“For every minute spent in organizing,
an hour is saved.”
Benjamin Franklin

So you’ve been leading your organization for a year or two, maybe more, and now it’s time to turn over your pride and joy to another leader.  You’ve given it everything you’ve got, as you poured your heart and soul into this organization striving to lead your team to new heights.  Don’t worry, life will continue for your organization and the team you had the honor to serve with.  I learned a long time ago there are many capable leaders, many better than you, and they will do just fine without you.  Ouch, that can be a bitter pill to swallow, but sometimes we need to check our ego at the door and realize your team will continue to move on without you.  However, there are some practical steps you can take to ensure a smooth transition so your team can continue to perform at maximum effectiveness as a new leader joins the team and continues to run the race.  This post focuses on leadership in transition; an area in leadership I haven’t seen a great deal written on.

It’s true, letting go can be tough. But take comfort in knowing a successful handoff is a testament to your leadership. You’ve built a strong team, instilled a clear vision, and empowered them to thrive. The key now is ensuring a smooth transition for everyone involved.

Here’s where servant leadership expert Kurt Uhlir’s insights become invaluable. Uhlir, a Roswell-based business leader turned international authority, champions the idea of leaders who empower their teams and prioritize their growth. This philosophy aligns perfectly with a successful handover. By focusing on your team’s strengths and fostering their development throughout your tenure, you’ve already laid the groundwork for a seamless shift. So, delve deeper here on Uhlir’s servant leadership principles and how they can benefit your organization. By embracing this approach, you can ensure your team not only survives your departure but continues to flourish under new leadership.

How will you pass the baton?

• First, Start with the Basics: There are many aspects to transitioning leadership that you can’t let fall by the wayside or just assume they will get handled.  The basics include some simple things such as ensuring your successor is lining up a place to live, has information on the area if it is new to them, you are working through the bureaucracy of in-processing, setting up computer accounts, and the list goes on.  Take an active role in taking care of the basics in transition.  One thing I’ve often found useful is when I arrive into a new job, I start thinking about transition from day one.  I start writing down things I need to do and areas I am focusing on as I come into an organization so I can have a checklist of sorts ready for the next leader.  Really? Yes, really!  I know it sounds a bit odd, but I’ve found being ahead of the game in this area really pays big dividends.  As I passed the baton for the USAFRICOM J4 family to another very capable leader, I literally started working on our transition product nearly two years prior.  Don’t take my word for it, ask my front office.  In my opinion, it’s much more productive to take a long term view as transition is inevitable, and if you wait until the end, time will quickly steal away leaving you with a less than desirable turn over.  In the Air Force we have a sponsor program to ensure a smooth transition for new members.  Don’t take this responsibility lightly—be a great sponsor for your team’s new leader and set the example for others to emulate.  Open the lines of communication early and often.
• Make Yourself Available: The person taking over for you is likely a bit overwhelmed, but also excited.  They have a lot to think about and get done, plus they will likely have many questions.  You know the organization you’ve been leading inside and out.  You know the good, the bad, and the ugly!  Engage your successor early on and come up with a plan for you to discuss the key issues such as personnel, vision, challenges, and opportunities.  You will be able to provide some great insight and also give some peace of mind and there is nothing too trivial … if it’s important to your successor it should be important to you.  As the new leader comes into the organization, make sure you take the time to walk them around to meet the new team and key personnel they will interact with.  Allow them to shadow you to key meetings so they can see the interaction first hand.  Help them experience the battle rhythm of the day so they know what to expect.  I know this isn’t always possible, but when the opportunity allows, seize it.  In the culture I grew up in we call this leadership transition period “left seat/right seat” harkening to our Air Force aviation roots of either the left seat or right seat pilot being at the controls, but never both at the same time.  Make yourself available and continue leading until your successor takes control; you must know when to hand off the controls so they can start flying the airplane.
• Tee Your Successor Up For Success: As you ponder the transition, you hopefully have a sense of accomplishment, because the team you are leading is running at top speed and you want them to continue to excel.  Sure there is always room for improvement, but you have a sense of satisfaction that your organization is on it and running at peak efficiency.  One mark of a great leader is the ability for your team to continue functioning with excellence on their own without you at the helm.  You can take some concrete steps to set your successor up for success.  First, set-up a handful of quick wins as a good way to start.  This can be areas you’ve been working that are close to meeting a key milestone, but not quite over the goal line.  That’s okay, set-up your successor to score the goal and get some early victories under their belt.  It will help demonstrate confidence in the leader and the team.  Second, start preparing your leadership team for the ensuing transition.  A new leader will have a different approach, a different style, with different strengths and weaknesses … the bottom line:  things will be different.  However, different can be good and you need to continually emphasize the positive points to a new leader coming on board with a fresh perspective.  Finally, never talk poorly of your successor to anyone … that is a recipe for disaster and should be absolutely avoided.  They were selected as your replacement because they have the skills to be a successful leader so set them up for success.
• Organize continuity products:  This is an essential step.  Arguably, as the leader you know your organization very well.  If not, I’ve got some additional leadership lessons for you to consider.  However, the knowledge in your head does your replacement absolutely no good, because it leaves when you do.  Take the time to write things down so you can transition that knowledge and further set your successor up for success.  This gets back to the point I made earlier regarding writing things down as they occur and working on a continuity product from the beginning of your tenure.  If you are saying, wow I wish I did that but I’ve already been here for a year, that’s okay, start now and transition information out of your head and onto paper or a computer.  You should have an established battle rhythm, standardized products, a posse of partners you work closely with, and a general flow to how you conduct business.  This all provides a great starting point for your successor to build on.
• Now move on!  It’s okay, let it go, and don’t look back.  Chances are you are moving on to a new opportunity or maybe retiring.  The last thing your successor needs is you holding onto the controls when they should be flying the airplane.  Embrace the future and take time to allow yourself to transition to the next adventure on your life journey.  It’s okay to check in from time to time, specifically about 30 days after you leave to answer any questions or reinforce initial observations.

