Lessons in Leadership
By: Terry Nicholas
EMSIS Virginia Commonwealth University
Terry Nicholas
Lessons in Leadership
This is dedicated to my circle which includes all of you.
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Contents
Acknowledgments
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Preface
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1: I will always lead with compassion and morals
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2: I will always lead with Trust
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3: I will always lead with Authenticity, Honor and Integrity
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4: I will always practice Good Values
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5: I will always lead from the Heart
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6: I will always make it all about them
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7: I will always focus on their strengths not their weaknesses
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8: I will always think coach not manager, develop new leaders
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9: I will always display courage
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10: I will always lead myself
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Acknowledgments
To my family and friends - I would first like to thank who else but my son, Norrin Nicholas, for keeping me in the house and out of trouble on those Friday and Saturday nights. I really enjoyed the Cartoon Network nights. You are already turning into a fine young man. To his mother April Steed thanks for giving me the greatest gift in the world. I also want to thank my mother, Thelma Nicholas, my sister Karen, my brother Keith, and both of my grandmothers who mean the world to me. Raymond Allen for being the best dad I could ask for. To my brothers for life: Edward Hunter, Michael Cherry, Tim Taylor, Curtis White, John Lundy (VCU), James Barrett (VCU), Terry Granderson and Ryan McCarthy. Thank you to all of my brothers from the U.S. Navy Honor Guard, we never saw black or white, only Navy gray. My best friend for life Daniel Ivy whom I’ve been best friends with since the 8th grade…22 years says it all. Erika Nixon my best girl friend of 11 years. I want to thank all of my former coworkers at Federal Express especially my former manager Tina Journell for recognizing so much in me, and my current coworkers at Virginia Premier Health Plan, Inc. Christine Glorioso, you have been like a little sister to me and I couldn’t have gotten this far without you. This doctrine was created at the request of Joe Cipolla a great leader and one of the VCU’s Executive Masters programs finest instructors. I hope I get to work for someone like you someday. Thanks to the people whom have helped to shape my professional career beginning with my Leadership Coach Dr. Jean Gasen, you have been the most important person I’ve met in a long time, thank you for making me aware and giving me so much insight, Dr. Jim Wynne for the inspiration and convincing me to pursue my Masters, my mentor Donald Jones for the great advice, and Maureen Carley for giving all of us the chance. For their support I would like to thank Dr. Richard Redmond, Manoj Thomas, Dr. Peter Aiken, Dr. Weistroffer, and Kevin Grant. To Master Chief Graf, Master Chief Covington, and Captain Dom Meoli for teaching me strength and great character. Thanks to the entire graduating Class of 2008 for going on this journey with me, we did it! Last but definitely not least an extra special thanks to my Coaching Group, Cheri Spence, Keith Jones, John Skaritza, and Michael Kidd.
…… to a very special woman that I’ve grown to know and admire the past year, thank you for everything you’ve given me and continue to give me. Your words of encouragement mean the world to me. tau….
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Preface Whenever you mention Leadership most people think of someone associated with the Military or a great leader from history's past. Someone like the great Spartan King Leonidas from the movie 300, General George Washington from our Pre-Revolutionary War days, or even Spanky from the Little Rascals. Or maybe even Moe from the 3 Stooges. He was a leader right? I mean, you have to be a leader to get someone to eat a bowl of cement passed off as oatmeal. What do I think?? When I think of leadership I think of any ordinary person throughout history who possesses a certain quality or number of qualities. It can be any person from any point in time, having great influence over another individual or a group of individuals. Although we may have our own image of what a leader is, there is no clear image of a leader. Some trait theories of leadership say Leaders are more handsome, taller and more intelligent. If that’s the case then I qualify by default! But in my eyes that’s not the case. In my opinion, influencing people is a big part of being a leader and it is a necessity if you truly wish to become a leader. Influencing people means never having to force someone to do something and your level of influence begins with building the relationship. People like to have the feeling that they are doing something because they want to do it not because you’re making them. That way you'll have their complete buy in and their total commitment. Throughout my years, I have read about and encountered different leadership styles and techniques, some of them despicable and some of them great. Some of them greater than others. I’ve also learned that every Leader has his or her own style of leadership along with various leadership traits. With the help of this program, I’ve discovered my Leadership style and I realized that a lot of the things that I was already doing were contributing to my growth as a Leader, namely displaying drive, initiative, confidence, courage and most importantly caring. The Leadership style that I relate mostly to is Authentic Leadership. Authentic Leadership to me means being your true self, leading with your heart and making that “Heart-Head” connection. My style of leadership is a combination of a lot of things. Things such as my observations, life’s experiences, and the important people in my life, and of course, fatherhood have given me more value than I could ever hope for. I have documented for my guidance a list of principles from which I choose to guide myself. I hope they can inspire you as much as they’ve inspired me.
