Leadership 101 – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

Leading Through a Crisis

Posted February 5, 2023
by admin

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.

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Owning Your Leadership Growth

Posted August 15, 2021
by admin

As a leader, the first person I need to lead is me. The first person I should try to change is me. – John Maxwell

I am old enough to remember as a kid riding in the car with my dad or mom and stopping at the “filling station” to get gas. We’d pull up and drive over the cord that would ring the bell and the attendant would come out and ask, “regular or unleaded?” When given the preference and how much to put in, the attendant would walk to the back of the car, pull back the license plate, twist off the cap, and pump the gas.

While the gas was being pumped, the attendant would clean the windshield and check the air pressure in the tires, check the oil, and when everything was done, we’d be on our way.

Over time, that began to change. I’ll never forget when the “filling stations” gradually transitioned over to self-service. Gone were the days when someone else did for us that which we were capable of doing ourselves.

Those early days of the full-service gas station experience are from a distant time and era and you’d be hard-pressed to find one today.

In the opposite fashion, I remember the early days of my leadership development. I was cutting my teeth on books by Warren Bennis, Zig Ziglar, and others who made such an impact in my early leadership development. Then in the early 1990s, I read my first book by John Maxwell, and my leadership journey was forever transformed.

But back in those days, we didn’t have the luxury of the internet and the access we have to such great content and through the mediums we have today with websites, podcasts, streaming services, etc. The growth we experienced we owned with great intentionality.

I am profoundly grateful for where we are today and the access we have to leaders from all over the world who lend their voices to help others grow. It truly is a remarkable time in terms of the opportunity one now has to grow in their leadership.

As I reflect on these things I am reminded that for all the access we have to such great content, it all comes down to the fact that you and I are responsible for our own growth. We have to want it and we have to own it. Access and opportunity alone are not enough. So how do we take ownership of our leadership growth? Here are three tips for consideration.

Make a plan

If you want to grow as a leader you will need to make a growth plan. If you are not intentional about it, it’s not going to happen. Write out the goals and objectives that you want to attain. You can start with short-range goals – goals that are six months to a year out. Develop medium-range goals – goals you want to achieve in three to five years. Then you can develop long-range goals – where you want to be in five or more years. It all begins with a plan.

Work the plan

The plan is of no value to you unless you work it. Growth is an inside job and before you can lead others you first have to lead yourself. Just as it takes time for seeds to grow and produce fruit, so too is your leadership growth. The seeds of leadership within you grow as you nourish them - it’s in the daily disciplines that growth happens. Click To Tweet

Always have the mindset of a student

I’ve been reading leadership books for almost four decades now. That doesn’t make me an “expert” nor does it give me an excuse to “phone it in” just because I’ve been around the block a few times. Owning your leadership growth means that there is always more to learn and always something to learn from someone else. Never stop learning. Never stop being curious. Never stop asking questions.

Final Thoughts

Growth is an inside job so invite others in to share the journey with you. But at the end of the day whether you grow, or not, is all on you. You have to own your leadership growth. Make a plan, work the plan, and never stop learning.

My new book releases on August 30th. Click here to pre-order your copy today!

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Embrace The Interruptions

Posted May 28, 2020May 28, 2020
by admin

The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one’s real life–the life God is sending one day by day. – C.S. Lewis

I have a small collection of autographed baseballs. Aside from being a fan of baseball, I’m not exactly sure how I got started on the collection. But several autographed baseballs from Hall of Famers are set atop one of my office bookshelves.

The most prized baseball I have was given to me by my father. It was a birthday present. Growing up a St. Louis Cardinal fan, the autograph ball is from none other than Stan “The Man” Musial.

Musial broke into the Major Leagues at the age of 20. His 22-year stint with the Cardinals, the only team he played for, earned him a spot in Cooperstown. Musial ended his career with a .331 batting average, 3,630 hits, 475 home runs, and 1,951 runs batted in.

Unfortunately, I never got to see Stan Musial play. His days in the game preceded my birth, but as a Cardinals fan, his legacy is still sacred.

Musial was off to a fast start in his career. In 1943 he won the first of seven batting titles. His career was on a fast track–until it wasn’t.

Like many of his teammates in that era, duty called and in 1945, Musial joined the Navy. While that season was lost. He rejoined the Cardinals in 1946 and went on to play a stellar career.

Life, like Musial’s and countless thousands of others, is filled with curveballs that are thrown our way. Things that we didn’t see coming. Interruptions, if you will.