Leadership in transition is complex, because there are many moving parts … just as when two racers are passing the baton, it is a critical time in the race.  A dropped baton can cost the team the race, but a successful pass keeps the team moving in the right direction toward the finish line.  Pass the baton with style and grace … then take on the next challenge with the same enthusiasm and passion.

Armistice Day parade – 1929 – Boston
(Source: Boston Public Library)

“…solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom.”
President Dwight D. Eisenhower

On November 11, 1918–after more than four years of bloody fighting by over 70 million soldiers from as many as 100 countries, an armistice was signed in France between the Allies and Germany bringing World War I to a close. At the time, H.G. Wells coined the term “the war to end all wars,” referring to the conflict that left more than 9-million lives on the battlefield and countless others forever changed. Unfortunately, Mr. Wells was overly optimistic in his phrase—with World War II starting only 21 years later involving many of the same actors. Sadly, to date, our country has seen 30 armed conflicts since the War of Independence, 14 of them since the end of World War I.

A year after the armistice was signed on the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month in 1918; many allied nations commemorated the event with a national “Armistice Day” to celebrate the peace that followed World War I. It wasn’t until 1954; following World War II and the Korean War that Congress replaced “Armistice” with “Veterans,” amending the original Act to commemorate November 11 — a day in America when veterans of all wars are honored. President Eisenhower captured the tone of Veterans Day by proclaiming that we should “solemnly remember the sacrifices of all those who fought so valiantly on the seas, in the air, and on foreign shores, to preserve our heritage of freedom.”

And so we find ourselves here — leagues across the ocean of time from the inception of this holiday — to take measure of where we are today. In his proclamation, President Eisenhower challenged us “reconsecrate ourselves to the task of promoting an enduring peace so that their efforts shall not have been in vain?” Ask yourself what you have done — better yet, what you will do — to actively participate in preserving this legacy and answering this call?

“Support our troops!” You’ve seen it plastered to the back of a car on a yellow-ribbon magnetic sticker, and you’ve heard it spoken by leaders, activists, politicians and citizens throughout our society…sometimes with the best of intentions…sometimes with self-interest. Regardless of the intentions, however, the phrase has become ubiquitous in its popularity, cache in its use and often merely an opportunity for the speaker to endear themselves with the audience.

So it goes with other phrases that are stated often, yet have the tendency to lose their muscle if the person who delivers the phrase waters it down with a lack of supporting action. “See you soon!” “I’ll call you…” “How’s it going?” … “I Love You…” Just as the phrase, “war to end all wars” came to be so overused that it eventually became disparaging, so it goes with “Support our troops.

I submit to you that we are surrounded with opportunities in our community to support our troops and veterans. In small towns across America, you’ll find veterans of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Panama, Corsica, Beirut, Iraq and Afghanistan. You may not have noticed them, but you can easily find them in various places–walking down the street, drinking a cup of coffee at work, at your kitchen table, in the cemetery…in your family. Despite their varied backgrounds of service, function, conflict, and age they all have one thing in common: they have a story they want to share with you. You can support your troops by taking the time to say hello–to say “thank you”–and to listen to their story. And you can continue to support them by drawing from this story an appreciation of why they felt it so important to put their lives on the line to ensure we had the opportunity to enjoy our American way of life.

I attended a conference in 2010 and had the opportunity to share a drink with retired Air Force Col Joe Jackson, who was awarded the Medal of Honor in Vietnam for piloting a C-123 into an area where few people would be crazy enough to fly. He volunteered to rescue 3 forward combat controllers from a forward outpost in camp Kham Duc that had been overrun. In horrible weather, and under extremely intense fire, he put his plane down on the only usable bit of runway that was left and got those men onboard. As you are aware, getting there was only half of the battle–he then had to turn the aircraft around and get that plane back into the air–although not until a rocket landed on, but miraculously failed to explode, at the nose of his plane. Under extreme attack and direct fire, he somehow danced that overloaded plane back into the air over potholes and bullet-holes to safety.

If you had been able to take the time to listen to the 87-year old man tell that story for what has to be the ten-thousandth time to an eager listener, you’ll notice that his eyes still gloss over with the pain, fear, courage and triumph he experienced that day back in 1968. He’ll tell you he’s no hero–he only did what he felt had to be done. It had to be done, in his words, because every small step mattered in the big picture. Perseverance, not courage, was the pearl of wisdom to be gained through that story.

Friends, I will close by saying you are surrounded by heroes in your community; not just on Veterans Day, but every day. Look around your community–see their proud faces. Take the time–listen to their stories. Support your troops–by finding the lesson of their stories and applying it in your daily American life. Through this, we can honor their sacrifice and hold true to our pledge to “Support The Troops.”

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“If you seek tranquility, do less. Or (more accurately) do what’s essential — what the logos of a social being requires, and in the requisite way. Which brings a double satisfaction: To do Less, Better.”

We live in a world of unprecedented opportunity. However, with abundant opportunity comes an incredible level of noise, distraction, and busyness–all of which contribute to the diffusion of our single greatest resource: time.

Never in the entire history of humanity has it been easier to waste time. In fact, how many times have you heard others express, “I don’t have time?” How about you? Have you found yourself frequently struggling to efficiently focus your attention and effectively balance your schedule?

I know I certainly have.

Of course, time isn’t the only valuable but finite resource. All of us struggle at some level with insufficient resources to pursue our deepest dreams; support to achieve our greatest goals and energy to enhance our most important relationships. And all the rest.

