world have you ever seen the solution to an emergency is to form a committee??? How about locking people in a room until they figure this out? How about cancelling vacations? How do we have an honest framing of the problem so that the citizenry can see the urgency and be ready to participate in the sacrifices that we’ll all have to make? What are our national Goals and Objectives? What is a reasonable timeline to get back to balance? Where are the bold solutions, what are the risks, and how do we mitigate them?

Prepare – How do we build the teams necessary to tackle these problems? How do we communicate with each other in order to prepare people for the upcoming challenges? What metrics can we agree need to be the focus of this dialogue and how do we hold our leaders accountable to them? What are our priorities and how do we align resources accordingly so that we keep our promises, take care of people, defend our interests, stimulate the economy, make meaningful, strategic investments AND live within our means?

Execute – What MUST we do and what can we put on our National “Stop Doing” list? How do we measure performance, hold people accountable, and WIN in those areas that matter the most (jobs, academics, science, defense)? How do we hold people accountable within our government such that they don’t get to retain their jobs when they don’t perform?

Learn -- How are we taking ownership of problems instead of blaming each other? Who is courageous enough to articulate how we got into this mess while describing the steps that ALL will need to take to improve? How do we avoid these problems in the future? How do we educate the citizenry on where we are, where we are going, and why it is critical to do so?

Friends, I won’t pretend to have all the answers. In fact, you’ll note that above is simply a list of questions. But I have no doubt that we need our leaders to start generating answers to these questions. We have a true financial crisis that is growing across the world. This isn’t time to go on vacation! Nor is it time to blame each other and try to posture to win the next election! It’s time to get to work. Let’s roll up our sleeves, quit fretting about our problems, and start solving them.

I regularly share one of my favorite expressions with my daughters when they are wasting time, wringing their hands over a problem instead of getting going on solving it: “We can’t step up the stairs if we are paralyzed staring at the steps!” It’s time to take the first step. Let’s call it, oh…I don’t know, PLANNING! The rest of the steps will follow. It’s a proven approach. The alternative is…paralysis. Unfortunately, that may be where we are now. It’s my firm belief that we are better than this. But only if our leaders get going and figure out a way to show some basic economic leadership like we expect in our own families and businesses. This isn’t a political statement. This is…Leader Business.

The Sabbatical is...Over!

2011-08-04T08:55:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Well, the excuses are over. I can’t account for my negligence in writing any longer by saying, “I’m busy running a multi-billion dollar construction company” or that, “I’m busy fighting the Taliban.” My year in Afghanistan is complete and...I’m back! My little sabbatical is over! I’ve got a head-full of ideas, concepts, and data points that I can’t wait to share. It’s time to write. I am embarrassed to see that my last blog posting was….uhhhh….January 1st. Well, let’s change that right now!

I will use this first posting to update you all on several things before I start writing again. And yes, this shameless update will NOT be the last you hear from me for the NEXT 6 months! I promise!!!

So, about me. I am back from Afghanistan after the most amazing 12 months of my life. I lived the dream, running a multi-billion dollar construction company in combat conditions, where every decision, every single day, truly mattered. As strange as that might sound, it was the thrill of a lifetime and I would not have missed it for anything!

Now that I am back, it is time to work on some projects. First, I want to spend some time getting the word out about my book, Leader Business. This “best-seller” is a good read and (I hope!) worth your time understanding the cross-over appeal between the military which I have served for 26+ years and the rest of the world in which we ALL live! Would you consider picking up a copy HERE if you have not already? In fact, if you will simply email me and tell me you want a signed copy of Leader Business, I’m prepared to do so!

I am also working on speaking to a number of groups about the Business of Leaders. If I can come speak to your group, as I have booked engagements for a dozen (+) groups already, would you drop me a note and let me know of your interest? The working title of my presentation, "3 Cups of Tea, 2 Bags of Cement, and a Truckload of Leadership" highlights the mix of leadership lessons and great lessons from building in Afghanistan that I can't wait to share!

We have a lot of catching up to do. I’d like to talk to you about things like how we developed a strategic plan for a multi-billion dollar company; how we aligned people, processes, systems, and our communications with that strategy; how we executed to meet the ever-evolving demands from our customer and from the environment in which we operated; and how we conducted After Actions Reviews (AARs) to ensure that learning could be factored into subsequent plans to get continuous improvement. That is the “Leader Business Cycle” and something that I found to be the basic framework for how I approached my time during deployment to Afghanistan. It continues to be a good reference for me. I hope you agree.

So, for a preview, here are some of the upcoming topics you can find on these pages:

-- More on the Drumbeat. How to communicate a vision.
-- Metrics and why they matter?
-- Creating a sense of urgency in your organization.
-- Strategic planning in a combat environment.
-- Finding balance in a 24/7 environment.
-- Energy and why it matters to those we lead.
-- Stratcoms (Strategic communications).
-- Continuous learning when the stakes matter most

Well friends, I am looking forward to re-starting our dialogue. Despite my time away, I could not be more excited about the opportunities we have to re-connect. As I turn on my TV and see what is happening in our world, I am certainly aware of the lack of leadership in so many sectors of our world, especially right here in the United States. Is there something I can offer to help? Who knows. Let’s just open a discussion. You tell me when you’ve heard enough. I’m happy to be back! This is Leader Business! Hooah!

PS. Just so you know I am serious about writing again, I am finishing up this blog as I sit on the porch early morning...in Maui. The picture at the top is from last night's sunset from the beautiful Hula Grill. Nice!! Yes, a little post-deployment R&R! I'm not sure I'll ever leave this place but...I DO have a good internet connection! :)

The Drumbeat

2011-01-01T07:20:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends,

I have been negligent in writing. I have no excuse! I used to have the energy and time to post twice per week. And now...well, I won't even count the weeks since I last posted. I guess I have been busy with things at work. I know, I know...who isn't? But my job here in Afghanistan is somewhat consuming. But it is also fertile ground for learning more about leadership. So, it is not for a lack of stuff to talk about. It is mostly from a lack of energy to put this stuff in writing.

This has been an amazing opportunity for me. As most of you know, I am deployed to Afghanistan, serving with the Army Corps of Engineers as the Commander (CEO) of a $5B construction company. We have an incredible workload and doing it in an environment where every project has a story. They are all difficult: rough terrain, many inexperienced contractors, and of course, the presence of bad guys who don't want this program to succeed.

But the bottom line is, we have to win. That means we've got to accomplish our mission. No matter what! We are climbing a mountain that is almost vertical, increasing our output in every part of our program. We have to find a way to push ourselves to levels we didn't think possible. We have to change our tactics, find efficiencies, and blow through obstacles that will undoubtedly be found along the way.

Our overall strategy is simple: Meet our commitments; deliver finished projects; and Build projects while building capacity within the Engineering and Construction community of this country. There are no excuses! Every day matters. Every person contributes. We have to do whatever it takes to get the job done!

My former boss and great mentor and friend, Randy Castro, called this a drumbeat. To accomplish a large vision or tackle an insurmountable task requires consistent focus on the main elements that contribute to success. There are many important tasks (projects). They all must be accomplished. But the team needs to know where their piece fits in the overall picture. They need to hear the drumbeat over and over. This is the vision and this is how we will get there!

Our teammates need to hear and understand this drumbeat. Why is it important? How will we get there? How does what they do...fit into the overall mission? How do they get in step with the beat of the drum? This is what I cover every single day with my senior leaders. It affects what we measure. It shapes our calendars and meetings. It is what I talk to my team about at every forum (town hall sessions, video interviews, emails, project visits, etc.).

It's a drumbeat. Over and over again -- this is what we are doing, this is where we stand now, and this is what we need to do to be successful, to accomplish the mission, to win! Meet our commitments; Deliver finished projects; and build projects while building capacity within the Engineering and Construction community of this country. Hear the drumbeat: boom...boom...boom! Always the same beat, same rhythm, and the same message.

So...what is your drumbeat? If you had to summarize what success looks like into short sentences, sound bites, or milestones...what would they be? Would your teammates know that is what is important? Would they be able to repeat the drumbeat. Truth be told, that is the goal. We should hear it wherever we go within the organization, everyone focused on the same thing. The drumbeat...over and over.

We can't be all over the place. As leaders, we must be consistent. The drumbeat is what helps people understand the vision, share our passion or our sense of urgency, and focus on those difference making contributions that add up to overall victory. It keeps people marching to the beat, everyone in step, all headed in the same direction.

As we head into 2011, let's do it with a drumbeat. I told you mine. You tell me yours! That is what it will take to overcome obstacles, find victories in this tough economy, and to keep people focused on the prize. Beat the drum -- over and over. That should make for a successful, prosperous New Year. Forward...march!!! Happy New Year everyone!!

Credits go to "Tim" for the image at the top of this post!

Leader Business Update

2010-11-19T07:02:00.000-08:00

Many of you have written me to give feedback on the Leader Business book and to ask how sales are going. On the former, I thank you for your thoughts and am humbled each time I hear about one person who is applying even a single thing from the book to their own leadership journey. Oh…and I know about the typo on page 12. Haha!

As to the latter, sales are going pretty good…considering. Considering that I am my own marketing team. Considering that my marketing team is in Afghanistan. And considering that my marketing strategy currently consists only of asking my friends to dish out $20 or so for a copy. Considering all of this…sales are going pretty good!

***Shameless plug. Could I ask you to help join my marketing team and perhaps broaden the outreach for the book? Is there anyone you know who might benefit from a discussion of leadership based on how we do it in the military, and who really needs a copy of the book? Is there a group to whom I might speak (so far I’ve done two video presentations and one SKYPE discussion from my “hooch” here in Kabul), sharing some of the lessons in the book and how what we are doing over here continues to validate the philosophies that I wrote about in Leader Business? Would you consider an investment in your own team, perhaps with a bulk order for the holidays? (I have even autographed a dozen or so for one group to give out as gifts to guest speakers! I am happy to help and humbled to contribute in any way I can!). Perhaps you have a leader development program that might benefit from reviewing this book together and answering the discussion questions at the end of each chapter. End of the shameless plug. Haha!***

As for me, in my last two blog posts, I have written about Decision Points (Deciding to decide) and our STOP DOING lists (things we must terminate, defer, or decline in order to maintain focus on our priorities). Both of these have come together in my professional life as I have DECIDED to transition out of the Army! Yes, at the completion of this duty assignment here in Afghanistan, and after 26 years in the Army, I suppose I am ready to move on to something else. I think it's time to do something different…and look forward to the challenge.

But for now, I have 8 months remaining on my tour of duty…and a whole bunch of MISSION in front of me. I work with a great group of people here in Afghanistan and have a job I can only dream about (When will I next get to be the CEO of a $5B construction company?). The challenges are enormous but I am reminded every day – THAT’S WHY THEY NEED ME! If you are on facebook, check out our page and some of the videos about our experiences over here in Afghanistan: Afghanistan Engineer District - North.

I am learning daily the importance of leadership and reminded that the timeless principles that I wrote about in Leader Business really do work. But, I also know I have to do more than write about them, or give motivational speeches to help people believe in them. I have to live them every day. Leadership is not what we say (or write). It is what we DO. Sometimes I do a really good job at it. Sometimes…I goof things up. But I’m giving it my best, learning from each experience, and getting better every day.

That’s what I wrote about in the book. That’s what successful leaders everywhere do. And that’s what I call…Leader Business! Hooah!

The "Stop Doing" List

2010-11-11T09:43:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!

Greetings once again from Afghanistan. As most of you know, I am deployed with the US Army, working with the US Army Corps of Engineers. Our mission is primarily construction projects in support of the Afghan Security Forces and overall Counter Insurgency Operations here in country. As for me…my mission is leadership. Or, shall we say…Leader Business!

As I begin this discussion, would you join me in giving a hearty “shout out” to our Veterans on this Veteran’s Day? It is because of brave, selfless warriors like them that we can enjoy the freedoms and blessings of our lives. Let’s not forget them, let’s never leave any behind, and let’s remember to thank them – and their families – for their sacrifices, wherever and whenever they may have served! Hooah!

In the last post, I described the importance of identifying decision points – where we decide to decide – well ahead of the actual decision. This provides leaders the flexibility to influence the outcome and the ability to adjust the team, align resources, and keep the mission on track.

While we may not know it, we face decision points every day. Unfortunately, we watch most of them go by without action. Disciplined teams with disciplined leaders are talking about decisions regularly, keeping everyone on high alert for the triggers that suggest a decision is pending. This highlights the importance of regular, mission-focused communication. Keeping everyone’s head in the game is enabled by this major leadership responsibility. When people know what to look for (triggers or road signs of the pending decision), when they are kept in the loop about what is happening around them (we call this situational awareness), and when we include their input in our discussions about future decisions, options, and how we might shift our plan depending on what happens, we are rarely surprised by the inevitable forks in the road.

In any case, one of the important decisions we have been making lately surrounds what we should STOP DOING. Most of it surrounds our core competencies, our primary revenue generators, and our main mission. Everything else needs to be examined within this framework to determine whether we should stop doing it.

Like many of you, we have more MISSION than we have people. In the resource constrained environments in which we operate (to include here in Afghanistan), we often find that we eventually run out of resources, but never lack for things to do. Some of those things…are really not important. Many of them can be done by someone else. Others don’t make us any money. Most of them are distracters, consumers of resources (especially time) that we need to put into our main mission area.

So, we have hit some important decision points recently and decided – to STOP DOING some of those things. We were putting energy into a couple of projects that started to become more trouble than they were worth. We need those people focused on our priorities. We stopped doing them. I talked to my leaders about how we would accept new projects…and what we would leave for others. It simply comes down to the fact that saying YES to everything eventually maxes out resources and reduces productivity and output. Sometimes we have to say, NO.

None of this comes easy. Most organizations, and especially the one I get to lead, have a hard time with this. We like to be solution providers. We enjoy new challenges. Our tendency is to take on more and more. But there comes a point where we begin to water down our primary purpose, lose focus on our core competencies, and threaten our ability to accomplish the mission. That’s when we have to examine our team and build a STOP DOING list.

So, what about you? What can you STOP DOING? What might you outsource to someone for whom that task might actually be a core competency? What non-revenue generating, non-priority mission, non-HEDGEHOG (my Jim Collins analogy of the day) task or event should you stop, defer, or eliminate? Could you do as we have done, gather your key leaders, and ask this question: What can we STOP DOING to improve our output? What about in your personal life? What things are you putting time into that add no value, take away time from what is really important, and should similarly be examined for inclusion on this list?

You are at an important decision point right now. What you do with this, what you STOP DOING, might give you the energy you need to improve your team. Just having this discussion might help people understand how focused you are on your mission. They will get a clear picture of how critical you view your priorities and how disciplined you will be to eliminate anything that gets in the way. And so, my friends, it is time to decide to decide. In this case, to decide…to STOP. That’s…Leader Business!

Deciding to Decide

2010-10-29T17:10:00.000-07:00

First of all, to my millions of readers (Haha!), I find myself in that awkward position of having to once again apologize for not keeping up with this blog. I know I have not posted anything in a few weeks and for that, I have no excuse. Although I will admit, the demands of the job here in Afghanistan have been taking a toll. Something about these 90-hour work weeks seems to squeeze out any extracurricular activities! But...no excuses. Let's talk about the business of leaders!

One thing that there is no shortage of here for me is the opportunity to make decisions. Some big, some small. Some involve minor issues like who to meet with or what projects I need to visit, while others involve larger issues like whether we should take on certain projects, how to prioritize our resources, or what we need to do to execute a multi-billion dollar construction program.

One thing that is common among all of these issues is that as leaders, we must "decide to decide." That is not to say that we have to make decisions immediately. Clearly there are times for immediate action. But the key leader skill that I practice regularly with my teammates is to identify when decisions must be made, what possible alternatives should be considered, and how those alternatives will be implemented.

During previous assignments as a trainer at the Army's National Training Center, one of the most important decisions a training unit leader often would make during a mission was when to commit his reserve force. They would usually hold some component of their force out of the engagement, but ready to respond to the enemy's attack or to reinforce any successes during the battle.

Unfortunately, few leaders were successful in getting their reserve forces to the place they were needed on the battlefield in time, usually missing the opportunity to make the difference in the mission that was envisioned for them. Commanders failed to decide when to decide ahead of time, with a good analysis of how long it would take to get that reserve element moving, or of how much time it would take to get to the place where they could engage the enemy from a position of advantage. They usually failed to understand exactly what event would trigger their decision, and got their forces moving after it was too late.

We call those triggers decision points. They are the point in time or space when we must decide. They are the point of no return, where experienced leaders understand that they must either commit immediately, or deal with the consequences of not having done so.

Leaders must review decision points regularly with their team. When we don't, we become informed of important milestones in a project -- after we miss the milestone. All too often, someone on the team knew we wouldn't hit the milestone much earlier, when we could have taken action to still meet the mission requirement. We could have reallocated resources, reprioritized our work efforts, and certainly informed our customers about any possible fallout well before the project went south. Those decision points are where we must decide to decide.

In the lifecycle of a project, there are many of these decision points. As leaders, we have to be able to work backwards on a timeline, identify when events will happen, and then move further back to determine when we will know that those particular things will happen. Those are the triggers, much like with the combat leader, when we must either decide to decide, or find ourselves arriving at the battle too late to influence the action. It is much like the fork in the road in the picture above. You don't wait for the actual fork to decide which path to take. You make your decision, you decide to decide, well ahead of the fork, when you see the road sign that there is a fork ahead.

As leaders, we need to work with our staff to identify those signs early. We need to constantly review our situation and look for those triggers that will indicate that a decision must be made, as well as formally detail the information that will be the basis for that decision. When we do that, we will be much more prepared to make a decision when the inevitable fork arrives. We can commit early enough to still influence the action, not after it is too late to make a difference.

Following this approach will not guarantee that our decisions will always be right. But they will be timely, with a solid basis (those triggers) upon which to make them, such that, more often than not, we will take the right fork. That makes "deciding to decide" -- Leader Business!

Strategery Part I -- Setting the Conditions

2010-10-08T07:39:00.000-07:00

While I love tactics, the drive to achieve, battling it out in the arena, I know there is much more to being a leader. Someone on the team has to look over the horizon, anticipate issues, see possible new opportunities, and take the lead in charting the course to the future. That, as our former President once coined, is "Strategery."

Strategery (okay...before you think that I believe that is really a word...I know some of you may know it as strategy) is the sort of longer term, disciplined planning that we cannot discount simply because we are wrapped up in the heat of battle. While strategery is not the exclusive domain of the leader, in fact we need strategic thinkers within our ranks to help push the team to greatness, no leader or team can achieve sustained excellence without it.

We can easily be consumed with short term thinking here in Afghanistan. We certainly have enough to do just executing the work in front of us. To many, life here is a day to day existence. Some just want to come and go. But to be this short-sighted is a recipe for failure. We've got to evolve, incorporate new ideas and lessons learned, and keep improving. We have to build capacity, build for the future. We cannot rest on our past accomplishments nor operate as if we can't get better. We can do all of this...and we must...if we want to achieve our overall purpose here.

So for my team, it's time to roll up our sleeves and envision the future. This strategic, long-range thinking is strategery. I plan to dedicate about 3 days in the weeks ahead to gather with my senior leaders to put together our road-map for the way ahead. As such, I wanted to share some thoughts on this page (and get some of yours) about how to set the conditions for such a planning session.

Before preparing a plan in the military, we conduct what we call -- Mission Analysis. This is a detailed examination of one's current position that enables productive thinking about the future. In simple terms we need to see ourselves, see the enemy, and see the terrain. Some of you may know it as SWOT. Same thing. Strengths and Weaknesses enable us to see ourselves, Opportunities are the terrain around and in front of us, and threats are the enemy. Many of you have been doing mission analysis without knowing it!

Here are the tools we are gathering as part of our Mission Analysis in addition to conducting a detailed SWOT assessment of our organization:

-- Customer surveys. We need to know what we are doing well...and not so well.
-- Workforce surveys. What do our employees say and what is important to them?
-- Internal After Action Reviews. We have been doing our AARs at all levels of the organization since we ended our Fiscal Year -- looking for things we can sustain and, more importantly, improve.
-- Analysis of the strategic plan of our higher headquarters 1 and 2 levels above us. We are looking for specified tasks (what are we TOLD to do) and implied tasks (what SHOULD we do to accomplish our mission...even if not explicitly stated) that must be addressed in our plan.
-- Assessment of our old strategic plan. What should we keep? What have we accomplished?
-- Analysis of our current mission. What is our workload, budget, personnel situation, etc? What do we need to do to be competitive? What opportunities do we see coming down the road? What needs fixing?

So...we are gathering the tools now. This is the "condition setting" phase of strategery. We're not ready yet to start putting our plans together. But we certainly are getting an idea of what we need to do. These ideas will start to coalesce into groups the more we analyze different areas of our team and our mission. These groups will become the ACTIONS and INITIATIVES that will form the nucleus of our plans. But more on them the next time. We're still doing our analysis. If you are not...why not now? Know that if you are not into strategery, your competition most certainly is. That's always enough to motivate me to climb up the ship's mast and look over the horizon. That's what leaders do. And that's Leader Business.

Still Learning From Failures

2010-10-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

I have written often in these pages about the importance of learning from our setbacks. My experience has taught me that we learn infinitely more when we fail than when we succeed. The former pushes us to examine our shortcomings, tighten up our chinstraps, and get back into the arena motivated to improve. Too often, the latter breeds complacency and a misplaced satisfaction with performance that inhibits growth.

So I have come to appreciate the opportunity to learn that challenges and losses typically present. While I certainly prefer to win, I know that aggressive risk-taking and the willingness to reach high inherently puts us in the position to occasionally come up short. The alternative, playing it safe, staying on the sidelines, being afraid, is simply unacceptable. I say...bring it on.

Certainly there are no shortages of setbacks here in Afghanistan. Everything we do here is difficult. Every construction project seems to present multiple opportunities to learn. Corruption, interruptions to the supply chain, hostile environmental conditions, and a hostile enemy are present on almost every job. And yet, my job is not to make excuses, not to be afraid of failing, but to learn from it, make corrections, get better every day, and keep moving forward.

This is the time in the federal "business cycle" where we always take time to determine how we can improve. Our fiscal year ended on September 30th (Happy New Year to my government friends...and those who partner with us). Thus there is no better time to make an assessment of how we might improve our performance. The grades are in. The challenges are too many to enumerate here. There is no time like the present to learn. And I have no doubt that the learning we will do through our After Action Reviews (AARs) will set us on the course for victory in FY2011.

I also want to celebrate another who learned from failure, my daughter Shelby. You may recall my discussion about her willingness to run for school office -- and fail -- not once but two times. Both times were heartbreaking. Yet that little one never gave up. She did not hesitate to jump back into the arena, this time running for President of her high school freshman class. As her father, I was fearful of her losing again, afraid of seeing her heart broken, and worried about what a third setback might mean to her self-confidence. But that little one is a fighter. She never gives up. She would clearly rather fail, falling forward on her face, than to be afraid and timid, falling backward on her tail!

You guessed it. She won! She learned from her failures, ran a great campaign, and finally experienced the thrill of victory. Am I proud of her? You better believe it. Do I wish I had that sort of short-term memory, where I was more focused on the opportunities ahead than the failures in my rear-view mirror? Definitely.

I have no doubt that my daughter learned more from the two previous setbacks than she would have had she won. That is just in our nature. We take success for granted. We rarely look for opportunities to improve when things go well. It is in those failures that we learn the most, where our AARs have the most meaning, and where improvement is the greatest. I see it every day. And I have watched it from a distance in my little daughter, the President! That's Leader Business!

The Real Men in the Arena

2010-09-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

As I have written on these pages before, it can be a real leadership challenge to avoid the cynicism that often comes with work in complex environments. Life -- and experience -- can harden us to the point that we forget how hard it really is down in the trenches. We criticize, find faults, and push too much blame for our shortcomings down to them. As we move further up, and further away from those whose efforts produce the product, service, or revenues of our organization, we tend to neglect the people who truly make a difference.

