Lee Ellis's Blog, page 334

POW Swap and Bowe Bergdahl: Lee Ellis Discusses His Personal and Leadership Perspective – See if You Agree

With the release and swap of Afghan POW, Bowe Bergdahl, Lee made media appearances on several TV and Radio media outlets.

Watch and listen to Lee’s personal insight and perspective on the situation. Was it the right decision? What’s the best leadership decision in that scenario? Please share your thoughts and comments -

Click to Watch – CNNi International Interview

Click to Watch – CBS Morning News

The VA Debacle, and Four Steps to Help All Leaders Focus on the Right Goals

By Lee Ellis

I’m not convinced of the “law of attraction”, but I can say for sure that its cousin, “the law of focus”, applies in leadership; you get more of what you focus on. We only have to look at a few anecdotal examples to see the power of leadership focus.

The VA, Schools, and the Military

Although there are many aspects in play in the current VA debacle, one of the more obvious and blatant issues centers around “gaming” the system to meet the highly visible 14-day window for veterans being scheduled for appointments. The focus was on meeting the 14-day time frame more than taking care of the veterans**.

In another industry sector we’ve witnessed a large scandal in Atlanta in the last two years that involved teachers and administrators cheating on the students standardized tests (changing answers) in order to make sure they got better grades. The focus was on improving test scores instead of the primary mission, which was educating our youth.

In the short run this method helped the adults look like they were doing their jobs and therefore more eligible for retention and raises, but in the long run this tactic was doomed to failure and the sting of broken trust with parents and the community.

Lest you elevate your profession above these two, I can tell you from personal experience this kind of behavior can happen in any organization and with very good people. Back in the ‘70s when money and hardware in our military were short, it was impossible for some units to report C-1 (fully combat ready), yet there was so much pressure that gaming the system was not unusual. In the military culture we are taught in early training, “There are no excuses,” so many officers/leaders were afraid to stand up to their generals and say, “Sir, we’re not hacking it, and we can’t with what we have.”

These three cases illustrate situations where the focus on specific goals was counterproductive to the primary purpose of the organizations.

The problem was an extreme focus on hitting goals that were not in keeping with the stated mission, vision, and values of the organization.

Re-Focusing on the Right Goals

So how do you avoid gaming the system and still keep your credibility as a leader? Here are four steps to keep your goals pure and aligned with the mission.

1. Clarify Mission, Vision, and especially Values.

These three areas establish your purpose (why you exist), your methods (how you do your work), and your ethics (your standards and boundaries). As a leader, your number one responsibility is to clarify these areas and push that message to the lowest level of your organization. This process gives you a consistent culture that provides the same focus and built-in guardrails to keep behavior on track at all levels.

2. Communicate and Over-Communicate by Staying Engaged Up and Down.

Make sure that you develop an honest, ongoing dialogue with your people so that you know what’s really happening and they know that you’re really listening to their challenges. Remember, the higher you go in leadership, the less likely you are to get quality feedback on what’s really happening. You have to build enough trust with your followers that they can give you bad news.

3. Support Your People.

They are the ones doing the work, and it’s their responsibility to fulfill their role; it’s your responsibility is to support them. This could mean bringing in more resources, clearing out some of the red-tape and restrictions that are slowing down their efficiencies, or even redefining their goals to meet current conditions.

4. Confront Your Doubts and Fears.

This will be your biggest challenge in all three steps above. Do you have the courage to lead when it feels uncomfortable or even scary? Looking back at the three examples above, you can see that fear was the main motivator in each situation. They were focused on the wrong goals and afraid they would not meet them and therefore look bad. And when leadership caves in to fears, the outcomes are always disastrous for the organization.

So Where are You Right Now?

Keep in mind that the steps above will help you focus on the right things in your organization and allow the best goals and metrics to emerge. Here are some questions to consider:

Are you focused on the right goals?
Are your goals aligned with the mission, vision, and values of the organization, or are they undermining the organization’s purpose?
Are you setting goals that are temporarily unrealistic? If so, what will your people do? Tell you that everything is okay or share the truth you don’t want to hear?
Are you the leader who is afraid to tell your leader that you’re not making your goals? What will you do?

