NO YELLING: Self-Awareness

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 fourth secret: Self-Awareness which includes: Know Thyself, Personal Style, and Situational 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