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New Podcast Episode Now Online: The Walking Leader #53

In episode 53 of the Walking Leader Podcast, I talk about those bad leaders that go out of their way to be friends with everyone that she leads or manages. Leaders cannot do the job they must do when they put themselves in a situation they should never have put themselves into. Thus, leaders or managers that cannot do the job they are supposed to be doing (good or bad) are not leaders. They are very ineffective managers at best.

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.
Thank you for listening and for your time,
Dave Guerra

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blog Current Events In The News Leadership Walking Leader

#Leadership in the News: “Secret Service Director’s Mission: Fix the agency”

Leadership in the news: “Secret Service Director’s Mission: Fix the agency”

New Secret Service director, John Clancy, recently opened the agency’s doors to the media to talk and show what was going on at the Secret Service to change and regain the population’s trust in that agency. By doing so, Clancy’s leadership comes shining through.

In the CNN report, the director openly talked about the agency’s past and how the agency must change to put that part of its history behind them and the nation, of course in the name of progress.

However, as is the case for making change in any organization it just does not happen with a snap of a finger. It happens when leaders are deliberate and want to deliver “more transparency and speedier reforms”.

Even then, those on the outside the agency are still demanding answers for past actions. A past that is clouded with scandal and lax security procedures, which have threatened the White House.

By having a leader that is willing to step out in front and work to deliver that change, the organization can step away from its ugly past and move into the light of progress and success.

The agency has been criticized for NOT bringing in an “outsider” to “clean house” and make the necessary changes that would appease the critics and not necessarily make the organization better.

I am a big proponent of hiring and promoting from within. I used to work for a state agency in Texas that was mired in scandal and the powers that be (legislature) saw it fit to demand an outsider come in and make things right. The outsider had no clue what it was really like to be out on the frontlines and was summarily dismissed and replaced. The replacement was not that much better. The outsiders did nothing but create a culture of fear and panic. They also managed to create an environment where GOOD LEADERS could no longer thrive for fear of dismissal or ARREST. Yes, some leaders were arrested but I digress.

Outsiders do not understand the culture from within. Outsiders tend to throw ALL employees into the same barrel of rotting pickles instead of knowing who was good and who was rotten to the core.

Fortunately, for the Secret Service they do not have to deal with such nonsense but instead are given another opportunity to stand out, thrive, and resume their role as one of the most trusted organizations in the US Government. That’s because they have a leader that not only comes from within its ranks but also has nothing to hide when it comes to leading change.

Now, that’s a leader that all organizations should strive to create, cultivate, and not hesitate when it comes time to hand over the reins to a new leader.

ref: http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/06/politics/secret-service-director/index.html

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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/