June 22, 1999
Dear Mark,
This writing deals with Leadership. In assembling these thoughts, I realized how difficult it is to put them onto paper with the passion that I feel. Excellence in leadership should not imply perfection. However, leaders should always be working on self improvement. Leadership decisions are always under attack. Without leader's decisions, there would be no need for second guessers. The principles of leadership apply to almost everybody. Roles outside of the workplace include parents, teachers and pastors, to name a few. Followers expect minimal characteristics of good character, honesty and integrity of their leaders. Successful leaders should guard their language, respect their spouses, respect their children, respect their subordinates. They should be able to relax and have a good time but should also lead by example.
The most effective method of managing is through persuasion. Any boss can order people to do this and that. The excellent managers accomplish objectives through persuasion. It may take a little longer, but it's worth it. You can probably think of some people, without the title of "boss" who are able to manage people and situations with persuasion. Some describe the persuasion method as coaching. Management through Coaching is another excellent training course. It's basic and easy because it involves common sense. Coaching less skilled people is easy. What if you were Phil Jackson? Your job is to coach the best basketball player that ever was or will be. What do you do? In your personal development, if you surround yourself with people who are perhaps smarter, or better than you, how would you coach them? This should happen to every excellent manager during his or her career. The coaching idea will be expanded in another chapter.
Mark, I'm going to share thoughts and writings that motivated me. They may, or may not, affect you the same way. Friends and associates were always sending me things, by the jillions. That wasn't the point. If I wanted a collection of quotations, I would buy the book. Some things helped me personally. Those are the only things that I collect. I share them with Mr. Powers and a few other people. It gives me pleasure to share them with you. Enclosed are 13 rules that Colin Powell kept under the glass of his desk so he could read them every day. Feel free to share them with your master mind group.
Love,
Dad
Chapter 1
LEADERSHIP
Excellence in management must include the power of leadership. Assuming leadership may bring the tingle of fear to new managers. Subdue this feeling by making a decision to be an excellent manager. A good positive thought in a new situation is: "I was chosen for this position because others believe in me. So, let's get on with the job." Look like a leader. Act like a leader. Think like a leader. Work to develop your leadership qualities.
Leaders are developed. The military has proven methods of discovering and developing leaders using the big military academies. Think about this. Who goes to those schools? Who graduates? Who gets the jobs of greatest responsibility? The military also has a less sophisticated method of leader development. It's called "boot camp". This begins with pressures from all sides on the entire group. Almost everybody is panicked. Some are seen as a calming influence, guiding, advising and supporting weaker individuals. In the first hours, the instructors make a judgment and select squad and group leaders. If their judgment proves wrong, changes are made later. Most businesses find their new leaders somewhat using the same "boot camp" method. Judgments are made based on experience with people. Entry level employees qualify for a job. They are constantly observed for signs of leadership. Those showing the signs of taking charge, working with groups, accepting responsibility, get the first managerial promotions. Product knowledge and job ability do not automatically make a person a leader. Demonstrating the ability to get jobs done through others is qualification for a leadership role. From your own experience, ask the question, "Where do most managers come from? How did they get there?" Who is good at it? Who isn't? Why?
Leadership begins with a willingness to accept responsibility! The more confident you are in your personal abilities at work; the more capable you are to lead others. Examine yourself on these points. Are you willing to share your knowledge? Do you care about people? Are you compassionate? Do you take pleasure in seeing people do their best? Can you encourage them to greater achievements? Most coworkers will hold back, looking for guidance, looking for direction, looking for being placed, hoping for reassurance, craving attention and praise, willing to work their hearts out, but they do not want to be the leader. Most people want to be directed.
Some people want perks of leadership without paying the price. Leadership comes from the least likely people in the heat of battle in war. Similarly, leaders emerge from the trenches in the battle of doing business. Leadership requires some risk. What if you fail? On the other hand, leadership has great rewards. What if people follow your lead and you and your followers meet an objective? Your self esteem soars and your heart sings. You have lead a group to a major achievement! Then you look for your next obstacle and your next goal. Soon, leadership becomes a habit and you begin to look forward to the next challenge, and the next.
Here are a few suggestions to improve your leadership abilities.
Know your product and your job very well. Have a very thorough understanding of your organization's objectives. Develop a clear plan for your role in achieving those objectives and determine which talents are needed. Concentrate your attention on what has to be the final result. Don't assume that you have to follow all of the previous methods. You or your team may figure out a better way.
Leaders surround themselves with winners. Surround yourself with ambitious people. Even as you are developing yourself into a more powerful leader, you will be developing new leaders. The only way to grow in business and make more money is to develop people. Successful people do not climb the ladder of success. They employ people who push them up that ladder.
Practice makes perfect. Continue studying and learning principles and methods of leadership. Share your thoughts with your master mind group. Learn from each other
Try some of these techniques for declaring yourself as a leader.
- When you observe fellow workers doing something well, compliment immediately and sincerely. Be liberal with "attagirl" and "attaboy"! They deserve it.
- If someone outside your department achieves something special or receives some reward or promotion, write a brief note complimenting them on their accomplishment.
- The next time you are in a situation that requires someone to lead a project. Volunteer to give it a try! (Remember, you are going to lead not do all the work.)
- Remind yourself of your personal abilities and accomplishments. Believe in yourself.
Recommended Reading
- Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson
- Everyone's a Coach by Don Shula & Ken Blanchard
- Truman by David McCullough
- The Little Red Book by Harvey Pennick
- In Search of Excellence by Tom Peters