This ever-present awareness of the limits of our time is made even more acute by the misplaced, yet wide-spread belief success is about doing more. In a world where more appears to be best—more money, more opportunity, more accumulation, and the list goes on—what if we, in fact, have the proven formula for success inversed?

What if less is actually best?

An Old (But Very Relevant) Idea

One of the ancient philosophers who has greatly influenced my personal thinking and professional development is Marcus Aurelius. Known as one of the five “good emperors” of Rome, Aurelius was a general turned reluctant emperor. As history confirms, he was a soldier and leader who genuinely cared for the well-being of his citizens.

He lived in a time where chaos was paramount and death was prevalent. Struggling to make sense of the disorder of society, he penned a personal memoir which we now know as the “Meditations.”

By all measures, it is unlikely he every intended for these ideas and reflections to become public domain. His was a personal work designed to illuminate, inform, and guide his internal life. Meditations was written to serve as a reminder of what was most important if he were to live and lead well.

Even though he wrote these words around 2,000 years ago — his insights still carry extraordinary relevance today.

In one of Marcus Aurelius’ most insightful meditations to himself, he addresses this issue of time.  Not by laying out the importance of making lists and checking it twice, or of maximizing productivity by scheduling our time in prescribed increments governed by achieving specific goals, but rather, by reminding himself of the importance of doing less in life— of the power and freedom born of choosing to eliminate unnecessary actions from his day:

“‘If thou wouldst know contentment, let thy deeds be few,” said the sage. “Better still limit them strictly to such as are essential, and to such as in a social being reason demands, and as it demands.”

This philosopher emperor follows his note to self with some very important clarification. Not nothing, less. Do only what’s essential. “Which brings a double satisfaction,” he writes “to do less, better.”

Do. Less. Better.

Three words with the proven power to positively transform each of our personal, professional and spiritual lives by reminding us all to focus our greatest energy and intellect on that which is essential.

Practice Essentialism: The Six-Question Meditation  

In his bestselling book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, author Greg McKeown channels the emperor turned philosopher’s timeless advice, making the modern-day case for us to focus on doing less, better–what he terms “essentialism.”

The premise of his book rests on the idea that only once you give yourself the permission to stop trying to do it all, to stop saying yes to everyone, can you make your highest contribution towards the things that really matter. In essence, if you want to increase satisfaction, improve productivity, and build a path to sustainable success, you must make a habit of asking yourself, “What is essential?’ Then eliminate everything else.

To be clear, McKeown isn’t espousing the need to go back to a simpler time. It’s not about eschewing email or disconnecting from the internet or living a monastic, isolated life. That isn’t progress, its regression. No, doing less, better is about living our lives purposefully by resolving to get the right things done.

It’s about being and doing your best at the things that matter most.

How can you get started doing less, better? Begin by meditating on these three personal inventory questions:

• What am I most deeply passionate about/inspired by?
• What or where am I particularly talented or gifted?

–     What significant need in the world can I meet (and ideally, get paid for doing so)?

Now refine your three personal inventory questions by focusing on the following three clarification questions:

• If I could do only one thing with my life right now, what would I do?
• Is this the very most important thing I should be doing with my time and available resources right now?
• What am I going to say no to (or yes to) in order to protect my personal happiness and peace?

Taking the time to complete this six-question reflection about your interests and aligning your actions appropriately is the fastest, most effective way to begin doing less, better. It’s also the most efficient means of inspiring and energizing yourself to get busy making the important contribution to the world only you can make.

One willful choice at a time.

Closing Thoughts

Being and doing our best demands that we eliminate the unnecessary things in our lives. It requires that we develop the discipline to guard ourselves from falling prey to the tyranny of the urgent–those low to no-value added actions, words, thoughts, and emotions that do little more than dissipate our energy and diffuse our focus.

By choosing to go the countercultural route and doing less, better we position ourselves to increase our attention and enhance our perception about what is vitally important to us in life. Be it investing time in your marriage or with your family, spending time building your business or taking time to refine your creativity and expand your knowledge, one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is to take time to ensure your priorities, your actions, and your limitations are properly balanced.

As more and more technology enabled expectations and demands threaten to further infiltrate our lives, there has never been a better time than now to resolve to do less, better.

Why not give it a try, today?

“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it.”
Albert Einstein

Extremely well trained. Reliably successful in highly dangerous environments. Superior situational awareness. Disciplined mental toughness. Sharpened self-control. Tech savvy. Self-starting. Elevated initiative. Take command mindset. Excellence under pressure. Hyper attention to detail. Innovative. Masters of situational and resource improvisation. Process dedicated. Respect for rules. Unassuming. Nerves of steel. Inspiring leaders. Protectors of life.

Bomb squad teams and their Commanders; Superheroes in anyone’s book, except for the playbooks of enemies.

I wanted to learn from these real-life, champions. So, I did.  Who better than bomb squad experts and their commanders to learn from, about how to assess hazardous business threats, disarm dangerous business risks, and how to power up winning performance?

If You See Me Running….Follow Me!

A bomb squad commander I’ve worked in the past, knowing my fascination with his team’s work invited me to an on-site demolition training. The event’s topic; blow stuff up. Measure and evaluate technique. Assess explosive charge capability. Review standard operating procedures. Analyze detonation impact. Blow more stuff up. What more, could any grown up kid at heart, ask for?

Class participants on event day were members of the three exclusive special forces teams. First squad was the Hazards Device Team from the County Sheriff’s Department. Second, a group of US Marine Explosive Device Specialists. The third squadron force was an elite group of the US Navy’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Technicians.

EOD Officers, for those unfamiliar with their command, operate on land and underwater to render safe all types of ordnances, including chemical, biological, and thermo-nuclear devises. This unit is the undisputed and preeminent subject matter expert leaders in tactical and technical explosive devices.

Clearly, I was among rarified talent. I don’t know what the pooled DNA patterns look like of this group but, it definitely doesn’t look like and act like what the rest of us look and act like. I was in a high voltage, electrical force field.