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I will always lead with compassion and morals "To measure the man, measure his heart." - Malcolm Stevenson Forbes Morals are one of the most important characteristics of being a leader, not merely having them but exercising them. It starts at a young age and at home with the basic teachings that we all received as children. It is the goodness or lack of goodness in a person’s heart. It involves conforming to the standard of what is right or virtuous for any given situation. I feel that moral judgment, our interpretation of the basic teachings, are pretty consistent from person to person. The problem comes in with how we apply or interpret those rules that determine whether or not our behavior is morally acceptable. Some people say your morals are what you do when no one is looking and it answers questions such as; whether or not you’ll return a wallet empty or with the money in it when you found it? Whether or not you stand by idly as an elderly person gets mugged? It will even decide what you do in times of crisis that calls for split second decision making. Most importantly, morals will keep you out of jail and enable you to sleep at night. I heard a saying once from an old Japanese Samurai movie that said “Always live your life with nothing to hide under the sun”. That saying is in my head 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your morals are what guide you day to day and should be the voice of reason for any situation. I always say that it’s easy to get in trouble, but it’s hard to stay out of trouble. It’s easy to go along with the wrong crowd and engage in everything against your teachings. It’s hard to remain morally upright and remember those teachings when so many people; politicians, religious figures, government officials and others are so corrupt. It gives you an easy excuse. “Oh well this person stole millions, but I’m going to only steal thousands”. Be a leader! We were all taught right from wrong whether it came through a casual conversation with our parents and teachers or sometimes from a paddling from our parents…and if you were me, teachers also. That’s what happens when you misbehave or go against your teachings. Well unless you were taught wrong or as my Aunt would say “raised in a barn”. We were also taught that all men are created equal and with that we should treat everyone the same. Compassion means understanding others and being able to relate to them regardless of backgrounds, similarities or dissimilarities. When you understand someone what you’re really doing is accepting them for who they are; faults included. Showing concern for the personal lives of others should not only be practiced at work but in our everyday lives. If you practice good morals and compassion at home on a daily basis, then it will resonate everywhere else. Do we walk past that man on the street begging for change with our noses in the air or do we reach into our pocket and give him the change that he asks for? I say the answer to that depends on how you were raised and what you believe in. I believe that all men’s hearts are great and that I live my life with the idea of what hurts me, will also hurt you. Remember, everyone has a story. I will always lead with Trust "No soul is desolate as long as there is a human being for whom it can feel trust and reverence." - T.S. Eliot The principle of Trust – the good stuff! Trustworthiness is another important quality that all leaders must have. It comes in many forms. It can mean trusting you with important information or an important assignment; trusting that you'll be there and display the courage and leadership required but more importantly it can mean trusting that you'll do as you say and keep your promises. Hell, it can also mean trusting you with my woman while I’m at work! I’m sure that has ended a lot of friendships. Personal story - my best friend since the 8th grade and I have NEVER gotten into an argument, well unless it’s about who bought the last round. We have always had trust because when you really put it into perspective, no relationship, situation, or amount of money is worth 22 years, and climbing, of friendship. I've always said that a person’s trust is a powerful weapon and if abused it can hurt a single person or several thousand people. A lack of trust can change a person's attitude towards you and their job, that's why it’s important to consistently demonstrate your trustworthiness. When I think of trust I immediately think of “walking the talk” – doing what you say you will do. When you say you will do something, do it! No more, no less. I have always felt that at the end of the day your word is all that you have. If your trust is lost then your influence over the people in which you lead will eventually 6
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erode. If you don’t demonstrate your trustworthiness how do you expect them to continue to follow you? I don't think that they will suddenly cease to follow you after one bad decision but over time it will definitely hurt your credibility or trustworthiness. In Company X, the issue of trust is prevalent. The Executive Branch, our Leaders, don't trust one another. They don't trust their decision making skills, they don't trust their conversation and they don't trust one another’s character. Any outsider with a keen eye can see it. The CEO, who in my opinion has one of the biggest hearts I’ve seen and kind of reminds me of an old Navy Officer, is caught in the middle of the bickering, distrust, and finger pointing. A person's character is very important in trust because a person with weak character or poorly disciplined won't be trust worthy. John C. Maxwell, one of my favorite authors and an expert on leadership says "Character communicates respect", which to me means that a