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How Leaders Embrace Their Mistakes

Pier at Folly Beach, SC – Provided

If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes. – John Wooden

As an avid photographer (semi-professional) of many decades, I’ve come to learn a thing or two about mistakes. There’s nothing more satisfying than taking a good picture. Many factors come into play to make that happen, and oftentimes a little luck.

But on a typical photoshoot, it’s not uncommon to take 300-plus pictures in order to narrow down to 20 or 30  pictures that will pass muster for consideration in the final selection process.


Why do so many pictures not make the cut? In a word – mistakes. If the photoshoot was outdoor it could be lighting issues, eyes were closed, hair was a mess, the picture was not in focus, the composition wasn’t right, the 3-year-old quit cooperating, I hesitated too long on the shutter, and the list goes on.


Photography has been a rewarding passion for me over the years. But it’s also quite humbling. It humbles me when I step into the home of a  family member or a friend and see their family portrait prominently placed and knowing I took it is humbling. Knowing the backstory of my countless mistakes in getting to that prominently placed picture is equally as humbling. 

In leadership, as in photography, mistakes are bound to happen. Sometimes they are mistakes of our own creation while others are not. Either way, it’s part of a leader’s life.

My leadership mentor John Maxwell writes, “All leaders make mistakes. They are a part of life. Successful leaders recognize their errors, learn from them, and work to correct their faults.” And this is what separates successful leaders from the rest of the pack. Let’s look a little closer look.

All leaders make mistakes

This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Welcome to the human race. But in leadership, perhaps we need to ask what mistakes are we making. Are they the same ones over and over? If so, perhaps the lessons haven’t been learned. But that aside, as a leader, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Making mistakes is a sign of progress and without making mistakes there will be no progress. Click To Tweet

Successful leaders recognize their mistakes and learn from them

This is the distinguishing characteristic of a strong leader. Being able to recognize one’s mistakes is essential. This involves humility and being grounded in reality. Perhaps you were just tone-deaf at the moment and made a poor decision. You didn’t take advice or listen to others before making a critical decision. Perhaps you didn’t delegate a task when you should have and it created issues you otherwise could have avoided. Successful leaders recognize this.

Successful leaders work to correct their mistakes

In order to be successful in your leadership, acknowledge that you make mistakes and also pour yourself into learning from them and making the necessary corrections. This is your work and obligation as a leader. 

As a leader, there will always be something to work on and improve, but as you stick with it, you’ll be well on your way to significant growth as a leader.

 

©2023 Doug Dickerson

*To see more of my photography visit Facebook.com/dougdickersonphotography

The Courage To Find Your Voice

Malala Yousafzai – Credit Google Images

When the whole world is silent, even one voice becomes powerful. – Malala Yousafzai

By age 17, most teens are simply mustering up the courage to figure out where to go to college, whether or not to get a job, who to date, or are more concerned about their social media accounts.

But by the age of 17, Malala Yousafzai was the youngest Nobel Prize laureate. She was only the second Pakistani to receive it. By no means was she your typical 17-year-old. Her mission?  Fighting and advocating for the rights of Pakistani women and children – especially for education. 

In October 2012, Yousafzai and two other girls were shot in an assassination attempt on a bus after taking an exam in retaliation for her activism. Her physical recovery and therapy eventually took her to Birmingham, England. Afterward, she formed a non-profit and wrote an international best-selling book entitled, I Am Malala. Time magazine featured her as one of the most influential people in the world.

Not everyone’s life mission and purpose will be discovered in tragedy. But in the midst of hers, Malala found her voice and life calling.

Looking back on that singular event that changed her life, she said, “ I don’t want to be thought of as “the girl that was shot by the Taliban” but the “girl who fought for education.” This is the cause to which I want to devote my life.”

The courage to find your voice is essential in leadership. Not because of what it can do for you, but because of the good you can accomplish for others with it. Click To Tweet

President Harry Truman said, “Men make history and not the other way around. In periods where there is no leadership, society stands still. Progress occurs when courageous, skillful leaders seize the opportunity to change things for the better.” Truman’s words ring just as true and relevant today as when he spoke them. 

