Lee Ellis's Blog, page 277

On This Day in Leadership History, April 10, 2016

On this day in leadership history in 1981, the maiden launch of the space shuttle Columbia was cancelled because of a computer malfunction. What’s the leadership lesson? Don’t ignore the input and recommendation of your team. Listen carefully, and then make the best decision.

Space Shuttle Columbia – Wikipedia

See if You Agree With These Leading with Honor Readers

See if you agree with these recent endorsements from ‘Leading with Honor’ readers – we’re grateful for these insights!

“This should be required reading by our youth that do not seem to know how to be a true team player.” – Mayon A.

“So you think you have challenges in life? Hardly, read this book and how Lee Ellis (and other POWs) truly suffered for years and came through stronger and returned with Honor. And then to take those hard-learned lessons and make them apply to our lives…..enjoy the read.” – Christopher B

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leading with Honor – Book

Leading with Honor Wisdom for Today, April 8, 2016

“Each is given a bag of tools, A shapeless mass and a book of rules; And each must make, ere life is flown, A stumbling block or a stepping stone.” – R.L. Sharpe (1870-1950)

An Excerpt from Lee Ellis’ Upcoming Latest Book, Engage with Honor – See Inside

As we’re preparing for the release of Lee Ellis’ latest book, Engage with Honor: Building a Culture of Courageous Accountability in September 2016, we’ll be sharing excerpts from the book. This section of the book discusses how to stay on course with honor in day-to-day life and work. Please read below and share with others!

An Excerpt from Engage with Honor – Release Date: September 7, 2016

Coming Soon! The Latest Release from Lee Ellis

“Many of us have learned about good character values. We know the talk—it’s the walk that gets tough. The Watergate conspirators provide great insights into human frailty when faced with temptations that match our points of ambitious self-interests. These were bright, well-educated, successful professionals. Yet they made very serious—almost unbelievable—errors in judgment. What happened to their character? White House counsel Jeb McGruder explained this problem quite well saying,

‘Somewhere between my ambition and my ideals, I lost my ethical compass. I found myself on a path that had not been intended for me by my parents or my principles or by my own ethical instincts.’

So how do we stay on course? How do we guard our character and protect our honor?

As trite as it sounds, we need both a carrot and a stick. The carrot comes from our deepest desires, our strongest sources of energy—the source of our purest motives. These deep desires include needs like: to be safe and secure, to use our talents,  to provide and protect, to be known and understood, to be valued and cared for, to love and be loved, to have meaning and purpose, and to come through in our assignments and hear, “Well done.” There are others, but you can see how these can energize us to press on through hardship and sacrifice to reach a higher level.

You can also see how the drive to succeed in meeting these strong desires might get distorted and cause us to cut corners. If we are looking for an easy way or a quick fix, any of us can lose sight of true north on our ethical compass. Navigating by our selfish desires and arrogant beliefs is a time-tested tactic for losing our way. That’s where the stick of courageous accountability has to be in play—the awareness that someone is going to hold us responsible. As in the character failures in Chapter 1, we will have to answer for our choices, behaviors, and actions; eventually, we will have to give an account.

This awareness of consequences plays a key role in keeping human nature on track, climbing higher to reach our lofty goals. And that’s why accountability is essential for: (1) successful living,  (2) leading with honor, and (3) excellence in performance and execution.”

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The Reality of Dishonorable Leadership: 3 Tips to Avoiding Failure

The Triumphant David by Rosselli Triunfo

by Lee Ellis | Watch Lee’s Monthly Leadership Coaching on this topic – Instant Access with Free Registration – Click Here

From the smallest of indiscretions to the largest cover up, neglecting one’s duty and pursuing selfish choices is part of the human condition. Lest we think it’s a new concept, it’s been that way since the beginning of time. Consider the example of David, the shepherd boy who slew the giant Goliath and later became King. From his early youth, David had a reputation for his courage and his commitment to honor God.

David’s Selfishness and Dishonor

And then one spring when kings normally go off to war, he stayed home. That’s when his selfish and scandalous downfall began—on a warm day when he looked down from his roof and saw Bathsheba bathing. She happened to be the wife of one of his soldiers. David sent for her and had his way with her. When she became pregnant, David hatched a simple scheme to conceal his problem and protect Bathsheba from scandal—he would bring Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, back from the war for a few days of R&R with his wife.

But Uriah—being a man of great honor and loyalty to his fellow soldiers—refused to go home to Bathsheba. Instead, he slept at the palace with the servants.

David’s cover-up ploy was foiled, so his deception intensified. He sent Uriah back to the battle with orders to Joab, his general, to make sure that Uriah was at the front of the attack. Then he was to pull back and let him be killed. It worked. Then David brought Bathsheba to the palace as his wife.

David’s Downward Spiral

David had been “a man after God’s own heart,” yet he had acted as though he could take what he wanted without consequences. When he feared his deeds would be exposed, he used his power to cover up, protect his image, and avoid the negative consequences. But accountability came, and it never went away.

David lost the trust and confidence of his people, and his life and leadership were never the same.

The Same Yesterday and Today

Isn’t it amazing how David’s story parallels so much of what we see today? It’s common to hear about a leader who commits a crime—or some ethical violation—and then weaves an intricate cover-up. And when that begins to unravel, we hear outright denials, and then the blame game escalates—along with more excuses, justifications, and rationalizations.

Typically, the whistle-blowers are demonized. And sometimes the guilty try to destroy the reputation of their accusers, or use their power to bury them figuratively—and sometimes literally.