Or not! It really is those men (and women) in the arena, who give purpose to leadership. It's not about us! It is about making others successful, about creating opportunities, inspiring greatness, and aligning the resources that people need to do their jobs. It is about developing a shared vision, creating strategies that make sense and align the abilities of every member of the team, and accomplishing the mission with the people we've got. It's not about board meetings, the hard hours we work, or the pressure of our responsibilities. Nope...leadership is not about us. It is truly about that man in the arena.

In Afghanistan, it is too easy to become cynical about the men who are struggling to build for themselves and their families a better tomorrow. Most are not well educated. They certainly are new to things like construction, elections, and so many things that we take for granted in most of the rest of the world. And yet, most of those men give it their best. They are willing to learn new crafts. They want education for themselves and their families. Most want to see their country succeed and will give it all they have, some paying with their lives, to give their collective efforts a chance to work.

It is these men in the arena, and those who work hard to make our organizations successful, whom we cheer. It is them whom we must inspire to achieve greatness. It is about them, who President Theodore Roosevelt once wrote (lines which I have shared with you before but which inspire me still):

It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.

Leadership is about people. It is not about position, rank, or prestige. In the end, none of those things get the mission done. People do. None of those can build a Nation. People will. Nothing matters but those men in the arena. It matters not whether we are talking about construction workers in Afghanistan or Los Angeles. If we believe in people, and make them believe in themselves, they will toil with every ounce of energy to achieve victory. That's Leader Business!

Leading in Chaos

2010-09-02T18:56:00.000-07:00

Here in Afghanistan, not unlike many of the environments in which you operate, everything seems to be difficult. We have too much work and too few people to do it. We lack the resources to be as efficient as we would like. Our contractors struggle to meet schedules and operate within budget. We answer to too many bosses, all of whom have different priorities. Turnover among our employees is incredibly high (3% per week). Movement to project sites is complicated by lack of roads, complex terrain, a ruthless enemy who creates security challenges at every turn, and the logistics of moving around an area of responsibility about half the size of the state of Texas.

Life is hard. There are any number of reasons we use for why we fall behind on our schedules or exceed our budgets. Lots of reasons...but none of them matter. We have to find a way. As leaders, we are challenged to sort through the chaos, bring order to complex situations, identify and resource priorities, and get the mission accomplished. NO MATTER WHAT!!

Do you find yourself in these sorts of situations? This is where we as leaders have to sort through the chaos, we have to bring clarity to the situation. We have to be the ones to maintain calm, to help people sort through the friction of the moment and still accomplish the mission.

I like to remind people (and myself) every day...IN TIMES LIKE THIS...THIS IS WHY THEY NEED US! If everything ran perfectly smoothly, why would they need leaders? If decisions didn't need to be made, if difficult choices among competing demands did not need to be discerned...why would they need us? They could just figure it all out themselves, right?

Well, usually...they can't! And they do need us. Leaders bring order to chaos. Leaders sort through the fog of war and point the team in the right direction. Leaders realize that stuff happens. Always has...and always will. How we are defined, where we add value to the team, is in what we do when the stuff happens. Do we fail in our tasks because of these problems, or do we succeed in spite of them? This is the true measure of our leadership, when we are tested the most, and when we either stand and deliver...or succumb to our enemies.

Whether here in Afghanistan or wherever you serve as a leader, keep reminding yourself...this is why they need us. Problems are not something to complain about, they are opportunities to teach, to grow, to solve problems, to increase communication, and to add value. I love this stuff!!! This is what leaders do. That makes it...Leader Business!

Note: Can I take the chance to thank those of you who have either ordered the Leader Business book or who have forwarded the link to your friends, colleagues, or anyone else who might benefit from a focused examination of the battle-tested principles of leadership. We sold about 150 books in the first two weeks. I'm thankful to have sold one. The rest..is gravy! Here is the link should you want to learn more. Thanks to all! Hooah!

Leader Business -- The Book!

2010-08-13T01:47:00.000-07:00

Well…it is time. All the hype, the media interviews, and the New York Times review are over (ok…these things only happened in my mind…so far!). Leader Business is now ready for purchase. It is available on-line only through my friend, Steve Harper, and his website. Would you go here now and purchase as many books as you would like? Consider some extras for friends, family, co-workers, leader development groups, and anyone else who might benefit from a dose of Leader Business.

This book has been a journey. I knew that I wanted to write about leadership after my first tour of duty at the Army’s National Training Center at Fort Irwin. It was there, preparing Soldiers and leaders for combat, that I thought that I had some ideas worth sharing. A second, two-year stint a few years later further solidified some of the concepts and formalized the framework for the project. Tours of duty with civilians in the Army Corps of Engineers at Detroit and Los Angeles, running a $1B+ engineering company, helped me understand the timeless appeal of positive, inspiring leadership and the principles that I had identified at the NTC.

This book is a 6 year labor of love. With the encouragement of a friend, I started writing one chapter a month, sharing some of the ideas as a stand-alone newsletter. After several years of writing, I had enough material for a book. Plenty of content…but no publisher and clearly nothing close to a “ready for market” literary classic. It was then that my friend Steve, aka “The Ripple Dude,” introduced me to blogging (as a way to keep writing and generating ideas) and self-publishing. I hired a great editor, graphics man (don't you love the cover -- above?), and printer, and took charge of my own destiny. LBI Publishing (my own publishing house…now looking for other titles to add to our team!) produced the now-classic, Leader Business!

The very act of writing, of sitting down and putting ideas on paper, was definitely a challenge. I have found that there is nothing like writing to connect the dots of all the ideas in my head, to try to make sense of things happening around me, and to pull a thread through some leadership principle and see where it leads. Writing is not a natural thing for me. I am an ENGINEER, after all. But I also know that the more I write, the better writer I become (a concept that applies to anything else we might undertake – personally or professionally).

There was nothing like a deadline to push me to finish. My editor was great at setting up milestones for each new element of the book. I was great at missing them. But the “hard deadline” of deployment to Afghanistan pushed me to complete this project. Four a.m. wake-ups for about 3 months and a few working mini-vacations gave me the quiet time to get across the finish line. A team of friends helped with reviews and encouragement. They say, “It takes a village….” Well, it took a medium-sized city to help me get this done. To all of them, and to my patient family, I am eternally grateful.

So, it is ready. I hope you will purchase the book and encourage others to do so. More importantly, I hope you will appreciate the timeless leadership principles that I tried to describe as Leader Business. Give it a read and then let me know what you think. Even over here in Kabul, Afghanistan, I want to encourage you in your respective leadership journeys. If this book helps, I will be thrilled. It is simply my hope that something in the book will encourage you, bring out your passion for leading others, and enable your successes. That…is Leader Business.

Again, you can order the book here: Leader Business On-Line Purchases. Thank you in advance for doing so! I appreciate it more than you know. I will sign them when I get back!!!

StratComms

2010-08-06T04:02:00.000-07:00

OK...I have been delinquent! I know I have not posted in a while. Have no doubt that there is plenty of learning about leadership going on here in Afghanistan. I guess I have been too lazy to write it down and share it with others. No excuse! It is hard to believe that I have almost been here for a full month. Time flies when you are having fun!

We have an incredibly difficult, complex mission. This year we will do about $900M in construction payments and award over $1.3B in new contracts. Next year, somehow, we are looking at over $2.5B in new contract awards. Every job here is difficult with harsh terrain, a hostile enemy and, in many cases, construction contractors who just don't have the maturity that we would expect to work with in the Army Corps of Engineers. Nonetheless, we are getting it done. We don't have a choice!

One of the many leadership issues I have been working with my new team is on the issue of strategic communications. We get so busy doing our work that we forget that a major component of success is gained through telling others what we are doing. I use the analogy of -- If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make any noise? All too often, we miss out on opportunities to shape our message, to get the word out on the great work we do. And if we don't, very often someone else seizes on the chance to tell their own story. Often times, their motivations are counter to our own. We might finish the project, the tree may fall, but no one may know of the positive difference we are making and the contributions we are making toward our strategic goals.

Every action we take in business is an opportunity to tell our story. In construction it includes the award of a new contract, the breaking of ground, major progress or a major milestone, and the cutting of the ribbon. It is not so much the events themselves that matter but rather the chance each one provides to get our message out. We are not building roads, we are enhancing a nationwide transportation network. We are not building police stations, we are contributing to the security of the people. We are not building buildings...we are Building Afghanistan!

We all have a role in shaping our message, especially as leaders. Employees need to see that the company is making progress. Stockholders need to see that the company vision is being realized and their investment is a good one. Future clients need to learn of past successes and be informed on the potential to work together. Constituencies, whether inside or outside the organization, need to hear of what is happening...and how what is happening fits into the big picture.

What are the implications for leaders? We need to continuously think through who our target audiences are, what our key messages might be, and what opportunities we have to get strategic in our communication. We need to engage our key leaders on how each of them has responsibilities in this critical area. Every one of our tactical, daily events can be strategically critical. The chance to connect those targets with key messages will come and go. We can't miss them! When the tree falls...leaders make sure people hear it. That's Leader Business.

For those who have been wondering (I hope it is hundreds of thousands of you...Haha!), the book (Leader Business) should be ready for on-line ordering in about 10-14 days. I will keep you posted! :)

Be an Enabler

2010-07-16T03:17:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I began a new job, and a new adventure, here in Kabul last week. The first several days have been a whirlwind of presentations and introductions and a quest to understand what it is that we do here. Once I can get my arms around that (no easy task in this multi-billion dollar enterprise), I can find purpose and add value to my team.

What I'm reminding myself every day is that so much of the role of leaders is as enablers. In fact, as I learn the elements of my new position, I think the role of "Chief Enabler" is most important. I find myself using this word over and over to define what I do. I don't do construction (be thankful!) -- I enable it. I don't (and can't) do what these great people do. But I can sure enable their success. Here's how dictionary.com defines this powerful word:

1. to make able; give power, means, competence, or ability to; authorize: This document will enable him to pass through the enemy lines unmolested. The "Chief Enabler" empowers people with the competence and confidence to accomplish their mission. Again, in leadership positions, we usually can't do what our teammates are in position to do...but we can sure help make them able to do it.

2. to make possible or easy: Aeronautics enables us to overcome great distances. So much of leadership is clearing obstacles that inhibit progress. Whether it be inefficient processes, lack of clarity, or disunity among team members, leaders can certainly help make the difficult -- easy or the impossible -- possible. "Chief Enablers" find gaps and fill them, create order out of chaos, and remove anything that prevents success.

3. to make ready; equip (often used in combination): Web-enabled cell phones. So much of leadership is providing people with the skills and tools they need to do their jobs. When we've hired well (as is certainly the case on my new team), it often comes down to giving people what they require -- and getting out of the way! Providing the equipment, resources, or sometimes just the clarity of purpose, or the context of the mission, is all great people need to do great things.

I may not know much in my new position, but I'm learning fast. I want my team to do well and I want to be a part of their success. So as I learn what they do, I'm trying to find ways to help them do it. That's the role of "Chief Enabler." That's Leader Business.

Transition Rule #1

2010-07-09T08:22:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I have been transitioning from one position to another. I gave up the leadership reins of a great team in Los Angeles on July 1st and took over a new command in Afghanistan on July 8th.

Transitions are always hard. No matter the position, it is difficult to leave friends and the comfort of knowing what to do and moving into the world of the unknown. I'm in that world now. Even after doing this probably a dozen times in 25 years, it is still not easy.

But once the pomp and circumstance is complete (okay, not every transition comes with a marching band!), it's time to settle in and start leading. There is clearly much I do not know. But what I do know, call it transition rule #1, is -- that it is my ship. (Thus the Captain analogy in the graphic above, if you wondered how this connected!). Any failures from this day forward are on my watch. No blaming my predecessor here. I own it.

If it's working...I'm keeping it. If it's not...I'm starting the ball rolling now to fix it. I have no doubt that the decisions and policies of my predecessor were based on the facts as known, and most of them were exactly the right way to go. Things may be different now. My status as the new guy may be what we all need to reexamine assumptions and look at alternatives. If things need to be changed, we'll change them and move on. Who has time to cast blame and look backward? From my experience, the Captain's time is better spent looking ahead, determining the ship's heading, final destination, and whether we have enough fuel to get there.

Yep...it's my ship! That's rule #1 in transition. And that's Leader Business!

(Another) Leader Business Update

2010-07-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

Happy Belated 4th of July and Happy 234th Birthday to the US of A. Periodically, it is probably good if I can take a few moments to update you on some current and ongoing issues. This post is one of those occasions. There is so much to talk about so…where to begin???

As most of you know, I am in the middle of a major transition. Boy…does change ever suck! I gave up the reins of leadership of the Los Angeles District of the Army Corps of Engineers on July 1st. (The picture at the top of this post is from the formal Change of Command ceremony. What a sendoff this fireboat in the Port of Los Angeles gave us!) What a great team we had there. I was fortunate to be a part of a great organization, with great people, wonderful partners, and a fantastic, $1B+ mission. Never again will I likely have it as good as I did there – CEO for a company with that size and scope…and in a great place to do what I suppose qualifies as work. For the last 3 years, it felt like anything but that! :)

I am now off to Afghanistan, where I will lead another Army Corps of Engineers District. The Corps has divided responsibilities there into two districts, essentially split in half between North and South, and I will have the Northern District. Headquartered in Kabul and with offices throughout my Area of Responsibility, I will have the great opportunity to command a $2B+ organization for the next year. It is a daunting mission but I have confidence in the great team over there that we can get it done. I take command over there on July 8th. No rest for the weary!

I know many of you are interested in what I will be doing. The Army Corps is primarily doing the large construction projects – both for our own military requirements (command headquarters, airfields, etc.) and for the Afghan Security Forces (Army barracks, Police Stations, training facilities, etc.). We also have a growing portfolio of civil infrastructure projects (electricity, roads, and water resources) that we are doing in support of other government agencies. My team, consisting of military and civilians, is responsible for contracting with capable construction firms, most of them local, and overseeing their work. We also do designs, real estate acquisitions, and project / program management. Sounds fun, doesn’t it? The scope of the mission (again, $2B+ this fiscal year and next) is truly humbling. But it is a big part of how we will be successful in our overall mission and we need to be successful.

And so, I leave one great team and join another. For those of you who have changed jobs lately, you know the emotions, stress, and anxiety that goes with this sort of transition. It’s now time to take my own advice. As the leader, my new team will be counting on me – from day one! I need to listen to my new teammates, identify priorities, and keep the train moving despite the turmoil at the top. I need to look for gaps and fill them. I need to assess our strengths and weaknesses, meet our customers and my superiors, and acknowledge their ideas, issues, and requirements. I need to meet my employees and let them articulate their piece of the mission. I need to understand the culture – within my team and in Afghanistan – and learn how I can shape the former while being respectful of the latter.

It won’t take long. Working in a 24/7 environment will make an expert out of anyone pretty quickly. And, having been through a number of transitions, I know I am up for the task. The team is solid. It’s up to me to join them, to minimize turmoil so they can do their jobs, and to get up to speed as quickly as possible. I know I am prepared and I am confident that I can do the job.

So…now you will understand my next 365 days through this basic framework. I will keep you posted throughout. It is my hope that I can document my journey and, more important, look for leadership threads that I can share with all of you. Given that many of you are likely in transition yourselves, I suspect the lessons of the next few weeks will be worth discussing. Remember, the point of a blog is to generate dialogue so, if I hit on something that stimulates your own thoughts and ideas, please share them with me…and the Leader Business community!

Just a few final things worth sharing with all of you:

-- The book (Leader Business) is finished and off to the printers. It should be available in a few weeks. It will be available through the web and I will alert you to the site. You can see the cover in the top right of this website. If it was true that you could judge a book by its cover, then this project will be a home run! I love the way the cover turned out and believe it does a great job of capturing the premise of the book – the passing of leadership lessons from the military to other settings and the opportunity for each community to learn from the other. For those of you who enjoy the ideas and issues we explore on these pages, you should appreciate the deeper journey we take in the book. I think it will be a good opportunity to dialogue with your co-workers about what leaders DO. It will serve as a great introduction to the fundamentals of leadership and the broad range of responsibilities for new and emerging leaders, mid-level managers, and anyone with the desire to improve as a leader. I sure hope you like it (or know someone who might need it!).

-- The Leader Business blog was recently recognized as one of the Top 40 leadership blogs by the On-line MBA web site. Yea!! Visit the full list here. While I will keep working to be #1, I am happy to be #18 and know that all of the blogs on the list are full of wisdom and insight!

-- My last posting, on the firing of General McChrystal and the need for all of us to examine whether we have similar challenges in complaining aloud about our superiors, was selected to be a part of this month’s Leadership Carnival. Thanks as always to Dan McCarthy for the great collection of leadership and management issues that he collects at this site! Little wonder he is #1. For now!! Ha!

Finally friends, would you stay connected with me during this journey? I can honestly say that I know I need you more than you need whatever wisdom I might share through this blog. I know it will be an interesting next 12 months. I will do what I can to share some of it with you. In return, can I ask for your thoughts and prayers? An occasional note, or a post on the blog that lets me know you are out there, or share your thoughts on a particular issue, might just benefit both of us! Ask your friends to join us and let’s make this an on-line community that explores issues of leadership…and life!

Thanks to each of you for your time and your friendship. I don’t take either of them for granted. That’s Leader Business.

I’m also on Facebook (great for posting pictures!), LinkedIn, and Twitter (LeaderBusiness) if you want to be my “friend” there! I hope you will! Thank you! :)

Those Idiots Up At HQ

2010-06-26T06:03:00.000-07:00

I remember seeing this cartoon in which two young soldiers were in a foxhole and trading complaints about how the idiots up at the platoon headquarters were far removed from reality and had no clue about the true situation on the ground. Soldiers like to gripe and the complaints about "the idiots up at HQ" are probably among the more common ones.

The cartoon is funny on a couple of levels: One, a platoon is pretty much the smallest element in a military formation. The men and women in a platoon, to include the platoon leader, are truly down where the action is. It's funny to see these low ranking troopers offering complaints at that level about the separation between them and their leaders.

The real humor comes from the realization that even at that low level, people gripe about how their leadership doesn't have a clue. At least in the Army, there is always this underlying grumbling that people above them don't understand the real situation on the ground and can't possibly relate to what they are dealing with. Soldiers, and my assumption is people in every organization, like to complain about how their leaders don't get it, can't possibly understand their situation, and are isolated from reality inside their "Ivory Towers."

Which brings me to General Stanley McChrystal. As you know from the events of this week, the General was removed from his command after some negative comments about his boss (President Obama) and other civilian leaders were made public through, of all sources, Rolling Stone Magazine. It was the same sort of complaints that one might get from those troopers in the foxhole, only the stakes were a lot higher and they were broadcast to the entire world. Just like that, General McChrystal was out and General Petraeus was named the top commander in Afghanistan.

President Obama had no choice but to make this move. Insubordination at that level is clearly grounds for removal. It was clear that General McChrystal could control neither his tongue or his men and that the lack of respect for his civilian leaders necessitated a change. That he would say the things he did about his chain of command, in front of a reporter who clearly would love nothing more than the sort of salacious quotes that he offered up, demonstrated a real lack of judgement and gave the President no other option. The General crossed the line. At that level, with those stakes, there is no second chance.

Before we point fingers at the General, it is probably worth reflecting on our own leadership. How often do we complain about our "higher headquarters?" And when we do, is it in front of our teammates? Are we sometimes guilty of voicing negative thoughts about our superiors -- out loud and in front of our troops?

My guess is we all are like those soldiers in the cartoon. We all want to complain about the leaders above us, how they don't understand what we are dealing with down at our level. Yes, it is human nature to believe that we are not the problem but rather the idiots above us! Admit it...you've felt this way...and you've been guilty of expressing your opinion in front of your people. (Or maybe it's just me, and I know I am guilty. But I'm guessing I'm not alone.)

It's a common issue. The leadership take-away is that it has consequences. On the rare occasion it can get back to the boss and cost us our job, as it did for General McChrystal. More often though, this attitude is contagious and will spread rapidly throughout the ranks. People hear what we say and will repeat it. Gradually you get a team with no confidence in their leaders. It's a virus whose symptoms include a breakdown in cohesion, a lack of trust and loyalty within the ranks, insubordination, and chaos.

We can all learn from this event. Let's ensure we stop ourselves before we offer complaints about our higher HQ, especially around the troops. Save that sort of talk for our spouse or our pets! Better yet, let's keep our focus inward. Let's deal with our own problems before pointing out others. The Bible says we need to take the log out of our own eye before we worry about the splinter in someone else's eye. Good advice. When we do this, we'll realize that we've got enough to worry about addressing our own failings, and that we don't need to point out where our leaders come short.

Bite your tongue, watch what you say, don't let your guard down, don't spout off to Rolling Stone Magazine. I don't know about you, but the events of the week were a good reminder. I need to remember that very often I am the "idiot up at HQ!" I don't need to spend time trying to fix my higher headquarters. I've got enough to do just fixing...ME. That's...Leader Business.

Setting Sail to Greatness

2010-06-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

I really hurt my back last week. Believe it or not, I injured it while participating in a little yoga stretching. “YOGA?” you ask. Yep. One of those lay on your back, knees stretch to one side, head and arms to the other. I’m sure there is a name for that position. Oh…I have a name for it alright: the BACK ACHE.

But it was my fault. I wasn’t ready. I don’t have the experience in Yoga to know my limits. I joined the class in progress after the rest of the group was well lubed and I…was my normal, inflexible self. I wasn’t ready.

Which brings me to young Abby Sunderland. You heard her story -- the little 16 year old from Thousand Oaks, California who attempted to sail solo around the world. She ran into trouble in the Indian Ocean and had to be rescued. The 30-foot swells of the Indian Ocean apparently got the best of her. In my opinion, she wasn’t ready either. Most 16 year-olds are not.

I acknowledge there are two ways to look at this situation. On the one hand, we can applaud the bold risk-taking of a person so young. She did make it roughly half way on that amazing journey. I cannot imagine the nerve it must take to be all alone on those waters, to stare into the dark of night and not be afraid. That is true courage, something we might all look within and see how we measure up. I know I couldn’t do it.

But I take the position that she was too young and lacked the necessary experience to tackle this challenge. My assumption is that she never had to deal with the sorts of conditions that eventually got the best of her. She was not prepared to handle the multitude of worst-case scenarios that one could envision for an around-the-world trip. How could she? She’s only 16! She wasn’t ready. She lacked the education, experience, and training that it takes to confidently embark on such a journey.

We see the same thing in so many leadership settings and business case studies today. Young, hard charging warriors get in way over their head, take on too much risk, over-estimate their ability to deal with crisis, and get too far out on the ledge. It would all be good and make for great case studies if it weren’t for the fact that they take too many people, jobs, and once promising companies with them. Like the young Abby Sunderland, they aren’t ready.

Young people today are hungry. They want to be the CEO now. Good for them. But, like responsible parents, we have to make them ready for increased responsibility. We have to ensure they can handle the job. We need to give them the skills and tools that increase their muscle density such that they can eventually reach for the heights which they seek. We need to encourage them to keep growing, to keep pursuing increasingly higher goals. But we should do so with an understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, and limitations. Prepare them to be bold but have the courage to say, “No…you’re not ready.”

Leaders are responsible for preparing people to accomplish their mission. It is such an important responsibility that I made it Part II in my soon to be published book (yea!). We have to provide our teammates the resources they need to be adequately prepared, especially training. We have to equip them with the decision-making that only comes from multiple repetitions of making decisions. That’s MULTIPLE…as in A LOT! We have to increase their duties and tasks consistent with their demonstrated capacity. Have them sail across one ocean and back before tackling the globe. Practice dealing with smaller crises before getting into life and death situations. It’s our job to give them feedback such that they know when they are ready…and when they are not.

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe some of you will comment that she was doing what we need more of in life – bold, audacious risk takers. Perhaps your opinion is that we should focus more on the fact that she tried than that she failed. Maybe little Abby was ready, some of you might say, and she simply had some bad luck. But if you accept the definition of luck as “the intersection of opportunity and preparation,” then perhaps you might agree with me that she wasn’t prepared. And her leaders (in this case, her parents) weren’t there to tell her “NO” – or better still, “NOT YET!”