The question for our day is whether we have the courage to find our voice. For each person, it will look different. But here are some common characteristics.

Finding your voice will empower you

The day you find your voice and lend it to a cause greater than yourself is the day you begin to make things better. For Malala it was and is for the cause of education for women and children. Your cause and your voice will be equally as important to you. As a leader, you will be empowered when you find your voice and move toward action.

Finding your voice will elevate you

Leaders who will be remembered are not those who sit in silence on the sidelines while things continue to get worse. It will be those who step up, speak up, roll up their sleeves, and work to make things better and say, Join me.” Finding your voice will not only elevate you but will also separate you from those who only talk.

Finding your voice will energize you

Finding your voice is tantamount to finding your passion. Your passion is what gives your voice conviction and credibility. When you find this courage you raise your stature as a leader and you become a force for good.

While not everyone will embrace your voice as was the case of Malala, don’t let it stop you. Be courageous. Find your voice and embrace it. With it, you may not be able to change the world, but you can make your world better with it.

 

©2023 Doug Dickerson

About My Altercation At The White House

Credit: Google Images

Conflict is drama, and how people deal with conflict shows you the kind of people they are. – Stephen Moyer

I believe the time is now right and any concern of repercussions would be covered by the statute of limitations.

It all started innocently enough while on a family vacation. Our tent was pitched at Bull Run in Prince William County near Manassas, Virginia. 

We spent our days taking in all the sights in Washington, D.C. This also included a much anticipated White House tour. 

I was only about 6 or 7 years old at the time. We were queued up in line to go inside the White House and when we arrived at the door to step inside, a guard greeted us. He reached out and patted my head and said, “Hello, curly.” 

At that time, I had blondish-brown curly hair. The only thing I hated more than having curly hair was someone mentioning it.  At the moment, I did not appreciate the “compliment” that he was paying me. I was offended and I let him know.

With all the strength that I could muster, I reared back and proceeded to kick this White House guard in the shin as hard as I could. 

It was not the proudest moment in my young life and more than once I heard about it from my parents.

Photo by Doug Dickerson

I’ve been back to Washington numerous times since and have stopped by the White House to take a picture, but have never been back inside. I hope to again someday, and, if so, I promise to be on my best behavior.

As leaders, we all have choices with regard to the way we handle conflict. You see it play out on a daily basis in your place of work where conflict and tensions seem to always be simmering just beneath the surface.

 

Recent research by The Myers-Briggs Company revealed that managers spend nearly 4 hours a week dealing with conflict on average. 

The research included insights such as: 

  • Poor communication is the number one reason for conflict
  • Nearly 1 in 4 people think that their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly
  • The more time that an individual spent dealing with conflict at work, the lower their job satisfaction and the less included they felt

In this day and time, leaders can’t afford to be passive bystanders when conflicts are occurring all around them. There are some things that a leader can delegate for the sake of good organizational management, but when it comes to a healthy organizational culture – and preserving it, the ownership of it starts with the leadership.

Final Thoughts

Conflict is never easy but not all conflict is bad. Not every pat on the head is an act of hostility, and not every kick in the shin should be seen as a rebellion. People’s perspectives are different, and that’s why smart leaders are relentless communicators to bring out the best in others, discern the motives, and rally the team to its higher purpose.

 

© 2023 Doug Dickerson

Leadership Lessons From a Weary Traveler

Credit: Google Images – Delphi, Greece

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. – Lao Tzu

Some years ago, I was with a group of friends and we were taking a day trip from Athens, Greece up to Delphi – some 115 miles away. We were off to see some of the ancient ruins – including the famed Delhi sanctuary and the Delphi museum. 

After enjoying our day in Delphi, the time came to return to Athens. But there was a catch. The weather turned bad and they were experiencing the worse snowstorm they’d had in many years. The route back to Athens would not be the one we would take going back.

We made our way over to the coast and hopped on a ferry that eventually returned us to Athens. What normally would have taken only a couple of hours turned into a long and tiring trip that got us back safely but exhausted.

On a humorous note, while aboard the ferry, some in our group made mention of the need to use the restroom. A smiling deckhand kindly pointed to the sign on a door where the restroom was located. Upon opening the door, the “facilities” was simply a hole in the floor a couple of inches in diameter. Several made the decision to wait until we were back on land.

