Archives For Gerald Gillis

What Do Good Leaders Have That Bad Leaders Lack?

July 11, 2013

We’ve all seen examples of bad leaders, whether political, business, military, or other. They’re hardly in short supply, and their blundering often results in staggering losses for, among others, investors, taxpayers, or employees. Businesses teeter and sometimes fail, commitments are made but not kept, and ethical and professional standards may be compromised for expediency or self-interest. Meanwhile, others directly or indirectly suffer because of the misguided actions (or inactions) of poor leaders. On the other hand, good leaders seem to be able to navigate the sometimes stormy seas with a clear head and a steady hand, all with an evident focus and sense of direction.

So what’s the difference? What do the good leaders possess that separate them from the others?

Good leaders have many differentiating qualities, to be sure. The big difference, in my opinion, does not necessarily reside in the sheer number of personal or professional qualities that a good leader may possess. Instead, it’s more the extent to which that leader can call upon and utilize those qualities at the right times and in the right dosages. Is it professional competence? No, bad leaders are often very technically savvy. Is it personal integrity? No, some bad leaders are upstanding citizens in virtually every way. Well then, could it be assertiveness? No, bad leaders are often the loudest, most obnoxious, most in-your-face people that can be found.

Then what separates the wheat from the chaff?

I would suggest the following, with the caveat that this list is hardly all-inclusive. It is, however, based upon my own experience as a business leader and a military officer:

  • Ability to communicate. Good leaders are good communicators. They can persuade, convince, cajole, and inspire with their words and their body language. When conditions sometimes go from good to bad, they communicate even more rather than retreating into a shell. They speak the truth, always, even when it’s hot, hard, and unvarnished. They have credibility and they are trusted because their actions always follow their words.
  • Courage. Good leaders are smart and energetic and focused, but they are also brave. They take calculated risks where others hesitate. They keep driving and pushing, especially when the obstacles seem insurmountable. They don’t make excuses.
  • Vision. Good leaders can see opportunities where others see only problems, if indeed they see anything at all. Good leaders have a mental image of what it is they want to create, what it will take to create it, and the benefits that will derive from it. Drive, focus, and discipline may follow, but it all starts with a vision.
  • Unselfishness. Good leaders are not without personal ambition, but they are also not so consumed with their own success that they fail to share the credit with others. The unselfish leader will typically enjoy a level of support in an organization that the selfish leader will never recognize or benefit from.

Being a leader isn’t an easy calling. It’s often hard and lonely and stressful. But the rewards and the satisfaction are great. Possession of the above traits alone won’t guarantee that you’ll be a good leader. But without them, your ability to separate yourself from the others will be considerably more difficult.

In Leadership
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Memorial Day, 2013 – Voices From Arlington

May 23, 2013

arl2More than 285,000 people have been buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Headstones of veterans from the Revolutionary War to the current struggle in Afghanistan adorn Arlington’s rolling Virginia hills. Soldiers of every age, sex, race, and creed are buried there. Many were killed in action, some dying in places named Bull Run, Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, Hungnam, Quang Tri, Fallujah, and Kandahar.

There are generals and admirals and decorated heroes at Arlington, along with astronauts, Supreme Court justices, and two U.S. presidents. The Tomb of the Unknowns is guarded around the clock and holds the remains of one unknown each from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.

Suppose for a moment we could hear from a group of twenty-year-old soldiers who died on the battlefields of each of our wars since the Revolution. Also suppose they never achieved high rank, never became fathers or grandfathers, and never tasted their mother’s cooking again. They were never again buoyed when their misty-eyed fathers extended a hand while saying, “I’m proud of you, son,” or saw the look of admiration on the faces of their younger siblings. They were just scared, homesick, acne-faced young men who confronted the enemy, fought bravely, and met a violent death in the flower of their youth.

So what would they tell us about what they understood they died for? What would they think of the America we now have, as opposed to the one they knew and loved? What advice would they give us about how we should live our lives, or treat others, or act as citizens of a free and great nation?