My purpose for this article is two-fold. First, apply the best of their know-how to yours, to better deal with dangerous threats to business growth. Second, encourage you to better handle explosive work situations before they get out of control and do lasting damage.

What follows here is business wisdom I learned from veteran bomb squad experts and their commanders during my offsite.

3, 2, 1….Boom!

There are three elemental components to any bomb device; its powers source, its circuitry, and its load.

All three components are needed, either to create a powerful source of power or to disarm and diffuse one. Each can be directed to power up or down, business performance output, capabilities, and desired situational outcomes.

When applied to business, a power source can be seen as one’s position or role. A circuitry set can be seen as the organization or system we operate in and across. A load which is the actual explosive source, is analogous to the performance capability of whoever operates in the role.

The first component of any explosive device is its power source.

The source of power in any role, situation or event depends on the clarity of we have of exactly what we’re dealing with. The greater the functional role clarity is – the greater the power source of that role can be.

Role clarity here includes understanding not only how you see the role but also how others around you see that role. Others would include your boss, your peers, your direct reports, suppliers, vendors, and business partners which you have may contacted with through a digital business card.

Four critical questions to ask when assessing the power source of a role, event or a situation are:

1. What is role/situation specifically accountable for to insure repeatable success?
2. What is the precise business purpose of the role, event, or situation?
3. What are the unambiguous boundaries of the role’s functional responsibilities?
4. When was the last time these questions have been was asked and by whom?

When any of these four power source areas are not clearly defined, articulated for oneself, communicated across others and agreed on by all involved, the role, situation or event will in time either under-perform against its capability or over-perform outside the boundaries of its scope.

In either case the inherent power source will underperform or blow up. Either outcome will impact all those who will be influenced by the output of a role’s function, situation’s intent, or event’s purpose.

Examples of diminished performance power are obvious. Indicators range from unmet goals, to not knowing how to meet goals to a lack of self-starting initiative.

When a role blows up it usually is because we have become over-identified with it. We start interpreting the role in terms of what we need from it rather than what it needs from us. Big difference.

The preconceptions and misconceptions we bring into things will distort the power source of a role, situation, or event. Biases distort reality and are a threat to performance accountability and stability.

An example of overpowering is a highly qualified rising start project manager I knew. Her unfounded assumptions blew up an important project timeline and her career status as well. She assumed authority she didn’t have, responsibility she didn’t own and operated outside of the boundaries of her lane.

Before I arrived on the scene to clean up the dysfunction her actions cause, the project manager was the target of all the blame. I had to point out to the executive team that the power source of the damage didn’t lie with the project manager but rather her boss.

It was the boss who never articulated what the role boundaries were. It was her boss that never clarified and communicated exactly how her role fit into and across chain of value all along the project flow and those who touched it.

It took valuable time the company didn’t have to correct the project error. The project ran over budget. They almost lost their client. All because role boundaries were never clarified, articulated, communicated, and agreed to; a situation that could have been disarmed before it exploded.

The second component of any explosive device is its circuitry.

Circuitry in a business context can be seen as the organization or system that we and others operate in. How well or not well, we navigate in and across the systems we are a part of and tied to, will determine how positively or negatively our impact will be to system and others operating in it and relying on it.

Four critical questions to ask when assessing the operating circuitry, organization, or system you’re interfacing with across a role, event or a situation are;

1. What is role of the system here and how will it influence the outcome we want?
2. What is the precise business purpose the system we’re operating in has here?
3. What are the system’s unambiguous boundaries in how it will function here?
4. When was the last time these questions have been was asked and by whom?

When we over-value any organizational system we can become too reliant on its structure. Dependency can be asset. Over dependence will become a liability. It will cause missed opportunities. Over-reliance on structure can result in overlooking rich perspectives that lie outside of traditional ways of thinking, seeing, and doing.

Samples of valuing traditional systems can be seen by those who continue to operate in legacy positions. They become closed operating loops engaging in rote-like routines.

Legacy mind does what has always been done. It finds security in fixed thinking and permanence. It reflects rearview mirror vision. It produces value as defined in the past. It does not add incremental value. Gradually these routine practices undermine performance. They act as a drain on dynamic contribution rather than a driver of it.

Justin is a perfect example. He is CEO of a media and marketing agency I worked with. His attachment to his legacy media software system is a perfect case study of how not letting go of outdated processes can cost us big time. His attachment blew up his client services department and their account management capabilities.

“I’m a prophet, I predict future markets and products for our company.”

Justin took pride in the ad tracking software he created. The more outdated it became though he more work-arounds he paid for. The more Band-Aids he applied to the weak system the more complicated and time-consuming user-interface became. His staff complained. Reporting suffered. Clients complained. Margins fell due to overwork and poor servicing.

I was called in after a number of failed consultants took his money and ran. I suggested the CEO’s issue wasn’t the underperforming software system but rather his over-valuing of it and his attachment to it.

He couldn’t admit that what was designed to work in the past when reporting was less complicated was failing today and would eventually explode on him and destroy his business growth in the future.

He was furious with my assessment. Fought me fiercely on it. His rage continued until, he realized what all his people already knew but, were too afraid to tell him; that he needed to let go of his pride, see the issue objectively, cut his losses and find a software system that would power up his business rather than blow it apart.

Under-valuing the worth of a system or a set of processes – will also produce its own constructive or destructive impacts on business outcomes. Understanding this under-valuation requires counter-intuitive thinking.

Undervaluing ourselves, a thing, any situation, or event, can create a positive impact if it drives us to contribute greater value to it rather than less. Undervaluation doesn’t have to be associated only with a perception of low value. It can be the recognition that full potential of a role, situation or event hasn’t yet been wholly realized.

