Lee Ellis's Blog, page 302

Leading with Honor Wisdom for Today, July 10, 2015

“Leaders devoid of crucible experiences are likely to be overly confident about their ideas, and surprisingly more susceptible to fears. Courageously facing our fears in the difficult times gives us both humility and real confidence.” – Lee Ellis

7 Core Behaviors for Leading with Honor – See Inside

Thousands of people have downloaded “The Honor Code” – a set of 7 core behaviors essential for honorable leadership.

See how many that you’re using in your daily life and leadership, and review with your team – Download your free copy.

If you’re already using The Honor Code, please share your comments –

3 Long-Term Ways to Successfully Fulfill Your Duty as an Honorable Leader

By Lee Ellis

When sharing about my past experience as a former Vietnam POW, people often ask me, “How did you survive more than five years in a communist prison camp?” There were many contributing factors, but none more important than our courageous leaders. They put their lives on the line, suffered often, set the example and showed us how to resist, bounce back from torture, and return with honor. Foremost in their behaviors was an unwavering commitment to live out Article 5 of the Honor Code –

“Act responsibly; do your duty, and be accountable. Own your mistakes, and work to do better in the future.”

Short-Term Challenge – Long-Term Benefit

Regardless of your role or situation, acting responsibly, doing your duty, being accountable, and owning your mistakes can be a scary proposition. As was so clearly demonstrated in the POW camps, you have to be willing to suffer in the short run to live, grow, and lead with honor. Unfortunately, some people don’t have that commitment to fulfill their duty and the courage to be responsible.

Even when people are having authentic success and achievement in their life and work, they still end up cutting corners to get what they want, acting as though their ends justified their means.

In the government sector, we seem to hear far too many examples of such conduct by senior officials who abuse their power and operate as though there will never be any accountability. GSA executive Jeff Neeley, was just sentenced to three months in jail for fraudulently claiming extravagant personal expenditures as government expenses.

A Department of Justice news release stated, “Mr. Neely has acknowledged that he violated the special trust that was placed in him as a public servant,” said U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag. “His position with the government required that he be a good steward of government funds. Instead, he has admitted he abused his position and obstructed the investigation into his wrongdoing. He is being held accountable for his decision to violate the law.”

This is a good example of accountability in action, but he would not be facing jail time if he had held himself accountable to his responsibilities.

The Military Model of Duty and Accountability

Not surprisingly, the military is a good place to learn the right lessons about doing your duty, being responsible, and being accountable. Almost every person who enters the armed services goes through some sort of boot camp experience. It’s intended to be humiliating at times by making candidates accountable for the smallest and most innocuous of details like having one’s shoes shined and perfectly aligned, beds made so tight that you can bounce a quarter on them, uniforms perfectly pressed and clean from any untrimmed “cables” (stray threads), and never being late to a formation.

Everyone comes up short in some area and when there is a problem, there are only three acceptable responses: “Yes Sir” (or Ma’am), “No Sir”, or “No excuse Sir.” It’s all designed to instill a sense of responsibility and accountability as the standard. Regardless of rank or position, this commitment to accountability never goes away, as seen in recent examples of generals and flag officers that were relieved of duty and disciplined for not acting responsibly and operating in ways unbecoming of their office.

Personal and National Accountability

I’m convinced that doing your duty, being responsible, and being accountable are crucial not only to teamwork and achieving the mission, but ultimately those attributes are essential to our freedom and the many economic benefits of a market economy.

Perhaps like me you wish you could fix many of these broad national problems, but the first and most important step is for each one of us to be personally accountable and set the example.

Here are some of my personal motivators:

Doing my duty and fulfilling my responsibility because it’s the right thing to do. It works for self and others.
Knowing that there’s a reward for my reputation and character when fulfilling my duty—both of which enhance my long-term success.
Maintaining my personal pride. For me, it’s part of my identity and what I hope will be my legacy.

How Do We Do It?

Three clear attributes summarize how to grow and fulfill Article 5 of the Honor Code:

Commitment. Be intentional about doing your duty. It’s the essence of servant leadership, and others are depending on you. Whatever your responsibility, just decide to do it and make it a non-negotiable.
Ownership. Care about what you’re doing. Act as though you were the owner. Someone said that no one washes a rental car before turning it in because they don’t own it.
Courage. Fulfilling your duty isn’t easy. You’ll have to pay the price, take risks, and walk the hard road to do your duty. Temptation will come to cut corners and rationalize your actions to avoid accountability. Courage provides the confidence and energy to keep you focused on your goal of living and leading with honor.

My Surprising Reward for Fulfilling a Duty

I was a first lieutenant when captured in Vietnam and was usually the junior ranking and youngest POW in my cell with no formal leadership role or power. Yet something motivated me to volunteer and take responsibility for whatever tasks that needed to be done, even undesirable or humiliating acts such as cleaning the latrine.

Six months after we returned home, I got a phone call from a colonel friend from the camps telling me that I had been promoted two years early (ahead of my peer group) to the rank of major. To put it mildly, I was very surprised.

In reflection years later, I concluded that the difference was my positive attitude about being responsible and owning even the most menial tasks.

In both a metaphor and in this situation, you could say that emptying the “honey” bucket has its rewards. Keep fulfilling your duty as you move forward, and it will pay off someday.

LE

Download your free copy of The Honor Code – 7 Core Behaviors for Honorable Leadership. Use them with your team in motivating strong, honorable leadership values.

 

 

 

 

Join the thousands of other leaders that receive monthly coaching clips from Lee Ellis. There is a coaching clip on this month’s leadership topic. Sign up free, and begin to receive them in your inbox.

