Tag Archives: leaders

Small hills matter

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A key battle of the Civil War was obviously the battle of Gettysburg , the high water mark of the Confederate Army.  A key part of the victory for the Union forces was maintaining the left flank at Little Round Top hill.  This effort was lead by a professor from Bowdoin College in Maine  Joshua Chamberlain . Joshua enlisted against the College’s desires as they already saw what a key individual he was for their school.  He was offered the head of the Maine regiment but declined and asked for a lesser position to learn the ropes.

 We can learn much from this decisive stand on a seemingly insignificant hill by a professor from Maine with no military experience prior to the war.

The pivotal day of the battle of Gettysburg was July 2, 1863.  The day before the Confederate Army had pushed the Union Army back through the town to outlying ridges. On July 2 the Confederate Army wished to continue this push and key would be able to flank the Union Army.  On the left flank was the 20th Maine regiment led by professor Chamberlain.  The Confederate Army was relentless on attack .  Chamberlains 20th Maine was short on ammo to the point they barley had a round left per member.  

It was at this point in which Chamberlain executed what was a masterful counter attack. In the midst of the noise and exhaustion he was able to communicate to his troops to make a coordinated sweeping bayonet charge starting with the end of his line forming a hinged hook that essentially created a flanking and frontal assault on the Confederate advance.  This move caught the Confederate army off guard who were also low on ammo and severally exhausted and beat up.  Chamberlain knew if he waited he would not survive another assault so he took the initiative. This saved the left flank and strengthened the Union line which eventually repelled the Confederate charge the following day and won this pivotal battle.

While much has been written on this aspect of the battle I think it important we do gain leadership insights that over 50,000 men paid with their lives in this battle.

Leadership is leadership … a book worm professor who has learned good leadership principals then checked his ego when given opportunity to lead asks to come up through ranks instead to gain lower level experience.  Take a challenge to lead something out of your realm of understanding and see that leadership principals are transferable.

Don’t wait till it is too late.  With most time critical endeavors there is usually a window of opportunity that will close.  Knowing what that is and then decisively jumping through the window when it opens is key.

Know the importance of your position understood the strategic significance of the small hill.  The Art of War by Sun Tzu stressed the key to gaining and keeping the high ground.  This takes many forms and mostly figurativley on struggles within a non-war enganement.  

Communicate it well and to help this keep it simple.  I can think of no more difficult circumstance in which to communicate than in all the noise and mayhem of this battle.  Chamberlain did it though and was able to communicate a coordinated movement of his troops starting with outer troops and rolling into a strangling hook against the Confederates.  In midst of the action we need to communicate simply and clearly to each member so they know their role.

 ”When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.” – Henry Ford.  Chamberlain who was probably one more charge away from defeat turned into the wind and that made all the difference.

Leadership Sex

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“Sex Scandal involving _________ Leader.”
Prominent leaders are in the news on a recurring basis not for their leadership but rather because they got caught with their pants down.

Incase you missed them, here are a few names & links:

Bill Clinton / Tiger Woods / John Edwards / Ted Haggard / David Letterman / more! / even more!!

Beyond the details, here valuable observations for aspiring leaders:

Observation #1 - These leaders will be forever remembered for their sex life decisions before they will be remembered for the positive changes brought about by their leadership and abilities.

Observation #2 - The pain these leaders experienced and caused to others is greater the the fun that they had while they were screwing around.

Observation #3 – Everyone wrestles with something, even high capacity leaders. Everyone has a personal demon to slay daily or temptation to overcome. Too often we place leaders on pedestals. And too often leaders place themselves there.

Observation #4 – Position, power, money and influence will naturally lead towards entitlement. It is only through personal discipline, humility AND allowance for authentic accountability that a leader will avoid great falls such as these.

Bonus Observation: If you ever find that you have made a bad decision in this arena, follow the “come fully clean the first time” strategy.
For the record:
* I am a big fan & advocate of forgiveness for those who are truly seek it – I am VERY fallible myself.
* I am not taking a political side or voicing my opinion about the individual leaders and their other characteristics.

Don’t hire employees

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I don’t like ‘employees’. The term has become synonymous with lazy, entitled, arrogant, bossy, arrived, filling in the time, doing the minimum, and getting by. I know a few exceptions, but they seem to be just that. Consider some other options the next time you are getting ready to spend money on people as a solution to your challenges…

‘Intern’ – Short term, on the team to learn and hopefully you will get an equal return on output for the time you invest in their development. Either pay them well or have them raise their own salary because your organization is just that awesome. Be sure to limit the experience between 90-180 days. Keep them if their great and always be hiring new ones… this is the place to find your best talent.

