Leaders Need to do More than Talk.

So, I read this article yesterday, and it made me think - there are many, many artilcles, blogs posts and even books that all provide a list of things leaders should say - be it every day or every week.  Indeed, I ran a Google search on "things leaders say," and I got over 197 MILLION hits.  That's a lot of talking. 

Now, I think most of these articles are awesome and provide great advice - there are lots of good leadership lessons in them. 

However, reading through these articles, they focus more on the speaking than on the doing.  We have all heard the phrase "If you are going to talk the talk, you need to walk the walk."  As a leader, talking the talk will work for a few weeks - by then, if you are not walking the walk, your fancy leadership talk falls on deaf ears. 

 This is why I think  instead of focusing on "what leaders should say," we should focus on what leaders should do.  First, actions speak a lot louder than words; and second, if you do the right thing, you will naturally say the right thing as well. 

Again, the ideas in the article linked above and the dozens of other similar articles out there are great ideas.  However, many of the suggestions will come naturally to a leader who embodies the Leadership Traits. 

Many of these articles suggest that a leader should share the credit and support his people - in other words, a leader should be unselfish and loyal. 

If you are an unselfish and loyal leader, you will say "Thank You;" you will ask you people for their opinions, you will share credit with your people.  It will all come naturally - IF you have the correct attitude and embrace the proper leadership characteristics. 

My advice to you is not to worry about what to say - worry about how to be.  Be unselfish, be loyal, be supportive, be a LEADER, and you will say the right things. 

Can you walk the walk? 



 

Leadership Trait of the Day: ENDURANCE

Made it - 14 Leadership Traits, that's Endurance!

Endurance is our 14^th and final Marine Corps Leadership Trait.  It is appropriate that Endurance be the last of a string of 14 traits – it takes a little bit of Endurance to stay the course in this analysis.  More importantly, Endurance impacts all of the other traits – you have to have the staying power to exhibit the other 13 traits day after day after day. 

            We all know what Endurance is, but how to we define it?  I love the Marine Corps definition of Endurance: The mental and physical stamina measured by the ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress, and hardship.  That sentence almost completely captures the essence of being a Marine – the ability to withstand ______ (fill-in the blank.) 

Just kidding - it's a party!

          Now, there are not too many jobs out there that are going to require you to “withstand pain” and other physical hardships, but all Leaders still need Endurance – mental endurance.  Leadership is a marathon, not a sprint.  You do not show up and “lead” in a day.  It takes hard work day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year.  Leadership is best measured by how you finish, not how you start. 

            In this regard, Endurance, will vital, is an often overlooked aspect of Leadership.  Great Leaders – just like great athletes need Endurance to achieve lofty goals and to change their organizations.  How many of us have seen a good, maybe even great Leader jump in and tackle a problem like the Tasmanian Devil, only to peter out and grind to a halt?  It is difficult to overcome institutional inertia – as they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”  If you do not have the fortitude and Endurance to keep plugging away, your initiatives will likely fall flat. 

            Endurance is what separates the truly successful Leaders from the short-term successes. Leaders with the ability to see their teams through the difficult times are the ones that grow the most.  Endurance allows growth and provides a strengthened resolve to get you through the hard times. 

            We all know how to build physical endurance – such as lacing up the running shoes and hit the pavement – but how about mental endurance? 

Turns out, you can build your mental stamina and toughness as well. 

Click through for some methods to make yourself mentally tougher.

Leadership Trait of the Day: COURAGE

Heroics Not Required

This is easy right – courage is running into a burning building, attacking the enemy in the face of a barrage of machinegun fire, standing your ground to perform you mission in the face of certain death like these Marines did.  (If you have not read Gen. John Kelly’s speech about Corporal Yale and Lance Corporal Haerter, stop reading this article, click on that link and read that instead.  It will make you cry, give you chills, and make you proud to be an American all at the same time.) 

Yes, those are all examples of courage – physical courage – bravery if you will.  However, this is only one aspect of courage; the other part is moral courage: standing up for what is right in the face of criticism, mockery or resentment.  You show moral courage when you are willing to confront a situation for the sake of rightness, independent of the cost.

Both types of courage are captured in the Marine Corps’ definition of courage:

Courage is the mental quality that recognizes fear of danger or criticism, but enables a Marine to proceed in the face of danger with calmness and firmness.  Knowing and standing for what is right, even in the face of popular disfavor.

Moral and Physical Courage - the most iconic photo
of courage in my lifetime. 

The good news is that the vast majority of people will never be asked to demonstrate physical courage in the face of danger.  The bad news is that moral courage is a much more difficult characteristic to demonstrate.  I have been faced with both, and I would pick a firefight over a weighty moral decision any day. 

Let’s take a moment to look at what is and what isn’t moral courage.  Let’s start with a very current event - Adam Silver, the NBA commissioner, just dropped the hammer on Donald Sterling, the owner of the L.A. Clippers for some disgusting racist comments and beliefs espoused by Sterling.  People are lauding Silver’s decision and his “courage.”  I fully support Silver’s decision, but it wasn’t courageous. 

