Road Warriors 101: 2014

Monday, December 1, 2014

NO YELLING: Self-Awareness

"People are afraid of a leader who has no sense of humor. They think that he's not capable of relaxing, and as a result of this there is a tendency for that leader to have a reputation for pomposity, which may not be the case at all. Humor has a tendency to relax people in times of stress." - General Louis H. Wilson.

"Never stop learning. We should always look for ways to do things better and that looking starts inside ourselves." - John McNulty, Captain USMC.

from n2growth.com

You cannot lead anyone if you cannot lead yourself. Effective leadership of self depends on a high degree of self-awareness rooted in honesty and introspection. A logical extension of self-awareness is the style the leader uses to lead in this changing world. The most successful leaders are able to modulate and moderate their approach. A leader may use a different style for different people or choose a different style for a person given a different situation.

The recognition of their own styles and the situations they are operating in differentiates average leaders from superior leaders.

Know Thyself

In fact, Adamchik's First Law of Leadership applies here: IT IS ALL ABOUT YOU. You must make the conscious choice that you accept the role of leader, formally or informally conferred by the organization. You accept the responsibility of leadership and recognize that you are in a special role. People look to you for guidance and for answers; they are depending on you. The problem here is that would-be leaders get stuck on the First Law of Leadership and never make it to Adamchik's Second Law of Leadership: IT IS ALL ABOUT THEM. Once you decide that you will be a leader and accept the requirements that go with it, everything that you do after that must be focused on them (the ones you lead).

Genuine leaders are most effective because they truly know themselves. Honest self-assessment leads to self-confidence, humility, and respect for others. These qualities lead to congruence between what leaders say and what they do.

Being open to feedback is critical here.

Ultimately, power comes from personal attributes and position in the organization. The amount of power one has is the sum of those two sources. Organizational power most often is sourced in the role you occupy, the resources you control, your access to and control of information, your personal network, and your reputation. Personal power is based on knowledge, ability to communicate, character, attraction, and past history. A student of leadership will learn the sources. A self-aware leader will seek to understand the sources and how to leverage them for the good of the group.

Assessments contribute to self-awareness. They may confirm something we already knew or suspected, or they may identify something we did not know. Further, they help us coach others. But they are effective only when understood and applied. Acting on what you learn about yourself (and others) is the key.

Personal Style

The biggest determinant in the quality of the interaction is the authenticity of the leader. Authenticity is about being real - being genuine. Genuine people know themselves; they are fully self-aware of their strengths and limitations and recognize they are part of the team. This awareness leads to a confidence that enables them to walk their walk, to deliver consistent messages, and to look people in the eye in a way that engenders loyalty. This is true charisma. True charisma embodies genuineness and authenticity.

from modernservantleader.com

Passion is a better word to use here, whereas charisma is often viewed as expansive and outgoing, passion can be quiet and focused. Charisma, backed up with substance, does inspire followers. Passion deeply inspires. In fact, passion can make someone charismatic.

There is agreement that, no matter what style the leader employs, there must be an underlying focus and passion.

The true leader is only part of the organization and works to further the mission of the organization.

There was full agreement from those interviewed that leadership is a developed skill. Some people are born with the aptitude and desire to do it and they are naturals. Others are born with an average ability and must work at it. They study it, practice it, apply it, make mistakes, learn from them, move on from them, and get better.

"People require different styles of leadership at different times in their lives. People also develop different styles at different times in their lives." - Kelly Caulk, Captain USMC.

Situational Awareness

The environment that leaders operate in is inherently variable. If this were not the case, we would not need leaders; everything could be put on autopilot. True excellence comes from great leadership AND a great system.

The ability of the leader to use different styles in differing situations is important. A leader may be more of the inspiring, pep-rally kind, but to be truly effective he needs to know when and how to use a different approach in a given situation. Leadership is not one-size-fits-all. This principle applies to the people we lead and to the situations we face.

Summary

Effectiveness stems first from the quality of the relationships between leaders and those they lead. The quality of the relationship has little to do with style and a lot to do with trust and credibility.

A fundamental ingredient in this is authenticity. Leaders should be themselves. Posturing and pretending are ineffective behaviors and they diminish trust.

