The Difference!

 

Well, the battle for the Commander in Chief’s trophy is over. That’s the United States military academies’ most coveted award, at least for football players and fans. The military services’ “friendly” rivalry between each other is embodied by that trophy. Watching those teams compete is a highlight of the season. What’s even better is seeing beyond the sport at what those youngsters will soon become.

Whenever you see any of our military academy’s athletes perform, you should note that very very few of them will become professional multi-million-dollar players upon graduation.  The military academies, by all standards, are as good, or better, than an Ivy League school in the country. The academic standards all of the cadets and midshipmen have to live up to are as high, if not higher, than most schools in the nation.  In addition to having to live up to extreme academic requirements, they’re constantly training in athletics, character development, and military leadership.  Their typical day is packed, and I do mean packed, with mandatory learning all day long and many weekends and holidays.

While the purpose of other colleges is to enable their students to make a lot of money, or at least a lot more money than they would without a college degree, the purpose of the academies is to ensure that graduates are prepared to go into, and lead others into, battle to protect the country.  Other schools may train future CEOs.  The academies train Warriors.

Whenever I see those future leaders on the field, whichever field they may play on, I don't see future professional athletes.  Oh, they may dream of being the next professional GOAT, but they know the reality of their future is not in product endorsements.  What I see on that field is men and women who will soon (to them it's not soon enough) willingly jump into the cockpit of an airplane, onto a battleship, into a tank, or some other type of warfighting vehicle, being shot at by others who will do anything to destroy our way of life.  I see leaders who will do what's right because it’s the right thing to do.  I see Warriors whose ultimate purpose in their lives will be to serve, not to be served.  There are no other academic institutions in the country so focused on teaching their students the highest ideals of moral courage, than our academies. 

The difference is that other schools teach their graduates to make a living, and that’s okay. American military academies teach their graduates to save lives even at the risk of their own.

I can't tell you how proud I am of each of our cadets and midshipmen.  While serving at the United States Air Force Academy, I couldn’t wait to be among those I saw every day.  We often refer to them as the best and brightest. Their GPAs validate that.  More importantly, they are what will one day be considered the greatest generation.

At the end of every game between academies, when all has been said and done, our cadets, middies, and coaches gather together in front of the rest of the Corps, the Brigade, the Wing, remove their helmets, hold hands and sing their respective service song.  It's a toast to those who have gone before and who have sacrificed their lives for the freedom we enjoy.  It's also a commitment to doing the same after the uniforms have been put away and the final buzzer has sounded.

I’m proud of all of our cadets and midshipmen, not just for winning and not just for doing what they do.  I’m proud of them all for who they are. They’re Warriors! American Warriors! Isn't this a GREAT day to be an American Warrior?!

Until next time, Be GREAT! You ARE!

¡HEIRPOWER! 

                 bob vásquez!

The Ultimate AI!

 

AI is one of the most prevalent topics in our country, probably others too. Of course, you know AI as Artificial Intelligence. That’s ONE description. The AI that I’ve been encouraging for decades is ALL IN! Okay, you may be confused as to why I would promote a poker term. I’ve never played that nor any other card game. So, no, it’s not a card game term I’m referring to. 

 

My mantra for decades now has been ALL IN! I cue my audiences by asking, “Are you in?”

Answering ANY question with “ALL IN!” is a declaration of commitment. Being ALL IN! means giving 100 percent. When we give 100 percent, that’s our best…all we’ve got. The term we used back in the day was “work ethic.” I’m not sure we value having a work ethic anymore, much less a 100 percent commitment. Often, it seems, people want the reward for just showing up, not for doing the work required. 

I discovered my AI, ALL IN!, while reading Pat Riley’s book, The Winner Within, where he wrote, “There are only two options regarding commitment. You're either in or out. There's no such thing as a life in-between.” Actually, there is. It’s called mediocrity. Do you strive to be mediocre? Most of us would prefer great, or, at least, good.

As a leader, you expect your followers to give 100 percent, don’t you? The only way to teach someone how to lead is to show them how. That means that YOU have to be ALL IN! if you expect your followers to do so. 

I think there’s a very close correlation between ALL IN! and excellence. A lifetime ago, CMSgt (Retired) George Moriarty taught me that excellence is not perfection. It’s about giving your best to all you do. None of us will ever be perfect, but all of us can give all we’ve got. Former President Jimmy Carter wrote a book another lifetime ago titled, Why Not The Best?, that’s based on an interview with Admiral Hyman Rickover who asked him if he’d always given his best while a midshipman at the Naval Academy. President Carter answered honestly… that he had not. Why not, was the admiral’s follow-up question. You’ll have to read the book to gain President Carter’s perspective.

