4 Must Read Posts With A Common Theme

The last couple of days there have been posts from some of my favorite that coincidentally all have the same common theme; humility. I really encourage everyone to look through these posts because they are very powerful. One of the challenges every leader deals with is his/her ego.

– “Success, Authenticity, And All The Things You Aren’t” by Steve Roesler

– “Greater Than Yourself” by Steve Farber

– “A Virtuous Spiral of Giving” by Tariq Khan

– “Larger Purpose” by Jim Stroup

The Power of Vulnerability

Life is full of paradoxes and the power vulnerability is another one I believe. As I was about to write this post about vulnerability, my rss reader came across this post over at The Recovering Leader blog that says pretty much what I was thinking.

Monday’s LeaderTip: Power in Vulnerability
The greatest collaborations are based on shared vulnerability. Opening your mind and heart to others enables you to match your challenges and ambitions with theirs — and find the common ground needed to do great things together. Keep yourself guarded, and others will respond in kind — which hinders all but superficial success. Leadership requires the courage to make yourself vulnerable before others you want to inspire or guide, and anyone with whom you intend to create something of lasting value. When you act authentically with those who are – or may be – important to you, they will reciprocate, and be moved to do their best work.

One of the challenges to being vulnerable is continuing to be vulnerable and authentic after the first time being burned by someone. In my favorite leadership books, “Five Temptations of a CEO”, by Peter Lencioni, the fifth temptation a leader falls into is choosing invulnerability over trust. We strive so hard to stay in our “comfort zone,” but it is outside this zone that we see real growth. It is through the acknowledgement of our weaknesses and finding ways others can compliment you, and you compliment them, that we can find success and growth. Without being willing to step out of that “comfort zone” of being vulnerable comes “yes men” and disconnect because of the fear others might have of what they say and do.

Edition #2 Carnival of Leadership Growth

Welcome to the March 2, 2007 edition of leadership growth.

Charles H. Green presents Seductive Statistics posted at Trust Matters, saying, “Effective leaders understand the difference between earning trust and measuring it.”

David Maister presents A Case Study in Professional Ethics posted at Passion, People and Principles, saying, “Deciding to “own the problem” and accept responsibility for a screw up requires guts, courage and ethics.”

Caroline Latham presents I don’t want to ever retire. What can I do to remain sharp? posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution.

Walt presents No Plan B! posted at Walt Nation!.

Joseph presents How to attain success posted at Self Help and Personal Development.

Debra Moorhead presents The Meaning of TEAM posted at Debra Moorhead.com.

Niels Hoven presents Ask Niels: How do I build an emotional connection? posted at Niels Hoven.

Laura Ricci presents Supporting Community Growth and Continuance posted at Laura’s Winning Ideas, saying, “team building, using the metaphor of a dance community”

almomento presents Open Call For Project MastermindX posted at BurstCreativity.

Anna Farmery presents Dear Boss posted at The Engaging Brand.

The Positivity Blog presents Take the Positivity Challenge! posted at Henrik Edberg.

Scott Schwertly presents The Power of “I” posted at Presentation Revolution.

Praveen presents Review of “The Rich Jerk” – Get It Free, Plus $1 posted at My Simple Trading System.

Charles H. Green presents Waddya, Nuts? posted at Trust Matters, saying, “It’s hard to be trustworthy if you yourself can’t trust. And part of trusting is not thinking that everything—good or bad—is about oneself.”

David Maister presents Lions, Wolves, Beavers and Humans posted at Passion, People and Principles, saying, “Most leaders are incapable of team strategy because the key players have not agreed either to (a) collaborate or (b) invest in their mutual future.”

Kapil Handa presents Develop Leadership Skills posted at The Sum.

Jack Yoest presents Manager as Sociopath: An Interview With An Honest Boss posted at Reasoned Audacity, saying, “Your Business Blogger teaches management training. But there is no need to sit in my class, just visit An Interview with an Honest Manager.”

Debra Moorhead presents “The Science of Getting Rich” Evaluated, Part One posted at Debra Moorhead.com.

Vahid Chaychi presents Viral Marketing Strategies – Learn How to Spread the Words for Free! posted at Internet and Search Engine Marketing, saying, “Do you know how websites like Hotmail and Google became popular and well-known? They didn’t spend a single cent for advertising. They used the power of viral marketing.”

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First Edition of the Leadership Growth Blog Carnival

John Hill presents Is Your Best Good Enough? posted at Universe Of Success.

Walt presents No Plan B! posted at Walt Nation!

Caroline Latham presents I don’t want to ever retire. What can I do to remain sharp? posted at SharpBrains: Your Window into the Brain Fitness Revolution.

David Maister presents A Case Study in Professional Ethics posted at Passion, People and Principles, saying, “Deciding to “own the problem” and accept responsibility for a screw up requires guts, courage and ethics.”

Charles H. Green presents Seductive Statistics posted at Trust Matters, saying, “Effective leaders understand the difference between earning trust and measuring it.”