The past few months may seem like one colossal interruption that you’d soon rather forget. I get it. Yet, here we are.

As a leader, how you handle interruptions is important. Consider this the next time you are faced with interruptions.

Interruptions give you time to regroup

It’s easy to see interruptions as a nuisance and get frustrated. But it’s how you react during this time that will cause it to be beneficial or a waste of time. As a leader, it’s up to you to make it happen.

Interruptions give you time to rethink

What you learn and the lessons you apply during times of interruption can be invaluable going forward. It’s exactly what many have had to do during this pandemic. Learning how to pivot and make adjustments have caused many to get out of ruts and old ways of doing things that they may not have been comfortable doing prior. Click To Tweet Not all interruptions are setbacks if you use them to your advantage.

Interruptions give you a chance to re-emerge stronger

While your interruptions may have been seen as delay and loss, maybe now you can see it as a part of a greater plan to position you to be stronger than before. How you use your time of interruption can be beneficial only as you change your attitude towards it. Click To Tweet

Final Thoughts

What have you learned during these past few months? How have you learned to pivot and what other lessons have you learned? Permit me to encourage you to embrace the interruptions that come your way. What you can learn and how you re-engage will make all the difference.

For Musial, his interruption was a call to duty. When his service ended, he returned as strong as ever and finished a Hall of Fame career. Your interruption is not the end, it’s just a pause. Embrace it and learn from it.

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Why Encouragement Matters in Leadership

Posted March 1, 2020
by admin

If you are a leader, you should never forget that everyone needs encouragement. – John Maxwell

As a young boy, he worked in a factory but had an intense desire to be a singer. When he turned ten years old, he took his first voice lesson which procured a less than encouraging remark from his teacher, “You can’t sing. You haven’t any voice at all. Your voice sounds like a wind in the shutters.”

His mother, however, believed that he could learn to sing. She was very poor, but she hugged and said, “My boy, I’m going to make every sacrifice to pay for your voice lessons.”

Her encouragement and sacrifice for her son proved to be invaluable. He became known as one of the world’s greatest singers. His name is Enrico Caruso.

I’m always inspired by stories like this. To think that the turning point for a world-renowned singer was the encouragement from one person who believed in him when others passed him over.

Think about your own story. Who was it that inspired and challenged you to be your best and pushed you to go further than you thought possible?

I’m thankful for teachers who helped me reclaim the confidence I need to succeed in school due to my struggle with dyslexia. Without their understanding and their encouragement to me to push through and overcome my learning challenges, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Encouragement is the secret sauce for all successful leaders. And all leaders who want to add value to those around them but are not quite sure where to start - well, this is it. Click To Tweet There are many benefits to encouraging those around you, but here are three that stand out.

Encouragement pays immediate dividends

In any given moment, a word of encouragement is the boost a friend or colleague needs. Without your knowledge, encouragement can be a game-changer for someone who may have felt like giving up and throwing in the towel.

Never underestimate the power of encouragement at the moment in which it was given. It may not seem like all that much to you at the time, but it could make all the difference in the world to the one who just received it.

Encouragement creates margins

Have you ever had those times when you just felt stuck? You were in that funk and it was like your head was in a cloud. I know I have. Many times. When I look back, I can see where it was a word of encouragement snapped me out of it. It caused me to look at my circumstances from a different perspective and try another way.

Encouragement is not meant to be an isolated emotional boost of support. Encouragement stirs you to look at your circumstances differently and find new paths to better solutions. Click To TweetYour word of encouragement may be all it takes for someone else to find new margins they need.

Encouragement creates a boomerang effect

There’s an old saying, “What goes around, come around,” and that is especially true with encouragement. Every leader worth his or her salt is an encouragement to those around them. It’s in a leader’s DNA.

While it’s never about what you get in return, every word of encouragement you give as a leader has a boomerang effect and comes back around in positive ways in your own life. Be generous with encouragement. People around you need it now more than ever. Click To Tweet

Final Thoughts

By our words and actions, we are either building or destroying. As a leader, let me admonish you to see the best in others, believe the best in others, and speak words of encouragement to those around you. When you do, everyone benefits.

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Get Off Your High Horse

Posted February 10, 2019February 14, 2019
by admin

The greatest among you shall be your servant. – Matthew 23:11 ESV

A few years back, a story was recounted in Today in the Word of how during the American Revolution, a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, “Sir, I am a corporal!”

The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, “Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again.” It was none other than George Washington.

Learning the ropes in leadership can be painful. Just like in the above story. And it’s especially hard when attempting to lead others. You can lead by decree or you can lead by example.