person with low character will not be respected because respect can’t be taken, it can only be asked for. Your character demonstrates your trust level. You ask for it by demonstrating that you are capable of acting in a person’s best interest and that you VALUE their trust and the responsibility that comes with it. If the Executive Branch at Company X doesn’t trust one another, how do they expect the people under them trust them? Trust is a two way street. Always has been… always will be. I will always lead with Authenticity, Honor and Integrity "Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." -Paul Wellstone An Authentic Leader is a person that chooses to lead his or her life with integrity, not only are they true to others but they are true to themselves. Your integrity deals with the “quality” of your character. This year in our Coaching groups we were taught self-awareness; knowing who you are, your strengths and weaknesses and improving in those areas. At the beginning of the program the results of my 360 Leadership Circle made me aware that I had a low integrity level. Not that I’m a person of low integrity, but because the people I work with me view me as being very ambitious and driven and because of that, they don’t know whether my authenticity was real or an act to get something I wanted. This is something I take very seriously and I’ve always led my life as honestly as possible. It’s also a combination of being reserved at sometimes, and now that I’m aware, a little bit arrogant. I feel I’m this way at times because it’s taken me a lot to get here and I’m very proud of my accomplishments. However the job is not done, I know I have room for improvement. I can sit here and tell you that over and over again but more than saying it, I have to convince people of it. A challenge I more than willingly accept. I will always live my life in accordance with the words I speak. I deeply believe in myself, my convictions, and my principles and I will always honor them. My character and the way people view me means more to me than anything. I will always act as though my character is on the line and will be questioned. Always set the example so that when people speak of you they praise you like you were from the stars above. Be transparent and show honor like a 17th Century Samurai warrior!
I will always practice Good Values "When I do good I feel good; when I do bad I feel bad; that is my religion." - Abraham Lincoln Values are what we hold to be true; they are what we worship and how we choose to live our lives. Some people choose to follow a particular religion while some people choose to follow nothing at all. Others like me inherit values from a parent. In my case it was my mother Thelma Nicholas. My mother raised me to see the good in all men and to be aware of the bad. She is a humble woman that asks for nothing out of life except good health and to see her children do well. She didn’t get the opportunity to finish school, only making it to the 11th grade before dropping out and going to work. To this day she has held the same job, working in housekeeping for Southside Virginia Training Center for 33 years and at the ripe old age of 58 she shows no sign of retiring. I never heard my mother complain once about her job or about my biological father not taking care of his responsibilities. He was never in the picture. She would tell me stories of how he only had to pay $30 per month for 3 kids and would quit his job once they started garnishing his checks. She never used it as an excuse so I never used it as an excuse not to be a father to my son. She was too busy taking care of her children to complain. She woke up every morning around 5:30 a.m. to walk us a half mile or so down a country road to my Grandmother’s house where we caught the bus to school and everyday at 5 she would be there rain, 7
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sleet or snow to pick up her 3 kids and walk us back home. This continued for several years until she finally got the nerves to get a license at the age of 33. We lived in a 4 room house, kitchen, living room and 2 bedrooms. Our bathroom was outside and we had to go to a neighbor’s house to fill up the water buckets. My mother would sometimes wake up my brother and me in the middle of the night to go fill up the water buckets if she thought it was going to snow and freeze our neighbor’s waterlines. As I grew older I would often become embarrassed carrying water buckets across the road where all of my friends could see me, not to mention I lived right behind the high school and would soon be attending it. Given my mothers education we didn’t have a lot of money. We mainly depended on her income to keep the lights on, clothes on our backs and other necessities. Our food was purchased every month with food stamps. Having to go to the store with food stamps also required a bit of humility. I wouldn’t dare show my mother that I was embarrassed or ashamed to use food stamps; it would have probably hurt her. That would be the same as saying I’m embarrassed of her and that was never the case. Growing up I never understood the value of a dollar or what it meant to have an allowance. I would often wonder why I couldn’t have a lot of the things that other kids had but now I completely understand and I love her for it. I also understand that my mother placed her value in her children; feeding them and keeping them safe. Now as I look back I see how strong she really was and how much her values are now my values. I value relationships and the people I forge them with. Their happiness and safety means a lot to me. I tend to worry more about family, friends, and direct reports more than I worry about myself, money and material wealth. I guess it comes from knowing that no matter what happens to my surroundings, I’ll be alright. Also