In our modern times we’ve seen numerous political leaders follow this example. In a more benign way, we’ve seen three major automobile companies’ CEOs acknowledge honor failures (from Japan, US and Germany). A prominent international bank was fined $2.6 billion dollars for collaborating in tax evasion; governors and mayors and educators have gone to jail.

My Personal Example from the POW Camps

In the POW camps, we had three men who forsook their honor and collaborated with the enemy. Since they were senior officers who had been committed to the military for many years, and then upon capture switched sides on the war, one can only assume that they put self-interest above their duty and commitments—regardless of how they rationalized it.

We’re All Vulnerable

But the reality is that it’s not just a “they” or “them” problem. The truth is that we all carry this same mutated gene that drives our egos toward self-serving dishonorable behaviors. [Tweet This]

It’s in our nature to rationalize and make choices without really considering what’s ultimately at stake. But when honor fails, we all lose; when honor fails and there is a lack of accountability, there is grave damage to justice and freedom in the culture. [Tweet This]

In his book Man’s Search for Meaning, a worldwide best seller of the 20th century, Psychiatrist and WWII Holocaust survivor, Victor Frankl highlighted the challenge we face.

 

“In the concentration camps, for example, in this living laboratory and on this testing ground, we watched and witnessed some of our comrades behave like swine while others behaved like saints. Man has both potentialities within himself; which one is actualized depends on decisions but not on conditions.”

 

 

3 Tips to Make Honorable Choices

So what should you and I do about this innate problem that threatens even those most committed to living honorably? How can we make honorable choices and decisions?

Admit your vulnerability.

Accept the reality that you are capable of dis-honorable choices and behaviors. Admitting the problem of being human is the first step of prevention.

Be alert and self-monitor.

Pay attention so that you will recognize when you are starting to drift off course from your values. When you are on guard, you can correct back quickly and those early corrections are much easier to make.

Engage a support team to help.

The wisdom of justice is Nemo judex in causa sua — “no person can [objectively] be his own judge.” That’s why you need confidants who can help you be accountable. Without others to speak into our lives, we won’t notice the drift from the true north of our values. Others can help us realign our compass and avoid drift or make early corrections back to course.

From personal experience, I can tell you that it’s a daily battle to live and lead with honor. And if you ever assume you’ve mastered this issue, then you’ve just become very vulnerable.

You can read more on this subject in my upcoming book Engage with Honor: Building a Culture of Courageous Accountability . In the meantime, please share your comments and wisdom.

LE

Free Offer! Common team values and ethics are critical for tactical, day-to-day success in team unity and execution. You’re invited to use the Honor Code from Lee Ellis as your foundational set of principles for operating as a team or organization. Download the Honor Code.

 

 

 

Related Resources: 

Leading with Honor – Book

Engage with Honor – Coming in September 2016

Mother and USAF Public Affairs Leader Creates ‘Leading with Honor’ Blog Training Series

The Leading with Honor Team has an amazing group of fans and followers that believe in the power of leading with character, courage, and commitment.

After one of Lee’s keynote presentations at the Wisconsin Air National Guard in 2015, Public Affairs Specialist and SSgt Andrea Rhode USAF, was inspired to write her own blog training series called “Serving with Honor – Leadership Series” for her fellow USAF officers and staff based on the 14 leadership lessons. In this series, she shares personal and work stories that relate to a particular Leading with Honor leadership lesson.

Lee Ellis shares a keynote presentation at the Wisconsin Air National Guard in 2015.

Lee is standing with some of the officers and staff at the Wisconsin Air National Guard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andrea, shown below, represents the caliber of sacrificial leadership to motivate and lead herself and others. You can read her blog training series here. And, please share your stories how you’re living and sharing Leading with Honor with others – thank you!

Serving with Honor – Leadership Series by Andrea Rhode

 

On This Day in Leadership History, April 3, 2016

On this day in leadership history, the Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters or The US Masters, began in 1934. Unlike the other 3 major PGA championships in professional golf, the Masters is held each year at the same location, Augusta National Golf Club, a private golf club in the city of Augusta, Georgia, USA. The Masters was started by Clifford Roberts and Bobby Jones. The field of players is smaller than those of the other major championships because it is an invitational event, held by the Augusta National Golf Club.

The leadership lesson? If you have a vision that you feel passionate about, don’t ignore it—take steps forward and see where it leads!

The inaugural Masters Tournament in 1934

Masters Tournament –

Coming Later This Month – RetroWeekend – See Inside

Steve Hall, Executive Director of RetroWeekend, joins their NBC affiliate to talk about Lee Ellis, a former prisoner of war and award-winning author, who will be here later this month in Pigeon Forge at RetroWeekend. Please watch the clip, and join Lee in April for this special event!

Steve Hall Interview – Click Here

RetroWeekend Website – Learn More and Register

 

Leading with Honor Wisdom for Today, April 1, 2016

“Try not to become a person of success, but rather try to become a person of value.” – Albert Einstein

‘Honor is a fulltime job’ retired Navy SEAL tells cadets – See Article Inside

A fantastic article on why the concept of honor in work is so important. Many people compartmentalize the term for people like doctors, firemen, police officers, and military; but honor goes much broader.

From the article, “What developed from our commitment [as Navy SEALs] is that we learned that failure is not an option,” said the younger SEAL, when asked about the importance of commitment to the mission. “When you finally realize what [honor] is, you realize it’s a full-time job.” Honor is doing the right thing at the right time for the right reason, said the older SEAL.

Read More about why honor is so important to them, and share your likes and comments – thank you!