Lee Ellis's Blog, page 194

How to strengthen your core leadership identity

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Natural confidence in leadership can make us believe that our core identity is safely locked in a vault. But the reality is that the elements of our core are only loosely gathered, and we must choose and commit to them repeatedly. There’s a constant assault by our temptations, fears, and insecurities, and we are especially at risk when there is something that we really want, like power, money, fame, acceptance or pleasure.

Last month we talked about our core identity being anchored in our values, beliefs, and purpose –  

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Now, let’s go a layer deeper and see how core identity is developed.

Brutally Facing My Core Identity

In October 1967, I had no birthday celebration, but on the 7th of November my life changed drastically as a 23-year old flying combat missions in Vietnam; that day would be forever etched in my mind. Shortly after 4pm, my fighter pilot identity meant nothing as I was shot down and captured in enemy territory. The real question now was would my core identity measure up to be a warrior in a new uniform—the black pajamas they gave me in the Hanoi Hilton.

Ultimately in good times or bad times, it’s our core identity that determines who we are. Apart from all of the other roles, hobbies, and labels in our lives, core identity can only be sustained by a daily battle for our character that is fortified by courage and commitment and anchored in our spiritual core. Here’s a magnified look at these elements –

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The Core Identity of Politicians

If you don’t believe that our core identity is what’s really crucial to honorable leadership, just look around at the famous folks who are biting the dust, with some ending up behind bars. Thankfully in that solitude, they’re pressured to come face to face with their core identity like I did.

It’s election season, so let’s analyze the generally weak core identity of politicians. Their success is  dependent on getting others to see them a certain way—name and face identity, and their words are so critical to their success. But it’s a tough role to play.

There is so much pressure to look good to everyone, to make everyone think they’re going to do something that will benefit their respective cause. It’s an identity that seems almost built for seduction and duplicity. There are good politicians, but I believe that the pressure to get elected creates huge temptations:

They play up to one constituency and then turn quickly to another group and attempt to lure them into the fold.
They promise things they know they cannot, will not, and don’t even want to do.
They spout “facts” about their opponents that they know aren’t factually true.
They intentionally mislead without any accountability.

This vacillating core identity is why politicians are losing our trust, and not surprisingly the approval rating for Congress has hovered around 17-19% for several years now.

“President Ronald Reagan once remarked, ‘It has been said that politics is the second oldest profession. I have learned that it bears a striking resemblance to the first.’” [Tweet This]

In the extreme example of a weak core identity, it’s easy to see and understand how people can get off track. But let’s bring it back to the individual—you and me. How can we strengthen our core?

Three Core Principles

To live and lead with honor from your core is an active battle for our soul and everything we say we stand for. The consequences of allowing our core to weaken will eventually come, and they can be severe. Here are three critical components for keeping true to your core identity:

Character is the outward evidence of your spiritual core. As legendary basketball coach John Wooden once said, “The true test of a man’s character is what he does when no one is watching.”
Courage means leaning into the pain of your doubts and fears to do what you know is right even when it doesn’t feel safe or natural.
Commitment is the willingness to stay the course, to do your duty, to keep your promises to yourself and others. It means you’re responsible 24/7.

Exercising the Core Identity Muscle

To help you exercise and strengthen your core every day, adopt a set of principles that you can memorize and apply. The seven behaviors in our Honor Code are simple, logical, and when followed will serve as a fortress to guard your core identity. Download them, post them at your desk or on your mirror, and commit to them. For me personally, they’re a reminder of who I am and what I’m committed to be.

“Shakespeare’s Polonius offered simple, profound advice to his son Laertes when he sent him off to Paris – ‘To thine ownself be true; thou canst not then be false to any man.[1]'” [Tweet This]

And as an honorable leader who goes first, be sure to vote. And look for candidates whose identity is authentic and honorable. Our country desperately needs those kinds of leaders. Download our free Voter Evaluation Guide if you need help in this area. LE

>>>Read the first article in this series – “Defining Your Core Leadership Identity: Back to Square One”

Personal Development for Your Core Identity

[image error]Lee’s award-winning book, Leading with Honor, is the syllabus for learning the leadership lessons from the Hanoi Hilton that enabled him and his comrades to return home with honor. These 14 lessons will change affect your leadership influence and resilience. Group savings available for group study, too.

Purchase Leading with Honor

 

 

Sources:

[1] Shakespeare, Hamlet.

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How to Authentically Connect with Others

Leading with Honor Tip: What is it like when you work with a highly competent, skilled colleague that has little ability to connect with others? In my experience it’s frustrating and mentally draining! This soft skill of connecting with others is the art of leadership. You must connect in two ways:

Connect based on each person’s unique design. It requires communicating and managing people differently based on their natural DNA behaviors, and it gets tangible results if you can master it.
Connect with the heart. This action includes things such as listening, supporting, encouraging, believing in, and almost any action to connect to the deepest needs of another person in a positive, respectful, and honoring way.