‘Contract Labor’ – 1 yr. contracts or part-time employees who can be taken off the books within 30 days. This position gives you the flexibility and the latitude to look for the very best people to have on your team. Now more than ever there are plenty of options. Why be in a long term relationship when you just aren’t sure? Even if it costs you more monthly, you can save yourself by not having health benefits, retirement and a whole host of other administrative chores, expenses and commitments if you work the deal well. A termed contract will keep the person on their toes to continually deliver their best.

‘Leader’ - This person is worth a salary and a commitment. They have demonstrated the value in one of the other 2 positions (ideally both) and you don’t want to see this person get snatched up by someone else for a lack encouragement, compensation or commitment on your part. Leaders move you ahead, they don’t just maintain systems. They solve problems, develop strategies, define and achieve wins.

‘Partner’ – A rare breed, this person is ready to sacrifice and they love the mission almost as much as you do. Partners demonstrate an ‘all-in’ mentatlity. Beyond the attributes of a leader, they have chemistry in team dynamics and make the place better by being a part of it. Not all partners have to be seen as indispensable, but certainly they bring unique contributions to the table, are highly committed and are trustworthy.

Polarizing & Powerful Women Leaders

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Watched Palin on Oprah.

Fascinating.

Like them or not, both women have got the leadership ‘it’. Both are driven, opinionated, strong, directional and visionary —- don’t get in their way. They each have an expansive audience. Obviously one can buy the other one 100x over. I thought Palin showed remarkable courage and insight by making her first interview on Oprah, and not just because it will sell her more books. Let’s be fair, Oprah gained by having the Palin exclusive and also by getting the Katie Couric rift flaired back up… in the end it makes Oprah look better than Katie. (But I digress).

Here is the take away: If you are a young leader, look for inspirational people like these and learn from them. Read their books. Watched their shows. Figure out what makes them tick. Look into their leadership development journey… where did they go to school? what did they major in? what are key decisions in the past? Not so you can be like them BUT so that you can be energized by them to pursue your goals, dreams and visions. Stoke your leadership fire.

5 parts leader

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Developing young new recruits inside your movement or organization requires a mixture of different leadership skills. Don’t fall down by relying only on your strengths or natural tendencies. Consider that there is more to leading your team than the things that are hard wired in you… 

  1. Inspirational Vision – No one is following beyond the minimum required for payday unless you convince them of the mission with your personal passion and devotion. More than a really good speech will be required.
  2. Clear direction mixed with some coaching - Some will get ‘IT’ without  any explanation while others need some ‘how-to’ instruction in specific areas.
  3. Pace & rhythm for ‘work’ life comes from you - For good or bad  everyone is looking to you but remember, not everyone is LIKE you. Some need more rest, while others need a swift kick in the butt to get going.
  4. Space to try, fail OR succeed and then try again - Don’t hover over and avoid your temptation to micro-manage BUT do remain connected enough give useful feedback once the new challenge has been completed.
  5. Accountability & Encouragement - This isn’t an ‘either/or’ proposition regardless of your strength in only one of the 2 areas. So, does your team know if they did a good job? AND, do the get critical evaluation that will bring out their best?

51 percent leadership

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EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO BE RESPONSIBLE

By our very nature as humans we would like to receive all of the glory and none of the responsibility. If your job goes well, then certainly you will stake claim to the accolades that follow. However, if your job isn’t getting done then it was definitively someone else’s fault. If your project is on track, ahead of schedule, exceeding expectations and gaining the glowing attention of superiors, then you were certainly the catalyst behind netted results. BUT on the other hand if the budget is over-run, the anticipated or expected results are not being achieved or there is a total melt down happening where nothing is going right, well… then in those cases, circumstances are always beyond your control.

Every boss, sr. leader, employer, spouse and friend is looking for a partner who will take some responsibility. They are looking for an individual who approaches every situation with a spirit and attitude of ownership. We are all tired of people who won’t take control of their own lives, realities and projects.

So… try this simple adjustment.

See every item in your life as though you are at least 51% responsible for the outcome.