What would they tell us?

If we told them about how some of us felt our individual liberties seem to be eroding more and more, would the young solider of the Revolution roll his eyes and giggle at the seeming abundance of liberty we now enjoy? If we complained about the deep-rooted unethical and corrupt behavior of so many of our public officials nowadays, would the Civil War solider shrug his shoulders as if to say, “What else is new?” If we complained about having to deal with a ruthless, ideological enemy who wanted to blow us all up, would the World War II soldier say, “Been there, done that.” If we expressed our concern over our nation’s seeming incoherent foreign policy, would the Vietnam soldier consider the issue for a brief moment before erupting in loud laughter? But what about Benghazi? The American people don’t seem to care about this, we explain to the Korean War soldier. “Yeah? So get over it,” he might say.

But if we asked those young warriors if they would do it all over again, knowing their outcomes would still be the same, what do you think they would say? I don’t know about you, but my strong sense is they would all say, “Yes! My America was worth dying for.”

Is our America still worth dying for?

Well, ask a twenty-year-old soldier on active duty. He comes from the same stuff as did those who preceded him, and it’s good stuff indeed— firm, unselfish, enduring stuff. Ask today’s young soldier if the multiple deployments are worth it; if seeing a buddy’s limbs blown in different directions by an IED is part of the price; if America, despite its divisiveness and imperfections, is still worth a small plot in Arlington.

Again, my strong sense is they would say, “Yes!” They still believe in the greatness and goodness and resiliency of America. They still want to make a difference. They honor their brothers-in-arms from Arlington by their service and their sacrifice, and in so doing they honor us. All of us. Red state, blue state, every state.

May God bless them for it. And bless those in Arlington and other military cemeteries whose voices are silent.

In Military , , , ,
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Free eBook – Paige’s Laws of Business

April 26, 2013

Paige's Laws cover imageIn my latest novel Dare Not Blink, main character Dave Paige keeps a handwritten journal for recording his periodic musings on business situations and business people. Paige is of the energetic, results-driven sort, so he’s usually racing headlong toward some tangible objective. His life seems centered around solving one problem and then quickly moving on to the next. Occasionally, however, the insightful Paige is given to bouts of thoughtfulness and contemplation while in the quiet, after-hours solitude of his office, or in that trancelike state one can easily slip into in the cabin of a commercial airliner.

Thus, when he feels so inclined, he reaches for his Paige’s Laws of Business to chronicle his observations, lessons learned, and unwavering leadership and ethical principles.

Some of my early readers of Dare Not Blink commented on how much these pithy notations from Paige had added to the novel. My publisher, Navigator Books, also saw the potential to excerpt Paige’s Laws into an eBook format. In all honesty, my main purpose in creating the scenes where Paige recorded his thoughts was simply to develop Dave Paige as a character. It must have worked because now it seems Paige is offering something in return. For me, Paige’s Laws of Business is a way to introduce myself and to extend the awareness of my latest novel to prospective readers, as well as offering a gift of thanks to my existing readers; for you, it’s a free eBook that I hope you can find value in reading and sharing with others.

Simply click on the book’s image nearby and then follow the link to download your own free eBook. I’d enjoy hearing from you about this or any of my other books, so feel free to drop me a line on this website.

And if you do find value in Paige’s Laws of Business, thank Dave Paige.

I certainly did.

In Books & Writing , , , ,
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Leadership Roles – The Importance of Mentoring

April 23, 2013

Most successful leaders consider the development of people as a key leadership function. Aspiring leaders need guidance and role models if they are to effectively grow into their own leadership roles. Mentoring provides an established leader an opportunity to influence and teach an understudy by sharing knowledge and wisdom that has been accumulated over years of experience. Thus the mentor can not only reinforce the established practices, core values, and overall culture of the company, but can also challenge the understudy to see and think in new and different ways.