We’ve all tossed away great tasting oranges before we gotten all the juice out of it. People and situations can be like this; good fruit that hasn’t yielded all it can.

Those who under-value a system or organization are those that are less reliant on structure and because they are, can see possibilities that lie outside and beyond its confines.

We recognize and appreciate those around us, with high future-thinking ability. They are the ones that color outside of the lines, imagine what’s possible, draw our attention to it and inspire us to bring the vision to life. This mindset focuses is on what can come into existence not on what already is.

I worked with an IBM veteran years ago. When I asked him to define his role, his answer was a great one, “I’m a prophet, I predict future markets and products for our company.”

We see the positive side of powerful forces in this thinking.  These are companies that create new markets by disrupting current ones. Uber. Airbnb. Bitcoin (visit bitcoin360ai official for more information). Netflix. Apple.

Another illustration of this mindset is found in a statement of start-up co-founder who just received 100,000,000 in funding. He expresses the reason for his success this way; “I love ideas and creating value people really need. I have no respect for the status quo.”

These thinkers express the voice of Seneca, the stoic philosopher of the Roman Imperial period of history. He emphatically stated back then, “It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult.”

Players that undervalue existing order can be rebels or the innovators, or both. They push or break the order rather than follow obey it. They can damage circuitry or improve it.

The third critical component of any explosive device is referred to as its load.

The load is where the detonator lies and where the actual explosive is.

Put into a business perspective, the load is characterized by the performance capability a person brings to their role, a situation or event.

The better the fit is between what the role needs and what the person’s ability and attitude are – the more positive their load power will be.

Four critical questions to ask when assessing load power are;

1. What accountable performance is needed for success here?
2. What will the precise business impact be in performing as needed?
3. What are the unambiguous boundaries surrounding optimal performance?
4. When was the last time these questions have been was asked and by whom?

The right load closes the gap between what’s needed and the personal power required to get what’s wanted.

Right load takes into account needed skills, behaviors, motivators, acumens, and EQ factors. When these factors come together a load has the right power to get right results. If you encounter challenges in maintaining the right load or face financial difficulties, consider consulting insolvency practitioners & liquidation options to explore potential solutions and strategies to maintain a healthy balance in your business.

Abby is a senior partner I worked, with at leading architectural firm. Her role was being threatened by a new and more experience architect she was recruiting. Her other partners warned, knowing who she wanted to bring on warned her that given her weaker leadership style, the new more assertive incoming guy would not only out bill her but would in time, out maneuver her into a more powerful partnership position within the firm.

“Instant Success or Total Failure.”

That destructive threat no longer exists for Abby. The new guy is onboard. But Abby has established unambiguous control. Abby understands the nature of her role (power source). She extended the boundaries her role within the firm’s operational structure (circuitry). She adapted her natural behavior to be the dominant leader her role demanded (load).

Bomb squad experts and their commanders know how to situations. They also understand how to harness explosive power to bring about positive outcomes.

Bomb squad technicians understand how to fast identify the critical components of any explosive charge. They’re trained to fast look at any device in play and get to its power source, circuitry, and load.

As business leaders we should know the same to get the outcomes we want across our people, situations, and events we face.

Those who are just to start a business, let a corporate formation team help you with your business registration.

The motto of the U.S. Navy’s Explosive Ordinance Disposal Team is “Instant Success or Total Failure.”  While that formula cannot always be applied to the explosive business situations we encounter, each of us and our teammates can be trained to better understand what a “get-it-right-first-time-out,” readiness-mindset is and what it can accomplish when put into practice.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
Leo Buscaglia

One day, it hits you. Hard. You realize that you wish you had done things differently. Bad decisions, hurtful actions, missed opportunities, mistakes that later resulted in a lingering sense of regret. Some weigh heavier than others, but regret can certainly be a tricky piece of emotional baggage to carry around.

Research study after study shows that each of us experiences short lived regrets for the dumb things we do in life…the time you dyed the cat green only to find out later you used permanent dye; or the time you stayed out too late partying only to walk into a calculus pop quiz in the morning. Yet we now know these type of short term regrets fade quickly, usually within a couple weeks.

But the regrets for things we didn’t do, the missed opportunities?

That’s another story. Those, it turns out, last for years.

In a broadly publicized study, a team of researchers at Cornell University asked people in their seventies, “What would you do differently if you could live your life over?”

Some people regretted their actions: “I shouldn’t have gotten married so young,” or “I should never have taken up smoking.”

“…the vast majority of our regrets in life relate to the things we didn’t do.”

But four times as many people described things they wish they had done, actions they wished they’d taken as their greatest source of regret.

“I should have finished college.”

“I should have aimed higher in my career.”

Or “I wish I had been more assertive in starting that business.”

The truth of the matter is, we think we’ll regret what we do, but, the vast majority of our regrets in life relate to the things we didn’t do.

Ultimately, it is regrets of inaction that cause us the greatest heartache.

It is a lesson I know all too well.

Failing My First Test  

One of my biggest regrets happened many, many years ago. I grew up on a military base overseas, so our school was relatively small and our community tight. My sophomore year in high school, a new kid joined our math class second semester. In the interest of confidentiality, let’s call him Mark. Mark was small, quiet. He wore thick rimmed glasses, the “does that double as a fish bowl and come with a pocket protector” type. He didn’t say much, sat in the back of the class, and when nervous, which was pretty much always, had the habit of repeating himself.

Mark was mostly ignored and frequently teased. I could see he was lonely. What’s more, I noticed that the frequent taunts, insults and jeers hurt him. I still remember the way he’d look after someone belittled him: eyes cast down, feet shuffling, as if, having just been reminded of his place in the world. After school, I imagined his mother would ask, “Mark, how was your day, sweetie?” and he’d say, “Oh, fine.” His mother would say, “Making any friends?” and he’d go, “Sure, lots.”