Why?  Because everyone wanted Silver to punish Sterling to the maximum extent possible – doing what everyone wants and following the popular path (even when it is the right path) does not require courage. 

Moral courage requires a decision that could be costly. Some examples of moral courage in the workplace include telling a supervisor about how your co-workers frequently doctor their time sheets, disclosing illegal accounting practices to an external auditor or releasing incriminating confidential documents to the media.   “Whistle blowing,” the disclosure of illicit or unsavory business practices to the public, is another form of moral courage.  Each of these could cost you friends, jobs, or public smears.  There is a cost to standing up and taking the “right” action.

Atticus Finch - Paragon of Moral Courage

True moral courage is difficult.  It is so difficult, it tends to be lacking in many people.  This is not a new phenomenon.  The great 19^th century American author Mark Twain remarked that it is “curious that physical courage should be so common in the world, and moral courage so rare.”  The famous World War II General George Patton observed that “Moral courage is the most valuable and usually the most absent characteristic in men.”

So, we know that we are most likely to get called upon to show moral, not physical courage, and we know that moral courage is sorely lacking across our society and can be difficult to demonstrate.  Where does this leave us?  It leaves us with the type of challenge that makes a leader, a Leader – the task of modeling and developing moral courage.   

So, how as Leaders can we build and demonstrate our moral courage and instill in our subordinates the necessary moral courage? 

Click through for some ideas. 

Leadership Trait of the Day: UNSELFISHNESS

How important is unselfishness in today’s self-absorbed society?  If you ask me, it’s more important than ever.  In today’s “me-first” society, unselfishness sticks out.  Think about how many (or few) truly unselfish acts you see in any given day. 

Before we try to classify unselfish behavior, let’s define Unselfishness.  The Marine Corps defines it as the avoidance of providing for one’s own comfort and personal advancement at the expense of others.  In a Leader, this means looking out for the need of your subordinates before looking out for yourself. 

To some degree, Unselfishness requires a sacrifice to one’s self – it is more than simple kindness.  A perfect example is how Marines eat when they are out in the field for training.  Nothing beats a nice hot dinner after a long day of field training, but when dinner shows up, Marines eat in reverse rank.  The most junior Marine eats first and they follow by rank until the most senior Marine eats last.  As an officer who always ate with the latter groups, there have been a few times where I went hungry, or ate bread and butter for dinner.  But, that is just how it is.  Eating in the field is perhaps the most symbolic way Marines demonstrate Unselfishness. 

Here is a hero for you.  

Marines are trained to perform on the battlefield, and, unfortunately, war gives too many opportunities for selfless behavior.  All Marines are familiar with examples of Unselfishness on the battlefield.  Chances are that if you ask anyone who put on a Marine Corps uniform in the past 15 years for an example of Unselfishness they will say “Corporal Jason Dunham;” a young Marine who threw himself on a grenade to save his fellow Marines. 

As crazy as it may sound, I believe it is actually easier to be unselfish in a crisis than in the ordinary environment that we all live in.  However, the sacrifices of Unselfishness in our day-to-day routine that may seem subtle and inconsequential often have the most lasting impact on those we lead.  Why?  Because no one is expects it.  A sacrifice during ordinary times is like buying your significant other a gift on a random day – not a birthday or anniversary – it is surprise and has a bigger impact.  A good Leader will routinely make simple day-to-day sacrifices in his time and schedule for the good of his people.  These small sacrifices will always resonate with your subordinates. 

Unfortunately, too many people equate Unselfishness with weakness.  According to this article, people tend to gravitate to selfish leaders.  Why?  Well, according to that study, people believe that a Leader has to be decisive and strong – which he does – but people confuse selfishness with strength. 

"Weak" you say?

They are not the same thing.  Let’s use Marines as an example.  Marines deploy around the world and leave their families, friends and the comforts of home.  They give their lives and limbs in wars in service of others.  Generally, a very unselfish profession – no one in their right mind would call a United States Marine weak.  Nor would they consider a fireman or policeman weak. 

In my experience, it takes more strength of will and self-confidence to be unselfish than it does to be selfish.  Human nature as an evolutionary imperative compels us to act selfishly and “look out for No. 1” as part of a basic survival mechanism.  Only a strong person can overcome this natural tendency.  Remember this when someone says a decisively selfish person is strong. 

Click through for a discussion of how you can be Unselfish at work.

Leadership Trait of the Day: BEARING

         

Bearing has nothing to do with bears, but if you
can stay calm in front of this guy, you have bearing. 

      The first question many of you may have is: what the heck is Bearing, and how is it relevant to Leadership?  While in the Marine Corps, we simple call this Bearing, but the best way for non-Marines to think of this is as “Military Bearing.”  You may also think of this as comportment.