Like I was in that yoga class, young Abby stretched perhaps just a little further than she was capable of. I’m glad she is okay. And me…I’m going to the doctor on Wednesday. He’ll tell me – I wasn’t ready. Not yet. That’s Leader Business.

Leader Business Update

2010-06-16T05:39:00.000-07:00

Friends,

If you are a follower of these pages, you may have noted a drop-off in my publishing rate. Believe me, it is not from a lack of material. Have no doubt that there is a plethora of events and issues these days that speak to the need for leadership. My own arena presents a similar collection of daily leadership lessons and vignettes.

I just haven't been able to get to it. As many of you know, I have been putting my energy into finishing up my tour of duty with the Army Corps of Engineers in Los Angeles, preparing for deployment to Afghanistan, and trying to finish up Leader Business, the book! It is this last thing that has had me up at 4:00 a.m. every morning and has used up all my good words. I've got nothing left for the blog! (Haha!)

I thought you might be interested in the cover graphics for the book. Zoom in as you can to see the images and you will gain an understanding of the sort of ground this book covers. Leader Business, both in the book and here on these pages, tries to take the lessons of the military (the world I know now) and apply them to the real world. And, not surprisingly, it's a two-way street. Sometimes the lessons go the other way, from the business world to the military. This is the premise for the book and one which I hope you will enjoy. I am almost ready to ship to the printers, perhaps by early next week. In the interim, I hope you enjoy the "teaser" of the cover art.

While I have you here, perhaps we can learn together about yesterday's incident in the Senate chambers with General David Petraeus. The general, architect of the successful surge in Iraq and current commander of United States Central Command with responsibilities throughout the Middle East, passed out during testimony in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee. While he recovered quickly and eventually finished the hearing, he gave a scare to all who witnessed the event.

The lesson is that none of us is immune to fatigue, stress, and health issues. We have to maintain balance in our life, eat well, and get enough rest to go the distance. There are limits, even for warriors like this General. Leaders understand what those limits are and know when to throttle back a little to a more sustainable pace.

Have a great day! Get some rest. That's an order. That's...Leader Business.

Honoring the Wizard of Westwood

2010-06-05T06:20:00.001-07:00

We lost a great one last night. UCLA Men's basketball coach John Wooden passed away at the age of 99 from natural causes. One of the greatest competitors and motivators, in sports and perhaps in any field, the "Wizard of Westwood," (UCLA is in the Westwood area of Los Angeles) is now gone.

Coach Wooden put together a record of excellence that may never be surpassed:

-- 10 National Championships including a stretch of 7 in a row.

-- 88 consecutive victories.

-- Coach of some of the games greatest names: Alcindor, Walton, Goodrich, Wilkes, Wicks, and others.

He was a sweet man who cared deeply about his UCLA Bruins and about the game of basketball. But he also put things in perspective and knew that basketball was just a game. His "Pyramid of Success" has application to much more than what happens on the court. Life had deeper meaning and his emphasis on excellence, seen in quotes like those below, has application to us all:

"Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out."

"Never mistake activity for achievement."

"Adversity is the state in which man mostly easily becomes acquainted with himself, being especially free of admirers then."

"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are."

"Be prepared and be honest."

"You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one."

"You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you."

"What you are as a person is far more important that what you are as a basketball player."

"Winning takes talent, to repeat takes character."

"A coach is someone who can give correction without causing resentment."

"I'd rather have a lot of talent and a little experience than a lot of experience and a little talent."

"If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"

"If you're not making mistakes, then you're not doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes mistakes."

"It isn't what you do, but how you do it."

"Ability is a poor man's wealth."

"Failure is not fatal, but failure to change might be."

"Consider the rights of others before your own feelings, and the feelings of others before your own rights."

"Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do."

"Don't measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability."

"It's not so important who starts the game but who finishes it."

"It's what you learn after you know it all that counts."

"It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen."

"Talent is God given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be grateful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful."

"The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team."

"Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming."

"Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It's courage that counts."

Which one is your favorite and why? No doubt you have seen some of these motivational and inspirational quotes before. Now you know their source. Unfortunately, that source is now gone. We definitely lost a great one. Farewell, Coach Wooden. That's Leader Business.

Quotes taken from espn.com...which borrowed them from coachwooden.com.

Remembering our Fallen Heroes

2010-05-31T07:42:00.000-07:00

Friends,

I trust that this posting will find all of you doing well and hopefully enjoying the Memorial Day weekend. This holiday is about remembering -- the sacrifices of the few for the many, our fallen heroes, and those who have paid the ultimates cost in defense of our freedoms. In between the Barbecues, parades, and auto races, I hope that we will remember the true meaning behind this holiday.

On May 5, 1866, the village of Waterloo, New York was decorated with flags at half mast, draped with evergreens and mourning black to praise the living Union veterans of the Civil War and to remember the patriotic dead. Veterans, civic societies, and residents, led by General John B. Murray, marched to the village cemeteries and placed flowers on the graves of those who gave their lives during the war. Thus began the first Memorial Day observance.

Benjamin Harrison, our 23rd President who served during the Civil War as a Brigadier General of the Tenth Corps of the Army of the Cumberland stated, "I have never been able to think of the day as one of mourning; I have never quite been able to feel that half-masted flags were appropriate on Decoration Day. I have rather felt that the flag should be at the peak, because those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in seeing it where their valor placed it. We honor them in a joyous, thankful, triumphant commemoration of what they did."

Today is a day to remember not only those who died but also how they lived and what they lived for.

Having spent last week in Afghanistan, I certainly have recent memories of our warriors and all they are doing in defense of freedom. They are taking on a very difficult mission, in extremely complex terrain and environmental conditions, and are truly making a difference. They are proud of their accomplishments, confident in themselves and their leaders, and ready to do whatever it takes to finish the job. We have much to be thankful for that young men and women are willing to put their lives on hold, to leave their families and personal aspirations behind, and to sacrifice so much for the Afghan people and for all peace-loving people. God bless them all and their mission.

While I have much more to report on my quick trip to Afghanistan and my pending deployment in about a month, and all of the leadership implications of both, I think the focus today should be in how we honor -- and remember -- those who have given so much. That's Leader Business. Hooah!

Battle Rhythm

2010-05-21T17:35:00.000-07:00

People like predictability. They like to have routine meetings at the same time during the day or week. They like to exchange routine information in standardized ways. They like to know their expectations for where and when they need to be for certain activities.

This is what we call battle rhythm. Every good organization has certain regular patterns. Staff meetings are at 9:00 on Tuesdays. Quick huddles are every morning at the beginning of the day. Subordinates submit standard reports every Friday on the week's activities. Football teams establish this sort of standard practice week before Saturday games. Teachers / construction workers / policemen know and understand the flow of the week and what they must do as a part of each of the mandatory activities. This is the framework in which we fit everything else we must do.

While our respective battle rhythms may differ greatly, their importance is something we all share. It helps supervisors structure their week. They can fit information requirements around scheduled meetings (instead of pestering people for things they should be getting as part of the routine). Subordinates know their expectations for presence, participation, and information.

I guess as I get ready to board a plane and head to Afghanistan for a one week visit with my future unit, this is something I am really interested in learning. I'd like to get a feel for a normal day / week / month / quarter. I will be looking for information on meetings, reporting requirements, how I will receive and transmit key elements of data, etc. While I won't know everything when I come back in a few days, I will be much more comfortable with what normal looks like. At least as normal as Afghanistan can look!

I also know that one of the more important issues we can influence as leaders is...the battle rhythm. Information flow should be additive and bring value to each other -- not data for the sake of data! Meetings should take place routinely, as infrequently as possible, and help all attendees do their job more effectively (not just the boss). Establishing a standard, logical battle rhythm will make everyone more confident in what they are doing and more comfortable with how we operate as leaders.

I have tons of questions. But you can be sure I will come back with a good understanding of battle rhythm. I will let you know how it goes. That's...Leader Business.

Un-confuse the Chaos

2010-05-09T17:28:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this slide? No doubt some well intentioned military staff officer, likely one operating at an oxygen-deficit, came up with this slide to attempt to describe operations in Afghanistan. It's a beauty, isn't it? Does it look like your own vision slide? How about your project delivery process, customer relation model, or org chart? My head hurts!

Listen, warfare is chaotic enough. I'm not sure whose idea it was to try to reduce it down to a single PowerPoint slide. No doubt someone thought this would turn on light bulbs and provide an understanding of how victory would be achieved for the forces in Afghanistan. Really?

I loved the comment from the military brass when they saw this slide. The sentiment was that when they understood this slide, they would have no difficulty winning the war. You got it, General. No war was ever won with sexy visual aids. And no vision has ever been achieved without leaders who can clearly articulate what they are doing and why. This ain't it! Send that trooper back to the drawing board...literally. And let's find a way to keep it simple.

When it comes to vision, the leader's job is to create order out of chaos, to "un-confuse" the situation, to help people see clearly how victory will be won. Yet, sometimes I think people no more understand what we are putting forward as our grand strategies than the great warriors in Afghanistan got where this slide was taking them. Whether it is in combat, health care, or the execution of whatever project we are working on, we need to devise simpler strategies and communicate them in more straightforward ways.

We can do better. I DO like the idea of putting our strategies on paper. My team will tell you that I love to pick up the markers and head to the whiteboard. But when we do, it must make things more clear, not less. Let's agree to these points when it comes to creating and communicating through visual aids:

-- Sketch out your vision, ideas, or master plans on paper or a dry erase board. If you can't do it...don't think it will make more sense when you try to digitize your ideas.

-- Make sure visuals are clean, simple, and easily understood. Check with those whose job it is to implement your plans. If they don't get it...your visuals probably don't add value.

-- Everything doesn't lend itself to PowerPoint! Why not try writing out a few paragraphs or putting together a white paper for more complicated issues? What did we ever do before Bill Gates?

-- If things look this complicated on paper, they probably are even worse on the ground. Most of us mice will not be able to navigate this sort of maze to find the cheese!

Look...many of our strategies and processes are confusing enough. Let's not add to the chaos with crazy slides, multiple arrows, and infinitesimal details. Slides like this produce a different kind of "vision" -- blurred! Find a way to help people see straight and "un-confuse" the situation. That's Leader Business.

Update: Friends...I know I have been delinquent in updating this forum. As many of you know, I am working hard to finish up on Leader Business, the book. I'm almost there. If you have the time, energy, or the intellectual curiosity...drop me a note and I will send you a brief excerpt so you can see where I am going. It is a rough draft, but you will get the idea. I'd love your feedback!

Attention on Deck!

2010-05-02T06:17:00.000-07:00

If you are not one of the millions that have watched this YouTube clip of some "troopers" in Afghanistan with too much time on their hands, have a laugh and check it out.

Great article in this month's Fast Company on Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman, Admiral Mike Mullen. I can certainly appreciate the pace of his day, his passion for open and transparent communication, and his thoughts on economic security and the relation to national security. While he does not actually command US Forces, his role as "Chief Strategy Officer" and the fact that he has the President's ear, makes his role vitally important. I like his thoughts on information management and situational awareness, leading during a time of change (what he calls "operating at the speed of war"), and the use of new media (he's on Facebook and Twitter) to get his message out.

Vanity Fair has a very interesting story on General David Petraeus. You can learn more about the man who crafted the surge plan in Iraq and is currently leading the efforts in Afghanistan and throughout the Middle East as the Commander of US Central Command.

Interesting story on MSNBC about Army Captain Casey Thoreen, the "King of Maiwand" District. Very difficult decisions that this 30-year old, West Point graduate has to make in order to empower the local leadership in his area of Afghanistan. The term we often use is "Strategic Corporal." People with relatively low ranks making decisions with enormous impact, in this case with strategic implications.

Great stuff. Also, you may want to check out Dan McCarthy's latest collection of leadership stories in the May Leadership Development Carnival.

Four more chapters to go on the book. Thanks to those of you for your help and encouragement. Pushing hard to get this project finished.

Looking forward to the chance to speak to the Orange County Leadership Academy this week. This great group of professionals always inspires me to be a better leader. Hooah!

A Salute to a Striver

2010-04-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

The LA Times had an inspirational story about young Tyki Nelworth, a senior at Washington Preparatory High School in South Los Angeles. The 18-year old has gotten into the college of his choice, due mostly to his diligence as a student (4.23 gpa), dedication to his teammates (he is captain of the football team, plays baseball, and runs track), and discipline as a rapidly maturing young man (he is president of the student body).

Tyki was born a crack baby. On the streets of south LA, he could easily have given up and made excuses for his life. He has bounced between family members. His father died when he was in the 7th grade and his mother has been in and out of trouble to include a stint in prison on drug charges. This kid had everything stacked against him.

But he never gave up. He dedicated himself to his studies and became a man. He overcame his past and focused on his future. Says Tyki, "I always use past experiences as a motivation...not as an excuse not to do something."

Humbling, isn't it. Many times we do use our past experiences as excuses. Our communities are filled with people who blame their parents, their circumstances, their bad luck, and everyone but themselves for their shortcomings. Maybe it is time that we too use these as motivation.

I have no doubt that this kid will go far. He is an inspration to many, especially in a community that needs role models who demonstrate that anything is possible to those who strive for excellence and never give up on their dreams.

Oh...and the college Tyki will attend in the fall? West Point! Hooah! That's Leader Business.

What do we do now, sir?

2010-04-25T07:07:00.000-07:00

Former Army Captain Craig Mullaney has written a thoughtful discussion of leadership in "The Unforgiving Minute: A Soldier's Education." A West Point graduate, Army Ranger, and Rhodes Scholar, Mullaney talks about what it means to be a "warrior" and to become a man in the chaos of battle.

This brief video from the Washington Post video series, On Leadership (which is starting to become one of my favorite sites for inspiration and insights on leadership) helps describe the difficulties of life as a small unit leader, in Mullaney's case the frontier lands between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

I like the discussion in the video about the fact that people are counting on us to make decisions, to sort through the fog of war and get people moving. While we should hope that the question, "What do we do now, sir?" is not addressed to us when bullets are flying all around, it is what we need to be prepared to answer when we say yes to leadership. In times of chaos, people look to their leader. We need to be ready.

I liked some of Mullaney's other comments in this brief discussion of leadership:

-- Never quit.
-- Regroup and get people focused on the mission.
-- People are counting on us -- in good times and in bad.
-- It's not about us.

I'm guessing that the praises for Mullaney's book are indicative of this compelling brand of leadership. It is probably worth a read. Our own troops would probably be the beneficiaries. That makes it Leader Business.

Leader Business Update

2010-04-11T18:36:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Can I update you on some of the various comings and goings of the Leader Business blog and your trusty scribe?

-- The good folks over at HR Bartender included me in this month's Leadership Development Carnival (Anniversary Edition). I'm there under the group of bloggers who have been at it for 3 years. Thanks to my friend, Steve Harper, for helping me find this voice!

-- Since I am not a big time blogger (sorry to let some of you down -- ha!), I never take any of you for granted at this site. I am honored for the 18,000+ hits to the blog, the 115 of you who follow in Blogger, Google Reader, or Feedblitz. And I am especially honored when you forward the blog along to your friends and hope that you will encourage them to join our discussion and sign up to follow through one of these means.

-- While I am definitely NOT in the big time, I was fired up to learn that I am #141 on the list of top 150 management and leadership blogs over at Noop.NL. While I am not challenging Tim Ferris, Tony Robbins, or Tom Peters for guru-status (yet!), I hope this means we are connecting! Thanks to each of you for helping contributing to this ranking!

-- I am about 70% of the way through the writing of Leader Business -- the book. Man this is hard work. My hat is off to any of you who have completed such a task. I am not worthy!

-- Finally, I am about three months away from deployment to Afghanistan. Thus the pressure to finish the book (and wrap up a ton of initiatives in my job before I go). We'll see if I can do it! While I know this will be a major change of lifestyle from beautiful Southern California, I still hope to stay connected through this site. What better place than Afghanistan to examine the business of leaders!!!

That's my update. Thanks to each of you for being my friend and inspiring me on my leadership journey! More leadership info soon. In the interim, thanks!!! That's Leader Business!

"Auftragstaktik"

2010-04-03T18:00:00.000-07:00

Have you heard this term before -- “Auftragstaktik?” It sure is fun to say. Give it a try -- it is a mouthful! While you may not know the word (unless, of course, you are a student of German Army tactics), you are no doubt familiar with the concept. At least you should be.

Auftragstaktik is the German expression for “mission-oriented command.” It relies upon decentralized leadership and is the basis for decision-making at the lowest possible level, where the knowledge of the situation is always best.

Auftragstaktik requires a leader’s belief in a subordinate's ability to creatively solve problems without always having to approve every decision or explicitly direct each step. Key elements of this approach to leadership include:

-- Mutual trust among teammates based on each person's intimate personal knowledge of the capabilities of the others.
-- Repetitive training to reinforce confidence in the decision making capabilities of each other.
-- A willingness to act on the part of all leaders and...all followers.
-- Simple, sound fundamentals (policies, procedures, etc.).

-- Regular use of mission orders.

Key to this empowering approach to leadership is the use of these mission orders. If it is creative solutions that we seek, then we need to unleash people to join in the problem solving process. Leaders must avoid telling everyone how to address every assigned task. We don't always have to be the "smartest person in the room!"

Using mission orders, leaders focus on defining the problem to be solved and the parameters or criteria that they want in a solution. Focus on the why and the what – empower others to determine the how.

Taking the mission order approach for even the simplest tasks will develop the muscle density necessary for application to more challenging problems. That's the repetitive training piece. Empowering people to make decisions, trusting that they will do the right thing, accepting some failure in order to learn and grow -- that's the rest of this German Army leadership philosophy.

Lest we think this is some secret tactic that died with the Wehrmacht back in WWII, know that the US Army definitely embraces this leadership philosophy of Auftragstaktik. It is the basis for decentralized decision making. It is also what makes success possible with many sports teams, businesses, government agencies, and non-profits groups. So let's give it a more common English term. Let's call it...Leader Business.

Persistence Pays

2010-03-28T07:30:00.000-07:00

From USA Today writer Bob Minzesheimer comes this powerful story about perseverance and the pursuit of our dreams and goals:

Talk about perseverance.
In 1977, Karl Marlantes, a former Marine and Rhodes Scholar, wrote a novel inspired by his combat in Vietnam.
This week, Matterhorn (read the review here), rewritten many times, finally is being published — and it's being touted by booksellers as one of the season's top novels.

Marlantes endured three decades of rejections. At times, he says, "I couldn't get anyone to even read it to reject it."
At first he was told: "No one was interested. We had lost an unpopular war."
In the 1980s, "I was told Hollywood had already done it."
In the 1990s, he was told to switch his story to the Gulf War. A decade later, he was advised to set it in Afghanistan.

But Marlantes, 65, a Yale graduate awarded the Navy Cross and Bronze Star, knew what war was like in Vietnam's mountain jungles in a winter monsoon. That's the story he wanted to tell.
He worked as an energy consultant, got married and had five children, now ages 19 to 31. He says he worked on the novel on weekends and late at night. He had put it aside for as long as a year but kept coming back to it.

In 2007, a friend recommended El León Literary Arts, a non-profit publisher in Berkeley, Calif. An editor loved it and arranged to print 1,200 copies of a $25 paperback. Marlantes' only pay: 120 copies that "I could sell."
Before its release, his wife, Anne, suggested sending a copy to literary contests, saying, "at least they'll have to read it." That's how Sessalee Hensley, fiction buyer at the Barnes & Noble chain, ended up being "blown away" by it.

But she thought a $25 paperback was expensive and a tiny publisher couldn't meet the demand created by the chain's Discover New Writers program.
She alerted Morgan Entrekin, publisher of Grove/Atlantic, best known for Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain.

Entrekin ended up buying the unreleased copies of Matterhorn (now stored in a warehouse) and co-published a revised $24.95 hardcover, with 60,000 copies in print. He calls it "the most amazing story" of his 33 years in publishing. "Not just Karl's persistence. But that his book turned out so well. I think it's a classic."

Marlantes' first draft was 1,600 pages. The version for El León was 800. With a new editor, he cut it to 598 pages to speed up the pace of the plot.
Marlantes, of Woodinville, Wash., sees two lessons for other writers:
"Over the years, the book got better. I learned from reading the greats — Tolstoy and Flannery O'Connor and others — and asking, 'How did they do that?'
"And you've got to stay at the table. If you walk away, nothing will ever happen."

What a story of perseverance! After 32 years, the hero who never gave up on his dream, who believed in himself and what he was doing, has written what some are now calling "a classic!"

This account really resonated with me. I too am learning how difficult it is to produce a literary work that others can appreciate! I have heard those words of rejection and faced the demons of self-doubt. Still do.

Reading about Marlantes' story makes me examine my own condition. Am I too quick to abandon my dreams at the first note of rejection? Or do I use feedback as a way to focus my approach, improve my strategies, and make myself better for the climb ahead?

While the title of Matterhorn refers to the fire base in Vietnam from which most of Marlantes' story takes place, it might also represent the long, steady ascent to the heights that represents the pursuit of our goals and dreams. It is a long, hard journey with many obstacles and numerous opportunities to turn back. But there are great rewards awaiting those who reach the summit.

Let us have no doubt that that achieving greatness, in business, in literature, or in life, requires perseverance and a belief -- in our cause and in ourselves. That's Leader Business.

The Leadership Test

2010-03-12T11:04:00.000-08:00

Author Timothy R. Clark poses this very pointed question in his book, The Leadership Test: Why do you want to lead? Have you ever thought about that? Why are you willing to risk failure, sleepless nights, and all the headaches that come with being the man or woman in charge? If it's for the money, the glory, or the personal recognition -- you may not fare well in this endeavor. But if your response begins with what you can do for other people and how you can enable the success of those around you, then you just might pass!

Let me recommend a great read to you. Tim has hit on some critical topics here. "The Leadership Test" revolves around the relationship between Izzy, the eccentric high school teacher, and his former student Marcus. Their discussions on leadership really hit home with me and made me think about things like selfless service, accountability, and integrity. I think you will especially enjoy the self-assessment based on what Tim calls the five elements of the leadership test:

1. Fill Your Pack.
2. Sign Your Name.
3. Share the Stage.
4. Take the Oath.
5. Pour Your Cup.

I thought my friends might like to meet Tim and so I sent him a few questions, to which he graciously offered his response below:

-- The Leadership Test involves the relationship between a teacher and his former student. Why did you pick Izzy (the teacher) to help Marcus (the student) learn about leadership? We don't usually think about educators as being on the front lines of leadership!

To lead is to be in the business of influence. Teachers are on the front lines of leadership. They help create many of our most defining formative experiences in leadership. They teach us about intent and influence even though we don’t see it that way at the time.

-- I love what you call the "first question of leadership:" WHY do you want to lead? Leadership isn't for everyone, is it?

When we talk about leadership, I like to make the distinction between the core and the crust. The core refers to the essential qualities of character that guide our thoughts and actions. Unfortunately, we don’t spend near enough time on the core. We seem to obsess on the crust, which is all about building skills. That’s important too, but we need to go back and ask the first question: “Why do I want to lead?” We need to think long and hard about our intent to lead. This question reveals the motivational basis of our wanting to lead.

-- You have a unique definition of leadership: Leadership is the process of influencing volunteers to accomplish good things. This isn't the typical definition! What words would you highlight here?

I think it’s widely accepted that leadership is about the process of influencing people. We’ve got that part down. But now we must emphasize the fact that people are volunteers. This acknowledgement helps remind us of a couple of things. First, leaders are no better than their followers. Second, performance is based on a willing offering of discretionary effort. The history of leadership is one in which people are muscled, coerced, and pressed into service. Actually, this isn’t leadership at all, but we’ve been calling it that for centuries. Now it’s catching up with us. Increasingly, we are seeing a very interesting trend in organizations. In a turbulent, globalizing world, talented people won’t put up with this nonsense. They will laugh you out of the room and then leave the organization if they have options. Most organizations are still power-based organizations that operate on the authoritarian principle, but in highly competitive organizations that have to compete on a global standard, it doesn’t hold up. And the leaders who try to hide behind the trappings of power—title, position, and authority, they aren’t holding up either.