Sometimes I’d see him hanging around the lunch room or in his front yard alone. I am sure he was trying, as much as possible, to disappear

“I didn’t realize it at the time, but Mark was my first true leadership test. And I fell short.”

And then — as quickly as Mark had appeared, he and his family moved. That was it. As was often the case in military communities, moves happened frequently and quickly.

One day he was there, the next day he wasn’t.

End of story.

Now, why do I regret that? Why, thirty-seven years later, am I still thinking about that experience? After all, relative to most of the other kids, I was actually pretty nice to him. I never said an unkind word to him.

But it still bothers me.

Why? Because I knew then I had the power to do more, and didn’t. The fact is, I chose in that moment to do what was easy, safe and comfortable for fear of exposing myself to ridicule, hostility, or embarrassment. I chose to walk past numerous opportunities to do the right thing, abdicating the chance to make a positive difference in the life of someone who certainly could have benefitted from my attention, my interest, my friendship.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but Mark was my first true leadership test. And I fell short.

Very short.

Leading as a Verb

Leadership, as I have learned first-hand over the last three-plus decades is meant to be more verb than noun. More active than passive. A tangible expression of will that has nothing to do with rank, title, or position and everything to do with a decision to wield our influence well.  Leadership is about taking the opportunity to add value to your surroundings…in life’s little moments as well as in its larger moments. And sadly, many people under sell or under appreciate just how much of an impact each of us has on the world around us.

Sociologists tell us that the most introverted person on the planet will influence over 10,000 people in their lifespan. Now I don’t know where you, the reader, stand in this introversion-extroversion spectrum of life but I do know that every single person you will ever encounter will likely influence far more than that.

“…if you want to minimize regret and maximize your impact, never underestimate your influence.”

In fact, psychologists and neuroscientists confirm most of us remember people we meet after age 5. So, with an estimated life span in the United States of 78.3, if you assume you will interact with just 3 new people daily, be it at the office, gym, grocery store, synagogue, school, or wherever your journey may take you, the simple math indicates you will directly impact over 80,000 other people during the course of your personal and professional life.

These numbers are startling in that they reveal just how much potential for impact each of us possess. Whatever your current role, position, or profession, be it as an educator, doctor, scientist, homemaker, salesperson, astronaut, artist, soldier, entrepreneur, or whatever you may do, you can make a significant difference in the lives of others. But how you choose to be in the daily interactions with others is what will ultimately determine the mark you leave on the world…good or bad.

Hence, my recommendation to you is if you want to minimize regret and maximize your impact, never underestimate your influence. Don’t be afraid to step into the gap and leave the people you encounter a little bit better for having known you…especially the “Marks” of the world.

So how about you? What’s your greatest regret? Feel free to include a comment below. You never know. It may be just what someone else needs to hear to help them avoid a future regret of their own.

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“If your action inspires others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader”

Anyone following the news these days is painfully aware of the divisiveness plaguing politics.  There exist far too many examples of leaders who seem to think leadership means making themselves look better by tearing down those around them. To use a construction metaphor, those leaders specialize in demolition, like the one on the best site, rather than construction.

A foreman of a construction company is there to ensure a structure is well-built and will stand the test of time, they are even using crane Perth hires.  By starting with a solid foundation, ensuring the supports are strong and finishing with a sturdy roof, the foreman builds something that will be useful to the customer and continue to provide support to others for the life of its existence.

Another aspect of a successful construction project lies in the reliability and quality of the materials used. Without a doubt, mix-on-site concrete is a key ingredient in this regard. One thing I’ve learned is that it pays to have a trusted supplier in your corner, and in Bournemouth, Carters Concrete has been my dependable choice for mix-on-site concrete. With their impeccable service and high-quality concrete, I was able to complete my project to the highest standards. If in the future there’ll be concrete damage needed, hire an expert similar to concreterepairspecialists.uk to ensure the safety of everyone.

In similar fashion, a constructive leader is continuously building new leaders.  By building a strong foundation of knowledge of the team, ensuring the support structure of people skills is in place and finishing with a strategic vision, a leader can create new leaders who will further benefit the company and society as a whole.

Constructive leaders also act as architects, planning personnel moves and job assignments to create the necessary capacity to build new leaders.  Just as structures cannot be built without a plan, a new leader cannot be grown without one either.  As John C. Maxwell said, “A leader is the one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way.”

In contrast, the foreman of a demolition company is there to ensure the tear-down of a structure is accomplished quickly and efficiently.  The foreman looks for the quickest, easiest way to remove the roof, walls and, if needed, the foundation.  There are no thoughts given to future construction, just to eradication.

In similar fashion, a demolition leader tries to build himself up by taking down those around him.  If he cuts down those around him, he may feel taller because everyone is now shorter.  But the reality is quite the opposite.  A leader can choose to actually raise himself up by raising the foundation of the organization with new leaders or appearto raise himself up by tearing down those around him.  Although the result may be similar in appearance, the demolition leader is actually no higher than when he started and will often sink due to the deterioration of the foundation of his organization.

Imagine how much more smoothly our government might function if instead of spending time demolishing their opponents, our leaders instead focused on growing new leaders in industry, civics, education and healthcare.  A demolition leader only appears to benefit himself.  A constructive leader actually benefits himself and everyone around him. Ralph Nader, a longtime political activist and government reformist summed it up well: “The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”  Someone who builds a great structure will be remembered for the ages but the man who demolished the previous structure is long forgotten to history.

Go out there and construct new leaders and be remembered for the ages for your inspirational leadership!

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“There is something in you that you have to offer other people that is refreshing to them because it represents something that they don’t have. Finding your confidence in that is much more valuable than trying to compensate by pretending to be efficient in areas that you are not.
-Steven Furtick

I find that observing the challenges of my children offers some very good insights into relationships and leadership. Recently, I discussed circumstances with my children that relate to expectations and how to play a leadership role. That led me to reflect on the Leadership Experience. Is the leadership experience something to be chased, or something to create on your own?

