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Is "Political Leadership" an Oxymoron?

ATLANTA - Unless you're living under a rock, you've seen, heard, and felt the torrential media bombardment about the so-called Wall Street bailout.

It has dominated the news for several weeks.  Maybe you've felt the sting of the financial crisis in your pocketbook.  I hope not.

Anyway, there's a burr under my saddle about this whole bailout thing. And it's instructive for leaders.  (No, it isn't the final decision.  As I've said repeatedly, I don't use this blog for personal politics.  It's about leadership.  Period.)

Here's what's enraging me:

A high-integrity leader must make difficult and controversial choices every day.  And in the end -- especially in times of crisis -- Job 1 is to make unselfish decisions that serve the greater good. Even if they anger small pockets of people. Even if they piss off influential supporters. Even if they get a carton of eggs thrown at their picture window at 2 am.

And the one thing the high-integrity leader never does is act in his own personal best interest at the expense of the greater good.  That's hugely taboo in integrity circles. Oh, to be sure, leaders violate that every day. But I said "high integrity" leaders.

They ... don't.

Yet once again, some of our law-making politicians -- who should be the highest integrity leaders in the land, don't you agree? -- have shown their true colors by doing what's best for themselves, even if it's not best for the country and the citizenry.  They proved it with their bailout votes. No, not their actual yay or nay vote ... but their reason for the vote.

Let me explain.

Last week, after the first House vote that killed the bailout package (before the Senate vote that approved it and the second House vote that approved it), USA Today reported that one of the reasons for the "no" votes was... ...political fear.

Four USA Today staff writers collaborated on this front-page story (dated Sept. 30).  These reporters did some digging, computed some numbers, made a disturbing discovery, and arrived at a profound conclusion.

Here it is.

Specifically, despite the urgings of their own party leaders -- both Democrats and Republicans who were called to the White House to create a bipartisan bill that would serve the needs of BOTH party interests AND the American people... ...even then... ..."political fear" drove 75% of House members who are in close races in the Nov. 4 elections to vote no.

The important wording there is ... in close races. (The next 3 paragraphs are quoted directly from USA Today.)

"Republicans facing tough re-election challenges deserted their leaders in droves.  32 of 37 Republicans listed as endangered by the non-partisan Cook Political Report voted no, compared with 18 of 29 Democrats in the same category.

On the flip side, 22 of 29 Republicans who are leaving the House this year voted for the bill.  2 of 6 retiring Democrats voted against the bill.  (...meaning 4 of 6 retirees voted for.) 'There aren't many vulnerable members who voted yes,' said David Wasserman, House editor for the Cook report.  A yes vote, he said, would give 'every opponent a new blistering ad to run against you.' "

Now it's clear.

Wasserman and the 4 USA Today writers came to the same conclusion. That since a high percentage of those in tough races voted no ... and a high percentage of those retiring voted yes ... then it sure LOOKS like many of those in tough races voted in their own self interest, to preserve their re-election bid, and not have to deal with voter backlash.

That's a lousy reason, and it boils my blood.  Doesn't it yours?

Further, maybe (just maybe) more of them would have voted differently had their re-elections not been so rocky. Yes, I'm sure one could argue the opposite, but on appearance anyway, that's the conclusion they're drawing. Frankly, it looks the same to me. So how they voted is not in question.  But why they voted the way they did, is.

And it's of grave concern. Looks like a case of a vote for "me" rather than a vote for "we".

Translation:  they served their own personal self interest, not the greater good, which they were elected to do.

Therein lies my anger.  And mistrust.

We elect our leaders with the faith that they will study the issues deeply, then make intelligent decisions on our behalf, not theirs. Why is that so much to ask? Oh sure, I get that there will always be disagreement over which is the "greater good" choice.

Politicians and voters argue that daily.  On every issue. But what voters can universally agree on is ... the choice that is clearly NOT greater good is the one that serves only the politician's election status. I also get that this in nothing new.

Since time began, in governments the world over, there has been public outcry against self-serving politicians.  And now, in this bailout vote, those House members facing close re-elections seem to have brought the white-hot light of scrutiny on themselves again.

Two key questions:

1. Would they have voted differently if it were not an election year?
2. Or if they were not fighting a tight race? Of course, we'll never know.  But as the old saying goes, if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck...Bubba, it's a duck.