Sometimes, our ALL IN! isn’t enough. There are times I’ve given everything, but it just wasn’t enough. But I know it was all I had. Could I have given more? No. At the end of the day, if you’ve given all you had, that’s all anyone can ask for. 

Why aren’t we always ALL IN!? We all have our reasons. Sometimes, they may even be rationalizations. You know what we produce when we rationalize? Rational. Lies. Dr Stephen Covey taught me that.

I’m not advocating for you to give so much that you kill yourself, but you can give all you have for that moment, hour, day, to ensure that what you produce is the best you can.

I’m convinced that our country, as a culture, needs to revisit the idea of AI. We need to recommit to embracing the right values and exemplifying them to the best of our capabilities on a daily basis. Imagine how great we'd be if everyone gave their best at being our best! Imagine if we replaced AI with AI…ALL IN!

Are you in?!

They're Always Watching!

People may not do what you tell them to do, but they WILL do what YOU do, so be careful and deliberate about what you do. As General George Patton said, “We’re always on parade.”

 

It’s the very first Black Thanksgiving! You know, when stores started opening up with HUGE (Yeah, RIGHT!) sales Thanksgiving evening. 

 

My daughter, Elyse, invites me to go with her to Walmart this particular Thanksgiving evening. I love her so much that I accept. Actually, there IS something I want to buy, because it’s “half price!” I never did the research to see what the original price was, but the ad said “half price” so I’m in. ALL IN!

 

Here’s what was bumfoozling, the sale starts at 2300 (11 PM for you non-military folks.). Got that. But Walmart is open 24 hours. How’s THAT gonna work? Not very well, really, read on….

 

We figure there will be a lot of folks taking advantage of all the great sales tonight, so we’d better get there early. If nothing else, we can get in line. I LOVE getting in line. I’ve served in the Air Force for 50 years. I KNOW how to get in line. Sometimes, at a store, I’ll see a line and get in it. I don’t have to know what the line is for. It’s a line. I’ve been trained. I get in it. It’s a habit.

 

SO, we get to Walmart about 2200 (10 PM.) As expected, there are hundreds of people throughout the store. And there are lines. I’m like a puppy on a leash. Let me get in line, PLEASE!

 

Oh, don’t let me leave you hanging. The item I wanted to buy that was “half price” was a trampoline. My daughter, Tesa, has two daughters and I thought it’d be a great gift for them. It actually was.   And it was “half price!” Where’s the line?!

 

Elyse heads to find her own line (She’s been in the Air Force ALL of her life. Literally.). She’s watched me get in line all of her life. So, she, too, knows how to do that. I’m trying to figure out where they might have trampolines. AHA! Let me ask. I notice an already-frazzled manager walking by, so I stop her and ask her. She sighs, one of those “I wish I wasn’t here” sighs and tells me to follow her. She takes me way back to near the tire sales in the corner of the store. She points to this big pallet of boxes under a sign that says “Trampolines.” As I turn to thank her, she proclaims to me, and everyone around, that the sale starts at 2300. Please don’t take the boxes until then.

 

What do people do when they’re told not to do something? What they were told not to do! That’s exactly what happens. The manager leaves and people start putting trampoline boxes on their carts. Now, let me tell you, in case you’ve never bought a trampoline. If you have, you know what I mean. Those boxes are heavy, Man! I’m not sure what the actual weight is, but they have to be several hundred pounds. People are struggling to put their boxes on their respective carts and the carts are barely able to hold them up. And, of course, they don’t fit INSIDE the cart. You just kinda set the box on the cart just to roll it over to the cashier. (BTW, all of the cashier stations are manned for this event! If you shop at Walmart, you know what a surprise that is.) 

 

I’m watching all of these folks put trampoline boxes on their carts and I get to thinking that I better do the same, before they’re all gone. And it seems to be the American thing to do. I’m ALL IN!

 

As I huff and puff, attempting to get this incredibly heavy box onto the cart I “borrowed” from someone who wasn’t paying attention to their cart, hence not protecting it, and you know, you snooze you lose, I hear a voice like out of the heavens ask, “How you doing, Chief?!”