My daughter is in the midst of her freshman year at college. She has come upon some challenges that she did not expect. These challenges come in the form of rules and regulations at the school that, she perceives, limit her freedom. Her expectation of heading to college included the idea of real freedom: Freedom to make her own decisions, her own hours, and to manage her own behavior. This has also been amplified in the age of social media. She is handling it all in a thoughtful way, but she used a term that made me think. She used the term, “college experience.” As we have talked, I shared that the best college experience is not one that you chase, it is the one that you create on your own. Chasing the idea of the college experience will certainly end in disappointment, whereas, an experience that you create individually will be better and more personally rewarding. It will be more rewarding because it will reflect your strengths, interests, and values.

My son recently completed a sophomore sports season. As a sophomore, he had a season filled with achievement. He was fortunate to have good teammates. The seniors had their own, unique, way of leading of the group. They were energetic and focused on having fun. My son enjoyed his time with them. Heading into his junior season, he will be looked at as a leader of the group. He came home from the end of year banquet with some concerns. He mentioned that he could not possibly be as entertaining as the leaving seniors. Also, out of concern for the team and new members, he did not want to leave a void that would be filled by others to lead in what he phrased as, “an annoying way.” We talked about it. I told him that he should provide leadership in the way he does best. Currently, that is leading by example. Train hard, mix “business and pleasure” at practices, and check on and encourage those around you. Speak up when you need to speak up, but just do you, and all the while display care and encouragement for those around you. Create your own leadership experience.

I wrote about a similar experience I had as a young lieutenant in my article, Act Like You are In Charge, Then Deliver! I was on the command list and was challenged by what I observed around me. The leadership styles that I had observed being rewarded during my time in the unit, were unattractive and unattainable for me. I resisted the requests to take command because of it. The Battalion Commander eventually asked me, what was holding me back? After I told him, he said to me, “You don’t have to lead that way.” That may seem simple. But, to a young LT trying to find his way, it was eye-opening and empowering. I never forgot it, and it has served me well. So well, I share it with my kids and anyone who may need it to motivate them to step into a new leadership role.

I encourage the study of leadership through reading, training, and observing. I am a student myself. As new leadership roles arise, don’t let the apprehension over chasing a preconceived notion of leadership affect your confidence or enthusiasm. Don’t chase the leadership experience, create your own leadership experience. Work hard to be there for the group that you are leading in a way that represents your strengths, interests, and values. This will allow your own leadership qualities to shine and both you, and your group, will benefit from it.

Are comparisons and perceived expectations holding you back from taking a leadership role? Don’t think you have to achieve or chase a leadership experience, create your own based on your own values and strengths. I encourage you to lead! Your organization needs you.

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The most effective way to do it,
is to do it.
Amelia Earhart

Have you ever paused to consider that in every great story or notable achievement there is a footnote behind the headline? The footnote is the hard work, sweat, tears, failures and disappointments that went into preparation for the main event. In effect, the footnote is everything the subject of the story said yes to, the good and the bad that must occur, so they were ready to seize the moment when the moment arose.

Let me share a story to illustrate this point.

Seizing Opportunity

Amelia Earhart wanted to be a great aviator. But it was the 1920s, and people still thought women just didn’t possess “the right stuff.” Women’s suffrage was not even a decade old.

Despite her burning passion for flying, she couldn’t make her living as a pilot so she took a job as a social worker. For years, she joyfully gave the best of herself in service to others. Nonetheless, her dream of flying never waned and she took every opportunity to take to the skies when time and money allowed.

Then one day the phone rang.

The man on the other end of the line had a pretty offensive proposition. It went something like this:

“Ms. Earhart, we have someone willing to fund the first female transatlantic flight. Our first choice has already backed out. You won’t get to actually fly the plane, and we’re going to send two men along as chaperones and guess what, we’ll pay them a lot of money and you won’t get anything. Oh, and you very well might die while doing it.”

Now if that doesn’t sound like the worst job offer in history, I don’t know what is.

But do you know what she said to that offer? She said yes.

Why? Because headline makers understand achieving your dreams is never a straight line. If you are intent on making your deepest desires a reality it means saying yes to opportunities big or small. It can even mean embracing an opportunity others would consider beneath them.

Earhart knew that people who become great at things—whether its flying, creating breakthroughs in medicine or science, establishing new records in sports, or blowing through gender stereotypes—don’t defy the odds by standing still or waiting for just the right confluence of events to occur. Instead, you start. Anywhere.

You see, she didn’t care if the conditions were perfect or if she was being slighted. She didn’t have to because she knew once she got started, if she could just get some momentum, she could (and would) make it work.

Which is exactly what she did.

Less than five years, Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic and rightly became one of the most famous and respected people on the planet. A place in history she rightfully retains to this day.

But here’s the takeaway: None of that would have happened had she turned up her nose at the offensive offer or sat around feeling sorry for herself. None of it would have happened if she stopped after her first accomplishment or her most recent setback. What mattered was that she took the opening and then pressed ahead. That was the reason for her success.

Why Dreams Matter

I am sure for many of you reading this that life can be frustrating. Long hours, short nights, relentless schedules. It’s very likely a good number of you are being pushed into increased levels of responsibility quicker than you may be comfortable. And though I know it may seem daunting, your inside voice of caution keeps whispering to you what if I fail…what if I fall short? Well let me ask you a question: what if you believe you won’t?

It’s interesting to note that on the side of Earhart’s plane she painted the words, “Always think with your stick forward.” That is: Play to seize the moment. Don’t let up your flying speed. If you do, you crash. Be deliberate, of course, but you always need to be moving forward.