In your leadership, there will be times when things do not go according to plan. And when this happens, you will have to adjust accordingly. Here are a few things to remember as you face the unexpected.

Flexibility is essential

It’s been said that what doesn’t bend, breaks. And in leadership, you have to anticipate the unexpected, and when it happens you have to be flexible at the moment. John Maxwell observed it this way, “Flexibility says there is more than one answer.” And this is what smart leaders recognize – there is more than one answer to whatever you’re going through. 

Your attitude matters

When we left Athens for our day trip over to Delphi, we had no way of knowing that one of the worse snow in decades was going to happen that day. But – snow happens! In leadership, sometimes the unexpected happens. In these moments we are reminded that it’s not what happens to us that matters, it’s how we respond. Your attitude in times of adversity will make you or break you. Choose it wisely.

Adaptability is your ally

One definition says an adaptable leader is “someone who is able to change their behavior in response to changes in a situation.” It’s inevitable that you will face challenges and changes in your leadership. When they come, being adaptable will not only serve you well but can be an invaluable teachable moment for your team to learn from. 


Final Thoughts

Just as it was for my trip to Delphi, the road that has brought you to where you are today, may not be the same road to take you to the next level tomorrow. Conditions on the ground may change and you have to learn to be flexible, guard your attitude, and be adaptable. 

 

©2023 Doug Dickerson

Leading Through a Crisis

 

Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you’re in control, they’re in control. – Tom Landry

The wintry afternoon walk in the field out behind our house with my older sister started out like any other. I was about 10 years old. The field was a great place to play. There were plenty of trails to walk and ride our bikes. We built forts, shot our Daisy BB guns, and caught fireflies in Mason jars. This day, however, would be different.


As my sister and I exited the field before heading inside, I did something I’d done many times before with no thought. I pulled a tall weed out of the ground. But this time the weed didn’t budge. When the force of my pull met the resistance of the weed, it slit my finger open and laid the skin back.

As we approached the backyard my blue coat was already soaked in blood. I went to the water faucet and began rinsing my finger. “Don’t tell mom!” I shouted to my sister as I saw her run inside with no intention of following my command.

Once I went inside, my mother was already in a panic. She walked me up to the kitchen sink and told me to stand still. “I’ll be right back!” she exclaimed. Moments later she returned with a bottle of rubbing alcohol. “Hold your finger still”, she said. I was under the impression that she would perhaps pour just a little on the cut. I was wrong.

With the best intentions that a loving mother could conjure up at that moment, she emptied the entire contents of that bottle of rubbing alcohol onto my finger as I screamed. Which was just prior to my fainting on the kitchen floor.

My mother – God rest of her sweet, loving soul up in heaven, meant well. And in my moment of crisis, she did the best she knew how.

As a leader, there are two things you can be certain of – 1) You will face moments of crisis, and 2) Your people will be looking to you for confidence. So what do you do in a crisis? Here are a few practical ideas.

Stay calm

Remember, in times of crisis, your people will take their cues from you. From you, they need to see steadiness, resolve, and confidence. They don’t need to see you running for the doors. Or reaching for the alcohol.

Assess the situation

In times of crisis, you want to gather as much information as you can as quickly as you can. Gather your key people, ascertain what you know, separate fact from fiction, and start developing your action steps.

Communicate clearly

A good plan poorly communicated will only make matters worse. Click To TweetMake sure everyone knows the plan and everyone knows their role. Don’t assume anything.


Empower your people

Your people will gain confidence when you place your confidence in them. You can inspire your team by empowering your team.  A time of crisis is not the time for a one-man show. Walk through the crisis with your people and you will make your team stronger. 

 

©2023 Doug Dickerson

What Floyd Dean-Shannon Taught Us About Leadership

Credit: Google Images

In a world where you can be anything, be kind. – Unknown

Perhaps you saw the story recently on social media. It was one of those feel-good stories that just restores faith in humanity on many levels.

It begins with a post showing Delta Airlines flight attendant Floyd Dean-Shannon sitting in the aisle on a flight from Charlotte, N.C. to New York City holding the hand of a nervous passenger. 

