Donald J. Fielder's Author Journal

Reality Is Reality or Wake Up America

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:53:00 +0000

I am a voracious reader and I enjoy many different types of the printed word. For enjoyment I prefer fiction and certainly lean toward thrillers of one kind or another. But I also read non-fiction and have just joined the local Ivy League Non-Fiction Book Club. This is a new experience for me since I have never belonged to a book club of any kind and have always felt that it was a waste of valuable time to get together with other people to discuss books of fiction. However, I was persuaded to look into this non-fiction club which held the promise of intellectual discussions on topics of importance where honest differences of opinion could occur or where different, yet viable, philosophies/viewpoints could be examined in some detail. It is this book club that has brought me to read China Shakes the World by James Kynge. It is a description, along with Kynge’s revelations from having lived and worked in and around China since 1985, of how that country has become a world economic power in a very short period of time and how that country compares to the industrial west including the United States. Kynge worked as the China Bureau Chief for the Financial Times and, as such, has a thorough understanding of economics. The book has become mandatory reading in most business classes in America’s colleges and universities.

There are a number of very disturbing comparisons between China and the United States that bother me greatly. Perhaps the most disturbing comparison is the amount of government economic control over the businesses and citizens of the two countries. I naturally assumed that being a communist country, the Chinese government owns all business and that, true to its communist philosophy, strives to distribute wealth to all citizens as evenly as possible by taxing and redistributing income to those who do not earn as much as others. Of course, this was of particular interest to me since we now have a proclaimed socialist president and congress who are setting about to do exactly that to an even greater degree than already exists in the United States. What I discovered was the exact opposite. The United States is already more socialistic than communist China and the comparison is about to widen dramatically if the president’s proposals are passed by Congress and implemented.

Without going into great detail, I will merely cite some passages from Kynge’s work to support this conclusion.

“China today is a great deal less socialist than any country in Europe; the 120 million or so migrant workers, for instance, receive no welfare at all.”

“ … the taxes the government levies on its corporations and its people can also be lower … Chinese state expenditures … come to less than half of German levels.”

“These discrepancies define the challenge China presents to the social democratic model that Europe so painstakingly constructed from the ruins of World War Two.”

“He (Emilio Camponovo, founder of one of the largest gold refineries in Europe & whose industry was virtually wiped out by the Chinese) did not blame the Chinese, he said. They were willing to work hard and they were smart. What really exercised him … was how ignorant the Italian and Swiss governments seemed to be of the nature of Chinese competition. From his perspective, the threat came less from China’s rise than from the failure of European governments to understand it and formulate policies to deal with it. For instance, he said, corporation tax rates in his canton of Switzerland were effectively over 50 percent of profits. But in spite of this heavy tax burden, the canton announced larger budget deficits year after year. … The main cause of the deepening deficit was state payments to individuals for medical treatment.”

“Healthcare was one cost. Unions were another. There were ten different unions represented among the staff who worked in the gold refinery. The red tape and the welfare payments were suffocating, he (Camponovo) said. In every company and profession it was the same story; the socialist welfare state had turned from a boon to a burden.”

“What is true, though, is that at the 16th Congress of the Communist Party in late 2002, the Constitution was amended to put private business on an equal footing with state corporations.”

“The Communist Party had to surrender considerable control to deliver the growth it needed; since 1998 it had privatized almost all of the country’s urban housing stock, made redundant (fired) more than 25 million workers from state companies, allowed hundreds of thousands of state companies to free themselves from the burden of providing medical care for employees and free schooling for their children … “

“Many of the weaknesses and deficiencies … can be traced back to China’s overarching contradiction: that it tries to run an increasingly sophisticated, capitalist economy with a political system that was designed to issue crisp commands from a single source of authority, and to be obeyed.”

“On the World Bank’s list of the twenty most polluted cities in the world, sixteen are in China.”

“And as for being a Communist behemoth, well, that is difficult for Beijing to address because although it is no longer Communist, it is still ruled by the Communist Party.”

In talking about the government owned banks Kynge writes, “The big ‘ four’ banks, which control more than half of the country’s deposits and loans, are all owned by the state. … In return, they can feel secure in the knowledge that they will never be allowed to fail, no matter how many bad debts pile up on their balance sheets. The central bank, which regulates the banking industry alongside the recently established China Banking Regulatory Commission, has a track record of bailing out the “big four” every time they need it.”

I could go on and on with quotes from this book. The point that I now make is simply this: The perception that the average citizen of the U.S. now has of China and its perception of the current U.S. government (President and Congress) is the exact opposite of reality. When comparing the U. S. and China by virtually any measure that defines government control over individuals and corporations and the redistribution of wealth from those that produce to those that do not, the United States is more communistic than China.

I wrote about the dangers of confusing perception with reality in The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo, published by SterlingHouse. The book’s very first Teaching, “One Who Yawns”: Or Perceptions Change, warns:

Geronimo’s original name was Goyakla or Go-khla-yeh, which meant “One Who Yawns.” This was not a name that anyone in the entire southwest would think was appropriate for the feared war chief. He did not receive the bloodcurdling name Geronimo (Spanish for Jerome) until years later when the Mexicans renamed him.

Teaching

Many people believe that it is true that perception is reality. Do not accept this commonly held belief. REALITY IS REALITY, and perceptions often change. You should always be wary of the perceptions that you have developed about people, companies, organizations, and situations. Once your perception has become a reality in your own mind you will act on it as such. All too often, either the perception was wrong or reality changed, but, in either case, your actions based on an old or false reality lead to incorrect decisions. This can cost your organization dearly. Therefore, be open to changing your perceptions by carefully looking at the facts and not your perception of them.

The perception that people within the United States and, indeed, most all of the world, is that China is communistic and backward and unable to rival the U. S. economy. Once upon a time this perception was true but it began to change in 1978 when reforms were put into place. Today it is not the U. S. that has “free enterprise” in a capitalistic state and an economy that is the envy of the rest of the world. It is China. It is China that is growing by leaps and bounds, not the United States.

The way for America to survive this current economic downturn and to be able to compete with China in the future is not to become more socialistic like the Europeans but to return to our capitalistic, free enterprise roots. It is not to provide free “everything” to “everyone” including medical care. It is not to tax our corporations more through the subterfuge of cleaning up our environment through a “cap and trade” giant tax increase. It is not to “redistribute” wealth from those who have worked hard to earn it to those who have not taken advantage of the opportunities America provides. That is what the old Communist China did. That is not what the new “Capitalist” China does. Wake up America. Reality is Reality.

Respect All "Two Legged Beings"

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:40:00 +0000

Since I am behind on writing a diary entry, I decided to compose this as I sit watching the French Open Tennis Tournament at Roland Garros tennis complex in Paris. Yesterday I watched Roger Federer barely survive a five game match against an unranked opponent and the day before was stunned as I watched the upset of Rafael Nadal who had won the last five French Open Tournaments and had never lost a match on the hallowed red clay courts. It was fascinating to watch the fierce competition but it was just as fascinating to observe the winners and losers as they were playing and during the press conferences that followed. You can learn much by observing people under stress as in an important tennis match or during a not so friendly media event. As usual, I did learn much this time as well.

What I observed from these tennis icons was something that runs counter to what one typically observes in the United States as well as the rest of the world. They spoke highly of their opponents and praised them for their play. Comments on their physical conditioning, their mental toughness, their shot selections, their serves and their overall play were common. But what impressed me the most was that they commented on how much they RESPECTED them.

