As I quickly entered the room, the patient, a male in his mid-30’s, was seizing uncontrollably on a gurney. It was a chaotic scene with a host of medical personnel working feverishly in vain attempts to treat and comfort him. The patient was not bleeding. He had no apparent trauma. Other than his seizures, he appeared to be very healthy.

I was a young pharmacist responding to the code blue alarm that was triggered moments earlier. Within seconds of my arrival, the patient was quickly whisked away. I saw him for only a few seconds…and never saw him again. After leaving our facility, we learned that he quickly fell into a coma and died later that day.

While this tragic incident occurred over 30 years ago, I’ll never forget it. More importantly, I’ll never forget what caused it.

As is always the case, the culture was created by the leader. What is also always the case, this culture of fear was a breeding ground for a very bad decision.

We later discovered that the patient had presented to our urgent care center complaining of chest pain.  The medical team correctly diagnosed that he was having a heart attack. The lead physician decided to administer 100mg of lidocaine intravenously – a prudent decision given the situation. The lidocaine was administered by the lead physician. Within seconds of the medication being given, the patient suddenly began to seize uncontrollably. This was the frenzied scene I witnessed when I entered the room.

What happened?

The lead physician made a tragic error. He injected 1000mg of lidocaine instead of 100mg – the patient was mistakenly given 10 times the correct dose. The massive amount of lidocaine erroneously injected into his body caused the seizures, and his demise.

The real cause of this tragic story was something else altogether. Something that every leader – whether working in healthcare, banking, professional sports, a church, any organization – needs to recognize. A culture of fear is a breeding ground for bad decisions.

During the investigation of this catastrophe, it was discovered that one medical professional who was at the bedside recognized at the time that the physician was injecting the wrong dose of lidocaine. However, as astounding as it sounds, he chose not speak up. A disastrous and, in this case, deadly decision. When asked why he remained silent, he stated that he was afraid. He was afraid because the lead physician had a well-deserved reputation for belittling and humiliating others when questioned.

What really happened? In the very short period of time – a matter of minutes – when this patient was receiving treatment by this small medical team, the team was working in a culture of fear. As is always the case, the culture was created by the leader. What is also always the case, this culture of fear was a breeding ground for a very bad decision.

If this team had been led by another physician – one who was humble, respectful and welcomed feedback – another culture would have been created. A culture of trust.  If this physician were about to inject this patient with a deadly dose of lidocaine, there is little doubt that the medical professional at the bedside would have made a different decision. He would have spoken up, and this heartbreaking story would have had a much different ending.

I was reticent to tell this sad story. However, it’s a classic example of the type of catastrophic outcome that can occur when decisions are made in cultures of fear. The ‘leg story’ I tell in my TED talk provides another example of this maxim. While my TED talk story and this tragic story involved small teams, there are similar examples of calamitous events occurring on a much larger scale when fear fogs decision making. Chernobyl. Watergate.  The Tenerife air disaster.

While there are countless other examples, common themes emerge among all of them.  These common themes are the lessons leaders need to remain mindful of.

What are these lessons?

At all levels of leadership, leaders who drive out fear and fill the void with trust make better decisions. Why? Because when they ask for opinions, they won’t hear what they want to hear – they’ll hear what they need to hear. They’ll hear the truth. Necessary changes can be made with minimal drama. Crisis’ will be dealt with more effectively. When a leader drives out fear and fills the void with trust, decision-making is optimized simply because the leader is much better informed.

The leader…specifically the behaviors of the leader…will either drive out fear and create trust, or create fear. The good news is that the leader has 100% control of their behaviors (it’s the only thing a leader has 100% control of! Check out my March 2017 blog to learn more). Therefore, the leader owns which direction – trust or fear – team culture will take. The leader owns the culture.

What type of behaviors create trust?

Being respectful to your team members is a big one. This is much easier when things are going well – much more difficult when they are not. Your crucible moment will come when you get bad news. React respectfully and bring calm out of the chaos, you’ll create trust. React with anger, or worse, shoot the messenger, you’ll create fear. When bad news comes, take a breath and thank the messenger for providing you with the bad news. Further, ask them to thank whoever broke the news to them. Check out my October 2019 blog to learn more about the importance of this behavior.