-- The book ends with an actual test for leaders. If we take it and don't do well, how can we improve?

If you don’t do well, you have actually passed the first unwritten test, which is to be honest with yourself. So congratulations on being willing to see the unvarnished truth of yourself. Most leaders are unwilling to have a truthful encounter with themselves in the first place. At this point, you should do the following. First, set achievable goals to improve on the individual tests where you see gaps. Second, plan specific ways to close the gaps. Third, take action. And fourth, hold yourself accountable to yourself and to others. Seek candid feedback to see how you are doing, and then keep up this “goal, plan, action, feedback” loop going. And I mean keep it going for the rest of your life. There are no shortcuts to becoming a great leader. It’s takes a lot of hard work, humility, and self-discipline. But the rewards are the sweetest that life can offer.

-- What do you think the biggest shortcoming is for leaders today among the five "tests" that you identify?

Leaders exhibit failure patterns on all five, but the one that is doing the most damage today is the four test: “Take the Oath.” We seem to have fewer and fewer leaders who are willing to bind themselves to act with honesty and integrity. As I say in the book, taking the oath is a private act. The oath you make is ultimately enforceable only by you. Our society is in desperate need of leaders of unflinching character. Life eventually teaches all of us that the toughest tests of leadership are not tests of the crust; they are tests of the core. And they certainly will come!

Thanks, Tim. You have set the bar high both as a writer and as a thinker on the business of leadership. Friends, this is a great book and I strongly recommend it. You can pick it up here at Amazon , at Tim's website, or any number of retail outlets. "The Leadership Test" is a simple book on a very complicated topic. Read it in a single sitting. Then reread it to really enjoy some of the pearls of wisdom in this excellent tome!

I'm a pretty simple person. Tim wrote this book for me! He has really gotten down to the HEART of the matter. When it comes to leadership...it really is about the HEART! Well done, Tim. That's Leader Business.

Petraeus on Leadership II

2010-03-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post has a great site for video interviews with key leaders on significant leadership topics. Most recently, the interviews at "On Leadership" have provided some interesting insights from Army General Petraeus. You know him as the 4-star commander of the US Central Command, the author of the "surge" in Iraq, and the leader of the Coalition Military Forces in the Middle East during some very difficult and trying times.

Take a listen to his comments here. In this second interview (see here if you missed the first one), you will be interested to learn of:

-- Sharing risk. All too often we see poor examples of leadership in which all the rewards are reserved for management while all the risks are born by lower ranking members of the team, stockholders, and everyone BUT management. General Petraeus' example of sharing the risk by being out in the field with the troops helps us understand what it means to share both risks and rewards.

-- Keeping up morale. Leaders are always under a microscope, especially when dealing with negative news. How we respond sends a huge message to the troops and sets the tone for their own behavior. The General's comments to be seen as human but don't let them see your shoulders slump reminds us of the importance of inspiring others by being genuine and that perpetual optimism is indeed a "force multiplier!"

-- Empowerment. Providing direction, left/right limits, soliciting feedback, following up. As I like to remind my own troopers, "Empowerment is not abandonment!" I loved the aggressiveness seen in the sign at the company headquarters: "In the absence of guidance or orders, figure out what they should have been and execute aggressively." Leaders must encourage initiative, accept risk, and provide feedback.

-- Communication. The General talks about the importance of being available, of taking personal responsibility for the message. Leaders must be "brutally honest" with the truth. In the most difficult times, often all we have is our credibility. When people trust us, they will accept setbacks and difficult news, knowing that you are not spinning them and will communicate both positive and negative reports.

The General has certainly learned more than his fair share of lessons on leadership -- in his distinguished career and during the very difficult trials of the last 7 years. While he is not likely to take credit for his successes, they are many. His emphasis on leadership -- focused on inspiring excellence and enabling the success of the "troopers" through things like communication and empowerment -- certainly gives us confidence in the mission and those whom he leads. That's Leader Business.

P.S. Kudos to the Iraqi people who continue to demonstrate courage and a desire for freedom and democracy in the face of danger. The elections went forward this week with a turnout that we would love to see in the United States! Proud of the Iraqi people and the US and Iraqi military who enabled the security of the election process!

Petraeus on Leadership I

2010-03-07T06:38:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post has a great site for video interviews with key leaders on significant leadership topics. Most recently, the interviews at "On Leadership" have provided some interesting insights from Army General Petraeus. You know him as the 4-star commander of the US Central Command, the author of the "surge" in Iraq, and the leader of the Coalition Military Forces in the Middle East during some very difficult and trying times.

Take a listen to his comments here. You will be interested to learn of:

-- How they dealt with difficult news, an all too familiar event in Iraq and now in Afghanistan. Leaders have to be able to put setbacks into context. They have to be able to learn from negative events without being defined by them.

-- Lessons learned from New York City Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, about tending to small problems before they become much larger ones. Often, the discipline to do small things right has much larger implications for the team. Reminds me of a quote I learned long ago in my military career: "When you walk by a mistake without making a correction, you have just defined the new standard."

-- The concept of "Strategic Sergeants," meaning that the actions of low ranking members of the team can have potentially strategic impacts on the overall mission. When we value the contributions of each of our "troopers," training them to think strategically even while acting tactically, they will operate within the context of the bigger picture and enable the overall success of the operation.

The General has certainly learned more than his fair share of lessons on leadership -- in his distinguished career and during the very difficult trials of the last 7 years. While he is not likely to take credit for his successes, they are many. His emphasis on leadership -- focused on inspiring excellence and enabling the success of the "troopers" -- certainly gives us confidence in the mission and those whom he leads. That's Leader Business.

P.S. Today, 7 March 2010, is voting day in Iraq. Iraqis are conducting their first parliamentary elections as a sovereign, democratic nation. The bravery of the Iraqi people, and the "troopers" who endeavor under General Petraeus' leadership to give freedom a chance, will be on full display today. Please keep them all in your thoughts and prayers!

Undercover Boss

2010-02-28T07:32:00.000-08:00

Have you seen the reality show, Undercover Boss, on CBS? A recent episode highlighted the integration of 7-11 CEO, Joe Depinto, into the entry level positions of his own company. Under an assumed identity as part of a supposed documentary about new employees in various fields, Joe spent a week being filmed doing various jobs in the stores and support shops of his huge, billion dollar, corporation.

Take a minute, if you haven't already, to watch the first part of the show above. If you have a few more minutes, watch the full show here on Hulu.

So why go undercover in your own company? Here are some of the things Joe learned in his one-week adventure:

-- Successful stores are ones in which the employees know their customers and make them feel like family. Joe was amazed at how Delores (she of the 5 children, 1 kidney, and almost 20 years at the same 7-11) knew the names of everyone who came into the store, one of the busiest franchises in the company. She (and not Joe!) was why the store was so successful.

-- Everyone needs a way to grow in the company. Joe was disappointed to find an employee who felt that there was nowhere to go, no way to grow, within the organization. There can be no dead-end jobs in a company if people are going to remain loyal and stay motivated.

-- Great programs, hatched by well-intentioned managers and senior leaders, often don't make it to the support facilities or store floors. Often this is not known unless and until those senior leaders take time to get out in the field and listen to employees. Joe was disappointed to see that his initiatives on things like facility repair and sharing of older food with charities wasn't being implemented as designed. He would never have discovered this without getting out from the big office and seeing first-hand what was happening -- day and night, and in both stores and support shops.

It was great to hear Joe refer so often to his "troops." "Great companies need great soldiers!" "Just as in the Army, the role of the leader is to take care of his people." And I know Joe is sincere, because I have served with him. We were good friends and company mates at West Point and we soldiered together out in the Army. I am proud to see that the values he learned in uniform still shape his thinking about leadership today!

Maybe a stint undercover would be good for all of us. Perhaps a day down on the shop floor would not only humble us but give us a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges that still need our attention. How about calling your own office and support staff and seeing how customers are treated to learn more about this important interaction? Why not serve others for a day and learn about the true role of leaders as servants to others?

Thanks for your leadership of 7-11, Joe. Your undercover experiences made me proud to know you are part of the "Old Grey Line" at West Point. Next time I am in one of your stores for a cup of coffee and a donut I will, no doubt, see the results of your customer and employee-focus. That's Leader Business!

(Un)Learning Leadership from "The Office" -- Part II

2010-02-18T07:23:00.000-08:00

I shared with you previously my addiction to the NBC show, "The Office." It truly is like watching a leadership train wreck -- uncomfortable, inappropriate, and offensive. And yet...I can't look away. Not only is it funny, it offers insights into management issues faced by leaders everywhere.

Now this is not to suggest that the Office manager, Michael Scott, does a good job dealing with those issues. In fact, on most levels, he is an excellent example of everything one should NOT do as a leader. But I think many of us can acknowledge that we learn as much about leadership watching bad leaders as we do from good ones. Most of us have leadership qualities that are a combination of the former (things to avoid doing) and the latter (things to model). From the video above, you can guess in which category most of Michael Scott's behavior falls:

-- Leaders create the work environment. They are responsible for modeling appropriate behaviors, establishing a culture of tolerance and acceptance, and demand the highest ethics from themselves and the team. If you watch the show, everything Michael Scott does is wrong. He says inappropriate things ("That's what she says!"). He makes viewers wince with his off-color jokes and repeated episodes of intolerance. He allows bigotry from subordinates (Dwight) and never misses an opportunity to put people down for issues of weight, color, or religious and sexual preference. His behavior is clearly ALL WRONG. And this is probably the point. There is no mistaking his errors. And we squirm because we've all seen it. Leadership is clearly about creating a culture of acceptance and respect for all. It is about eliminating prejudice and crude actions that inhibit teamwork, trust, and performance. Leadership is about building people up, not putting them down.

-- Leaders focus on the mission. Many episodes of the show can pass without ever seeing any work get done. Sales are rare. Discussions about personal issues far outweigh talk of profit, performance, and best practices. And no one is more distracted than the leader of the DunderMifflin branch, Michael Scott. He is quick to rally the troops to talk about how to plan his own birthday party, while slow to talk about industry trends, competitor actions, or quarterly goals. There may be no greater time waster in the history of business than he. Constant meetings, games, off-sites, guest speakers, training, and internet surfing makes it hard to see how business gets done there in Scranton. Mission accomplishment starts with the leader. When he is focused, the team is focused. But when he is lost, the team is as well.

-- Leaders share the credit. Michael Scott may be the most selfish leader in history. He is content to be the only one on the team to have a parking space or to receive a bonus. He wants every success to be credited to him and every failure to be someone else's. True leadership is about focusing on the mission and the success of the team, without regard for personal success. Interestingly, most of us have seen that it is when we embrace this philosophy, we often have our brightest moments. Not Michael Scott. He finds new ways to put the "I" in "TEAM!"

-- Leaders know the business. While Michael Scott claims to know about sales, there is little evidence that he understands things like technology, accounting, marketing, or shipping...and probably not sales! Oh, and as for the business of leadership, he may have unwritten the book! One of my favorite scenes is when he tells Oscar from accounting to, "Pretend he doesn't know anything about the company's finances" in order to explain some very fundamental issues to him. It's funny because...he doesn't know anything about the company's finances! Leaders must be competent. If they don't know something, they should learn it -- before their incompetence hurts the team. While leaders don't have to know everything, they should have a basic understanding of the important things.

-- Leaders embrace change. Paper companies are ripe for efficiency. Customers should be able to make orders electronically. New products and services should be advertised on the company website. Sales managers must be equipped to operate virtually, not chained to the desk and the rotary phone. Michael Scott is old school -- to a fault. His methods of doing business likely make it difficult to compete with the "Big Box" companies. His failure to embrace emerging products and new opportunities makes it difficult to see how DunderMifflin remains in business. But it does make for good TV!

So while I admit to being an addict, I think I know why I watch. To an (hopefully small) extent -- I see myself. I have failed on occasion to establish the right culture and the necessary mission focus. I have hogged too much of the credit and have been too slow to adapt. I am reminded almost every day that I am not as smart as I think I am and am only successful because of the great people with whom I work. I think this show helps us all laugh -- at the Scranton Branch and...at ourselves. Perhaps the more that I watch, the more about bad leadership I can unlearn. That double negative should hopefully make me a more positive, inspiring leader with my own team. That's Leader Business!

Learning Leadership from "The Office" -- Part I

2010-02-13T08:09:00.000-08:00

I'm going to admit it. I'm an addict. I am totally hooked on "The Office." Now that it is in syndication, I can find it on multiple channels every night of the week and, of course, on NBC on Thursday nights. If you don't watch the show, you may not appreciate the notes below. But even just from the 30 second clip above, you know this is not your average show. And Michael Scott is not your average boss. He may be, all at the same time, the World's Best -- and Worst -- Boss.

It's like a train wreck. I can't look away. I know Michael Scott's management style is all wrong...and yet I find myself learning leadership from him. Something about his management of the Scranton branch of Dunder Mifflin makes me think I'm not alone, and maybe I'm not doing too badly in my own position. Something in his quirky performance tells me, and likely many others, that leadership is difficult, that the alignment of people, personalities, and individual goals and objectives within a company focused on the bottom line is a heavy responsibility. But if he can do it...so can I!

Truthfully, there is much more negative than positive to learn from Michael Scott and the daily life in "The Office." There is way too much drama and, with all the meetings, pranks, and time wasting, productivity cannot be good. But in this two-part series on lessons from the show, I choose to start with the positive. Most of what Michael does is a mess. But some of what he does is truly worthy of emulation.

-- Michael Scott has created a culture within the branch where people can be themselves, where it is okay to have fun at work, and where each member of the relatively small team adds value -- to each other and to the company. He has created a sense of family among the diversity of the Dunder Mifflin branch. Attrition is low. Despite the give and take, people genuinely care about one another. They celebrate successes. They hang out together after work. People trust each other (well...mostly).

-- No one communicates like Michael Scott. Regular meetings, office huddles, and proactive sharing of information keep all informed. No one can say they don't hear or see enough of the boss or know exactly where they stand with him. Michael is an in-your-face, on the shop floor leader. He tells people what is happening at corporate, participates in all training sessions, and makes it a point to engage with every member of the team on a regular basis. While most of us complain about a lack of communication from our leaders, this is clearly not the case in this little paper company.

-- Michael works hard to develop subordinates. He made Dwight co-manager while also giving Jim responsibilities during his absences. He sent Jim on a developmental assignment at another branch and helped one of his teammates (Ryan) gain a leadership position at corporate headquarters. He has taken various members of the team out on sales calls and recruiting trips. He encouraged Pam to pursue her goals in design and gave her leave to go to school. He accepted the "co-manager" title along with Jim and, for a very brief period of time, demoted himself and made Dwight office manager. Michael is a caring boss who wants his team to succeed.

-- Michael is real. He has no pretenses about who he is. The pride that is evident in so many in leadership positions is virtually absent with him. He doesn't pretend to be Superman. He knows his weaknesses and is not afraid to ask for help.

Now...it isn't pretty. But what office is not without its dysfunction? Even the creepy Michael Scott has a good side. He cares deeply. He is passionate. He wears his emotions on his sleeves. He loves his job and his teammates. And, in their odd sort of way, they love him back.

The result? Dunder Mifflin seems to be weathering this difficult economic climate. Michael is consistently recognized for the performance of his branch. People stay. By any common measurement of leadership success, Michael is pretty effective.

I hope you watch the show and look for these positive leadership elements. Maybe you have some regarding positive lessons from the show that you can share. Perhaps together our growth will be stimulated from the lessons of the Scranton Branch. And maybe, like me, you can laugh at yourself and your own leadership shortcomings while peering into the life of the Dunder Mifflin team. I hope some of these things are worth incorporating into your own leadership journey. A little Michael Scott might brighten a day, make a difference, or change a life in your office. That's Leader Business.

Read Part Two on "The Office" here.

Spider-Senses

2010-02-06T14:47:00.000-08:00

I grew up watching the cartoons and reading the comic book exploits of the "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man." I guess I would say he was hands down my favorite superhero. And when he came out on the big screen I was, like so many others, reminded of my fascination of this complex character. Now don't get me wrong, I'm no comic geek! But I do appreciate the powers of the Webslinger! And hey...who wouldn't want to climb walls, shoot out webs and swing from building to building, and have the relative strength of a spider?

Without question, the Spider-man power that I have most appreciated is his "Spider-sense." Not only do I appreciate it, I think I too have this power. Not as much as I'd like but...I have it. And I bet you do, too.

Wikipedia defines Spider-Man's "Spider-sense" as a "tingling feeling at the base of his skull, alerting him to personal danger in proportion to the severity of that danger." It is the sensation that something bad is about to happen. It is his unique ability to sense peril ahead, sort of his early warning system that he needs to take action to avoid trouble...or meet it at a position of advantage.

Leaders must have "Spider-sense." It is what tells us that danger is ahead. It tells us that something is unsafe, that a failure is imminent, or that an employee is in trouble. Shaped by experience, it is the safety net that can prevent personal or professional calamity.

But we have to listen to it. When our "spider-senses" are tingling, we have to pull back and assess the situation. That intuitive feeling that something just isn't right demands a response. Like Spider-Man, leaders have to take the necessary action to avoid trouble...or position themselves or other key leaders at points of friction or locations where they can seize an advantage, prevent catastrophe, or stop an unsafe act.

In combat scenarios, I have always relied on my "Spider-senses" to determine where I should position myself on the battlefield. I have listened to my intuition to help eliminate alternatives that I know won't work, are too demanding on our resources, or are unsafe. My senses have tingled when an employee said something that I knew suggested they were having issues and I needed to talk it out. And the base of my skull has been the source of more than a few sensations about people who I knew weren't up to the task, tasks that were not aligned with our purpose, and missions that had no hope for success.

Now I will also admit to my share of shortcomings...where I have failed to listen to my "Spider-sense." The scars still remain from a recent occasion where I signed a document without reading it, causing a major firestorm in the media and with some important stakeholders. My intuition said the document wasn't worded right and that my signature could have major ramifications. Yep...I felt the tingling...but I did not listen. And that one hurt.

Our "Spider-senses" are there to help save our reputations, our businesses, and sometimes even our lives. It is not something that should cause paralysis from the fear of the unknown but rather is a professional advantage to those who leverage it to out-think competitors and outmaneuver danger. Leaders have to be sensitive to that tingle and know that it is the suggestion that something is not quite right. It is a leadership "super power!"

So what about you? When your "Spider-senses" are tingling, do you listen? Do you step back, assess the situation, call on a trusted agent for another opinion, or sleep on that email before sending it? Do you pay attention to that inner voice that warns you about safety issues, client concerns, or market trends? If you are not good at this, practice. Listen to your inner thoughts. Follow up on your intuitions and understand what is causing the tingle.

If your "Spider-senses" are strong, you share a power held by my favorite Superhero. And when you follow up on that tingling, like Spidey, you will stay one step ahead of danger and one move ahead of your enemies. It's a leadership super power that can take us to the highest of heights. But take the elevator. Leave the wall-climbing to the Webslinger! That's Leader Business!

A Week of Learning

2010-01-30T13:10:00.000-08:00

Friends,

Can I start by apologizing for doing such a poor job of staying up with this blog? While I have no excuse (see my thoughts on "No Excuse" leadership), I have been going a million miles an hour and have been focusing on the urgent at the expense of the important. Ever been there? I've been on the road for 17 of the last 19 nights. Ugh! I definitely need to slow down!

So while I have not been writing, I have sure been thinking. The events of the world around us and in my own life have provided a number of opportunities to ponder various elements of leadership -- my own and others. In fact, this week has given me a number of things to think about:

-- I watched as Brett Favre almost led the Minnesota Vikings to the Super Bowl at the age of 40. In the discussion of leaders knowing when to hang them up, Brett can sure justify his remaining in the game. Despite the cynics, he had the best statistical year of his career. Let's hear it for the 40+ year old athletes! And let's hear it for leaders with the passion for life and for their profession who leave it all on the field -- every snap, every game!

-- I smiled with appreciation when Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner announced his retirement at the age of 38. This was a superstar who left the game on his own terms. His story is an inspirational one. Undrafted out of college in 1994, bagging groceries and stocking shelves in 1995, Kurt went on to play in 3 Super Bowls, winning one, and set numerous records for his position. Along the way, he remained humble, was a model citizen, and demonstrated true leadership on and off the field.

-- I went to a dinner where former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich spoke. That's me and the Speaker in the grainy photo up above. One does not have to agree with his politics to admire his vision, his leadership, and his intellect. He spoke with confidence for 30 minutes -- no notes and no teleprompter -- weaving in historical vignettes (military and political) while connecting with his audience. Very impressive.

-- I had the experience of a lifetime when I was invited to the State of the Union address at the Capitol in Washington, DC. The thrill of being in that small room with the Supreme Court justices, cabinet secretaries, all the Congress, the VP, the First Lady, and President Obama made for an amazing night. While the speech was long, the President did what he does best -- communicating his ideas in a powerful way. He identified his priorities, talked about aligning resources, and broke his vision down into ACTIONS that will become his administration's "marching orders" for the next year. I can't say that I agreed with everything he said but I did appreciate the way he said it. (Sorry...no cameras allowed in the room but...you can see the picture of my ticket!)

-- In between visits on Capitol Hill with six Congressional Members from my delegation, I spent the week at my agency headquarters in Washington DC aligning our strategic plan. It was great to see that the tasks and initiatives launched by my team in Los Angeles do in fact contribute to success at the higher level. While we are still struggling as an organization with how and what to measure to ensure we are on the right track, I have full confidence that we are doing the right things. Strategic planning, no matter how painful the process, has definite value. Without that clear, consistent, and fully-aligned road map, we just cannot have certainty that we will get to where our goals and objectives point us.

Different stages, different lessons. This was all in just one week. I can't wait to see what happens next week! Bring it on. But first, I'd like to sleep in my own bed for a few nights! Ha!

That's Leader Business!

Leader Business Question #2

2010-01-18T15:39:00.000-08:00

Q. How do you respond when someone poses a solution to a problem that is too easy or simply too good to be true?

A. Ask..."And then what?"

A key skill of a leader is to be able to consider 2nd and 3rd order effects. Good leaders are rarely surprised by what happens and, in the very rare case that they are, they have a response ready to go. This is not a superpower -- although it's sometimes okay if our teammates think it is! This capability comes from the constant thinking about what happens next. It goes like this:

-- Okay, if this plan is executed, what will happen next?
-- What will happen if it does not succeed?
--What do we need to do to sustain the momentum if it does work and how do we mitigate against the possibility of failure?
-- What if we do fail? How do we recover?
-- What happens next? What happens after that?

Leadership so often comes down to the consideration of moves. It is like a chess match. What will you do next? What will your competitors do? How will this play in the media? What will we do then? It is this series of questions that differentiates the professional warrior from the amateur one. It is this level of preparedness that makes good leaders ready for anything that happens, while the bad ones act surprised at every twist.

You've heard it said: There are three kinds of leaders in the world -- those who make things happen, those who let things happen, and those who wonder what just happened! Making things happen, setting your team up to be able to exploit every opportunity, comes from asking these questions and thinking through moves well before they play out.

In the military, we often think in terms of: ACTION -- REACTION -- COUNTERACTION. Commanders constantly are wargaming different scenarios so that they are prepared if their plans don't work...and if they do. They are thinking about the enemy, what their intentions might be, and how they might respond to anything they might do. These wargames occur formally (as part of the development of plans and strategies) and informally (in their minds or over a cup of coffee with a teammate).

Too often we accept easy solutions to problems because we get lazy and that is what we want to hear. We want our solutions to be as simple as:

-- We'll just close a number of stores and cut our expenses? OK, what will this do to customer service?
-- We'll just charge for checking luggage. OK, won't people take more luggage as carry-ons (and what problems does this pose when boarding?) and won't our competitors take advantage of this?
-- We'll make housing affordable by making loans that defer payments until down the road? OK, what happens when those payments come due?
-- We'll make (insert campaign promise) free for (insert constituency). Really? And how will we pay for that?
-- We'll send a combat unit to (insert HOT SPOT) and they will be welcomed with open arms. OK, how does it end? What are our success criteria?