Unfortunately, that is not the norm in our everyday world. Indeed, the exact opposite seems to be the rule. A few examples will support this observation. First in heading up the most disrespectful people on earth are the politicians that live in Washington and who work on Capital Hill as well as The White House. It seems that bashing your opposition because they view the world differently is the only thing that is acceptable to most all politicians. This seems to be especially true for those “in power” which, of course, changes on a regular basis. However, I believe that this disrespect has reached a pinnacle as of late. Sad but true that these politicians are supposed to be leaders and are supposed to set an example for everyone. Well, again unfortunately, their example is certainly being followed by the vast majority of US citizens.

Here are more examples. How many of us have had others curse us when we have violated some unknown faux pas such as driving too slow (or too fast) for their liking? How do we account for the stereotypical teenage disdain for their parents (as exhibited through facial expressions, gestures and words)? How many of us have sat in a movie theater with hundreds of empty seats and had someone sit directly in front of us? How many of us have had people break in line when we have been waiting patiently for thirty plus minutes? The list of disrespectful actions could go on and on.

What would Geronimo say about the state of affairs in America (and elsewhere) and among its leaders? It is covered in Teaching #84 in The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo published by SterlingHouse Publishers. Here is part of what it says.

Geronimo, like all Apaches, was taught from childhood to respect and honor all people or all “two legged beings.” He was distraught that throughout his life the “white eyes” seemed to disrespect or dishonor him and all Apaches. An aged Apache told a story that illustrates this.

Once a small band of twelve Apaches were arrested by an Army officer for having broken into a store and stolen some money. When asked if there was proof the Apaches had stolen the money, the answer was “Yes.” When asked if anyone had seen them steal the money, the answer was “No.” Other Apaches investigated the area around the store and determined that one of the horses used in the robbery had a broken shoe. They then asked the officer to come with them as they tracked the trail from the store. The tracks led toward the reservation but then veered away toward a cabin near a small town of white settlers. The officer soon discovered that the men inside the cabin had stolen the money, and he arrested them.

The old Apache commented that this sort of action was commonplace among the “white eyes” but not the Apaches. He correctly noted that it was wrong to suspect that the Apaches were responsible for the theft, and to make matters worse it made no sense since the Apaches had no place to spend the money. The officer had disrespected and dishonored the twelve Apache men.

For those who aspire to leadership roles or for those who hold leadership positions, it is vital to understand that you cannot successfully lead for long, if you do not respect those who disagree with you or who believe differently than you. By doing so, you will never attract those people to follow you. In addition, people understand that you cannot trust a person who disrespects others and many of those that initially follow such a leader will cease to do so. Politicians do not seem to understand this and that is why we turn over our
political leaders every four to eight years. This Teaching is so simple to understand, yet so hard to follow.

Do Not Be Rooted To Place

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Wed, 20 May 2009 20:30:00 +0000

Anyone who reads my ramblings knows that I have a son who recently had a beautiful baby boy. The grandson is now about sixteen months old and not too young for concerned parents to be thinking about where to raise a family and what sort of education is available to their offspring. Certainly, this has been the thinking of our son and daughter-in-law. Up until a couple of weeks ago our son lived in the upper reaches of Manhattan where he had worked for a company for seven years. Our son had worked hard for the company having opened its New York area office and having brought in a record number of clients surpassing all of the company’s other branches. The company decided to consolidate all of its branches into a central location near San Francisco. They offered our son a promotion with more responsibility but unfortunately the same pay. This is not as bad as it sounds since they did pay him well. Nonetheless, one normally advances in compensation as responsibility grows. But I digress.

The change in the company and the thoughts about his family’s future allowed him to make a decision about what would be best for them. Being young and childless for most of the time they lived in New York, they liked the big city and all of the excitement and energy that people find there. However, their life situation had changed and so did their enjoyment of the city and what it held for a young child. They decided that New York was not a good place to raise a child and that a move to another location was indeed advisable. They decided at the same time to leave the company he had been with for seven years for a number of reasons. He then went on a job hunt during the worse worldwide recession in a quarter of a century. In a moment I will share where they wound up going but first I need to refer to a lesson in my book, The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo, published by SterlingHouse Publishers entitled Do Not Be Rooted To Place. Here is some of what is in this Teaching #94.

The Apaches were rooted to geographic location. It was literally a part of their tradition, their customs, and their culture. A Chiricahua Apache custom, for example, was to place the remains of childbirth in a wrapped cloth and to hang it from a close-by fruit tree or scrub while chanting, “May the child live to grow up and see you bear fruit many times.” ….

Thus, the land was a very sacred place that Geronimo or other Apaches would never consider leaving. … Thus, they would go to great lengths to remain in their geographic location and would resist most efforts to move them to other locations.

Teaching

It is natural for virtually all people to feel an attachment to where they live. For most of us there is a need to feel comfortable with where we live and work, to develop friendships with neighbors, and to learn to take advantage of the nearby assets – to be rooted to a place. However, there are times when that attachment can become disadvantageous to us. There are times when opportunity requires us to relocate to another place. ….

In the case of my son, there are a couple of displacement issues at hand. First, he did realize that the time and opportunity were at hand for him and his family to leave the big city for another, more desirable place. A place where they could build a new home, new friends, new work and a new, better life. Unlike Geronimo and the Apaches he refused to become rooted in place to his disadvantage.

The second displacement issue was his company’s desire to centralize their location to California and to close their various branch offices. While this may have made sense to them and for the company’s bottom line, they failed to realize (or care) that forced disruption of loyal and effective managers/leaders would cause a backlash that cost them talent and money. This was compounded by the fact that displacement with increased responsibility was not adequately compensated by the company to make the “un-rooting” at least acceptable, if not desirable. No big deal to those in California who made the decision but a huge deal for those who lived and were rooted elsewhere.

Grandsons and Tree Fighting

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 11:36:00 +0000

My grandson is now about fifteen months old. I recently had the opportunity to once again be with him when our son and daughter-in-law visited. It was great. There is nothing like seeing your own children bring love and joy into the world and knowing that you have made a lasting connection to the future of this lovely planet. As I observed him I was struck by how well the parents were doing in training him to be a good, loving and responsible person even at his young age. This has not happened by accident. They work at it. They take their job as parents very seriously and want to provide the best teaching that they can provide so that he has the maximum opportunity to be happy and successful as he grows.

A couple of examples will illustrate my point. Since our son is American his native language is English. However, he is multilingual and he is married to a charming and wonderful French woman who also happens to be multilingual. They wish to have their children have the same multilingual ability, so they started at birth with our first grandson. She speaks nothing but French to him and our son speaks nothing but English. While it will take longer for him to learn both languages, he will eventually have the advantage of conversing, reading and thinking in both languages.

While he was with us during Christmas the grandson walked (toddled) for the first few times. It was very thrilling and exciting. Of course, now he can more than toddle and he can’t wait to go wherever he can and get into whatever he sees. Clearly, he is exploring his environment as rapidly as he can. Of course, this brings the potential for mild spills and falls and breakage as well as major disaster if he is not watched on a continual basis. Most parents find a way to curtail this exploration, primarily to give themselves a rest. Not our son and daughter-in-law. They switch off often but always seem to have one or the other watching and actively exploring with their son. In other words, they not only do not try to curtail his exploration but actively encourage it and teach him many, many things as he explores. Of course, as grandparents we do not have the stamina of his parents so we watch over him for much shorter periods of time.

So, what does this have to do with fighting trees? If you would read my book, The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo, you would know. Teaching #2, Learn To “Fight a Tree”, explains the importance of learning and training whether it be for the young growing child or the young, maturing employee. Here is some of what it says.

