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Leading From The Front

When it comes to leadership in all its varying forms and style nothing and I do mean NOTHING will beat the penultimate leadership style of LEADING FROM THE FRONT.

Up until recently, there were very few real world examples of LEADING FROM THE FRONT.

The current and most relevant example is Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Yes, the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy. In the current situation with Russia invading Ukraine, the Zelenskyy is out there fighting to push back the invaders, he is also out there fighting on behalf of his country to more international support.

The Ukrainian President is out there, on the front lines, walking his talk. How many “leaders” do that on a daily basis. How many leaders, today, are willing to walk out there where the bullets are flying.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy is the definition of Leading From The Front. He is out there fighting for his country, his constituents, his family and for his life. He is the epitome of walking his talk. He could have opted to rule from behind a desk far from the fighting. Instead, he opts to walk out to where the bullets, mortars, missiles, and tank shells are flying.

Sure there are many politicians that “claim” they lead from the front. Without shame they claim that they are out there and “no one works harder for their constituents than they do”. Yet when the opportunity to go to the front comes, they go there in a chauffeured limo. Then the moment things look like they are going sideways these politicians duck back in, speed away. Soon they find comfort in their nice cozy, comfy office chairs as far away from the front-lines as they can get.

Then there are some political officials that will flat out ignore a direct order to go to the front-lines. When questioned about why they are not going to the front-lines, their only response is a dirty look and a “cackled” laugh. Next question, please.

So much for working hard or is it working hard at avoiding any hard work? I challenge anyone to prove me wrong or try to change my mind when it comes to those politicians.

But, this post is not only about politicians. It is also about business managers, military personnel and the countless others that want to be great leaders but do not want to put in the work. They may claim they are putting in the work but yet, they are continually found behind their desk managing by email or zoom or by text (this is the worst of all). Again, I ask how can you become great if you REFUSE to get your hands dirty.

Who does not want to be known as one of the great leaders of our time? I promise you this: The person is lying if they claim they do not want to be great.

Sure, some people may be satisfied with their life if they never are seen as great. Some may be perfectly fine if they can achieve some level of greatness. No matter if a little, some or none and sure as the sun rises, everyone wants to be great.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being great. As many have said (including myself) time and time again, to be great you have put in great work.

WORK! W-O-R-K!

There’s that nasty four-letter word. It will never go away especially when you want to do something and be something. You have to put in the work. THERE IS NO SHORTCUT TO BEING GREAT.

However, you can move the process along by getting out there and Leading from the Front and by leading from the front means you are out there ACTIVELY participating.

You are out there NOT getting in the way. You are out there not for a photo-op but to actually do something that is helping. The following is what you can do to become a great leader:
• Stand Up
• Step Up
• Go To The Front-lines
• Dig Foxholes, Fill Sandbags, Chop Wood, Carry Water
• Stay Out of The Way

That is it. It does not get any clearer and better than that. Get To Work!

Thank you for your time and consideration,
David G. Guerra, MBA

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Guide To Leadership During A Pandemic: Welcome To The New Norm by David Guerra, MBA

planning development, creating, implementationThe Pandemic Guide To Leadership

Welcome To The New Norm

The new normal, the new norm and other references to this new way of living and being. In case, you have not caught on because things continue to evolve then let me share this with you. All this talk of the new norm is a new way of saying CHANGE.

Yes, change. We have all been warned that change is coming and to be ready for change. I know I have shared that with you throughout the history of my podcasts, videos, blogs and articles. As a former Active Duty US Army Infantryman, change was what my active duty life was all about and thus difficult to shake the specter of change looming just one step behind. That is why I am such a proponent to be ready for change when it arrives.

As a Leader, it is up to you to be an engaged pupil in the art of managing change. Managing change? Yes, I believe when it comes to change all we can do is to manage it as we can NEVER master change. As change is always a dynamic, fluid situation which is susceptible to way too many external factors which influence just about all aspects of the evolving situation.

Having a firm grasp and understanding that while we would like to control change, it is not going to happen. While I am not advocating riding the wave of change, I am saying think of change as a white-water rafting. You are on the raft and you have some semblance of control with the paddle. Sure, you can guide your raft to the shore or down the river but where you actually end up will most certainly not be exactly where you wanted/planned to be. Sound familiar?

Sounds a lot like real, true blue leadership. While leaders have a plan and ready to put in place that plan and like all other plans before that plan things do not always go as planned. Just like most of the battle plans in the history of battle plans, they go into the trash can the moment the bullets start flying.

However, do not for one second believe that you should abandon hope when you develop, create and implement a plan. While it may be difficult kick off that plan during a time of crisis such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, it should not stop you from doing so. Any and every Leaders worth his or her weight in salt are on the lookout for staying the course of the plan once executed. Yet, when things do not go as planned, leaders are ready to adapt, improvise and overcome as leaders are expected to do so.

Folks, change will continue to surround us for the far foreseeable future. Change is the new norm. Change is what we as human have always been exposed to, but it was so low level that now with the Pandemic it has risen to the top, which means that as Leaders you have to rise above that. That is non-negotiable because that is the new norm.

Thank you,
David G. Guerra, MBA
email: [email protected]
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Weekend Challenge #10 (03/28-29/2020): Revisit & Revise Your Goals

HERE IS YOUR WEEKEND CHALLENGE: REVISIT & REVISE YOUR GOALS

you weekend challenge has arrived

Listen to this weekend’s Weekend Challenge

Welcome To The Weekend. It is time for another challenge.

This weekend your challenge is to go back to the beginning. Basically, is to go back and review your goals for this past month.

I know things have changed our priorities, changed the situation of our lives, and change in general in that we are more at home; hunkered down.
Go back and pull out the file that has all your goals, vision, and mission written down. Remember, writing it all down is how we achieve those goals because they become real the moment you write them down. Once real, they are achievable.

However, now in this time of a new normal, we have to adapt, change, and overcome this new life we have been given. This new opportunity. In doing that we must work to reshape and refocus our priorities and our global view.

So as our main goals, the core of our goals will not change it is how we achieve it that will change. Our timelines and our schedules now have to change. We have to adjust to this new way of the New Normal and this New Normal is everybody’s New Normal.

This is happening to all of us. To all of us on the planet. Every citizen on this planet, all seven plus billion of us. It’s happening to us; it’s happening to all of us! You are NOT exempt and you’re not special, you’re not unique in that senses because you are a human being.

This is affecting the entire species. This is affecting the entire human race. All this is the great equalizer!

COVID-19 does not know who’s who. Who are the haves and have nots? Who has a TV show and who doesn’t have a TV show? Who is in politics and who is not in politics? Who is a parent and who is a child? Who is a boss and who is an employee? It doesn’t separate, it equals everyone, all together.

So please understand, this is happening to everybody but as individuals we still have to go on our lives. We still have to continue and we still have to set ourselves some goals and we still have to set ourselves a mission and vision and we have to see the future!

Folks, this is going to come to an end and this will stop. Then we will return to some kind of normalcy, that we once knew. I guarantee you this much, we have to be prepared to come out of this as better people, better human beings. We have to come out of this with a much greater sense of purpose than all just “about me poor me”.

The old “normal” days are over. Those days were over the moment that virus started spreading. That’s when the writing was on the wall. A lot of us chose not to see it and still so many continue to choose not to see it. Understand that we are forced to face it and one way or another that being said I offer you this week’s challenge: Sit down pull out your goals and to adjust your goal to reflect the new normal.

Get To Work!

Thanks for your time,
David