Lee Ellis's Blog, page 340
January 16, 2014
The Paradox of Faith vs. Reality – How to Create Your Leadership Vision
One of the difficult challenges for leaders is paradox — the fine balance between being humble and strong; decisive and willing to listen to the ideas of others; confident and vulnerable; tough and compassionate; and detached and sensitive.
What’s your leadership vision for the new year? And do you create a meaningful vision that matches your personal goals? Go beyond the New Year’s Resolution scenario and find a permanent, right balance in these areas.
Read Lee’s latest article in Smart Business Magazine and share your wisdom too!
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Leadership in the New Year – Read Lee’s Thoughts in this FAQ
January 15, 2014
Lee Ellis Interview – “What Did You Do to Catch Up After Your POW Experience?”
As a leader or growing leader, have you ever felt behind the curve in your education, talents, or abilities? We all face moments of insecurity and inadequacy.
Hear Lee’s thoughts on his experience in the 90-second video interview, and share your own –
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What is Your Leadership Balance? – Free Case Study Offer
Got any Fellow Leaders that Aggressively Dominate? Try This.
January 9, 2014
Are You a Tortoise or a Hare Leader? Who Wins in the End?
So, are you a tortoise leader or a hare leader? Who wins in the end?
Leadership qualities are similar and different in each person depending on your innate personality strengths and struggles. If you’ve ever been told that one leadership style is better than another, be encouraged that you can be your true self AND be an effective, honorable leader.
Self-awareness and knowing how to manage your strengths and struggles is the first step. Learn your unique leadership style with the free Leading with Honor Assessment. Hundreds of leaders have already taken it—see where you stand – click the link below, and then share your thoughts.
Click to take the Leading with Honor Assessment.
January 8, 2014
Remembering Warrior, Leader, and Fellow POW, Maj. Wes Schierman – Read About His Life
Would you join Lee and his team in a special tribute in the passing of friend and fellow Vietnam POW, Maj Wes Schierman USAF (Ret) who passed away on January 4, 2014.
Per Lee, “Wes was a fellow POW for almost 8 years and one of the toughest and most courageous of our group. He was also a great man whom we all loved and respected, and I have been close friends with him and his wife, Faye, since our return from captivity. We mourn with Faye and will always remember this great warrior and friend.”
You can read about him in Lee’s book, Leading with Honor: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton, on pages 71, 76, and 109. Here are some additional links about his life and accomplishments -
Link – Wes’ Veterans Tribute Page
Link – Local article in the about his life in the Everett Herald
January 7, 2014
Leadership Psychology – Are Great Leaders Made or Born?
Ask experts what the most asked question about leadership is, and they’ll usually answer “are they made or born?”
Perception is everything, even if perception and reality are often at odds. Some perceive leadership to be about nature, others ascribe to the nurture theory. I find it to be a bit of both, with emphasis on nurture. There are dozens of books, decade’s worth of debates and many well-documented studies on the subject of leadership. Nevertheless, the debate rages on.
Read this article on the Business2Business Community website, and share your comments. Do you agree/disagree? What has been your personal experience?
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The Epiphany to Growth and Prosperity in 2014—3 Ways to Lead Higher
January 6, 2014
The Epiphany to Growth and Prosperity in 2014—3 Ways to Lead Higher
By Lee Ellis
Looking back, 2013 was a very busy year for most of us—what a blur of activity! Some of my closest friends were worried that I wouldn’t be able to sustain the pace of traveling, speaking, book signing, consulting, coaching and even working on a new book. There were challenging moments, but amazingly my energy and spirits remained high. I attribute this not to a special energy drink but to the infusion of generous encouragement and affirmation that I received from so many people throughout the year. Not only did I receive much more than I gave, but I’ve never felt so free to be myself. This giving from others brought me a new level of freedom and made the difference in my year.
As a former Vietnam POW, you can imagine how meaningful freedom is to me and how sensitive I am about the concept. As a leadership consultant and coach, I see that we all have mindsets from our past that are like shackles holding us back from being our best self—hence the tagline for my consulting company that says “Freeing Leaders To Lead Higher.”
“Not only did I receive much more than I gave, but I’ve never felt so free to be myself.”
Now in reflection, I can see how others freed me to climb higher in 2013. With this fresh perspective, I’m making a commitment to pay it forward in 2014. To do that I’ll need a spirit of giving not just at the holidays, but I’ll need to be a giver every day of the year in three specific areas: personhood, performance, and potential.
1. Give Affirmation
This is about personhood. We all want to count, to be valued, to know that we are important in this life. In our daily interactions with others, we have a choice to be a giver or a taker; it’s much healthier to give than to be needy taker. My goal is to authentically lift others up and not add to the burdens of self-doubt that we all carry. I’m going to be more intentional about affirming their uniqueness, recognizing their talents, and helping them see how special they are.