Like most all Apaches, Geronimo was trained in the art of war from the time he was a young child. It was the belief of the Apaches that children needed to develop the skills of survival as young as possible and that they needed to continue their training until adulthood and acceptance into the band as a warrior. …. Thus, the parents were insistent on developing early in their children the strength, skills, and tenacity they would need for survival as adults. Geronimo was trained in horsemanship so that by the time he was in his teens he was an expert rider. He learned to use the bow and arrow as well as the traditional Apache lance. And, unique to Apaches, Geronimo learned to run long distances through harsh terrain without rest. It was this ability to move great distances in a short time that saved Geronimo and many other Apaches from being trapped by superior forces.

Some Apache warriors trained their sons to “fight a tree” by hitting the rough bark of the trunk of the tree and by breaking the branches in order to develop their strength. Another method they used to develop strength was to pull up ever-larger saplings from the forest. Many children were kept awake for long periods as a way of learning to master sleepiness, and some spent time naked in the snow as a way of learning to endure the cold. They would practice their ability to conceal themselves, as they would so often have to do as an adult. Geronimo commented on some of this early training. “We would practice stealing up on some object that represented the enemy, and in our childish imitation often performed the feats of war. Sometimes we would hide from our mother to see if she could find us, and often, when thus concealed, go to sleep and perhaps remain hidden for many hours.”

Teaching

Training is an essential part of today’s modern world. Much has been written about the fact that people will change jobs or occupations an average of four times before they retire. However, there are certain basic skills that are of importance in most any position, and these are the skills that one must master as early as possible. ……

It is also wise for a company to understand that training specific to a position is of paramount importance, and that it is the company’s responsibility to provide for it. …..

While this all seems common sense it is all too common for companies to mouth the importance of training and then slough it off completely or give it minor importance. Thus, little time, energy, effort and money go into training and constantly retraining personnel to become better and better at what they do. We too often pay it lip service and view it as an extravagance or a budget item that can easily be cut, especially in these harsh times of the deepest recession in over sixty years. However, the wise leader is one that understands that, except in the worst case scenario, learning to “fight a tree” cannot be put off and is best administered when the “child” is still young.

What the Execs at AIG, Merrill/Lynch, and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac Do Not Seem To Grasp

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:03:00 +0000

Like most everyone else in the world I have been depressed, demoralized and angry about the state of the economy and about the actions taken (or not taken) by those who have guided some of the (previously) most respected companies in the world. Their failures have led to the near collapse of the world economy and many people’s 401-k retirement accounts, as well as real estate and other investments. There are many, many people who are responsible for the mess in which we find ourselves. They all need to be held accountable for their actions or lack thereof, including those in the United States Congress and in the bureaucratic oversight positions.

The most interesting observation for me from all that has happened is the failure of some of these individuals and “institutions” to understand why the American public is so angry with them. The executives at AIG, American International Group, are perhaps the most clueless of all and provide a perfect example of what executives should never do both in bad times and in good times. That is, take advantage of their positions to profit themselves over others simply because they have the power to do so.

Only arrogance can explain why the AIG execs thought they could (AND SHOULD) reap millions and millions of dollars from the company that they ran into bankruptcy were it not for the federal government, i.e. the taxpayer. When golden parachutes weren’t sufficient, they accepted (or struck) a deal with the U. S. Treasury Department (which was supposed to be protesting American citizens) which paid them millions more in retention bonuses to remain with the company that they help lead to ruin. To hell with the poor stockholder who held AIG stock which is now worthless. To hell with the ordinary worker who is begging to be able to keep his job when his company is cutting thousands of employees in order to survive the worst recession since World War II. To hell with the ordinary taxpayer who must ultimately pay for these millions of dollars to retain the very people who failed in their jobs. To hell with everyone. And yet, they do not understand that people are angry at them for their excessiveness, for their arrogance, for their abuse of their positions.

They should have read Teaching # 74 in The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo, published by SterlingHouse Publishers, which is Chieftains Should Avoid Special Privileges. Here is what it says.

Geronimo almost always led by example. Whether it was leading the charge in battle or taking his turn standing guard, he believed it was proper and fitting for him to do as he expected others to do. However, he was known from time to time to seek special privileges. One example was when he negotiated his final surrender to General Miles. In the agreed-upon arrangement, Geronimo was to be excused from all work details, assigned by the officer in charge of the reservation.

Teaching

Rank and file workers do not understand nor approve of the perquisites that oftentimes accompany leadership positions. From their point of view the leader is no different from the follower and should not have any privileges that are not afforded to all members of the organization. Wise leaders understand this and do not seek or accept such privileges.

As we can see, even in the case of Geronimo himself, leaders often yield to the temptation to leverage their power for special privileges. However, there is a difference between what Geronimo did in securing an exemption from work details on the reservation and the AIG executives. At least Geronimo did not sacrifice his fellow Apaches to life on a reservation in the middle of a hot, arid and dusty desert while he was given millions of dollars despite his defeat and allowed to move into Big Nose Kate’s Saloon and Brothel in Tombstone or any other place his millions would have allowed him to inhabit. True leaders, which are not what any of these AIG and U. S. Treasury executives are, would have understood the symbolism involved in such outlandish behavior. They would have forsaken bonuses of any kind. In fact, they would have slunk out of Dodge on their stomachs glad that they were not buried in the sand up to their necks to await the desert sun, horrible thirst and eventual death which was a favorite way for Apaches to kill their enemies.

Who In Their Right Mind Would Want to Be President of the United States

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:37:00 +0000

The citizens of the United States just elected a new leader – the president. As always, the two year campaign to become president was interesting to watch no matter which person you favored in the election. As has been the case for the last thirty years or so, I had the same thought. Who in their right mind would want to be the president of the United States?

Every president that we have had over those thirty years has been the object of severe attacks from the opposition party. Often, the attacks were unfounded or over exaggerated. The president’s family, who really did not run for anything, was often another source of attack. Any person or any object was fair game. The media simply played into this scenario, often being the source of the attacks. Reality or facts had nothing to do with baseless accusations.

It has gotten so bad that before a president can explain a new proposed program, the opposing party and politicians attack it as baseless, cruel and just plain wrong. The morals or ethics of the presidents are called into question. Indeed, it is now common for the opposition to claim a secret, and often malicious, motive even when there are no facts to support the alleged motive. Presidents are commonly accused of out and out lying to the citizens.

No president since JFK has escaped such hostility and attacks while they were in office. Under such circumstances, one does have to sometimes wonder why in the world anyone would want to be president of the United States. This brought to my mind another lesson from The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo, published by SterlingHouse. Teaching #17, You Have To Want To Be a Chief, addresses this very issue. It also addresses the potential danger in following people who want to the leader. Here is what part of the teaching says.

Geronimo was an ambitious man who wanted to be viewed as a fierce, competent warrior who could save the traditional Apache way of life …

Teaching

Ambition can be a positive, driving force that empowers you to achieve beyond your normal capability. It compels you to go the extra mile, to do more than is expected, to help where others do not, and to set loftier and loftier goals for yourself and your organization. If left unchecked, however, ambition can be harmful. You must know what your key values are and then hold true to those values. ….

Regardless of the verbal, psychological, ethical and physical attacks on presidents and presidents wannabes, we seem to have no lack of people who have the ambition, drive, energy and desire to be president. Certainly, people are not going to become president unless they want to be the leader. That is the first prerequisite to becoming president. The faint-hearted need not apply or wait to be drafted. Let us hope that such men and women use their ambition properly and wisely.