Be a great leader. Drive out fear. Create trust. You’ll make better decisions because you’ll be better informed.

My upcoming book – Lessons from the Navy – which will be published by Rowman and Littlefield in October, discusses many other leadership behaviors that build trust and drive out fear. These behaviors will also be discussed in future blogs and podcasts. Stay tuned!

For my first blog of 2020 – a new decade that will no doubt bring profound change – I thought it fitting to discuss the leader’s role during such challenging times.

One organization that is currently going through a transformational change is the Military Health System. This complex system provides healthcare for Army, Navy and Air Force warriors, their families, and retirees. The goal for the congressionally mandated change is noble – to improve the readiness of our forces and the health care to all beneficiaries.

The mission of providing quality healthcare for our country’s warriors and their families around the globe will continue as military leaders simultaneously navigate these changes. This is true of almost all organizations that go through change – the day to day work continues. However, any change, and certainly significant change, can cause distractions for employees tasked to continue the work. What can leaders do to keep their employees focused on the job during these transitional periods?

How we react to the changes – which is 100% under our control – will directly influence how our team will react.

Identify those things that are within your span of control…and those things that are not.

What’s outside our control? The changes themselves.

In our Military Health System example, the majority – if not all – decisions regarding changes in the healthcare delivery will ultimately be controlled and made by those at high levels within the military. This is the case in almost all organizations.  While there will be opportunities for workers and leaders at all levels to provide input, by and large, these decisions are outside our span of control. The question then becomes – if they’re outside our span of control, why do we spend time and energy concerning ourselves with them?

The answer is obvious – changes impact workers directly. What can we do to help our team stay focused while the changes swirl about us?

Above all else, remain calm.

We control our behaviors, and that is where our focus should be. More specifically, how we react to the changes – which is 100% under our control – will directly influence how our team will react.  Gallup has shown that the behaviors of the leader are emulated. Think of yourself as a contagion. If you remain calm and focused on the job, by and large, your team will stay calm and focused. Further, communicate with your team often, listen to their concerns, ask and listen to their input and, above all else, remain calm.

If you recall from my November, 2019 blog, my next book will tell the story of how a soft-spoken, quiet man led 2 million soldiers and sailors scattered over 60 million square miles – nearly half the world’s surface. It’s the story of leadership behaviors employed by Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz between 1941 and 1945 that won an overwhelming victory over the Empire of Japan in World War II. The behaviors employed by Nimitz are as applicable today as they were in the 1940’s.

Grandfather Charles Henry Nimitz with young Chester Nimitz. Circa 1905

One prominent behavior of Nimitz which led to his success was his uncanny ability to not concern himself with things over which he had no control. Nimitz no doubt learned this from his grandfather – Charles Henry Nimitz. Young Chester lost his own father right before he was born and his gregarious, fun-loving grandfather played a significant role in the upbringing of the future fleet admiral. The white-bearded grandfather would repeatedly tell young Chester: “Don’t worry about things over which you have no control.”

During the battle of Leyte Gulf in October, 1944 – the largest naval battle in human history and a battle that would result in massive changes regarding the Pacific War going forward – Admiral Nimitz was thousands of miles away in his headquarters in Hawaii. Prior to the epic battle, Nimitz had spent hundreds of hours visiting with his team, calmly and honestly answering questions, asking for and listening to their input, as well as their concerns.  As the day of battle approached, Nimitz realized that preparations were complete, orders had been given, and the outcome of the battle was outside his control.

What did Nimitz do during the battle? He remained focused on his behaviors. While he was extremely anxious, outwardly he remained calm. One month before his death, Nimitz disclosed his temperament during the battle. He wrote, “I was on pins and needles, but couldn’t show it.”1. Amazingly, to convey an air of calm, he then proceeded to play horseshoes. He recalled his grandfather’s wise counsel to not worry about things over which he had no control.

To keep your employees focused on the job during times of change, don’t concern yourself with things over which you have no control – and there will be much! Instead, be a great leader and be attentive to your behaviors. You’re a contagion. How you react will be emulated by your team. Stay calm. Visit with members, listen to their concerns, and ask and listen to their input. Communicate with them often. Pass along information quickly. Be open and honest. If there is no new information to pass, tell them. Acknowledge things that are outside your control. Remind them of the importance of their job.