"Determining your natural leadership style isn't that hard if you are honest with yourself. The hard part is doing something about what you know about yourself. The true willingness to change for the better is one of the toughest parts of leadership." - Matt Green, Major USMC.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

NO YELLING: Set the Example

Today we continue our new journey into a practical study of leadership development titled: NO YELLING. The lessons contained within our study stem from the book "NO YELLING: The 9 Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership You Must Know to Win in Business" by Wally Adamchik.

Many within (and outside of!) the Delta Companies, Inc., organization will know Wally from his many training sessions at Colas University, various Colas meetings, and even our own Delta Days training events. As a former U.S. Marine Officer, Wally led a tank battalion before becoming a pilot of AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters. Today, he serves as President of FireStarter Speaking and Consulting. To learn more about Wally, visit his website at www.firestarterspeaking.com.

Our exploration of "NO YELLING: The 9 Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership You Must Know to Win in Business", continues with the third secret: SET THE EXAMPLE which includes: Inspiring Followers, Being a Role Model, and Professionalism.

You cannot lead people from behind your desk. When you do come out from behind the desk, there are several reasons you are doing so: to role-model proper behavior, to inspire and influence others, to be visible, and to enable direct communication. Setting the example is one of the most mentioned elements of good leadership.

Employees do what they are told because they understand that to stay employed they must do those things, and they might be fired if they don't do those things. However, real leaders want their people to perform, not conform. The goal is to get high performance from people because they want to give it, not to extract compliance and conformance from people because the rules mandate their work.

Setting the example is one of the primary ways leaders begin to establish credibility and rapport with those they lead.

You set the example through your conduct, the way you treat other people, and the attitude you bring to work every day. Simply being enthusiastic and having passion for what you do go a long way. Conversely, your negativity can suck the life out of your work group.

Inspiring Followers

Setting the example is not conditional; it is an all-the-time behavior. The way we apply the principle may differ but the principle is constant. When the stakes are high and the risks are great, the principle applies to an even greater degree. The pressure and stress of combat are unlike any other human experience, yet people go to war. Often that willingness to remain steadfast in combat and the adherence to standards in the face of difficult conditions are the results of solid leadership. Leaders set the example through physical courage and, more important, moral courage - doing the right things.

"Set the example to help your people understand and live the norms of conduct." - Ken Maney, Lt Col USMC

Being a Role Model

"Leaders can't lead if they are not seen." - Jeff Schade, Captain USMC

Setting the example is not only about giving your followers a proper role-model to follow; it gets to that deeper theme that runs through much of this book, respect. Your behavior and actions directly influence people. At its core, leadership is about influence. Influence can be exercised by people at any level in the organization.

"The thought of one of the execs 'getting dirty' was out of his frame of reality. But then he looked me straight in the eye and said, 'If that is important to you, then I will make sure all of my guys know it, and we will make it important to us. We won't let you down.'" - Anonymous, Major USMC

What you do as a leader will have an impact, positively or negatively, for years to come.

Professionalism

Setting the example is also about self-control. We want our leaders to be calm, cool, and collected under pressure. We want them to be professional.

The rough and tumble nature of the Marine Corps is indisputable. However, this environment does not offer carte blanche to use profanity. This issue has to do with standards of conduct, respect for the individual, and self-control.

"Educated people do not use profanity. We need to set the standard here. Sure, it might be different out in the fleet, but here we want to establish good muscle memory. We train correctly. There is no need for good leaders to lower themselves to the lowest common denominator." - Jimmy Lane, Captain USMC

Setting a standard of excellence is about eliminating the acceptance of the status quo.

Summary

Setting the example is not about being perfect, nor is it about acting one way in public and another in private. It is about taking action to support the words you say. It is about giving your people an example of what you expect. It is far easier for me to imitate something I see rather than something someone tells me.

The message is that we are in this together, and I want you to do your job correctly, and I want you to do it well. Inspiration, trust, respect, role modeling, and composure are all components of setting the example.

"...the rah-rah stuff is fine but you still have to walk the walk. You must be in front of your people showing them the standard of excellence you expect. Don't just talk about it, do it. Show them." - Stephen Oren, Colonel, USMC

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Monday, November 10, 2014

NO YELLING: Technical Competence

Today we continue our new journey into a practical study of leadership development titled: NO YELLING. The lessons contained within our study stem from the book "NO YELLING: The 9 Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership You Must Know to Win in Business" by Wally Adamchik.