 

Time stops. Like in the movies. I look around and everyone has frozen in their steps. I look toward the source of the voice only to see a couple of my cadets.  At the time I was teaching at the United States Air Force Academy’s Center for Character and Leadership Development. Every cadet had to go through my class. It was a graduation requirement. Which means that they all knew me. “How you doing, Chief?” 

 

“I’m fine,” is my reply. “How are you?” “We’re good. Whatcha doing?” Okay, so what am I going to tell them? “I’m violating what the manager just admonished us are the rules for tonight’s sale. THAT’S what I’m doing!” Okay, Okay, I think it, but, luckily, I know the difference between outer voice and inner voice. I keep it inner voice. “Just trying to make my granddaughters happy,” is my lame reply. “Oh,” they say as they look at each other, then at me, obviously, not sure what I mean. “Well, have a good evening,” they smile, as they keep looking at me.

 

Look. I’m on a fixed income. This item is “half price.” If I don’t take it now, I may not get one. You’d do the same thing, wouldn’t you? Don’t judge me. We’re no different. 

 

Folks, they’re watching! Always! Our followers, our students, our kids. They’re watching us. It’s how they learn. It’s how WE learned. If we’re going to be Leaders of Character we have to live up to, and value, integrity in everything we do. We have to be ALL IN! ALL THE TIME! We have to model what we want others to learn from us. What they see is what they’ll be. (Whew! That was a good sermon, wasn’t it?)

 

I choose to do the right thing. I put the trampoline box back on the pallet. And I become the sheriff. It’s fun, actually. I stand there and, in my command voice, tell folks who are about to put a trampoline box on their cart that the sale won’t start for another half hour or so and that they are not to take them until then. It’s amazing what people will do, or not, when you act with authority. Oh, I get plenty of dirty looks, but I’m used to that. I’m a Chief!

 

Finally, 2300 (11 PM) arrives, I put one of the trampoline boxes on my cart, I look over to see my cadets, but they’re gone, and I pay “half price” for my item. The hardest part is getting that stinking box in my Jeep. As I’m about to walk away, that stressed-out manager comes over and thanks me for maintaining control of that pallet, which was empty by 2305, by the way. Kinda makes me feel good to do the right thing.

 

Integrity is doing what’s right when no one is watching AND when EVERYONE is watching. Someone is ALWAYS watching! Do the right thing anyway. We learn by watching. Make sure that what people are watching you do is BEING integrity.

 

Until next time, be GREAT! You ARE!

 

¡HEIRPOWER!

Leaving a Legacy

 A legacy, by definition, is “a gift.” I looked it up! When you lead, you’re providing a gift to your followers. If you’ve done it right, you’ve given them a gift that they will, in turn, pass on to THEIR followers. That’s the value of leaving a legacy. And we all do...leave a legacy. I’m convinced that most of us, if not all of us, would prefer to leave a legacy of being good leaders.

The other day, I was walking the halls when I noticed a young captain leaning against a wall, looking at his cell phone, probably texting. As I came upon him, he acknowledged me by saying good morning and as he did so, he noticed who I was and smiled as he almost proclaimed, “Chief Vásquez!” People do that! Often, with the expectation that I remember them. I’ve met a lot of people in my short time on this earth. I can’t remember them all. It ain’t old age…it’s the altitude! Anyway, I said hello and, not being able to help myself, I stopped to chat with him. Yeah, I know that not everyone has time to listen to my stories, but most people respect me enough to humor me. I appreciate that.

 

The captain reminded me that he’d been one of my students about seventeen years ago. Man, I REALLY don’t remember that far back! We talked about the workshop he’d attended with me. I asked him if he remembered what I attempted to teach him. He did! Not everything, but some things, which is, I think, enough. What he recalled most was how I made him feel, which was “good.” Empowered is what he described. Empowered to strive to be a better person daily. That’s my legacy.

 

As I said before, we all leave some kind of legacy. What will yours be? When you leave the team, group, organization, that you’re a part of now, what gifts will you have left those who remain? What will they say about you? You know they will, right? What would you LIKE them to say?

 

A decade-and-a-half ago, a good friend and colleague rushes into my office, a concerned look on his face, and proclaims, “Chief!” “Sir,” I reply as I stand for him. He sighs with relief and looks me over as he says, “I just got an email from a friend who told me that Bob Vásquez had died! So, I came in as fast as I could to make sure it wasn’t true!”