Be a great leader. During times of change, like Nimitz, you’ll often find yourself on pins and needles. However, be like Nimitz and don’t show it. You don’t need to have all the answers. You do need to show a steady hand, confident smile, and calm disposition.

1. Nimitz, Some thoughts to live by. Published in Boys Life, January 1966.

_________________________________________________________________

In times of change, don’t concern yourself with things over which you have no control.

Focus on your behaviors – how you react will directly influence how your team will react.

Specifically:

• Visit with members, listen to their concerns, and ask and listen to their input.
• Communicate with your employees often – pass along information quickly.
• Be open and honest – you don’t have to have all the answers.
• Acknowledge things that are outside your control.
• Remind them of the importance of their job.
• Above all else, show a steady hand, confident smile, and calm disposition.

A friend of mine, Greg, who leads a corporate team of about 50 members, approached me earlier this month for some advice. His company is growing rapidly and he’s in the process of selecting subordinate managers. He asked me if I had any tips.

His inquiry helped remind me of the importance of choosing subordinate leaders. After you’ve made your decision, it won’t take long to know whether it was a good one or not. When you get it right, morale improves and team performance follows. Get it wrong…well…you’ve just created a lot more work for yourself. You’ll have more drama, more distractions, more staff turnover. Team performance will soon suffer. In the worst case, you’ll eventually need to remove them from the position…which will bring with it more drama, distractions and turnover. And yes, you’ll need to start the search process all over again.

Who can best identify both good and bad leaders? The people who work for them.

Choosing subordinate leaders is an extremely important decision.

What can a leader do to help make the optimal choice? Traditional 360-degree reviews can help. These tools gather feedback from not only an employee’s subordinates and colleagues, but also current supervisor(s). However, problems with validity and reliability are commonly reported with these reviews.

While 360-degree reviews can help, what else can a leader do?

Talk to people you trust who work for, or alongside, the candidate. Have a face to face conversation with people who have already experienced them as a boss. This discussion will give you a much clearer picture of the candidate’s ability to lead. Who can best identify both good and bad leaders? The people who work for them.

I found this out myself when, during my command tour, I needed to fill a very important leadership position. My leadership team and I went through the selection process – interviews, record reviews, etc., with a host of applicants. At the end of that exhaustive process we were deadlocked on two highly qualified candidates. I decided to talk to the midlevel managers who worked for each candidate. These were noncommissioned officers – NCOs, or Chiefs in Navy parlance.

The remarks by the Chiefs working for the first candidate were certainly complimentary. They mentioned many of the qualities we were looking for – intelligent, experienced, solid decision-making skills, among others. Pretty standard stuff.

The second candidate had the same standard qualities. However, I’ll never forget the responses by the Chiefs who worked for her. “Sir, she’s awesome! She stays below the radar but we all love working for her!” Collectively, their body language and voices conveyed genuine excitement and passion when describing this leader.  She clearly inspired them.

I chose the second candidate. Predictably, she did an amazing job, and continues to do tremendous work for our Navy in very high positions of leadership to this day.

Choosing leaders is an extremely important decision. One could argue that it is the most important decision any organization makes.

Be a great leader. When selecting leaders, optimize your chances of making the right choice by talking to those who have worked for them.

You have a new member on your team who has done well during their first few months onboard. He comes to work with a good attitude and has completed all tasks on time. Overall, he’s been a nice addition to your team. Your gut tells you he may be a future high performer.

But then it happened – he blunders. It’s not a minor blunder – it’s serious.  Maybe he forgot to follow-up with a major client and you’ve lost their business.  It was an honest mistake but an extremely costly one – you lost a top client.

You’re disappointed…and angry. Actually…you’re really angry. This was one of your top clients! This mistake cannot be replicated. Your first instinct is to come down hard…make an example…set a precedent. You can certainly rationalize firing him. On the other hand, while new, he’s consistently delivered.  Again, you sense he has a lot of potential. What do you do – fire or forgive?

Be mindful as you wrestle with the ‘fire or forgive’ dilemna. Take a breath and consider their potential future contributions to the organization.