“I’ve got you,” he’s quoted as saying as he gives comfort and reassures the nervous passenger that everything was going to be fine. He took the time to explain every noise and bump as he held her hand.

The beauty of the moment didn’t go unnoticed by fellow passengers who were so touched by this act of kindness that they couldn’t help but capture the moment to share with the rest of us.

It’s probably safe to say that Floyd Dean-Shannon didn’t set out that day to be declared a hero on social media for his act of kindness toward a total stranger. He’d probably just say that he was doing his job. But I hope that the rest of us won’t soon forget it.

John Maxwell said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” And this is precisely what Floyd Dean-Shannon modeled. Here are a few additional leadership lessons we can learn from his actions that day.

Acts of kindness don’t diminish your leadership, it elevates it

We must never embrace the false notion that strong leaders don’t have the capacity for being kind. Not only did Dean-Shannon prove it, but judging by the response, it’s refreshing to see. In leadership, being kind is an asset, not a liability.

People are your business

Howard Behar, the former vice president at Starbucks said, “We are not in the coffee business serving people, we are in the people business serving coffee.” And this is the leadership lesson found at this moment. It always has been and always will be about people and how best to serve them. 

One person truly can make a difference

Perhaps the greatest lesson that Floyd Dean-Shannon taught us is that one random act of kindness by one person truly can make a difference. But when we couple random acts of kindness with intentional acts of kindness soon big changes are made.

Mother Teresa said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.” As leaders, this is our challenge – to create ripples that make a difference. Thank you, Floyd Dean-Shannon for showing us how.

 

©2023 Doug Dickerson

 

What To Do With Disruptions

Lucy

People don’t want to buy a quarter-inch drill. They want a quarter-inch hole. – Theodore Levitt

It all started innocently enough with a text from my daughter sending me a picture of a beagle puppy. “She belongs in our family,” she exclaimed. “Isn’t she cute?” she insisted. This was her subtle way of saying that this “cute” puppy didn’t belong in her home with her husband and her kids, but rather in mine. What could possibly go wrong?

Against my better judgment, this firehose of a puppy whom we named Lucy, came to live in our home. And just like that, disruptive forces were unleashed. 

Perhaps my routines and settled ways of living were severely taken for granted, but suddenly everything changed – like sleep patterns, meal time, quiet evenings, etc. Lucy was and at times remains a disruptive force to be reckoned with. 

In leadership, you will have times of disruption. There’s really no escaping it. And when it happens, how you handle it matters. When disruptions occur, perhaps you should invoke what I call the L.U.C.Y. approach.

Lean into the disruption. 

Many variables are likely at play when disruptions happen in your organization or to you personally. Often, disruptions are simply manifestations of other underlying issues at hand. While there can be things you don’t see or choose to ignore, disruptions in leadership need to be assessed. Lean in and get perspective.

Understand the disruption.

Once you lean in and figure out what’s behind the disruption you’re experiencing, it’s now time to understand how and why you got to this place in time. The greater your understanding the better you can lead. But also know this – not all disruptions are bad and can actually serve a greater purpose if you allow it.

Clarify the challenges

Often in leadership, the root causes of disruptions are never addressed. Perhaps it’s just easier to look the other way or pretend the problem doesn’t exist. Obviously, that’s not good leadership, but it’s a default approach for many leaders. But in moments of disruption a leader needs to bring clarity to the situation, not denial. Once you lean in and understand the disruption that’s taking place you can now bring clarity as to how you’re going to handle it.

You set the tone

As a leader, you set the tone for your organization. Will disruptions within your organization occur? Yes. Will you have to contend with disruptive personalities? Yes. But as the leader, it’s up to you to set the tone that others will follow. Understanding your role and having this perspective at the forefront of your leadership mindset is critical to your success and the success of your team.


Final Thoughts

John Maxwell was right when he said, “There is strength in numbers, but organizing those numbers is one of the great challenges.” What disruptions are you facing today? How are you responding to them? 