Why does this work?

Connecting with others energizes them with positive emotions that give hope and confidence.
They empower people to perform better and work harder.
In short, they enable us to produce more and better results.

The old mindset of focusing only on results, without taking time to encourage the heart is a losing proposition in the long run. Please add your experience and comments by posting them below – thank you

Please read the entire article on this topic – “2 Behavioral Ways to Better Connect in Leadership”

 

 

 

 

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College Institution Training Behaviorally Smart Leaders

We’re ecstatic about these comments from a recent Leading with Honor Training Workshop on team behavioral dynamics. Grateful that this college institution is training a new generation of honorable leaders!

“Entire presentation from Lee Ellis! He is a fantastic presenter and teacher. The behavioral analysis gave tools on how we can strengthen areas to become a better leader. Also, to better understand others and how to become a better leader with employees who may have a different behavioral analysis than that of ours. The Leadership Behavior Training Guide will be a valuable tool that I will refer to often!”
“I’ve been through the MBA program, read countless leadership books, listened to many speakers, videos, you name it. This session finally helped me craft my vision for balancing my goals as a leader. I accomplished this by taking the test, discussing results, asking questions, and realizing the changes I need to make. There was an exchange and a growing of wisdom that occurred in this session.”
“By far one of the best and most comprehensive assessments I have gone through. Very useful, tangible information that I can immediately begin to use and implement.”
“Discussing the different types of leadership styles, the different traits for each one.  I know it will be helpful as I continue in a leadership role to think about the people I interact with and what their natural style is as well.”
“Mr. Ellis’s experience in leadership is very impressive. The LBDNA analysis is something that I will use to continuously improve my behavioral traits as I move forward in my career. I learned many things about myself and identified several areas where my strengths reveal weaknesses that I need to work on consistently to become a better, more balanced leader. This is one of the best leadership training sessions that I have ever attended. Mr. Ellis is an engaging speaker, and his expertise shines through in his training sessions.”
“The Leadership Behavior DNA assessment was very useful, but the discussions regarding strengths and struggles and how to maximize our strengths and work on our struggles was the most valuable. It was a great session.”
“I was able to identify natural behavior and because of it, I will be better able to articulate my behavioral style and how I tend work to those who work with me.  In knowing my natural behavior, I will be able to improve and lead in areas where it feels at times uncomfortable.  As time comes, hopefully I will be able to shift and adapt in various leadership situations that I encounter.”
“It was great to hear from Lee regarding his personal experiences with leadership. I also appreciated the idea behind focusing on individual’s strengths rather than the struggles. As a leader, I plan to try to take those strengths and utilize them to outshine the struggles and to try to teach those with whom I work to do the same.”

Learn More about Leading with Honor Training using the Leadership Behavior DNA® Assessment

[image error]Want a quick, free snapshot of the the assessment? Take the Leading with Honor Assessment and receive a 1-page abbreviated report. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Leadership training is just like physical training

Leadership training is just like physical training—those muscles must be used to build up strength and endurance.

Leading with Honor Group Training gives you and your team a step-by-step plan to learn the 14 leadership lessons from the POW Camps of Vietnam.

Please learn more in the Online Store —savings packages available.

 

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This training program includes a Leader Guide, Participant Guide, and book along with online video clips.

 

 

 

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On This Day in Leadership History, October 28th

On this day in leadership history in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor by U.S. President Cleveland. The statue weighs 225 tons and is 152 feet tall. It was originally known as “Liberty Enlightening the World.”

What’s the leadership lesson? As honorable leaders, we can’t underestimate the power of a gift given (whether large or small). Be intentional about honoring others in this way as often as possible.

Status of Liberty – Wikipedia

 

 

 

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Leading with Honor Wisdom for Today, October 26, 2018

“Leadership consists of character and strategy. If you can’t have both, opt for character.” – General Norman Schwarzkopf

 

 

 

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Lessons in Leadership from a Squadron Janitor

Have you read this surprising, inspirational story of William Crawford? He was an unimpressive figure, one you could easily overlook during a hectic day at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Mr. Crawford was our squadron janitor.

Read this story on the Officers Christian Fellowship website, and share your comments below.

 

 

 

 

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Uplifting Testimonial from Joy

I’m always humbled and grateful for those individuals that kept me in my thoughts and prayers so many years ago—thank you, Joy, for this latest reminder –

“I never looked up who you were until I found my bracelet again that I had worn in high school many years ago (graduated in 1975) . I could never throw it away for whatever the reason, and came across it again as I was moving and decided to look on the internet in hopes to find out that you did make it home. I’m happy to know that you’re doing well in your work and you have prevailed.”

Learn more about the POW story of me and my comrades.

 

 

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The Latest Recommendation from Lee’s Bookshelf – “The Firefly Effect”

The Latest Recommendation from Lee’s Bookshelf – “The Firefly Effect: Build Teams That Capture Creativity and Catapult Results” by Kimberly Douglas.