2. Give Encouragement
This is about performance. Positive feedback reinforces mental and muscle memory, and it also energizes the recipient. That’s the energy that was propelling this old fighter pilot to light the afterburners and soar rather than fizzle in 2013! I want to encourage others, but sometimes my old habits as an Air Force instructor pilot kick in. Grading every maneuver against perfection was required in that job, but it’s not very helpful in leadership (and most relationships, for that matter). I need to raise my awareness and emotional intelligence to quickly and consistently recognize small successes and good execution.
“Grading every maneuver against perfection was required in that job [as an Air Force Instructor], but it’s not very helpful in leadership (and most relationships, for that matter).”
3. Give Others a Vision for Their Future
This is about potential. From my early years, I had a few people who saw something in me that I didn’t see. In small and large ways, they communicated that vision to me—subtly calling me out to reach my potential. During the difficult years in the POW cells, those messages echoed through my mind and inspired me onward toward the day when I would finally be free again. For years I’ve made it part of my mission to pay back the bank for this great investment that was made in me by so many. This year, I want to take the risk and double down in expressing my faith in others because I personally know how valuable it can be.
We all have times when we fight the demons of discouragement and doubt, but focusing on ourselves usually makes us needy. Instead of being takers, let’s commit to become better givers. It’s a freeing behavior for the giver and the receiver, and it’s mutually beneficial for both parties. Will you join me in my effort to free others to live and lead higher in 2014? Share your comments and plans for the new year in this forum.
LE
Related Articles:
Leadership in the New Year – Read Lee’s Thoughts in this FAQ
What is Your Leadership Balance? – Free Case Study Offer
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As president of Leadership Freedom® LLC, a leadership and team development consulting and coaching company, Lee Ellis consults with Fortune 500 senior executives in the areas of hiring, teambuilding, human performance, and succession planning. His media appearances include interviews on networks such as CNN, C-Span, ABC World News, and Fox News Channel. His latest award-winning book about his Vietnam POW experience is entitled Leading with Honor: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton. Learn more at www.leadingwithhonor.com.
2013 State of Leadership Survey Results–How Does Your Perspective Compare?
This survey contained nine objective questions about the state of leadership in the following major industry sectors: Business/Corporate, Government/Politics, Military, Healthcare, and Education.
Administrated by Lee’s consulting company, Leadership Freedom LLC, the purpose of this survey was to identify and compile consumer input and opinion on the general state of leadership from their personal perspective.
While the actual societal reality may differ slightly from the results of this survey, it does confirm consumer sentiment based on their exposure of leaders and leadership issues within their personal reality.
Click to download and review the results, compare them against your leadership perspective, and then share your thoughts and comments.
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Early Leadership Survey Results – Over 80% Believe This Fact – See Enclosed
On Leaders and Accountability (Part 4): How Mentoring and Coaching Builds Trust
January 2, 2014
Leadership in the New Year – Read Lee’s Thoughts in this FAQ
Like a newborn baby, 2014 is the start of a fresh, new year.
The new year is here! Here’s a frequently asked question that Lee has received recently – “What are your thoughts on leadership at the beginning of a new year?”
Answer: “Leadership always makes the difference, good or bad. The leader has to see the vision of where you’re going to be and help people get to those ends. Sometimes just a change in leadership can revolutionize the organization’s success. If you’re in a position of leadership, you really need to run a diagnostic test on yourself: Are you working to make a difference? Are you spending too much time on the little things that somebody else should do?
Another big one is courage. As a leader, you’re going to have to make tough decisions. You’ll need courage, and you’ll need to lead with honor. It’s a character thing. Months ago, we saw the ousted CEO of Yahoo saying he received two degrees when he only got one. People just don’t have the courage to live with things the way they are. Without accountability and without courage, you’re not able to do the right thing.”
What are your thoughts on tackling the new year as a leader? What personal principles are you committing to follow this year? Please share in this forum
Related Articles:
FAQ – “What is the main similarity between the battlefield and the corporate world?
Interesting Article on HP CEO, Meg Whitman, and Her Unique Leadership Style
December 31, 2013
Clear Communication Breakdown–Watch This Video Clip
As we leap into the year 2014, here’s a funny reminder about the importance of clear communication, as well as the need for patience, a good sense of humor, and self-awareness. Have you ever been in a real world situation like this one? If so, how did you clarify communication and stay engaged? Please share your comments…
Wishing you a prosperous New Year from Lee Ellis and FreedomStar Media!
December 30, 2013
Lee’s Giving Recommendations for 2013
Lee and his wife, Mary, believe deeply in giving back to the community, and they are longtime advocates of several organizations. If you’re looking for new areas to give before the end of 2013, please learn more about these organizations and consider supporting their work this year with your tax-deductible donation.
Click to Learn More, and Happy New Year!