 

©2023 Doug Dickerson

What Lego Has Taught Me About Leadership

Credit: Google Images

Creativity is seeing what everyone has seen, and thinking what no one else has thought – Albert Einstein

One of the Christmas gifts my wife and I gave to our oldest grandchild, Tyson, was a Star Wars lego set. I have to admit, it looked pretty awesome and at the age of six, I thought perhaps it would be more of a challenge for him to assemble.

Needless to say, he was very excited about this gift. And word back to us was that before the night was over, he had all but assembled it by himself. Indeed the force was with him.

We’ve come a long way from the early days of lego when I was a kid. Lego now releases more than 850 different sets each year. 

I read a fascinating article at brickbucks.net about the production process for a lego set. It takes about 18-24 months for a Lego set to be produced which means sets that are released today were already in development long before they ever found out if the initial wave would be successful. 

From a leadership perspective, I found this quite intriguing. Here are a few of my takeaways on leadership thanks to lego.

  • You have to risk failing if you want to succeed. Success is never guaranteed when you start out, but failure is a certainty if you don’t.
  • There are no limits to the creative forces of your team if you work together as a team. 
  • Timing is everything. At lego, they are observing, anticipating, and preparing their releases that coincide with the release of movies, video games, theatrical releases, etc. Lego is out front with impeccable timing. Smart leaders understand the *law of timing.
  • Smaller can be better. A strategy that Lego has utilized in its marketing is appealing to smaller themes that might appeal to a particular audience such as Botanical themes, etc. The more specialized themes Lego makes available, the larger the audience becomes.

Think about your own leadership for a moment. In what ways can you afford to be more innovative? How well do you keep a pulse on your surroundings and how that impacts you as a leader? How well do you understand the significance of timing? Are you a catalyst for creative thinking and ideas or do you stand in the way of it?


These are the things that impact your leadership. And yes, often it’s the small things like a lego that can cause you to pause to think about such things. But if you’re ever stuck with your lego set, I know a kid who can help you.

 

©2023 Doug Dickerson

 

  • Click here to read the Lego article
  • The Law of Timing – When to lead is as important as what to do and where to go.                                                                 From John Maxwell’s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership.

The Centrality of Trust in Leadership

Trust is the lubrication that makes it possible for organizations to work. – Warren Bennis

There is an old story of a father who took his young son out and stood him on the railing of the back porch. He then went down, stood on the lawn, and encouraged the little fellow to jump into his arms. “I’ll catch you,” the father said confidently. After a lot of coaxing, the little boy finally made the leap. When he did, the father stepped back and let the child fall to the ground. He then picked his son up, dusted him off, and dried his tears. 

“Let that be a lesson,” he said sternly, “Don’t ever trust anyone.”

While that’s a harsh way to teach a lesson about trust, the foundations of trust – what it is, what it means to be trustworthy, is something that needs to be taught at an early age.

An article in studyfinds.org found that the average American has five people in their life they have a strong relationship with and can lean on for anything. From finding someone who is trustworthy or a good listener to finding someone loyal, nearly three-quarters of respondents to a survey agree that strong partnerships help simplify the complexities of life.

While it may appear, at least on the surface, that most people have at least five people in their circle that they can trust or confide in – is the circle far-reaching enough to include the workplace and other areas critical to the success of a leader?

With trust as the focal point of your leadership, there is the potential for great opportunity and success. While trust does not guarantee this success, one thing is certain, there will never be success without it.

How then does a leader make trust the center point of his or her leadership? What does it look like? Why does it matter? Take these points into consideration.

Trust is an inside job first

In order to be a trusted leader, you first have to be trustworthy. Being trustworthy is an inside job. It’s the bedrock of your character and the needle of your moral compass. Trust is developed over time and is an integral part of your character development. Before you are a trusted leader externally, you first have to develop it on the inside. Click To Tweet

Trust is a validation

It’s commonly said that trust has to be earned. And while that is true in many respects, I see trust more as a validation that it’s been seen and observed over time, and has been recognized as a reliable character trait of the leader. When your trust has been validated by the people you lead, you now have the opportunity to lead them with a greater purpose.

Trust is verifiable

Making trust the central point in your leadership also makes it verifiable. Trust is validated not by your words but by your actions. As a leader, this is crucial. Nothing will cause your people to lose confidence in your leadership more than being unreliable and creating uncertainty in their minds about your ability to deliver on what you say. If trust is a validation of your leadership, it’s verified by your daily decisions and actions.