The benefits to the understudy are numerous. Broader knowledge, enhanced critical thinking, and an expanded professional network are but a few of the potential gains. Once the understudy has developed over time and assumed a leadership role, at some point the former pupil will likely become a mentor and pass along the value of their own experience. A culture of continuous learning is thereby established where corporate memory and corporate ideals are shared, reinforced, and retained.

Speaking of benefits, the mentor can reap a significant return for the time and effort spent in further developing more junior associates. Below are several of those rewards:

  • It can sharpen the mentor’s skills. The understudy should be expected to question everything, and in so doing the mentor will be expected to provide thoughtful, reasoned answers. Thinking about and answering questions concerning virtually every area of the business will challenge the mentor. Additionally, the mentor will be dealing with someone who is presumably younger, and who can perhaps bring a fresh perspective to problems or opportunities that the mentor may not have previously considered.
  • It can provide solutions to existing problems. A mentor who tasks an understudy with a specific business problem to delve into and then propose solutions for are not only developing the skills of the understudy, but bringing about a potential resolution to an existing obstruction.
  • It can retain the top leadership talent in the company. Retention and succession planning are important for any organization. Developing home-grown talent and then creating the right conditions for enticing them to stay is a very cost-effective way to build and then keep a leadership team.
  • It can be personally satisfying. If you believe that what you get is in direct proportion to what you give, then having an active role in the personal and professional growth of others will be immensely satisfying. Giving of ourselves is one of the greatest gifts we can offer. Seeing the results of those mentoring efforts giving rise to the blossoming of a successful, competent leader will indeed bring great fulfillment.

Leadership mentoring involves many things, but ultimately it is all about performance. Not just results, not just career progression, but performance. A leader can enhance the performance of an understudy with coaching and direction, to be sure, but that mentoring relationship has the potential to improve the mentor’s own performance, as noted above. Adding bright, motivated, energetic young leaders to the management team can also benefit the senior leader with an improved performance of the organization as a whole.

Leaders have a large stake in mentoring, for the good of everyone involved.

In Leadership , , ,
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Why Business Ethics?

April 9, 2013

I’ve been making my way around Atlanta speaking to various groups on the subject of business ethics. My talk is entitled Business Ethics – Why the Bother? In it, I make the case that a company can benefit in multiple ways from adhering to high ethical standards. Indeed, I believe it is well worth the bother to be known in the marketplace and society at large as an ethical entity. After all, with the mere summoning of Google and the avalanche of information that can follow, who wants to do business with a shady, ethically challenged company?

Making my way from writing a novel to speaking on business ethics isn’t quite a straight line, is it? While my novel Dare Not Blink is a business thriller, it also deals with ethics. The book’s protagonist, Dave Paige, is a business executive of high character who becomes embroiled in a nasty power struggle with others of another, lesser sort. So does the ethical guy win in the end? Well, for no less than the sake of the American system of capitalism, let’s hope so.

I exaggerate, I confess. That a novel would have a discernible bearing on the survival of American free enterprise is a bit of a stretch, to be sure.

But in real terms the idea of the ethical guy winning in the end has everything to do with our free-market system either flourishing or fading away. Americans are fast losing confidence in many of our long-standing institutions, to include government, the press, the public school system, the church, and business. Some in the political class, who themselves are regarded in a now famous survey as only slightly more preferable than cockroaches, have made a sport of bewailing the behavior of many business leaders, especially those on Wall Street. The criticism is not entirely without merit, in all fairness.

That’s why I’m speaking up. The vast majority of the men and women I dealt with in my business career were virtuous, conscientious people who tried to do the right thing for their customers, employees, and suppliers. Of course they weren’t perfect, but they were guided by an ethical code that drove them to do the right thing. They are the good and righteous nucleus, the backbone of the business profession.

Much work still needs to be done at the executive levels in adopting and then maintaining a rigorous code of ethics in their respective companies and industries. Leadership is critical here, and there is little chance of regaining the trust of the public without the broadly positive examples that only leaders can provide.

