Expecting Positive Results is another one of the most difficult leadership laws one must deal with. If you have ever been to Corporation’s Annual Meeting you hear plenty of talk about expecting positive results in this quarter or that quarter. If you have ever been in a football team’s locker room before the start of a game, you will certainly hear a motivational speech about why expecting positive results is the only thing and nothing less will be tolerated. I have received many Operations Order from my Platoon Leader or Company Commander where he would tell us that Positive Results were the only expected outcome of the upcoming operation. Luckily, when it was a matter of life and death there were no casualties, and the results were always positive. There were times that Pvt. Murphy (and his law(Murphy's Law)) said otherwise but those were few, far between, and something to be talked about at another time.
How do we take these examples and turn them back onto the modern for profit or non-profit workplace in order to expect positive results?
You as a leader must do what it takes to ensure that those results come out positive all the time (OK, 99.998% of the time). You do this by showing uncommon commitment, declaring your expectations, knowing your stuff and, above all, having the integrity to show others that you mean business. Then will your peers, co-workers, subordinates, followers, and other leaders know that what you expect of them and that it is nothing less than what you give them. Once that is clearly understood then can you truly expect and realize positive results.
People that are committed to you and can truly champion your cause will deliver those expected positive results. Thus, when you start delivering consistent positive results to them, you won’t have to expect positive results because they will already be coming in. Remember, Expecting Positive Results from others should never be greater than the positive results you give others.
Here are some Technorati Tags:
• Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Expect Positive Results • motivational speech • Operations Order • Uncommon Commitment • declare your expectations • know your stuff • have integrity • deliver consistent positive results • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero
22 October 2009
17 October 2009
Revisiting Leadership: Show Uncommon Commitment
Showing Uncommon Commitment is a leadership law that may seem antiquated, not what most people expect from today's modern leaders, but it is there and does exist. Therefore, it should be one of the first things people and organizations look for in a modern leader.
Uncommon Commitment should not be too difficult to spot in a leader. They show their Uncommon Commitment in everything they do. It surrounds them and permeates within and throughout them. Thus leaving you with no doubt that the leader’s commitment and dedication to her peers, subordinates, the people she leads, the people she follows, her organization and its mission and vision is something she fully believes in and lives everyday.
How does Uncommon Commitment differ from plain old commitment? In the workplace, Uncommon Commitment refers to the dedication that goes beyond what is initially expected in a relationship between a manager and a subordinate, among co-workers or between the employee and the organization. The uncommon commitment exhibited by an individual, especially by a leader, is that it secures a dedication to nothing less than the best an individual can offer and attain. The result of that dedication to the best is just that: the best.
The same logic applies to personal life. Remember you have to fully believe in what you are committed to as well as living that commitment. That means living it 24/7 and not just 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. Your dedication and uncommon commitment has to run the gamut of your life and it has to be genuine and authentic. Anything less, then why bother?
Just like anything you are work for, if you find yourself working with the best people, the best product, the best organization, then you are going to make, produce, buy, manufacture or sell the best. It is really that simple.
So, why not strive to be the best by uncommonly committing to the best? Who knows you might just get there.
Here are some Technorati Tags:
• Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Uncommon Commitment • modern leader • dedication • mission and vision • dedicate to be the best • believe in what you are committed to • Genuine • Be Authentic • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero
Uncommon Commitment should not be too difficult to spot in a leader. They show their Uncommon Commitment in everything they do. It surrounds them and permeates within and throughout them. Thus leaving you with no doubt that the leader’s commitment and dedication to her peers, subordinates, the people she leads, the people she follows, her organization and its mission and vision is something she fully believes in and lives everyday.
How does Uncommon Commitment differ from plain old commitment? In the workplace, Uncommon Commitment refers to the dedication that goes beyond what is initially expected in a relationship between a manager and a subordinate, among co-workers or between the employee and the organization. The uncommon commitment exhibited by an individual, especially by a leader, is that it secures a dedication to nothing less than the best an individual can offer and attain. The result of that dedication to the best is just that: the best.