While researching material for my next leadership book, I’ve come across a fascinating story that provides some insight for leaders facing this exact challenge.

Fleet Admiral Nimitz

My book will tell the story of how a soft-spoken, quiet man led 2 million soldiers and sailors scattered over 60 million square miles – nearly half the world’s surface. It’s the story of leadership behaviors employed by Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz between 1941 and 1945 that won an overwhelming victory over the Empire of Japan in World War II. The behaviors employed by Nimitz are as applicable today as they were in the 1940’s.

Ensign Nimitz

Decades before Nimitz successfully led a naval force whose size, power and complexity dwarfed all maritime campaigning before or since, he committed a serious blunder. In 1908 Ensign Nimitz was Commanding Officer of the old and rusty destroyer USS Decatur. On the dark evening of July 7, 1908, while steaming off the shores of Luzon in the Philippine Islands, Ensign Nimitz committed the unforgivable sin of grounding his naval vessel on a mud bank.

USS Decatur

Grounding a naval vessel is, and always has been, a serious blunder in the US Navy. It’s an infraction that is the fastest way for a Commanding Officer to get fired and begin the process of looking for civilian employment.

Perhaps he saw the future greatness in Nimitz.

However, in this case, Ensign Nimitz was not fired. He was tried by court martial for ‘hazarding a ship’ and sentenced to a ‘public reprimand’. [1]His career was not ended – he was permitted to continue his naval service.

Ensign Nimitz’s Fitness Report circa 1908

During my research I found Ensign Nimitz’s 1908 fitness report (see image on right). The grounding incident is referenced in the evaluation, stating Nimitz “allowed his vessel to run ashore”. In answer to the question, “Do you consider said officer [Nimitz] fit to be entrusted with hazardous and important independent duties?”, Nimitz’s boss wrote, “Yes. He is a good officer and will probably take more care in the future.”

I’ve not been able to identify Nimitz’s boss – the Admiral who penned these words. We’ll probably never know his thoughts as he wrestled with what to do with young Nimitz. Fire or forgive. He probably considered coming down hard…making an example…setting a precedent…and ending Nimitz’s career. In the end, why didn’t he?

Perhaps he saw the future greatness in Nimitz. Clearly Nimitz’s boss – his identity lost to history – made the right decision. Ensign Nimitz would go on to win the most important naval campaign in American history, and arguably one of the most pivotal in human history.

What’s the lesson for today’s leaders? The next time you have a new member of your team – someone who has done well and seems to be a good fit – suddenly make a serious blunder, remember the story of Ensign Nimitz. These are crucible moments for leaders – whether to fire or forgive. Your first instinct will probably be to come down hard…make an example…set a precedent…perhaps fire them. However, be a great leader. Be mindful as you wrestle with the ‘fire or forgive’ dilemna. Take a breath and consider their potential future contributions to the organization.

[1] Warner, Oliver. Command at Sea. New York: St Martins Press. 1976. 193

I had the pleasure of giving a leadership presentation at the annual Master Executive Corporate Coach conference earlier this month in beautiful San Diego. I was also able to attend the conference and participate in some fascinating discussion on the topic of leadership with thought leaders from around the world.

Great leaders bring calm out of chaos and, in doing so, build enormous trust.

One theme emerged from these conversations – the need for leaders to maintain their composure. I always found this much easier to do on a Friday when morale was high as the weekend approached. It was much harder on a Monday when I was informed that our department budget was cut 20%. While it’s easy to be respectful and composed when all is going well, the test will come when adversity strikes.

As a leader, you’re guaranteed one thing: adversity will strike. Challenges, issues, and problems are coming your way. Getting bad news and facing adversity is a certainty—it’s not a matter of if, but when. These are crucible moments for a leader. However, while gut-wrenching, they are also moments of tremendous opportunity. Let me explain.

Recall that all interactions between the leader and employee drive team culture. The culture of all teams is on a very dynamic spectrum between trust and fear. The endless movement on this spectrum is driven by the hundreds of day-to-day, hour-to-hour, minute-to-minute, and second-to-second interactions the leader has with team members. The behaviors of the leader create the culture. The leader owns the culture.

