Timely Leadership For A Changing World

Over the many years of traversing up and down the Interstate 95 corridor, I am often amused by the cheesy yet catchy billboards that are utilized by South of the Border as part of its innovative marketing campaign.

 

The one particular billboard that always grabs my attention very simply reads “What is old… Is new again”.

 

What a creative way of conveying the subtle yet powerful message that no matter how many times you may have visited Pedro in the past, that there is always something new awaiting you at South of the Border.

 

While life in the 21^st century revolves heavily around what happens to be the latest and greatest, there are those isolated moments when something old remains timely and current.

 

An excellent example of this phenomenon, is a literary work that has remained timely for nearly eighty years… “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill.

 

In his masterful work of 1937 Napoleon Hill writes:

 

“We who are in this race for riches, should be encouraged to know that this changed world in which we live is demanding new ideas, new ways of doing things, new leaders, new inventions, new methods of teaching, new methods of marketing, new books, new literature, new features for the radio, new ideas for moving pictures. Back of all this demand for new and better things, there is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.”

 

How fresh, timely and original Napoleon Hill’s words remain. His thoughts have served as potent fertilizer on the seeds of imaginations for countless generations of leaders and innovators who have furthered our collective way of life for nearly a century.

 

What seeds of imagination are currently fermenting in your organization and in the minds of your people? Is your organization, its leaders and your people fully prepared to embrace the challenge of change that new ideas, new ways of doing business and new ways of serving customers will demand of you?

 

Your organization must possess a crystal clear vision for its future and a definiteness of purpose for what it wants to accomplish in that future and “why”. As well, your people must have the passion, skill sets and staying power to collectively achieve the organization’s ongoing mission and vision.

 

Definiteness of purpose ensures that your organization and your people recognize, embrace and act upon the opportunities that directly relate to the achievement of your organization’s goals and objectives.

 

Napoleon Hill strongly believed that definiteness of purpose was the starting point for all achievement. I would readily concur that his belief is accurate for both organizations and individuals alike.

 

Such an undertaking will require masterful leadership that is capable of preparing the organization to both plan and then flawlessly execute the action steps which are critical to the achievement of organizational goals and objectives.

 

Even as you read this brief there exists an unprecedented need for new ideas, new leaders and new innovation that is greater than at any time in human history. New horizons and new opportunities lie just ahead.

 

While Napoleon Hill’s timely observations continue to endure … They also beg the question … Is your organization’s leadership truly ready for what ever lies around the next bend in the corporate road?

 

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Time: Your Enemy Or Your Friend?

When I query clients, program participants and business people in general, they consistently cite that the #1 thing that is holding them back are… time management problems.

 

How your organization’s people feel about their time corresponds directly to their ability to produce results. Their internal attitudes about time, inevitably serve to determine their perceptions and beliefs about their capabilities on a daily basis.

A typical example of this internal thought (attitudinal) process are individuals who are in their thirties and who hold the belief that their “biological clock is ticking”. The perceived urgency to find a mate, get married and have children before it’s too late… is a powerful force that can ultimately drive wrong thinking and resultant decision making… all in the interest of attempting to force the issue and make something happen.

In this common real life scenario, time is the villain. The belief and perception is that time is working against them, therefore time has become their “enemy”.

The widespread belief held by executives, managers and organizational staff members that they are struggling with time management problems…Is not an accurate representation of what is actually occurring.

Simply stated, time management problems are not time management problems.

What your organization and your people are actually experiencing are clarification issues. When there is a lack of clarity about “goals” and “priorities” … time is inevitably destined to become your enemy.

It is this very lack of clarity about goals and priorities that over time inhibits good organizations from fulfilling their mission statement, bringing it to life and having their people live it out on a daily basis. Throughout my career, I have repeatedly observed that those people who hold the belief that they have a time management problem are generally deficient when it comes to long range planning, focusing on real goals and organizational skills.

When these essential competencies are deficient, it will adversely affect your people’s ability to set and achieve goals, effectively prioritize, properly plan their work and stay on task. Resultantly, these self-perceived time management problems… Are not in reality time management problems at all.

In the final analysis, “when you are crystal clear about your goals… you definitively know what your priorities are and exactly what systematic action steps need be taken.”

As your valued resource partner, we can assist your organization and your people in making time their friend, while helping them to… Learn more. Do more. Become more.

Copyright © 2016 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC

Leadership In The Truest Sense

The ever present question is… “What” is leadership?