Lessons & Actions For You:

In "Good To Great", the best-seller by Jim Collins, one of the characteristic traits of a Level 5 Leader -- the pinnacle position you should be shooting for -- is the willingness to make self-less, rather than selfish, decisions.

For leaders well known to have little or no integrity, we expect them to take the self-serving way out.  No surprise.  Thankfully, only a small percentage of leaders fall in here. At the other end, the high integrity leaders always decide in favor of the greater good, even when it's not best for them as an individual.  No surprise here either.  Sadly, this group too is only a small percent of the whole.

But what's maddening -- and deceptively unpredictable -- is that dangerously large group in the middle.  The ones who proudly proclaim to be of high integrity, but then occasionally or frequently make selfish decisions -- violating the very ethics they purport to live by.  We never know when.  We just know we can't trust them.  They are consistent only in their inconsistency.

Bottom line to all this is simple.  Or should be. Always take the high road.

Here's a simple litmus test.  Look at yourself in the mirror and ask:  "If I make choice A, who will benefit and who will be hurt?  If I make choice B, who will benefit and who will be hurt?  If I make choice C, who will benefit and who will be hurt?"

Make three columns on a sheet of paper, one each for choices A, B, C (more if there are additional options).  Now divide each of the columns into two, one for Benefit, one for Hurt. Then, start writing.

Want a couple examples of folks who do it right?

Peter Ueberroth, who ran for California governor in the mid-term election a few years ago, bowed out of the race with four weeks to go, behind by a wide margin, rather than engage in the only election tactic that could give him hope of closing a large gap in a short time.  Mud-slinging at opponents.  As easy as that negative choice is for others, Ueberroth was only interested in running a clean, positive campaign.  In dropping out, he decided in favor of the greater good rather than personal interest.  A noble choice.

Another... Last week, a client and former Marine told me that in the chow line, Marines with higher rank always eat last.  Soldiers who fight the battles eat first.  If they run out of food, too bad for the officers.  It's part of their code.  That's a "greater good" decision, and one I admire.

The question for you is:  Which side of the ledger do your decisions fall on? Greater good?  Or self interest? If you got fidgety reading all this, squirming in your seat, maybe it's time for an ethics check.

If, on the other hand, you can honestly say you always make greater good decisions ... and a majority of your constituency would agree (heck, there are always a few who won't) ...

Congratulations! You're in a small fraternity of the highest integrity Level 5 Leaders.  We need a whole lot more like you.
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Rick Houcek is a regular contributor to ManagementRecruiter.com.  Rick facilitates off-site strategic planning retreats, helping CEOs and Leadership Teams create high-impact plans that overcome the crippling effects of lousy execution and get successfully implemented.  His Power Planning strategic process drives action through his Escape-Proof Accountability system.  It's ideal for small and mid-size businesses.  To bring this potent weapon to your team, contact Rick by phone, fax or email.  Visit his web site at Soar with Eagles.com.  Ask about his 100% No-Risk Guarantee.

Humility: The Core of Servant Leadership

Not a week goes by that I don't get a call from a VP of HR looking for a VP of Marketing who is a "servant leader."  Servant leadership seems to be all the rage these days.  Every company wants servant leaders, but few seem to know much about it.  They talk the talk, but walking the walk is much harder.

Humility:  The Core of Servant Leadership

Most people, if they really knew anything about humility, wouldn't like it.  That's why so few people are humble.  Humility involves dying to oneself -- sacrificing oneself to a higher good or legitimate authority.  Quite often it means doing what you don't want to do.  Sometimes it means going down with the ship so that others may live.  And always, it means killing the egotistical, self-centered person inside all of us who wants to be comforted, petted and admired.

For the truly humble servant leaders, everyone has dignity.  Everyone is a child of God.  Everyone is the best in the world at something.  Everyone deserves respect.  Everyone deserves to be elevated and encouraged to improve.  Everyone deserves to be perfected, and servant leaders perfect those around them by nurturing everyone and and setting a benchmark example.

But here's the paradox of humility:  If you think you have it, you don't.  Imagine someone bragging about how humble they are.  That's an oxymoron, isn't it?  You can never be too humble.