Many within (and outside of!) the Delta Companies, Inc., organization will know Wally from his many training sessions at Colas University, various Colas meetings, and even our own Delta Days training events. As a former U.S. Marine Officer, Wally led a tank battalion before becoming a pilot of AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters. Today, he serves as President of FireStarter Speaking and Consulting. To learn more about Wally, visit his website at www.firestarterspeaking.com.

Our exploration of "NO YELLING: The 9 Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership You Must Know to Win in Business", continues with the second secret: TECHNICAL COMPETENCE which includes: The Foundation of Credibility, Success Triangle, and Setting the Standards.

There is a high expectation that the leader be competent in the assigned task or specialty he/she is supervising. This expectation exists to some level in all endeavors. Workers want the boss to know what they do and to have, at least, a rudimentary understanding of how it is done. At a minimum, the leader should be familiar with the task. Even better, he/she should have some proficiency at it.

The Foundation of Credibility

First, this is a respect issue. Second, it is a direction issue. Employees correctly believe that if a boss does not know what they do and how they do it, he/she will be unable to make the right decisions on how to effectively employ them, implement changes that positively impact performance, and improve the team's ability to capitalize on future opportunities.

Even more important is the willingness of the leader to admit when he/she does not know how to do something. They do expect him/her to be familiar with it and to take an interest in it. When the supervisor asks questions about what the employees are doing and sincerely listens to the responses, he/she establishes a positive relationship with his/her employees.

Asking questions about what an employee is doing is worthless - unless you care about the response.

Technical expertise, as opposed to competence, can be a dangerous area for any leader, particularly a new one. One risk arises when a new leader tries to establish credibility by jumping in too often to lend a hand or show he/she can do the work. A second emerges when the new leader's expertise overshadows his/her employee's ability to do the assignment in question. A third risk crops up when the leader is insecure about delegating.

Success Triangle

At the base of the triangle is technical proficiency. Knowing the job is the foundation of success. But to be successful as you are promoted, you need to become proficient in managing and leading, also.

Newly appointed leaders often fail to recognize they are no longer getting paid to actually do the work. They are getting paid to ensure the work gets done by others.

By insisting on doing much of the work themselves, they are failing to exercise supervision. They are not leading. They are still trying to be the best at what they used to do. They are not encouraging their team to grow, nor are they developing their own talents as a supervisor. This behavior creates several bad situations:

Poor morale. The vast majority of people pride themselves on doing a good job. They relish the opportunity to make a contribution.
When the supervisor does the work, the subordinates lose the opportunity to train and grow.
If the supervisor is too busy redoing his/her team's work then he/she is not using his/her time to carry out his/her own responsibilities.
Additionally, the supervisor is holding himself/herself back.

To overcome this problem, a company must provide the following:

A thorough description of the supervisory position;
Strong leadership from those who oversee the new supervisor;
Training for the newly promoted supervisor in management, leadership, efficient use of time, delegation, and profitability; and
A statement of why this person was selected for the positions

Setting the Standards

Technical competence of the leader also ensures that standards are maintained. In the absence of technical competence from the leader, the product, process, or service may be substandard, but the leader does not know it because he/she is not familiar enough with the output to make an appropriate evaluation. The standard must be maintained and leaders have a duty to ensure that it is. They can do so only if they understand the task. Again, though, we are looking for competence and NOT expertise.

Technical competence enables the leader to make accurate assignments and to assign the task to the most qualified person.

Summary

Successful leaders know and understand the jobs they supervise. They are able to make decisions based on that knowledge, thereby increasing their credibility. Successful organizations recognize the new skills and responsibilities necessary for continued success at higher levels, and they work to put qualified people into those positions of greater impact and responsibility.

The willingness to "get dirty" once in a while demonstrates respect for the people being led. It enables the leader to understand the conditions the employees face and to craft strategies to help them succeed. They leader who knows the requirements of the task is better able to troubleshoot when things go wrong and help employees. Competence also enables leaders to know how to detect when they are being told (or not told) the whole story.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Monday, October 20, 2014

NO YELLING: Integrity

"Integrity is what you do when it doesn't matter, when no one will ever know what you did. Integrity is more than what you do; it is who you are." - John Russell III, Captain USMC

Trustworthy

Universally, people want to work for someone they can trust.

The reciprocal of trust is leadership in its most basic form. A leader says, "Here is what I want you to do, and I trust you to do it." The follower says, "I will do it because I trust you to do the right thing."