There are a few leadership lessons that stand the test of time. They’re simple but yet serve as necessary reminders.

Not everyone with a title is a leader

Having a title means you have a position of authority within the organization. Most likely it conveys that you have some type of leadership potential or qualities. It doesn’t necessarily make you a leader. There’s a big difference between people respecting you because of your title and people respecting you because of your leadership. Understand the difference between the two and strive for the latter.

True leaders let their actions speak louder than their words

The corporal in the story was all about barking orders and telling the others what to do. Washington was about joining the men and completing the job. On your leadership journey, don’t mistake being loud for being competent. A true leader will show you more about leadership by his or her actions than they ever will by their words. Click To Tweet

True leaders are not afraid to get dirty

The corporal was content to watch his men work. Washington was all about working alongside them. A servant leader will get down in the trenches with his or her people and help get the job done. The person more concerned about the title will simply be a spectator. Click To Tweet If you desire to be a leader, you can’t be afraid to get your hands dirty.

True leaders are servant leaders

Washington didn’t pull rank with the corporal. He simply got off his horse and helped the men finish the job. He led by example and the sweat of his brow.

What will define your leadership is not found in the things that you do to make your life easier. It’s when you serve others and walk in humility. Click To Tweet

Perhaps by now, many of you have seen the photo of Bill Gates standing in line at a Dick’s Drive-In in Seattle.

The picture captivated millions around the world. Here’s the leader of Microsoft- the second richest man in the world, and he is quietly and patiently waits his turn in line. No special privileges, no airs about him, just being a regular guy waiting to order a burger and giving a powerful lesson in leadership all at the same time.

So often, the greatest impact you can make as a leader is not when you are being loud and obnoxious or when you are pulling rank, but with quiet strength, you are willing to get off your high horse and lead by example.

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7 Things You Do As A Leader That Your Team Can’t Stand

Posted January 21, 2019January 21, 2019
by admin

Laughter and tears are both responses to frustration and exhaustion. I myself prefer to laugh since there is less cleaning up to do afterward. – Kurt Vonnegut

I read a report in Lighthouse of a survey of 1,000 American employees conducted by Michelle McQuaid, which revealed that 65% of respondents would take a new boss over a pay raise.

In the same article, they cited another survey that found that 75% of employees consider their direct manager to be the worst part of their job. Ouch!

Are you surprised by this?

Many factors contribute to the attitudes and behaviors that exist in the workplace. And while every workplace is unique unto itself, I believe there are some common characteristics of leaders, who for better or worse, contribute to the culture of the organizations that they lead.

If you are a leader on any level in your organization, then you need to pay attention to my list of seven things you do as a leader that your team can’t stand. It’s not an exhaustive list, but these are certainly the more common ones. And just to be fair, in next week’s space the script will be flipped so stay tuned.

You are out of touch with your people

Any leader who is worth his or her salt knows that it’s your people who are the stars of the show. Do you know their hopes, their dreams, their fears, their joys, their concerns, their needs? If your people do not believe you are connected to them on any level, then what do you think motivates them to be invested in you as their leader? Click To Tweet

Your team can’t stand being out of sight and out of mind.

You don’t communicate values and vision

The connection of your people to your organization’s values and vision is not transferred to them by a piece of paper framed on the wall in the break room. It’s communicated and transferred from your heart to theirs. Your people need to see the big picture and hear how their part plays a role in attaining it. Your people need a clear understanding of where they are going and why. Click To Tweet

Your team can’t stand being in the dark.

You don’t have their backs

Let’s be clear- loyalty is a two-way street. Your people need to know that you not only believe in them but when the chips are down and the stakes are high, you have their backs. They need to know that you are a leader who is willing to go to the mat for them. You can do this by taking a little bit more of the blame and little less of the credit.

Your team can’t stand being thrown under the bus.

You don’t call out bad behaviors

If you are turning a blind eye or a deaf ear to toxic behaviors and attitudes, then- simply put, you are demoralizing your team. And you can rest assured the good ones whom you can’t afford to lose are probably already looking to make their exit. And why not? If you are not calling out bad behaviors then why should your team place their confidence in you as a leader? What you tolerate you promote.

Your team can’t stand you not having a backbone.

You don’t empower your people

There’s a fine line between being engaged and overreach as a leader. Engaged involves knowing and contributing and then stepping back and unleashing the talents of your people. Overreach is meddling and micromanaging. Sometimes the greatest hindrance to progress isn’t team members not doing their jobs, it’s team members not allowed to do their jobs because they are not empowered by their leader. Click To Tweet

Your team can’t stand you holding them back.