Credible, capable leaders have to think about implications of their actions. They do this by asking these kinds of questions. What if? And then what? What if it succeeds? What if it fails?

You see, it is not a superhuman power to see 2nd and 3rd order effects. It is a learned skill. Good leaders don't take the easy answer. They push back, lift up the hood, and ask hard questions. Think about that the next time someone sells you that get-rich, get-lean, get-organized scheme. I tell them...GET LOST. Or I ask them..."And then what?" That's usually enough for them to back away. That's Leader Business!

Succession Planning

2010-01-10T07:09:00.000-08:00

Opening kickoff for the NCAA football National Championship game. It doesn't get any more exciting than that. And for my daughter and I (and 94,000+ of our closest friends) it was time to get it on. The pre-game festivities, the talking heads, and the hype were all finished. It was time to play the game. #1 Alabama versus #2 Texas for all the marbles!

Who knew that 5 offensive plays into the game, the depth of Texas would be tested at the most critical position? Yes, after 5 plays Colt McCoy, the winningest quarterback in college football history, was done. Bring in the backup -- an 18 year old with almost no meaningful game experience. It would be his job to snap on his chin strap and try to lead his team to victory.

Let's talk leadership here, can we?

It was clear that this young man was not prepared for the situation he was in, on that night, on that stage. He was not familiar with the game plan. He had not been given enough repetitions to be able to step in and lead his team. He was not ready for the speed of the game nor the decisions he would have to make along the way. (Mind you, I don't think any backup freshman quarterback with limited game experience would truly be ready to step up in that situation.)

It certainly got me thinking about how well prepared my team is to lose a key leader. Similarly, I am not sure I have done all I need to do to set them up for success in my absence. Do we have depth in critical positions? Could the second-teamers step in and would they be able to maintain momentum and accomplish the mission?

Succession planning is hard! Here are 4 things to think about regarding preparing back-ups for success:

1. Backups need exposure to the game plan. Do we include 2nd and 3rd tier leaders when we establish strategic plans and set goals...or just the "inner circle" leadership team? The more we can expose others to the sessions in which we establish our plans and strategies, the more likely they will be comfortable with executing them should they be thrust into leadership roles. Things like vision, strategies, goals and objectives must be shared with the entire team so that everyone is prepared to step up when called.

2. Backups need game experience. Are we empowering our 2nd and 3rd tier team members to truly be leaders when they are in leadership position or do we just ask them to hold down the fort? Do we give people the chance to truly be in charge when we go on vacation or are out of the office or do they just keep the seat warm? Do we provide true, meaningful leadership opportunities to lower-level team members such that they can establish "muscle density" on things like calling plays (communicating orders and instructions), reading defenses (decision making under pressure), and scoring touchdowns (accomplishing the mission).

3. Simulations and contingency plans must address the loss of key leaders. Most of our "what if" drills involve things like the loss of a key customer, the failure of an important system or piece of equipment, or the interruption in the supply chain. But "what if" we lose a key leader? Are we prepared? Have we practiced under those conditions? Have we established contingency plans so that we can quickly integrate new leaders without losing momentum? Are we prepared to adjust the game plan to be able to operate under the new conditions and still accomplish the mission?

4. We need depth at every position. As leaders, we really do need to look at whether we have single points of failure within our organization. Perhaps we need to start by examining whether our teams are ready to win -- without US! Are we grooming successors and are they ready to step in right away? Similarly, do we have depth at other key positions? A team can be just as challenged with the loss of a lineman or a linebacker as with the loss of the quarterback. Succession planning needs to look across the team and ensure that the team is built to last.

It was a great game. While my team lost, my daughter and I had a blast. We both lost our voices cheering on that freshman quarterback. He did okay, getting better and gaining confidence with each snap of the ball. Who knows how prepared he was for the stage on which he was thrust? I doubt many of us could have pulled off what he did that night, almost leading his team to victory. It certainly highlighted the awesome responsibility we have as leaders to ensure our team has the depth to continue the mission -- no matter who is in charge. That's winning football. And that's -- Leader Business!

Onward to 2010!

2010-01-03T15:05:00.000-08:00

Friends,

Happy New Year! A new year gives us all a chance to reflect on the opportunities that lie in front of us. The future is ripe with possibility – if we are bold enough to go for it! I don’t know about you, but I am ready to think big, to be aggressive, and to seize the day! I have goals for my personal and professional life and am ready to get after them. “Targets Up!”

Can I take a minute and update you on Leader Business? While not exactly burning up the internet, we did just have our 15,000th visitor to this site. (I need to weave in some juicy stories about Brittney or Tiger and I will probably get that kind of volume every day! I am in Los Angeles, after all!) I hope that the messages that we talk about on these pages are resonating with some of you and that you are sharing them with your friends. Please continue to do so and encourage your friends to subscribe (as a couple hundred of you already have) so they don’t miss any of our discussion topics. And thanks to those of you who comment! You all know the power of the blog as a 2-way conversation!

You may have noticed (okay…you probably didn’t) that I haven’t been posting as often as I once was. I have started working on Leader Business – the book! It will be a compilation of the sorts of topics we talk about here on this site and will be sort of poor man’s leadership development course. The leadership lessons I have accumulated over my career at places like West Point, Army Ranger School, and the Army’s National Training Center will be the foundation for this project. Stay tuned.

I hope to have this project completed before…I deploy to Afghanistan in July. I will be leaving Los Angeles and taking command of an Army Corps of Engineers unit in Kabul. I am looking forward to the challenges that leadership in a combat zone, focused on construction and water resource issues, might present. I am confident that my future teammates will bring me up to speed and I hope to be able to contribute to the success of our mission there.

In the interim, I have a lot to do. My New Year’s commitments include some of the same things you likely have on your respective resolution lists:

-- Listen more and talk less.
-- Have shorter meetings. My teammates will be thrilled with this one.
-- Be less of a cynic and more of an encourager. Be positive.
-- Reward people more. A praise or two per day over the next six months will help people understand how truly proud and grateful I am to serve with them.
-- Follow up / follow through on the many tasks that I am working with my team. An action passed is NOT an action completed!
-- Accomplish the mission and put a good transition plan in place. I need to set up my replacement for success.
-- Stop wasting time! I have too much to do. Read more, write more, and spend more time with family and friends.

So, enough about me…what about you? (See resolution #1 above!) How can I help hold you accountable on your commitments? What can I do to further our friendship or enable your success? Please let me know!

Happy New Year everyone. Let’s get to work! That’s Leader Business. Hooah!

P.S. Thanks to Dan McCarthy for including my posts on leadership lessons at the Army Ranger School in his “Best of 2009” Leadership Development Carnival! Please check it out!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All!

2009-12-25T07:24:00.000-08:00

To all of my friends here on the Leader Business blog, please let me wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Holiday season! I thank you for helping shape my leadership journey and for allowing me to be a part of yours! May we continue to grow together in 2010!

Please remember the men and women who are separated from their families during the holidays. As shown in the video above, technology helps close the distance, and I will be grateful for that during my own deployment next year. But they certainly need our prayers for their continued safety and for success in their mission! Thanks to all of them for what they are doing for all of us. Freedom is not free and we should be grateful for those who are paying the price around the world.

Please remember our leaders, especially those who are deployed and doing all they can to keep morale high during the difficulties of separation. On Christmas in places like Iraq and Afghanistan, as was the case in previous conflicts, the mission still goes on. Strong leadership from nameless men and women leaders helps deal with harsh conditions, difficult missions, and the emotions that come with separation during the holidays. Thanks to all of them for what they are doing!

Happy Holidays to the troops and to all of you. That's Leader Business!

Leader Business Question

2009-12-19T08:43:00.000-08:00

Would you rather have a leader who is nice, but incompetent, or...one who is mean, yet fully capable?

I recently came across this question in a book I've been reading and it got me thinking. Surely we have all witnessed these diverse leadership styles and personalities.

On the one hand you have everyone's favorite person; someone who makes the team feel good; an encouraging, likable, friendly, approachable leader. And yet they know absolutely nothing. They lack the necessary technical underpinnings to guide the team. Strategy, crisis management, and mission accomplishment are foreign concepts. The very thought of this person ever making a decision sends shivers down your spine. And in a best case scenario, they never have to do so. Staff meetings are fun...but unproductive. These leaders are enjoyable to be around, they generally leave you alone, and they make you feel good.

On the other hand, you have the mean old cuss, the abrasive, spiteful boss who is just impossible to be around. But they know what they are doing. They are absolutely competent with a brilliance that is universally recognized and, at least by those who DON'T work for them, they are great leaders. The reality is often something completely different. They treat people horribly and think little of things like counseling, mentoring, or training. Communication is almost non-existent and empowerment is not in the mix for these abusive bosses.

While these sound like leadership extremes, we see them all the time, don't we? Nice but incompetent leaders who should never have gotten to their positions. Same for mean but capable leaders who know what they are doing but make everyone's life miserable. Both of these types make us question how some leaders get as far as they do.

So which do you prefer? And how do you manage your boss under either of these conditions? Since we don't get to choose our leaders (well...except when we vote for politicians...and when we accept new employment!), we need to be able to operate under either condition. We still have to get our work done and accomplish the mission. We have to protect our teammates from the challenges created by both styles. And we have to learn what we can from either extreme.

What are your experiences with either one? Add your comments and let's discuss! And don't say you prefer one who is nice AND competent. That's too easy! I'm looking forward to your thoughts. That's Leader Business!

Hope is Not a (communication) Method

2009-12-12T06:59:00.001-08:00

You know, nothing challenges a team like a lack of guidance from their leader. Nothing frustrates like spinning wheels and putting energy into things that are later suggested to be all wrong. Really boss? That input would have been helpful weeks ago. Had we only known what you wanted, this task would have been easy. Nice to know now. Grrrrr.....

I've witnessed a number of instances lately of leaders putting their respective teams into SPINCON LEVEL 6 (the highest spin level! Ha!) because they are failing to provide the necessary early input that they owe their people. I have seen too many leaders who mistake cheerleading for the need to provide competent, proactive, mission-focused requirements. And there are simply too many leaders out there who sit back and HOPE for positive results without providing their teammates the same thing they want from their own leaders -- enough early guidance to get going and the freedom to operate within KNOWN parameters.

Are you familiar with the axiom, "If you want it bad, you'll get it bad?" It implies that you can only put so much demand on the system (or people) before you negatively impact their outputs. Want an answer right now? You'll get one...but it may not be a good one!

The Leader Business corollary I have been struggling with lately goes like this: "If you don't tell people what you want...you'll get exactly what you asked for!" All too often the reason people don't meet our expectations is that we haven't shared those expectations with them...or anyone else! Understanding why our teammates are not delivering should start with deciphering what exactly we have asked from them. If we haven't asked, then we should shoulder the majority of the responsibility when they come up short! THEY AREN'T MIND READERS!!

As leaders, I think we need to regularly examine ourselves and ask if we are providing our teammates sufficient guidance. Do they understand WHAT is required of them? Do they know the key elements or metrics they must meet? Have they acknowledged any constraints we have provided them regarding timeline, resources, priorities, and alternatives to consider...or avoid?

Now, this is a fine line. Note that the focus above is on WHAT to do. Good guidance is empowering, not overbearing. It enables success by freeing people to operate with the confidence that they understand where they are going and any restrictions to their actions. Good guidance provides clearly identified and defined tasks. Goals, objectives, and parameters are similarly presented early in the planning stage. But just across the line is over-control, suppression of good ideas and initiative, and authoritarianism. Good guidance focuses on WHAT, not HOW. Leaders ensure the team clearly sees the goal line while allowing them to determine how to get there. This is the source of empowerment, inspiration, and initiative.

Our teammates are counting on us. We need to shape their efforts early, before they get started. This is so often THE MOST important element of our communication with them. Do they understand their requirements? Do they know what tools they have to work with? Do they understand the mission? Good leaders know they must give sufficient guidance to their team. They reinforce this guidance regularly to ensure everyone understands their vision and the tasks that enable it. They do not HOPE for success without providing the necessary shaping of people's actions that comes from this dialogue.

What are you waiting for? If you don't think you have done so lately...have this conversation with your teammates. Make sure they know your intent. And if you fail to tell them...don't be upset with the outcome. You'll get exactly what asked from them! We can't HOPE for good things from our teammates. Real leadership demands much more. We owe them the sort of guidance that empowers people to solve problems, generate options, and make things happen, that focuses clearly on WHAT so they can determine HOW. Isn't that what YOU want from YOUR boss? That's Leader Business.

A Thanksgiving Proclamation

2009-11-26T06:53:00.000-08:00

THANKSGIVING DAY BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - A PROCLAMATION

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor - and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness."

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be – That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks – for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation – for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war –for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed – for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions – to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually – to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed – to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord – To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us – and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

President George Washington

Happy Thanksgiving everyone. May we appreciate our many blessings and never miss an opportunity to share them with others. That's Leader Business!

Got Leadership?

2009-11-25T04:13:00.000-08:00

Do you know that expression, "people don't care what you know until they know that you care?" Well...are you a believer? A 2007 study of leadership attributes suggests that this sentiment may be somewhat misleading. Those who ascribe to it, may be doing so at the risk of missing what employees truly value in their leaders.

This often quoted and widely accepted leadership philosophy suggests that what matters most in leadership are the soft skills, things that provide comfort to employees and a belief that their leaders have their best interests in mind. Makes sense, right? It's about the people, isn't it?

So where then do things like listening, encouraging, coaching, and dependability rank in this survey? Important...but not at the top. We value these skills but don't necessarily rank our leaders based on their strengths in these areas.

So what is important? The top 3 leadership attributes, according to this survey, are credibility, trust, and vision. Here's how I interpret them:

-- Credibility (71%). Far and away the #1 component. It suggests that in fact we DO care what our leaders know! Competence -- technically and as a leader -- matters. The ability to deliver, to get the job done, to execute the mission, is vital. Same for our knowledge and understanding of how to set priorities, make decisions, and align resources. Our teammates want leaders with the credibility that comes from a balance of competence and confidence. And not one of these...but both. Confidence without competence is...an obnoxious fool who believes his own press clippings. And competence without confidence is...an engineer! (Ha! I can say that because I am one!). But competence and confidence together, earned every day, not by hype but by results, is the total package and combines to create the credibility as leaders that our employees value.

-- Trusted (58%). People want to know that they can trust their leaders. This means they not only want to believe that their leaders CAN do the job (credibility)...but that they WILL. They want their leader's actions to align with their words. They want them to be values-based, mission-focused, and selfless. People want to trust that their leaders know what they are doing and that they are doing it for the right reasons.

-- Farsighted (54%). We want leaders with vision, to be able to see over the horizon, to steer the team toward goals and objectives while avoiding obstacles along the way. We value leaders who see the big picture, who can put problems in context, and who are leaning forward to see not only the current battles but the ones to come. (Note: this is #3 on the list! We don't want leaders who say, "I'm a big picture guy. Don't bother me with the details." You show me someone who says this and I will show you someone who doesn't understand the business, who freezes when it is time to make difficult decisions, and who lacks the credibility we seek from our leaders. Vision is important but...people want more...and they can see right through this smokescreen!)

Here's the entire list:

-- Credibility (71%)

-- Trusted (58%)

-- Farsighted (54%)

-- Listens well (51%)

-- Encouraging (46%)

-- Dependable (46%)

-- Focused (43%)

-- Good coach (40%)

-- Experienced (36%)

-- Perspective (35%)

Aha, you say. There's the soft stuff -- listening, encouraging, coaching. All important things. But number one, by far, is that we want leaders who can do their jobs, who know the technical underpinnings of the business and who know how to lead. Those whose top line on their resume reads, "I'm experienced" or, "I'm dependable" and not "I know what I am doing and I get the job done" aren't what we are looking for in our leaders.

You see, our teammates DO care what we know! They want us to care, too. But first, they want us to know what the heck we are doing! That makes it Leader Business.

This is the first in a series that I will periodically post on various leadership themes under -- "Got Leadership?" Do you have a relevant hot leadership topic or a challenge at work that I might explore with you? Shoot me a note. I'd love to hear from you. You KNOW that I CARE! Hooah!

Performance Management

2009-11-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

It is that time of the year in the federal government. The recently completed fiscal year has set in motion a cycle of documentation, writing appraisals, holding panels to evaluate each appraisal, providing feedback, and ultimately, determining pay and bonuses. It is a convoluted system that most of us hate (and I won’t use this page for my angst against the time killer that this system has become) but it does have great value and in many ways is worth the investment of key leader time and energy.

Previously, our evaluation system was a waste. Most everyone received top marks, the annual appraisal itself (often the only feedback an employee might get in a year) took only a few minutes to complete, and the system did nothing to reward greatness or to identify low performers. Yeah, we all liked the ability to crank out any number of evaluations without having to engage our brains. But the system allowed us to be cowards, never forcing us to deal with real performance issues. And this made it difficult to recognize true greatness, as superstars often received “scores” and financial rewards at the same level as known slugs! That is not good leadership and has a direct impact on employee morale and performance.

Our current system is not without its faults. But when I meet with my senior leaders to evaluate the files of all the supervisors in our organization (a very talented group of about 80 low and mid-level managers), we truly get after some difficult issues:

-- Evaluate performance of each individual against their agreed upon performance objectives…on a scale of 1-5…and where a “3” is a good score.

-- Greatness requires more than just doing a good job. Recognition as such by a broader group of senior leaders (i.e. more than just one’s direct supervisor) requires measurable, appreciable IMPACT.

-- Superstars are identified and considered within our organizational succession plan. If they have gaps (skills or tools) that they might need in order to advance, they are tagged accordingly for future development opportunities.

-- Employees with low scores are considered using the Jim Collins (Good to Great) analogy with these two questions:
- Is the employee on the right bus? Do they fit with our mission, our culture, our values?
- If yes, is the employee on the right seat of the bus? Is there a position where the demands of their job could better align with their strengths?

Most employees are on the right bus. They could -- and usually do -- add value to the team. But many are not cut out for management (and in fact, if asked, might say they prefer the technical work out in the trenches to supervisory duties). Others have extenuating issues in their lives that make it difficult to perform at the high level (personal problems, poor subordinates, difficult mission). For those on the right bus but the wrong seat, senior leaders need to take action to get the correct alignment.

This sort of thing is hard work. Leaders usually love their subordinate managers and fight to see them rewarded for their hard work. That's a good thing. But there must be a check in the system that prevents against grade inflation such that our evaluations have meaning. And true greatness must be allowed to rise to the top…and be recognized as such.

So what about you and your team? Do you have a system to evaluate talent within your ranks? Is it a “check the block” sort of approach or does it force you to make “hard calls” on superior (and inferior) performance? Are you using some sort of peer comparison to move beyond loyalty to one’s team and fairly evaluate the broader contributions of a team member toward the goals and objectives of the organization? Are you having meaningful discussions about placement on the bus…and who needs to get off at the next stop?

I have no doubt, that no matter the pain of the process (hey…we are government so…we have to make everything difficult), the time spent with my senior leadership team on these sorts of discussions was invaluable. High scores have to be earned, contributions have to be measurable, and success has to have an impact that the full leadership team can appreciate. I gained insights both on my senior leaders and those whom we had gathered to evaluate. That made this week’s session in which we measured subordinate leader performance…Leader Business.

Honoring our Vets

2009-11-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

In 1918, the "Great War" ended with an armistice at the 11th hour of the 11th day of November. A year later, United States President Woodrow Wilson commemorated the first anniversary of this event with the following proclamation:

"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

In 1954, President Eisenhower signed legislation into law changing "Armistice Day" to what we now celebrate as "Veteran's Day." This National holiday serves as an annual remembrance of the sacrifices of our Nation's veterans and their contributions to our current peace and prosperity.

Today, despite the challenges of ongoing wars, and amid the sorrow and heartbreak that we share with the Soldiers and families at Fort Hood, Texas, we pause again to honor those who have served. We thank them for their willingness to put their country above self, to subordinate personal comfort to the cause of freedom, and to serve in the defense of those who often cannot defend themselves. We honor the brave men and women -- and their families -- who have given so much, who have written our history, who have enabled the success which we now enjoy. We honor and thank our Veterans.

I saw the sacrifice of another generation when I walked the battlefield on which my Father had fought in Viet Nam almost 40 years ago. Together with my brothers, we gained an appreciation for the difficulties of a foreign land, a hostile enemy, and a ridiculously challenging climate (hot + humid...UGH!). I saw the sacrifices of the "Greatest Generation" when I followed the trails of the Battle of the Bulge in Eastern France and Luxembourg. And we've all seen the sacrifices of today's generation on difficult battlefields in Iraq, and Afghanistan. The word that unites them all -- sacrifice -- is the source of our pride and admiration.

Today, our Veteran's still need our thanks. They deserve our fullest support for quality education and medical programs. They deserve our consideration for employment and contracting opportunities. And their families equally deserve our appreciation for their sacrifices in support of their loved ones!

Thanks to our Vets! Would you all join me in remembering the sacrifices of those who have worn the uniform and, in some cases, made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of liberty. Would you thank the vets you work with or who you pass on the street? Would you honor them for their service? That's the reason this day is special and why President Wilson said our reflections should be filled with solemn pride. And that is...Leader Business!

Image courtesy of www.history.army.mil.

Leadership Carnival

2009-11-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

Dan McCarthy (Great Leadership) has posted another collection of inspirational leadership advice and opinions. He was kind enough to include my discussion of leader development and "Building the Bench" in his most recent Leadership Development Carnival.

I have found this to be a veritable potpourri (oh yeah...I love that phrase!) of leadership topics and hope you will give it a look. Great stuff, all of which fits nicely in the "Leader Business" toolbox!

Rehabilitation

2009-11-08T10:05:00.000-08:00

Yep...that's me. Well, not exactly in a cast but I do have a brace on my leg following arthroscopic knee surgery on Friday. So now it's time for some recovery and rehabilitation. I need to spend a few days resting and then gradually start back on the road to full strength.

And since I can only watch so much football (I thought I'd never say that!), I need to have some other goals for this six days of sitting around with my leg elevated. Since some of them involve Leader Business, I thought I'd share them with you here:

-- I have started work on Leader Business -- the book! Our goal is to be done by late spring!

-- I'm trying to strengthen my network of connections through LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. If we are not connected there, would you be my "virtual" friend?

-- I'd like to increase my subscriber base for this blog. For those who already subscribe, you have my sincere appreciation. Would you take a minute and tell me what you like and don't like about my writing? I have the time for some introspection! And could I ask you to share this blog with your friends and ask them to subscribe? I would love to extend the dialogue that we have on these pages to other like-minded leaders!

Thanks to all of you who give me your time when you read these posts. I do not take it for granted and try not to abuse this privelege. And if you have a few minutes and want to drop me a note, I will get right back to you. At least for the next few days of recovery, I've got nothing else to do! That's Leader Business!

Image courtesy of www.arthursclipart.org

Strategic Planning

2009-11-08T07:31:00.001-08:00

This week I spent a few days with my key leaders thinking through our strategic plan for this next fiscal year. This is a critical planning event that serves to ensure that our resources are aligned against our priorities, that we understand our mission, and that we affect the sorts of changes that are necessary to avoid complacency and irrelevance.

While I won't drag you through the details of the planning process (you can remind yourself of the key elements in the 5-part Mission Planning series, see Part I here), I do want to share with you how we set the conditions for our discussions. In the decision-making process it is the key first step in which we define the problem. This is the baseline against which strategic plans can be developed. If you haven't defined the problem, you are likely to come up with a pretty plan that won't see the light of day (and how many of us have been a part of those efforts?).

In the military planning process, Step 1 is to conduct Mission Analysis. This is the sort of detailed review that allows leaders to: See yourself; See the Enemy; See the Terrain. Now, before you think this is reserved for the military, think of it as a SWOT Analysis, with which most non-military leaders are comfortable: Analyze Strengths and Weaknesses (See Yourself), Understand your Opportunities (See the Terrain), and Know your Threats (See the Enemy) -- SWOT. This SWOT analysis is the type of review that must be completed before entering into detailed planning steps.