When asked, "What is the most important leadership trait?", integrity is the universal response. How, then, do leaders manifest it? How do they measure it in others? Through truth, honesty, consistency, and respect - in public and private.

The leader with integrity assigns deadlines based on the needs and realities of the task at hand, and explains whey the task matters and why it must be accomplished by a given time.

The leader with integrity delivers personal feedback. Rather than always tell the group some generic or hollow comment, he specifically points out what the group or an individual did. Good leaders also deliver candid feedback - what I call "brutal honesty". They are not afraid to tell it like it is.

Those we lead expect to be held accountable. The leader who overlooks problems sends the message that the standards are variable.

"Of course, for me to hold my people accountable, I must hold myself accountable. Ultimately, excellence is a shared commitment. We know the standards and we work together to achieve them." - Jim Chartier, Lieutenant Colonel USMC

Consistent

People with integrity deliver on the commitments they make and accept by knowing not only their own capability and workload, but also those of their team. They don't over-commit. They are able to say no and explain why. When they do say yes, they get the job done. If they later find that they cannot get it done, they quickly get help and notify the appropriate people.

People with integrity aren't defensive. They know when they are right and they defend their position. But they do so with grace and even temper. They also know when they are wrong and will accept correction.

Acting with integrity lets your employees know what to expect because integrity is based on values, and values are constant.

Credibility based on integrity is developed and reinforced one interaction at a time.

Non-negotiables

The reality is that leaders need to be comfortable with a wide gray area that allows individual action and flexibility for the subordinate. Do you want those following you to follow a specified path to achieve the desired result, or do you want the desired result? The answer to both questions is "Yes". Sometimes you will want them to follow a specific path; this is a non-negotiable. More often, you are interested in the result and, as long as your people act with integrity during the process (they didn't break any rules, didn't hurt anyone), then it doesn't matter how they got there. This is the gray area that leaders need to get comfortable with.

Integrity matters here because the non-negotiables need to be communicated to employees. Then they must be maintained and upheld. In the absence of any mitigating circumstances, non-negotiables are just that: not open for debate. They are the things that must always be addressed. Deviation from a non-negotiable should be addressed in an intense and forthright manner.

"Integrity matters because it enables you to have real relationships based on trust. And when we trust each other, we can excel together. An when we excel together we are having fun together." - Mark Rullman, Captain USMC

As you know, INTEGRITY is one of the Core Values of Delta Companies, Inc.

"Honesty and fairness guide our every action."

We can sum up this week's lesson by borrowing from an old credit card commercial - INTEGRITY, don't leave home without it!

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Monday, October 6, 2014

NO YELLING: A Study of Leadership Development of a Former U.S. Marine

Today we begin a new journey into our practical study of leadership development titled: NO YELLING. The lessons contained within our study stem from a book by Wally Adamchik entitled "NO YELLING: The 9 Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership You Must Know to Win in Business".

Many within (and outside of!) the Delta Companies, Inc., organization will know Wally from his many training sessions at Colas University, various Colas meetings, and even our own Delta Days training events. As a former U.S. Marine Officer, Wally led a tank battalion before becoming a pilot of AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters. Today, he serves as President of FireStarter Speaking and Consulting. To learn more about Wally, visit his website at www.firestarterspeaking.com.

To begin, let's first look at the excerpts from the introduction of "NO YELLING: The 9 Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership You Must Know to Win in Business", to properly set the tone and expectations for the coming lessons.

Consider the following excerpts:

"Bosses lament and surveys show that too many workers are watching the clock, biding their time until they can go home. They show up day after day, uninspired, giving far less than one hundred percent of themselves to the job. Companies following this 'work as drudgery' model are marked for extinction."

“The organizations that thrive in the coming decades will be the ones that energize their employees. Machines and technology will only take you so far. The difference between success and failure is in the people in the organization – the very ones you are leading. The knowledge and information economy of the new millennium presents new challenges. Yet, effective leadership remains the key that unlocks the drive and desire in employees so that they, and the organization, win. And when that happens, you win. Effective leadership can be learned."

“Leadership is a conscious behavior, developed through application and ongoing assessment. It is both an art, learned and refined over time, and a skill that requires practice and introspection. It’s what makes people want to work for you. And, as you will see, it’s about trust. Successful leaders earn the trust of those they lead, allowing them to advance their agenda in support of the larger effort.”

