Leadership Vision and Values
Trust – You Know It When You Feel It
In answer to the question, “what is trust?”, this is a quote by Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, “[Y]ou know it when you feel it.”
When I read this in Speed of Trust, I immediately could relate. There is this rumbling, anxious feeling when no trust is present. I hesitate. There is a open, connected feeling when trust is present. I share. Over the last few months, probably as a result of the experiences I had at the organization which virtually crumbled in front of my eyes, I have had a keen interest in trust and its impact. Looking at myself, others and organizations, I have been listening, reading and discussing this topic of trust. Even last Sunday at church, the message was about trust.
Learning how to create trust in a low trust world, as Stephen M.R. Covey speaks about, will help us navigate with more confidence and will make an enormous difference in both our personal and professional life.
Unleashing Your Leadership Power: Study Guide Now Available
We often think that people are born to be leaders. We think that certain people have this innate set of qualities that distinguishes them from the rest. We may have a desire to be a great leader but feel that we don’t have the right competencies.
What if I told you that anyone who has the desire can become a leader by taking a step by step approach? Yes, if you be willing to invest the time it takes to go through eight simple steps you can grow into the leader you want to become.
How do I know this? I am like you. I wanted to make a real difference in people’s lives, I wanted to inspire others. And I wanted to be successful. But I didn’t want to sacrifice my personal life. I wanted to feel fulfilled both at work and at home.
CEO of Gibson Guitar gives Commencement Speech
Henry Juszkiewicz, a 1976 graduate of GMI/Kettering University gave the commencement speech at my son’s graduation this month. Although having a quirky speaking style, I enjoyed the simple message he gave. Dr. Juszkiewicz spoke about three words: Goals, Passions and Decisions.
“Life is about a handful of critical decisions that will define you. How do you make those decisions?” He spoke of his own experience after graduating from GMI and beginning his career at GM. He spoke of setting goals as he left GMI to be the Top Leader, CEO and making a difference in a company. He spoke of… “wanting to be an entrepreneur. I want to buy a company. I walked toward entrepreneurial opportunities.” He spoke of being in a band since he was 10 and loving instruments and music.
New Leader Graduates
My son, Mark graduated Magna Cum Laude from Kettering University with a Bachelor of Science Mechanical Engineering degree this weekend. Am I proud Mom? You bet!
Mark has worked hard for this degree establishing a plan in 9th grade when he declared he wanted to attend the GM Technical Academy in High School; attend Kettering University and be a Co-op student with General Motors (which he has been for the last 4 years). And now he has achieved his goal; his leadership vision became reality.
So what’s next Mark? Well, to begin he starts work with General Motors in January. He was delighted to receive a great offer from the troubled automaker and looks forward to contributing to GM’s comeback in his area of expertise. As a GM family for years (my grandfather worked for GM Truck and Bus; I started with Fisher Body right out of college and owning a Cadillac CTS, Pontiac G8 and GTO), we are all cheering for Mark’s success with his new employer!
Leadership Values
Let’s examine our own decision making in the workplace. We are faced with multiple challenges everyday that require judgment, wisdom, and fairness. Nothing is ever simple and easy, and almost nothing is ever exactly as it seems. So often, the heart of the issue is only partially visible as if we are viewing through a fog. Some of us may find ourselves vacillating, incapable of rendering a verdict that we are comfortable with. The passionate leader whose integrity is ingrained makes the decision based on the leadership values you have defined – simple principles of right and wrong. Sometimes the most complex issues can be sorted out simply by asking yourself: “What is the right thing to do here?” Once you answer that question in private, you can then begin to formulate your answer for public consumption and devise a working plan to facilitate that decision.
Leadership: My Hope for Obama
The election is over. Hooray! The language of political elections, mostly the rhetoric and the constant slams of the opponent, drives me crazy. Negativity is something I avidly try to avoid.
Now, however, our nation plans for change. Our first Black American President – a historic moment many thought was years off and now is a reality. With each newly elected President there is a new level of anticipation. President-elect Obama will now be selecting his team; reaffirming goals and setting milestones for execution of his plan. He has a little over 2 months for further preparation. I can only imagine the action list and delegation activities he will oversee.
My hope for him, as with any new executive, is that he:
1) selects his team well, finding the value in diversity of opinions and styles;
2) sets the expectations for their performance and communicates these expectations for clear understanding;
3) shares an inspiring and motivating vision for all to align; and
4) is clear about his values and knows how to stay grounded as the challanges of our times will demand much of him.
Leadership Integrity
Every day, we all face moral and ethical dilemmas. These dilemmas may be as small as making it to work on time or as significant as keeping confidences shared in the workplace. The passionate leaders, because of their deeply ingrained values, default to decisions made with integrity. These decisions are rendered quickly and effectively because their moral and ethical compass points the way.
Passionate leaders live their lives with dignity and integrity. That translates into their professional lives seamlessly and effortlessly. It is not how they behave. It is not what they practice. It is who they are.
When asked about the role of the print media in modern American, Katharine Graham responded, “We are not here to be popular. We are here to be respected and above all, to be believed.” With Graham at the helm, the Washington Post was respected and believed and served as American’s moral compass during the turbulent post-Vietnam era. Graham firmly believed the coverage provided by her newspaper should not be influenced by government nor intimidated by bureaucracy. The Washington Post was a bastion of journalistic integrity and set the bar for their competitors. Katharine Graham was a passionate leader whose personal integrity dictated her professional decisions as well.
Leadership Confidence – Richard Branson
Fearlessness and confidence are not just personality traits of passionate leaders – they are a way of life. They approach all decisions with a swagger borne from past successes. And each new personal or professional venture, even if it is a failure, is embraced like a lost child, and always welcomed home.
Passionate leaders are risk takers, and as such, invite the possibility – even the likelihood – of failure. These leaders see a failure as nothing more than an inconvenience rather than a catastrophe. It is but a learning tool, or a fork in the road. Recovery for a passionate leader is swift, and direct, and focused. Passionate leaders typically have several professional “eggs” in their basket so if one egg breaks, there are several more ready to hatch. Perhaps the most remarkable facet of these leaders and their personal disappointments is how they quickly acknowledge the disappointment, mourn it briefly, and move on to the next grand opportunity.
Oprah Winfrey – Woman Leader
Oprah gave the commencement speech at Stanford University two weeks ago. Here is are the highlights of her speech. She references “If you ask the right question…”, then mistakes, failings, difficult times can be viewed much differently and more positively. Take a moment to watch this video… as leaders we can use frequent reminders that troubled times come for a reason and we need to slow down enough to acknowledge their purpose. Let me know what you think.
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Young Leadership – Turning 21!
Today, my oldest son Mark turns 21! Hard to believe my baby is a legal adult with all the responsibilities that come with this milestone age. As I sit here in beautiful Playa del Carmen on our family vacation, I have alot of time to reflect on how he has grown into a wonderful young man. Yes, I am biased of course but I see many young people and not all of them have the drive, determination and clarity of focus that Mark demonstrates.
Mark knew as a freshman in High School that he wanted to be an Engineer. He set goals and took actions that supported his goals. Here he is graduating a few years back from the General Motors Technical Academy as a senior in High School. He decided on taking this course where you actually learn from GM Engineers, work on GM projects, present to GM staff and must be project deadlines. It was a tremendous experience for him and set the stage for him to attend Kettering University where he is now a Junior in the Mechanical Engineering program.
