Tag: Followers

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Current Events In The News Leadership Uncategorized

Leadership In The News: SpaceX Rocket Explodes

On June 28th an “unmanned rocket by Elon Musk’s SpaceX on a resupply mission to the International Space Station exploded Sunday just minutes after launch” at Cape Canaveral in Florida.

Now. I won’t get into the nitty-gritty of what did or did not happen to the supply vessel but what I will get into is how the leader of the company that made and launched that rocket stepped out in front of this crisis.

Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX, tweeted minutes after the incident

Now, he could have had someone from his organization’s Public Relations department get out there and tweet or post on Facebook about the event. While most organizations have people that are paid exorbitant salaries to stand in front of the press and “handle it”.

Other leaders in other organizations would have let the PR people pass along the messages to the public. However, this is not who Elon Musk is, if you have ever followed anything he has done in the past you will quickly pickup that he is the man in front and the organizations follows right behind.

What does this say about a leader? It says a lot!

It says that this leader continues to have the passion in what he has made, built, and created. He has taken that passion and turned into a finely focused vision that those that work with and for Musk see with such clarity that an event such is this is not only Musk’s moment to shine (and bounce back) but the organization will follow the lead and comeback better than ever.

Heck, who would not want to follow a leader that leads from the front and is always found leading at the front?

Now for the million dollar questions: Do you lead from the front? Do you ever go to the front? Do you even know where the front is?

Seriously, most leaders/managers started out on the front lines but forgot where it was once they move up. Don’t be that kind of a manager instead be a LEADER!

reference: http://money.cnn.com/2015/06/28/technology/spacex-rocket/

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blog Leadership Podcast Walking Leader

New Podcast Episode Now Online: The Walking Leader #51

The latest episode of the WALKING LEADER podcast is now online!

In episode 51, I talk about those bad leaders that are stuck using antiquated management ideas and techniques. There are a few of them still out there that believe the only way to manage and lead is using management techniques from the 1960s, 1970s, 80s, 90s and early 2000s. The times have change, so have the employees and followers of those leaders.

It is the responsibility of every leader, established and up-and-coming, to change with the times.

The latest episode can be heard by visiting the podcast page either by clicking here, on the podcast image, or at the Podcast link at the top of the page.

Thanks for your time,
Dave Guerra

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blog Change Current Events Followership Leadership

#LEADERSHIP IN THE NEWS: The Dolezal Matter

#LEADERSHIP IN THE NEWS: The Dolezal Matter

It appears the (former) President of the Seattle Chapter of the NAACP is not African-American by birth but is by choice. Rachel Dolezal wrote she is in “complete allegiance to the cause of racial and social justice and the NAACP” and stepped down as the chapter’s president. She quit, which for her might have been the right thing to do but was it for everyone else?

What most people do not know, want to know or understand is, plain and simple; she quit being a leader the moment she took that position (or any other position) under false pretenses.

While the national NAACP stated “one’s racial identity is not a qualifying criteria or disqualifying standard for NAACP leadership.” That is fine if this individual, this “leader” had done her job as a LEADER by being honest and having the ethics, morals and integrity that individuals in any leadership must possess there would have been no problem.

Heck, I am more than certain we would NOT have this conversation, if this individual had just stopped for a minute and did the right thing for herself and especially for those that believed and followed her.

Now what? What happens next? What happens to all the individuals (both personal and professional) that were duped by the Dolezal? Yes, I wrote duped because that is what she did. I cannot come up with any no other word to describe. OK, yes I can but I would rather not at this time but I digress.

What happens next, is that like most negative things that happen in our lives, those friends and followers will get back up, pick up the pieces, and learn from their mistake (in trusting and believing Dolezal).

Now as for Dolezal, herself. Well, her future is solely her own. She can refuse to admit defeat, bury her head in the sand until the next news story breaks, and the come out like nothing happened.

On the other hand, she can do what ALL Real Leaders do: Admit a mistake was made, Pick up the pieces, Learn from those mistakes, and Move Forward!

What would you do if this was you in this unbelievable situation?

reference used in this blog post: http://seattle.cbslocal.com/2015/06/15/naacp-meeting-rachel-dolezal/