Getting bad news – and more precisely how the leader reacts to the bad news – is an interaction that has a significant impact on team culture. While we cannot control the fact that we’re going to get bad news, we can certainly control our behavior when it comes. If you maintain your composure, you’ll increase trust. If you show anger or, worse yet, shoot the messenger, you’ll lose trust and move team culture toward one of fear. Cultures of fear diminish info sharing, insulate the leader from reality, and breed unwise decisions. Disaster awaits an ill-informed leader.

Great leaders know that times of tumult, uncertainty and confusion are tremendous opportunities for a leader to impact team culture.  Through the tempest great leaders remain calm, collected and respectful. They bring calm out of chaos and, in doing so, build enormous trust.

Leadership lesson: Handling bad news.

When bad news comes, take a breath.

Don’t ‘shoot the messenger’.

Thank the messenger for the news. Further, ask them to thank whoever broke the news to them.

Remember: These are tremendous opportunities to create trust. Maintain your composure, you’ll create trust. React with anger, you’ll create fear. A culture of fear breeds unwise decisions.

One the more disappointing moments I had as a boss was when I discovered that one of my subordinate leaders treated their subordinates differently depending on whether I was present…or absent.

How did this play out? When in my presence, the leader treated everyone under their charge respectfully.

However, when I wasn’t around, things would change. I was surprised and disappointed to learn that they sometimes treated their employees with outright disdain.

This obvious change in behavior – treating staff with either respect or disdain depending on whether the boss is present – is the calling card of a two-faced leader.

Was my experience an isolated one? Sadly, no. This exact scenario is often brought up by participants in my leadership seminars. The question is – what can the boss do to decrease the likelihood of having such a leader on the team?

One answer is to establish your leadership expectations early and communicate them often.

…‘course correct’ conversions were much more productive because we had previously discussed – eyeball to eyeball – my expectations.

I learned late in my Navy career – during my command tour at Naval Hospital Bremerton, WA – the power of establishing and communicating leadership expectations (I was mentored to do this by a friend and prior Commanding Officer – I wish I had learned this earlier!). As per her wise counsel, prior to assuming command, I thought deeply about what ‘great leadership’ looked like. I documented my expectations on a single sheet of paper. I met with my leaders and we discussed these expectations.

One expectation that we discussed was to always treat all staff with dignity and respect. I spoke of the importance of this behavior often and tried my best to do the same. Leaders knew that this was important to me. When they met my expectations, they were rewarded. When they didn’t, we’d course correct. Not surprisingly, these ‘course correct’ conversions were much more productive because we had previously discussed – eyeball to eyeball – my expectations.

…establish your leadership expectations early and communicate them often.

Did I have two-faced leaders in my command? Of course – this threat can’t be eliminated. However, by establishing and communicating my leadership expectations early and often – especially noting the expectation to always treat all staff with respect – the threat was reduced.

Be a great leader. Establish and communicate your leadership expectations early and often, especially the treatment of subordinates.  While it may not eliminate two-faced leaders, it will decrease the likelihood of having one on your team.

My May 2017 and June 2017 blogs both spoke of the importance of a leader maintaining an optimistic demeanor. Given its importance, is there something a leader can do to stay optimistic, especially when one hits a rough patch?

There is. It’s exercise.

There are many things I loved about the military, and one of them is the well-established requirement to maintain one’s physical fitness – staying fit is an extremely important aspect of being in the military. The requirement to meet physical fitness standards begins from day one of your military career.

Optimism came easier to me when I exercised.

Part of the lengthy process to join the U.S. Armed Forces is completion of a thorough physical examination.  When I began the process to join the military all those years ago, I had no concerns about passing the physical exam. I had always been physically active and played a number of sports. When I stepped on the scale in the recruiting station and found that I was 20 pounds overweight, I was shocked. I realized that I had gotten away from working out and my physical inactivity had caught up with me.

The bottom line was that I needed to lose the 20 pounds in order to get in the Navy. I vowed to lose it as soon as possible, and also vowed to never get so out of shape again. Over the next few weeks, I worked extremely hard – running, lifting weights, eating healthy – and lost the weight. After an auspicious start, my Navy adventure began.