 

At the beginning of our Leadership Academy programs and workshops, the very first question that I typically open up for discussion is… What is leadership? To no surprise, the opinions about what leadership “is” are as varied as the number of people present in the room.

The factual reality is that leadership is in application invariably one thing… “situational”. You need only think back to the countless number of true war stories, books and movies that cite the bravery and leadership of everyday soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines whose combat unit was cornered and in the ensuing firefight, their ranking officers were taken out.

Yet, in the midst of these horrendous situations, there were ordinary service men and woman who stepped forward to take charge of the few remaining troops and then lead them on to heroic victory against overwhelming odds and circumstances.

Although these courageous individuals were without appropriate leadership development training, prerequisite skills or experience, they did possess the key attribute that was required in their respective circumstances… a situational “mindset”.

These individuals weren’t willing to lose the battle. Rather, they were willing to step up, step out and immediately take charge of the situation. They had a mindset that was determined to find a way to protect their comrades and then win the conflict no matter what.

This is exactly why every day citizens run into burning buildings, pull people out of burning automobiles and off of train tracks. They respond to the situation at hand and do what absolutely has to be done without ever thinking twice or blinking an eye. They are willing and comfortable about taking on the situation that is in front of them at that given moment.  

Leadership in its truest sense is ultimately not about titles, positions or even invested authority from an organization.. Authentic leadership is about being willing to make a difference no matter what situation confronts you, your people and your organization..

Are the people in your organization who hold positions of responsibility as supervisors, managers, department heads or members of your executive team appropriately prepared to effectively respond to the “situations” that will inevitably unfold within your organization on a day to day basis?

More importantly, does your organization keep reliving the same situations over and over again?

While many of the common situations in most organizations do tend be repetitive, the more crucial situations are the ones that are unanticipated and occur suddenly without warning.

Consider the situation that James F. Parker was unexpectedly confronted with after only a few months on the job as the new CEO of Southwest Airlines… the tragic events of September 11, 2001. In a mere instant, all airlines in the U.S were immediately grounded for many days, while stranding hordes of passengers and flight crews wherever they randomly happened to be at that given moment.

While the remainder of the airline industry simply sat idly by and waited for further instructions from the government. CEO Parker immediately directed the staff of Southwest Airlines to do everything possible to address the needs of Southwest’s passengers. Among numerous activities, Southwest Airlines employees even went so far as to take their customers bowling and to the movies.

In another situation when an elderly woman’s son who was to drive from Tucson, Arizona to meet his mom in Phoenix was seriously injured in a car crash, while making every attempt to so, Southwest was unsuccessful in booking her passage on another airline, as Southwest didn’t fly into Tucson. When the women landed in Phoenix, a Southwest employee without hesitation went to the employee parking lot, got his car and proceeded to drive the elderly woman over 100 miles to Tucson and her injured son.

What CEO Parker successfully helped his people to understand is that there is a direct correlation between leadership and customer service as they are both “situational”. Moreover, it is this level of comprehension for what leadership “is” that has earned Southwest the reputation for always putting the customer first… no matter what the situation.

As your valued resource partner, we stand ready to assist your organization in developing its situational leadership and helping your people to… Learn more… Do more… Become more.

Copyright © 2015 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC

Training Versus Development

How many times in your life have you heard someone say that a particular person is a “born” leader? Like most people, probably quite a few times over the years. The question now is… do you and your organization actually believe this to be true?

 

Even a number of renowned experts on the topic of leadership indicate that they buy-in to this concept. Yet contrary to this often held belief, there is no empirical research or data to support such a belief or take such a position. 

While there is no credible evidence to support the idea that leaders are born, there is ample evidence to also support the fact that leaders in like fashion cannot be “trained”. The American Society of Training and Development states that U.S. based businesses spend in excess of 170 billion dollars annually on leadership based curriculums, yet the vast majority of these immense expenditures are spent on leadership “training”.  

Although every human being has a capacity for leadership, such individual potential must be “developed”, which is an entirely different protocol from training.

The problem that exists is that training is grounded in the acquisition of new technical skills, systems and techniques for executing tasks. Moreover, the traditional methodology for training is one dimensional and equates to a one size fits all approach. Whatever the lead sensory system of the trainer happens to be, it will become the singular delivery modality that will be afforded to the trainees in mass. Unfortunately, everyone doesn’t learn the same way, process information in the same way or assimilate the learning opportunity that is being provided in the exact same way.