that my destiny is in my own hands and my life will be what I choose to make it. One of my choices was to break the cycle of not being there for my son and falling into the stereotype. As an African-American male growing up with no father, I could have fallen into the trap of selling drugs, robbing, fighting, and just being a destructive teenager but I knew my mother had taught me much better than that. Somewhere between making peanut butter-njelly sandwiches and chasing me with a switch, she managed passed on her values to me. I place no value in money other than it being able to provide a future for me and my son, pay bills, give a little to charity, and to buy him a bunch of stuff that he’ll either lose or break. Our values are what we hold dear, and true happiness comes with following those values. Demonstrating good values is also contagious. I vow to always live by my values and to use them to help guide my career.
I will always lead from the Heart "If you find it in your heart to care for somebody else, you will have succeeded." - Maya Angelou Follow your heart! Caring about people should be the first thing on any leader’s list. If you don’t care for someone how can you expect them to trust you or be loyal to you? I was always taught to care for people. This was another thing my mother taught me. She cared for family, friends, pets, and strangers…you name it and she cared for it. I don’t know much about my mother’s childhood or what made her the way she is but the caring and love she has shown over my lifetime has greatly impressed me. I believe in caring for those that can’t care for themselves. It’s part of our jobs as Americans or human beings for that matter, to care for each other. In speaking with my mentor Donald Jones, I’ve learned a lot about caring for the people that look to you for leadership. Donald is probably one of the most caring leaders that I know personally and he is someone I always look forward to talking to. He understands what it means to care for people and he puts others needs before his own. We briefly spoke about the “Heart-Head” connection and what it takes to get there. He even mentioned that I was on my way. I had heard of this connection before but didn’t know what it meant until he and I spoke and coming from someone like him makes it that much more meaningful. The way I care for people and how I conduct myself is the way I’ve been since a youth and I will continue to do so. I will always lead with my heart and care for the people that I serve.
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I will always make it all about them "People don't care what you know, until they know that you care." - John C. Maxwell Take care of your people and they'll take care of you is what I always say. Make them feel as though they are just as important as the CEO. Value the social contract and always keep it in mind when making decisions. If you show people that you believe in them then they will believe in themselves. Throughout my life I’ve never been one to shy away from the opportunity to create a relationship or to engage in an interesting conversation with other individuals. Regardless of race, age, ethnicity or sex the conversation can be tailored for each individual. I believe that everyone has a story and no story is the same and by conversing with a person for a few minutes you can gain valuable information about the person, which in turn makes the journey of work more enjoyable. If you build the relationship or the bridge, the connection will occur naturally. It doesn’t take much to show someone you care. A simple “how are you?” or “how was your weekend?” can open many doors to conversations. In some cases a question as difficult but as easy as “So tell me about yourself.” is all it takes. Some people draw small circles in which they include themselves and their immediate family. Others draw a bigger circle that will include their immediate family and a few close friends. I chose to draw my circle so great that it includes everyone I come in contact with. I will always live by this principle and show everyone around me how much I care about them. I will always focus on their strengths not their weaknesses "The ultimate leader is one who is willing to develop people to the point that they eventually surpass him or her in knowledge and ability." Fred A. Manske, Jr. The best feeling that I can possibly get from leading people is the feeling that comes with watching someone FINALLY get it! Whatever it is, just help them get it. It’s a great enjoyment and feeds me tremendously. If you’ve never tried it, give it a shot. During our 6th week of boot camp, once we learned to put our shoes on the correct foot and pee by ourselves, we were tasked with training the new recruits on the ways of the U.S. Navy and they were VERY strict. More strict than what you’re used to at home. Our platoon had several officers which include, an Educational Petty Officer, Athletic Petty Officer (yours truly), Mail Petty Officer, Laundry Petty Officer, Compartment Petty Officer and several others. They were all tasked with very important responsibilities and were depended on heavily to perform at peak levels. At the top of this hierarchy was the Platoon Leader whose job it was to keep us on schedule from 4 a.m. until 10 p.m. Quick story about our Platoon Leader. While marching he used to get his left’s and right’s mixed up which made the whole platoon look like complete idiots to the older platoons, the newer platoons and, most of all, the Officers. Imagine an entire platoon marching; in cadence when he calls “Right turn, March!” Then all of a sudden half of the platoon goes right and the other half following him goes left because he goes left. Pretty funny sight huh? Well we got tired of it and one night when he went to sleep we painted an ‘L’ on his