Take a good look at your organization. Are employees watching the clock? Are they merely "getting through the day"? Or are the employees so engaged in their work and professional atmosphere that they are able to not only take pride in a day's work, but also look forward to the next day?

How does your leadership reflect on the answers to the questions above?

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Thursday, October 2, 2014

"Seven Sabotaging Team Behaviors" via Reach-EAP & Workplace Solutions

Leadership extends beyond the boundaries of the workplace. So do responsibilities, stresses, and just life in general. Delta Companies, Inc. strives to maintain a great rappaport with all our Delta employees (Family). We know life can be overwhelming at times, so in this respect, Delta offers an employee assistance program through Reach-EAP & Workplace Solutions. The program provides confidential, professional assistance to help employees and their families resolve problems that affect their personal lives or job performance. The initial program assessment and counseling services are free to all employees and family members - and are strictly confidential. For more information, visit www.reach-eap.com

Reach-EAP & Workplace Solutions also provides monthly newsletters (available for all Family members via the Employee Portal) and maintain a blog which supply helpful information for professional and personal use. Below is an article from October's Employee newsletter which relates to our ever expanding knowledge regarding TEAMWORK:

Seven Sabotaging Team Behaviors

Common complaints among teams include only a few doing the work and people coming late to meetings, but dozens of other problems also undermine teams. Consider whether any of these saboteurs of teamwork affect your productivity:

Not showing commitment when the going gets tough.

Not saying what you're thinking and feeling.

Not follow the adage, "listen first to understand, and speak to be understood".

Not performing as promised.

Letting others make decisions.

Not starting your meeting with a quick discussion of "What do we want to accomplish in the meeting?".

Failure to establish a ritual or convention that encourages any member to immediately point out discussions or digressions that are off task.

These are very common - and sometimes easily fixed - problems when it comes to giving your all to the team.

How do you feel about the "Seven Sabotaging Team Behaviors"? Are they relevant to your workplace - whether it is describing a problem you face with co-workers or if it is a problem your co-workers may use to describe your behavior (be honest!).

Next time you feel you or your co-workers are having possible issues, take a step back from the situation, review the list, and take the necessary steps to correct the problem(s) and watch how communication (and tolerance) grows!

Monday, September 22, 2014

Summary of Lessons from "The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player" by John C. Maxwell

This is a summary of the lessons contained in John C. Maxwell’s book titled The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player. This book carries the subtitle “Becoming the kind of person every team wants”. Developing a better team always begins with YOU. Improving yourself will add value to your team. But if you have a leadership role on your team, it is especially vital. Why? Because you can effectively teach only what you consistently model. It takes one to know one, show one, and grow one.

To improve the team, improve the individuals on the team.

As the saying goes, "You can lose with good players, but you cannot win without them." When it comes to having good people on a team, you really have only two choices: train them or trade for them.

Quality #1: Adaptable - if you won't change for the team, the team may change you.

Quality #2: Collaborative - working together precedes winning together.

Quality #3: Committed - there are no half-hearted champions.

Quality #4: Communicative - a team is many voices with a single heart.

Quality #5: Competent - if you can't, your team won't.

Quality #6: Dependable - teams go to "go-to" players.

Quality #7: Disciplined - where there's a will, there's a win.

Quality #8: Enlarging - adding value to teammates is invaluable.

Quality #9: Enthusiastic - your heart is the source of energy for the team.

Quality #10: Intentional - make every action count.

Quality #11: Mission Conscious - the (BIG) picture is coming in loud and clear.

Quality #12: Prepared - preparation can mean the difference between winning and losing.

Quality #13: Relational - if you get along, others will go along.

Quality #14:Self-Improving - to improve the team, improve yourself.

Quality #15: Selfless - there is no "I" in team.

Quality #16: Solution Oriented - make a resolution to find the solution.

Quality #17: Tenacious - never, never, never quit.

As John Maxwell closes his book, "Keep growing, keep building your team, and never forget, one is too small a number to achieve greatness! Good luck on your journey."

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Monday, September 8, 2014

Qualities of a Team Player - TENACIOUS

We are continuing our growth by developing teamwork skills utilizing the lessons contained in John C. Maxwell’s book titled The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player. This book carries the subtitle “Becoming the kind of person every team wants”. Developing a better team always begins with the individuals. To improve the team, improve the individuals on the team.

