"Profiles In Courage!"

 In my association with leadership guru, Orrin Woodward, I've found that it's courage not the title, that separates the genuine leaders from the posers. It takes courage to be the individual the call to leadership demands. Your asked to stand out from the crowd, because when we seek to be like the next person, we lose autonomy. It's not easily done to stand tall before your critics and choose the path less taken, then encourage others to follow. But then if you take your cues from life's owners manual, this is described exactly in Matthew 7:13

"Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is easy, that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few."

So in leadership, you may not find short term popularity most seek, but then popularity is fleeting. It's far more rewarding to be trusted, than to be admired, but as you introduce people to your values, integrity, ethics, vision, commitment, generosity, self confidence, and your character, reinforced by your deeds, popularity finds you. Nothing defines the leaders stock as how we meet a challenge, do the right thing with an ethical flair, when, truth be told, the act will cost us more than we want to pay.

Leaders are the captains of the vessel named "Character." It's essential a leader understands that ship be navigated on a course of trust and integrity. They will be remembered and foster an attitude within their following, by truthful disclosure, and the promises they keep. Integrity is central to all else virtuous!

With that in mind, crawl out on the leadership limb, after all isn't that where the fruit grows? While following one's moral compass isn't for the faint of heart, leaders worthy of the title understand they achieved that moniker for exhibiting the courage to put their values on display.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Humor Relief

In times of crisis, leaders must be able to reduce a problem to real-world standards and bring it into a manageable perspective. They must be able to see the comedic aspects of the situation and clear the stress, anxiety and tension from the air through their own sense of humor.

Your people need this type of release in order to relax, reevaluate, and reprioritize their goals. Then they can refocus on what really needs to be done to correct the problems they face and get the job done.

That simple "humor relief" created by a leader can be the difference between success and failure. A true leader understands the importance of reframing perspective through humor.

Humor is an affirmative of dignity; a declaration of man's superiority to all that befalls him.
Romain Gary

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A Vision for the Future

The future represents what is new. It represents change and innovation. It represents hope and the results of past efforts, attitudes and growth.

The present is important for it is in the present that we achieve the future, and we must learn from the past, our successes and failures. But the future provides a vision not yet attained-- a target to aim for.

A true leader understands the importance of having a clearly defined vision for success and is effective in communicating that vision to the team.

I like the dreams of the future, better than the history if the past.
Thomas Jefferson


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The Leadership Role

To be appointed to a leadership position is not sufficient to make you a leader.

Leadership is not based upon position. That's management. Once appointed to a position of leadership, you have to take charge and begin leading.

Too many people feel as though they have arrived when they get promoted. The wise know that promotion is just the beginning. It is the opportunity to lead!

A leader who assumes the leadership role is much more effective than those who try to succeed by mere position. But those under the purview of that leadership soon discover the lack thereof.

It is easier to assume your role as a leader once you understand that people want and need to be led by a competent leader. You are there to help them, and yourself, by giving them direction through being the example.

When in charge, take charge!


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Leadership Process

Becoming a leader is an incremental process.

Becoming an effective supervisor requires certain skills.

Becoming an effective manager requires another set of skills.

In that same regard, becoming an effective leader requires yet another set of skills. Skills that can all be learned, developed, and honed by anyone motivated and disciplined to do so.
Developing these skills is the formula for your success.

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.
Franklin D. Roosevelt


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Solution Oriented

True leaders are constantly seeking solutions.

One seldom has to look for problems. Problems have a natural way of making themselves known.

One does, however, have to look for solutions to those problems.

Rather than expend wasted energy worrying and placing blame, leaders are solution-oriented seeking to just solve the problem. They then go one step further to learn from the mistakes and take action to ensure that a similar problem does not occur in the future. True leaders learn from problems and teach the lesson for greater growth of the team.

The block of granite which is an obstacle in the pathway of the weak, becomes a stepping-stone in the pathway of the strong.
Thomas Carlyle

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Competent Teamates

Leaders are not afraid of their teammates or subordinates taking their jobs.

Quite the contrary, leaders reacting the best people they can find and train them thoroughly so they can not only do their job, but so they can fill in for the leader when necessary.

This ensures that the team and the leader gets maximum performance, maximum results and success into the future. Maxwell calls it the Law of Succession.

Quality followers, teammates, and subordinates are a result of, and a course of, strong true leadership.

There is something that is much more scarce, something rarer than ability. It is the ability to recognize ability.
Robert Half

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Common Sense

Leaders Exhibit Good Common Sense
Are people born with common sense? Maybe.
It is the result of experience? Possibly.
Is it the combination of IQ, acquired knowledge and personal experience?
Probably!

Experts and know-it-alls can argue what constitutes common sense until the end of time but the fact remains that a true leader has it and uses it. Period!

Common sense is the knack of saying things as they are, and doing as they ought to be done.
Josh Billings


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Taking Risks

Leaders take calculated risks.

Leaders are not foolhardy, wild-eyed maniacs who throw away the rule book.