Dead Kings and Queens

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:11:00 +0000

My wife and I love to travel. Oops, let me clarify that. We hate to travel but we love the place we are going to once we get there. In many ways, traveling is like going to the dentist. You hate like the dickens to go but you like the results once the dentist is through poking, scraping, cleaning, drilling and flossing. Travel is like that. You love the people, customs, rituals, food, music, weather and all of the other things that make each place the unique micro-world that it is once you have arrived. You just hate the packing, waiting, standing in line, delayed planes, canceled flights, horrible meals (or peanuts) and cramped quarters you have to endure before you arrive. It’s like sitting in the dentist’s chair.

I say all of this because we recently traveled for a month to Great Britain. It had been twenty-five years since we had been to our motherland and it was with great interest that we returned. We hung out in the smack dab middle of England (Nottingham as in Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood, Maid Marion, and the Sheriff of Nottingham) and made numerous side trips all around before spending our final ten days or so in Scotland. Actually, we stayed near Nottingham in a little village called Colston-Bassett. Our first day (arrival day) was spent getting acclimated and trying to stay awake until our normal sleep time so that we could be up and at them bright and early the following day. So, we walked all around our little village where we stumbled upon the new church built 200-300 hundred years ago before then stumbling on the old church built 1300-1400 years ago. We were just like an excited St. Bernard drooling over all of this history.

Of course, this was just the first of many, many castles, cathedrals, monasteries, old walls and ancient ruins. We actually enjoyed all of the history, not tiring of the old digs until the very last of our visit. I think the reason is because they reminded me of something that I had written about in The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo, published by SterlingHouse. Teaching #85 is entitled, Remember: Others “Were There Before the Rocks Were Hard.” Part of that teaching reads:

Geronimo and the Apaches occupied the southwestern part of North America well before the Spaniards colonized the area. The Apaches have a story that describes how long they occupied the land.

A “white eyes” approached an Apache on one of the reservations. He asked the Apache if he was an Indian, to which the Apache simply replied in the affirmative. The man then asked what tribe he belonged to and the Indian said that he was an Apache. The next question was how long the Apaches had been there. The answer was, “My people were here before the rocks were hard. Your people came afterward.”

As newcomers to an organization, work place, club or group of any kind we tend to see things that we believe need to be changed. Often, they do but just as often they do not. The mistake that newcomers make is that they forget that intelligent, well meaning people were in those positions before they joined the group and had thought through the very same situations and problems that the newcomers were now facing. Procedures, processes and rules were put into place to best handle the problems.
Newcomers would be wise to examine closely the current environment to see if it has significantly changed since the established rules were instituted and to examine if a change is required. It may very well be but it is a bad mistake not to remember (and honor) those that were there before the rocks were hard and to not make changes when they are not needed.

So, the castles and ruins reminded me that there were many good, noble and accomplished people, kings and queens, who lived in the ancestry of my country. It caused me great pleasure to contemplate these folk as I walked the same ground that they had walked and to remember that they were there before the rocks were hard.

Hablas Espanol

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:50:00 +0000

I wish I was a linguist. I have always wished I was linguist. In high school we could take either Spanish or Latin. My mother insisted I take Latin because that is what my older and smarter brother (he made better grades and was Valedictorian) did and that was what you were supposed to take if you wanted to learn all of the root words that would make you better qualified for college. So, I took Latin for two years. I can’t speak Latin and even if I could there would be no one with whom I could converse. Even the Catholic Church has given up Latin for mass. There is no country of Latin I can go to where Latin is spoken and understood.

In my freshman year of college I was more independent and could choose what language I could take. At that time you had to have at least two years of a foreign language to get a degree. I had three choices – Spanish (again), French or German. I pondered these options and eventually chose German. I thought it was a very masculine language with all of the guttural sounds and short, clipped delivery. I did pretty poorly. I could understand the structure of the language and could read and write it fairly well for a novice but speaking and understanding spoken German was a different matter. I think I was afraid of my German professor who, I swear, must have run one of the Stalag prisoner of war camps. In any event I quit that language when I transferred to another school after my initial freshman year.

I was faced with exactly the same situation at my new school. I had to have two years of a foreign language and I had the same three choices – Spanish, French and German. However, this school did not require the two years to be in the same language. After much thought, I decided to give French a try. It was a very romantic language and sounded so suave and sophisticated. Unfortunately, I had the same problem as I had had with German. I got A’s when it came to reading and writing French and F’s when it came to speaking and understanding it. In fact, I was even worse in understanding French than German.

Even with all of this failure I did not give up. After getting married and planning trips to Europe, my wife and son coaxed me into taking German classes before a trip to Germany and French classes before a sojourn to France. I did better because all I had to do was learn enough words to order from a menu and to find my way to the right restroom. Even with that, there were times when I was served things I had no idea I was ordering. Eventually, I got good at pointing to the plates of other diners who had what looked like mouth watering dishes.

My wife is not much better at being a linguist than I am but somewhere our son got the genes to be truly gifted in this area. He speaks French fluently and is proficient in Arabic, Hindi and Spanish. Ah, Spanish. The same goes for our daughter-in-law who speaks even more languages. Maybe this is because she is French and learned from early childhood that knowing more than one language is a good thing. I know that Geronimo knew this and he used it to his advantage in leading others. In Teaching #44, Hablas Espanol?, in my book, The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo, published by SterlingHouse Publishers I explain it like this.

Since Geronimo spent much of his time in Mexico it behooved him to know Spanish. Indeed, at times his very life depended on his ability to understand and speak Spanish. During the tragic massacre of the Apaches by the Mexican troops in which Geronimo and his band were trapped and forced to fight from rifle pits dug in an arroyo, Geronimo used his knowledge of Spanish to know, beforehand, the intent of the Mexicans. During the fighting he crawled undetected through the arroyo to within a few yards of where the Mexican general was meeting with his officers. Being downwind of the group Geronimo could hear virtually every word spoken. He later wrote that the general said, “Officers, yonder in those ditches is the red devil Geronimo and his hated band. This must be his last day. Ride on him from both sides of the ditches; kill men, women and children; take no prisoners; dead Indians are what we want. Do not spear your own men; exterminate this band at any cost; I will post the wounded to shoot all deserters; go back to your companies and advance.” ………

The Teaching in Geronimo goes on to explain that while English is The international language used by businesses around the world, it is still true that many businesses are run by people who speak only their own language or who prefer to do business in their language. The same is true of ordinary citizens of other countries. Learning and using the natural or preferred language of others gives one an advantage over those who do not, and any advantage in today’s highly competitive world should be captured.

This was again brought home to me when I was doing some consulting in Douglas, Arizona. Douglas is about as close to Mexico as you can come without actually being in Mexico. The company, in this case a school, had a large number of staff who spoke both English and Spanish. It was natural that a preference was given to applicants who could speak Spanish. It was not a requirement, the same as it is often not a requirement in a business transaction. But it was still a preference and a preference is an advantage. Geronimo knew this. I know this. Now, if I can only learn to speak and understand French, maybe I will be able to talk with my grandson who is learning that language as well as English from his multilingual parents. Maybe it is not too late for me.

Experience Helps or A Fierce Reputation Can Help Win Battles

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:56:00 +0000

I have been very fortunate to have had many wonderful opportunities and experiences in my life …more than most. I am ever mindful of just how blessed my life has been. A new opportunity has recently presented itself and I certainly plan to avail myself of it.

