Execution

Execution is the final quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Tasks.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Execution as: the act or process of executing.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Execute as: to do.

And it is that simple... effective leadership requires action, you have to do it! You can have the best plan in the world but if you don't execute it, you have nothing!

Effective leaders will develop an implementation plan and then execute it. That is, they will do it!

Even with the other qualities of the TASK factor (acceptance of responsibility, work ethic, availability, willingness to invest time, tenacity, and perseverance), a lack of execution means nothing gets done and a leader's effectiveness is zero.

So, as the old Nike slogan advised, Just Do It!

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.96 

Perseverance

Perseverance is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Tasks.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Perseverance as: the quality that allows someone to continue trying to do something even though it is difficult.

Effective leaders keep trying and working until the job is done.  The word 'quit' is not in their vocabulary.  History is full of great leaders who persevered through very difficulty circumstances.

-- George Washington lost battle after battle after battle.  There were far more losses than victories until Yorktown and the surrender of Cornwallis: The war was won.

-- Abraham Lincoln lost numerous elections and failed at business before he was elected President of the United States and led the country through the Civil War and is one of the top ranked Presidents in history by Presidential scholars.

-- Harriet Tubman fled to freedom but was not satisfied with just her freedom. "I had crossed the line. I was free; but there was no one to welcome me to the land of freedom. I was a stranger in a strange land; and my home after all, was down in Maryland; because my father, my mother, my brothers, and sisters, and friends were there. But I was free, and they should be free."  She went on to be the most celebrated conductor in the Underground Railroad.  "I was the conductor of the Underground Railroad for eight years, and I can say what most conductors can’t say — I never ran my train off the track and I never lost a passenger."

-- Steve Jobs was fired from the company that he had founded and successfully built.  He then failed at other ventures only to return to his original company, which was floundering, and led it to new heights.  Subsequently, Apple grew into a multi-trillion dollar company.

There are countless more examples.  The point is that these leaders kept going and they didn't quit.

Effective leaders will continue with the task until the job is done.  They have perseverance!

 

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.97 

Tenacity

 

Tenacity is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Tasks.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Tenacity as: the quality or state of being tenacious

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Tenacious as: 

1 : not easily stopped or pulled apart : firm or strong

2 : continuing for a long time

3 : very determined to do something

 

Effective leaders are determined and passionate about getting the job done.  They will do whatever needs to be done.  Setbacks won't stop them.  Unfounded criticism won't stop them.  Risk of failure won't stop them.  Threats won't stop them.  They are committed to doing the right thing and will pursue it with a vengeance.  They won't stop until the task is successfully completed.  They will get the job done.

There is a great little book entitled The Go-Getter: A Story That Tells You How to Be One.  In it the main character is given a difficult task and faces what many would consider insurmountable obstacles. If you have not read it, I strongly recommend it.  It will give you a first hand look at the value of tenacity.

 

Leadership tenacity is critical because it sets and example for others who are watching.  The leaders commitment, passion, and drive are contagious.  Others will follow and together the task will get done!

 

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.97  

Willigness to Invest Time

Willingness to Invest Time is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Tasks.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Willing as:

1 : inclined or favorably disposed in mind

2 : prompt to act or respond

3 : done, borne, or accepted by choice or without reluctance

4 : of or relating to the will or power of choosing

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Invest as: to make use of for future benefits or advantages

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Time as: the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues

 

So, combining these definitions, The Willingness to Invest Time is:  inclined to make use of for future benefits or advantages the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues.  In other words, effective leaders are inclined to use their measured periods for future benefits or advantages.

 

Leaders invest their time in order to succeed! 

 

Now, the question begs to be asked, to what should the aspiring effective leader invest their time?

 

The answer to this question should not surprise you.  Effective leaders invest their time in people, in themselves and their own growth, and in the future of the organization for which they are working.

 

To invest in other people, the effective leader truly cares about their people and actively looks for ways to support them and to assist in their professional growth and development.  Basically, the effective leader has their back!

 

To invest in themselves, the effective leader is constantly growing.  Leaders are readers and are always expanding their knowledge base and their mental horizons.  They are constantly learning.  It was the great Renaissance artist Michelangelo who stated "I am still learning." after all he had accomplished.