On the contrary:  leaders continually evaluate the elements of a risky project in comparison to the potential for gain from taking those risks.

They speak out in the heat of controversy.  They take a stand when right, but not necessarily popular.  They dare to try new ideas, sure in their own minds that their ideas will work.

They do not risk the safety of their subordinates or someone else's career-- only their own.

If nothing is ever ventured, then nothing is ever gained.


It is impossible to win the great prizes of life without running risks.
Theodore Roosevelt

The Social Leader on Orrin Woodward

Strive to be the Best

Leaders strive to be the best in everything they do.

Leaders also instill this attribute into their subordinates.

Leaders seek to be the best-- for their own satisfaction in knowing they can be.

Get a good idea and stay with it.  Dog it, and work at it until it's done and done right.
Walt Disney

The Best Leadership Nuggets

Take Responsibility

True leaders are in charge, and they are responsible for every facet of the project or task at hand.

When it is successful, they are the ones responsible.  When it is unsuccessful, they are also responsible.

Taking responsibility relieves others, and shows them who the true leader really is.  Anyone can choose to be a leader and accept responsibility.

A chief is a man who assumes responsibility.  He says, "I was beaten."  He does not say, "My men were beaten."  Thus speaks a real man.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Adversity or Opportunity

We've all heard "When handed a lemon, make lemonade."

The leader follows this advice and looks for any opportunity to combat, and thrive against, adversity.

Every cloud has a silver lining.  True leaders look for that silver lining at every opportunity of adversity.

Since the house is on fire, let us warm ourselves.
Italian Proverb

The Social Leader on Orrin Woodward

Leading the Pack

Leaders stay a little more progressive.

The do so by:
Being a little more innovative.  A little more creative.
By taking that extra step.
Spending a little more effort.
Getting a little more accomplished.
Getting a few more results.

However, leaders can't run too far ahead of the pack without bringing others with them.  They need support from others to be successful themselves.  Leaders stay ahead but make sure others are with them.

It is a mistake to look too far ahead.  Only one link in the chain of destiny can be handled at a time.
Winston Churchill

Keep Moving Forward

Leaders are always going forward making progress in some fashion.  Sometimes in tiny steps, but often in quantum leaps.

A leader's group is the first to adopt new ideas, first to try new technologies, and first in efficiency and productivity.  They pay attention to percentage points of increase and decrease.  They pay attention to the score.

True leaders make things happen.

Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there.
Arthur Godfrey

Example

One Fortune 500 executive told his people, "You may do anything you see me doing."

People will emulate, consciously or subconsciously, their leaders, bosses, and managers.  If you are forward-thinking, innovative, and progressive, then your team or department will move consistently forward.

True leaders are also willing to roll up their shirt sleeves and do whatever is necessary to make a project succeed.  Their commitment and dedication in such a situation sets the example for all of their people.

True leaders are excellent role models.

The example of good men is visible philosophy.
English Proverb

Having Vision

To be able to visualize the completed project or task, the final goal and all of its rewards and consequences, is the ultimate test for true leaders.

In addition to visualizing "the dream," they must also be able to visualize each task that must be completed, and the integration of those tasks to successfully complete the project.  They must also be able to effectively communicate this vision to the group.

To true leaders, vision defines the final goal, and action is the path that leads to the vision.

We have always help to the hope, the belief, the conviction that there is a better life, a better world, beyond the horizon.
Franklin D. Roosevelt

Blame

When in a position of leadership, everything that occurs in your responsibility, even the errors.

Rather than spending effort in placing the blame on others, your job is to mitigate the damage, and to learn from the mistakes, take steps necessary to solve the issue, and make sure the problem does not recur in the future.

The buck stops here!
Harry S. Truman

Jealousy

True leaders focus on their own career and accomplishments.  Others, including those in competition with you, will also garner accomplishments and awards.

Rather than wasting energy on jealousy, share their joy of accomplishment.  Seek them out as friends and colleagues.  Learn from them.

Winners associate with winners!

Of all the passions, jealousy is that which exerts the hardest service and pays the bitterest wages.
Charles Cabet Colton

Excessive Pressure

Leaders prevent excessive pressure on both themselves and them members of their team.  Set realistic goals for yourself and your team.  You should be able to see the end in mind the means of achieving it.

If an unrealistic task is given, realize it and break it down to a realistic, seeable, achievable goal.  Expectations set the motivation of the group.  Excessive pressure on members serves no purpose and often kills initiative and creativity at all levels.

We are more often frightened than hurt; our troubles spring more often from fancy than reality.
Seneca.

Humility of a Leader

Don't be caught up in the power and prestige of your position.  Nothing is beneath a true leader.  You must always be willing to help your team and teammates, even in what may seem to be the most mundane tasks.

Remember that you and your fellow co-workers will occasionally make mistakes.  You know that, and they know that.  If you have an arrogant attitude, you can expect no help from your fellow teammates in preventing or correcting your errors or theirs.

To be vain of one's rank or place, is to show that one is below it.
Stanislas I