As well, the vast majority of training is provided in a monologue environment which is typically manifested in the form of lectures and power point presentations. Simply stated, traditional training modalities are delivered in a sterile environment which historically focuses on past experiences and result outcomes… Rather than business pipelines, current trends and future needs.

The idea of training is fundamentally an attempt to standardize people and processes by blending to a “norm”. Consequently, these endeavors are all too often referred to as “best practices”, which are typically the safe play when it comes to normalizing people and processes.

 

In stark contrast, the act of developing leaders focuses on the progressive development of core leadership competencies, knowledge retention and the ability to implement the learning on demand. Developmental leadership is ultimately transformational.

Leaders and leadership candidates readily indicate that they dread training and will seek to avoid it at every turn. However, they embrace the idea of developing their leadership abilities because true development programs are fluid, collaborative, hands-on and actionable. Following below are 10 of the prominent key differences between training and development:

Training conforms to standards > Development focuses on maximizing potential.

Training focuses on the present > Development focuses on the future.

Training indoctrinates > Development educates.

Training tests patience > Development tests courage.

Training focuses on technique and content > Development focuses on people.

Training maintains the status quo > Development serves as a catalyst for innovation.

Training emphasizes compliance > Development enhances performance.

Training focuses on efficiency > Development focuses on effectiveness..

Training is transactional > Development is transformational.

Training blends to a norm > Development transcends above and beyond the norm.

If your organization seeks to distinguish itself, grow forward and evolve as a viable business entity, then your leadership must develop the appropriate competencies to facilitate these outcomes.

As your valued resource partner, we provide formal development programs that will assist your organization, its leadership and your people to… Learn more… Do more… Become more.

Copyright © 2015 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC

How To Deal With Emotionally Charged Situations

As a leader, it is essential for you to have highly developed people skills, especially when it comes to dealing with “emotionally” charged situations.

 

In today’s pressure laden workplace, tension, stress and emotions lie at the heart of virtually every situation. Interactions in the Boardroom and management meetings have become as heated as the Friday night fights. When leaders allow their tempers to flare and their emotions to influence their actions, the outcomes are certain to send a negative ripple surging throughout the organization.

You need only recall former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford barreling over a City Councilor during a city council meeting or the recent Parliament brawls in Turkey, Ukraine and Britain’s House of Commons – To be soberly reminded of the impacts of humanity’s negative potential, even at the highest levels of leadership. When emotions run high, leadership will all too often falter, thereby impacting performance, productivity and morale. 

The circumstance which I am referring to, serves as the basis for what the authors of the NY Times bestseller refer to as “Crucial Conversations”. As you have experienced, crucial conversations occur in personal life and business on a regular basis. These interactions range from conflict resolution, providing constructive criticism, policy and procedure, compensation, task assignments and differences of opinion, to name a few examples.

It is important to understand that there are three specific components that comprise crucial conversations, which consist of:

            ● The “stakes” are high (there is much at risk).

            ● Emotions run high (are emotionally charged).

            ● Opinions differ widely (lack of consensus).

In most situations, as can be readily understood, these crucial conversations and subsequent behaviors don’t usually fare well. Crucial conversations typically have a pronounced negative affect on personal well-being, organizational well-being and that of everyone else involved.

The unfortunate reality is that you find yourself in this type of conversational scenario on a regular basis. The salient question for you to answer as a leader is… “How can I remain in control of my emotions, while diffusing these crucial conversations?

As stressed by the authors of Crucial Conversations, it is necessary to be crystal clear about what is important in each given situation. This can best be accomplished by first determining what is “important” to you as an individual and as a leader. They suggest that you begin this process by answering the following questions:

            ● What do I really want for “myself”?

            ● What do I really want for “others”?

            ● What do I really want for the “relationship”?

After you have honestly arrived at answers for these three questions, take a few more moments to answer this final question:

            ● How would I choose to behave if I really wanted these outcomes?

 

Authentic leaders learn how to use this process to bridle their emotions for the greater good of all parties. Their ability to generate positive responses to these questions, helps them to reframe their attitudes about crucial conversations while taking personal responsibility for how they were initially feeling and reacting. Resultantly, calmer mindsets ensued which provided a more constructive foundation on which to engage the conversation.

A leader’s ability to become better grounded and appropriately focused, ultimately sets a more positive tone for the crucial conversation which thereby assists other participants to also engage with a more positive and expective approach.