Arvind Devalia presents What the world needs today? posted at Arvind Devalia, saying, “The world needs true leaders more than ever before.”

Arvind Devalia presents Leadership in the current climate of change posted at Arvind Devalia, saying, “Practice leadership based on the courage to live the change you wish to bring about.”

Wilson Ng presents Succeeding by Looks posted at Reflections of a BizDrivenLife, saying, “Can you be happy or be successful by beauty alone?”

Dennis presents 20 Questions to Change Your Life posted at A Pile of Coins, saying, “(Re-)evaluate your work-related goals and achievements.”

Paul Michael presents How to complain and get a good result posted at Wisebread Finance.

Craig Harper presents The Science of Success. posted at Renovate your life with Craig, saying, “I am of the opinion (and yes, I know it’s not a popular one) that success isn’t as hard, or as complex as some people make it. And before you write to disagree with me, yes, I acknowledge that the above statement is dependant on your definition of success… but I am speaking generally (as I often need to, when speaking to an audience of more than one).”

Vihar Sheth presents Creating Exceptional Value posted at green | rising.

David Maister presents Lessons from a Natural Manager – new careers podcast episode posted at Passion, People and Principles.

Brian S. Nick presents Hard Truths for Leaders posted at Young-Manager.

Debra Moorhead presents How to Determine Your Top 20 posted at Debra Moorhead.com.

Vahid Chaychi presents Get Inspired by the Success Stories and Interviews posted at Internet Marketing Tips, saying, “You may get disappointed while you have started a new business and it has not given any good result yet. Most people give up at this point and stop working. One of the best things that prevents you to give up, is reading the success stories and interviews of successful people in your niche. Learn how to find and read them every week.”

Erek Ostrowski presents Being Effective With People: Part 1 (Listening) posted at Verve Coaching, saying, “When we cultivate the ability to listen, we begin to hear other people in a new way. We begin to hear what they’re really saying, instead of hearing our own thoughts, emotions, judgments, and assumptions about what they’re saying.”

Priscilla Ortiz presents If You Think You Could… posted at Priscilla Ortiz – Journal to Prosperity, Path to Freedom Inc..

Krishna De presents 5 time saving tips to archive research materials – BIZ GROWTH NEWS posted at Biz Growth News.

David Maister presents Learning to Manage – new careers podcast episode posted at Passion, People and Principles, saying, “This podcast episode explores the skills new managers will need to excite, energize, organize, and produce with your team in any situation.”

Charles H. Green presents The Horizontal Imperative posted at Trust Matters, saying, “In a horizontal world, power comes from influence, not authority.”

Steve Faber presents _The 4 Keys to Success Are posted at Debt Free.

Thank you to all the contributers, and I look foward to seeing what great articles there are for the second edition of the Leadership Growth Blog Carnival.

NFL Leadership Styles

It is interesting to see how leadership styles come and go in the NFL. For the past couple of years during the Patriots reign, Bill Belichick, and his paranoid, scientific style was the craze around the league. He knew the opposing team better than the team knew them self a lot of the times, and he brought in players not with big names, but that would the system.

Years before Belichick,it was Bill Parcells and his strong disciplinarian style that was popular. Parcells would use tactics like yelling to get his players to do what was needed.

Now, as the Super Bowl is about to start in a few hours, a new leadership style has emerged from the two head coaches, Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith; a servant style. It is not just a style to them, but it reflects their lifestyle. It is the fact that this is a lifestyle and not just a leadership style that makes it the most challenging, yet most affective way to lead.

We see the popularity of the “servant” leader grow in popularity starting with Robert Greenleaf, but also with movements like Ken Blanchard’s Lead Like Jesus and Herb Baum’s transparent leader. Could this be the way to lead that will stick? The amazing thing about all these movements is that it does not start with a strategy or tactic on how to lead others to success, but the understanding that you must lead yourself first and then understanding it is not about yourself.

No matter who wins tonight, both coaches realize that there is more than life than championships. There is the life of serving others and changing the world.

Sometimes we just have to step off our foundation

I came across this video of Tony Dungy speaking last year at the Super Bowl Breakfast. The amazing thing about the speech is that when most people are under the spotlight they sometimes step off their foundation, but Dungy didn’t. He was open and sincere about his beliefs, something we all struggle with when are pressured to not stand out in the crowd.

As we have seen in the early 21st century with corporations like Enron, when you step off your foundation and seek for yourself you will finally fall. No matter what you believe stand firm in them. It is risk to be different, but it can also have its rewards. As a leader what will you do when you are under pressure?

Foundations Part 1

After some thinking here are two of my foundations that I plan to set for myself.

Transparency
After reading Herb Baum’s book, “The Transparent Leader”, I saw the importance and power of being open and transparent with others. The neat thing about transparency is that it takes honesty and putting others before yourself.

Growth
Being a leader is a process and the process never ends. I believe inorder to become a stronger person and leader, you need to continue to seek and learn. With blogs, podcasts, and wikis, there are so many free resources for people to continue learning about many different topics.