Quality #17: Tenacious - never,never, never quit

"To see far is one thing; going there is another." - Constantin Brancusi

"To finish first you must finish." - Rick Mears

Being tenacious means:

Giving All that You Have, Not More than You Have
1. If you give your all, you afford yourself every opportunity possible for success.
2. ...being tenacious requires that you give 100 percent - not more, but certainly no less.
Working with Determination, Not Waiting on Destiny
1. Tenacious people don't rely on luck, fate, or destiny for their success.
2. And when conditions become difficult, they keep working.
3. They know that trying times are no time to quit trying.
4. "I start where the last man left off." - Thomas Edison
5. Nothing feeds tenacity like our natural competitive nature.
6. To succeed, you must act with absolute integrity.
Quitting When the Job is Done, Not When You are Tired
1. If you want your team to succeed, you have to keep pushing beyond what you think you can do and find out what you are really capable of.
2. "Success is a little like wrestling a gorilla. You don't quit when you're tired - you quit when the gorilla is tired." - Robert Strauss
3. "Every successful person finds that great success lies just beyond the point they're convinced their idea is not going to work." - Napoleon Hill
4. Tenacity hangs on until the job is finished.

To improve your tenacity:

Work harder and/or smarter
Stand for something
Make your work a game

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Monday, August 25, 2014

Qualities of a Team Player - SOLUTION ORIENTED

"Always listen to experts. They'll tell you what can't be done and why. Then do it." - Robert Heinlein

"Don't find fault; find a remedy." - Henry Ford

Consider these truths that all solution-seeking people recognize:

Problems are a Matter of Perspective
1. Obstacles, setbacks, and failures are simply part of life. You cannot avoid them.
2. But that does not mean you have to allow them to become problems.
3. The best thing you can do is to meet them with a solution-oriented mind-set. It's just a matter of attitude.
4. At the same moment that one person wants to say, "I give up", someone else facing the same situation is saying, "What a great opportunity!"
5. Who you are determines what you see. When it comes to approaching problems, you really have only four choices: flee them, fight them, forget them, or face them.
All Problems are Solvable
1. Some of the great problem solvers have been inventors.
2. Charles Kettering explained, "When I was Research Head of General Motors and wanted a problem solved, I'd place a table outside the meeting room with a sign: 'Leave slide rules here'. If I didn't do that I'd find someone reaching for his slide rule. Then he'd be on his feet saying, 'Boss, you can't do that.'" [If you don't know what a slide rule is, ask an old engineer!]
3. No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.
Problems Either Stop Us or Stretch Us
1. Problems either hurt you or help you
2. Depending on how you approach them, they'll stop you from succeeding or stretch you so that you not only overcome them, but also become a better person in the process
3. The choice is yours

To become a more solution-oriented team player:

Refuse to give up
Refocus your thinking
Rethink your strategy
Repeat the process

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Qualities of a Team Player - SELFLESS

Quality #15: Selfless - there is no "I" in team.

"Life should not be estimated exclusively by the standard of dollars and cents. I am not disposed to complain that I have planted and others have gathered the fruits. A man has cause for regret only when he sows and no one reaps." - Charles Goodyear

"When you stop giving and offering something to the rest of the world, it's time to turn out the lights." - George Burns

As a team member, how do you cultivate an attitude of selflessness?

Begin by doing the following:

Be Generous
1. St. Francis of Assisi stated, "All getting separates you from others; all giving unites you to others."
2. The heart of selflessness is generosity.
3. If team members are willing to give of themselves generously to the team, then it is being set up to succeed.
4. Writer John Bunyan maintained, "You have not lived today successfully unless you've done something for someone who can never repay you."
Avoid Internal Politics
1. One of the worst forms of selfishness can be seen in people who are playing politics on the team.
2. That usually means posturing or positioning themselves for their own benefit, regardless of how it might damage relationships on the team.
3. Albert Einstein observed, "A person first starts to live when he can live outside of himself."
Display Loyalty
1. If you show loyalty to the people on your team, they will return loyalty in kind.
2. Loyalty fosters unity and unity breeds team success.
3. If you get bumped from the "starting lineup" of your team, do you shout, pout, or tough it out?
Value Interdependence Over Independence
1. Seneca asserted, "No man can live happily who regards himself alone, who turns everything to his own advantage. You must live for others if you wish to live for yourself."