A former principal of mine, when I was the superintendent of a school district in Colorado, has been actively involved in the International Baccalaureate Program for a number of years. Actually, he was the principal of the first IB-approved public elementary school in the United States when we first opened it 1998. The school then became a part of the first-ever IB-approved elementary to middle school to high school strand in the world. Because of these experiences he has remained active in the IB community around the world, doing training in many exotic locations.

It was through these connections that he introduced and recommended me to a British group who had just been contracted to perform a series of school inspections/evaluations throughout the United Arab Emirates. They have been kind enough to review my credentials, references and reputation to become a part of this inspection team. Both my wife, who is equally trained, experienced and reputed, and I have been accepted and will work for the month of November in the UAE based out of Dubai. It should be an interesting experience.

While all of this was coming together I had a chance to reflect on how it happened and on what lessons Geronimo might have for me in my book, The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo, published by SterlingHouse. Lesson #37, A Fierce Reputation Can Help Win Battles. In part here is what it says:

Before he was thirty everyone had heard of Geronimo. He was easily the most feared warrior leader in the entire American southwest and northern Mexico. The mere mention of his name sent settlers to army forts for protection. Only the bravest soul ventured across known Geronimo Apache territory.

The reputation that Geronimo had earned slowed the western expansion for decades. ......

Both the American and Mexican armies relied on sheer numbers of soldiers to protect them from the Apache. ….. This fierce reputation gave Geronimo one of the few advantages he had over the “white eyes”. A large number of troops, presented great, logistical difficulties for the army. It was difficult, at best, and impossible, at worst, to outfit large numbers of soldiers with the food, water, and provisions necessary to track and engage Geronimo in the rough terrain in which he and his people lived. It was also much easier to spot approaching troops, especially with the lookout system used by the Apaches. This enabled Geronimo to easily avoid the soldiers until it was to his advantage to do so. Without the reputation that he enjoyed, this would not have been possible.

Teaching

Reputations are built on a series of interactions with others. ….. This is especially true of first interactions. A pattern of anticipated behavior will quickly be formed in the minds of others and will often follow the leader for years after, even if the impression was wrong. ……

It was the reputation I had with this principal that I had established many years before that initially served as my entrée to the company organizing the inspections. It was then the experience I had accumulated during my career and the reputation that I had established with people during those experiences that secured the opportunity to serve on the evaluation team. Leaders in any field need to be mindful of this and to understand that success in later years will often depend on success in earlier years. Relations developed now will either pay dividends later or will cost one dearly. The choice is up to the leader.

Retreat! Never?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 17:04:00 +0000

Those who read this journal know that I read the comic strips to begin every day. Laughter is indeed good medicine and sometimes the comics can add a little levity much needed in our lives. One of the comics I read is Hagar the Horrible by Chris Browne. For those of you not familiar with this strip, Hagar is a Viking warrior who often finds himself in perplexing and difficult situations. The strip this day consisted of only two panels. In the first, one of his less fearsome warriors stands behind him at the edge of a steep cliff. The second panel shows a horde of enemy soldiers, each bearing a sword, lance, or hatchet, racing toward Hagar and his compatriot. In the first panel Hagar is saying, “Always remember this, Lucky Eddie ….” And in the second he finishes, “The First Rule in Battle is: ‘NEVER RETREAT!’.”

That may be a truism for Viking warriors but it certainly was not for Geronimo as described in Teaching #27, Nineteen Against 5,000 Are Not Good Odds in my book, The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo published by SterlingHouse Publishers. Here is what it says:

Geronimo was a successful war chieftain and was able to lead 19 warriors against 5,000 soldiers and inflict heavy casualties without damage to himself or his band for numerous reasons, but a major one was that he refused to attack a superior force. To Geronimo and other Apaches, it seemed foolish to risk death when it was unnecessary. He was trained early in life to be cautious and to escape when outnumbered and outgunned. He would then reappear to continue the fight when the odds were not in favor of the enemy. At other times, he would escape and then form with other bands to enlarge the war party and then reengage the enemy in a surprise attack, with the Apaches having the superior force. During the end of the Apache wars, Geronimo was particularly cautious, for the death of even one warrior was a major blow, whereas the “white eyes” simply continued to replenish fatalities with ever more troops.

Teaching

It is unwise to compete against a company or organization that is vastly superior in resources. In one way or another, you must even the odds. Either move cautiously in one small niche area at a time or join forces with others in order to match, or better, your competitor’s resources. Do not take excessive risks, especially if you are a small organization. For if you do and fail, you will be unable to recover in order to compete again. For this reason, size means a great deal. The larger you are the more aggressive you can be. The smaller you are the more cautious you need to be.
In short, retreating is an honorable and, indeed, mandatory tactic when confronted with overwhelming odds.

You would think that most everyone would know this especially those in leadership positions. Yet, time and time again one can observe the obvious being ignored. In my case a perfect example is the conduct of the board of county commissioners in the county where we live. These folks apparently decided to ignore the public’s desires and to operate the county government the way they think it should be run regardless of what the public thinks. I have counted at least a dozen different times in the past year when they did the exact opposite of what the public had made clear through a variety of means what they wanted done. The result is a recall election to expel them from their seats. In their case, the sensible and responsible thing to do would have been to retreat on their entrenched positions and live to fight another day. Just like Saddam they ignored the obvious. Wise leaders do not ignore the odds.

The Alcohol Content of Wines Is Too High or Tizwin Makes You Drunk

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 19:51:00 +0000

My wife and I like to get away every once in a while to simply enjoy one another’s company and to experience a place and culture different from our everyday lives. As such we just got back from a week in Napa Valley where we visited and toured some of the best wineries in the world. We had planned the trip well in advance and were able to e-mail or call some very select, hard-to-enter wineries to see if it was possible to meet the owners and wine makers and to tour and taste their wines. We concentrated on smaller, family owned boutique wineries that are nostalgic in nature and which have a long history of winemaking. I must admit that we used our press credentials as an entrée since we plan on doing some follow-up articles as a result of this background research. Whether this was the reason we got entry into some of these vineyards or if the vintners were just nice people, the end result was a week of remarkable lessons and tastings.

While many of these wineries and their owners were remarkable there is one that stood out above all the others – Dunn Vineyards on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. Christina Dunn, the daughter of the family owned business, invited us to the property. She just received her degree in Viticulture from Cal Poly and knows her stuff both from formal study and practical experience, having grown up on the farm. Her brother, Mike, is taking over the operation of much of the business but the true genius of this winery is Randy Dunn. Randy came to this area in the early 1970s and produced his first vintage in 1979. All told they own about 250 acres in various Napa locations but very few of these acres are planted in vines. In essence, Randy is a farmer who grows grapes and produces some of the best cabernet sauvignon made in the world. They do not employ a winemaker. Randy is the winemaker and still uses time honored techniques of tasting the grapes and determining just from that when to pick various sections of the vineyard. No modern technology guides him along. He seems to know what those who rely on modern techniques don’t know. As such he has become an icon in the wine world whose opinion carries a lot of weight.

Recently Randy became concerned about the state of winemaking. Obviously he goes to many wine events around the valley and at a recent such event he noticed that virtually all of the wines were in excess of 14% alcohol. In fact, they were well above the 14% level where the government taxes the producer more. Most were in the 16%+ range. The net effect of this much alcohol is that after one or two glasses of wine most people are done for the evening. This is not the way wine used to be made. Wines were routinely in the 12-13% range. Randy contends that wines, and especially cabernet sauvignons, are now much stronger because the wine critics who rate wines and write about them in wine magazines like what they refer to as bigger, more tannic and stronger wines. This means wines with higher alcohol content. Thus, to survive in a world full of thousands of wine labels, winemakers have responded by making the wines that these select few critics prefer. If they can get a 90 or higher rating from the wine gurus then they are financially successful. If they don’t, they might as well simply grow grapes to sell to other vintners instead of making the wines themselves because their wines won’t sell as easily nor for as much money. The result is wines in the 16%+ alcohol range.