 

 

 Related Articles:

– Honor Code Article 1 – Four Lies that All Leaders Are Tempted to Use, and How to Tell the Truth

– Honor Code Article 2 – Treating Others with Dignity and Respect Even When It’s Difficult: Four Leadership Traps to Avoid

– Honor Code Article 3 – 7 Leadership Steps That You Need to Know on Keeping Your Promises

– Honor Code Article 4 – Feel the Temptation to Stretch the Truth? 3 Ethical Guardrails to Keep You in the Right Lane

Lee Ellis and the Importance of Leadership Authenticity – A ‘Leading with Honor’ Clip

Keynote presenter and leadership consultant, Lee Ellis, shares often about his Vietnam POW experience and the leadership lessons that helped him and his comrades survive and return home with honor.

In this clip, Lee shares the experience of facing the strengths and struggles of his personal character and why being authentic in life and work is so important for long-term growth and success.

Learn More about Lee’s latest award-winning book, Leading with Honor.

Leading with Honor Freedom Package – NEW! Save 30% Off for a Limited Time

Leaders with long-lasting success know the value of personal leadership development, and we support your desire to lead with character, courage, and commitment.

For a limited time, we’re offering the Leading with Honor Freedom Package that can be used as a personal study. Take one chapter at a time, and set your own pace to read about the 14 leadership lessons Lee learned through the crucible experience of the Vietnam POW camps.

Order during the month of July, and save 30% off the retail price!

Learn More

On This Day in Leadership History, July 5, 2015

On this day in leadership history in 1902, American statesman and historian, Henry Cabot Lodge, was born. What a great example of an intelligent leader that was unfortunately held back from greater success and influence by a lack of self-awareness and poor attitude. Here is historian George E. Mowry’s surmise of Lodge –

“Henry Cabot Lodge was one of the best informed statesmen of his time, he was an excellent parliamentarian, and he brought to bear on foreign questions a mind that was at once razor sharp and devoid of much of the moral cant that was so typical of the age….[Yet] Lodge never made the contributions he should have made, largely because of Lodge the person. He was opportunistic, selfish, jealous, condescending, supercilious, and could never resist calling his opponent’s spade a dirty shovel. Small wonder that except for Roosevelt and Root, most of his colleagues of both parties disliked him, and many distrusted him.”

Henry Cabot Lodge – Wikipedia

When a Discerning Leadership Attitude Goes Wrong – Lee’s Coaching Clip on This Topic – See Inside

When was the last time that you were impatient with a friend or colleague? Or are you prone to a discerning and judgmental attitude about others?

In this leadership coaching clip, Lee Ellis shares how to increase your personal success by learning how to genuinely treat others with dignity and respect. Please watch and share –

Want to receive Lee’s monthly leadership coaching in your inbox? Click Here to sign up.

 

 

Special Honor – DAR Washington D.C. Medal of Honor Ceremony – Lee Ellis

On June 27th 2015, Lee was honored by one of the active, pro-patriotism organizations in the U.S, The Daughters of the American Revolution. Each year, they choose 2 recipients of their esteemed Medal of Honor Award, and Lee was one their 2015 honorees.

We’re grateful for the work and enduring leadership that DAR fulfills as they remind us of the price of freedom that all Americans enjoy. Please celebrate with us!

Lee speaks to the audience at this event and receives the Medal of Honor Award.

Lee and his wife, Mary, shown here with their fantastic Page (personal host for the evening) who took care of every detail, Paula Eischenbrenner.

At the DCA airport, we were greeted by several Georgia Daughters as we boarded our flight for Atlanta. They were happy to see the Medal of Honor and Certificate coming back to Georgia.

Lee and Mary are pictured here with their dear friend, Rose O’Grady, of Las Vegas NV and Grand River IA who first recommended me to the Georgia DAR for the National DAR Medal of Honor.

Two Medal of Honor recipients are chosen by the DAR organization each year. Lee is pictured here with the other esteemed recipient, Vietnam Veteran Nurse, Capt. Diane Carlson Evans. Diane also led the effort to get the Vietnam Women’s Memorial established in Washington D.C.

Lee and Mary are pictured here with his dear friend, Col. Bill McCabe USAF (Ret.). Bill and his lovely wife, Geri, were magnificent hosts for me and my family when I landed at Maxwell AFB on March 17, 1973 for the POW Homecoming.

Lee is pictured here with his dear friend, Col. Bill McCabe USAF (Ret.).

We are so proud of our Army Nurses. Lee is pictured here with Army Nurse of the Year award winner, Col. Kathy K. Prue-Owens.

Lee and his wife, Mary, at the evening’s event.

With Andrea Duke Lawrence, National Outstanding DAR Service for Veterans Award for the Year 2015.

At the pre-event reception for pictures and greetings with other award winners.

With fellow award winner, J R Martinez, American war hero, motivational speaker, and television star JR Martinez.

With National Chair of the Americanism Committee Ginger Trader who also introduced me at the National Defense Night event where I received the Medal of Honor award and spoke to the more than 3,000 in attendance.

With DAR Media and Entertainment Award — accepting is Frank Martin, Writer and Director of Unsung Heroes: The Story of America’s Female Patriots.

The Medal of Honor Award and Certificate.

 

Link – Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)

Link – Leading with Honor

Start Celebrating Today – Freedom and Independence

Why wait until this weekend? Begin commemorating our nation’s freedom and independence all week!

On This Day in Leadership History, June 28, 2015

On this day in leadership history in 1911, Samuel J. Battle became the first African-American policeman in New York City. Racial milestones like Sam Battle lay the foundation for future leaders of all races to achieve their vision and goals.

What may seem impossible for you today can very likely become possible tomorrow. Leaders—stay strong and move forward!

Samueal J. Battle – Wikipedia