What I thought was worth sharing with you was the information we gathered as part of our SWOT or Mission Analysis. These are the elements that I felt contributed to the development of a plan that addressed our critical needs:

-- Internal workforce survey. What was working and where did we need improvement in issues like culture, values, counseling, and resource alignment? There is nothing like hearing these issues straight from your teammates.

-- Customer surveys. What do our customers think about our services and how we measure against critical issues like cost, schedule, and communication? Continued relevance demands that we have a finger on the pulse of our customers and their needs.

-- Recent After Action Reviews (AARs). We did not put our recently completed fiscal year "to bed" until we had completed a detailed examination of our successes and challenges. The former need sustainment while the latter demands our attention for key improvements that we know we must make.

-- We conducted a detailed analysis of the mission from our higher headquarters. Any plan we put together MUST address the specified and implied requirements from my boss. We reviewed their strategic plan to ensure that anything we might do is aligned with the vertical team.

-- We looked at our current plan. What actions were completed and where were we making progress...or not? Our strategic plan this year is likely to be continued progress toward our shared vision rather than a complete re-write so best to begin with an examination of how we are doing toward those goals.

-- We looked at data. What are revenue projections for the next few years? What are the implications for our workforce? Does any of it suggest a requirement for a different size or shape of the organization or different skills among our team? What are our demographics and does it suggest anything for the future composition of our team (retirement eligibility, grade and skill distribution, diversity, retention, etc.)?

-- We examined any future opportunities that we needed to consider or any threats that might cause problems for our team and its mission.

-- Finally, I gave my read of the terrain as the organizational leader. It was my assessment of those priority actions that needed to be included in our plan. It was my VOTE before break-out sessions that would build a detailed plan. I wanted to shape the future with some key points and emphasize their importance to my leaders.

None of this is transformational. But it certainly helped us put all of our cards on the table before we started shuffling them. Too often, plans are developed without a thorough understanding of the problem. Sure, we can come up with a plan but if it does not address customer needs, if it does not account for challenges within the workforce, and if it does not take advantage of future opportunities, it is likely to be a strategic plan that does like so many -- gathers dust on the shelf. No progress, no alignment, and no likelihood for the sort of impact that we expect from these efforts.

Have you held this sort of detailed, disciplined review session with your leaders lately? If you have, did you gather the necessary planning tools that would lead to realistic and relevant goals and objectives? If you have not, can I help you get started? Drop me a note and let's talk about your strategic planning process.

Our SWOT definitely set the conditions for a great planning session. This may not be a comprehensive list but it gives you an idea of the sorts of things that we needed to consider as part of our mission analysis. I think our leadership team believes that it helped produce a refreshed strategy that is what we need to improve our performance, align our resources, increase market share, and have a successful, relevant future. And that makes this critical first step of the planning process...Leader Business.

Image from www.corbisimages.com

Tolerating Fools

2009-11-01T05:55:00.000-08:00

I read recently where a leader whom I admire was said to not tolerate fools. This is a characteristic I aspire to, as well. I would like to think that I am a quick judge and realize very easily whether someone is up to the task, whether they know what they are talking about, and whether they have what it takes to get things done. If they don't, I won't waste my time. I want someone serious about their profession and willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the mission and won't waste my time with someone who doesn't meet these criteria. Let's agree together that this is the case and that we generally all will not tolerate fools!

But I hope this doesn't mean we can't act like a fool every once in a while. Yes, this is me doing my best (or worst?) Hulk Hogan at the office on Friday. We have a traditional Halloween costume contest at work and this was my outfit for the day. And despite the fact that my team is spread out over dozens of small offices in three different states, we used technology to ensure that everyone could participate. I wanted to make it easy to not be the only fool for the day!

Nope, I don't mind being a fool. Even in government, I think it is still important to laugh, to joke, and to have fun. In fact, I'm not sure I would want to be a part of a team that doesn't. Would you? I don't think we would have much success recruiting new talent or retaining our best and brightest if we didn't allow for the sort of good times that come from a relaxed, casual, fun-loving atmosphere.

This doesn't mean we aren't professional. We still have a culture of discipline, protocol, and standards (I know...try saying "Yes, sir" to a wannabe Hulk Hogan without smirking!). But we try to have fun along the way, build relationships that enable trust, and create the environment where people will work hard -- not because they have to but because they want to.

We are totally focused on mission execution. We have over 800 great people and we have completed over $1B of work in each of the last two years. We have a well-earned reputation for excellence and quality. And as a rule, we don't tolerate fools. But along the way, we are going to have fun. We are going to let down our hair (I wish!) every once in a while and let off some steam. We are going to create the sort of work conditions in which people feel comfortable, where they like what they do and whom they do it with, and where creativity and innovation are let loose.

So, I lost the costume contest -- came in 3rd. But it was fun for me and fun for those who were able to laugh with me (or at me). But I am thinking that next year we will have some sort of cage match instead of just virtual voting. Now that will be fun. I think I could have crushed the little princess who won! Ha! Now I ask you...what fool did you play for Halloween? That's Leader Business!

Building the Bench

2009-10-25T16:31:00.001-07:00

Author Jim Collins (Built to Last, Good to Great) spoke of the importance of building the bench, ensuring that the depth of the team can sustain its performance over time. Teams that are truly built to last have depth at the top, in the middle, and at the bottom. This truly is a leadership imperative -- to ensure that members of any team have the skills and tools to enable success, now and in the future.

For my team, this means focusing on our new hires. Yes, I am in the enviable position, like many federal agencies, of bringing in new talent. This year, we have added nearly 40 recent college graduates to the team. What better time to build our depth than when we have so much work to do and so many exciting projects on which these new, very talented people, can learn their craft.

I have tried to stay very involved with this great crop of interns. I spoke to them recently about my expectations. I have been personally engaged in the recruitment and the placement of each of them in the organization. I have tried to meet with all of them, learn their story, understand their goals in joining our team. Finally, I took them on a "road trip" across the organization, showing them who we are, what we do, and what they could expect in a career with us. I wanted them to connect with our mission and with each other. (The picture above was of the group at one of our projects)

Mission accomplished! The trip was hugely successful. I told these young people many times that I wanted them to stay with us...for the rest of their lives! This trip will be a memory that they will reference for the rest of their careers as they advance from the bottom...to the middle...to the top of our organization! They left the trip tired, inspired, and...glad they were hired. And many of them just may stay...for the rest of their lives!

Now, I understand that many are not in the position to add to their team. But the requirement to build the bench, to invest in newcomers, to ensure the viability of the team and its mission, is important to every leader. What are you doing to add to the skills and tools of your new employees? How are you helping them want to stay with you? How are you ensuring that the newest members of the team feel connected and know that they are still being developed? How are you building your bench?

You see, when the economy picks up, people are going to start moving again. Unless you have taken measures to retain them now. Some call it "building the bench." I call it...Leader Business!

Rangers Lead The Way III

2009-10-18T06:20:00.000-07:00

I have been using these pages to remember the impacts of my "crucible" event, my training at the US Army Ranger School. (If you are not familiar with it, this video series is a pretty good summary.) Two months of no food and little sleep changed me in profound ways. Externally, I lost about 50 pounds and probably aged ten years. But internally, I left with a confidence that I could handle any challenge, with a belief that it is possible to create a team where "buddies" would do anything for each other to be successful, and with small unit leadership lessons that serve me to this day, now 20 years later.

One of the requirements of the training was to memorize the Ranger Creed. Now on the surface this was just more stress, adding another demand on an already overextended and fatigued body and mind. But it caused us to understand the culture of the Rangers and to become part of something that was bigger than ourselves. This "creed," or set of beliefs, has elements that go beyond the Rangers and have application to what leadership, teamwork, and mission-focus are really all about:

Recognizing that I volunteered as a Ranger, fully knowing the hazards of my chosen profession, I will always endeavor to uphold the prestige, honor, and high esprit de corps of the Rangers.
Acknowledging the fact that a Ranger is a more elite soldier who arrives at the cutting edge of battle by land, sea, or air, I accept the fact that as a Ranger my country expects me to move further, faster, and fight harder than any other soldier.
Never shall I fail my comrades. I will always keep myself mentally alert, physically strong, and morally straight and I will shoulder more than my share of the task whatever it may be, one hundred percent and then some.
Gallantly will I show the world that I am a specially selected and well trained soldier. My courtesy to superior officers, neatness of dress, and care of equipment shall set the example for others to follow.
Energetically will I meet the enemies of my country. I shall defeat them on the field of battle for I am better trained and will fight with all my might. Surrender is not a Ranger word. I will never leave a fallen comrade to fall into the hands of the enemy and under no circumstances will I ever embarrass my country.
Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor.

They were just words, a burden for a Ranger candidate to memorize and recite on order. They were random thoughts bouncing around in a brain consumed with thoughts of food and home. NEVER fail your comrades. Complete the mission...NO MATTER WHAT...though we may be the lone survivor. Just words...until I started to believe it. And when I saw the power of a team and its leaders who had internalized these words, who lived them out in their personal and professional lives, I knew what it meant not only to be a Ranger, but to be a leader.

You can appreciate the power of a unit that embraces these principles. They are unstoppable. They believe in themselves and their teammates. They prepare themselves mentally and physically for every task. They are confident and professional. They will never fail.

I will admit that I have since forgotten the exact words to this creed. But I still embrace the concepts it embodies and the purpose behind forcing us to memorize it. The Ranger Creed really is the essence of leadership, at any level. Build a team of highly trained, inspired, confident professionals. Instill in them a culture of TEAM over self. Lead from the front and accomplish the mission, without excuses, without fail. These elements are not reserved for elite Special Forces. They should be what we seek in any team we lead or to which we belong. That makes it...Leader Business.

Rangers Lead The Way II

2009-10-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Previously, I shared with you the impact that my attendance at US Army Ranger School made on my personal and professional development. Two months of no food and no sleep (check out this video series if you are interested in learning more) left me skinny, tired, and confident that I could handle anything!

One of the more important elements of the training was the assignment of a "Ranger Buddy." This was a peer who would become my shadow for the subsequent 61 days. We kept each other awake, helped with weak areas, and encouraged one another when times got difficult. If we went for water or to the latrine (the training broke down a LOT of barriers!), it was with my buddy.

I think this is still an important concept. No one can go through life -- or leadership -- alone. Everyone needs a Ranger Buddy to provide counsel, to be a listener, or to challenge us to push farther than we otherwise could do alone. Whether a spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, or a colleague at work, we all need the encouragement and accountability that comes from a "Buddy."

So, what about you? Who is your Ranger Buddy? Who pushes you to accomplish more than you would on your own? Who do you feel comfortable enough with to be yourself, to let down your guard, to expose your weaknesses? Who holds you accountable? This is a difficult concept in a society that seems to interact less, where relationships are based on status, and where leaders are more comfortable seeking counsel in a book than in a real person! But I am convinced that we must connect with at least one person who cares less about status and appearance (two months in the field -- with very few showers -- tends to make status pretty meaningless) and more about helping one another be their best.

That's what Ranger Buddies do. And that's Leader Business.

Rangers Lead The Way

2009-10-12T08:19:00.000-07:00

Many years (and several knee surgeries) ago, I completed Army Ranger training and received the coveted "Ranger Tab." Two months in swamps, mountains, and sandy deserts without food and sleep helped me understand what it took to be able to serve among the military's elite troopers. I learned about survival in difficult conditions and the fundamentals of small unit leadership. We jumped out of perfectly good airplanes (with parachutes), rappelled off mountain cliffs, and made our way through impossible swamps. For two months of misery, I received a 20 cent piece of cloth that I could wear on my uniform -- forever!

Ranger School was a life-changing moment -- not for what I learned about Ranger tactics, but what I learned about...myself. I learned how far I could push myself, how to subordinate personal comfort to mission accomplishment, and the importance of being a good follower. I learned to rely on my fellow Ranger buddies and to similarly be an encouragement to them. I learned the importance of time management, communication, planning, and leadership in crisis. Yep, two months without food and sleep will bring out the best in a man! Ha!

Many leadership studies highlight the importance of an event such as Ranger training to strengthen the resolve of teams and the belief of leaders in themselves and each other. Short of managing actual crisis situations, this sort of training is invaluable for developing the sort of leaders that are capable of addressing difficult situations with a suite of already-tested skills and tools. Ranger training was the sort of "crucible" for me that still gives me confidence in my ability to handle any problem.

So, what are you doing to provide this sort of life-changing event for your "troopers?" Whether through training, leader development programs, or even the pursuit of high risk / high reward opportunities together, it is important to create these "crucibles" for your team. Teammates need to be able to reflect on previous successes ("If we could do that....we can do this") and leverage them against new challenges. The confidence that results is critical. The leadership and the belief in each other is priceless.

The motto of these elite troopers is "Rangers Lead The Way!" I certainly felt that way when I finished my training and put on the tab of the Ranger. (That...and I was really, really hungry!) It was a crucible moment for me. What about you and your troops? That's Leader Business.

If you are interested in more about Ranger School, check out this series of videos. Hooah!

Read Rangers Lead the Way II.

Read Rangers Lead the Way III.

Military Humor

2009-10-06T06:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a few of my favorite leadership "pearls of wisdom" with a military twist. Enjoy!

"If the enemy is in range, so are you." > Infantry Journal

"It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed." > > U.S. Air Force Manual

"Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons." > > - General MacArthur

"You, you, and you ... Panic. > > The rest of you, come with me." > > - U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt.

"Tracers work both ways." > > - U.S. Army Ordnance

"Five second fuses only last three seconds." > > - Infantry Journal

"Any ship can be a minesweeper....Once."

"Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do." > > - Unknown Marine Recruit

Clean it, if it's Dirty. > > Oil it, if it Squeaks. > > But: Don't Mess with it, if it Works! > > USAF Electronic Technician

"If you see a bomb technician running, > > keep up with him." > > USAF - Ammo Troop

Hooah! That's Leader Business!

Celebrate Success!!

2009-10-04T06:45:00.000-07:00

Well, it is that time of year again. We finished up our fiscal year with a bang on September 30th, meeting or exceeding all of our milestones. It really is fun to be a part of team that sets the bar high and then does whatever it takes to get over it! We finished the year with total revenue around $1B and countless projects completed for a very satisfied customer base. Wow!

And as we have done in years past, we celebrated! We had a "New Year's Celebration" on October 1st. It was a great chance to review our accomplishments and to recognize some great people who had made success possible. This year, despite being spread over 3 states in dozens of project offices, I think we were able to leverage technology to connect most of the staff. We presented awards to a couple dozen people who worked hard to meet our end of year goals. We had cake and confetti and party favors and music. It was fun. And then I sent people home early. Yea!

The point is, we do need to take time to celebrate. We need to recognize our heroes. We have to reflect on our accomplishments and the great people who make success possible. It meant a lot to our staff and...it meant a lot to me!

Now, the year is not complete. We still need to complete our After Action Reviews (AARs) and document our lessons learned. We are planning on taking key leaders away for strategic discussions in a few weeks and this learning must be factored into our future plans. Regardless of how good we think we are, we can always improve!

So are you celebrating victories with your team? Do you let loose every once in a while to ensure that your teammates know how much you value what they do? Are you having fun? I hope so. That's Leader Business!

Please take some time to visit this month's Leadership Carnival, hosted by Mountain State University. They have gathered together a number of great posts on leadership and I was happy to see them include my discussion on "INTERNS" as part of their collection. Please check them out!

I.N.T.E.R.N.s

2009-09-27T07:42:00.000-07:00

Last week I spoke to a large group of interns we brought into our organization this year. We made a conscious effort to deepen our bench and build from the bottom with some quality people. I view them as the future of our organization. I have put a little microchip on each of them and plan on coming back in about 20 years and see them all running the place!

And what a great group they are -- positive (OK...maybe a little naive but let's not spoil it!), ambitious, and ready to learn. I feel like a college coach looking at this year's group of recruits. They are so talented, eager to make a difference, and ready to "take the hill!"

In any case, I wanted to lay out my expectations for this group. I used the acronym -- I.N.T.E.R.N. I know, I know...but it was all I could come up with on my way into work. Here was my charge to this great group:

I -- Innovate. Our organization is counting on the new ideas that they will undoubtedly inject. I want them to take risks, to be bold, to push us, to challenge the status quo. I want this group of interns to be creative, to find new solutions to old problems. We need more innovators.

N -- Never quit. Interns need to not let their lack of understanding be an excuse for not accomplishing the mission. We cannot accept failure. I want them to ask questions, to learn, to find a way. Too many employees let the clock determine their output. I want interns to find a way to make the output meet the mission. No matter what. Whatever it takes. They are young and hungry. I want to see them put that into action where it counts. Accomplish the mission young troopers!

T -- Talk among yourselves. We brought in a large group this year. I want them to share lessons learned, to bond early, and to build relationships for a lifetime. One of the group has already responded to my challenge and is setting up a network to connect both inside the office and while off-duty. I love it. The sooner they feel like they are members of a community, that they are not alone, that they can share challenges and frustrations with peers who might help them, the more confident I am that they will fight, not just for themselves, but for each other!

E -- Energy. They have it. A lot more than most of us. Interns need to bring that energy into the workplace. Have fun, make people laugh, make mistakes and figure things out. Listen, we've all been there. But if interns cannot bring energy into an organization, then no one can! Brighten up a room, ask stupid questions, and bring that energy.

N -- (K)nowledge. OK, this is the "Ranger" in me ("N" is for "Nowledge." Ha!). Interns should be on a quest for information. Much of this is self-study and learning from your peers. All of our interns have formal and informal mentors to help further their growth. Supervisors are always watching. In a professional organization like mine, I also want them to continue to pursue growth through things like graduate school, professional registration, and other credentials. Trust me -- it gets much harder when you start to develop roots. Get those things early and keep growing -- personally and professionally.

That's it, INTERNs! You have your marching orders! I am counting on you! Don't let me down!

For the rest of us, especially those of us who might wish for a "do-over," it is never too late to be young at heart. Those young people are counting on their leaders to take them over that hill! That's Leader Business!

Image courtesy of www.chicagonow.com.

Hail to the (New) Chief!

2009-09-20T06:57:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was able to attend the pinning ceremony (sorry for the poor photo quality) for one of my employees as he achieved the rank of Chief Petty Officer in the Navy Reserve. Daniel is one heck of a journalist in my public affairs department and is an emerging leader in the ranks of the navy as well. (Truly he wears two hats -- for me in the ARMY Corps of Engineers and here in the NAVY reserves!)

What struck me as unique was the importance of this milestone. The Navy seemed to really mark the transition from led to leader in an important, meaningful way -- more so than we do in the Army. These ceremonies, in which selectees for this promotion pin on the new rank and receive the coveted hat of the "Chief," are worth noting and worth considering the implications for the rest of us.

A "Chief" in the Navy signifies leadership within the enlisted ranks. Sailors progress until they demonstrate in their performance, leadership potential, and technical expertise their readiness for the higher grade. This ceremony then signifies in a meaningful way that readiness and formally marks the transition into positions of greater responsibility and higher expectations.

Really the ceremony was just the public recognition. I learned that Daniel had been preparing for several months for the new rank. He had spent hours studying leadership, memorizing key texts, examining Navy history, understanding more about the role of the Chief and the responsibilities that come with wearing the "anchors" on his collar, mentoring under senior enlisted leaders, and in many other ways preparing for the transition. There was undoubtedly an investment in this new leader that would prepare him for these higher levels of responsibility. Daniel took it seriously and so did the Navy.

I was impressed with the importance of the event and wondered if I do enough to mark these sorts of transition in my own organization. I left thinking that I should do more to signify the importance of the selection of a new leader, that newly "minted" supervisors should do more than just get the bigger desk and maybe a little more in their paycheck. Becoming a leader should be as important and memorable of an event on my team as the Navy made it for Daniel.

I left thinking that I would not let another person become a leader in my organization without the sort of investment that I saw reflected at this ceremony. I need to make sure that my teammates have the necessary skills and tools, that they have a support group in place to help them understand their new roles and responsibilities, and that they are recognized in this important transition.

The Navy gets it. So do I. And that is...Leader Business.

Town Hall Lessons Learned

2009-09-13T16:05:00.001-07:00

This summer has provided all sorts of insights into the value of town halls. I have watched with interest to see how various members of Congress have handled themselves during these interactive discussions. I have even been to one on health care back in my hometown. No, I didn’t make any bold statements or create any ruckus (if I did it would not have been about health care but rather about my favorite topic -- the need for our leaders to learn some leadership fundamentals!).

As most of you know, politicians did not invent this forum. Like many of you, I have held a number of town halls, all-hands, and company meetings myself. In general, I find them to be great ways to enable the participation of others in the decision making process. I love the opportunity to give members of the team the chance to raise their issues – unfiltered – and provide their leaders with the sort of raw data that only the troops can provide. I also think it is valuable for team members to hear directly from their leaders and for those leaders to share -- unfiltered -- important information on key issues of the day.

My experiences in these town halls have been varied. Some have gone well while some have produced feedback that barely registered over the sound of the crickets in the room. Some have been live and in person while others have been virtual. At some I have done most of the talking while at others I have done very little. Here is a summary of some of my own lessons learned:

-- Timing is everything. If the purpose is to solicit input, don’t already have your mind made up. Let people know you are there to listen and that their opinions will help shape the final decision. And mean it!
-- Have some leading questions ready. Don’t ask, “What do you want to talk about?” Instead ask, “What do you think about….?” Be specific.
-- Get the word out early on what you want to discuss. Instead of “Town Hall at 10:00 in the break room” use “Town Hall at 10:00 in the break room to discuss new products and proposed office realignment.”
-- Start and end on time. Time is money!

-- Be comfortable holding these sessions virtually. As more of us work collaboratively, we need to be able to link the entire team together, even if geographically separated.
-- Alert your labor unions, if you have them. Many collective bargaining agreements require notification before meeting with union members.
-- Be prepared to immediately follow up. You will get all sorts of questions and opinions. Have a trusted agent write down issues and make sure you follow up. If your answers apply to the entire group, share them widely. Nothing will damage credibility like your failure to follow up and follow through.
-- Seek out two distinct voices in the audience – the strong (whose opinion will be heard) and the weak (whose opinion will not otherwise be heard). Do not let one group dominate the discussion.
-- Don’t try to accomplish too much in these forums. Pick one or two key topics. If you find your agenda is full, seek out other means to communicate your message and receive feedback.
-- Have more frequent town halls and continuously and consistently solicit input from your team. People will arrive frustrated if these sessions are their only opportunity to be heard.

These are just a few thoughts. I do think that forums like these are important participatory events for leaders at every level, in any organization. I think that when done regularly, people will become more comfortable in speaking out and more confident that they are truly being heard.

Like anything else the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. What really matters is that leaders act on what they hear. Town Halls cannot be “check the block” sessions after which leaders go ahead and do whatever they want. In other words, if you are sincere about listening, then be prepared to demonstrate that you have heard what people tell you. If not, these events are nothing more than a show. And that, my friends, is not healthy for anyone!

That’s Leader Business.

Photo shown is a town hall for Microsoft, courtesy of www.mahugh.com.

Astro_Tim

2009-09-08T06:38:00.000-07:00

Well...it happened. I could not stand on the sidelines any longer. When I learned that my West Point classmate and NASA Astronaut Tim Kopra (@Astro_Tim on Twitter) became the first to "Twitter" from the International Space Station, I knew I was missing out on something! Incredible! If we thought our world was getting smaller, what does this say about our universe?

So I have jumped in as well. For those who are interested, you can follow me (@LeaderBusiness on Twitter) or...let me know you are out there so I can follow you.

Twitter enables connections through little (140 character) updates that ask, "What are you doing?" By answering that question, I hope that I can provide input into the arena regarding my favorite topic -- leadership. And for those who are interested, I can provide some insight into what I do in leading my organization. I love my job and find it fascinating. I believe that the diversity of the work my organization does as well as the leadership challenges that come from an organization with the size (800+ employees) and scope ($1B+) of my team are worth telling people "what I am doing." If you are interested, come along and follow me.