 

To invest in the future of the organization, the effective leader takes a proactive approach to planning and implementation of the vision, mission, and goals of the organization.  They are constantly asking, "How can we better implement our vision and how can we best get to where we need to be?".

 

Time is the one resource that is non-renewable.  When it is gone, it is gone.  The effective leader is willing to invest the time that they have on the things that matter!

 

Time wasted is time lost forever!

 

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.97 

Availability

Availability is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Tasks.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Availability as: an available person or thing

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Available as: present and able or willing to talk to someone

More and more availability is being recognized as an essential leadership practice.  This goes beyond the traditional 'open door policy'!  What good is an open door if no one is there?  Effective leaders MUST be available to their teams and individual members.  If they are not, it can breed dissent, confusion, insecurity, apathy, and the list goes on.  

Think back.  Most of us can cite an example in our past where the 'leader' was fiercely guarded by the battle axe administrative assistant (who in most cases turned out to be a very nice person) and access requires as appointment, often weeks in advance.  That just does not work.  The effective leader is out and about getting a sense for what is happening and chatting with people on a regular basis.  If people are used to seeing you and are used to talking to you, it becomes less awkward to problem solve when issues are small.  A lack of availability can make a very small issue turn into a huge problem.

Business has been using this successfully for decades.

The management by wandering around (MBWA), also management by walking around, refers to a style of business management [leadership] which involves managers [leaders] wandering around, in an unstructured manner, through the workplace(s), at random, to check with employees, equipment, or on the status of ongoing work. The emphasis is on the word wandering as an unplanned movement within a workplace, rather than a plan where employees expect a visit from managers at more systematic, pre-approved or scheduled times.

The expected benefit is that a manager, by random sampling of events or employee discussions, is more likely to facilitate improvements to the morale, sense of organizational purpose, productivity and total quality management of the organization, as compared to remaining in a specific office area and waiting for employees, or the delivery of status reports, to arrive there, as events warrant in the workplace.

[Copied from Wikipedia] 

Much of this ties into building relationships, which I will discuss in future posts.

Effective leaders must make a conscious effort to be available.  People have to know that you are there, you are available, you care, and you will make the time for each and every one of them!

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.97

Work Ethic

Work Ethic is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Tasks.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines Work Ethic as: a belief in work as a moral good : a set of values centered on the importance of doing work and reflected especially in a desire or determination to work hard.

Far too often people in a leadership position adopt the mindset, either consciously or unconsciously, 'do as I say and not as I do'.  This just does not work.  One of the most successful keys to leadership is leading my example.  There is an old leadership adage that the leader should be the first one in and the last one out.  While this may need not always be the case, the sentiment is sound.  The effective leader works, works hard, and works consistently.  Additionally, the leader should have the attitude that they won't ask of their team anything that they themselves are not willing to do.  That does not mean that the leader has to do everything.  It simply means, as I previously pointed out, there are no tasks that are beneath them (think sweeping the gym floor).  Remember, people are watching and will tend to duplicate the actions of the leader.  Caution: just putting in time does not necessarily indicate a strong work ethic.  It is easy to be physically present but get nothing done.  Inherent on a strong work ethic is being productive.  Your hard work needs to net some results!

It is also important to that you are not working hard just for the sake of working hard.  You can work hard and not be productive.  Included in the work ethic is a commitment to the work and to the vision and mission.  Effective leaders have a strong work ethic that is vision and mission centered and has a purpose and direction.

As Mike Rowe has said, work ethic is a choice.  You can choose to have a strong work ethic or not, but if you don't, your effectiveness as a leader will be greatly diminished!

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.97

Acceptance of Responsibility

Acceptance of Responsibility is the first quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Tasks.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines acceptance as: the act of accepting something or someone : the fact of being accepted : acceptance of responsibility.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines responsibility as: 

1: the quality or state of being responsible: such as

a : moral, legal, or mental accountability

b : reliability, trustworthiness

2 : something for which one is responsible

 

President Harry S. Truman was famous for, among other things, having a sign on his desk in the Oval Office that stated 'The Buck Stops Here'.  It was his mantra and it served him well!