What would Geronimo have thought about this high alcohol content? It is well know that Apaches liked their alcohol. Theirs wasn’t cabernet sauvignon but a substance called Tizwin. This is what Teaching # 68 in The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo has to say. It’s entitled Tizwin Makes You Drunk, and a Drunk Can’t Lead.

The Apaches drank alcohol. While they loved to indulge in the “white eyes” whiskey, they usually were confined to either tizwin, a type of ale fermented from corn, or mescal, a type of alcohol made from agape. The Apaches liked their alcohol so much that they once almost left the reservation en masse when they were forbidden to make and drink tizwin. This affinity for alcohol cost Geronimo and the Apaches many lives on a number of occasions, because when they drank they tended to overindulge and become careless. While Geronimo was more responsible and judicious that his fellow warriors, he too fell prey to overdrinking at times.

Teaching

We all have our vices, and we all overindulge in one thing or another, but addictive habits can be harmful not only to leaders but also to their organizations and to those they lead. Most things in moderation do no harm, but addictives should be avoided where possible.

It seems that Randy Dunn is taking the lead on reminding an entire industry that too much alcohol is a bad thing. Hopefully, the other winemakers will heed his advice and produce wine that is less alcoholic in content. Whether they do or do not remains to be seen but I do know one thing. Leaders had better learn that followers will not follow drunks, even if the drunk is a good leader when sober. It is a sign of weakness and no one likes to follow someone they know has an obvious weakness. It makes followers cautious of the leader. They don’t know if there are other weaknesses that the leader has that they do not know about and they worry about the judgment of leaders when they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. This is why leaders who are arrested for DUI or possession of drugs or for other addictive abuses find their names and stories in the next day’s newspapers. Then, no matter what their explanation they have lost credibility with their followers and they have become less effective as a leader.

Choose Your Warriors Well or Hire Good People

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 19:00:00 +0000

Because I have been blessed in so many ways I have always believed in trying to give back to my community, country and the world so that others may be blessed as well. While each of us are limited in what we can do I have found that joining and actively participating in civic groups that have this as one of their primary purposes is a good way to expand my capacity to give back. One group I have belonged to in most places where I have lived is Rotary International. This organization believes strongly in assisting others, especially on a local and international level. For example, it is Rotary that was the driving force and supplier of $500,000,000 that has virtually eradicated polio from the face of the earth, with only a few small African countries still reporting cases of polio in 2007.

Like any club there are always a large number of jobs to do and what seems like a perpetual shortage of people with the time or willingness to help get them done. I am one of those with both the time and willingness so it was not surprising when I was asked to serve as a director of the board of our local club of about 130 members. In addition to regular board duties I am currently responsible for Programs and Fellowship. This is something that I enjoy doing even though it is one of the hardest and most time consuming jobs in a club. This is because Rotary meets every week which means that over the course of the year we need to have about fifty quality speakers/programs. In addition, the social activities that get club members and their families together for fellowship are often large events that require a good deal of planning and organization. Obviously, this job is too large for me to do alone and I need people who not only have the time and willingness but also the desire and fervor to do these things well.

Having served as a direct line leader for virtually my entire adult working life, from small self contained groups of a half dozen to a 20,000+ employee organization with a $1.2 billion dollar annual operating budget, I am fully cognizant of how important it is to surround yourself with good people and then to cultivate them to perform the job better than you yourself could do. The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo Teaching #60 deals with the importance of this leadership principle. It’s entitled Choose Your Warriors Well and reads as follow:

While Geronimo led many of his own raids and war parties, as the main war chieftain he was also responsible for selecting which warriors would serve as leaders of other raids or war parties. He chose well, for the warriors were very often successful. He was careful to select competent warriors, even if they were individuals he did not personally like.

Teaching

There is no more important task for a leader than selecting those who will lead various parts of the organization. A company will be successful with competent leaders, and it will fail with incompetent leaders. Wise leaders understand this and devote the time, energy, and effort necessary to assure the selection, employment and retention of competent leaders throughout the organization. Furthermore, wise leaders understand that this is a job they must personally do. It should not be left to others, and it should, especially, not be left to the people who will work for the leader.

I spend a lot of time and effort every year selecting those members of the Rotary club that I believe will be competent in helping do the jobs for which I have overall responsibility. All of these people are or were extremely successful in their careers so it is little wonder that they have done so well. However, success in one place does not necessarily transfer to success in another place, time and responsibility. My efforts have paid very good dividends since the objective and anecdotal reviews of the club members for the quality of programs and fellowship have never been higher.

Be True To Apaches (Loyalty)

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 15:02:00 +0000

As we all know the world of today is vastly different from the world our fathers knew, when it was common for a person to begin working with one company right out of college or high school and to stay with that same company until they retired 30-40 years later. My father did that as he worked as a nurse’s aide in a Veteran’s Administration hospital in Huntington, West Virginia. When my mother worked outside of the home she did that when she worked for Avon. My brother did that when he went to work as a salesman for Bell Telephone. It was the norm. Workers were loyal to their company and the company was loyal to them. That of course has changed, and it is extremely rare that a person works for the same company or even in the same field for his/her entire career.

Loyalty between employer and employee was not only the norm then but loyalty as a trait was valued in the general American culture. People rooted for the same baseball team their entire lives. Not so today. The baseball team that one roots for this year will probably be very different next year with much player turnover due to salary caps, greater salaries being offered by other teams, a shortage of quality players in key position, etc. I am an Atlanta Braves fan. Or, I should say, I was an Atlanta Braves fan. No longer. Why? I can barely recognize the team from year to year because of the tremendous player turnover. This started about 5-6 years ago when Ted Turner sold the Braves to a corporate conglomerate who cherish the year to year bottom line more than they believe in maintaining the previously loyal fan base and building the franchise value over a longer period of time. Thus, they establish unrealistic salary limits forcing the management to trade quality players they no longer can afford to keep. The result is a team that can barely win half of its games and certainly are no longer the perennial playoff team they once were. Atlanta was America’s (Baseball) Team even though there are Yankee, Red Sox and Cub fans who would disagree. The corporate conglomerate has no loyalty to the Braves fan base and thus, the fan base no longer has loyalty to the Braves.

Loyalty was not confined to employers/employees and sports teams but was, instead, something that people sought in most every facet of their lives. People were loyal to their country, their political party, their church, their family, their gasoline brand, their grocery store, the brand of automobile they drove, etc. etc. etc. Virtually all of this loyalty has disappeared. People act now, not out of loyalty, but out of self interest. That is why people respond unexpectedly and so very positively whenever someone is loyal to them. A recent personal example may best illustrate this.

My wife and I operate our own consulting firm called Geronimo Leadership Group, Inc. Not surprisingly the name comes from my book, The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo. I consult with private and public companies and organizations of all types and sizes. Many of these groups are education organizations since much of my career was in that field and since I have written another book, Achievement Now! How To Assure No Child Is Left Behind. One school with whom I work is a charter school on the Arizona/Mexican border called the Omega Alpha Academy. I have worked with this school now for about three years. Not too long ago, the Headmaster contacted me about coming out again in mid-year to reinforce some things I had been teaching in my sessions. Because we had worked together before and because the time frame was rather short, we agreed verbally to my standard contract with a set date and time. I proceeded to book air flights, hotels and car in order to save the school money on travel expenses.