The development of right attitudes, self-discipline and effective communication are essential competencies for leaders who want to remain in control of their emotions while handling and diffusing crucial conversations.

As your valued resource partner, we can readily assist your organization, its leadership and your people with the developmental training and processes that will help them to… Learn more… Do more… Become more.

Copyright © 2015 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC

Redefining Your Perspective

What exactly is it that you absolutely must (without fail) do today? An important report? Your presentation for this afternoon’s management meeting? Or perhaps a project deadline?

 

Like yourself, your people are also focusing on the things that they are responsible for, that as well must be completed today. They sweat the deadlines and potential consequences, just as you do, should they not measure up on this given day.

When you were growing up, your parents advised you repeatedly to “do it now”. The companion piece of advice that they also provided was “don’t put off till tomorrow, what you can do today”. More than likely, you have as well passed these words of wisdom along to your own children.

Throughout the years and course of your life, you have been repetitively taught to live and function in the here and now. I have no doubt that at some point one or more of your teachers told you to stop day dreaming, stay in the present and focus on your schoolwork. Moreover, the act of having been singled out in front of your classmates may have served to make you feel rather embarrassed.

The scenarios which have just been described have created a powerful set of habits and feelings that continue to influence your behavior to this very day. As a direct result of these patterns of influence, you and your people have been conditioned to engage in localized thinking and perspective.

Your predominant focus is that of being “short” term (local). In other words, you are primarily focused on what has to done and accomplished today, while being secondarily focused on what must be addressed in the next several days. i.e. Project deadline today… important meeting tomorrow morning… Johnny’s soccer game tomorrow evening and your mom’s surprise birthday party on Saturday.   

Much like your daily work tasks, you can only tackle so many at one time. Given the hectic pace of life and work, you and your people are typically so focused on everything that literally has to happen in the “now”, that it becomes increasingly more difficult to contemplate the “future”.

The inability of people in mass to think long term has become the new normal. This is precisely why according to “Investors Insight” that only 11% of the Baby Boomer generation are financially prepared for retirement. It is also why only 3% of people actually have real goals. In business, many once heralded household names no longer exist in the marketplace because they failed to see the big picture and the need to think long term. They ultimately failed due to their own short sightedness.

What I am attempting to call your attention to is the critical need for you, your people and your organization to shift to what astronaut and Colonel Ron Garan has come to call the “Orbital Perspective”. While logging 71 million miles aboard the International Space Station, he was awe stuck first by the view of earth from space, then secondarily by the fact that he was orbiting the planet below in an amazing feat of engineering that was the result of 15 nationalities successfully collaborating on earth and then in space.

For Colonel Garan, the opportunity to gaze from outer space, brought the earth down to size and diversity into a new perspective… that human beings need to apply the same spirit of collaboration and creativity to their everyday lives and work down here on the planet’s surface.

It is only when we stop to lift our heads, hands and hearts from our immediate tasks that we will be able to envision what opportunities lie in front of us, rather than what rests on our work bench and at our feet. We must first take time to look up, if we are ever going to truly see our potential future.

As Colonel Garan relished his crystal clear vision from space, the longer he observed, the more details of earth came into focus. While you may be earth bound, you can still experience something quite similar. Quite possibly, you have done this years ago and the experience has dimmed a bit over time.

On a clear night well after dark, go to a place where there are no outside lights to distract your vision. The look upward to the stars. Just relax, enjoy the view and be patient with yourself for a while. What you will soon discover is, that the longer you look, the more stars you will see and the brighter they will become. Such is the essence of your future, if you choose to see it.

Afterwards, simply know that this same principle works universally and that it will work for you, just as it did for Colonel Garan. Then adapt an Orbital Perspective to your life, your work, your people and your organization. Start looking up at the “Big Picture”, as well as focusing on a long term view of a new and brighter future. 

As your organization and people cease thinking locally and begin the process of thinking Orbital (globally), your collaborative efforts will lead you to share Colonel Garan’s belief that “There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth, only crewmates.”

For we are all here for the same reason and we all share a common purpose.

As your valued resource partner, we can readily assist your organization, its leadership and your people to… Learn more… Do more… Become more. 

Copyright © 2015 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC

My Door Is Always Open

When most people stop to consider what qualities and attributes contribute to someone being a good leader, they generally cite qualities such as honesty, integrity and trustworthiness.

 

Aside from these particular personal attributes, it is also common perspective that good leaders must be effective problem solvers, decision makers and communicators.

