We have decided to declare the month of April, D6 Looks Back Month.
(Pretty cool what you can do when you run your own business!)
This means each week for the entire month of April we will bring you three posts from the D6 blog archive.
So, we're going to hit the ground running with some leadership fundamentals.
Tonight, I will be giving an unusual Founders Day speech. I have been asked to talk about the challenges to our nation’s national security and more specifically Putin’s War (as I like to call it) in Ukraine. My analysis is from the vantage point of not only my 30 years on active duty but also the last 19 years working as a national security consultant for CBS Radio and Television. I fear we are now facing not only an inflection point in our history but also one of the most perilous moments since the end of the Cold War.
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We're starting a monthly video series. It's called The D6 Faculty Feature. Every month Tanya will interview a different D6 faculty member. She will ask them all the same five questions so we can all get to know them a little bit better - personally and professionally.
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One of my favorite things about having a small team at Diamond6 is that we know each other really well! We enjoy each other very much, have fun working together, support each other through personal and professional challenges. We also like to share ideas and resources for personal and professional development with each other. During our Monday staff meeting we had a brief conversation about books...what we're currently reading, what we've read recently, and books we hope to read again.
I call myself an eternal optimist (for better or worse). And, I am eternally optimistic that 2022 WILL be different. Even if the world around us isn't changing or evolving as quickly as we would like - change is still within our control. We can always change ourselves for the better.
Read More![[5-min leadership] Communicate your vision like Lincoln](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5c58873fa9ab95190efd52a9/1637683957916-CTLK5ODC1DTC2A1VOGKA/unsplash-image-VJHb4QPBgV4.jpg)
On this Friday, (158 years ago!) on November 19th, 1863 Abraham Lincoln gave the infamous Gettysburg Address. And still, his vision and the words used to describe can be used as a lesson for contemporary leaders. Leaders must describe a vision for their organization and communicate it effectively. It is fundamental. Vision is a mental image of what the future world ought to be like and is important for several reasons.
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In leadership, simplicity often works best. Thus one liners such as “leaders teach” are valuable for their simplicity and effectiveness. Some appointed “leaders” try to avoid the teaching role required of good and great leaders. However, teaching is essential for effective leadership because the development of others is likewise essential for the growth of the individual and especially for the growth and success of the team and organization.
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Many experts argue that effective modern leaders must be “thinkers,” those who can take time in solitude to consider what should be done and – and perhaps more importantly – why. Thinkers who question the routine can formulate new ideas and directions with independence, creativity, and flexibility.
Last week we lost a distinguished American leaders, trailblazer, and military officer. I greatly admired Colin Powell for not only his incredible leadership. I admired him, and still do, for his honesty, integrity, and courage to do what he felt was right. Even when it meant admitting he had been wrong or he chose to go against popular opinion.
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As a leader you should always be developing those who are coming up behind you. Make sure that if, or when you leave, your organization or team won’t miss a beat. They will catch the ball and keep right on dribbling it down the court. Think about who may be able to fill your shoes should your time come to step aside, retire, or move to a new organization. How can you make this person your “brain double” and “shadow” advisor?
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Most Americans don’t know much about the American Revolution. All most of us remember from school is “taxation without representation”, dumping tea into Boston Harbor, and the minutemen on Lexington green. A few more learned about Valley Forge, a guy named von Steuben who trained troops there, and the final victory at Yorktown. Can useful lessons to be learned from a war fought two centuries ago? I submit the answer is a resounding Yes!
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