Maybe you’ve experienced one of these situations in the past as a leader or follower. We’d love to hear about it. Our readers could all benefit from your story, so please courageously share it with us.

LE

**I addressed the VA issue on two recent radio interviews – (1) Federal News Radio and (2) “What’s Happening with Doug Wagner”

 

Related News Articles:

Exclusive: Texas VA Run Like a ‘Crime Syndicate,’ Whistleblower Says

Calls for Eric Shinseki’s resignation grow among Republicans, Democrats

Inspector general’s report confirms allegations at Phoenix VA hospital

VA Awarded $3M in Prizes in Appointment Scheduling App Contest in 2013

The Latest Recommendation from Lee’s Bookshelf – “Crucial Conversations” – Read More

The Latest Recommendation from Lee’s Bookshelf – “Crucial Conversations” by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler.

Great tool for those that want to lead honorably yet effectively. When stakes are high, opinions vary, and emotions run strong, you have three choices: avoid a crucial conversation and suffer the consequences; handle the conversation badly and suffer the consequences; and discover how to communicate best when it matters most. This guide gives you the tools you need to step up to life’s difficult conversations.

Learn More about this book on the Good Reads website.

Have you read this book? If so, please share your comments –

Great Idea on Teaching Leadership to Kids

Great idea from the Meaningful Mama blog on teaching kids early in life about leadership.

Her idea support Lee’s qualities of being positive, resilient, humbly confident, and authentic.

Read Now on her website, and please share your thoughts and ideas –

 

 

 

A Frequently Asked Question from Lee Ellis

Are you wondering if you have what it takes to be a great leader? Lee answered this question recently—read this FAQ below –

Question: What are some things that you see in natural leaders? What intangibles in a person make you say, “He or she has it.”

Lee’s Answer: “Regardless of what your personality is, you can be a great leader. It will look different for everyone.  I can show you CEOs who are both introverts and extroverts. I can show you people who are more controlling and take charge as well as some who aren’t, but both can be successful. You take a healthy person who has courage and they can flex a little bit easier. Can an introvert go out and socialize all day long? No, but they can learn to do it enough to be successful. Can an extroverted person learn to focus and get the mission done? Yes, absolutely.

There are some natural leadership traits that fit certain jobs better, but I think the main thing is you have to be authentic and believe in yourself. You also have to have humility. If you have a solid combination of these things, I believe you will be a great leader. There are situations that require different skills, but in general I would say that you can be a good leader with any personality as long as you have the courage to do what needs to be done.”

Read the entire interview related to this excerpt, and please share your comments.

Memorial Day – Reviewing the Wall of Faces

Remembering thousands of soldiers today that paid the ultimate price for our freedom. For a few moments, visit the Wall of Faces where more than 58,000 men and women are displayed in conjunction with the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Click Here, and Happy Memorial Day

Fill in the Blank on This Leadership Question – See Enclosed

Please fill in the blank on the following leadership question, and share your answer in the comment section below – thank you

“The primary characteristic that I remember about my favorite leader is ________________.”

Have you taken the Leading with Honor ‘Courage Challenge’ yet?

Have you taken the Leading with Honor Courage Challenge yet? See what thousands of leaders are doing to make a commitment to leading with wisdom, character, humility, and authenticity. And, please share with your friends and colleagues!

Click to Learn More

Leading with Honor is the Right Way – Watch the “The Science of Character” Clip

Another confirmation that Leading with Honor is the right way to achieve your goals, grow as a professional, be happy, and make long-term impact in your personal world.

This video clip says that there is actually a “Science of Character”, and there are some specific steps to perfecting this skill. Watch and share your comments –

Leadership Humor for Your Monday

Some leadership humor for your Monday. How many leaders have gotten themselves in a situation like this?