With only about a week before the scheduled training, the Headmaster called and told me that he was going to have to cancel the training. His board had questioned the amount of funds the school wanted to spend on training since the school had dramatically improved their test scores and were exceeding state requirements. He knew that a big part of the increased performance was because of the training he had supplied the staff. In any event, he had to cancel the training. Because we did not have a signed contract he could have simply been self serving and said that I would just have to suffer the loss of income from turning down training elsewhere during the time I had reserved for them, as well as the travel expense costs that could not be recovered. Instead, he said that he felt badly about the situation and wanted to reimburse me for costs I had incurred. In other words, he remained loyal to me even when he was forced by his board to cancel the scheduled training.

Now it was my turn. I could have explained the lost revenue and taken him up on his offer to reimburse me for all of my travel costs including the full air fare. I realized that he had had no choice in canceling the training. I realized that he felt badly about the situation. And I realized that he had been loyal to me when he didn’t need to be. My reply was to thank him for his offer and request that if he could pay travel and training expenses I could not recover I would consider us even. I never mentioned any lost revenue. He wound up sending me a check for a little over $100. Loyalty traveled both ways. It felt good to deal with a school leader who was loyal even when he was not legally obligated. He felt he was ethically obligated to be loyal. I felt the same to him. The staff at that school is fortunate to have such a leader.

Geronimo understood the importance of loyalty. I call The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo lesson number four as Be True To Apaches. It goes like this.

When Geronimo was a young boy, his band was visited by a band of Nedni Apache relatives. Among them was a cousin by the name of Juh. The two boys became fast friends and would remain so throughout their lives. Both would become respected war chiefs, and both would become feared by the “white eyes.” Juh was a troublesome boy to Geronimo’s band because he was a bully, to use today’s vernacular. He and a small gang of other youth got in the habit of sneaking up on some of the girls in camp and scaring them. They also were prone to taking the nuts the girls had gathered and throwing them on the ground. This was great fun to them but obviously bothered Geronimo’s band. As a way of curtailing this behavior and to teach Juh a lesson, Geronimo’s grandmother instructed him to give Juh a beating the next time he bothered the girls. Geronimo, as all Apaches, were very loyal to their band and felt compelled to follow his grandmother’s directions, even though he and Juh were the best of friends. Juh did steal the nuts again, and Geronimo, true to his grandmother’s instructions, gave Juh a beating. The boys remained the best of friends despite this.

Teaching

Loyalty or allegiance to one’s company and to one’s organizational superiors is a trait that is fast disappearing but is one that is cherished by those managers and leaders who work with you. Such allegiance, especially in the face of responsibilities that run counter to your natural inclinations, is long remembered and, often, later rewarded. Certainly, a good manager or leader will listen to the thoughts and feelings of others but must occasionally need to request actions that are unpleasant. Just as you would hope and expect that those whom you supervise would loyally complete an onerous task you ask them to do, you should expect the same of yourself. In this way, the entire organization benefits.

Just as important is the leader who notices and, understands when someone is reluctant to complete a specific assignment for valid reasons. In these cases, and whenever possible, smart leaders will find a way to complete the task themselves or to assign it to someone else better equipped to handle the problem. The person will remember your sensitivity and is more inclined to help in other, equally meaningful ways.

People in any organization look to their leaders to determine if they are loyal or “true” to their organization and the people within it. Any sign that the leader is disloyal will immediately result in a turning away from the leader, even if the disloyalty is based on circumstances that are highly beneficial to the leader. This phenomenon can easily be seen in sports. Despite the benefit a player may have given to a team, if they leave or even look at the possibility of leaving to go to another team, the fans turn against the player and will boo them at the first opportunity. This will happen even when it may be highly lucrative for the player to go to another team. Loyalty means a great deal. Geronimo understood this, and so should the modern leader.

Simply put, there is still one place where loyalty is not only expected but demanded and that place resides in the leader. People must see their leaders as being loyal to them or the leaders will find themselves with no followers.

Helping Friends or Walk Among Your Tribe

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:41:00 +0000

As my wife and I have recently celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary, I am reminded that I have been blessed in my life with many wonderful things. My son of thirty five years; his wife; our newest family member, a grandson born in mid- December of last year; many, many close friends; and a ton of professional business associates who remain close, even after decades of trials and tribulations, are the best of these things. My health and vitality continue to allow me to pursue where ever my whims take me. I even seem to have enough intelligence to understand how fortunate I am. Then comes the plethora of material blessings like homes, cars, and clothes and enough monetary security to allow me to live without worry.

A recent event brought home to me how fortunate I have been when a tornado came through St. Simons Island where I have the pleasure of living and struck a home and gardens of some friends. While there was tree damage to the house and porches it was the garden that was virtually totally destroyed. This was the same garden that had been a part of a tour of some of the most beautiful gardens on St. Simons and Sea Island just the week before. Thousands and thousands of dollars of damage was done to the gardens when 40-50 tress were twisted and snapped and then fell to the ground destroying plants, fountains, sidewalks, sprinkler systems, trellises, gates and statuary. Of course, insurance covered much of the damage to the house but only limited damage to the gardens and grounds. Our friends were blessed that no one was hurt and we were blessed that the tornado did not find its way to our home.

As soon as I found out about what had happened I immediately thought about what teaching Geronimo would have for me from The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo. Teaching #52, Walk Among Your Tribe, immediately came to mind even though it was written to apply to leaders of corporations (this is not unusual since many leadership traits are the very same ones you should use in your daily dealing with people). It goes like this.

Geronimo lived with and among his people. He did not separate himself from the warriors, women, and children of his tribe. He hunted with them, ate with them, fought with them, slept with them, celebrated with them, danced with them, sang with them, traveled with them, cried with them, walked with them, rode with them, counseled with them, raided with them, and played with them. His people followed him because they knew him as they knew themselves.

Teaching

It is common for modern executives to separate themselves from those whom they lead. This is a major mistake. If leaders wish for people to consciously and willingly follow them, they must be among them. There is no substitute.

Leaders must be among those they wish to have follow them on a regular, ongoing basis. An occasional visit to the plant, building, or office will not suffice. People must see their leaders regularly in order to know, understand, and identify with them. Otherwise, they are merely a curiosity.

In addition, leaders must be with their followers in a variety of situations. The once-a-year office holiday party is inadequate. Followers must see their leaders in good times and bad, in stressful times and restful times, in business and casual attire, in the mornings and the evenings, and in public and private. Leaders must eat with their followers just as Geronimo did. They must travel with them just as Geronimo did. They must counsel with them just as Geronimo did. They must sing with them just as Geronimo did. They must celebrate with them just as Geronimo did. They must be leaders at all times and in all places, not just in the boardroom.

My friends were certainly in a stressful time. This was a time for friends (and leaders) to be with them. A quick telephone call to see if they were all right was not sufficient. They needed more. So, my wife and I along with two other friends, made it through the downed trees and power lines to check on them after we had first given them a call. It was the day after the tornado but it was obvious they were both still in a minor state of shock. Our friend was standing inside his screened porch when huge trees came twisting down ten feet away from him, landing on the unscreened deck area. No wonder he was in shock. Seeing that we could do nothing until the professional tree removers could move the biggest trees that had fallen on the house, we left after commiserating with our friends, only to return shortly afterwards with a spiral cut cooked ham, deli vegetables, a bottle of wine and other sundry food items. In the South if you can’t do anything else at least you can take food! It eases the burden a little. I continued to check on our friends daily until the insurance adjusters had finished their work a couple of days later. After that first day the Red Cross had showed up with fifteen people to go about removing much of the downed trees. Nonetheless, there was still a LOT to do, so the next day I went down with my gloves and worked by my friend’s side downing, cutting and removing numerous other trees as well as broken chairs, fountains, huge pots, etc.