            In the Marines, Bearing is your ability to “create a favorable impression in carriage, appearance, and personal conduct at all times.”  Meaning, you look, talk, and act like a leader at all times – even when you don’t feel like it.             

            Let’s unpack this further.  If you want to have the Bearing of a Leader, there are three areas you need to focus on: 1) physical appearance; 2) day-to-day behavior; and 3) behavior under stress. 

Funny - but not a leader

Physical Appearance: Now, the Marine Corps is a physical job – so physical appearance means you need to look like a Marine.  Now, for civilian purposes, there is no need to look like this guy. But, you don’t want to look like Matt Foley, motivational speaker – if you do, you may be end up living in a van down by the river. 

            Bearing for the civilian leader means look like a professional.  Dress and carry yourself like someone who can be trusted with responsibility.  The first thing people will see is how you look.  In the Marine Corps, we are fanatical about our uniform appearance – not just because we want to look better than the Army, Navy and Air Force (ok, that’s a big part of it).  Marines understand that part of being professional is looking professional.  This also shows that you have the discipline to take care of the small things, which leads people to trust that you can take care of the big things.

            So, if you want to be a Leader, look like one.  This does not mean wear a suit or a tie every day, but you should dress a little bit better than the people you work with – just enough to show that you are professional.  It also helps to have a neat and orderly appearance.  Look in the mirror before leaving your house and decide if you look like the sort of person someone would trust with responsibility. 

            Click through for more discussion on Bearing.

Leadership Trait of the Day: ENTHUSIASM

Give me an “L”, give me and “E”, give me an “A” …. okay, you get the point.  However, being an Enthusiastic Leader does not mean you are a cheerleader. 

The Marine Corps defines Enthusiasm as the display of sincere interest and exuberance in the performance of your duty. Meaning – you are happy and motivated; you are optimistic, cheerful, and willing to accept challenges. 

Obviously, in the Marine Corps when we are dealing harsh physical training or grueling field conditions, the ability to be a little “Ooh Rah” is important.  Nothing can ease the burden during a 25 mile forced march like someone cracking jokes and getting laughs. 

But Enthusiasm is much more than that.  It is embracing your life and your job with zeal.  Dale Carnegie said that “enthusiasm is the little recognized secret to success.”  It is impossible to be successful if you do not love what you are doing.  If you are not dedicated to your job and excited about what you do, you will “mail it in.”  No one succeeds that way. 

What about as a Leader?  It is doubly important for you.  We all have experienced it – Enthusiasm and positive thinking are contagious.  Try to be depressed next to an upbeat and happy person – it is impossible.  As a Leader, your Enthusiasm is flows down to your people. 

John Wooden, the legendary basketball coach said “Your energy and enjoyments, drive and dedication will stimulate and greatly inspire others.” 

Let’s look at this angle a little differently.  It is fine to motivate and inspire others.  But as a Leader, you need to get others to believe in you and to believe in your ideas.  Why on Earth would someone buy into your ideas if you have the Enthusiasm of Eeyore?  They won’t.  If you are not passionate about your ideas and decisions, guess what?  No one else will be. 

Enthusiasm is not only a joy in your life and what you are doing, but it requires that you belief in yourself and your choices.  You cannot be enthusiastic if you are not confident in yourself and your decisions. 

Click through for a discussion of faking Enthusiasm.

Leadership Trait of the Day: INTEGRITY

This one is a no brainer – everyone knows that good Leaders have to have Integrity.

Here are just a few quotes on Integrity from notable Leaders:

·         “Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.” – Albert Einstein

·          “I am a slow walker, but I never walk backwards.”
– Abraham Lincoln

·         "A person who is fundamentally honest doesn't need a code of ethics. The Ten Commandments and the Sermon on the Mount are all the ethical code anybody needs." – Harry S. Truman

·         “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.”  -- Dwight D. Eisenhower    

·         “Dependability, integrity, the characteristic of never knowingly doing anything wrong, that you would never cheat anyone, that you would give everybody a fair deal. Character is a sort of an all-inclusive thing. If a man has character, everyone has confidence in him.” – Omar Nelson Bradley

·         “Character is much easier kept than recovered.” – Thomas Paine.

There you have it, whether you call it Integrity, Honor, Character, or Honesty, everyone agrees that a Leader has to have it.  This is because good Leadership is built on trust – there cannot be any trust if the leader does not have integrity.  Further, once that trust is broken, it will take a long time - if ever - for it to be repaired.  

While it is universally accepted that a Leader has to have Integrity, it is not a trait that is universally practiced.  According to the 2002 article “Leadership 101: Integrity” by Thomas Cunningham, 75% of polled employees observed unethical conduct in the workplace.  Only 40% of these same employees said that their workplace had honest and ethical management. 

While those statistics are sad, they are also an opportunity.  If you become an ethical leader, your employees will trust and respect you.  When your people trust and respect you, they will work harder for you.  When this happens, everybody wins. 

 How can you be a Leader with Integrity?  Click through for some tips.