To become more selfless:

Promote someone other than yourself
Take a subordinate role
Give secretly

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Qualities of a Team Player - SELF-IMPROVING

"Perfection is what you are striving for, but perfection is an impossibility. However, striving for perfection is not an impossibility. Do the best you can under the conditions that exist. That is what counts" - John Wooden

"Learn as if you were to live forever, live as if you were to die tomorrow." - Anonymous

People who are constantly improving themselves make three processes an ongoing cycle in their lives:

Preparation
1. Napoleon Hill remarked, "It's not what you are going to do, but it's what you are doing now that counts."
2. When individuals are intentional about learning something, they become better prepared to handle whatever challenges they meet.
3. Adopt the attitude of a learner, not an expert.
Contemplation
1. Time alone is essential to self-improvement.
2. It allows you to gain perspective on your failures and successes so that you can learn from them.
3. It gives you the time and space to sharpen your personal or organizational vision.
4. And it enables you to plan how you can improve in the future.
5. If you want to keep getting better, carve out some time to get away and slow down.
Application
1. Musician Bruce Springsteen offered this insight: "A time comes when you need to stop waiting for the man you want to become and start being the man you want to be."
2. Most people change only when one of three things happen: they hurt enough that they have to, they learn enough that they want to, or they receive enough that they are able to.
3. Your goal is to keep learning so that you want to change for the better every day.

To become self-improving:

Become highly teachable
Plan your progress
Value self-improvement above self-promotion

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Friday, July 25, 2014

Qualities of a Team Player - RELATIONAL

"Relationships help us to define who we are and what we can become. Most of us can trace successes to pivotal relationships." - Donald O. Clifton and Paula Nelson

"Anyone who loves his opinions more than his teammates will advance his opinions but set back his team." - John C. Maxwell

"To be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved." - George MacDonald

"You can't make the other fellow feel important in your presence if you secretly feel that he is a nobody." - Les Giblin

Look for the following five characteristics in your team relationships:

Respect
1. The funny thing about respect is that you should show it to others, even before they have done anything to warrant it, simply because they are human beings. But at the same time, you should always expect to have to earn it from others. And the place you earn it the quickest is on difficult ground.
2. If you aren't sure about your teammates' hopes, desires, and goals, then you need to ask them. Get to know who they really are by asking the right questions and listening carefully to their answers.
Shared Experiences
1. You can't be relational with someone you don't know. It requires shared experiences among teammates over time.
2. You will never develop common ground with your teammates unless you share common experiences.
Trust
1. Trust is the foundation of leadership.
Reciprocity
1. For a team to build and improve relationally there has to be give-and-take so that everyone benefits as well as gives.
2. Work to make connections with teammates.
Mutual Enjoyment
1. When relationships grow and start to get solid, the people involved begin to enjoy each other.
2. Just being together can turn even unpleasant tasks into positive experiences.

To improve your relationships:

Focus on others instead of yourself
Ask the right questions
Share common experiences
Make others feel special

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Qualities of a Team Player - PREPARED

"Spectacular achievements come from unspectacular preparation." - Roger Staubach

"It's better to prepare than to repair." - John C. Maxwell

"The man who is prepared has his battle half-fought." - Miguel De Cervantes

As the saying goes, "You can claim to be surprised once; after that, you're unprepared."

Preparation may not guarantee a win, but it sure puts you in position for one.

If you want to prepare yourself so that you can help your team as it faces the challenges ahead, then think about the following:

Assessment
1. Preparation begins with knowing what you're preparing for.
2. And you need to determine what price you will have to pay to get there.
Alignment
1. Good alignment makes success possible. Bad alignment makes success impossible - no matter how much you prepare.
2. You can't just work hard. You have to do the right work.
Attitude
1. To succeed in any endeavor, you must do your homework to take care of the mental aspects of your game.
2. If you believe in yourself and your teammates, then you set yourself up for success.
Action
1. Remember this: courage has no greater ally than preparation, and fear has no greater enemy.
2. Henry Ford observed, "Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success."