I'm not talking about the "awe-shucks" false modesty that most of us have.  I'm talking about putting others first always.  That is absolutely antithetical to our secular, me first, he who dies with the most toys wins society.  I can't tell you how to gain humility.  Usually one has to fail (and fail spectacularly) before one discovers how much one needs others.  But barring that, here are some signs that you lack humility:

• Thinking that what you do or say is better than what others do or say.
• Always wanting to get your own way.
• Arguing when you are not right (or when you are right, insisting stubbornly or with bad manners).
• Giving your opinion without being asked for it (when charity does not demand you to do so).
• Despising the point of view of others.
• Not being aware that all of the gifts that you have are on loan from God.
• Mentioning yourself as an example in conversation.
• Speaking badly about yourself so that others may form a good opinion of you or contradict you.
• Making excuses when rebuked.
• Hiding your faults from others so that they may not lose a good opinion of you.
• Being hurt that others are held in greater esteem than you.
• Refusing to carry out menial tasks.
• Being ashamed of not having certain possessions.

I could go on but I won't.  You get the idea.  Zig Zigler has long said that you can have anything you want in life as long as you make sure that others get what they want first.  That's a hard truth to recognize -- and an even harder truth to live.

Rick Houcek: "How Many Tools Are On Your Peg Board?"

ATLANTA - On Saturday, I was listening to "Costas On The Radio" the weekly program of one of my all-time favorite sportscasters, Bob Costas, who has now ventured into non-sports broadcasting.

He was interviewing Darrell Hammond, long-time cast member of Saturday Night Live. Costas asked Hammond a thought-provoking question that -- as I thought about it -- had implications for leaders everywhere. Costas was discussing Jimmy Fallon, a fellow SNL cast mate of Hammond, having just been named by NBC to replace Conan O'Brien on The Late Show in 2009 when Conan takes over for Leno on the Tonight Show.

"You've worked with Jimmy Fallon for years," Costas said, "Why do you think he's the right choice to host that show?" Hammond didn't miss a beat. "Because he's a total performer," he said. "I'm not. I'm good at a couple things. I can do good sketch comedy with an ensemble team. And I can do impressions. That's it. But Jimmy Fallon -- he can do it all."

Hammond went on to say Fallon can do sketch, he can do impressions, he can do dialects -- young, middle age, and old -- and he can write comedy too.  He simply does it all.  He's multi-dimensional. For a comedian, that list is the full monty.  When you realize the breadth of Fallon's comedic talents, it's no wonder he got the nod over others.

Simply put, he's a safe bet to nail the laughs and reel in the ratings. It reminded me of a corollary in baseball -- the 5-tool player -- a rare bird indeed.  He's the guy who can run, throw, field, hit for average, and hit for power. In the major leagues, he's on the Most Wanted list.  Highest paid too.  There aren't many.

Most players are lucky to have two or three in their bag of tricks.  But to excel at all five is to be the sought-after needle in the haystack. Now ... shift to leaders.  And to you.

How many leadership tools are on your peg board? What Jimmy Fallon is to comedy ... and what a 5-tool player is to baseball ... YOU must be to leadership. Multi-dimensional.  Multi-skilled.  Multi-talented.

Lessons & Actions For You:

Let's say you're highly effective at presentations.  Pretty good at working a room.  And not bad at leading meetings.  But those are pretty much all the arrows in your quiver. You're in trouble.

Or let's say you're the new business closer and exceptionally good at it.  You're a planner and organizer to beat the band.  And you've got a genius for marketing.  But that's it. You're in trouble.

See where I'm going with this? Let me be more specific:  A handful of leadership tools on your peg board ain't gonna cut it. Want proof?  Some of the greatest leaders of all time have spoken out on the subject. John Wooden, famed UCLA men's basketball coach, who still today owns more national championships than any other coach living or dead, diagrams 17 critical leader traits in his success pyramid from his book "Wooden on Leadership".

As you read the book, you then realize he's burrowing down even deeper into mini points that, if you're counting, could tally over 60 or 70. Colin Powell, former secretary of state and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff -- in his book "The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell" -- has 16 chapters, each one digging into an important leadership quality.  And inside each chapter, you can flush out more sub-points, for a total of, I'm thinking, maybe 50 to 75 traits.

Jack Welch, legendary CEO of GE, has spoken of more than 30 must-have attributes of effective leaders. In "Robert E. Lee on Leadership", written by H. W. Crocker, there are 11 chapters.  Each one ends with a bullet-point list of "Lee's Lessons" that summarizes the content.  I counted.  Total of 52 behaviors, traits and lessons for leaders.