 

While in some ways this saying has become a bit of a cliché, it is a critical component for the effective leader.  Leaders are, in fact, responsible for the vision, culture, and success or failure of any organization.  Additional, leaders are responsible for the welfare of their teams and their individual members.  This cannot be successfully abdicated.  Many have tried and have ended up failing miserably.  Sometimes it takes a short amount of time for the failure to set in and sometimes it takes longer, but one way or the other the leader who does not take responsibility will fail.  Once a leader refuses to accept responsibility and starts to make excuses, they lose credibility and their leadership moral high ground.  When this happens, the culture becomes toxic and people spend more time looking over their shoulders and avoiding rather than being productive and getting the job done.

In order to be effective, leaders must be willing to accept responsibility not only to maintain the trust of the members of the organization but also because it is the right thing to do!

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.97

Tasks: The Ability to Get Things Done

The second factor in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger that measures a leader's effectiveness is Tasks.  According to Brady and Woodward, "The task category simply represents the ability to get things done. ... No leader can succeed without the ability to execute tasks."

Effective leaders lead by example.  On several occasions I have referenced the great coaching legend John Wooden.  Even in the midst of his 10 National Championships run, it was not uncommon to find him sweeping the gym floor.  Leaders do what needs to be done.  There are no menial tasks, just tasks that need to get done!  Wooden understood this and led by example.

Additionally, leaders are able to inspire others to accomplish the tasks that need to get done.  The task factor is not a call for the leader to become a workaholic or a control freak communicating the attitude that they are the only one that can get things done and done correctly.  Effective leaders learn to delegate tasks and build mutual trust so they know that the tasks will get done.

Over the next few days I will unpack the tasks category and go into more detail on the individual components of this factor.

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.97

Self-Mastery

Self-mastery is the final quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Character.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines self-mastery as: the ability to control one's own desires or impulses : self-control; self-discipline.

There is an old anonymous leadership adage: "If you can't lead yourself, how can you expect to led others?".

How we handle ourselves is critically important.  Yes, effective leaders focus on serving others, BUT, to do so they must have their own internal house in order.

There is a plethora of academic research linking self-mastery to effective leadership.  It matters!

Effective leaders master:

• Their emotions

• Their thoughts

• Their actions

• Their tongues 

• Their interactions with others

Mohandas Gandhi said:

Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny. 

The effective leader MUST learn and practice self-mastery.  If they don't, they simply will lose the ability to effectively lead!

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.96  

Discipline

 

Discipline is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Character.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines discipline as: to train or develop by instruction and exercise especially in self-control.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines self-discipline as: correction or regulation of oneself for the sake of improvement

 

President Harry S. Truman is credited with having said, In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves... self-discipline with all of them came first.

 

So what does self-discipline involve for the effective leader?  Here is a partial list that I would present from years of observation and experience:

 

1. Effective leaders maintain self-discipline over their emotions.  It is not that they have no emotions but rather they control their emotions instead of letting their emotions control them.

 

2. Effective leaders maintain self-discipline over their tongue.  In the Proverbs, King Solomon states Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble. Prov 21:3 (NLT)  Far too often people in a leadership position miss the important point of listening and not immediately reacting.  "Let me get back to you on that" can be one of the best tools that an effective leader has.  BUT... if you say it, you have to do it or you will lose all credibility!

 

3. Effective leaders maintain self-discipline over their schedule.  Before you react (see the point above), let me explain.  I am fully aware that people in a leadership position, and, yes, effective leaders, have chaotic schedules that they frequently cannot control.  But, there are things you can control.  Do you set aside time every day to read (leaders are readers, that is a conversation for another day)?  Do you set aside time to exercise and take care of your health?  Do you make time for your family?  Do you schedule rest and downtime?  All of these are critical and supported by the leadership research.

4. Effective leaders maintain self-discipline over their thoughts.  The old adage that you are who you are when you are alone applies here.  What consumes your thought processes?  Where do you let your mind go?  Again from the Proverbs (paraphrased from Prov 23:7 KJV) As a man thinketh, so is he.

This is not a comprehensive list but rather starting points for an internal conversation.

For an excellent discussion on this, Read John Maxwell's Developing the Leader Within You, especially chapter Chapter Nine: The Price Tag of Leadership: Self-Discipline.

 

Effective leaders start with themselves.  None of us are perfect and all of us need to attend to our own self improvement and self-discipline.  People are watching and they will know!

 

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.96  

 

John C. Maxwell: "Developing the Leader Within You". Thomas Nelson. Nashville, TN.