To improve your preparedness:

Become a process thinker.
Do more research.
Learn from your mistakes.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Qualities of a Team Player - MISSION CONSCIOUS

"The secret of success is constancy to purpose." - Benjamin Disraeli

"He who has a 'why' to live for can bear almost any 'how'." - Friedrich Nietzsche

The four qualities of all mission-conscious players:

They know where the team is going
1. Author W. Clement Stone stated, "When you discover your mission, you will feel its demand. It will fill you with enthusiasm and a burning desire to get to work on it."
2. That sense of desire - and direction - is as indispensable for a team to be successful as it is for any individual.
3. It's difficult to maintain a mission-conscious mind-set on a team that lacks a mission.
4. A team isn't really a team if it isn't going anywhere.
They let the leader of the team lead
1. Mission-conscious team players who have committed themselves to a team allow the leader of the team to do the leading.
2. Any time a team member hinders the leader, it increases the possibility that the team will be hindered in its goals.
3. However, mission-conscious players understand what leadership expert Warren G. Bennis articulated: "Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality."
4. For a team to win, the leader must be allowed to lead.
They place team accomplishments ahead of their own
1. Teamwork always requires sacrifice.
They do whatever is necessary to achieve the mission
1. If success can come to the team only by your compromising, trying something new, or putting your agenda on hold, then that is what you need to do.
2. Good team players see more than the details of the moment. They are always conscious of a team's mission and act to help achieve it.

To improve your mission consciousness:

Check to see if your team focuses on its mission.
Find ways to keep the mission in mind.
Contribute your best as a team member.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Qualities of a Team Player - INTENTIONAL

"You've got to think about 'big things' while you're doing small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction." - Alvin Toffler

What does it mean to be intentional? It means working with purpose - making every action count.

It's about focusing on doing the right things, moment to moment, day to day, and then following through with them in a consistent way.

Anyone who desires to live with intentionality will have to do the following:

Have a Purpose Worth Living For
1. Being intentional begins with a sense of purpose.
2. "Some men have thousands of reasons why they cannot do what they want to, when all they need is one reason why they can." - Willis R. Whitney
Know Your Strengths and Weaknesses
1. The truth is that people like to do what they're good at. Playing to your strengths rekindles your passions and renews your energy.
2. You can't be intentional and effectively focused if you don't know yourself.
Prioritize Your Responsibilities
1. Once you know the why of your life, it becomes much easier to figure out the what and when.
2. "One is not born into the world to do everything, but to do something." - Henry David Thoreau
Learn to Say No
1. But you can't accomplish much without focus.
2. If you try to do every good thing that comes your way, you won't excel at what you were made to do.
3. Your goal should be to spend 80% of your time and effort on what brings high return to you and your team.
Commit Yourself to Long-Term Achievement
1. ...most victories in life are achieved through small, incremental wins sustained over time. Being wiling to dedicate yourself long-term to the process of achievement, instead of to its immediate rewards, will enable you to be more intentional.
2. The longer the time period you can plan with intentionality, the more you can get done.

To improve your intentionality:

Explore your strengths and weaknesses
Specialize in your specialty
Plan your calendar with purpose

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Qualities of a Team Player - ENTHUSIASTIC

"I feel sorry for the person who can't get genuinely excited about his work. Not only will he never be satisfied, but he will never achieve anything worthwhile." - Walter Chrysler

There is no substitute for enthusiasm. When members of a team are enthusiastic, the whole team becomes highly energized. And that energy produces power.

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"People can succeed at almost anything for which they have enthusiasm." - Charles Schwab

Think about people who bring an enthusiastic attitude to teamwork and you will realize that they:

Take Responsibility for Their Own Enthusiasm
1. Successful people understand that attitude is a choice - and that includes enthusiasm.
2. If you want to be positive, upbeat, and passionate, you need to take responsibility for being that way.
3. Elbert Hubbard said, "The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today."
Act Their Way into Feeling
1. You cannot win if you do not begin.
2. Positive people are positive because they choose to be.
Believe in What You Do
1. Believing in what you do and focusing on those positive beliefs will help you to act and to speak positively about what you are doing. That helps to spark the fire of enthusiasm inside you, and once that starts, all you need to do is to keep feeding the flames.
Spend Time with Other Enthusiastic People
1. Denis Waitley says, "Enthusiasm is contagious. It's difficult to remain neutral or indifferent in the presence of a positive thinker."
2. Enthusiasm increases a person's accomplishments while apathy increases his alibis.

To improve your enthusiasm:

Show a sense of urgency
Be willing to do more
Strive for excellence

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

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