You don’t easily embrace change

Your ability to adapt as a leader is what gives you a competitive edge professionally. The same is true personally. But if you are a leader who is stuck in your ways and you are not able to adapt to your changing environment you are taking away your competitive edge. Your team can’t move forward and remain relevant if you are the last one on board. Click To Tweet In other words, the train will leave with or without you. Don’t give away your competitive edge because you are stuck in a mindset and way of doing things that only served you well twenty years ago.

Your team can’t stand waiting for you.

You don’t realize that everything rises and falls on leadership

This point is attributed to John Maxwell who coined the phrase. But as you read through my list you will see that at the heart of every issue that gives your team grief, at the core, is a leadership deficiency that drives it. While this is problematic, there is a silver lining to be found. You can right the ship and make corrections. But you must put yourself on a leadership track that will help you. In order to lead your people, you must first know how to lead yourself.

Your team can’t stand you not being a strong leader.

You don’t have to be the boss or leader that your team can’t stand. Are you ready to rise to the leadership challenge?

Resources: If you are new on your leadership journey then I’d like to suggest two books for you:

Developing The Leader Within You 2.0 by John Maxwell. Order it here from Amazon

Leaders Without Borders: 9 Essentials For Everyday Leaders by Doug Dickerson. Order it here from Amazon

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Leadership In A Word: Listening

Posted June 11, 2018October 10, 2018
by dougdickerson

One of the most sincere forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say. – Bryant H. McGill

A word about listening

Listening. Yes, I know, it’s a leadership topic that’s been tackled by the best of them for a very long time. But read up on any of the current writings about employee engagement, bad bosses, what causes people to leave their jobs, etc., and usually in the mix somewhere is the issue of listening – or the lack thereof.

At its core, listening is one of the most basic soft skills in leadership. If offered, it would be a 101 leadership course in college. Unfortunately, it’s not.

I asked an aspiring manager in a prominent retail chain some time ago what was the most frustrating thing she dealt with as it related to her direct reports. Without hesitation, she conveyed that they just don’t listen. How many of you can relate to her plight?

As leaders, intuitively we know that listening is a priority. Yet, our lives are structured in such a way that listening is an afterthought. Simply put, we are just too busy. Unfortunately, many leaders make the mistake of believing it’s more important that they are heard, therefore, failing at one of the most important things that they can do – listen.

Here are three reminders on why listening is a key ingredient to your leadership. I hope that it is helpful to you.

Listening empowers your people

If you want your people to feel empowered then listen to them. So long as they feel that they have a voice and it’s being respected and heard then you will win them over. When your people are empowered they will go to great lengths to serve you and your organization. Listening creates buy-in. It’s a momentum builder. If you want to empower you people listen to your people. Click To Tweet

Listening keeps you grounded

This is the trap that far too many leaders fall into. It’s when you stop listening that you lose touch with what’s going on around you. When you stop listening to all voices and only a few voices, then how can you truly benefit? Soon, the only voices you hear are the ones telling you only what you want to hear. When this happens, your leadership is diminished. Keep the doors to your leadership open with your ears and with an open mind. Often time the best ideas and input flow into your office, not out of it. Click To Tweet

Listening keeps you connected

Much like staying grounded, listening keeps you connected to your people. You never want to be so far removed from your people that you don’t hear their heartbeat. To listen to your people is to know your people. When you stop listening to your people, you stop knowing your people. Don’t be so far removed from their heartbeat that they no longer hear yours. Because if you do, then you are only presiding over your own demise as a leader. Stay close, stay connected, and keep listening.

Listening quotes

“I like to listen. I have learned a great deal from listening carefully. Most people never listen.” – Ernest Hemmingway

“There is a difference between listening and waiting for your turn to speak”. – Simon Sinek

“Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply”. – Stephen R. Covey

“If the person you are talking to does not appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear”. – Winnie the Pooh

“Most of the successful people I’ve known are the ones who do more listening than talking”. – Bernard M. Baruch

A final word

The only way listening becomes a strong leadership skill is when we become intentional about it. Remove distractions. Show respect. Put your cell phone away. Look your people in the eye and let them talk. These are just basic courtesies that we need to return to. But we have to look past the basic “how-to’s” and get to a deeper understanding of the greater benefits and how listening impacts us as leaders.

What do you say?