 

Now, THAT’S never happened! Plenty of stories about me have been told, but I’ve never known THAT story to circulate! I immediately looked myself over to ensure I truly WAS still alive. I even pinched my arm, just to make sure. Interestingly, a gentleman by the same name HAD passed away. I know because I went over to the library and found the man’s obituary in the local newspaper. He was my age, had two daughters, was originally from New Mexico...there was an uncanny resemblance, not physical, but in life events. I bought a copy of the paper and cut out the obit to look at once in a while to remind me of the inevitable course of life. What’s NOT inevitable is my, your, legacy. I’ll ask again. What gifts will you leave behind? What will they say about you? You can control that to some degree, you know, by your behavior. If you want people to remember you as kind, be kind! Loving? Love! You catch my drift.

 

In my life, the measure of success, especially as a dad, which is one of my most important roles, is that my daughters know that I love them. The test is when I tell them that I love them and they respond with, “I know.” One of my favorite maxims is, “When you came into this world you cried, and the people rejoiced. Live your life in such a way that when you leave this world the people will cry, and you will rejoice.” Strive to leave a legacy that people will appreciate. Start now!

Welcome Home!

 

My daughter, Elyse, graduated from the College of the Ozarks in Branson, Missouri. One summer, as we delivered her to the campus, we found out that they’d just opened the Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater in town. 

 

You’re probably too young to know, but back in the day, all of us youngsters used to watch American Bandstand religiously. It was on television. In black and white. It came on Saturday afternoons. It was our connection to what was hip in the music world. It was hosted by the ageless Dick Clark. Ask your grandparents about the show and Dick Clark. 

 

So, the Dick Clark’s American Bandstand Theater opens up in Branson the same weekend we’re in Branson. The headliner is Paul Revere and the Raiders, one my most favorite groups ever! I MUST see them! I ask Deb, Elyse, and her future husband, Jeremy, to join me. I cop some good tickets and we attend the show.

 

During the show, right in the middle, Paul Revere has EVERYTHING going on on stage that you can imagine, singers, dancers, smoke, fireworks, horses, you name it. As all of these things are happening at once, he, all-of-a-sudden, stands up from his keyboard and shouts, “STOP!” And everything does. And then he says, “All of you Vietnam War Vets, please stand up.” There were half a dozen of us in the audience. We all stood up. And then Paul Revere says, “Welcome home!” He then returns to the show. Sorry. I get a little choked up when I recall this.  

 

You see, all of us vets agreed that day that it was the first time anyone had welcomed us home. Some of my Veteran Brothers were in wheelchairs, some were supported by canes, all were older than I. When we returned from the Far East back decades ago, none of us had received a welcome of any sort. In most cases, it had been the opposite.

 

Many have sacrificed themselves, their health, mental and physical, to protect this great country of ours. Consider thanking them when you get the opportunity. As one of my new friends said that day, “We did it for you!”

The Value of Micromanaging!

Micromanaging Sucks…or DOES it?

We often repeat mantras only because we’ve heard them so often that we believe they’re true. I mean, I read it on social media a bunch of times, so it must be true, right? Not necessarily!

 

Such is the admonition that micromanaging sucks. Please, pardon the vernacular, but it’s often how it’s referred to. Or something to that effect. Like so many things that we’re adamant about, maybe that proposition is true…maybe not.

 

Micromanaging can suck when it’s used to control or force people to perform at less than their peak capabilities. There are folks who apply micromanagement as their only tool to manage and lead. They suck! Again, sorry, for the vernacular, but you know it’s true. Aldous Huxley said that “We shall know the truth and it shall make us mad.” If you’re a manager or supervisor or consider yourself a leader and your default method is micromanaging, seek help. Like, RIGHT NOW! Know this, though. Your followers probably won’t tell you. They’re afraid to! And you may not know it either. Find someone whom you can trust to tell you the truth, not what you want to hear. You’ll appreciate them one day. They may appreciate you more now.

 

Okay, so what’s the value in micromanaging. First, it should only be applied for short periods, not forever. And it should serve the purpose of teaching or helping a follower empower themselves to achieve their peak performance.

 

You have a new teammate who has never done what you hired her to do. You saw great potential in her when you interviewed her, and she has a little training and experience. That’s all good. But this place, and how we do things here, is different. It always is, by the way. You send her to a training course. She finishes at the top of her class. GREAT! You have a choice now, you can assume that she can do the job, or you can ensure that she can do the job. How will you know? Watch her! If she actually CAN do the job to your expectation or better, let her continue. That will empower her. But if she CAN’T, manage her closely until she can. If you hired right, she’ll pick up on it quickly, then you can go do something else. That, too, is empowering.