Comparing the difficult act of harnessing and capturing creativity to the act of catching fireflies on a summer night, she explains what to do when the fireflies don’t show up (or when creativity dries up) and how to know when it’s time to find a new meadow (or a new approach, place or process).

One other reviewer said about Kim’s book, “Whether you are a team leader, a project leader, or maybe just put in charge of a one-time meeting. . .or even are just a participant in a meeting, this great book will help you appreciate HOW to run a better meeting, or simply how to be a better participant and contributor, whichever side of the aisle you find yourself.” – Bob Littell, Chief Netweaver, Netweavers International

Please learn more about this book on the Good Reads website, or you may also purchase on Amazon.com.

And if you’ve read this book, please comment below – thank you

 

 

 

 

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2 Behavioral Ways to Better Connect in Leadership

By Lee Ellis

What is it like when you work with a highly competent, skilled colleague that has little ability to connect with others? In my experience it’s frustrating and mentally draining! This soft skill of connecting with others is the art of leadership.

To master this art, you must learn to connect with each person based on his or her individual, unique design and then connect with the heart. More specifically, it requires communicating and managing people differently based on their natural DNA behavior, and it gets tangible results if you can master it.

Connecting to Survive

Even in the stress and brutal moments of prison camps of Vietnam, our senior POW leaders were generally wise about connecting. It was obvious that we were all very similar as aircrew who had similar interests, training, and values about our work. But what impressed me was the way they understood that we were actually a very diverse group of people who needed to be managed differently. Looking back, I can see that, like any group, we were very different in many ways. For example –

Some were extroverts, and some were highly reserved.
Some were very commanding, and some were more compliant.
Some were highly organized, and some were very spontaneous.

As a group of military warriors, we leaned toward the courageous side of the bell curve, yet there were still significant differences among us in our ability to withstand torture. In that crucible, you couldn’t hide, and had to face the enemy head-on, all alone during torture sessions. Almost everyone did their best, yet individually our resistance could vary significantly. And though there were many examples of incredible bravery, there were no John Wayne characters among us. They could break anyone and with rare exceptions, they would not let you die. So, whether it was a Vietnam prison guard or a fellow comrade in the camps, connecting with each person was a unique experience.

Embracing and Managing Differences

The truth is that people are born with a wide array of talents—we’re not the same.

“Leaders who connect, motivate, and inspire their people to higher performance are the most effective leaders.” [Tweet This]

They have also mastered the art of connecting individually to build relationships and manage differences.

The Second Half of Connecting – The Heart  

Typical heart-connecting actions include listening, supporting, encouraging, believing in, and almost any action to connect to the deepest needs of another person in a positive, respectful, and honoring way.

Why does it work?

“Every human being has deep desires to be valued, heard, seen, respected, trusted, and feel important.” [Tweet This]

They need to feel as though they are contributing to something important, and believe they’re doing something that has purpose and meaning. We want to know that we count for something. These heart level connections mentioned above communicate this type of value and lift the spirits.

Years after his release, senior POW leader Admiral James Bond Stockdale USN (1923-2005), shared this perspective about his eight-year experience,

“I distilled one all-purpose idea . . . it is a simple idea, as old as the Scriptures, an idea that is the epitome of high-mindedness, an idea that naturally and spontaneously comes to men under pressure. That idea is that you are your brother’s keeper.”

What is the Connecting Impact?

Connecting with others energizes them with positive emotions that give hope and confidence.
They empower people to perform better and work harder.
In short, they enable us to produce more and better results.

So, there you have it, and you can take it to the bank. If you will take the following Engage with Honor Foot Stomper and try it for 30 days, you’ll see immediate improvement in your leadership and others’ success –

“Effective leaders recognize that their people are human beings with a deep desire to be known, understood, valued, and appreciated. With this mindset, they uniquely and intentionally connect with them to ensure inclusion, express appreciation, and show each individual his or her importance to the mission.”

The old mindset of focusing only on results, without taking time to encourage the heart is a losing proposition in the long run. I challenge you to be intentional about connecting with someone’s heart by intentionally affirming them specifically about their value and what they mean to you. It’s giving while expecting nothing in return. You will be amazed at the impact. It’s worth the effort, and I hope you’ll have the courage to do it.

LE [Tweet this Article]

What’s Your Results vs Relationship Balance Score?

[image error]The unique, psycho-metrically validated Leadership Behavior DNA® (LBDNA) assessment process can pinpoint your exact level of results vs relationship balance as well as your natural behavioral strengths and struggles. Thousands of people every year rely on LBDNA to help them and their teams grow both personally and professionally.

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Connecting is One of the Four C’s of Courageous Leadership

[image error]Connecting is step two in the Courageous Accountability Model from my book, Engage with Honor: Building a Culture of Courageous Accountability. Learn more and purchase your copy.

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