left hand and an ‘R’ on his right. It stayed on his hand until it faded away… but we never had that problem again. Now back to the story. The way these jobs were determined was by simply applying for whatever position you felt you were strongest at. Therefore I took on the responsibility of turning these spoiled out of shape kids into lean, mean fighting machines. The closest some of them had ever gotten to a push-up was looking for a sock underneath the bed. In the beginning it was tough. If you’ve never seen a 6’6 adult male cry from not being able to run a few extra yards or do 2 more sit-ups it can be a pretty pathetic sight. Your first thought is “you gotta be shittin’ me?” but each of these individuals had the ability to go the extra mile, they just never had a reason….until now. Now that I look back at it, compassion was also used to help them reach their goals. In basic training, you don’t get to the next level unless you pass the previous level. You’ll just get ASMODED which means that girlfriend, whose picture you carried around neatly tucked in your sock throughout boot camp, won’t get to see you at the end of the eight weeks. You have to say “honey I can’t see you because my arms felt like spaghetti noodles and I did 32 push-ups and not 35”, to some those words are more than enough. For others you have to search a little bit deeper, but they all have a flashpoint. You tell them what they’re good at and get them to focus on that but to not lose sight of their weakness. By doing this you get them so excited about what they do well that eventually they’re doing an extra 10 – 15 push-ups or sit-ups instead of dropping under the minimum. When they finally notice what they’re doing it’s amazing and you get that feeling I spoke 9
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about and they’ll never forget it. Believe me, I know. I was on the receiving end of a long distance running lesson after boot camp. While awaiting my next assignment, I was in a temporary holding unit waiting on a clearance. With nothing else to do I decided to train with a few of the navy seals, one in particular, who I’ll call Lance Watts, became a close friend of mine. At the time I was about 6’4 170lbs on a full stomach with change in my pocket. If you don’t already know it these guys are wired completely different than you and I. His means of motivating me were to simply leave me - that’s it. He challenged me to lace ‘em up and try to stay with him. One day I said to him “you’re not going to leave me this time”. His reply was “well you better get started.” You see Lance knew my strength was not failing. I’ll never forget that day because I thought my heart was going to explode. I didn’t finish exactly neck and neck with him but I did complete it a few seconds after he did. He looked at me proudly and said “you did it”, he even let me keep the shoes I had borrowed from him because I didn’t have running shoes. Not to mention after so much running it probably wasn’t healthy to give them back. My next assignment took me to Anacostia Naval Station in Washington, D.C. where I became a member of the United States Ceremonial Honor Guard. The mentality I had and the things I had learned quickly placed me at the top of my training platoon. During our 5 a.m. PT’s I always led the pack running around the base and I would often wonder what Lance was doing or where he was. I figured he was saving someone’s life or doing something heroic. I try to give what Lance gave me and I’ll never forget him because he helped me finally “get it”. I will always think coach not manager, develop new leaders "It is a fine thing to have ability, but the ability to discover ability in others is the true test." - Elbert Hubbard The mentality I have is that when someone says “I can’t” it really means “will you help me?” That’s sometimes easier than just coming out and asking for help. We all have the answers to our own questions; we just don’t know the questions. The one person that I have grown to love beyond belief is my Leadership Coach Dr. Jean Gasen. It’s well known that she’s been the biggest influence over me throughout the program. She’s the one that asks me all the tough questions. You know the ones that you already know the answers to but are too afraid to ask yourself? Well she has a talent for it. It’s a genuine interest in wanting to know what makes a person tick and I’ve learned so much simply by observing Jean and her interactions with my peers. She asks questions like “how does that make you feel?”, “what’s another option?” or “what would you like to do and when will you do it?” At first it was a little strange having to search inside for answers but it quickly became my favorite part of the program. I enjoyed it so much that I took her assignments back to work with me and gave them to my test subject, Christine Glorioso. Christine is one of my analysts and she loved them. It got to a point where she would send me an email asking for another assignment or reading. I’m an eye witness to what good coaching can do and I realize the value in becoming a coach and not a manager. Managers manage processes; Coaching approaches the person’s work/life in its entirety and strives to find balance in all that they do. It gives a person the confidence to do anything he or she puts their mind to and helps them realize who they are. I attribute the “Heart-Head” connection I’m beginning to make to Coaching. It is a positive component that is highly needed in the workplace. It has definitely made me a better leader and a more understanding manager. I’ve been tasked with creating a high performing team at work and the coaching techniques that I’ve learned will be an important tool to help me achieve the desired results. No matter where I end up or what I end up doing the Coaching mentality will always be with me.