I could go on, but you get the picture.  There's an endless list of books, CDs, courses, workshops and seminars on leadership -- and every author has his or her list of traits. Go ahead.  Read, listen to, or attend any one of them.  I challenge you to argue with their logic.  They ALL make sense. Watch any sporting event. Then watch the post-game interview with the head coach.

In a 15-second sound bite, the astute viewer/listener can grab two or three tidbits of leadership wisdom -- each one a profound lesson on its own.

Bottom line:  Leadership is multi-dimensional.  And by "multi", I don't mean three or four.  Or eight or nine.  Or 22 or 23. I mean dozens and dozens.  Like courage.  Initiative.  Integrity.  Loyalty.  Enthusiasm.  Vision.  Honor. Serving others first.  Trustworthiness.  Hopefulness.  Goal-oriented.  Inspirer of others. Delegator.  Risk-taker.  And on and on and on.

I've only scratched the surface. If all this scares you -- and it should -- you may want to re-think your leadership role. Make sure you're up to the task, up to the challenge, up to the responsibility. Your followers -- whether they number only one or two -- or as many as 10,000 or a million -- all deserve you to be effective at all the many facets of marketing leadership.

No, not a few. Not just the ones you like. Not just the ones that don't upset you. All of them. And the ones you're not good at?  Work on them until you are. It's not an option to ignore them. The more you study leadership, the longer will grow your list of critically important traits you must embrace.

Leadership is not for everyone.  It's not for the squeamish.  Not for those with wobbly knees. Nor the feint of heart.  And certainly not for those who intend to just eek by with a couple of key skills, and zero interest in developing the rest. If the pressure of having to be proficient at such a long list of attributes troubles you, get out now, before you embarrass yourself and topple the enterprise.

If, on the other hand, you're energized by it all, you seek to learn more every day, and you're on a non-stop quest to improve yourself and acquire the marketing knowledge and skills to lead with honor, dignity and daring ... then you are in the rarified air that the world's greatest leaders have breathed.

Which are you?  Let this be your wake-up call to decide. You can't be an effective leader by going at it half-hearted.  Wherever you are on the "leadership continuum", you will always have more to learn. Will you? Will you start today?
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Rick Houcek, President Soar With Eagles, Inc.  To subscribe to his newsletter, please visit Soar with Eagles.com and fill in your name and email address in the upper left of the home page.

Marketing and Innovation

SAN FRANSISCO - This weekend, the WSJ had a great interview with Reed Hastings of Netflix.  Mr. Hastings has been a keynote speaker at Shop.org, DMA, eTail, and Internet Retailer events, and he's always a hit.  Buried in the third paragraph of the WSJ article was a gem about Mr. Hasting's genius as a marketer ...

"... [Mr. Hastings] has already convinced 7.5 million Netflix subscribers that their local video store is too far away and that late fees are evil."

I have not seen a marketing premise that good since Domino's used "Fresh, hot pizza in 30 minutes or less or it's free.  Guaranteed."  Mr. Hastings' premise is actually two premises in one (a real rarity):  "Long distance + late fees = You're crazy to support Blockbuster."  It tacitly slams the incumbent while building a case for Netflix.  Sweet.

And it's not like Blockbuster didn't see it coming.  It's that vested interests within the Blockbuster organization did not want to disrupt their existing business by pursuing initiatives that would ultimately cannibalize it.  A classic Innovator's Dilemma.

Frankly, there's not much missing from the Netflix sales appeal.  It ...

1. agitates pain,
2. is simple to understand and believe and remember, and
3. is easy to tell others about in 3 seconds or less.

Boom.  If you can offer a risk-reversal proposition (# 28) on top of that, you've got it made.

Peter Drucker used to say that "only two things matter in any business: marketing and innovation."  Therefore, your business had better be your innovation -- and the thing that you market consistently across every single customer touch point.

What's the premise behind your business?  Is it as good as Netflix's?  Is it innovative?  Is it so disruptive that your largest competitor's CEO would kill it if it were bubbling up inside his own company?

Extra credit:  Click here to see Mr. Hastings on Charlie Rose.  Notice how Netflix was built on the back of a single story: "I got hit with a $40 late fee on a rented video -- and I was so embarrassed that I didn't want to tell my wife.  And I thought to myself "There must be other people who have this problem...""
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Leadership Development Starts Early for B.S.A.