 

Been there. Done that! I assumed many positions for which I had no training. I had potential. Yeah, RIGHT! Well, I was smart enough to know where to get the training I needed. But a new hire may not be that resourceful. Often, I received an incoming briefing, telling me what I would be doing and how. The trainer always asked if I got it. I’m not gonna be THAT guy and say no. Of course, I nodded my head, while my brain was asking, “What was that all about?” 

 

Don’t use the term but practice the method. Stay close to that person and make sure they know how to do it right. Be there often to ensure she gets it. Once she does, go away. “Oh, I’ll give her feedback in a week, when it’s due,” you say. I don’t know about you, but I can really screw things up in a matter of a week. I’m an overachiever. I’ll quickly learn how to do it wrong, which will be difficult to retrain later. 

 

Micromanaging sucks when you use it incorrectly. There’s value in it when you use it right. 

 

Until next time,

 

Be GREAT!

 

You ARE!

 

¡HEIRPOWER! 

Would You Follow You?

 

This lesson is from my book, PowerPact Leadership Lessons – Leading ME!

 

Would You Follow You?

 

I hope these lessons will generate some thoughts and even actions in your journey toward becoming a PowerPact Leader. Let me leave you with one last question. Would you follow you? 

 

I suppose that the other side of that question is why WOULDN’T you follow you? You can grow into the person/leader you choose. But you have to choose first, then create a plan for doing it. You’ll need the right resources. Next, you’ll have to figure out how and when to do those things that will help you become the leader you already chose to become. Assuming you’ve chosen. Then apply it! To know but not to do is not to know. And, lastly, seek what I call developmental insight from someone you can trust to have your best interests at heart. We often call those people mentors. And keep driving! 

 

People won’t follow you just because you’re designated as their leader. Oh, they may comply with what they must do, but that’s not really following. Followers need a leader, just as leaders need followers. Again, would you follow you? Why? Give your followers a good and powerful reason to follow you. All of the lessons I shared with you here will help you provide them that. And always remember that each person is different from the others. Treat them as valued and valuable individuals and they’ll follow you. As Coach Phil Jackson said, “The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team.”

 

Leading is an art. There’s no “right way.” There are plenty of “wrong” ways, though. Learn from those so that you can affect as many followers as you can, in the “right” ways. Keep striving!

 

I hope to meet up with you again soon, in my next edition of PowerPact Leadership Lessons! Leading OTHERS! Until then, be GREAT! You ARE!

 

Leading One at a Time

 

You’ve probably read or heard, even learned, that leaders lead people. I may be the only person who will ever tell you that that’s wrong. Effective leaders don’t lead people. They lead persons. Persons are individuals who have their own values, purpose, vision, and influences.

 

You’ve also read or heard, even learned, that you have to develop your own leadership style. I may be the only person who will ever tell you that that’s wrong, too. If you only have one style, you’ll alienate everyone on your team except the person or persons who appreciate that one style you have.

 

If you’re going to be an Effective Leader, you HAVE to lead each individual. You HAVE to make that person, for that moment, feel special.

 

My daughter, Elyse, and her four children were at Caribou with Deb and me this summer. There were several times that Opa corralled the kids into the Jeep and took them off to play at the playground a few miles away. That was management. What almost wore me out, in a good way, was that I had to invest time and intentional effort with each of those four persons, in their own way, making each feel special, in an effort to inspire them to love me. It’s the same with being an effective leader. You have to do what you have to do for each individual.

 

As with your followers, I can see and feel when my grandkids feel loved and special. It permeates their spirit. I just finished reading Jon Gordon’s book, The Power of Positive Leadership. I commend it to your reading. Mr Gordon says that “Leadership begins with love.” He goes on to say that “Research from the HeartMath Institute shows that when you have a feeling in your heart, it goes to every cell in the body, then outward—and people up to 10 feet away can sense the feelings transmitted by your heart.” 

 

Leading effectively requires that you love each person. One at a time. The essence of love is unconditional giving. You have to figure out how to give each of your followers what they each need to reach their unique potential. And you do it one at a time. 

 

Until next time,

 

Be GREAT!

 

You ARE!

 

¡HEIRPOWER!

What If?!

 

What if everything isn’t a leadership problem?