While many leaders actually embody these qualities and attributes, their leadership potential is often thwarted due to an absence of another essential leadership element that is all too often overlooked.

This important element is “accessibility”. As you think back over your working years, just how many of your various leaders professed to have an “open door” policy, yet somehow they never happened to be available when their people needed them?

When individuals who have been placed in leadership roles declare that “my door is always open” and then fail to be accessible to those who they are charged with the responsibility of leading – They are ultimately doing a huge disservice to their people, their organization and their own career.

From an employee’s perspective, when their leader tells them “if you need me for any reason, my door is always open to you”… While it may sound good, perhaps even reassuring to some degree, the vast majority of employees simply aren’t buying it based on their prior experiences.

The truth of the matter is that most employees are apprehensive about availing themselves of an open door scenario. Only in the most dire and urgent of situations will they actually consider approaching their leader. And even then, more so out of necessity than actual want to.

For the organization and the leader, the consequences are that you won’t know that there is a problem until such time as it has already become a “crisis”. The important questions, concerns, complaints and creative ideas that would have impacted your organization either positively or negatively… will simply never surface to see the light of day. 

The day to day reality of business at any level is that people have questions that require real answers, instructions that need clarification and problems that need solving. In like fashion, they also require general direction, support and encouragement.

However, when employees continuously find that their leaders are perpetually on the phone, in a meeting or out of the office – the rank and file is left in the daunting position of having to fend for itself. The results of which usually come at the expense of the organization.

While a quintessential function of leadership is that of dealing with challenges, especially people challenges – It is the very challenge of being an individual leader, that most leaders collectively struggle with.

The more successful that you and your organization become, the more exceeding are the demands for your “time”. Your finite amount of time on a daily basis is divided up between an ever increasing number of people and situations. Your prerequisite challenge is that to become an authentic leader, you must also truly be an available and accessible leader.

Leadership’s Catch-22 very much parallels Newton’s Law of Physics, where for each action there is an equal and opposite reaction. For when you as a leader devote your time to a particular person or situation, you are conversely taking time away from other people and circumstances that are concurrently competing for the finite amount of time you have to work with.

This is precisely why you must learn to become proactive as an accessible leader who clearly understands their need to be visible, accessible and involved with the people whom you lead.

Given that leadership is also about recognizing your priorities, make it your daily priority to visit with your employees, have meaningful two way communication with them and consequently learn firsthand what is really happening in this segment of your organization’s operation.

For when you do, not only will you truly be an accessible leader… you will be a highly respected leader that people willingly choose to follow.

As your valued resource partner, we can readily assist your organization, its leadership and your people to… Learn more… Do more… Become more.

 
Copyright © 2015 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC

In The Absence Of Integrity

One of the hallmark qualities of an authentic leader is his or her “integrity”. And when a leader violates their own integrity, they also violate the leadership role that they were responsible to fulfill, as well as violate the people who had come to trust them as their leader.

In the course of the past week, there have been two high profile circumstances of leadership integrity being violated in dramatic fashion. First came NBC Nightly News anchor and managing editor Brian Williams who was exposed for falsely embellishing his news reports. Next came the resignation of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber amid a growing corruption scandal.

When hundreds of millions of American workers (just like those in your organization) arrive home at the end of their workday and turn on the evening news, their expectation is to not only catch up on the news of the day – It is also their expectation to receive the factual truth about what is happening in the world around them. For whatever reason yet unrevealed, Brian Williams decided to go down the road of something other than the factual truth.

As a society, we have come to live in a time when the integrity of leadership is constantly under the microscope and more often than not in doubt. Most people simply lack confidence and resultant trust in their civic leaders, business leaders, government leaders and even religious leaders.

The corruption scandal driven resignation of Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber comes on the heels of former Virginia Governor and once hopeful Presidential candidate Robert F. McDonnell having been sentenced to federal prison after being convicted along with his wife Maureen, the former First Lady of Virginia, on corruption charges.   

Even during the weeks leading up to the recent Super Bowl, issues of integrity swirled in the midst of professional football’s “inflate-gate”. The issue of leadership integrity being comprised is no longer an isolated circumstance now and then. Rather, it seems to be taking on epidemic proportions as stories of failed leadership integrity continue to surface week in and week out.