Additionally, students of business should be exposed to ethics in a far more intensive way. These are our future business leaders, and the global, ultra-competitive, cutthroat arena they will enter will be fraught with ethical challenges. They should be made to understand that a profession with little appetite for policing itself will bring about the ubiquitous and ruthless regulation from the outside, the cumulative results of which will resemble death by a thousand cuts.

We have lots of challenges ahead of us as a nation. Political, economic, and cultural issues abound, many with implications that could alter our society in ways that we can’t yet foresee or even understand. But our free-enterprise model has done so much for so many, and has so much potential yet unrealized, that its healthy continuance should be central. We should relentlessly seek to improve upon it, but never apologize for it. As far from perfect as it is, it’s still the best economic system in the world. And it’s up to us to make it better.

That’s the reason I advocate for business ethics.

In Ethics , , , , ,
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My Uncle Jack, RIP

April 4, 2013

Jack Hughes, a beloved uncle and the eldest of my mother’s three younger brothers, died Easter weekend of natural causes. He was 86 years old.

I’ll remember Jack as one of the most decent, honest, and loyal human beings I’ve ever encountered. While he wasn’t wealthy in a material sense, he was rich beyond measure in the love and admiration he received from his friends and family members. Family was important to Jack, and because I was his first nephew in what would become a long line of nieces and nephews, I was therefore important to him. He made my younger brother and I feel that importance from an early age onward, and I always loved him for it.

When I was a young boy and confronted with the death or serious illness of a family member, Jack would always be there, his caring and inner strength a much needed boost, in effect wrapping me in a blanket of comfort and well-being before such an event could overwhelm me. As I got older, Jack would still be there when those same conditions arose, still providing that calming, reassuring presence with such ease and dependability. When bad things happened, I looked for Jack. And, inevitably, I would always find him. I loved him for that, too.

Jack enjoyed a laugh, and after he married Barbara, he laughed a lot. Both he and Barbara had previously experienced the painful loss of a spouse, so they were ready to laugh, needed to laugh. We have an exceptionally strong tradition of storytelling in our family, and we found that Barbara could turn a tale to match any of us. Barbara was good for Jack, and good for our family. As for Jack, he didn’t have the sort of fragile ego that kept him from laughing at himself. He could needle and be needled, giveth and receiveth, and always in fun. A room was a brighter, better place with Jack in it.

When it came time to answer the dinner bell, Jack had no shame in being the first through the food line. In fact, if Jack wasn’t the first to spoon his way through the home-cooked Southern goodness spread out before him, who knew what might’ve transpired? Not to worry, though. It never happened.

Jack and I talked often of Chicago, a city he called home for a time in the Fifties, and a place I have visited often. In my childhood he sent me a baseball that had been fouled into the Wrigley Field stands by Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn of the Phillies. I still have that old baseball in my closet, safely ensconced in the pocket of my equally old glove. It’s not Richie Ashburn whom I think of when I see that ball. No, I think of Jack. Always Jack.

Any person would be truly blessed to have such an uncle as Jack Hughes. I was so blessed, and I’ll be eternally grateful for Jack’s presence and influence in my life. In fact, I was blessed with three such uncles, two of whom remain as friends and lifelong role models. Just like Jack.

Thank you, Uncle Jack, for the great example you provided for me. For all you gave me. For all you taught me. For all the times I looked for you and found you when you could have been elsewhere. You were greatly loved. And you will be greatly missed.

In General Interest , ,
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10 Ways to Improve Your Communications Skills

March 20, 2013

Webster’s defines communication as “an act or instance of transmitting.” Communication is about effective expression, and is very much a skill that can be acquired and improved. For these purposes, we will concentrate on verbal communications, and specifically the improvement of those particular communications skills.

Communications skills are necessary for success in virtually any endeavor. Those who possess high levels of skill in communicating with others have an advantage in the marketplace of information and ideas. Unlike many other skills, effective communicators can take their expertise anywhere. Like any other skill, it must be practiced diligently to maintain and improve.

