LT. GEN. HONORE ON LEADERSHIP

The following is an excerpt of an email I received this afternoon from my friend and mentor Dale Brown.  It comes from an article titled: "Leadership in the New Normal" and it was written by Lt. General Russel L. Honore:

My working definition of leadership is this:  the art and science of influencing others to willingly follow.  The key word is willingly. 

In the working world, people have the choice to follow, sort of. To sort of do what the leader wants, to sort of make an effort to achieve the mission. That’s the worst kind of follower. People who sort of put in an effort not only reduce the chances of success but they require more attention and energy from leadership than they’re worth.

In the New Normal, willingness is everything. That’s because the old command-and-control system just doesn’t work anymore. Napoleon said, “Men are moved by two levers only: fear and self-interest.” True, but fear and self-interest don’t have much staying power. Followers either overcome fear or grow numb to it, and self-interest is tied to the highest bidder.

Fear and self-interest are short-term motivators, and leaders have long-term problems.

Leaders have to live up to the ideals of the organization they lead. When it appears they don’t, nobody will follow them.

If the leader talks about discipline, but doesn’t demonstrate discipline himself, he won’t have followers. Ultimately, people are looking for somebody who is respectable – not just somebody who’s loud.

No great change comes without leadership.

One of my teachers offered a simple though profound lesson in leadership. “I think you can be successful if you do three things.”

“First, learn to do the routine things well.”

“Second, don’t be afraid to take on the impossible.”

“Third, don’t be afraid to act, even if you’re being criticized.”