Patience

 

Patience with others is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Character.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines patience as: 

1 : the ability to wait for a long time without becoming annoyed or upset

2 : the ability to remain calm and not become annoyed when dealing with problems or with difficult people

3 : the ability to give attention to something for a long time without becoming bored or losing interest

 

Effective leaders MUST exercise patience when dealing with people and with situations.  Impatience can be the Achilles heel and downfall of many a good leader.  I frequently quip 'Dear God, give me patience, and give it to me NOW!'  Well, it doesn't quite work that way.

Perhaps the greatest example of exercising long term patience is the great Hall of Fame basketball coach John Wooden.

 

His Hall of Fame website entry reads:

John Wooden’s UCLA teams scaled unmatched heights that no future organization in any sport is likely to approach. Under Wooden’s masterful guidance, the Bruins set all-time records including four perfect 30-0 seasons, 88 consecutive victories, 38 straight NCAA tournament victories, and ten national championships, including seven in a row. Wooden’s approach rested on the idea that basketball is a game of threes: forward, guard, center; shoot, drive, pass; ball, you, man; conditioning, skill, teamwork. Considered one of basketball’s finest teachers, his ability to instill these principles in his players made Wooden a master of developing talent. Wooden’s famous Pyramid of Success shows the influence of his mentor from his days at Purdue, Hall of Fame coach Ward Lambert. The Pyramid’s principles are the basis of Wooden’s outlook on life and explain much of his success on and off the court. Whatever the measure, John Wooden was one of the greatest coaches in history.

https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/john-wooden1/ 

What it doesn't say is that John Wooden arrived at UCLA for the 1948-49 basketball season and didn't win his first national championship until the 1963-1964 season.  It took Wooden 15 years to mold the program into the greatest college basketball dynasty in history.  It did not happen overnight.  Wooden was patient, had a vision, and worked each year to improve and advance.  Neither was his famed Pyramid of success created overnight.  It took years of working as a coach, first at Indiana State University, then at UCLA.  Wooden's Pyramid of Success is a classic in leadership and coaching!

During all his years as a head coach, Wooden concentrated on developing character in his athletes and knew that the results (in his case, wins) would take care of themselves.  Wooden exercised patience with his program and with his players! And... obviously... the wins did take care of themselves through hard work and patience.

It has been said the patience is a virtue.  It is!  It is also a key indicator of leadership Character.  Effective leaders MUST learn and exercise patience in all things!

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.96 

 

Humility

 

A Humble Spirit is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Character.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines humility as: the quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people; freedom from pride or arrogance.

In an earlier post (November 8, 2021) I discussed humility as it relates to leadership, so I will not repeat those points here.  Please refer to that post for thoughts on leadership and humility.

In his best selling book The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren states Humility is not thinking less of yourself.  Humility is thinking more of others.  Humble people are so focused on serving others, they don't think of themselves. (NOTE: this quote is often erroneously attributed to C.S. Lewis... click here for details). This is the hallmark of an effective leader: they are always thinking of others before themselves.  True humility includes a sincere heart for the welfare of others.  The leader's words and actions align into a message that is crystal clear to people... First and foremost, I care about you!

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.96 

Rick Warren: The Purpose Driven Life. Zondervan. Grand Rapids MI. p.148

Faith

 

Faith is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Character.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines faith as: strong belief or trust in someone or something

In many cases discussions of faith also have a religious connotation.  The Bible defines faith this way: ... faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see. Hebrews 11:1 GNT.

Whether one approaches faith from a secular or religious (or both) point of view, having it is a key factor to one's character and, as a result, to leadership effectiveness.

Effective leaders believe, I mean REALLY believe, in what they are doing, in the direction that they are going, and in the people that they are leading.  They have the faith that things will work out in a positive, productive manner.  I am not talking about some Pollyanna, pie in the sky sort of faith that is naive and lacks conviction and action.  What I am saying is that effective leaders believe in what they are doing, have unwavering confidence in their people, and put an enormous amount of sweat equity behind that faith!  They have faith in their vision and direction, they convey that to their people, and then they make it happen.  Faith is not passive.  Quite the contrary!  It is a skill that functions much like a muscle: the more you use it, the more effective it is.

And... it has to be genuine!  You can't fake real faith.  People will see through that in an instant.  Effective leaders understand this and exercise authentic and genuine faith! 