Like you, I am doing my best to create and maintain connections in this increasingly interconnected world (universe!). Leadership is all about relationships, learning from others, communication, and providing inspiration to those who choose to follow you. I think that some of this is possible on Twitter. I was inspired to see my fellow West Pointer think that connecting with people from space was important. So...here I go...twittering away. Enjoy the "tweets." That's Leader Business.

You Gotta....Know When to Fold 'Em

2009-09-03T21:46:00.000-07:00

I still remember the meeting. We had debated an issue with energy and passion. There were a host of opinions about the topic. Everything was laid out. We evaluated various alternatives. I heard from all sides. We discussed the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed courses of action. Then it was time. I made my decision. Everyone was ready to go. Everyone…but one guy. He thought it important to “state for the record” that he opposed the decision. Oh man…did this ever bother me. We had transitioned from decision-making…to decision. And this guy was still fighting. And then I watched as he tried to reverse my decision, and then undercut it during execution. Wrong answer, dude!

There is a time and place for debate. During the decision-making process -- yes. While alternatives are being discussed -- yes. But once the decision is made -- nope. At that point, there are only two ways to proceed:

1. Embrace the decision as if it was your own. Execute with vigor and do all you can to see the decision work out for all. Execute…and accomplish the mission. Git ‘er done! Or…..

2. Leave the team.

Quite frankly, the third way, to undermine the decision, to work covertly (or even overtly) to tube the mission…is unacceptable. You cannot be a part of the team and work to help the team fail. No whispering, spreading rumors, cynicism, or back-channel deals that prevent mission success. Be a part of the solution, not a schemer to make the problem even worse. There can be only one leader. And if you are not it…then deal with it! If you can’t live with the decision, vote with your feet and leave the team. Otherwise, you’ve done your duty in expressing your opinion. Now do your duty and help the team be successful. As the old country song goes – “You’ve got to know when to fold ‘em….”

So here’s the skinny. Fight for your beliefs and opinions before the decision is made. Leaders – encourage debate and solicit alternatives from all sides before locking in on the way ahead. Give everyone a chance to speak and listen to all alternatives. But once the decision is made…everyone has got to be – ALL THE WAY IN (see the last post!). No team can be successful if team members are allowed to undermine, undercut, or otherwise move in directions counter to the mission. The team must be all the way in!

It is encouraging to see US policy making working this way. Rigorous debate on things like health care, war, and energy policies reflect this approach. The town hall meetings are a beautiful thing to observe…and we should have them as a matter of routine! But once the decisions are made…we have to be all the way in. We have to execute in a way that accomplishes the mission, not as mindless robots but as members of a team -- committed to see the team succeed. Adjustments can be made along the way (and of course debate will continue on those adjustments) but…we cannot have the dysfunction that comes from a house (or a nation) divided. We have to find a way to be all in, to work together to reach our objectives! (Note…I say this not as one suggesting one way or the other is right, but one who knows that we have not been united in our commitment to success for many years and hopes there is another way!)

This is a message to all of us. We are all part of teams, we all report to someone. Let’s lead by example in this approach. Let’s build teams that respect all opinions, that encourage debate, and that understand this concept of being all the way in. Once the decision is made, let's know...when to fold 'em. It is the only way a team can be successful. That makes it…Leader Business.

So what do you think? Am I right? We’ve all been in positions like this, whether as team leader or team member. Let me know where you stand on this.

Image courtesy of www.sidesalad.net.

All the Way In

2009-08-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

Not long ago, I was asked to implement a major organizational adjustment. The Army was changing and the team I led at the Army’s National Training Center needed to change along with it. It was time for a course correction and I was asked to make it happen.

Only problem was…I didn’t want to change. I was perfectly comfortable with the way things were. I was happy and my team was happy. The reasons may sound familiar:

-- This would be bad for morale for my team.
-- The skills which we had labored long and hard to develop would rapidly erode in the new organization.
-- We would not have the opportunities for growth and development in this mixed matrix sort of organization that we had in our current little stove-pipe.

So, I did what many of us do. I dragged my feet. I fought the change. I held on to the old way of doing business and did all I could to resist implementing the badly needed change to my team’s organizational structure. I held my ground.

But did you see anything missing from my reasoning above? How about the words…"customer" and…"mission?" That’s right…I had allowed myself to become focused inward and forgotten what we were all about. It wasn’t supposed to be what was good for me and my team but about our customer (in this case those we trained). Even worse, I had infected my team with a belief that we were more important than those we served, that the mission somehow revolved around us.

It was then that I learned that when it comes to major change, you must be “all the way in.” You cannot just dip your little pinky toe into the “change pool” and think that you are doing anyone any favors. This sort of go-slow approach only weakens the team and misses the mark regarding the bigger picture. Worse still, you can’t hide your attitude when resisting change. Your team will follow you – for better or for worse. You must be all the way in:

-- New hardware, software, or business processes? All the Way In!
-- Reshaping your organization? All the Way In!
-- Going after new customers or modifying your business model? All the Way In!
-- Some other change (and I hope you will share with me what that might be)? All the Way In!

(Now, lest you think that I am saying that leaders must be robots and never raise objections, stay tuned. We’ll cover that next!)

This may be hard for some of us to swallow. It certainly was for me. And I can assure you my team looked at me like I was crazy when I came into the office one morning singing a completely revolutionary new tune. But as their leader, it was the right thing to do. And from that moment, we were an improved team. More importantly, our customers, our mission, were instantly better for the shift as well.

And just like that…I was…all the way in. And that was good leadership. That made it…Leader Business.

No Excuse Leadership II

2009-08-23T05:18:00.000-07:00

Last week, we examined a mindset that refuses to make excuses for one's course in life, never makes excuses for shortcomings or setbacks (No Excuse Leadership). It is a lesson I learned early in my military career as a cadet at West Point. There I learned that a cadet has three responses: yes, sir; no, sir; and no excuse, sir. You don't blame the situation, you don't fault your predecessor, and you don't put the burden for your problems on your subordinates. You step up, own your performance and outcomes, and accept the consequences. You learn, grow, and move on. That's "No Excuse Leadership."

While difficult to put into practice (yes...excuses come far too easy to most of us), it is a leadership principle that has been proven true at every level. And while we see so many examples of leaders failing to accept responsibility for their failures, of people who let excuses control their lives, every once in a while, we see what right looks like.

While some of us were trying our best to embrace the implications of this philosophy, Captain Scotty Smiley, US Army, showed us all what it looks like. This officer embodies the concept of "No Excuse Leadership," an approach to living that he shares now daily with his young charges at the United States Military Academy at West Point. He talks about leadership -- and life -- to the young men and women who will soon follow him in service to their country. He teaches leadership, a subject he knows plenty about, a subject that he learned as a student at West Point and as a lieutenant leading men into battle in Iraq.

Captain Smiley, some would say, has already lived a full life. He was recognized by the Army as the 2007 "Soldier of the Year." He won an ESPY award in 2008 as Best Outdoor Athlete. He has skied in Vail, Colorado and climbed Mount Rainier. He completed an MBA at Duke University and now hangs out with NBA basketball players after meeting many of that sport's superstars competing for TEAM USA. Oh...and he has a beautiful wife and recently added a new baby to his family.

Captain Smiley lives a charmed life. Except for one detail. He lost his vision and was temporarily paralyzed in a roadside bomb attack in Mosul, Iraq in April 2005. He has had to learn to walk again and adjust to life without sight. He and his wife had agonized over whether to medically retire from the Army, to pursue a vocation perhaps more accommodating to his disability. Instead, Captain Smiley chose to Soldier On! (read more about his story here) He refused to let his course in life be an excuse for not achieving his dreams. Yes...this is what "No Excuse Leadership" looks like in real life!

Last week, Scott Smiley began his assignment as a professor of leadership at West Point. You can read more about his first day here. Humbling, isn't it? Maybe it is time to stop making excuses, to quit allowing minor setbacks to stop us from reaching our goals. Maybe it is time to stop complaining and become a "No Excuse Leader!" This mindset has taken a blind Army Ranger to new (albeit different) heights. And his new charges at the Military Academy are better for it. That's Leader Business!

4-Star Leadership

2009-08-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

Karl Moore over at The Globe and Mail interviews 4-star Army General Martin Dempsey, Commander of the Army's Training and Doctrine Command. General Dempsey leads the organization (TRADOC) responsible for training the Army's leaders and producing relevant policies and procedures for success in all the Army's missions. You can read the interview here.

In his discussion of the evolution of military leadership, I think there is much to learn on his approach to training military leaders to operate during complexity and chaos. The interview also gives the General's thoughts on leadership versus management, and how senior leaders need both. Finally, I appreciated his discussion on the need to replace control with trust, especially given the complexity of today's operating environment in places like Afghanistan.

I really appreciate this last point on trust. I think any more that decision cycles are too short for strict, hierarchical, bureaucratic command and control. Leaders must set the conditions, provide intent (the what and why...not the how), allocate resources and align them with priorities, and empower subordinates to figure out the rest. They must trust their teammates to make good decisions consistent with their training and values.

Many of us still struggle with this concept of empowerment and trust. But in this information-rich society and difficult economy, leaders have to let go. General Dempsey reminds us that our teammates, especially the younger ones, have an intense desire to understand, to contribute, to connect. This should cause us to be more open, to be more collaborative, and to listen. Then trust them to do the right thing.

Good stuff. That's Leader Business.

No Excuse Leadership

2009-08-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

You know what I hate? Excuses...can’t stand ‘em...won’t tolerate them. You know...stuff like this:

Why didn’t you get an answer? Well…I called and they didn’t call me back.
Why is this project behind schedule? We had a problem with our supplier, and then we had some weather delays, and….
Why didn’t you get me that report I asked for? I didn’t have time.
Where’s the data you promised me? Oh, I’m sorry. My computer wasn't cooperating.

I remember it differently and remember it like it was yesterday. My first leadership lesson as a new cadet at West Point:

“New Cadet Magness…you have three responses to any question: Yes sir, No sir, and No excuse sir. Do you understand?”
“Well…I think I do.”
“New Cadet…that is not one of your three responses! Get down and give me 20!”

Three responses….and one of them was “No Excuse.” Just cut to the chase. Don’t waste words trying to explain the unexplainable. Just admit your failure and move on. If you are responsible for doing something and did not, don't insult others by trying to weasel out of it or spreading the blame around to others.

How different would our world be if excuses weren't the norm? People would have to take responsibility for their own actions. Leaders would be forced to reconcile their shortcomings without blaming others. Politicians would have to stand and deliver or...be held accountable when they don't.

So let's all sign up for this approach -- Excuses: Don’t offer them; don’t tolerate them.

Did you accomplish your mission?
No ma’am.
Why not?
No excuse, ma’am. I knew what I was supposed to do and I did not get it done.
That’s right, no excuse. Now…git ‘er done.

Is this so hard? I really don’t think so. In fact, I have been a part of an organization (the US Army) in which this attitude is part of its DNA. There I have learned that 99.9% of excuses are not valid. You didn’t have time? Really? Did you eat? Sleep? Missed a deadline? Why didn’t you build in time for contingencies? Failed to accomplish the mission? Whose fault is that? That’s right…no excuse! This lesson goes right along with our last one (see I’m with Stupidly!). When you mess up…no excuses. When you “bone up” – own up.

Now, don't get me wrong. It is always important that we seek to understand why our teammates cannot complete their tasks. All too often it is something that we could have influenced and thus is as much our fault as theirs! Understanding issues associated with workload allocation, distribution of resources, time management, lack of clarity are critical. My point is people must begin by accepting responsibility for their own actions, not looking first for someone else to blame. Most excuses fall into this category!

So how does one learn to operate in an environment where only three responses are available? Well…they git ‘er done. Then there is no need for excuses! They build a culture that tolerates nothing less than success...and where individuals accept responsibility for their own shortcomings. Teams will spend more time and energy winning the game than...playing the blame game. Three responses are plenty in that sort of culture. And I have found it to be a lot easier than pushups! (Or at least that is my excuse).

No excuses! That’s Leader Business!

For more on this topic, see "No Excuse Leadership," by fellow West Pointer and Army Ranger Brace Barber and "Leading From the Front; No Excuse Leadership Tactics for Women" by former Marines Angie Morgan and Courtney Lynch.

Image courtesy of www.nutrexsolutions.com.

I'm With Stupidly

2009-08-16T12:57:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, even the most gifted orators put their foot in their mouth. Yes, sometimes even the most capable leaders step on it -- saying something or doing something they later regret. Has it happened to you? Have you messed up lately? How did you handle it?

All I can say is...I'm with you if you have! For those of us who talk a lot, sooner or later we will say something we wish we had not. Yep...I'm with stupidly! (For those of you who don't understand the use of this phrase, you might remember it a little differently on a t-shirt like this one).

Here are a few thoughts for those of us who speak or act without thinking:

-- Own it. It's okay to admit that you are wrong. And the sooner the better. Don't jump straight to damage control. Start by first stepping up and admit your shortcomings. Don't take the course of "apologizing to those who were offended," (i.e. blaming the victim). Instead, confess your errors: "To those whom I have offended, I apologize. I spoke before I thought, engaged my mouth before my brain. I'm sorry. Please forgive me." It's okay...no one is perfect. Be man or woman enough to admit your error.

-- Communicate it. Let people understand that you are mortal and make mistakes. Then share with them your plans to correct the issue and move forward. I have found that people generally appreciate when they see that their leaders are genuine...and that they are human. And people who are wronged are much less likely to hold a grudge, to embrace reconciliation, when they hear you say you are sorry.

-- Fix it. If damages are done, make the necessary repairs. Restore the relationship (yep...sharing a beer is a great way to sort out differences), fix the problem, regain the trust of those who are wronged. Every leader makes mistakes. Great leaders take immediate action to make amends.

-- Learn from it. Great leaders learn from failure. It is important that we make improvements with each and every screw up! It is especially key that we demonstrate our learning by not repeating our mistakes. Our apologies will quickly lose credibility if we continue to make the same errors.

So what about you? Have you offended someone lately? Have you made a public (or private) mistake that warrants a correction? If so...you're in good company! You too are "with stupidly!" (Maybe we should replace the old classic t-shirt with this new one). Stuff happens. How we deal with it will ultimately characterize our ability to lead.

That's Leader Business!

Leadership Carnival

2009-08-07T05:19:00.000-07:00

Friends,

Mary Jo Asmus, from Intentional Leadership, is hosting the August Leadership Development Carnival. She was gracious enough to include my series on the importance of cultivating synergy as we lead teams. Please check out the site and enjoy the "veritable potpourri" of leadership topics and ideas (wow...I have been waiting to use those two words on these pages!).

Can I use this slow Leader Business day to say thanks to those of you who follow this site? I do not take you for granted. I know that there are an amazing number of sources for leadership and inspiration competing for your time. I am honored that you have included me in them. Can I also ask you to share this site with your friends? Invite them to join in the dialogue about the "Business of Leaders." They are welcome here any time!

Have a great day. Make a difference -- today and always! That's Leader Business! Hooah!

The Pursuit

2009-08-02T07:57:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while, I am reminded that one of the "unalienable rights" endowed to us by the Creator is not the right to be happy but to PURSUE happiness. This was certainly the message of the wonderful movie, "The Pursuit of Happyness" about Chris Gardner's struggles to realize his dreams. No one will give us success. But we all have the right to compete, to have goals, to endeavor to be our best.

This really is what leadership is about: setting the conditions for others to realize their dreams, to become all that they envision, to enable all team members to PURSUE happiness. How do we do this? Many ways but...here's a start:

-- Maintain an environment that is free from bias and provides equal opportunity to all.

-- Ensure all members of the team have a developmental plan and that resources are provided to help achieve growth.

-- Provide a positive, supportive, energetic, fun work environment. Yep...I said it. It is okay to have fun, to pursue happiness at work!

-- Align resources against goals and objectives. Leaders must provide the skills and tools to enable others to pursue greatness.

-- Set the bar high. Be a dreamer yourself and give people something to shoot for -- a vision, a new level of greatness that they otherwise might not reach on their own. Don't let anyone on your team stop their PURSUIT.

-- Maintain a sense of balance -- in your personal and professional life. Understand that people pursuit happiness at home and at work. Provide opportunities for both.

-- Don't make excuses. We are responsible for our own pursuit. View obstacles as opportunities. Share this attitude with others. The pursuit IS contagious.

If you haven't seen this movie...get it. Be inspired. Then get back in the arena and start (or resume) your "PURSUIT!" Don't ever let someone tell you -- you can't do something. And don't be that someone to others. "You want something? Go get it. Period." That's the Pursuit. And that's...Leader Business.

Being Strategic

2009-07-28T04:00:00.000-07:00

Friends,

I read a lot of business and leadership books. I'll admit it...I'm addicted. I appreciate the varieties of perspectives out there "in the arena" about what I call the business of leaders. Unfortunately, I rarely commend many of them to my friends. Frankly, I find most of them to be only marginally useful, rarely based in reality, and downright dull.

I have an exception. Erika Andersen is a consultant, advisor to CEOs, and author/blogger. I first saw some of her thoughts on her blog, The Simplest Thing That Works. And now that I've read her book, Being Strategic, I know she has broken the mold on business books. This one's a keeper. Read my interview with Erika below. If you are intrigued about her approach to strategic leadership or want a superb book for yourself or some aspiring leader, order a copy. I guarantee you will not be disappointed! Here's my interview with Erika:

First of all Erika, I thought you did a terrific book with Being Strategic. You found a way to connect with real people and real leaders using a framework I can really appreciate. Great job! I know that the readers and followers of Leader Business will not regret picking up a copy of your book and learning from a great writer and strategic thinker. Here are a few questions.

1. Erika, you frame your book around a "Castle on the Hill" and the leadership of Llewellyn Fawr, Prince of North Wales. Why him and what can we learn from his leadership?

Llewellyn Fawr was an unusually strategic leader. At a time when other Welsh leaders were simply arguing over bits and pieces of land, worrying about their relatives and counting their cattle, Llewellyn envisioned a united North Wales. He was able to look clearly at what and who he was dealing with – his current reality of strong-minded and independent Welshmen, and what motivated them and didn’t, what they had and hoped for – and to see the possibility of bringing them together. Then he was able to craft strategies and execute tactics for making it happen. He died in his bed, still Prince of North Wales and in his mid-sixties…a good long life by medieval standards. It was an astonishing accomplishment, and unique in the history of Wales.

2. I love your definition of "Being Strategic." You're right. I could not come up with a better definition. Tell us about being strategic!

I think the most important thing I’ve learned over the years about being strategic is that it is primarily a learnable skill. I’ve noticed that people tend to talk about being strategic as though it’s an inborn – and unchangeable – thing, like having blue eyes, or being tall! But I’ve found that almost anyone can improve his or her ability to think and act strategically, if they understand and practice the mental models and the skills involved. That’s really the core reason I wrote the book; I wanted to share these skills with as many people as possible, in a format that would make them accessible, engaging, and reasonably easy to learn.

And why, you might ask, would I want people to be able to improve their ability to think and act strategically? Well, it goes back to Llewellyn – if you have professional and personal dreams, things you truly want to accomplish, I believe that being strategic will make it much more likely that you’ll achieve them.

3. The first step to Being Strategic is to "Define the Challenge." You write, "people often propose solutions to problems before they're clear on what the problem is." This is huge. So many times we jump right into problem solving and getting to what you call the tactics before we have framed the issue. What are key elements of this first step?

As I’ve noted in the book, the first step is to take the time to clarify what isn’t working – that is, what’s the problem or challenge you’re trying to address. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve worked with people who sail right past this step and get themselves into seemingly inextricable knots. For instance, let’s say there are two adolescent brothers who want to go to a concert. The first kid is convinced the only problem is that their parents won’t want them to go, though he hasn’t said that out loud. The second kid doesn’t think that will be a problem; he’s just worried about getting there (though he hasn’t really said that out loud, either); they’re not old enough to drive, and none of their friends are going.

So imagine the conversation: brother A just talks about how to sweet-talk their parents, while brother B focuses solely on ideas for arranging transportation. That’s going to be a frustrating conversation, where each person’s focus is going to seem weird and nonsensical to the other. I call it ‘dueling solutions,’ and a more complex but equally frustrating version of it happens in boardrooms all over the world every day!

But once you’ve clearly defined what the true problem is, then you’re ready to start solving it. In the brothers-going-to-the-concert situation, both things might actually be problematic. So their challenge might be “How can we get our parents to let us go, and find a safe way to get there?” And if solving the problems posed in their “How can we…” question would feel like success to both of them – then they’ve defined their challenge, and can now start to try to address it.

4. You talk about "clarifying what is" by "pulling back the camera." I love this concept and know you use this term throughout the book. I call it "seeing yourself." Why is this important for being strategic? And why do we need to do this before we start formulating strategies?

I love this concept too, and it works for almost everyone because most people watch TV or movies. We all know what happens when you don’t “pull back a camera”: when a camera is pulled in really close to a shot, you only see whatever it’s focused on. For example, there might be a really close-in shot of a piece of paper with the word “no” written on it. Because the camera’s in so close, you don’t really know what that’s about – it could be referring to anything. You can speculate all you want, but you don’t really have enough context to understand what you’re seeing.

Then let’s say you pan the camera back a little, and you see there’s another piece of paper next to it that says “yes,” and that both are taped to pieces of wood. Hmmm, that’s a little more context, but still not enough to really make sense of what you’re seeing. So you pull the camera back even more, and now you can see that both papers are taped to piles of 2x4s; those in the “no” pile are warped; those in the “yes” pile are all straight. Ah-ha! Now it makes sense!

In the same way, when you’re trying to look at your current state relative to your challenge, and you really want to see it clearly, it’s essential to “pull the camera back” far enough to allow you to understand the critical elements IN CONTEXT. For example, let’s say your challenge is “How can I build a productive motivated team of employees?” You might think that someone on your team is a poor employee because she’s not fulfilling a part of her job responsibility. But then, when you ‘pull the camera back,’ you find that her previous boss never held her accountable for doing it and she doesn’t actually know it’s supposed to be part of her job! And when you pull the camera back a bit more, maybe you find out that the old boss was actually pretty unclear with everyone about what their jobs were. That new view would certainly lead you to deal differently with the situation: your strategies and tactics would change significantly!

5. Talk about "envisioning the hoped for future" as I know this is truly key to being a visionary, strategic leader. Can anyone get there or is this something we either have from birth or...don't have?

I think everyone can envision the future if it’s important to them. We do it all the time: lovers talk about what it will be like to be married; kids think about what it will be like when they get that new bike for Christmas; junior employees imagine how life would be different if they got a promotion.

The approach I outline takes that basic human capability to envision a different future and helps you to exercise it, strengthen it, and learn to direct it consciously. And, by employing that capacity to envision within the context of the whole process I recommend, you can make it really work for you.
That is, by grounding your “envisioning” in an accurate sense of the current state, you can ensure your hoped-for future is a “reasonable aspiration.” And by then considering the obstacles to your vision, and creating the strategic and tactical path to get there, you’re making it practically achievable.

Not everybody can be world-class at this – there are only a handful of truly great Nadal-and-Federer-level tennis players, for example…but almost everyone can learn to play fairly well if they practice. And many people can get really good!

6. Strategy, then tactics. What's the difference and can you talk about the concept of "FIT" to help ensure both are appropriate?

Strategies are “core directional efforts.” They’re the big paths you’re going to walk down to get to your vision. When I’m working with groups, I often say, “a strategy isn’t ‘I’m going to do this particular thing,’ it’s ‘I’m going to move in this direction.’ Tactics are then the specific things you do to move in that direction.

For instance, when my own company, Proteus, did our last vision and strategy session, one of our strategies was “Establish and sustain ways of operating that support our growth.” That’s not a particular thing you can run right out and do; it’s a statement of intention, of direction. It was us saying that we were going to focus time, energy and resources on improving our systems and processes…a necessary strategy for many growing businesses that have outpaced their infrastructure! Some tactics under that strategy were to document our current client processes; to identify gaps and ‘pinch points’; to find a resource for helping us upgrade our technology, etc. Specific, measurable things we could do to implement the strategy.