The same logic applies to personal life. Remember you have to fully believe in what you are committed to as well as living that commitment. That means living it 24/7 and not just 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. Your dedication and uncommon commitment has to run the gamut of your life and it has to be genuine and authentic. Anything less, then why bother?
Just like anything you are work for, if you find yourself working with the best people, the best product, the best organization, then you are going to make, produce, buy, manufacture or sell the best. It is really that simple.
So, why not strive to be the best by uncommonly committing to the best? Who knows you might just get there.
Here are some Technorati Tags:
• Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Uncommon Commitment • modern leader • dedication • mission and vision • dedicate to be the best • believe in what you are committed to • Genuine • Be Authentic • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero
09 October 2009
Revisiting Leadership: Declare Your Expectations
As a leader you will find yourself having to stand for what you believe in, even if it is not popular and goes against the grain of the party line, your friends, and sometimes even family. However, if you fully believe you are right in what you are doing then you should have no problem as others will have long known to expect this from you. That is because you have set your standards and declared your expectations.
When you publicly acknowledge your expectation of others and of yourself you set the standard by which others will measure you. They will be ready to see how well you keep your word and meet the standards you set for yourself.
Once, you can consistently deliver on meeting your expectations then those that you have declared your expectations to will begin to meet yours. If you find yourself in a management position, your subordinates will initially work hard to meet your expectations of them, but there will come a time when meeting those expectations might not be easy for them to do, especially when you are not meeting your own expectations. Rest assured, if you do not notice that you are not meeting your own expectations, your staff will. They will just as quickly respond by not meeting your expectations of them.
Of course, they will also let you know if your expectations are a little too much for them. They will start to resist and push back. That is perfectly normal and will happen in almost any job setting. So do not fret too much over it when it does happen, be ready to give a little (where & when you can) but don’t give too much. If you come across as “caving in” to your subordinates then they will be the ones to set future standards and have their declared expectations met. As a manager, that is the last thing you want to happen.
Knowing when to give and when to take is one of those leader skills that will take time to master. Understanding that you are in charge is something that you have to fully grasp, especially if you are coming up the ranks within the organization and not too long ago you were right there among the people you are now leading.
It can be a difficult jump from co-worker to manager. However, if you started early in your career with the organization and declared your expectations from the get go, you should have no problem. If you think you haven’t done so, then ask yourself how could you have landed a management position within the organization without being an individual that declares their expectations of themselves and others? Any organization worth its salt will know who can and cannot get the job done, especially when they are hiring from within.
Now, if you are coming in from the outside then you are in a very unique position. You get an opportunity to start from scratch and declare your expectations early in your tenure with the organization. That is a very good thing. Then again there is nothing better than following through to ensure you and those you lead deliver on those expectations.
Here are some Technorati Tags:
• Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Declare Your Expectations • stand for what you believe in • consistently deliver • Do not cave in • Never give up • know who can and cannot get the job done • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero
When you publicly acknowledge your expectation of others and of yourself you set the standard by which others will measure you. They will be ready to see how well you keep your word and meet the standards you set for yourself.
Once, you can consistently deliver on meeting your expectations then those that you have declared your expectations to will begin to meet yours. If you find yourself in a management position, your subordinates will initially work hard to meet your expectations of them, but there will come a time when meeting those expectations might not be easy for them to do, especially when you are not meeting your own expectations. Rest assured, if you do not notice that you are not meeting your own expectations, your staff will. They will just as quickly respond by not meeting your expectations of them.
Of course, they will also let you know if your expectations are a little too much for them. They will start to resist and push back. That is perfectly normal and will happen in almost any job setting. So do not fret too much over it when it does happen, be ready to give a little (where & when you can) but don’t give too much. If you come across as “caving in” to your subordinates then they will be the ones to set future standards and have their declared expectations met. As a manager, that is the last thing you want to happen.
Knowing when to give and when to take is one of those leader skills that will take time to master. Understanding that you are in charge is something that you have to fully grasp, especially if you are coming up the ranks within the organization and not too long ago you were right there among the people you are now leading.
It can be a difficult jump from co-worker to manager. However, if you started early in your career with the organization and declared your expectations from the get go, you should have no problem. If you think you haven’t done so, then ask yourself how could you have landed a management position within the organization without being an individual that declares their expectations of themselves and others? Any organization worth its salt will know who can and cannot get the job done, especially when they are hiring from within.
Now, if you are coming in from the outside then you are in a very unique position. You get an opportunity to start from scratch and declare your expectations early in your tenure with the organization. That is a very good thing. Then again there is nothing better than following through to ensure you and those you lead deliver on those expectations.
Here are some Technorati Tags:
• Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Declare Your Expectations • stand for what you believe in • consistently deliver • Do not cave in • Never give up • know who can and cannot get the job done • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero
06 October 2009
Revisiting Leadership: Know your stuff
There will come a time when you will need to prove your mettle, to show your stuff, prove you know what you are talking about. When that time comes you better be ready because if you are not ready, rest assured you will have a lot of explaining to do. Especially, to those that put you in the position you are in now as well as those who have taken to following you and what you do. If you can’t explain yourself then you better start looking for the closest exit and make a beeline for it.
To avoid those embarrassing situations there are plenty of things you can do to keep the wolves at bay. Remember, you can’t fake your way into authenticity; you will have to work for that authenticity. In order to know your stuff you have to at least become proficient in what you are doing, teach someone else to do what you do, and always keep learning.
Become proficient: When it comes to doing what you do, the only thing you can do is the very best you can. How do you become the best at what you do? You learn everything you can about you do. Become the recognized expert in your chosen field or profession.
Teach: Another way to learn more about what you do is to teach someone else what you do. Be a mentor/teacher and teach those that want to learn. If someone is following you then they want to learn from you and about you. If you do not have a department of people you supervise or a squad of Infantrymen, then get yourself a Padawan/Apprentice and teach that person. Obi-wan Kenobi had a Padawan called Anakin Skywalker and Darth Sidious had an apprentice called Darth Maul, then later Darth Vader. Heck, even Donald Trump is always on the look out for his next Apprentice. Seriously, it is all about sharing your knowledge and skills.
Keep Learning: Now that you have achieved a level of professional competency and you are teaching those whippersnappers a thing or two that does not mean you can stop. On the contrary, it means that you have to keep learning. It means continue to stay the recognize expert in your field of work. As there are always new things to learn and apply to what you do. So embrace the new stuff and the changes that come along with it and that will make you a better leader, because you will know your stuff.
Here are some Technorati Tags:
• Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Know your stuff • authenticity • Become proficient • Teach • Apprentice • Share your knowledge and skills • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero
To avoid those embarrassing situations there are plenty of things you can do to keep the wolves at bay. Remember, you can’t fake your way into authenticity; you will have to work for that authenticity. In order to know your stuff you have to at least become proficient in what you are doing, teach someone else to do what you do, and always keep learning.
Become proficient: When it comes to doing what you do, the only thing you can do is the very best you can. How do you become the best at what you do? You learn everything you can about you do. Become the recognized expert in your chosen field or profession.
Teach: Another way to learn more about what you do is to teach someone else what you do. Be a mentor/teacher and teach those that want to learn. If someone is following you then they want to learn from you and about you. If you do not have a department of people you supervise or a squad of Infantrymen, then get yourself a Padawan/Apprentice and teach that person. Obi-wan Kenobi had a Padawan called Anakin Skywalker and Darth Sidious had an apprentice called Darth Maul, then later Darth Vader. Heck, even Donald Trump is always on the look out for his next Apprentice. Seriously, it is all about sharing your knowledge and skills.
Keep Learning: Now that you have achieved a level of professional competency and you are teaching those whippersnappers a thing or two that does not mean you can stop. On the contrary, it means that you have to keep learning. It means continue to stay the recognize expert in your field of work. As there are always new things to learn and apply to what you do. So embrace the new stuff and the changes that come along with it and that will make you a better leader, because you will know your stuff.
Here are some Technorati Tags:
• Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Know your stuff • authenticity • Become proficient • Teach • Apprentice • Share your knowledge and skills • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero
02 October 2009
Revisiting Leadership: Integrity
Undoubtedly, the first universal law of leadership is “Maintain absolute integrity.” You probably know the word, what it means and how it applies to your everyday life. Do you know what the Merriam-Webster dictionary says about this word? The dictionary notes that Integrity as a word originated sometime in the 14th Century and is defined as “firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values. An unimpaired condition. The quality or state of being complete or undivided.”
What a powerful word: Integrity. How can one simple nine-letter word pack so much punch? How can it not? Integrity is just that important.
Projecting the image that you are a righteous and honest person and living that will help in getting you established not only as a leader but also most importantly as a follower. You will be the kind of person who will follow the right people and shy away from those not moving in the direction you want to go. Best of all, those that will follow you will do so knowing that you are taking them in the direction they want to go and be in the place they see themselves eventually being in. Just remember, as with anything that is important it will not happen overnight.
As a leadership trait integrity is something that takes a long time (if not a lifetime) to master. Unfortunately, it can take almost no time to tear it down. This reminds me of a great quote attributed to Sir Winston Churchill, which he said around the time that London was getting firebomb in the early years of World War II, “To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day.”
Personally, I believe that Integrity is one of those traits in life that you have to work on every single day. There is no wiggle room; there is no taking a personal day from integrity, either you do it or you don’t.
As a leader those that you lead and those that you follow will expect nothing less than Integrity in its purest form from you. They will see that you can be counted on when things get tough. They will also expect your behavior to be the shining example of what Integrity is supposed to be. They will also expect you to be this way all the time because if you cannot be honest all the time then why bother? You end up wasting your time just trying to keep things in order. It is just not worth it, my recommendation is to just do it all the time? It will prove to be less of a hassle and everyone will respect and follow you for it.
Here are some Technorati Tags:
• Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Integrity • Honesty • Righteous • Maintain absolute integrity • Leader • Follower • Sir Winston Churchill • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero
What a powerful word: Integrity. How can one simple nine-letter word pack so much punch? How can it not? Integrity is just that important.
Projecting the image that you are a righteous and honest person and living that will help in getting you established not only as a leader but also most importantly as a follower. You will be the kind of person who will follow the right people and shy away from those not moving in the direction you want to go. Best of all, those that will follow you will do so knowing that you are taking them in the direction they want to go and be in the place they see themselves eventually being in. Just remember, as with anything that is important it will not happen overnight.
As a leadership trait integrity is something that takes a long time (if not a lifetime) to master. Unfortunately, it can take almost no time to tear it down. This reminds me of a great quote attributed to Sir Winston Churchill, which he said around the time that London was getting firebomb in the early years of World War II, “To build may have to be the slow and laborious task of years. To destroy can be the thoughtless act of a single day.”
Personally, I believe that Integrity is one of those traits in life that you have to work on every single day. There is no wiggle room; there is no taking a personal day from integrity, either you do it or you don’t.
As a leader those that you lead and those that you follow will expect nothing less than Integrity in its purest form from you. They will see that you can be counted on when things get tough. They will also expect your behavior to be the shining example of what Integrity is supposed to be. They will also expect you to be this way all the time because if you cannot be honest all the time then why bother? You end up wasting your time just trying to keep things in order. It is just not worth it, my recommendation is to just do it all the time? It will prove to be less of a hassle and everyone will respect and follow you for it.
Here are some Technorati Tags:
• Dave Guerra • Leadership • Leading • Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way • Integrity • Honesty • Righteous • Maintain absolute integrity • Leader • Follower • Sir Winston Churchill • Give to the American Red Cross • Hire A Hero
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