I will always display courage "A ship is safe in the harbor but that's not what ships are for." - William Shedd Courage is a difficult topic for some people to discuss because we all like to think we’re courageous. The actual test doesn’t come until you’re put into a situation that calls for courage and how you handle yourself will be noticed and remembered by all. Courage involves a sacrifice that most people aren’t willing to make; money, position and in some cases the ultimate sacrifice…. life. Our Founding Fathers had courage, the courage to defy an entire country. During the slavery period a 10
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young African-American woman at the age of 29 showed great courage by leading approximately 300 slaves to freedom to the North and even into Canada by what was called the Underground Railroad. Around the time of the civil rights movement a young reverend displayed courage to all races of men by leading the fight for equal rights. In today’s time our U.S. Armed Forces proudly defend this country in what is hands down in this day and age the greatest act of courage possible. Our freedom and safety comes at the expense of sacrifice, whether we make it or not is completely up to us. As an AfricanAmerican male I often question or wonder if I would have been as courageous as those slaves that chose to rebel? Or would I simply accept things the way they are and hope someone comes to rescue me. Would I risk my life at the threat of a policeman’s baton, a vicious German shepherd or even a service revolver? Even today I ask myself if I would be willing to fight on the frontline to defend this country and everything she represents. In most cases, the answer is yes. When you’re willing to commit yourself to a cause, or to sacrifice your life or to even live for something other than yourself that is when you’re courageous. I stopped living for myself 11 years ago when my son was born. I knew I could no longer look at things and only ask how I will be affected. I had to now look at every situation as though my son’s life depended on me making the right decision. It takes courage to be a father at a young age and to face the responsibility that comes with it. My life’s experiences have made me strong and I think I am very courageous. Courage is a very important leadership quality and it makes people feel safe knowing that you will speak up for them. I will always have the courage to speak the truth, I will always stand up for what I believe in, and I will always defend those who I believe are right.
I will always lead myself "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." - Martin Luther King, Jr. The most difficult part of being a leader is leading oneself. Everyday you turn on the television you see some politician, or person of importance, engaging in activities that are completely opposite of what they stand for or preach. Whether they’re picking up hookers, embezzling money, or betraying the public’s trust and sometimes it’s all 3 at once! They always seem to be into something and they never learn from their mistakes. They aren’t walking the talk. You see people getting arrested for criminal acts they forgot their values or perhaps have no values. You also see people making the most ridiculous comments imaginable and later having to explain themselves or even retract them. CEO’s gone wild. In each case they failed to lead themselves. How do they expect to lead the public if they can’t lead their own selves and do what’s right? Leading yourself simply means following all of YOUR leadership principles and committing yourself to do what’s right. Realize that you have an obligation to the people you are responsible for, the ones that chose to tell you their personal stories, to follow you and to give you their sacred trust. They only ask in return that you live up to the social contract that you signed when you agreed to become their leader. I’m sorry…when they allowed you to be their leader. You don’t have to be in a leadership position to follow leadership principles. You don’t even have to write them down, but it helps. Just make the commitment and hold yourself to a higher standard before you hold others to it and know that you’re always being watched!
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The End
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