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10 Things You Do Not Know About Leadership #8

Welcome to the eighth installment of the 10 Things You Do Not Know About Leadership. In this weekly, series I cover topics that tend to be overlooked, forgotten, or completely misunderstood. By sharing with you, it is my hope and belief that I help in eradicating many of the misconceptions that come with leadership.

#8 Leadership Is About Getting Involved

As I mentioned in the last blog post and video, those you lead want to know you are there. They want to know you are present and approachable. I also mentioned that while you are out there, out on the frontlines you must be doing something more than taking up space, breathing the oxygen of others, or out there to confirm your status as figurehead.

LEADERS ARE NOT FIGUREHEADS. A true Leader would never dream about being a “figurehead”. Genuine & Authentic Leaders are way beyond all that. Figureheads have never been nor will they ever be leaders by any sense of the word.

Leaders rise above being FIGUREHEADS by getting involved. Figureheads that stand around taking up space and using up all the oxygen are for all intents and purposes: USELESS!

Leaders never have to ask what to do. Leaders step in and say, “here, let me help.” Figureheads haven’t a clue and for that reason, when it comes time to be a leader a figurehead sits there wondering what the heck is going on and hopes that someone else, someone at a lower paygrade will know what to do.

Think I am kidding?

You know very damn well I am not kidding.

Leaders that get involved do so not out of a sense of “looking the part” or “playing the role”. Leaders that get involved do so because of sense of obligation not only to themselves but to the people they lead. The obligation to those they lead comes from leaders reminding themselves where they come from. They Remind themselves that they started off out in the trenches, out on the frontlines. They remember that it was difficult, hard, and lonely when they were starting off.

Again, that sense of obligation comes from experiencing life working for bad managers as well as great managers. Working in organizations that cared only about the preservation of those at the top and vowing that if they were ever in a position to do something about it, they would make change happen for the better. Now current and future leaders your opportunity to make good on that vow is here.

Leaders that get involved, especially when they are so high up the organizational tree know they do not have to get involved but know that is why they have to get involved. Leaders on the lower levels of the organization, this is the time to start. It is the time to getting involved now as it will make it easier to continue to get involved as you move up the ranks.

The opposite is true for those that do not get involved and expect followers (aka figureheads). They get exactly what they deserve and that is nothing. They give nothing so they get nothing. But there is a very sad component to all this. For those that give nothing and get nothing for some odd reason expect something. They do not get it and they never will.

So, how does one get involved? Simple, YOU get back into the trenches. You dive in and get in there. Never be invited into the trenches. Never be afraid to get back into the trenches.

Never be afraid to get involved. How does one get involved? Remember, it is not about asking how to get involved. You jump in and start doing. If you have to ask, are you sure you are a leader better yet, are you certain you are ready to lead?

Yet, if you are still uncertain on what to do, well there is always the basics. Get involved by starting with the basics. I promise you there is always a need for someone to do the basics: Chop Wood – Carry Water – Dig Foxholes – Fill Sandbags.

Of course, these are metaphorical substitutes for the basics in your chosen field or vocation. Each vocation or career field has its own set of unique basics. Basics can and should be mastered and kept honed and sharpened constantly and consistently.

Take the following with you as you get ready to get out there: Getting involved should never seem like much to you but to your followers it means everything.

Until Next Week, I Thank you.
David Guerra, MBA

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10 Things You Do Not Know About Leadership #7

Welcome to the seventh installment of the 10 Things You Do Not Know About Leadership. In this weekly, series I cover topics that tend to be overlooked, forgotten, or completely misunderstood. By sharing with you, it is my hope and belief that I help in eradicating many of the misconceptions that come with leadership.

LEADERSHIP INVOLVES GETTING OUT THERE

In case no one ever told you or no one before you ever knew, trust me when I say: No Leader ever became a GREAT LEADER by sitting behind a desk.

Also, no Great Leader ever became great by dictating from behind their desk in the comfort of their office.
Well, I am lying, a bit. In the case of Napoleon Bonaparte, General George Patton, and other such Great Leaders of that caliber did become great by leading from behind their desk and in the comfort of their office. Their desk happened to be atop a horse, a tank, in a foxhole and their office was the battlefield, with a business address that’s on a street called, “THE FRONT LINES”. These leaders were fortunate enough to be out there where the bullets were flying. They were the ones that were leading others not only into battle but onto victory and ultimately into the history books.

While the goal of any leader is not to make history the goal is to make more leaders. The primary goal of any leader is to make more leaders, make better leaders. Making more leaders is ONLY done not by dictating but by leading by example.

How does one make leaders by leading by example? What is the example to lead by? The example is simple: Get out there and be visible. Be highly visible. Get into the trenches, the foxholes, troop the line and everything else that comes with getting out there and being visible.

However, standing around, taking up space and breathing everyone else’s oxygen is NOT what getting out there and being visible is all about. It is about ensuring the people not only see you out there but know that you are out there with them and among them. Be visible constantly, consistently and most of all, be approachable.

Get out from behind your desk, out of your office and get into the thick of it. Help out when you can, do more than is expected and always find ways to do more for those that are out on the frontlines, fighting the good fight. It is your job to do more than just shake hands, kiss babies and smile.

It is your job to get to know the people that you are there to support. Remember, it is your job to ensure that they can do their job effectively and efficiently. You are there to support them in every way possible. It is not and never will be the other way around. You hired them to do a job, then let them do that job by you going out there and ensuring they know how to do the job, have the right tools to do it and know that they have your support in doing that job.

Do not for one second, let it enter your mind that they are there for you. That is not an automatic. What is automatic is that you know as a leader you are there to support those you lead. Remember, your followers made you the leader, they can take that away. Also never forget those that hired you, those that brought in, did so with the understanding, you may the title of manager but you were never given the title of leader. That title you have to earn and you have to earn it each and every day.

You earn it, by taking care of those that made you the leader. You earn it, every day that you are present, available, and out on the front lines. There is no short cut, there is no cutting corners. What there is, is you being visible, present, and with them with the sole purpose to support and lead them.

That being said, please know that those you lead, those that follow you will be there for you only after you have shown them that you are there for them, first and foremost. Never ever forget that. If you do forget that, you do so at your own peril.

Now, get out, shake hands, kiss babies, smile, say hello. I do hope you know what I mean. Get out there every day that you can. Be out there in the muck and the mud. Be there with them and for them. When you cannot be out there, make absolutely certain they know where you are, how they can get ahold of you, and most of all, when you will be back.

Yes, they do deserve that much and so much more.

-Dave

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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