Trust is fragile

While no leader in good faith sets out to purposefully violate his or her trust, it must be handled with care. No leader is perfect and even the best mess up. Unrealistic expectations can be hard to manage, and trust is not exclusive to only the leader. Trust is a two-way street that all must be striving for and protect. The expectation of trust in the leader ought to be the standard for all. Click To Tweet

Final Thoughts

“Character makes trust possible, and trust is the foundation of leadership,” says John Maxwell. I agree. Trust is the glue that holds it all together and as a leader, it must take center stage in your leadership. 

 

©2022 Doug Dickerson

Are You Listening?

There is a difference between listening and waiting your turn to speak – Simon Sinek

Dana Visneskie tells the story of a Native American and his friend in downtown New York City, walking near Times Square. It was during the noon lunch hour and the streets were filled with people. Cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening.

Suddenly, the Native American said, “I hear a cricket.” His friend said, “What? You must be crazy. You couldn’t possibly hear a cricket in all this noise.”

“No, I’m sure of it, the Native American said. “I heard a cricket.” “That’s crazy,” said the friend.

The Native American listened carefully and then walked across the street to the big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located the cricket. His friend was utterly amazed. “That’s incredible,” said his friend. “You must have super-human ears!” “No,” said the Native American. “My ears are no different from yours. It all depends on what you’re listening for.” 

It was not surprising to read in a Business News Daily article that in a study, 64% of 675 professional workers in the U.S. and Canada who were polled said that “leaders making decisions without seeking input” was the biggest problem. If that were not bad enough, the article added that 38% of respondents said that “leaders dismissing ideas without exploring those ideas” is the second biggest reason why people don’t take initiative.

And herein lies the problem – the disconnect if you will, between leaders who do not listen and why people are not more engaged in their work. If those in leadership simply do not listen or dismiss ideas out of hand, where is the incentive to be more engaged?

Consistently in any employee engagement survey or reading on the topic,  it will almost always identify listening as one of the major concerns on the minds of its respondents – and rightfully so. Until we can get this right, it’s going to be hard to make tangible progress anywhere else.

So how can a leader develop this important skill and increase their influence regardless of where they serve? I believe it comes down to a few key concepts that when put into practice can pay great dividends.

Be proactive

A good leader will always listen to his or her people. But a proactive leader will initiate the conversations. A proactive leader has his finger on the pulse of the organization and will not sit back and wait for people to come to him, but will move toward the people. 

A proactive leader is essentially a proactive listener. Click To TweetThis means that the leader is actively engaged with his or her people and sees this engagement as a means to better serve the organization. 

Proactive leaders are asking and listening to questions such as: What can we do to improve our product or service? What can we do to improve our culture? What resources do you need? What happens if we don’t change?  How can I help you? 

By asking proactive questions you keep your pulse on what’s happening, what your people are thinking, and how to best serve them. 

Be present

Your ability to listen is predicated by your ability to be present in the moment. This is done by being fully engaged and removing all distractions. By doing this, your people will know that they are important and that you are genuinely interested in what they have to say. 

Leaders who are present in the moment and are actively listening stand to gain a lot of insight that would otherwise be missed. Leaders who are present are asking questions like: Currently, what is your greatest challenge? If you could change one thing, what would it be? As a team, do you believe that we are moving in the right direction? What do I need to know that I don’t? What are your growth goals and how can I help you achieve them?

Be prepared

As a leader, you need to be asking key questions of your people and listening. It’s not something that you do to appease your people and give the impression that you care only to walk away and not act on it. Your people do not need or want your lip service. 

Leaders who listen should be prepared to act on what they’ve heard. The only thing worse than not being engaged and listening to your people is to have those conversations and not act on them. Click To Tweet As a leader, you need to be prepared to listen and then act.

Final Thoughts

Bryant H. McGill said, “One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.” And this will always be one of your greatest challenges as a leader. So make it a point to be proactive, be in the moment, and be prepared to act on what you’ve heard. You’ll be the better leader for it and your people will greatly appreciate it.

 

©2022 Doug Dickerson