The ham would probably have been enough to demonstrate to my friends that I understood their plight. This was especially true after the Red Cross came to the rescue. However, Geronimo taught me that to be a true leader (and a true friend) I needed to walk their walk – to be beside them when they needed it and not just when times were good. While I would like to think that our corporate and organizational leaders know this lesson I am reminded every single day that this is simply not the case in many, if not most, of our leaders. These folks are leaders in name only - granted that mantle because of hierarchical position. If they truly want to lead they MUST walk among their tribes.

Chiefs Must Have Compelling Visions

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Wed, 21 May 2008 16:50:00 +0000

Of the many classes, workshops and seminars I have attended on leadership. I recall one that emphasized humor as an important leadership trait often exercised by effective leaders. I wholeheartedly concur with that. Humor can be very effective if applied at the right time, in the right amount and to the right degree. In any event, as a result of that seminar I started a practice I continue today of reading the comics every day. I find that they typically provide at least one good laugh to start the day and uplift my spirits for what remains. My favorites are, of course, the Sunday comics in full color. My Sunday comics have Hal Foster’s “Prince Valiant” by Gianni and Schultz which I read even though it is not designed to elicit laughs.

Last Sunday I read “Valiant” as usual and could not help but chuckle at the scene depicted. The Prince had just helped Princess Makeda of a northern African country find and reclaim the lost treasure of King Solomon. She wore Solomon’s crown standing on a raised temple above a horde of angry rebel warriors who were trying to reach her and Valiant to do them great bodily harm. As soon as the rebels saw Makeda wearing the crown they immediately changed their allegiance and bowed down to her and forsook Twedorek, the rebel leader. As the gold and jewels of Solomon’s crown flashed into Twedorek’s eyes, temporarily blinding him, he faltered on a platform high above an African plain. His last words as he stumbled and fell from the precipice were, “No! This cannot be happening – This is not Solomon! I must show you all. I will destroy this false prophet! I am born to rule! You must follow me! I command you – Follow me! Just show me the pretender and … “. The last panel of the comic read, “Legend has it that long after he stumbled over the edge, there echoed Twedorek’s final command ‘Follow meeee’.” It seems obvious that Twedorek could never command someone to follow him.

People follow leaders for different reasons, the most important of which is the vision the leader possesses. This is Teaching #33 in The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo, Chiefs Must Have Compelling Visions. It reads as follows:

The self-determination ethic of the Apaches made it very easy for any warrior to elect not to join a battle. Each warrior would make his final determination to fight or not during a war dance the evening before the attack. During the war dance, if an Apache decided he would join the war party he would step forward toward the fire and join in the dance around the flames. If he chose not to fight he simply never stepped forward. With such strong self-determination, Geronimo had to have something more than just persuasive and passionate words to convince others to follow him in battle. What he had was a compelling vision. He had a vision so strong that warriors decided on their own to risk their lives at war.

Teaching

Logic alone will rarely convince people to commit themselves to a cause, especially one that will endanger their security. To move people to join you in an endeavor you are advocating you must be able to provide a clear vision of what it is you want to do and why it is necessary , and advantageous, for them to take a risk. Then you must give them a clear choice to join you or not. Coercion in such matters will only lead to ultimate failure. People must be able and willing to freely choose to follow you in high-risk ventures, but they will not do so unless you have given them a compelling reason or vision.

Even though it seems self evident that one cannot command others to follow in today’s world, many “position” leaders, i.e. those that have subordinates reporting to them as a result of their position in the organization, never give a second thought to commanding someone to follow. They forget to relate a decision to the vision and mission of the organization. They simply command and expect (and often demand) subordinates to follow. The stronger the top down management style of the organization, the more you will experience this type of leadership.
There are many instances when a position leader must command the action to be taken. However, there are many more instances when the situation does not call for such heavy handedness and, as a result, resentment and rebellion will build in the subordinates. Unless it is absolutely necessary because of time constraints, mission/vision divergence, importance, or a difficult employee(s) it is best to take more time and present the action in terms of reaching the mission and vision you have as the leader. Geronimo found this out early in his life and it stood him in good stead for a very long (and hard) time.

Foreign Rights: What Would Geronimo Have Thought?

noreply@blogger.com (Dr. Donald J. Fielder) — Mon, 19 May 2008 19:38:00 +0000

I recently heard from Cindy Sterling, the owner and driving force of SterlingHouse Publisher, that the foreign rights to The Leadership Teachings of Geronimo were about to be sold. Of course, I was excited but also intrigued by this turn of events. Excited because of what it could mean for both my family and SterlingHouse and for the possibility of expanding Geronimo’s teachings to more people. While Geronimo had been professionally fulfilling and fun to write it had not made the New York Times Best Seller list as had been my sugar plum visions when I first put pen (or in today’s world ink jet cartridge) to paper. Intrigued because I wondered what publisher in what country was interested in purchasing the rights to the fascinating story behind Geronimo. I am familiar with a number of European countries especially France since our daughter-in-law is French and I knew that there is a fascination with the American West in that part of the world. I was surprised to learn that it was the Korean rights being purchased. I guess I have a lot to learn about the Far East and especially Korea.

As I thought about this new development I could not help but think what Geronimo would have thought about it. What would have been his response? How would he proceed? How would he relate it to all that he had learned during his life? The Teaching that first came to mind was number 16: Persistence Eventually Wins Battles. As a reminder of the Teaching I re-read from the book:

Persistence was a key to Geronimo’s success as a war leader. Despite failures that would have deterred other men, Geronimo persisted until he was victorious. Indeed, he became the most successful war chief in Apache history. If attacked by a superior force, Geronimo would evaporate into the mountains and return again and again until he had found a weak point in the defenses of the “white eyes” and then attack the weak point. He was like the gnat that would not go away. He and the Apaches could not mount a large-scale attack comparable to the Americans or Mexicans, but he could hang around and constantly irritate the larger force. This persistence allowed him to continue a war against an enemy many times superior in number and far superior in technology.

Teaching

Even though you and your organization may not have the resources or size of your competitors, you can be successful by persistently doing those things that you do well and by avoiding direct, frontal assaults. You can be successful by constantly probing your competitors’ weak points and then taking advantage of those weaknesses. You can be successful if you do not let failure deter you from trying again and again. Persistence is a key ingredient to the small company or the company entering a market for the first time. Persistence is a key ingredient to an individual who wants to be noticed, who wants to make an impression, or who wants to rise in an organization. Use it wisely, and persistence can help you achieve your goals where other attributes may fail.

I guess I can say that SterlingHouse and I followed the direction of Teaching #16. We persisted in keeping Geronimo before the public and this persistence was rewarded by someone halfway around the world recognizing that Geronimo has a lot to say to the leaders of Korea.

Is this where the persistence ends? I think not and neither does Cindy Sterling. If someone believes the leaders of Korea can learn from Geronimo, then it may well follow that publishers in other countries may feel the same way. Wouldn’t it be ironic if the biggest thorn in the side of the United States Army during the Western military campaigns in the Arizona and New Mexico of the late 1800’s becomes an inspiration to the leaders of businesses and organizations in countries around the world one hundred and eighty years after his birth? Talk about persistence.