Categories
Change Decisionmaking Leadership Motivation

on Niccolò Machiavelli #8

“For whoever believes that great advancement and new benefits make men forget old injuries is mistaken.” -Niccolò Machiavelli

I once fell into a very large pile of rusty, old concertina wire (razor wire). If you know what razor wire is you know it can get pretty nasty if you get tangled up in it. Needless to say, I are tangled up in. It happened when I was in the Army. We were out on field maneuvers patrolling in a wooded area. I was part of the left flank as we approached a clearing. My attention was focused on the clearing and what might or might not be there. Then the forest floor gave out on me. I found myself bouncing on something semi-springy. I landed on my back onto the largest collection of used concertina wire in all of Fort Benning, Georgia.

To this day, I see one of the scars every time I sit down to type. I sliced open my right ring finger from my middle joint to just below my fingernail. While lying on top of the pile I could see the ligament and bones. It was a nice clean slice of course that was just before the bleeding started there and on my left calf with the six-inch slice. A medevac flight, some bandages, and a nice tetanus shot later I was good to go. Having learned my lesson, and just like that, I never walked in those woods or any other woods the same way, again. Every field exercise or deployment after that, I made certain I knew what I was stepping on and most certainly, where I was going.

The same applies to the top quote by Machiavelli. When we move forward. It is through our gained experience that we can move forward with caution and with speed. Speed in that we know where the landmines (or bundles of trashed concertina wire) are and caution to ensure that we avoid and freshly laid landmines.

What I am trying to say is don’t forget that the unexpected is always just one footstep away and don’t forget that as you go on your way forward.

Thanks,
David Guerra

 

Categories
Change Leadership Walking Leader

What book will help me be a better leader?

daveguerrabookswalkingleader001005In 2013, I finished writing my first book, “The Walking Leader” which I started about six years earlier. Six years? Yes, I was still in school finishing my Masters and working for the state of Texas this it never took off until I said enough is enough.

There are many people who know that the only true way to be an authentic leader is to get up and get out. You read about that need in many business books and many more business gurus will tell you that. They tell you to get up and start walking around the company and get to know not only the people you are responsible but to meet and know everyone in the organization.

Unfortunately, that’s about all they tell you. Over the years, there have been numerous programs and systems that encourage leaders to get out there and interact with those they supervise. There was TQM, SIX SIGMA, LEAN, and so on and so on (ad nauseam). Yet, there were no rules as to what to do when the leader got out there.

Thus the reason for writing The Walking Leader became perfectly clear. The Walking Leader offers answers to one question that no one wanted to answer:

What do I do when I walk around the company? 

The Walking Leader is the result of me trying to answer that question. I came up with twenty (20) rules or suggestions to give the leader something to do than to walk around aimlessly while trying to figure out on the fly what to do and NOT do.

Now I don’t promise you that it will make you the next Patton or Jack Welch but I can promise that it can help get you on the right direction when you get out there and start walking around. Thus, you will be a better leader.

Thank you for indulging me a little shameless self-promotion. Then again, if I don’t do it who will?
Dave Guerra

You can order your copy of THE WALKING LEADER from AMAZON

Categories
Leadership Motivation

on Niccolò Machiavelli #7

“It is essential that in entering a new province you should have the good will of its inhabitants.” – Niccolò Machiavelli

Any new venture requires that those taking the journey do so with great respect for the people that are where you are going.

By this I mean, you will have to get to know the people you are visiting or serving. In the case of a new business, you need to respect the customer or client you are trying to attract. Fail to respect the customer and you will get what you deserve.

Give them all the respect you can. Remember, you will need them when you least expect it. They will need you 100% of the time. That’s why RESPECT is the number one thing that all people on this planet respond to and RESPECT is the one thing everyone wants but many struggle to give.

Don’t struggle just give respect 100% of the time and see the magic happen!