ATLANTA, GA - My 11 year old son's Boy Scout Troop is holding elections this week for its 14 leadership positions.  Some of the positions seem like small potatoes:  Troop Bugler, Troop Scribe, and Troop Historian jump out as a way for a rookie Boy Scout like my son to cut his teeth in troop leadership.

But some of the positions seem like they'd be great fodder for a college application.

Take the position of Senior Patrol Leader, for example.  This Senior Patrol Leader is the alpha dog of the troop, and according to BSA founder Robert Baden-Powell, “The best progress is made in those Troops where power and responsibility are really put into the hands of the Patrol Leaders.”  Kind of like a multi-national corporation or franchise operator that pushes responsibility and accountability down to the local level.

Good command skills

We have a family friend who served as a Senior Patrol Leader, and this young man ...

• Was not afraid to take charge in difficult situations.
• Faced challenging situations with guts and tenacity.
• Encouraged direct and tough debate on major issues, but wasn't afraid to make solo decisions when the time came.
• Spent his time and the time of the Troop on high-impact issues.
• Etc.

Basically, the kid was a leader -- and his leadership skills only sharpened with practice.  Without trying to be the Great Santini, I'm encouraging my 11 year old to pursue an elected role.

It's kind of a big deal.

This morning I received the application form to determine which boys will go on the voting ballot.  Should my son decide to run for one of these positions, he must complete the form.  The form was less than one page long.  At the bottom of the page was a text box, not nearly large enough to answer the question it contained:

Use this space to tell why you want this job, how you would do the job, and why you are the best choice for this position.

There is clarity in brevity -- and there is power in clarity.  I especially love the red part.  Any candidate who can answer this question in just 100 words has really thought through the issues, don't you think?
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"A Word To The Leaders Of Labor."

ATLANTA, GA -- Monday is Labor Day in America -- a day set aside to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold", to use the words of Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor.  McGuire was the first to suggest holding a "Labor Day" in 1882, though it's argued whether or not he was the actual founder.

I agree.  We do need a day to honor those hearty souls who bend steel, ship mail, plant seeds, paint buildings, fly planes, mill paper, bake bread, build cars, and on and on.  But while Labor Day initially focused on members of labor unions, today it goes far beyond that.

  It now constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions all workers make to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country.  Blue collar and white, hourly and salaried, factory workers and office, night shifters and day, weekends or weekday.  Everybody!

I'd like to take it further.  In my view, it ought to be a worldwide celebration, not just American.  We should honor every human being who helps churn the economic engine of Planet Earth by being gainfully employed and doing honest, respectable work.

So my hat's off to each and every one.  That said, let's switch our focus to you -- the leader -- in 3 primary ways.

You have important responsibilities on Labor Day.

First:  You too are a laborer.  Those at the top of the pyramid -- owners of businesses, managers of departments, and leaders of teams -- are also logging hours of toil.  So please accept my thanks and congratulations for your contribution of blood, sweat and tears to the productivity of our beloved planet.

Second:  As a leader, you guide the efforts of others.  I hope you'll take pause to ask yourself, with brutal honesty:  Am I doing all I can do to improve my effectiveness as a leader?  And assuming you're not (c'mon, there's always more you could do), let me suggest you commit, right now, to 3 profound actions before the end of September to take your leadership game to a higher level.  Maybe it's reading books, listening to CDs, attending workshops, spending one-on-one time with a mentor, a combination of several ... or whatever.

You choose.  Just do something.  Your followers deserve you at your best.  (Hey, it's back-to-school month -- so jump on the learning bandwagon with all the kids.)

And third:  You absolutely must not let this holiday pass without saying thanks to those who work for you.  No, it doesn't have to be Monday, the holiday itself.  You could declare that 4-day week to be "Honor Our Staff" week.  Or designate all of September as "Celebrate Our Hard-Working Employees" month.

You could pick one day next week and order lunch pizza for your employees.  Or pick any timeframe and give it any name.  People are grateful for being recognized and appreciated -- they'll take it any time and frankly couldn't care less what you call it.  (But do tie it to Labor Day somehow, so you don't miss this opportunity.)

Lessons & Actions For You:

I'd do 2 things:  First, I would take immediate action on suggestions 2 and 3 above.  Get the ball rolling.  And second, I'd log those same 2 ideas into my calendar for next Labor Day ... September 1, 2008 ... so I don't forget them.  Labor Day is more than just a day off work.  It's a day smart leaders acknowledge their staffs.