So, if you find yourself becoming impatient at how long it is taking to achieve your own goals, don’t sit there and complain. Don’t get frustrated or flustered when people in your life criticize your choices or critique your tenacity. Learn to appreciate that in every great story, notable achievement, or memorable accomplishment there is a moment, a footnote, that is preparing you for your headline.

Remember, if you want momentum in your career, your marriage, your education, or your personal and professional growth, that you must create it yourself – right now – by getting up and getting started. Resolve to seize the moment when circumstances present an opportunity for you to move in the direction of your dreams, committing to always keep your stick forward.

Never let up on pursuing your dream. You may be closer to a headline worthy breakthrough than you know.

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Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers. -Harry S. Truman

As a student at both Air Command and Staff College and National Defense University’s  Eisenhower School, I was privileged to hear dozens of accomplished national leaders speak. Generals, Supreme Court justices, Congressional representatives and senators, leaders in industry. We even heard from two sitting presidents. They came from very diverse walks of life and professions but all had a number of things in common: they were all early risers, intellectually agile, often men and women of faith, and committed to their families and to the country. They were also all–to person–voracious readers.

I’m Busy! Why Spend Time Reading?

Noted Victorian era moralist and author G.K. Chesterton once wrote, “Learn from others’ mistakes, you don’t have time to make them all yourself.” It’s one of my favorite quotes and it underscores the need to spend time learning from others. For busy military professionals, or leaders in any profession, that means devouring books and publications to gain the benefit of others perspectives. Reading books, blogs, and periodicals are ways to help develop perspective, particularly on current events. Our teams count on us as leaders to have perspective and not act rashly or out of ignorance. I know it seems basic, but spending time with a book gives us the chance to cross space and time to listen to others voices. It allows us to put current events in context, and gives us tools to process things going on around us.

What Should I Read?

The easy answer to the question, “What should I be reading?” is everything. Leaders, particularly at the executive level, should be versed in history, politics, economics, and science. These subjects are key to understanding the environment as well as the motivations of others. Of course, I’ve written many times that leaders are in the people business. The better we understand people, both individually and as a group, the better we’ll be at motivating and inspiring people to high achievement. Of course, “man does not live by bread alone,” so your leadership reading library should also include fiction, especially literature. You can also read better life transformation by Russell for self-improvement. These books form the the basis of much of our culture (whether we know it or not), and culture sets the framework for what people value. Popular entertainment has it’s place, of course, but have you ever heard anyone read a book and then say, “the movie was better?”

Military Leaders Reading List

A question I’m asked often, is “what books do you recommend?” The list is always evolving, of course, but here’s a few books that almost always appear on my lists. If you have an add for the list, tell us in the comments below!

The Defense of Hill 781, James R. McDonough.

Army Colonel James McDonough examines leadership through a fantasy allegory of an infantry officer in Purgatory until he leads his mechanized task force to victory over the demons inhabiting the battlefield. Great leadership lessons.

War as I Knew It, General George S. Patton, Jr.

No list is complete without this candid memoir from one of America’s greatest wartime commanders. Filled with historical tidbits and lessons applicable to executive leadership in any large organization, this one is a must read.

Empire by Default: The Spanish-American War and the Dawn of the American Century, Ivan Musicant.

America’s entry into the world stage at the end of the 19th Century was not a smooth one. Lessons about leading among peers at very senior levels, logistics preparation and management, organizational dynamics, and leading when you’re on your own abound in this interesting read.

The Silo Effect: The Peril of Expertise and the Promise of Breaking Down Barriers, Gillian Tett.

In this book, Tett uses the 2008 financial crisis as a case study in organizational culture. She points out that very large and respected international corporations lost trillions of dollars because of their inability to communicate clearly across internal teams or “silos.”  

Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World, General Stanley McChrystal.

In my mind this is the definitive work for working in a globally networked organization. Gen McChrystal talks about his successful campaign against Al Qaeda in Iraq. He created a network of special operators and support forces that rapidly leveraged intelligence and technology, coupled with the expertise of the world’s greatest special operations forces, to crush the insurgency in Iraq.

Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win, Jocko Willink & Leif Babin

Written by two former SEAL officers, this book is a “how to” manual on small unit leadership. It’s a candid recounting of battlefield successes and mistakes, and how those leadership lessons apply to both military and civilian environments alike.

The Art of Positive Leadership, John E. Michel.

Written by the General Leadership Foundation’s own Brig Gen (ret) John Michel, The Art of Positive Leadership is a series of essays written mostly during his time in Afghanistan. Michel gives great tips for inspiring high performance even during stressful situations.

And finally, I humbly submit my own flagship leadership book:

Leading Leaders: Inspiring, Empowering, and Motivating Teams, Mickey Addison

Developed over a 30 year military career and a lifetime of leading, Leading Leaders lays out the foundation for character-based leadership. Illustrated through personal stories and anecdotes, I believe this books is a must read for anyone who wants to improve their productivity and their character.

Happy Reading!

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In LeadershipFlow | Perfectly Square, Master Certified Coach and Leadership Expert Croft Edwards finds a fresh way to look at personal and organizational change through his story of a family-owned business and its struggle to survive. Infusing his proven methodology into the narrative and characters, he provides readers with a dynamic roadmap for how to lead and transform a company.

It’s finally here, Croft Edwards’ much awaited book LeadershipFlow | Perfectly Square: A Story about Learning to Lead and Transforming a Company is available in hard cover on Monday the 15th of May. We here at GeneralLeadership just wanted to ensure our readers were aware that one of our featured guest-authors has published and his book is now available for sale. It goes live on sites like Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and many places where you buy books.  Just go to your favorite site and download. A synopsis of the book follows:

LeadershipFlow | Perfectly Square: A Story About Learning to Lead and Transforming a Company