3 Superstar Attributes from my Leadership Mentor

��As someone who may have an interest in human behavior and the power of understanding natural talents in yourself and others, I want to share the rich lessons that I witnessed for over 40 years with a very special mentor, Col Don Ellis USAF (1932-2018).

Col. Don Ellis was a highly decorated Air Force officer serving 37 years, from 1955 to 1982. Assignments included Air Training Command, Alaska Air Command, the Air Force Academy, and 604th Special Operations Squadron. A Vietnam veteran, he served there 1968 -1969 with over 333 combat missions in the A-37.

Without a doubt, Don displayed the rock-solid leadership foundations that we teach and train at Leading with Honor���the pillars of character, courage, and commitment to do the right thing. Here are the three successful attributes that I witnessed him do on a regular basis –

Consistent

On a daily basis, in every conversation, behind every closed door, in every briefing and meeting, in social or professional situations, he displayed consistent character, fairness, and behavior. He ���walked his talk,��� which enabled him to amass a great amount of trust, respect, and influence with those around him.

Skilled at Team Selection

On a regular basis I watched Don have the awareness and skill to choose the right person for the right job. Don just naturally had the ability to connect people and their respective roles seamlessly together. He also used this skill to effectively communicate down to his squadron, directly with his peers, and up to superior officers to keep objectives running well.

Collaborative

With a strong, confident personality, Don could be direct and commanding with his team. He was very clear in what he wanted, but he also skillfully balanced these traits with being collaborative and open to input and team decisions. He had this balance of confidence and collaboration because his motive was helping others succeed.

Stop and reflect on the people in your domain that are watching you to see how you act, behave, and respond. If you model integrity of character, courage, optimism, humility and confidence���and you can be both caring and tough, you have it.

Read and watch Lee’s entire coaching on this topic – “3 Behavioral Attributes for Leadership Success”

 

 

 

 

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