Before I started my own business in 1991, I was an employee of other companies up to that point.  In all my "employee years", I honestly cannot remember one owner, CEO, VP, supervisor, manager or boss ever saying thanks to me on Labor Day.  To be fair, I'm not sure I ever said it to anyone who reported to me either.  Blood on my hands too.

You have a chance to be smarter than that.  What you do is up to you.

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Rick Houcek is President of Soar With Eagles, Inc.  He specializes in facilitating off-site strategic planning retreats, helping CEOs and Leadership Teams create high-impact plans that overcome the crippling effects of lousy execution (the single biggest cause of plan failure) -- and get successfully implemented.

Rick's dynamic Power Planning strategic process drives action through his Escape-Proof Accountability system.  It's ideal for small and mid-size businesses.  To bring this potent weapon to your team, contact Rick at www.SoarWithEagles.com.
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Is Someone Telling A Story About You Right Now?

ATLANTA, GA -- Last week I heard a speaker at a conference tell a touching story about her 5th grade teacher.  Seems this speaker, when she was a little girl, was shy, lacked confidence, and had few friends.  Her teacher took her aside one day while her classmates were at recess, and gave her very encouraging, inspiring words she has never forgotten.  To this day, she vividly remembers the moment -- and how her spirit lifted, her shoulders squared, and an ear-to-ear smile became etched on her face.

By her own admission, it was a turning point in her life.  One, she says, that she recalls fondly and frequently when she needs a jolt of motivation.  She added:  "Those sterling words, on a day no more significant than any other, gave a lonely kid a bright future."

Wow.  As I listened, a thought flew through my mind:  I wondered if this lady had ever told her 5th grade teacher how her uplifting words on that day long ago had altered the course of her life every day since.  Did she ever return to the school to tell her in person … pick up the phone and have a conversation … send her a card or note … or maybe (today) an email.

Or, did she, like most of us, never again make contact with her source of inspiration?

I was too curious, so I approached her after the speech.  And I asked.  Turns out, she had not ever gone back.  Hadn't called.  Sent no card or note.  Never said thanks.

Hmmmmmm.

And somewhere, in some city, sits that 5th grade teacher today.  Maybe she's still teaching young children.  Maybe she changed professions.  Maybe she's long since retired.  Or maybe she has passed on.

But wherever she is, she has no idea that her words that day more than 40 years ago -- words I'm willing to bet she forgot saying soon after -- created hope for a struggling young child.  A child who today is a noble, worthy adult, who influences others, who has raised a fine family, and who has built a life on the very words the teacher doesn't remember saying.

We frequently tell stories about people who made a difference to us -- parents, teachers, coaches, bosses, co-workers, ministers, best friends.  At times, it's even someone we've never met -- like the author of a book, actor in a movie, a pro athlete, an average person we read about in the paper, someone we saw on TV, or a person from centuries ago.

But even when it's someone we know, how often do we pick up the phone and tell those people we shared a wonderful story about them, and what they meant to us?  We don't -- we just tell the story.  And they never know.

Mother Teresa said "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."  How true.  And they'll have even more meaning if we will just tell the person who uttered them the power and influence they had on us.

What about you and your influence over others?  Have you ever wondered: "Gee, have I ever done anything so noteworthy, so meaningful, so exceptionally wonderful … that right now, at this very minute, someone is telling a story to another person about that very thing I said or did?"  It forces you to take stock of whether you're setting a good example for others … or bad.  Assuming good, wouldn't you like to be told?

Lessons & Actions For You:  There are two.

First, it's time to say thanks.  Sit down and make out a list of all the people who positively influenced you the most.  Think back to childhood, through your teen years, your young adulthood, and beyond … right on up to the present.  This will take more than one sitting.  Keep a running list and add to it when a new name and story pops to mind.  Zig Ziglar tells about his "Wall of Gratitude" that contains pictures of all the people in his life who have helped shape him into the person he is.  (Got an empty wall in your home?)

Then commit to yourself that you'll endeavor to contact each one and tell the story that touched you most, the one from which you draw inspiration, the one that gives you the boost you need.  Don't be surprised if they don't remember it.  Is there a greater gift you could give them?  (How would you like to receive a phone call or letter with such a message?)

If you're like me, the number will be quite large.  Don't overburden yourself to do it all in a few days or a week. Plan it out over several months or a year, if you must.