And FIT is just a great, simple screen for choosing both strategies and tactics: it stands for “feasible, impactful and timely.” And you use it by asking yourself, when you’re thinking about whether or not a strategy or tactic is right for you:
- “Can we actually do this? Do we have the skills, resources, bandwidth?” (feasibility) “
- “Will this move us farthest toward our objective with the least amount of effort? That is, does this give us the biggest ‘bang for the buck’? (impact)
- “Do we need to do this first? And is there a window of opportunity – that is, if we don’t do this now, might we be unable to do it later? (timeliness)

7. Finally, I would ask if this approach to being strategic is for individuals or for groups? Is it the same approach for both?

It is for both, and the core skills and mindset are exactly the same. The differences are all in application. That’s why I wrote the book the way I did, with the first half focusing on clarifying and teaching the approach itself, and the second half layering on the skills and understanding necessary to use the approach with a group.

And we teach and use it with both: we’ve taught hundreds of folks to use this skill in their own careers and lives, and we’ve worked with dozens of companies and teams to support them in working through this process to envision and achieve the future they want for their organization or their department.

And I hope the book enables many, many more people to do the same! Thanks for these great and thought-provoking questions, Tom.

Thank you, Erika. Your book is great. I know that "Being Strategic" will help anyone on the way to their "castle." I trust that you are on your way to yours! Being strategic is a key component of the growth of every leader. That makes it...Leader Business.

Synergy - Part III

2009-07-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

T-shirts don't make a team. Neither do cheers, logos, posters, or the most talented individuals in a particular field. Ask the Los Angeles Lakers, the 2009 NBA Champions. After a long drought in which the best player in the game never could get back to the top, it took much more to create the conditions for success. It took SYNERGY!

Synergy as we have described it can be reduced to a simple math equation: 1+1+1>3. The whole is made greater than the sum of the parts. Leadership is the action verb (made greater) that enables this possibility.

For the Lakers (or any other team), greatness was not achieved until the sum of the parts was actually made greater. That took leadership -- from the coaching staff, from the front office, and most importantly, from the players on the court. And if you follow the sport as closely as you follow this blog (ha!), you know that the synergy that we saw in this year's Laker team (or last year's Celtics, or any other championship team in any profession) validated the formula for synergy that we have been talking about on this page:

Synergy =Common vision and goals +Big TEAM, little me +Interdependence +Accountability.

And while we described each component in the last post, here are a few final thoughts on this important leadership deliverable:

While jerseys do not a team make, leaders must be aware of the need to build a unique brand around their team of teams (they are, after all, the LAKERS!). Use cross-training and developmental assignments between organizations to foster a better understanding of new acquisitions or within subordinate units who otherwise might not have reason to interact. Build a new brand. Celebrate team accomplishments and organizational progress toward the common vision.

Synergy is only possible when everyone is involved and is forged by leaders who get 100% from every team member. Mergers and acquisitions almost universally come with baggage – suspicions and concerns generated by ignorance of the potential for the new team of teams. Barriers must be knocked down, stove pipes eliminated.

Leaders must model the behavior that values the contribution of every single team member. Identify excess capacity and determine how to make it available to those who are over tasked. Think of your organizational diversity as an opportunity. How might someone in human resources help with an engineering design? Who better than a salesperson could serve on a process design team? And how can a superstar like Kobe Bryant subordinate himself to the goals of the team while making those around him better?

Synergy is fueled by communication and cross-talk. Economies of scale, opportunities for cross-selling and cross-promotion, and a better use of shared resources will not generally identify themselves. Leaders must constantly “wire brush” the organization to bring these issues to the surface. Constant dialogue about best practices and lessons learned, coupled with teammates held accountable to one another, will drive growth across the board. The total can exceed the sum of the parts - many times over.

If 1+1+1=3 - that’s not synergy. That result was achievable in the organization’s formerly independent state. Of what value is a merger, acquisition, or organizational growth that shows no value added? Bigger is not better. Better is better.

The leader’s job is to create synergy, to add value. Make the new condition, the newly combined business unit, or the organizational team of teams better than its former, independent state. That kind of measurable growth does not occur by itself. That’s where you come in. That's what it took for the Lakers to win the championship this year. And that is why creating synergy is...Leader Business.

Synergy - Part II

2009-07-25T05:53:00.000-07:00

Wearing the same shirt does not make you a team.
-- Buchholz and Roth

During the time I was serving as a trainer at the Army's National Training Center, the Army formed a new combat organization within its fighting Brigades – the Special Troops Battalion (STB). Created by joining signal, intelligence, engineer, military police, and other specialized units under a common command, this new team's leaders faced a daunting task - build a team of teams out of these diverse functions; combine these dissimilar units into a cohesive, fighting organization – and make them better than when they operated independently. The mission – create synergy.

Many STB team members were challenged however, to embrace the promise of this new organization. They were encumbered by memories of life as independent entities. They could not yet comprehend the advantage of replacing independence with interdependence. They did not know the potential greatness of the new team. They had not yet seen the value of working, fighting, and succeeding – together.

STB leaders quickly realized that it took more than a common headquarters for combat units to fight as a team. Commanders quickly recognized that t-shirts and logos did not create synergy. Accomplished team builders know that much more is required. Successful mergers and acquisitions, in the military or in business, do not happen by themselves. Nope…that’s the leader’s job.

Synergy can be reduced to a simple math equation: 1+1+1>3. The whole is made greater than the sum of the parts. Leadership is the action verb (made greater) that enables this possibility. Making teams better, adding value, is the role of the leader. That makes it Leader Business.

As I indicated before, it was in the "heat of battle" at the Army's National Training Center that I learned these critical elements for creating synergy (another math equation!) --

Synergy =
Common vision and goals +
Big TEAM, little me +
Interdependence +
Accountability.

Common vision. Common goals.

Leaders must create the common purpose for which the team will fight – together. Groups, no matter how mature, must have a reason for working together that makes sense to all team members. Without a shared vision, organizational tendencies are to form stovepipes, build up barriers, and focus on themselves.

Synergy comes from teams and team members who are truly committed to working together. Leaders must forge the overarching organizational vision that describes the intended end state. Whether through mergers and acquisitions or when brought about by combining functions within existing organizations, the tendency will be for teammates to believe that “it was working fine before the change.” What they cannot know and what leadership must uniquely transmit is – “compared to what?”

Leaders provide the vision of how great the team can be under these new conditions. As is always the case with “the vision thing,” leaders must believe it themselves and then share it (frequently…and with passion), first with internal customers (get your team to believe) and then with everyone else.

Recently, I led my own team through a major transformation. The reasons NOT to change were plentiful: we were doing well, reaching all of our goals; we would lose our brand identity through the proposed changes; and the new organization would be so dysfunctional given the diversity of skills on the future team that the product would be of lesser quality.

I heard it from all sides and struggled personally and professionally with the pending change. But all issues paled in comparison to the importance of providing the best service to our customers. A shared vision that recognized that it was about those whom we served, not about us, was the reality we needed to embrace.

Discussions about how we would work together, about how we could be a better team and better serve our customers, enabled by the strength of our new diversity, and about how we could each grow, personally and professionally, quickly took hold within the organization. We became a better team – and our customers were better for it. It started with a vision.

BIG TEAM – little me.

Synergy is created when team members subordinate their personal or small unit goals to those of the bigger team. They must have the belief and understanding that they are successful only if the team is successful. The old way of doing business must be replaced with a new way – better and fully integrated into the higher organization.

Emphasize team goals at every opportunity. Use team rewards to highlight the benefits of working together. Reward behaviors that demonstrate the desired corporate mindset.

Leaders must balance the need to work as a team while still sustaining the competitiveness that drives subordinate teams to do their best? Sales teams need to push each other for the big goals. But the top prize is reserved for when the company achieves its intended results. Teachers should strive for individual recognition – yet take greatest satisfaction in their school’s “Exemplary” status.

Synergy is achieved by teammates who seek ways to do their best while striving to make each other better. Streamlined processes and cost savings are realized by team members who look outside themselves to help others. Information and lessons learned are shared. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

Interdependence.

Synergy is only made possible through team members who replace independence with the newness of interdependence. Organizations whose members are mutually dependent on each other’s unique skills, experiences, and capabilities are more inclined to work together toward a common, higher goal. They are also less inclined to grow in size and scope versus leveraging unused capacity elsewhere in the organization.

The Department of Defense is working hard to force its services to embrace interdependence, a concept known as “jointness.” Does the artillery need a new howitzer when aviation – Army, Navy, or Air Force - can service those same targets with existing weapon systems? Does the Army need more bomb disposal personnel when the Navy has world class capabilities available to do this mission? Difficult concepts with high stakes, interdependence is the only way to get the most out of a military force with as many commitments as ours.

The US Army Corps of Engineers is another example of a large government organization wrestling with the need to create interdependence. Current budgets no longer afford each regional organization to create fiefdoms known as “districts” with full functionality whose sole focus is internal - district goals and district customers.

Now, regional and national centers of expertise are available to each Army Corps district, with designs for projects in one district completed by teams with unique capabilities in another. Business processes have been modified to reflect the elimination of stovepipes and local behavior. Not only does interdependence make better business sense, it produces a better product and leads to a more satisfied customer. The Army Corps is working hard to do more – better – with less. That is synergy.

Leaders must grow interdependent organizations who share everything – resources, customers, skills, people, and facilities. It is only in doing so that the new organization is made greater than the sum of its parts.

Identify unused capacity and determine how it can be applied to help the team. Cross level resources and capabilities between subordinate teams to meet higher level goals. Build bridges and bonds between mutually dependent sub-organizations that will create an effect that exceeds what could be done individually.

Accountability.

Synergy is only realized when the team is literally, measurably, actually made greater. The parts must function together to make a better product – cheaper, faster, more sustainable, more reliable, safer…better. True synergy must result in increased revenue or higher market share. Economies of scale must be realized. Customers, internal and external, must see progress.

Teams do well what a leader measures. Develop metrics for the team and for each subordinate organization that can be used for mutual accountability. Create an environment where subordinates are free to “look outside their cubicles” while holding each other accountable for meaningful, quantifiable advancement.

Team members must be accountable to one another to ensure a better team. This is only possible when they understand each other and appreciate how they each uniquely contribute to their success - and the accomplishment of team goals.

Education programs such as new employee orientation and formal and informal professional development help grow teammates who understand the team of teams. Peer reviews provide perspective on subordinates who work well within the team concept. Sharing best practices across functional areas will help make each component of the whole better than if it were operating separately.

Subordinates who understand that their success is only enabled by the success of every team member will begin to think outside themselves to help, and hold accountable, others. Salesmen will give constructive feedback to manufacturing partners. Marketers will interact with operations folks like never before. Peers and subordinate organizations that formerly had little interaction will develop productive, mutually beneficial relationships.

Nope...T-shirts won't make a team. Without common vision, interdependence, accountability, and the subordinating of self to something bigger, 1+1+1 will equal 3 (or less). Leadership is required to add value to this equation and to make individuals function as a TEAM. That makes creating synergy...Leader Business.

Synergy - Part I

2009-07-18T16:14:00.000-07:00

Synergy is the increase in performance of the combined firm over what the two firms are already expected or required to accomplish as independent firms.
-- Mark L. Sirower

Are you familiar with the concept of synergy? How do you define it? What does it mean to you? I can tell you this. Never has the importance of leaders creating synergy been more important than it is in business units and other teams today. If you are not thinking about synergy -- what it means and how you can get some -- you are missing out on what leadership is all about!

Synergy: The whole is made greater than the sum of the parts.

Since I am an engineer, I like to reduce this concept to a simple math equation: 1+1+1>3. Leadership...is the action verb (made greater) that enables this (seemingly impossible) possibility.

Synergy, like so many other characteristics of leadership, is only enabled by dynamic, visionary, positive leaders. Without leadership, you’ll end up with acquisitions that never quite fit together (think AOL TimeWarner) and an organization whose parts may actually decrease the value of the sum. Leaders are uniquely positioned and specifically employed to add value to the team, to create functional, profitable teams of teams. So that makes creating synergy -- Leader Business, right?

Successful organizations function as a team of teams. Mergers bring separate, independent units together to grow production capacity or leverage common customers. Functions in existing operations are combined to streamline processes and harvest efficiencies. And business units are grouped together to leverage capabilities that may not exist without each other.

Leadership makes this work. It is the grease that eliminates the friction inherent in team building. It is the forcing function that ensures the team of teams is, in fact, better than its former condition – more efficient, higher productivity, greater access to customers, and a better product.

But putting a group of good performers together under one roof does not guarantee synergistic success. How many companies have failed following a big merger or acquisition? How frequently do we see organizations whose family tree can only be described as dysfunctional? How about sports teams that acquire more and more superstar athletes, yet still can't win the championship? Think about all the consolidation going on in financial markets today. Bigger is not better. Better is better!

Over the next several posts, I'd like to share with you an example from my own experiences where the concept of synergy took form in my own mind as well as what I found it takes to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. It was in the "heat of battle" at the Army's National Training Center that I learned these critical elements for creating synergy (another math equation!) --

Synergy =

Common vision and goals +

Big TEAM, little me +

Interdependence +

Accountability.

This is one of my favorite topics. I have spoken about this critical trait to leaders across the country dozens of times in a variety of different contexts (and perhaps this is something your group could use some encouraging words on). Until then, think about areas in your company or in your own life where synergy would be important. You'll find, as I have, that creating synergy is...Leader Business.

Synergy Part II.

Synergy Part III.

New Employee Orientation at West Point

2009-07-16T05:28:00.000-07:00

I was reminded of the importance of new employee orientation when my buddy got back from dropping his son off at the United States Military Academy at West Point to start his journey as a new cadet. With tears still in his and his wife's eyes, his accounting took me back in time to my orientation.

First of all, I can't believe I am old enough to have friends whose babies are entering (or in some cases have already graduated from) West Point. Ouch! But I am equally amazed at how effective the orientation process still is. In one day, young men and women are transformed from civilian individuals to members of a high performing military team (see this video here for the parade at the end of Day 1).

While my own orientation (R-day for Reception) is still a blur, I remember some of the key components. I received uniforms, got a haircut, met my new leadership team, received some briefings, signed some forms, and learned the basics of marching. And by the end of the first day, I was "New Cadet Magness," participating in my first parade in front of parents and friends of the West Point Class of 1985. Aaaah...good times. (At least I will remember it that way for you here. I won't go into how I cried myself to sleep in my bunk...scared to death about what I was getting into! Ha!).

How does your orientation process measure up? Are you ensuring that you provide the time and energy necessary to give that good first impression, to make new employees feel like part of the team, and to help all team members see the big picture for the team they have just joined? How does your program compare against these key elements from my own orientation program?

-- Issue new equipment to enable success. I received uniforms, linens, a room assignment, foot locker, a bunk in the barracks, and everything I needed to function.

-- Provide information about the team and learn how to use all new equipment. On R-day, I learned plenty of rules. "Pick up your bags! Drop your bags! Salute, left turn, right turn, forward march! Your only responses are yes sir, no sir, and no excuse sir. Do you understand new cadet?" Wow...just typing that last part made me nervous! I learned how to make my bed (and how to sleep in it without messing it up so it would always be ready for inspection. More good times!), how to walk, march in formation, and sit in a chair (ok, some of these elements may not directly apply).

-- Learn about organizational culture. R-day provided an overview of the cadet honor code and the basics of the military which we had just joined. We raised our right hand and took an oath of allegiance to defend our country.

-- Take care of all administrative and HR issues. While again most of it was a blur, I remember signing plenty of paperwork to enter into the system for pay, benefits, and notification of next of kin (you may not all need that last item!). We were told when we could take time off (Christmas) and when we could retire (24 years seemed like a long time but wow did it go by fast!).

-- Meet the leadership team and be formally welcomed into the organization. I was one of 11 young men assigned to a squad leader. This cadet junior would be our mentor and instructor for the first summer (yes, orientation extended for a couple of months -- NOT good times!). We heard from the cadet chain of command and the leadership at the Academy. All of these leaders welcomed us and provided an orientation to what we had just joined.

There are any combination of elements for an effective orientation. In sum though, new employees must feel like they have the necessary skills and tools to be effective, they understand the fundamental administrative elements of the organization, they know their leaders, and they are educated on the company's culture, vision, and goals and objectives. New employees should know and understand their role and see where they fit on the team.

How does your orientation measure up? Are your troopers marching as one by the end of the day? It can be done! That's...Leader Business!

Independent Leaders

2009-07-04T06:38:00.000-07:00

Leadership can be defined as the act of motivating people to achieve a common goal. It is doing the right thing for the right reasons. It is taking action, no matter the consequences. It is subordinating self for something much bigger. It is the act of rallying people to accomplish things together which they could not necessarily do by themselves. It is ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things. Leadership is vision, purpose, courage, discipline and passion. It is not who we are but what we do. Leadership is an ACTION verb!

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security....

Think of the leadership involved in crafting these words. Think of the courage involved with putting one's name at the bottom, declaring a willingness to die for one's convictions. Think of the leadership that the signers exhibited in creating this shared vision and then inspiring a Nation to join them.

On this American Independence Day, let us remember that leadership is an action verb. Sometimes...it can change the "course of human events." That's...Leader Business!

Thanks to Dan McCarthy for including this post in the July Leadership Development Carnival over at Great Leadership!

Image courtesy of www.friendsacrossamerica.com

LEED for Life!

2009-06-28T17:24:00.001-07:00

Well...I did it! After months of studying (well...really two pretty intense weeks of cramming!), I took and passed my exam to become a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional. It was a lot of work and I wasn't ever totally sure I was going to pass. My hand was shaking as I clicked "Finish" and got my score. I passed!!! Sweet.

Why LEED? Here are my thoughts:

-- I like the first word -- Leadership.
-- We have to keep challenging ourselves. I enjoyed the battle! I was totally out of my element, yet appreciated the chance to push myself.
-- We never stop learning. I learned a ton about something that was completely foreign to me but increasingly relevant to all of us. So much of new construction (and all new construction in the military) is being done to new, "Green" standards. It was good to stretch. I first told you about this test in the concept of "Stretching" after watching how hard my daughter was working on her college prep work. She definitely inspired me. Right now, I'm a little tired from the workout but know I am stronger for it!
-- I like that once you are an Accredited Professional in LEED -- you are LEED for life. Like being an Airborne Ranger. They can't take it away from me! Hooah!

I have fallen behind on a lot of stuff. Time to get caught up there. But for now, I am going to take a minute and enjoy the feeling of competing...and winning!

What about you? What challenges are you taking on in you life? What new projects and big hairy goals are you striving for? That's what leaders do. And that's Leader Business!

Currahee!

2009-06-24T06:57:00.000-07:00

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Would you watch this video and think about the power of the sort of brotherhood and comraderie that exists in tight-knit organizations? Following our last series on the "Warrior Ethos," this is what it means when we say we will never leave a fallen comrade. General Petreaus was this trooper's commander in Iraq back in 2003 and never forgot nor gave up on him.

What a great story! This is Leader Business. Currahee!

Warrior Ethos IV

2009-06-20T06:54:00.000-07:00

Imagine a group of diverse employees linked together by a unifying set of core beliefs. The Warrior Ethos is a set of principles by which every soldier lives. It is a reminder of one's true priorities -- mission and each other. It becomes a rallying call when times are difficult; one that inspires people to press on, to never lose focus, and to subordinate self for something much bigger.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

When times are tough, nothing matters more than to know that you are not alone. Being part of a team, something bigger than yourself, means that no matter what difficulties you encounter, someone will be there to pick you up. Someone has your back.

To a military warrior, this principle means that they can go into battle knowing that they will never be left behind. Should they fall, a fellow soldier will be there to pick them up. Should they be captured, their teammates will never stop in their attempts to rescue them. They can be comforted knowing that the resources of a nation will be leveraged to bring them home. No matter what. Think Blackhawk Down (for those who have seen the movie or read the book) and you will understand the warrior's willingness to do anything to retrieve a fallen comrade! Think about the many programs the military has for its wounded warriors and you will understand a lifelong commitment to never leave anyone behind.

How might this sort of principle apply to those of us who are not facing hostile fire?

-- Leaders accepting responsibility for the shortcomings of the team rather than letting a subordinate take the blame.

-- Project members staying late to complete the task rather than those who finish their portion and leave others to struggle on their own.

-- Leaders who never ask people to do something that they won't do themselves. Leaders who are willing to get their hands dirty, who lead by example.

-- Leaders who forbid bias and discrimination within their ranks and will not allow prejudice to minimize or squelch the potential of others.

-- Leaders who invest in the development of their teammates knowing that they were themselves made better through the training, mentorship, and developmental opportunities provided to them.

-- Companies who lend a hand-up to help small businesses get started.

-- People who are generous in the giving of their time, energy, and resources to enable the success of their fellow man, who share the riches of life and the fruits of their labors with others.

The bible says it this way: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. This is the glue that holds teams together. People who think less of themselves and more of others. Teammates who pick each other up, help each other out, defend one another no matter the personal cost.

Teams like this cannot be pulled apart. Their weaknesses are covered, their strengths are magnified. Most importantly their successes are not those of the individual but that of the team: Mission Accomplished. That's the warrior ethos. And that is Leader Business.

Warrior Ethos III

2009-06-13T05:29:00.001-07:00

In the last several posts we have been imagining together a team joined by a common set of principles, a culture in which people believe in each other, who give everything for the mission and for their team. Imagine a group of diverse employees linked together by a unifying set of core beliefs.

The Warrior Ethos is a set of principles by which every soldier lives. It is a reminder of one's true priorities -- mission and each other. It becomes a rallying call when times are difficult; one that inspires people to press on, to never lose focus, and to subordinate self for something much bigger.

I will always place the mission first.
I will never accept defeat.
I will never quit.
I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I will never accept defeat; I will never quit.

When mission is what drives us, there is nothing that can prevent us from reaching our goals. Neither the difficulty of our working conditions nor the strength of our opponent. Not the ticking of the clock and not the seeming impossibility of our task. Nothing can keep us from accomplishing our mission.

Except ourselves. When we allow anything less than 100% mission completion or when we quit before reaching our objectives we become the biggest reason why we don’t succeed. Winners don’t quit. Winners keep trying, keep looking for solutions, and keep working until they get it right.

I think this sentiment is best captured in the last verse of the Ranger Creed (I’ll talk about this creed used to describe elite Army Rangers soon):

Readily will I display the intestinal fortitude required to fight on to the Ranger objective and complete the mission, though I be the lone survivor!

Rangers don’t quit – no matter what! And this is the same mentality in the warrior ethos. If I am the only person working on this project, I will keep going. If others have given up, I will not! I will persevere!

Is this the mindset in your outfit? Well, it is if your team believes in the first part of the warrior ethos – mission first! In other words, we can’t place ourselves, our comfort, our pay, our petty differences, and our schedule first. We put the mission first. And our first and foremost responsibility is to do whatever it takes (within moral and ethical bounds) to win. Not usually, not most of the time…ALWAYS!

Leaders, there is no doubt that we operate under a microscope. As such, this issue is magnified to an even greater extent in everything we do. When our teammates see that we accept something less than the standard, we have just lowered the bar. When they see us stop trying, so will they. When they know that we have accepted defeat, they will begin each project, each initiative with a cynical, defeatist attitude.

This mindset is key for a warrior. It is not that we won’t ever be defeated. It’s that we don’t accept it. It’s not that we will always win. It’s that we will never quit. This sort of approach to business is transformational. People believe in themselves and their teammates. They know that they won’t be the lone survivor because they are surrounded by a like-minded team of teams who will fight for the mission and for each other.

Business leaders in this difficult economic climate; teachers in this seemingly impossible educational environment; preachers, politicians, policemen, construction workers, and consultants – never, ever, ever quit. Don’t accept losing. Embrace the positive, game-changing, difference-making way of the warrior. That’s Leader Business!