What if we teach people to be leaders before and instead of being followers first?

What if we taught people to be considerate?

What if we respected each other instead of trying to manipulate them for our own purposes?

What if we focused more on leading than on being a leader?

What if we focused more on being a courageous follower?

What if we talked more about being humble than being first?

What if we learned that leading is done from the center instead of the front?

What if we found that leaders who pull are more effective than those who push?

What if we valued people for who they are instead of who we want them to be?

What if people chose to follow us?

What if we’ve been wrong all this time?

Then, what?!

Until next time, 

Be GREAT! 

You ARE!

¡HEIRPOWER!

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Every year around this time I’m approached by people with the same question, “Hey, Chief,” they ask,  “why do we have to have Hispanic Heritage Month?  Aren’t we all Americans?”  I never argue that a bit, but there’s more to it.  I’m sure you know we celebrate African-American/Black History Month in February, Women’s History Month in March, Asian-Pacific Month in May, Hispanic Heritage Month in September/October, and Native American Month in November.  The purpose of those observances is to educate those of us who don’t know a lot about those cultures, and to acknowledge the contributions those groups of people have made to our own American heritage. 

 

What makes America great is its diversity.  If you’ll look around you (go ahead, no one’s watching) you’ll notice that what we call America is made up of people from all kinds of cultures, from different parts of the country, or the world. We’re all different yet we’re all the same. We share the same basic values that make us Americans. We’re invested in making our country and the world a better place for all of us to live. We believe in a democratic system of government where the people have a say in what and how we live. What makes America great is that although we have different and diverse needs and desires, even though we’re all different, we’ve been able to synergize all those differences to form one unified family that allows us to be ourselves and expects us to accept each other.

 

         We used to talk about the American Melting Pot.  An honorable idea, but I’m not sure it’s attainable.  Why?  Because there is very little, if any, chance that we’ll all “melt,” that we’ll all assimilate, that we’ll all be the same.  And I’m not so sure we all want to be the same.  I think it was General George Patton who said, “If two of us are thinking the same thing, we don’t need one of us.”  There’s a marked difference between thinking the same thing and thinking with the same purpose in mind. Diversity means we can think differently but attain the same goal.

 

The concept of the American Salad Bowl comes closer to describing the culture we live in.  The illustration of the salad bowl describes a dish that, as a whole, is its own entity, delicious and healthy.  What gives that dish its flavor and wholesomeness is all of the different ingredients that make it one.  Each ingredient adds its own contribution to the whole.  Any part of it that’s missing will affect the end result. 

 

         Dr. Stephen Covey said that “unity is not sameness, it’s complimentariness.”  If we are to be united, we have to be willing to accept, appreciate, and celebrate each other’s differences. 

 

As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, which is 15 September through 15 October, join the fun!  Get involved!  Make time to enjoy the various events scheduled throughout the celebration!  You don’t have to be of, or know a lot about, the culture. The people who have labored hard to organize the events will gladly teach you and will welcome your support.  You’ll learn a lot and you’ll find a kind of gratification you can’t find elsewhere.  The education you gain and the relationships you develop will make you better and they’ll make America better.  Together, we can go forward!  

 

                           ¡ADELANTE!

bob vásquez!

 

Effective Leaders C.A.R.E!

 

Decades ago, I studied with a professor who taught me that “Life is simple…once you understand its complexities.” Profound thought, if you think about it. Similarly, leading is simple, once you understand the complexities. Effective Leaders CARE! That’s it! If you do, you will! CARE and lead, that is. Here’s what it takes.

 

     Effective Leaders are COMPASSIONATE. Two key complexities of being compassionate are being there and being empathic. When you’re NOT there, whether physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually, you’re not leading. You can’t! When you ARE there in those four areas, you’ll have the opportunity to lead. You still may not accept the opportunity, it’s always your choice, but at least you’ll have that choice. Effective Leaders always accept the opportunity. Being empathic requires understanding. That’s all! NO JUDGMENT! That’s the hard part. You have to accept your followers for who they are, not compare them with who YOU are.

 

     Effective Leaders ACKNOWLEDGE presence and presents. You can’t imagine the power of greeting someone, especially eye-to-eye. The eyes don’t lie. They express compassion, or not. Letting someone know that you know that they’re there is critical to being an Effective Leader. And expressing to them that they’re valued because of the gifts they bring to the team will last way longer than the expression itself. 

