Leadership in the TrenchesCol Harry LeBoeuf, USAF (ret)

We all Lead in the Trenches!

Six Leadership

Skills

Leadership Skill #1:

Listening

“The #1 skill of the 21st century leader is listening.”

Peter DruckerAuthor & Management Guru

“99% of the best ideas we ever had came from our people.”

Sam Walton,Founder, Walmart

Top 5 Leadership Listening Pitfalls1. Pride2. Know it all3. Don’t have the time4. Think others are idiots5. Don’t care

Leadership Skill #2:

Envision

“A task without a vision is drudgery.A vision without a task is but a dream.

But a task with a vision is the hope of the world.”

Inscription circa 1770Church in Sussex, England

Two Keys to Envisioning

1. Clarify

2. Connect

“The role of a leader is to find a thousand different ways to say

the same thing.”

Harry Quadracci, FounderQuad Graphics

Leadership Skill #3:

Adapt

How to Catch a Monkey

“But the core of the matter (leading change) is always about changing behavior of people,

and behavior change happens in highly successful situations mostly by speaking

to people’s feelings.”

John Kotter, AuthorLeading Change and The Heart of Change

Change Event

Positive Negative

Stage 1: Excitement

Stage 2: Doubt

Stage 3: Hope

Stage 4: Commitment

Change Event

Stage 1: Denial

Stage 2: Resistance

Stage 3: Acceptance

Stage 4: Commitment

Leadership Skill #4:

Develop

Two Keys to Developing Your Team

1. Training: develop competencies

2. Coaching: develop confidence

Remember: training is only appropriate if an employee needs

a specific Skill, Knowledge, or Attitude that he/she does not currently possess to successfully

fulfill their role.

What is Leadership Coaching?

• Equips people with the SKA to develop themselves.• Process – not an event.• Something you do with them – not to them.• Not about “fixing” people – it’s about unleashing

potential.• Two-way relationship – not a one-way event.• Mindset and approach for improvement.

Leadership Skill #5:

Execute

“A good plan violently executed today

is better than a perfect plan next week.”

General George S. Patton, Jr.WWII Commander

“Vision without execution is an hallucination.”

Thomas EdisonInventor

Two Keys to Execution

1. Delegate

2. Emancipate

Emancipate

Def: Giving people the Freedom to Succeed.

Goal of Emancipation

Goal of emancipation is NOT to completely eliminate bureaucracy,

but to eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy!

Key Emancipation Question

NOT: How Much control do I need?

Is: How Little control do I need?

Leader’s Role in Execution

1. Guide

2. Inspect

3. Redirect

Leadership Skill #6:

Reward

“I can live for two months

on a good compliment.”

Mark TwainHumorist & Author

Realities of Motivation

Conventional WisdomBosses motivate employees.

Unconventional RealityEmployees motivate themselves.

Conventional WisdomPeople do what they do for their

organization’s or boss’ reasons.

Unconventional RealityEmployees do what they do for their own

reasons.

Realities of Motivation

Conventional WisdomGreat leaders look for people to pump up.

Unconventional RealityGreat leaders look for the roadblocks to

motivation.

Realities of Motivation

Conventional WisdomOur job is to lead our horses to water.

Unconventional RealityOur job is to make our horses thirsty!

Realities of Motivation

L isten

E nvision

A dapt

D evelop

E xecute

R eward

Leadership in the Trenches

Col Harry LeBoeuf, USAF (ret)

Ropella Leadership Transformation

ROPELLA can help you improve productivity and the bottom line, as well as the morale and loyalty of your employees. We can give your organization a true “line-of-sight” communication from the boardroom to the front line.

Give ROPELLA a call today and we will help you grow your great company!

www.Ropella.com850.983.4777