More importantly, I kept my vow to stay in good physical condition. While I certainly had days when I didn’t get a chance to exercise, I maintained a regular schedule of physical fitness throughout my 30-year career. I noticed that exercise helped keep me upbeat and positive. I also was able to find clarity on complex issues during a good work out. This all helped me stay optimistic, especially when things got tough. Knowing all this, no matter how taxing the job – and carving out time to workout became much more challenging during the last 10 years of my career – my commitment to maintain an exercise routine never wavered.

While I know my physical fitness routine was instrumental in helping me maintain a more upbeat and optimistic demeanor, are their studies that show that to be the case?

In fact, there are. Studies have shown that exercise boosts cognition, as well as the release of neurotransmitters that are similar to those released by antidepressants. In other words, a good workout and antidepressant medications produce similar neurotransmitters. Apparently, there actually is something to the runners high! Another example are studies that show how a small change in diet and increased physical activities help in the prevention and treatment of type-II diabetes.

Throughout my Navy career, I always made an effort to remain physically fit.  Did I find excuses not to work out? Absolutely. Fatigue and a hectic schedule were the most common. I learned from others a few tricks to get moving.  Take 10 minutes to go for a walk. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. If you travel a lot, bring a deck of cards and do a deck of cards workout in your hotel room – they’re great work outs and you can knock one out in 20 minutes.  Simply make a commitment to get moving.

During those times when I missed my exercise routine because of the overwhelming burden of work, I found it much more difficult to remain upbeat. Optimism came easier to me when I exercised.

Be a great leader. Get after it – commit to physical exercise. You’ll find optimism much easier to come by and you’ll be a more effective leader for the effort.

What do all successful teams – military, sports, corporate – have in common? They trust their leader. How does a leader go about building a foundation of trust?

I was contacted by a colleague recently who had just been promoted into a CEO position of a large organization. While excited about the opportunity, he was appropriately nervous about the enormity of his new job. This was especially true in lieu of the fact that the culture within the C-suite appeared to lack trust. His most urgent issue was to quickly reverse that trend and create trust between himself and his C-suite team. He called me for some advice.

After asking some questions regarding his initial observations, I advised him to have his secretary immediately schedule 30-minute one-on-one appointments with each of his direct reports and other key stake holders.

Whether you’re leading a team of 2 or 2000, take a genuine interest in your people.

He enthusiastically agreed. He then mentioned that he had been thinking along the same lines, and went on to describe what he had intended to discuss during these meetings. Topics included mission, vision, guiding principles, among a host of other business-related items.

I agreed that these were important topics to cover. However, I reminded him of his most urgent issue – building trust. To expedite the trust building process, I suggested he refocus the theme of these meetings away from business. In fact, avoid talking about business altogether. Instead, use these initial meetings to get to know one another.

“Are you sure?”, he asked with obvious uncertainty.

I told him that his sense of urgency to build trust was spot on. His success – the organization’s success – was dependent on trust. The best way for a leader to build a foundation of trust with staff is to simply get to know one another. That is the leader’s sole objective during the initial one-on-one meeting.

Research supports this concept. In one study, the Center for Creative Leadership found that the most important success factor for holding the top three jobs in a large organization was building strong relationships with subordinates.*

Spend time getting to know your people…there is no more effective way to build a foundation of trust.

How should these one-on-one meetings be structured to ensure success? Here are 3 key tips:

• Set the tone for the meeting. Relax and have fun! Explain at the beginning of the meeting that you’re going to get to know one another. Next take a few minutes to tell your story – how did you get to where you are today. Members of your team are interested in your story. Be transparent. Be vulnerable. Be authentic. Also be mindful to not take too much time telling your story. Remember my May 2019 blog – Who’ll tell the boss to stop talking? if you have a 30-minute meeting, take no more than five minutes to tell your story. This is about them telling their story. It’s about them, not you.

• Ask questions like: What do you love to do? How did you get to where you are today? What are your short-term (1-2 year) goals? Where do you see yourself in 10 years? What are your dreams and aspirations? What are your expectations of me? Ask about places lived, past jobs, hobbies, challenges. Be sure to ask if you can take some notes – this’ll help you recall a few important items.