For those of you who are challenged mathematically, this means you are more than a half owner in the results of your job, project, marriage, finances, relationships and outcomes… I could go on and on but I think you get the picture.

Take inventory. Where are you sloughing off on your share of ownership? Leadership is ownership. Leadership is walking into every situation in your life and grabbing hold of it, expecting the outcome can be positive. Get started and own stuff!

so you want to be mentored?

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In search of self improvement or a desire to move forward professionally, young people land on the idea that they need a mentor. However, wanting a mentor or teacher is a whole lot easier than the process of being mentored. Here are a few quick things to consider on the subject:

- go look for one – It sounds too absurd, but it is all too true that most people want a mentor to come looking for them. ANY individual that you would want to have as a mentor is not just sitting around bored. They have things going on and lots of people who want their time — that is in fact the reason that you want them! They know something that you don’t about your job, about life or about how to lead their families. If you want some of their time, go ask for it. Don’t sit in your office crying about the fact that no one will invest in you. No one will invest in you because you haven’t asked them to.

- make it a priority, not a leftover – since this is more than likely something you are doing outside of the scope of your paying job, there might be a tendency to treat this like a personal friendship or a hobby — don’t do that. Treat this like a meeting with your boss who’s opinions should have significant impact on your reality. For starters, SHOW UP ON TIME OREARLY! If you are unavoidably running behind, at least call. Next, get the appt. on your calendar as a ‘can’t miss’item; do not treat it as something that you will wipe out if some other meetings come up. For peet’s sake, this is your personal & professional development we are talking about, don’t let that become a third tier item. Also, bring at least one discussion item to the table each time for them to weigh in on. Don’t expect your mentor to lead every conversation; bounce stuff off of them that is important to your situation.

- don’t play games with reality - You aren’t ready to be mentored if you aren’t ready to be honest; about yourself, your situation, your work ethic, your morals, your finances, your family, your priorities, your ambitions —- ALL of it. There is no bigger waste of time on this earth than to trying to mentor a person who is blowing smoke about who they really are. Don’ bother meeting if you can’t be truthful about your reality. Mentors aren’t afraid of your reality, in fact they embrace it. Helping you move forward is why they are there.

- be ready for some pain - Once you have been honest, brace yourself for to hear things that no one else is telling you. Your gut reaction will be that “this guy is wrong and/or mean”. Not so. What is going to take place when you have found a good mentor are a series of questions, reality checks, performance penatrating observations and soul searches. After that, they will also tell you the truth in a way that likely no one has before. You want them to do this… trust me. If they didn’t do this you wouldn’t need them. If others were doing this, you wouldn’t need a mentor. Don’t shy away from what they need you to hear. Don’t flinch. Don’t whine about it to others. Take it. Think on it. Watch to see if what they tell you isn’t truer than you first thought.

- practice the advice that they give – Now, here is the rub. – Nothing up to this point matters if you don’t TRY THE PRACTICAL ADVICE that this person gives you. You might as well go talk to a therapist if you just need someone to talk to and are interested in hearing back some reflections. In fact, I will go so far as to say that you don’t need to meet a second time until you have practiced and tried some of the practical advice from your first meeting with them. Here is a  test of whether you have found a good mentor = they will give you some pratical things that you can implement into your life. Nice people are great, but far too many people operate in the land of ideas. You want someone who will practically help shape your life in the most important areas. When you find this person and the challenge you to do something, for goodness sake and the sake of their sanity, DO IT!

- invite feedback – You can practice this without mentors + this is a sure fire way to get what you really need to hear. Don’t just simple ask, “how am I doing?” but ask more detailed questions about specific performance related areas of your life. Let trusted people know that you want to grow, how your trying to grow, that their critique is welcome, and then don’t get defensive when it comes. For your mentor, invite them to ask follow up questions about the advice that they have given you (hopefully you have earnestly put it into action). Ask them follow up questions that get you more specific data on the areas where you know you need to grow. But, DON’T, DON’T, DON’T get defensive! You don’t need to win a mentor over because they are already on your side. So, when the feedback comes, listen, take notes, and then go at it again.

- pay for lunch, but nothing else - Professional coaches are helpful, but they’re also motivated by the money that you are sending their way. You know you have found your mentor (we will look at “qualities of a mentor” at some other time) when they are motivated by helping you grow – period. However, practice the old axiom, who ever has the agenda for the meeting ought to be the one buying the breakfast, coffee or lunch – so in this case, that means YOU!