While there are numerous methods for improving one’s communications skills, here are 10 suggestions for your consideration:

1. Always design your message to fit your audience. This focuses the use of your words and builds discipline and economy.

2. Always assume a lack of clarity. Whether providing verbal instructions, giving a performance review, or chairing a meeting, always ensure that your communication removes any confusion or ambiguity. Repeat as needed. Repeat as needed. Did I mention repeat as needed?

3. Give verbal presentations. Remember the book reports you used to give in class? The more you did, the better you got, right? Whether it’s a PowerPoint presentation on sales growth or a lecture on foreign affairs, get up in front of an audience and speak. Learn to deal with and overcome the nerves that precede; it’s rarely a fatal condition.

4. Become a better listener. Some of the best communicators are some of the greatest listeners. Conversely, some of the poorest communicators are often some of the worst listeners. Make a conscious effort to become a better listener. Listening is more than an interlude between your own sentences. Hear your audience. I assure you they will notice.

5. Get feedback from others. Ask friends or colleagues to critique your speaking for both content and delivery. Do you show impatience or frustration and thus limit your effectiveness? Are you too condescending or too inhibited? Ask for candid, constructive criticism. And don’t get offended; get better. Put the feedback to good use.

6. Find your voice. Pay attention to the tone of your spoken words. Modulate the pitch and volume of your voice, as appropriate. Choose your words wisely and enunciate them correctly. Develop a style of speaking that fits you.

7. Observe others. Find speakers who impress you with their abilities and study their differing styles. How well do they use humor? Do they show emotion? Are they inspiring? You don’t have to copy them, since you need a style that fits just you. You can certainly borrow, however. And you certainly should.

8. Make good eye contact. Look at your audience, whether an assemblage of hundreds or a single individual across a desk. You can become far more aware of how your message is being received by looking at, rather than looking past, your audience. This is common sense but so very often uncommon practice.

9. Be passionate. This is not to say you should be obnoxious or all-knowing. In fact, it is almost always better to be humble. It is to suggest, however, that your audience should feel your energy and enthusiasm, as appropriate.

10. Keep speaking. Keep developing your skills. Keep building your confidence. You will reap what you sow in this area of your life, as in others.

Good luck and good communicating!

For more on the development of communications skills, both verbal and written, see my Kindle eBook HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATOR. Find it on Amazon by clicking on the link.

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What Does Integrity Mean to You?

February 14, 2013

Are you sometimes confused by the meaning of the word integrity? Is it a complicated set of principles that can vary according to a particular moral consideration or a specific set of circumstances? Or is it simply doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do?

Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that, “Character is higher than intellect.” What does integrity have to do with character? Can you have one without the other?

Think of integrity as the quality of having high moral principles, of being reliable and trustworthy. It does not mean you are nearing perfection as a human being, but rather that you can be trusted with words and deeds. Doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do? Of course. If you are described by others as a person of integrity, would it also follow that you have high character? Yes, absolutely.

Now think of groups of people who are presumed to have integrity. Judges, doctors, military officers, and ministers come to mind. True, we can point to examples in each of the preceding groups of dishonest, immoral, and perhaps even criminal behavior. As with any group—business, politics, sports, education, journalism, etc.—we don’t need to search far and wide to discover similar failings. Indeed, it is our human nature to err.

Next, think how hard it would be for our society to function if trust and honesty were the exception rather than the rule. Samuel Johnson noted that, “Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.” As a group, our elected leaders are losing the confidence of the American populace precisely because we are becoming conditioned by their saying one thing and doing another, sometimes blatantly and defiantly.

Business leaders who shamelessly enrich themselves at the expense of their customers, stockholders, and employees reflect poorly on their firms and industries. Judges who take bribes and teachers who sexually abuse their students give us all pause, and disappoint us greatly.

Why? Because they failed to do the right thing.

It need not be any more complicated than that.

For you, if integrity means doing the right thing, even if nobody knows or notices, then you understand the concept. If you behave consistently and use moral principles, reliability, and trustworthiness as your guiding lights, you can rightfully be described as a person of integrity.