• Listen well. Listen very well. Take a genuine interest in what you’re hearing. Don’t get distracted. Be disciplined. Assume you have nothing else to do – you simply need to listen. If you find your mind wandering, course correct. Put your cell phone away, move away from your desktop computer and remove any barriers, i.e. your desk, between the two of you.

How can a leader build of foundation of trust?

Whether you’re leading a team of 2 or 2000, take a genuine interest in your people. Extend the interest beyond work – not only take interest in them as employees, take interest in them as people.

What skill set is required? Time and the ability…the discipline…to listen. Pretty simple. However, don’t let the simplicity of this behavior distract from its enormous power. There is no more effective way for a leader to build a foundation of trust.

Be a great leader and spend time getting to know your people.

*V.I. Sessa and J.J. Taylor, Executive Selection: Strategies for Success (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000)

The room was tense with anxiety. Smoke from the handful of chain-smoking generals and admirals hung in the air like an ominous fog. Seventy-five years ago today, in the early evening hours of June 5, 1944, the fate of Western Civilization hung on the words of one man in that room.

That man was General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the supreme commander of Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe in World War II. The place was Southwick House in Hampshire, England. General Eisenhower wrestled with a decision that would unleash 156,000 young men to travel by ship and plane over the English Channel to attack the German army dug in at Normandy, France. By the first week of June 1944, Nazi Germany controlled most of Western Europe. Everyone in the smoky room waited with anxious anticipation for Eisenhower’s decision.

Eisenhower was willing to take the full blame should D-Day fail…it’s an example of a leader taking responsibility.

Twenty-four hours earlier, bad weather had hit the English Channel and Eisenhower wisely postponed the assault, originally scheduled for June 5. With continued poor weather, Eisenhower struggled with the decision to either attack the following morning, June 6, or postpone the massive assault yet again.

All in the room knew that the list of potential invasion dates were only a precious few. This was due to the need for a full moon to illuminate obstacles and landing places for gliders, as well as a low tide at dawn to expose the elaborate underwater defenses installed by the Germans. The complex operation, the largest sea invasion ever attempted, also required optimal weather conditions. High winds and rough seas could capsize landing craft and sabotage the amphibious assault; wet weather could bog down the army and thick cloud cover could obscure the necessary air support.

As the rain continued to batter the windows of Southwick House on that cold, damp evening of June 5, Eisenhower and his senior commanders were given a promising but cautious report from the staff meteorologist at 9:45 p.m. He informed them that while weather conditions were predicted to worsen over the next two weeks, the current storm may abate a bit the following morning.

Eisenhower polled each commander on their recommended courses of action. There was no consensus. The decision was his and his alone.

After a long pause, Eisenhower quietly told his staff, “I don’t like it…but we have to go”. With those words the largest sea invasion in history was unleashed. June 6 would be D-Day.

All knew the battle would be ferocious. All knew the enormity of what was stake. And all knew, certainly to include General Eisenhower, chances for an allied victory were at best 50 – 50.

Knowing that defeat was as likely as victory, later in the evening of June 5 when Eisenhower was alone with his thoughts, he scribbled a note in which he accepted all blame in case the mission failed. The note remained crumpled up in his pocket – he told no one of its existence – and nervously awaited the outcome of the battle.

Fortunately, as we all know today, the note never had to be used. On June 8, 1944, after years of painstaking planning and preparation, Eisenhower was able to report that the Allies had made a harrowing and deadly, but ultimately successful, landing on the beaches of Normandy. Within a year Nazi Germany would be defeated.

Eisenhower’s note written on the eve of battle. He wrote: “Our landings in the Cherbourg-Havre area have failed to gain a satisfactory foothold and I have withdrawn the troops. My decision to attack at this time and place was based upon the best information available. The troops, the air and the navy did all that bravery and devotion to duly could do. If any blame or fault is attached to the attempt it is mine alone.” [Italicized for emphasis – note he underlined these 2 words]. Interestly, note that he incorrectly dated it 5 July. It’s speculated that he wrote the wrong month in error due to exhaustion.

