20 Thoughts on Leadership by Rick Burns

I am re-printing an article that Rick Burns posted on my fan page last week. Rick is a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves who has served two tours in Iraq, the last in 2008 as a Community Affairs Officer. His day job is Division Leader at Primerica Financial Services. In his spare time Rick is has founded an effort to bring Western business practices to Iraqi businesses. Here are Rick's 20 thoughts on Leadership. They are as applicable to entrepreneurs as they are to the military, non profits, education or any other organization.


20 THOUGHTS ON LEADERSHIP

(The following are some thoughts on leadership I created for my kids as they are starting to move out into the world)

1. Put people in positions where they can succeed. This may mean changing the organization to fit your talent pool. In the end your people are your biggest assets, not your organizational structure.

2. Your people have to know that you are willing to be in the trenches with them. You may not always be able to be there, but they have to know that if you could be, you would be. This will require you having shown them by your actions that you have been with them when circumstances were not pleasant. You cannot just talk about it. Rank may have its privilege, but privilege should be used judiciously. Your ability to get people to do unpleasant things at necessary times is in direct relationship to the perception others have of how much privilege you have taken.

3. You can only throw your rank or position around for so long before it becomes meaningless. People can always find a way to circumvent your authority if you have not developed a foundation of respect.

4. My mother told me when I was beginning to date girls, and reiterated on numerous occasions thereafter, that if I was dating someone and everyone around me was saying something was wrong with my choice, I should stop and listen. If everyone around you is saying something is wrong, it is probably wise to stop and figure out what they are saying. They are probably right.

5. There are only two things you can control…ATTITUDE and ACTIVITY. A positive attitude coupled with productive activity will take you far.

6. It is better to address small things while they are small things, rather than waiting until they become larger and have had time to fester. Problems, generally, do not go away. They only get bigger and more difficult to deal with over time. Better to deal with the immediate problem than delude yourself into thinking the problem will take care of itself. This is particularly true of relationship problems.

7. It is easier to criticize than it is to lead. If you are on top, you can count on others to second guess your decisions and leadership. Remember this when you are being led as well.

8. “In the absence of orders, ATTACK!” Make a decision and move out. Few decisions are terminal. You can always adjust when new information or opportunities present themselves.

9. Define and clearly communicate your parameters and boundaries up front or you may find yourself herding cats down the road.

10. Ask questions and listen. You won’t know everything. That is why you should surround yourself with the best people you have and then listen to them. A well placed question to the right person will almost always reveal insights critical to solving problems. The smart leader focuses on asking the right question to the right person and then listens intently for genius.

11. Example is the most powerful motivator. Be consistent. Do what you say.

12. There are no excuses. Excuses only limit. Be a doer and not a victim at the mercy of your circumstances.

13. Believe. Believe you can. Believe your team can.

14. Fear is the greatest deterrent to action. Good leadership requires that you move beyond your fear and act. No great deed has ever been accomplished without the fear of failure.

15. Focus on fixing real and existing problems. Get at the root of problems. Do not invent problems to solve because it is easier and looks like you are solving problems.

16. The scriptural injunction, “If you are prepared, you shall not fear,” is applicable in all facets of life. The better prepared the leader; the easier it is to get others to follow. Surround yourself with people who will insure you are prepared with the best information and analysis available, not what you want to hear. Insure you have a personal development program that makes learning a life-long pursuit. Never rest, thinking you know it all.

17. Do the right thing…always. It may not be pleasant or easy, but your reputation for integrity is more important than present discomfort.

18. If things are not going right, it may require a radical change to make it right. Don’t be afraid of change. Change for the sake of change, however, is just a gimmick. If you must change, make sure you are making calculated changes with an effect in mind.

19. Emotional control is critical to consistent success. Controlled anger may be an an acceptable strategy to get things done. The imperative, however, is to be in control. In most circumstances, a little honey may be the better strategy. Emotional control allows the effective leader to make choices based on mission accomplishment and not on the whim of the moment. A leader who does not have control of his/her emotions confuses others and expends, unnecessarily, energy in trying to deal with a leader’s temperament of the moment rather than accomplishing the mission at hand.

20. Vision is the indispensable element of leadership. Being able to see around, under and above obstacles is critical to keeping teams on track. Good leadership requires that leaders constantly look around the corner even in the face of tactical problems of the moment that tend to distract. The leader must always be holding the flag high so that others can follow.