Second, commit right now that your decisions and behaviors going forward will be the kind that others will want to tell positive stories about well beyond your years.  Commit to making whatever changes you need to make to stay in integrity, to live your values, to be respected by others, to inspire those who need it … and to be worthy of following, of quoting, and of being talked about in a positive light.  If you're not sure what you need to change, go to the person in your life who is the most brutally honest with you and will tell it like it is, pulling no punches.  Fasten your seat belt -- we all have some things that need fixin'.

To say thanks to others … and to behave in a way deserving of thanks yourself … are two of the most noble acts of life.  Isn't that the kind of leader you want to be?

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Rick Houcek is President of Soar With Eagles, Inc.  He specializes in facilitating off-site strategic planning retreats, helping CEOs and Leadership Teams create high-impact plans that overcome the crippling effects of lousy execution (the single biggest cause of plan failure) -- and get successfully implemented.

Rick's dynamic Power Planning strategic process drives action through his Escape-Proof Accountability system.   It's ideal for small and mid-size businesses.  To bring this potent weapon to your team, contact Rick at www.SoarWithEagles.com.
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"Cal Ripken, where are you?"

My friend Rick Houcek (pronounced "HO-check") is an amazing leadership development and strategic planning facilitator based in Atlanta.  Today Rick sent me his following article which I thought was outstanding.  I thought you might enjoy it too.

How Will You Be Judged In The End?
A Dose Of Reality About Excellence For People In Charge, And Those Who Aspire To Be.

Two days ago, Sunday July 29th, all seemed right with the world.  Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn, poster boys for consistent stellar performance and non-stop integrity, were inducted into Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.

I'm a baseball fan extraordinaire.  Watching these two guys play (20 seasons for Gwynn and 21 for Ripken) was as good as it gets.  They gave you every ounce of their best every game.  And as a fan you knew you were witnessing immortality right before your eyes.

How does that translate to leadership?  What kind of leaders were Ripken and Gwynn?

I could devote space to a dozen or more admirable leadership attributes that both showed with consistency, but I'll hit on just four where I think these two guys were over the top.  And it's important to take pause and reflect on their examples.  They taught us so much.

1.  They played within the rules of ethics and integrity.  Too bad the sports page today is littered with stories of illegal performance-enhancing drug use, illegal and despicable off-field activities, recruiting violations, game fixing, and on and on.  Gwynn and Ripken played the game the way it was meant to be played -- with honor.  They were stars on their own merits -- using only their own natural bodies, talent and hard work.  They violated none of baseball's codes of conduct.  They respected their teams -- and the game of baseball -- with integrity 24/7, on the field and off.  Gwynn said, "Fans felt comfortable enough with us because they could trust us, how we played the game and how we conducted ourselves -- especially in this era of negativity."

2.  Winning was more important to them than money. Greenbacks seem to rule the day in sports.  While I'll never knock someone for improving his or her financial position by seeking new employment, it's nonetheless refreshing to see two superstar athletes -- already multimillionaires early in their careers who could have significantly increased their wealth by jumping teams -- choose to stay home for less.

I've heard pro athletes proclaim "I want to be the highest paid at my position."  (or "...in my sport.")  If I'm a teammate bent on winning a championship -- that's what the games are really about aren't they? -- that angers me.  We've got an ego-driven superstar more concerned with "me" than "we".  But not Ripken and Gwynn -- they came to play and win.  And if they did well, they believed, they'd be rewarded.  They were, handsomely.  Without jumping on the free agent bandwagon.

3.  They never cheated their teammates, the fans, or the game.   In his Hall of Fame induction speech, Ripken told of his regret when hearing that a family saved their money to come to Baltimore and see him play, and he was ejected in the first inning and the little boy cried the whole game.  He realized, kids see everything, and he changed his ways.  How many others would care about that?  Or alter their behavior?  Ripken and Gwynn left it all on the field, every game, giving 100 percent effort.  They saw their every move as an "example" for someone else.

4.  They were always humble winners.  Ever hear either of them brag?  On any day of their playing careers?  I'll challenge anyone to dig up an old interview transcript where either of them is pontificating of personal achievements or degrading others undeservedly.  Bet it doesn't exist.  I'll stand corrected if found, and I'll be shocked.  In their speeches, both gave more credit to their teammates and the game itself than they accepted themselves.  Ripken said, "It's easy to pound your chest and say it was about me in some ways, but it was not.  We play a small part, a small role."