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.96 

Core Values

 

Proper values based upon absolute truth is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Character.

YourDictionary.com defines core values as: ... the fundamental beliefs of a person or organization. These guiding principles dictate behavior and can help people understand the difference between right and wrong. Core values also help companies [and leaders] to determine if they are on the right path and fulfilling their goals by creating an unwavering guide. 

Leader's are guided by their values and effective leaders have a value system that guides them in a positive direction.  A leader's value system serves as a moral compass.  Far too often leaders either lose sight of their values or had misplaced values from the start.  History is full of implosions due to distorted values: Enron; WorldCom; Volkswagen; Lehman Brothers; Martha Stewart; Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker; Harvey Weinstein, Bill Cosby; and the list goes on.  At some point each had a breakdown of their moral compass and either ignored their values and/or had misaligned values.

There are those who will argue that values are relative and ask the question "whose values?".  I would argue that there is a universal set of values that transcend religious, political, and personal ideologies.

As a faculty member at a regional university I have, on multiple occasions, presented at local, state, regional, national, and international conferences.  I have had the privilege of presenting at an international conference in the Peoples Republic of China on several occasions.  At one of the conferences I presented a paper on Howard Gardner's "The Ethical Mind" taken from his book Five Minds for the Future.  I make no claim to be any kind of expert on ethics or brain function or psychology.  Since early in my career, I have been a follower of Howard Gardner, who is best know for his theory of Multiple Intelligences.  I ran across his work on the five minds and was intrigued from a leadership perspective.  So, I presented my paper and it went well and I was feeling pretty good about the presentation until my friend and colleague, who was is Chinese and was in charge of securing the international scholars for the conference, came up to me and shared that one of the conference attendees wanted to meet with me in private to discuss my paper.  He was a dean at one of the universities in China and his field of study was ethics.  WOW!  Now I am feeling like I am in way over my head and am asking myself 'what have I gotten myself into?".  I took the meeting (it would have been rude not to and would have had multiple implications if I hadn't) and was expecting a polite 10-15 minute exchange and then I would be on my way.  Well over an hour later we were still chatting.  For some reason, we clicked.  I had the leadership perspective; he had the ethics perspective.  I had the western, American, democracy and individualism perspective; he had the eastern, Chinese, communism, collectivism perspective.  And yet, we agreed that ethics and morals mattered and that the there was in fact a universal capital "T" truth that transcended national, political, and ideological perspectives and that they were NOT relative.  While I freely acknowledge that this example is only two individuals from a world population of billions, it struck me that the odds that the two of us would randomly meet and agree were, in fact, minimal.  It had a profound effect on my thinking.  Ethics, morals, and values matter and they are not relative.

Effective leaders must have and follow a moral compass that includes a strong set of proper positive values that are based upon an absolute Truth.

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.96

Howard Gardner: "Five Minds for the Future."  Harvard Business Review Press. Brighton, MA.

 

Courage

Courage is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Character.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines courage as: the ability to do something that you know is difficult or dangerous; mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty

Courage is often thought of synonymous with bravery, and while that is partially true, it is so much more. Courage, from a leadership perspective, often means going against the grain--- swimming against the current--- going up the down escalator so to speak.  Effective leaders frequently see things that others do not and must forge forward in spite of the naysayers and critics who tell you in can't be done.  Success and innovation is full of stories where effective leaders bucked the conventional wisdom and forged new ground.

Courage can be acquired.  In his book Courage: the backbone of leadership author Gus Lee states; Courage is a learned quality, an acquirable set of skills, a practiced competence.

 

Winston Churchill is quoted as having said Courage is the first of human qualities because it is the quality that guarantees all the others.

Further, Carey D. Lohrenz, one of the first female Tomcat pilots in the US Navy, puts it this way; ...courage often involves the display of candor: being willing to have the tough conversations, to give hard feedback. Courage can mean speaking up even when you know the existing culture won’t support you. Courage also means admitting when you were wrong and holding yourself accountable.

Courage is an essential factor to Character, and it can be developed.  As Peter Nivio Zarlenga famously stated, Action conquers fear!

In essence, courage is doing what needs to be done, doing the right thing, even when it is uncomfortable and/or unpopular.  Effective leaders learn to develop this skill and practice it when necessary!