In view of today’s unprecedented breaches of leadership integrity on a global scale, it isn’t any wonder that people everywhere have become particularly suspect of their leadership in the workplace. Just like their evening news, when people show up at their employer’s place of business each day, they too “expect to receive the factual truth about what is happening in the workplace around them.”  

 

Like the hub of a wheel, integrity is what connects so many other vital aspects of leadership. And when integrity is lost, it causes an adverse cascade much like that of a domino effect. Without integrity, there is no respect. Without respect, there is no trust. Without trust, there is no credibility. Without credibility, there is no cooperation. I need not elaborate further.

A major leadership lesson that authentic leaders have emphatically learned at the hands of the former leaders who compromised and then subsequently lost their integrity is that… the “truth” matters. Ethics matter. The reason they matter is because whether your success manifests as tangible or intangible, success will always be substantive. Success in what every form it comes, is something of value, something to behold. Therefore, it must not only be “earned”, it must be earned fair and square. 

 

Simply stated, you can’t short cut, cheat or steal your way to success. That is precisely why there are patent and copyright laws. They protect the integrity of people, their work and their future accomplishments.

As President Dwight D. Eisenhower put it… “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army or in an office”.

In the absence of the highest degree of integrity, your organization will be absent of the prerequisite leadership that is necessary to fulfill its potential and that of its human resources.

As your premier training resource partner, we can readily assist in the development of your leadership, your people and their ability to … Learn more… Do more… Become more.

Copyright © 2015 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC

Never Forget Who You Are

You frequently hear reports of leaders who for a time “forget who they really were” and who lost touch with reality amidst the trappings of success and their station in life. Many a state governor, congressman and business executive have fallen prey to this fall from prominence and public grace.

 

Several recent events reminded me of the story about a former United States Under Secretary of Defense who was delivering a corporate speech to a gathering of over one thousand business executives several years ago.

 

During his presentation, he paused for a moment to take a sip of coffee from the Styrofoam cup which he was holding. As he briefly gazed at the cup in his hand, he interrupted his presentation to then say…

“When I spoke last year at this same venue for this very same event, I was at the time the Acting Under Secretary of Defense. I was flown to this event business class. When I arrived, there was a car and driver waiting to take me from the airport to the hotel where someone had already checked me in. I was then taken directly up to my room.

The next morning we I came downstairs, there was someone waiting in the lobby who then took me to this very same venue where I was taken to the back entrance and then escorted directly to the green room… At which point I was served a cup of coffee in a beautiful ceramic mug.

It is now a year later… and I am no longer the acting under secretary. This year I flew coach and then took a taxi to the hotel where I checked myself in. This morning, I took another taxi to this same venue… walked in the front door… and found my way back stage on my own. At which point I had to ask… Do you have any coffee? After which someone simply pointed to the coffee machine over in the corner. I then poured myself a cup of coffee in this Styrofoam cup.

The object lesson is this… the ceramic mug of coffee was never meant for me. It was meant for the position that I held. What I ‘deserved’… was a Styrofoam cup.

As you become more successful… As you do well in life… You will be rewarded with many advantages. People will refer to you as ‘Sir’ or ‘Ma’am’… They will carry your luggage… They will hold doors open for you… They will bring you a cup of coffee or tea without you even asking for it. But it’s not meant for you, it’s meant for the position that you hold… And when you move on… they will give all of those things to your successor.

Never… ever… forget who you are… and that what you ‘deserve’ is a Styrofoam cup.”

I can personally relate to the former Under Secretary’s message, as I have had a somewhat similar experience a few years back myself. After boarding my U.S. Airways flight from Dulles International to the Denver International Airport in Colorado, I soon found myself along with the rest of the passengers and crew grounded on the tarmac for over three hours due to several mechanical difficulties with the aircraft.

After finally disembarking from the disabled aircraft, we boarded another plane for the flight to Denver. Unfortunately, by the time that the plane finally took off, it was more than apparent that I would miss my connecting flight out of Denver to Helena, MT. Moreover, the 10:20 PM, flight was the last flight out for the night. Therefore, I was destined to be stranded in Denver later that night.

Prior to the delayed take off from Dulles, I placed a cell call to my client contact in Montana to inform them of the unexpected delays and that I would miss my connecting flight in Denver. I was advised to just relax and enjoy the flight and to call them once I had landed at Denver International.

Upon touch down in Denver at 12:30 AM, I immediately called my contact who instructed me to proceed to a specific gate at the airport where a car and driver would be waiting for me. They reassured me that I would not be spending the night stranded in Denver and that the driver would explain things more fully from there.