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Leadership In a Word: Resolve

Posted February 9, 2018
by dougdickerson

Wise to resolve, and patient to perform. – Homer

Word study

1 obsolete : dissolve, melt

4a : to deal with successfully : clear up

resolve doubts

resolve a dispute

b : to find an answer to

c : to make clear or understandable

d : to find a mathematical solution of

e : to split up into two or more components especially in assigned directions

resolve a vector

5: to reach a firm decision about

resolve to get more sleep

resolve disputed points in a text

Source: Merriam-Webster

A word about resolve

As in many words that come to mind when one thinks of leadership, resolve is one that continuously makes the list. It’s in our resolve that we made as leaders.

I was reminded of a story I heard about President Abraham Lincoln. The final draft of the Emancipation Proclamation was taken to Lincoln at noon on January 1, 1863. Twice the president picked up his pen to sign it, and twice he laid it down. Turning to Secretary of State William Seward, he said, “I have been shaking hands since 9:00 this morning, and my right arm is almost paralyzed. If my name ever goes into history, it will be for this act, and my whole soul is in it. If my hand trembles when I sign the proclamation, all who examine the document hereafter will say, ‘He hesitated.'”

The president then took up the pen again and slowly but firmly wrote, “Abraham Lincoln.” That historic act endeared Lincoln to the world as the Great Emancipator.

While the things you do may not rise to the level of the Emancipation Proclamation, resolve, nonetheless, is crucial to your success as a leader. Many things will compete for your time and attention. Distraction will come your way. Tough and unpopular decisions will be yours to make. Your resolve in these times is what will see you through. So here are a few points of clarity to help you define your resolve with yourself and with the people you lead.

Resolve to listen to your people

What makes you a leader of significance is found not so much in your ability to talk but in how well you listen. Listening is a lost art in communication. Resolve to listen more.

Resolve to believe the best in your people

The people you lead not only need your ear but they also need your heart. When you resolve to believe the best in your people and see them as “10’s” they will rise to the challenge.

Resolve to challenge your people

Bringing out the best in your people means raising the bar for your people. Let them know that their goals, dreams, and aspirations and yours are one in the same. Resolve to lift your team to new levels.

Resolve to never stop growing

Simply put, the growth of the leader determines the growth of the people. As a leader, you set the example. You can’t lead people to new levels of growth and development if are not growing yourself.

Resolve to live in your ‘why’

“The two most important days in your life,” said Mark Twain, “are the day you were born and the day you find out why”. Resolve to know your ‘why’ and live it. This is your purpose, this is your destiny, and this must be your resolve as a leader.

Resolve quotes

“Resolve never to quit, never to give up, no matter what the situation”. – Jack Nicklaus

“Resolve to learn something new everyday. Because every 24 hours, you have the opportunity to have the best day of your company’s life”. – Harvey Mackay

“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” – Helen Keller

“Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of roadblocks that lay before you”. – Denis Waitley

A final word

A leader’s resolve, I believe, is one of the noblest of characteristics he or she possesses. With it, you can lead with integrity and authority. In many areas of your leadership, you will be required to summons resolve. Courageously embrace it.

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Start With Low Fences

Posted September 2, 2017
by dougdickerson

“I work on the same principle as people who train horses. You start with low fences, easily achievable goals, and work up. – Ian McGregor

Developing your skill sets as a leader is not an overnight process. It’s something that takes time and commitment. It’s a process.

I liken the process to one of my favorite hobbies – photography. Back in the day of first learning my photography skills things were much different from today. It was all manual. Various photography classes back then taught me the fine art of things like shutter speeds, f/stops, dark rooms, lighting, composition and more. You had to learn the skill in order to be good.

Nowadays with a few hundred dollars, you can purchase a fully automatic camera that takes all the guess work out of it. Ask the owner to switch to manual mode- not to mention the rule of thirds, negative space in composition, etc. and take a picture, most would be at a loss on where to begin.

Here’s the problem. With that expensive fully automatic camera in your hands, it can make you look better than you are. You can have the fancy equipment, but without the training on how to use it, you are creating a false impression.

One of the dangers in leadership is bypassing the learning process and securing the foundational principles needed for growth and maturity. This is why many an aspiring leader never reach their full potential. They rush the process. But with an open mind coupled with the attitude of a student, your leadership skills can be developed and you can rise to the next level.

It’s when you start with the low fences that you earn your leadership stripes. Here are a few low fence concepts worth considering as you think about your future and growth as a leader.