 

     Effective Leaders RESPECT their followers. On THEIR FOLLOWERS’ terms. We often attempt to show respect on OUR terms. That doesn’t always work. How do you show respect? Ask! “I want to refer to you as (fill-in-the-blank). Is that okay? I want to be respectful. Please tell me if it’s not.” Once you have permission or guidance on how that person sees you as respectful, practice it until it becomes habitual.

 

     Effective Leaders EMPOWER their followers! Okay, no one empowers anyone. That’s a myth. People empower themselves. Telling or making someone do what you want isn’t leading. It’s coercion. Inspiring and equipping your followers to empower THEMSELVES to be their best selves is empowering. When you do that, people will follow you.

 

     See how simple this all is? The complexities are practicing these key components in a consistent way, and with the INDIVIDUALS you intend to lead. We often think that a title or rank or status makes us leaders. NOPE! It doesn’t work that way. The ONLY thing that makes a person a leader is if he or she has followers. Nothing else! If you do what I just suggested, you’ll have followers, which will make you a leader. It’s that simple. And the more you do these things the sooner you’ll become an Effective Leader. Effective Leaders CARE!

 

     ¡HEIRPOWER!

The Ambiguity of ASAP

 

One of the most fulfilling positions I filled during my time as an Airman in the United States Air Force was that of Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Commander of the 92^nd Air Refueling Wing at Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington.

 

I didn’t have a staff to support me, so I “borrowed” my general’s. Actually, they volunteered to support me when I arrived on station. They knew I’d need them before I did. 

 

I was kept pretty busy, physically running around the base, visiting units and people, so I had to use email to ask them for help in completing administrative tasks. I’d often ask them to do something for me ASAP. That means As Soon A Possible, if you don’t know. Most people do know. But what most people don’t know, especially bosses, is the ambiguity of that term.

 

I’d send a note to Technical Sergeant Ramirez, the NCO in charge, with a request ending in “Please take care of this ASAP. Thanks!” I always said “Thanks!” with an exclamation point hoping to inspire some excitement. Most of the time, he or Staff Sergeant Hardy would come to my office, across the hall, and personally tell me that my request had been fulfilled. I always thanked them. They seemed happy to have served me.

 

One day, the Director of Staff, Colonel Larry Jones, came by my office to “chat.” He was a great man and officer. A bit gruff sometimes, but I loved working with him. He was what we called “Straight up.” He started the conversation lauding our support staff. I agreed wholeheartedly. “Do you know how hard they work for you, Chief?” he asked. “For ME, Sir? They don’t work for me. They help me and support me but they’re the general’s staff. I don’t have one.” He replied, “They love you, Chief. And will do anything they have to, to take care of you. They often have more work than they can handle, but when you ask them to do something ASAP, they stop whatever else they’re doing to take care of it and you.” Man, did I ever have an awakening! I didn’t realize that and was grateful that my colonel had brought it to my attention.

 

I invited the staff to join me in my office. I, first, apologized for giving them more work than they already had. And I explained to them that ASAP, to me, really meant as soon as possible, not immediately, but as soon as they could get to it. Being superstars, they had understood it as “now.” I’d thought about this and how to remedy the situation. I suggested that from now on I would be more explicit when asking them to do something. I told them I’d let them know when I need it, not just ASAP, and would gladly hear their suggestions if they couldn’t meet the suspenses. I told them that I appreciated them more than I could tell them. Things worked out better after that. Colonel Jones even thanked me for making the changes.

 

You see, the term, ASAP, is ambiguous. I’ve been late at meeting a suspense before and when I was sounded on it, I told that person that I DID do it as soon as possible. It just wasn’t when he wanted it done. I didn’t feel guilty. He was just ambiguous.

 

If you’re a leader and expect your followers to get done what you need them to do immediately, you’ll probably burn them out without them, or you, realizing it. They’ll give you all they have but it won’t be much soon enough.

 

If you aspire to be an Effective Leader, don’t be ambiguous. Be precise about what you want and when. And always be willing to negotiate the when. Your followers are people, too!

 

Until next time,

 

Be GREAT!

 

You ARE!

 

¡HEIRPOWER!

Take Care of All of Them

 

I hurt my knee a couple of weeks ago. The GOOD one! It took me two weeks to recover. I don’t remember doing anything to hurt it. It just, seemingly, happened. Either way, I had to deal with it. The best thing to do, of course, was to recover from it. So, I did what I could. Now, I’m not a physical therapist of any sort. In fact, I had no idea how to fix it because I’ve never had that type of pain before.