Lessons And Actions For You:

Not sure I have to spell it out anymore than I already have.  If you just added those four traits to your bag of behaviors -- or enhance them if they're already in your bag -- you'll win the hearts of your followers.  You could look long and hard and not find two better role models.  If any of us could be judged in the end like Tony Gwynn and Cal Ripken, it would have been a pretty good life.

Bravo, Rick!  Well said.

To learn more about Rick Houcek, click here.

Does Cold Calling Work?

As my long-time blog readers know, before becoming a marketing recruiter I owned a B2B inside sales consultancy called "Reliable Growth."  Essentially, I taught companies like NCR and Aflac how to research, identify, and develop new business with a phone, an internet connection and a fax machine.

Telemarketing was the lynch-pin of my campaigns.

My campaigns always involved tightly choreographed, sequential steps and sought to establish permission-based relationships with highly targeted prospects over a 6-8 week time frame.  Each interaction was like a chess move.  You can see the gist of the method in this page from my old manual.  This small portion of my process is based on the un-improvable work of Jim Cecil -- the father of nurture marketing.

Needless to say, I know a thing or two about cold calling.  Indeed, I have made many thousands of ice-cold calls in my life -- and if the telephone were a slot-machine, I would be waaaay up in my winnings.

But there's rejection -- and lots of it.

After all, a cold call interrupts the prospect's day.  It's an intrusion, and most folks don't like to be intruded on.  The cold call loser focuses on this element and takes the rejection personally.  The cold call winner simply "moves through the target" (as they say in the Navy SEALS) by regarding cold calling as a numbers game.

Here are five basic truths about cold calling:

1. You cannot wait for the phone to ring.  You simply MUST reach and touch your prospect.  After all, no one is waiting for your call.
2. What gets measured gets done. "How was your day?"  Good question!  There's nothing as devastating to an opinion as a number.  Get yourself a contact database and track your outbound dials.  If you don't count your dials, your production will lag.
3. The best campaigns involve multiple steps, such as 1.) calling the prospect to verify that s/he is in fact the decision maker, 2.) asking them three closed-ended questions about their current  situation -- thereby disqualifying most prospects as potential new customers, 3.) getting the qualified prospects' permission to send them a HIGHLY PERSONALIZED sales letter, 4.) FAXING the letter, then snail-mailing it the same day, and then 5.) following up no more than 72 hours later to verify their receipt of the letter, answer any questions they may have, and mutually agree on the next steps in the relationship.  To position yourself as a potential resource for institutional buyers, you must be "unintrusively persistent" in your approach:  Our society is famously over-communicated, and B2B prospects are very good at tuning out marketing messages -- especially if they "already have a supplier of what you're selling."  You must have a reliable process in place to address this reality.
4. The most successful reps are "light on their feet" and can talk outside of the script.  Patter works better than droning.
5. The best reps know their product inside-and-out and can put their product "solution" into the context of how the prospect thinks, how they buy (logical vs. emotional), what they fear, what makes them mad, what are their top three daily frustrations, etc.

Which brings me to the point of this blog post:

Today on iMedia, Sean Cheyney, VP of Marketing for AccuQuote, has a nice piece called 5 Ways to Screw up a Cold Call.   His tips include ...

1. Make your own calls:  Using appointment setters can be dilutive to the brand and to the initiative.
2. Don't insult your prospect:  Patience is a virtue.  Listen to the prospect and don't try to shoehorn your product or service into every prospect's business on the very first call.  Or as my dad used to say, "Take things a step at a time: You can't get from first base to third by running across the pitcher's mound."
3. Be prepared and speak clearly: Practice what you're going to say and keep your message to 45 seconds or less.  While I might take issue with the 45 second time frame, I would say that your first call should have an "arc" with a beginning, a middle, and an end -- and the end should always be an open ended, "what's your opinion" type question.
4. Know your customer: The most common way to screw up a cold call is to not know anything about your prospect's business.  Amen.  This should actually be # 1 ...
5. It's a two-way conversation:  According to Mr. Cheyney, "If you talk at me, you'll annoy me. Talk with me and you have a shot."  Yup.

Sales reps get hung up on cold-calling (no pun intended), but an old sales manager at Aflac had it right when he told his reps "I don't care if your own mother refers you to a prospect:   If you have never spoken to the prospect before, then your first call is always a cold call."  Truer words have never been spoken.

So given the above, here's my question: "Is cold calling an effective part of your company's marketing mix?"  Why or why not??