Tag: Motivation

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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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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