It is a description that is earned, and one that should be prized. If you have it, guard and nurture it. If you don’t yet have it, pursue it zealously. It’s certainly worth the change in behavior you will have to make to earn it.

Finally, my latest novel That Deadly Space deals with integrity and ethics in a very substantive (yet fictional) way, albeit in wartime. The novel’s main character, Conor Rafferty, struggles with his share of moral and ethical decisions. He does his best to be a leader whose integrity becomes his guiding light, and his example underscores the above comments. You can find the book here.

In Ethics , , ,
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A Model For Ethical Leadership

February 1, 2013

Are you a leader who aspires to set an example of ethical leadership in your organization? If so, you are headed in the right direction.

An organization’s leadership is responsible for influencing others to perform an action, complete a task, or behave in a specific manner. Leaders must be people-oriented, decisive, and bold, with a well-developed ability to inspire and motivate. They must also be able to do what is sometimes inconvenient, unpopular, or perhaps even temporarily unprofitable. Leaders must do all of the above, and those leaders who are viewed as ethical and honest will have a far greater chance of gaining and keeping the loyalty of employees and others. To be viewed as otherwise is indeed a slippery slope.

The following steps may be useful in establishing an ethical-leadership model:

  • Set high ethical standards and meet (or exceed) them. Standards should be established and promulgated for both professional and personal conduct. Those standards should be maintained and monitored, with the leadership team always setting the proper example. Drive a culture of ethical behavior by constant reinforcement and demonstration, and clearly establish that partial or non-compliance from anyone is unacceptable.
  • Openly share information. Transparency should be more than a promise or a slogan. Make sure your employees understand that you share information with them because you trust them, and thus you expect them to make the right decisions because of their being well-informed.
  • Be fair in all personnel decisions. Merit and fairness should always factor disproportionately in decisions affecting employees. Never assume that employees can’t detect favoritism or prejudice; they can. Always assume that examples of unfairness will do great damage to the fabric of your organization; it will. Know that fairness will help gain and maintain trust; it does.
  • Keep your word. This should be common sense, right? Often, however, it’s uncommon practice. Your word is truly your bond. The more your employees can count on you to do what you say, the stronger the bond. They can count on you, you can count on them–there is a direct correlation.
  • Treat everyone with respect. An ethical leader leads in a manner that respects the rights and dignity of others, both within and outside the organization. It is critical that this behavioral characteristic starts at the top; it is not a bottom-up process.

The above steps can help establish in everyone’s mind the importance of ethics. It is the leader’s responsibility to build the trust, set the example, and drive a culture of high ethical standards in an organization.

In Ethics , , , , ,
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Huh? A Business Thriller?

September 11, 2012

Have you ever read a thriller about the business world? The what, you say? The business world? Really? Somebody’s done that?

As Thomas Magnum, Private Investigator, so famously observed, “I know what you’re thinking.”

There is no such genre, right? A business thriller? Who in the world would write such a thing?

Well, as Todd Rundgren so famously crooned, “Hello, It’s Me.”

My new novel Dare Not Blink (Navigator Books) is currently scheduled for release in November. It’s a story about an Atlanta-based company who suddenly finds itself in the midst of a vicious internal struggle after the sudden death of its beloved founder and majority owner. For those who have been a part of the rough-and-tumble of corporate America you will find much that is recognizable—from the strengths and flaws of the characters to the cutthroat maneuvering of some of the top executive operators. It’s a fast-paced read with plenty of twists and turns, and the reviews from beta readers (including a CEO) have been excellent. I’m really looking forward to its release into the marketplace.

In the next few weeks we’ll be finalizing the cover and getting everything in place for publication. I’ll give you an early peek at it soon.

So yes, there is such a thing as a business thriller. And I’ve written one. By golly.

As the proper English gentleman (and Magnum antagonist) Jonathan Quail Higgins so famously uttered, “Quite.”

In Books & Writing , , , , ,
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