Speaking about the note, Tim Rives, the deputy director of the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, Kansas where the original note now resides, said: “To think that Eisenhower was willing to take the full blame should D-Day fail is quite telling of his character. It’s an example of a leader taking responsibility.”

When things go wrong, don’t make excuses.  Blame no one else, because there is no one else to blame. Own it – own everything under your charge.

One crucially important aspect of Eisenhower’s character was his humility. Eisenhower was a great leader because he was not driven by ego. He was a genuinely humble man who was willing to admit and own mistakes. He understood that he owned everything under his charge. If things went wrong – if the invasion ultimately failed – he was poised to accept full responsibility. As in so many aspects of his life as a soldier and later as a president, Eisenhower sets the example for all of us of great leadership.

Recall from a blog I posted in March, 2017 that a team’s level of trust in their leader is directly impacted by the leader’s behaviors (trust being the elixir of team unity and high performaance). Further, all interactions between the leader and follower impact trust and, certainly, some interacions will impact trust more than others. In this case, when things go wrong, the behaviors of the leader will have a significant impact on trust. When the leader takes responsibility – when the leader owns it – enormous trust is created.

What’s the lesson for today’s leaders? When things go wrong, don’t make excuses. Admit your mistakes. Blame no one else, because there is no one else to blame. Own it – own everything under your charge.

Great leaders aren’t driven by egos or personal agendas. Their humility permits them to freely admit their mistakes and accept responsibility. These behaviors create a wealth of trust.

Be a great leader. If things go wrong, own it.

Early on in my Navy career I was selected for a job that would require 60+ hours per week of my time. I girded myself for a demanding tour. Despite the long hours, I knew this would help me grow as a leader and was excited about the opportunity!

At that time, my wife Kris and I had young children. I’ve always been mindful of my work-life balance. However, I knew this tour was going to be a challenge. I vowed to be wary of neglecting my young family.

Be mindful that no one is going to tell the boss to stop talking.

What I didn’t factor into my time management equation was a boss who would enter my workspace at the end of every day and talk for an extended period of time about non-work-related topics.  I knew my boss’s heart was in the right place – these conversations helped strengthen our relationship. However, after a month or so, I started to resent them.  I wanted to get home at a reasonable hour to be with my family.

It’s important to know that I love a quick banter with colleagues around the water cooler on any number of topics—family, hobbies, sports, news, etc. These quick interactions help build trust. The key word here is ‘quick’. The challenge that I faced with my boss is that these conversations were anything but quick. They would extend for lengthy periods—15, 20, 30 minutes or more.

A quick and respectful conversation with a direct report can make a leader more approachable. Monopolizing the conversation will not.

I dropped subtle hints. I’d start cleaning up the desk area or tactfully mention a family event that evening. Nothing worked. In retrospect, it’s obvious that I should’ve simply approached my boss and had a respectful and calm discussion about how these lengthy conversations were impacting my work-life balance.  I did consider this. However, he was my boss. He had much influence over my professional future. I wasn’t sure how such a conversation would go. It was risky. Ultimately, I weighed my options and, as painful as it was, decided to ride it out.

Here’s the vitally important lesson that I learned from this experience: no one is going to tell the boss to stop talking.

With a colleague it’s easy to end a conversation with a quick, “Great talking to you but I’ve got to go. Let’s catch up later!”

Not so with a boss. Employees will appear riveted as the boss provides a detailed play-by-play description of their 12-year-old daughter’s latest soccer game. While they appear captivated, the unlucky employee is desperately scrambling for some way—any way—to escape without harming the relationship. Not a fun position to be in. I’m sure I committed this mistake during my leadership journey. It’s an easy trap to fall into.

I was recently introduced to an acronym that fits this theme perfectly. It’s “WAIT,” which stand for “Why Am I Talking.” It’s an excellent reminder that bantering with direct reports is a double-edged sword.

Be mindful that no one is going to tell the boss to stop talking. It’s incumbent upon you, as the leader, to keep conversations appropriately short. Be respectful of other’s time.

Like all interactions, conversations with direct reports will either build trust or erode trust. A quick and respectful conversation with a direct report can make a leader more approachable. Monopolizing the conversation will not.

Be a great leader. Be mindful and respect other’s time. Keep your friendly banter conversations appropriately short.