 

Anyway, as I got to thinking about the process of recuperating, I realized that there’s a correlation between how we repair our bodies, maybe our minds, and how we lead. You see, for those two weeks that I was ailing I focused a lot on fixing my knee. At least, getting it back to normal. Normal is different these days, though. You’ll understand one day. Give it about 20 years.

 

It was easy to focus on doing what I needed to do to fix my knee because it hurt. It had my attention from the moment I awakened to the moment I fell asleep. Actually, it hurt while I slept. Anyway, it had my attention. I pretty much HAD to focus on it.

 

What I realized is that as I stretched, worked out, etc, that knee, I neglected the other one, the bad one. I think that’s natural. But in pretty short order the bad one started aching too. Not as badly as the good one, but I started feeling the strain on the bad one because it had to compensate for the good one.

 

Don’t we do that as leaders? Remember the Pareto Principle? It says something like “we spend 80 percent of our time fixing 20 percent of the people.” Something like that. I was investing a lot more time trying to repair the hurt knee while inadvertently putting extra pressure on the other one.

 

As Leaders, when we have a problem or a “problem child,” our inclination will usually be to focus on that. Fix what’s broke. I’m almost okay with that. But what about what’s not broke? What about the 80 percent of the team who are good, even great, workers? Do we neglect them? We usually do. We rationalize that they don’t need our leading or guidance. They’re good to go. Have you ever been on a team or organization where the few get all the attention? And they’re not the most productive ones. The rest of us pull our weight or continue to excel. If it happens often and long enough, eventually, it affects us. And not in a positive way.

 

I remember Old Farts saying that the knees are the first to go. I’m beginning to believe it as I become one. But most of my new aches and pains don’t just happen. They’re the result of wear and tear. Often, in leading, our problems don’t just kick in. They’ve been there for a while, we just didn’t notice or created them through neglect. That’s usually how the knees go. We take them for granted. Until we don’t.

 

We have to deal with the inevitability of time. It will affect all of us. If you aspire to be an Effective Leader, be aware of the time you spend or invest on your people. All of them. Each of them. It’s not as though you can divide your time by the number of folks you lead and invest just that amount in them. They each need to be nurtured. Don’t focus solely on the difficult ones. Be proactive as best you can. Help everyone as they need it so that they don’t become a real pain.

 

Until next time,

 

Be GREAT! 

 

You ARE!

 

¡HEIRPOWER!

To Know, But Not To Do....

 

 

Among many things, I’m a Thought Collector. The thoughts that I collect are often in the form of quotes. One of my favorites is, “To know, but not to do, is not to know.” I’m not sure who said it, but it’s a powerful lesson for aspiring leaders…and followers…Okay, people in general. 

 

I often encourage the development and application of the work ethic. Dictionary.com defines “work ethic” as “the principle that hard work is intrinsically virtuous or worthy of reward.” It goes along with the saying, “Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well.” You’ve, surely, heard or read those two thoughts before.

 

I know that you know this but let me remind you that “intrinsically” means that it comes from you. YOU find the work worthy of doing. You do it because it needs doing. Not because someone will force you to do it. The reward is that you did the work. It identifies you as a team player. A worker. If you’re a leader, you want followers like that. People who are willing to do the work to accomplish the task. If you’re a follower and you want to succeed, do the work!

 

Here's the catch, though…. How do you know it needs doing? That, I believe, takes initiative. Dictionary.com uses the phrase, “initiating action” to describe “initiative.” Doing what needs doing without being told is a powerful trait. Yeah, I mentioned that before when describing work ethic. The two terms are like yin and yang! They go hand in hand. To know, but not to do, is not to know. You know by paying attention and by being respectful of the purpose or mission of the team or organization. You’re constantly looking and observing what needs doing that hasn’t been done and you do it.

 

It really doesn’t matter that you know you should do something. The value of knowing it is in doing it. Once you’ve done that there will be evidence that you know. I’ve had many followers tell me that they knew, or know, what they should do. When I’ve asked them if they did, or have done it, I haven’t always received an affirmative answer.

 

Leaders, Followers, People, if you know that something needs to get done and you know how to do it, then, do it! You’ll impress your leaders, your peers, and maybe even yourself. You’ll get the task done. And life will just be better. Know and do. That’s the key!

 

Until next time,

 

Be GREAT!

 

You ARE!

 

¡HEIRPOWER!