As I proceeded through the airport terminal, I saw extensive lines of my fellow co-passengers waiting to deal with a customer service representative about their unanticipated circumstance and how the rest of their night would unfold. Then too, I didn’t exactly know how mine was going to unfold either.

When I got to the specified gate, I was met by a very polished chauffeur who whisked me away in his limousine and then informed me that we were going to the commercial side of the airport where a private jet was awaiting me. My first thoughts were… are you kidding me? Are you talking to me?

A few minutes later we arrived on the commercial side of the airfield which was completely dark with the exception of one brightly lit facility which belonged to a corporate charter company. As I entered the facility, the gentleman at the front desk inquired… are you Mr. Swank? To which I replied yes. He (the owner) replied… I don’t know who the heck you are… but you must be someone who is pretty darn important to get me and a top notch private pilot out of bed in the middle of the night!    

He then introduced to me to my pilot who escorted me to our corporate charter. Moments later, I found myself viewing a gorgeous western night sky while aboard what I equated to be my “Pretty Woman” flight (hope you grasp the movie reference). A little over three hours later at 3:40 AM, we quietly and discreetly touched down in Helena, MT where my contact was patiently awaiting my arrival.

For many people, this event may have seemed very surreal. After all, it was potentially a once in a life time experience. While my ego could have soared for a moment, it never did. For I realized that it was entirely about the agenda for the next business day… it wasn’t about “me”.

In closing I, like the former Under Secretary urge you to keep your head about you and to realize the perks which you enjoy are for the position you hold or will one day hold and are not for you. The top CEO’s of America’s Fortune 500 companies typically only have an average tenure of about three and one half years.

So, never ever forget who you are and where you came from. Your deserve a Styrofoam cup… just as I deserved coach and a night stranded in Denver.

The Leadership Academy… Learn more. Do more. Become more.

Copyright © 2015 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC

New Beginnings

While the arrival of January 1^st signifies the official start of the New Year, very rarely does it translate into new beginnings. The fact is that less than half of the U.S population even make a New Year’s Resolution to begin with, let alone keep it.

According to the 1/1/2014 report issued by the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology, only 45% of American’s actually make a New Year’s Resolution in the first place. Of those that do, only a scant 8% are successful in keeping their resolution and achieving their personal objective. When viewed in terms of the U.S. population in its entirety, only 3.24% of Americans from an overall perspective keep their resolutions.

The thing that I find ever so intriguing about the University of Scranton’s findings is that they so accurately mirror another college study that pertained to goals achievement. Some months back I was listening to Joel Osteen one evening who was talking about a goals study that had been conducted by Princeton University several decades ago. The research team had surveyed the graduating class to find out how many of the graduates actually had “written” goals for their life.

Only a mere 3% of these esteemed college graduates actually had written goals for what they wanted to achieve with their lives. After tracking the graduating class over a period of twenty years, what the researchers learned was that the three percent of the graduates who had written goals at the time of their graduation had:

            Higher earnings.

            Greater wealth.

            More friends.

            A lower divorce rate.

            Greater work-life balance.

            More happiness.

While I can’t speak for you… from my perspective, these six life factors translate into one all important thing… “success”.

In case you’re interested, the reason “why” this is so important in present day January 2015 is the fact that the conclusion of the University of Scranton’s more recent research was that “People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals that people who don’t explicitly make resolutions.”

The good news is that your New Year is still brand spanking new, so if you haven’t chosen a meaningful resolution (goal) for this year and you want a real shot of increasing your chances tenfold for achieving meaningful success in 2015… Then allow me the privilege of helping you to make a sound decision.

Here’s the important question that you need to answer… “What is the one thing in your life that absolutely has to change?” No fudging allowed. You know exactly what it is. Now go write it down on paper and then write out a real plan to achieve it.

Lastly, ask yourself one more question… “What is the consequence that you will have to live with (maybe forever) if you don’t change it?”

I often share the following original quote from my book during workshops and events… “Success is out there for the taking… If you are willing to do what it takes.”

Here’s to your every success in 2015 and beyond!

Copyright © 2015 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC | All Rights Reserved.

Thanksgiving Day Proclamation Of 1789

As leaders in this day and this time, it is incumbent upon us collectively to both recall and reflect upon the true heritage of our nation and its public observance of a day of Thanksgiving and prayer.