Excerpt From: Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.96

Excerpt from: Gus Lee: "Courage: the backbone of leadership."  Jossey-Bass. San Francisco. p.4.

Excerpt From: Carey Lohrenz. "Fearless Leadership.: https://books.apple.com/us/book/fearless-leadership-second-edition/id933445679

Integrity

 

Integrity is the next quality that Brady and Woodward include in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger's factor of Character.

The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines integrity as: firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values: incorruptibility.

So much can be written about integrity, the need for integrity, and the dire consequences that occur when people in a position of leadership do not exercise integrity it is difficult to know where to start.

While there is no word in ancient Greek for integrity, the concept can be clearly traced back to the ancient Greek philosophers, especially Plato and Aristotle.

Further, all of the world's major religions teach integrity in one form or another.  Each one has some iteration of the Golden Rule... The idea of treating others the way you would want and expect to be treated.

More recently (when compared to ancient philosophy and religion) Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Jonathan Edwards all developed themselves, and their integrity, through a series of life guiding resolutions that influenced, and even dictated, their actions. 

In his Top 100 Leadership Book Selection Resolved: 13 Resolutions for LIFE, Orrin Woodward writes:

Integrity is essential for leadership, because without it, people will not follow the leader for long.  They will tire of the leader's words not matching up with his [or her] actions.  Of course, even when leaders have integrity, they still receive criticism from other without integrity.  Nevertheless, leaders of integrity expect to be believed, and when they are not, they let time prove them right.

Integrity is about having and following a moral code that guides one's actions in a selfless, positive direction.

Leaders MUST have integrity or they cannot effectively lead, and thus remove themselves as a leader!

 

Excerpt From: Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.96

Excerpt from: Orrin Woodward: "RESOLVED: 13 Resolutions for LIFE."  Obstaclés Press. Cary, NC. p.51

 

 

Honesty

When unpacking Character in the Trilateral Leadership Ledger, Brady and Woodward list honesty as part of developing and having character.

So what does it mean to be honest?  On the surface it may seem to be simple, tell the truth and don't lie, but if you unpack it from a leadership perspective, it is significantly more complex.

The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines honesty as: "the quality of being fair and truthful : the quality of being honest"  

 It defines honest as:

1 : good and truthful : not lying, stealing, or cheating

2 : showing or suggesting a good and truthful character

3 : not hiding the truth about someone or something

So, leaders need to be honest to have and display character.  The idea of not lying, stealing, or cheating is not foreign to leadership development.  All four US service academies have an honor code that all cadets agree to upon admission to their respective academy and are held accountable to it during the entire tenure of their time as a cadet.  These codes all center around the theme of honesty for the cadets themselves and for others.

United States Air Force Academy Honor Code

 

Above is the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Honor Code.  The other three service academies, the United States Military Academy (West Point), the United States Naval Academy (Annapolis), and the United States Coast Guard Academy each have a similar cadet honor code.

 

Seems straight forward enough, and yet, not really.  It is apparent that telling the truth to others, not taking what is not yours, and not cheating in your dealings and interactions with others is essential.  BUT...

... do we do these things with ourselves as leaders.  

 

Do we tell ourselves the truth in all situations or do we lie to ourselves about our intentions and/or our actions?  

Do we steal away our time by wasting in on things that don't matter or are only done to make ourselves look good even if it is in the name of furthering others and/or the organization?

Do we not cheat ourselves out of time and success because of fear or skewed priorities?

The first step in developing character is indeed honesty, and the first step in being honest is being honest about and to yourself.  Only then can you develop the kind of character that will make people willing to follow you.

For leaders who are sincerely concerned about character development and taking the first step of establishing honesty, I highly recommend Leadership and Self Deception: Getting Out of the Box published by the Arbinger Institute.

 

Mark Twain is quoted as having said "Always tell the truth, that way you don't have to remember what you said."

 

Wise words by which to live!

Always tell the truth. That way, you don't have to remember what you said

Source: https://quotepark.com/quotes/2099868-mark-twain-always-tell-the-truth-that-way-you-dont-have-to/

Always tell the truth. That way, you don't have to remember what you said

Source: https://quotepark.com/quotes/2099868-mark-twain-always-tell-the-truth-that-way-you-dont-have-to/

Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution." Business Plus. New York.

 

The Arbinger Institute: "Leadership and Self-Deception." Berrtt-Koehler Publishers, Inc. Oakland, CA.

The Foundation of Firm Leadership is Character

I previously quoted legendary coach John Wooden on the need to be concerned about your character and not just your reputation.  The character concerns for a leader goes beyond that.  Yesterday I began a discussion of Brady and Woodward's Trilateral Leadership Ledger that lists character as the first essential category of leadership effectiveness.  They contend that "...there is an intrinsic value in developing character even if he [or she] never obtains external results from his [or her] endeavor.  That is because who one becomes is much more important than what one accomplishes."

They go on to list honesty, integrity, courage, proper values based on absolute truth, faith, a humble spirit, patience with others, discipline, and self-mastery as being included in one's character.  That's quite a list.  As we continue this journey, I will unpack each of these on their own merits and then discuss them as a whole as to how they form a leader's character. 

As Bill Hybels said, "The foundation of firm leadership is character."

Excerpt From: Chris Brady & Orrin Woodward: "Launching a Leadership Revolution."  Business Plus. New York. p.96

Leadership Effectiveness

Effective leadership in one of those things that is hard to define but you know it when you see it.  What makes a leader effective?  There are as many answers to that question as there are stars in the sky.  A brainstorming session on the subject could and would fill up multiple whiteboards.  Everyone has their 'essential' characteristic of the effective leader and, for the most part, they would all be right.  It can be elusive to define, at best.

In their best selling book Launching A Leadership Revolution, Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward argue that their are three essential characteristics to leadership effectiveness: Character, Tasks, and Relationships.  Further, they introduce the Trilateral Leadership Ledger as a way to measure leadership effectiveness: Character times Tasks time Relationships equals Leadership Effectiveness.  Scoring each characteristic on a ten point scale and then multiplying them in order gives one the final score on a 1000 point scale.  They go on to briefly define what they mean by each of the characteristics and suggest a self scoring to achieve the score; BUT, they also share: "One note of caution: In general, people tend to overrate themselves.  Often the gap between self-realization and reality is enormous."1 

So how does one accurately measure leadership effectiveness, and specifically, how can one arrive at a fair and meaningful score on the Trilateral Leadership Ledger?  Moving forward, that is what I will start to explore and unpack here with the goal of developing a strategy, and even an assessment tool, to assist leaders in measuring their effectiveness.

1 Chris Brady and Orrin Woodward: Launching a Leadership Revolution. Business Plus. New York. p. 93-110

Humility is the X-Factor of Leadership

 

In his classic study Good to Great, Jim Collins defines the X-Factor of leadership as that area of leadership that differentiates the Good companies, who have what Collins calls Level 4 leaders, from the Great companies, who have level 5 leaders.  And what is that leadership X-Factor?  Humility.  The Great companies had level 5 leaders with humility!

In Good to Great, Collins explains: 

Level 5 leaders channel their ego needs away from themselves and into the larger goal of building a great company.  It's not that Level 5 leaders have no ego or self-interest.  Indeed they are incredibly ambitious--but their ambition is first and foremost for the institution, not themselves. 1

You can hear Collins explain it himself here:

Humility makes the difference.

Dr. John R. Plastow, the Strategic Ministries Pastor at Academy Christian Church in Colorado Spring, CO and author of The Humility Factor and All Things Leadership, put it this way:

Humble is not something that many people immediately say about the leaders they know.  Usually, it's the opposite end of the spectrum that is used to describe leaders of organizations.  In fact, there are some who might say that confidence, which they inaccurately define as a lack of humility, is the way to be a great leader, particularly in secular organizations.  Unfortunately, even in faith-based and charitable organizations, it is easy for leaders to fall into the cavern of ego and self-focus.  Not all leaders do, but it is something to which all must pay attention in order to be the kind of leader who can humbly lead their people. 2

WARNING: Humility is that characteristic that once you feel that you have it, you have probably lost it!  

Being humble is a mindset, not a task on a check list.  True humility is a lifelong process that involves the willingness to sincerely put others first and serve them with the goal of seeing them achieve and advance!

1. Excerpt from Jim Collins: "Good to Great." Harper Business. New York. p.21.

2. Excerpt from John R. Plastow: "All Things Leadership." Xulon Press. Maitland, FL. p.27.