The low fence of humility

There’s a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Aspiring leaders can blur the lines when they think their degree conveys wisdom. Your formal education is your right of passage to your real education. A strong dose of humility is in order starting out and is well worth remembering when you are older. There’s always something new to learn.

The low fence of dependability

There are no shortcuts on the path to proven leadership. It takes men and women who are willing to roll up their sleeves and earn their stripes. If you can’t be counted on in the low fence things of your leadership how can people raise their expectations of you for greater things? It’s in the daily grind that you show yourself dependable.

The low fence of flexibility

Sometimes in leadership, you have to throw out the script. Your growth and sanity as a leader will be tested with this low fence skill in more ways than you can imagine. If you can learn this low fence skill early it will save you a lot of grief later.

The low fence of loyalty

Loyalty is one of the pillars of leadership. All the creative powers in your arsenal of skills will not amount to much if loyalty is an afterthought. Faithfully striving to represent the values, mission, and vision of your organization should be the focal point of all that you do.

The low fence of service

The heartbeat of leadership is service. It’s about adding value. It’s about lifting others up, not tearing down. It’s servant leadership. The beauty of this skill set is that you never outgrow it. But with your growth and development as a leader comes the opportunity to have a greater impact. Develop this skill early while the fence is low. But never forsake it. The more you give and the more you serve, the greater the influence you can have.

Just as low fences are the starting points for training horses, it’s where you begin as a leader. But you are not designed nor destined to stay at that level. You have a higher destiny that you need to walk in. Low fences are where you start, but they are not where you should stay. You must raise the bar.

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What Makes You A Strong Leader?

Posted June 29, 2017
by dougdickerson

A leader is best when people barely know he exists. When his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves. – Lao Tzu

In an Entrepreneur magazine article last year, the question was posed to numerous people on the topic of what makes a great leader. In a word, here are a few of the responses: focus, confidence, transparency, integrity, inspiration, passion, patience, and generosity, to name a few.

Possessing all of the twenty-two qualities listed in the article might be a stretch for most of us. But it is worth considering. Pause, if you will for a moment, and internalize this question: What makes you a great leader? What thoughts, words, or reactions come to mind? Perhaps you’ve never looked at yourself as a leader, much less a great one.

Would your answers change if I substituted the word “great” for “strong”? I tend to reserve the “great leader” distinction for people like Jesus, Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Jr., or in my case, Mrs. Montgomery, my 6th-grade teacher who survived having me as a student.

For now, I will reserve attaining the greatness status for another time, and focus on characteristics of developing strong leadership skills. I want to put it in context, and also put it within our reach. Here are six things I think about when I consider strong leadership.

A strong leader focuses on his responsibilities, not his rights

This is a trap many leaders fall into. They think with their title come certain rights- failing to see that in true leadership it’s just the opposite. A strong leader focuses more on his or her responsibilities which will increase and less on his rights which will decrease. Until you understand this basic leadership principle you will never be a strong leader.

A strong leader gives away power, doesn’t hoard it

With leadership comes a certain degree of power. But your responsibility as a leader is not to be on a “power trip”, abusing it and making everyone else miserable. With the power comes responsibility and a certain amount of humility is in order. The strong leader is secure enough not to hoard power and is willing to give it away.

A strong leader concedes the spotlight by putting others in it

How often have you seen leaders seek the limelight, take credit for the good that is accomplished, and throw others under the bus when things go wrong? A strong leader is just the opposite. He takes a little less than his share of the credit when things go well, and takes on more blame when things go wrong. A strong leader is willing to take a step back and put others in the spotlight and let his people shine.

A strong leader grows more leaders, not more followers

A strong leader is not one who is focused on growing more followers. His focus is on growing more leaders. This is, and will always be, the tipping point for strong leaders. Your success as a leader is not found in adding more followers, it’s found the multiplication of growing more leaders. Do the math and think multiplication, not addition.

A strong leader creates margins for his people, not barriers

Every strong leader understands that raising up leaders is a process. It doesn’t come naturally for everyone. And along the way, there are learning curves that must be taken into account. A strong leader will make room for growth and mistakes, and remove barriers that prevent that growth from happening.

A strong leader will give up the good in order to attain the great

One of the strongest challenges you will face in leadership is learning how to say no to the good in order to have the great. Many good ideas, opportunities, and invitations will compete for your time and energy. But you, as a strong leader, must differentiate between what is simply a good opportunity and see how it aligns with your values, vision, and goals. If those good things do not move you in the direction of the great then you should let them go.

These six things I’ve listed are but a starting point. They are markers on the path to strong leadership. What would you add to the list?

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