Thanksgiving Day 1789

By The President of the United States of America – A Proclamation

“Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly implore His protection and favor – and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me ‘to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for safety and happiness.’

Now therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26^th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all good that was, that is, or that will be – That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks – for His kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation – for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions if His providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war – for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed – for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we have been blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which He hath pleased to confer on us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions – to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually – to  render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed – to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace and concord – To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us – and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.”

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

George Washington

As my family and I prepare to observe in accordance with the spirit and content of President Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation… I pray that our sovereign nation would again be blessed with authentic leadership such as first founded these United States two hundred and thirty eight years ago, and that almighty God would bring forth Godly leaders that would follow His divine plan, purpose and will for our nation, heal our land, unite our People and restore the foundational premise of our nation’s existence.

I  extend my sincere and earnest wish to you and your family for a Happy Thanksgiving!

To your every success in leadership and life,

Tom

Thomas H. Swank, CEO

The Leadership Academy

How To Choose A Leader

In a few short weeks you will again be confronted with the awesome responsibility of heading to your local polling place to cast your ballots for the election of local, state and national offices that require authentic leadership as a prerequisite to the solemn duties of their respective offices.

 

What is your personal and professional responsibility when it comes to choosing a leader?

There are hundreds of characteristics, attributes and qualities that great leaders can embody and exhibit. However, no single leader could ever possess all of these various characteristics.

As you live out your personal and professional life you will be presented with ongoing opportunities to participate in the selection or election process for governmental, business workplace, civic and church leadership.

 Following are some key considerations and questions that you would be wise to weigh carefully as you execute your personal and professional responsibility of selecting future leaders:

Does the individual consistently tell the truth and then conduct themselves in an honest and principled manner? 

Is the individual reliable, faithful and trustworthy? Does he or she actually do what they say they will do?

Does this individual honor their commitments to spouse, family and their organization? 

Is this individual genuine and authentic? Are they the real deal?

Is this individual generous to others, especially those who are in need?

Does this individual communicate and exhibit sound reasoning?

Does this individual exhibit high moral, ethical and spiritual character?

Is this individual fiscally responsible? Is he or she conscientious about paying their financial obligations?

Is this individual a good communicator that respects others while being kind, considerate and gentle? Is he or she a good listener?

Is this individual humble and well grounded? Does he or she treat others with dignity, appreciation and a spirit of service?

Does this individual consistently extend common courtesies to others?

Is this individual careful? Does he or she thoroughly review all of their options and carefully consider the ramifications of his or her decisions?

Does this individual exhibit self-control in his or her habits?

Is this individual prepared to be an appropriate example for others to follow? Does he or she live by these same standards of personal and professional conduct?

Does this individual know how to relax, have fun and make others laugh without having to resort to inappropriate content, coarse jokes, crude language or stories?

Does this individual exhibit patience and life balance? Is he or she even tempered or are they easily irritated?

Is this person a bridge builder and a peacemaker who seeks to forge mutual beneficial long term relationships? Does he or she avoid arguments and pursue constructive ways to resolve differences?

Does this individual bring out the best in others?

Does this individual inspire others to learn more, do more and become more? Does he or she help others to develop their potential?

Does this individual accept full responsibility for their errors and mistakes? Does he or she show remorse, make amends and do all that they can to make the situation right?

Is this individual genuinely modest? Does he or she focus on the accomplishment and achievements of others rather then their own successes?

Does this individual interact and work well with others and exhibit good judgment while executing well thought out decisions that demonstrate wisdom and fairness?

Is the individual fully prepared to stand up for the truth and then follow through by doing the right thing… No matter the personal or professional cost to themselves?

Does the individual share and support your values or position with regard to the matters or issues at hand?

At a personal level you may have other points or perspectives for evaluating or scrutinizing potential leadership. Regardless of how you ultimately make your leadership decision, it remains your personal and professional responsibility to thoroughly evaluate, examine and test leadership candidates. It is extremely important that you observe both their behaviors and body language, as this will provide far greater insight into the candidate than their mere words.

Also, take the time to also thoroughly review all available information including resume, website, social media and public records. In the case of public elections, be sure to review all available campaign materials. 

Lastly, as a leader it is incumbent upon you to continue to apply these characteristics, attributes and qualities to your personal and professional life… And to those whom you lead in all the arenas of your life to do the same.

The Leadership Academy… Changing the way organizations and people work, perform and live.

Copyright © 2012-2014 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC.