Weekly Thought – August 15, 2017

Fred took his last earthly breath at 9:15am on August 17th. The afternoon before his last words were “I’ve learned to trust in Jesus; I’ve learned to trust in God.” He loved the gospel hymn “Through It All.” His daughter read to him each day. The hymn story that day was “When They Ring Those Golden Bells.” “They will ring for me soon” was his comment. Then later he mouthed the words to Andrae Crouch’s well-loved song.

Trading Hat

An executive generally play three positions simultaneously. Each requires separate skills. First, as a member of the boss’s team. On this team the role is as a peer among others at this same level.

Second, as the quarterback of the team of direct reports. On this one the role of peer is inappropriate. The final decision belongs to the quarterback. The huddle is great and useful for advice, but in 30 seconds the quarterback must have the play called and action underway. Most huddles don’t use a vote.

Thirdly, as a coach to younger and more inexperienced men and women coming up through the organization. This should be a natural process as upward movement occurs. As a coach, the role is secondary to the younger employee’s own quarterback and team. Confusion occurs if the coach tries to take the place of the quarterback.

At Fort Monmouth one of the officers described the unique genius of the American soldier as the ability to move from corporal to sergeant to lieutenant quickly on the field of battle without formal training or ceremony. The speaker pointed out that this distinguished them from other fighting forces which lacked this flexibility.

A good team member with less talent will make a greater contribution to the corporation team effort than a maverick with greater talent. The “individualist” causes problems which interrupt the steady progress. When one focuses on personal gain and visibility to the detriment of the team organizational chaos results. Sometimes extraordinary talent must be sacrificed for the good of the well-performing team. Often in sports hot shots make a team suffer when they won’t sublimate their own numbers for the good of the team.

Another challenge to a well-run team is rhythm. When certain members want to rethink decision ad infinitum (and even ad nauseum) hinders progress. It is important to understand the roles and the responsibilities – and how final decisions are made. Understanding when input is accepted and when it is no longer received is part of the successful pattern of team work.

This week think about: 1) How many teams am I on? 2) Which role do I handle most effectively? 3) Who am I coaching currently?

Words of Wisdom: “A good team member with less talent will make a greater contribution to the corporation team effort than a maverick with greater talent.”

Wisdom from the Word: “May the Lord your God be praised because he favored you by placing you on the throne of Israel! Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he made you king so you could make just and right decisions.” (1Kings 10:9 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – April 25, 2017

Fred consciously motivated people. He spent hours thinking about those in his network and how to stretch them. He thought of himself as a conduit for several of his friends who were speakers. As he read, listened, thought, he would put “material” into mental files to be accessed when he talked with any of these three people. He wanted to be part of their growth – and the use of their great gifts.

Ideas on Motivation

One of the ways I motivate people to think is always carrying blank cards in my pocket. When anyone says something worth writing down, I do. For years I tried to keep mental notes of memorable lines and then jot them down later. Then I realized the positive effect of asking someone, “May I write that down?” Often I get the response, “I didn’t know it was that good!”

People love to be quoted and doing so motivates them to think better. One of the nicest compliments you can earn is “He makes me think smart when I’m with him.” It’s a sign you are motivating people to think.

One of my early bosses had a way of saying nice things about his employees which would get back to them. True things which were nice. We appreciated it and worked hard to keep on doing things which he could notice. People work hard to uphold a good reputation.

Ask “what is special about this person?” For example, some people have a way of focusing on the positive in people. That can give you an opportunity to say “Here’s a person who looks for the best in others.” It not only strengthens the person, but gives them an idea of what you value.

I have consciously augmented my wife’s reputation as a creative listener. She is. I began doing it to comfort her because she was ill at ease in social situations and felt that she had little to say. We would come home and she would lament, “All I did was listen.”

One night at a dinner party, she was sitting next to a powerful top executive. His wife, seated next to me said, “Oh, I feel sorry for your wife having to sit next to my husband.” I replied, “He will talk his head off.” “You don’t know him at all then.” “No, I don’t know him, but I know my wife.” Sure enough, this man with the surly reputation did talk his head off. I am sure his wife wondered what in the world happened to him. What happened was Mary Alice. She had the ability to listen dynamically, to make people feel comfortable, and smart. She didn’t compete with him, and he thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

Effective leaders work to develop motivational strategies. They spend time thinking about specific techniques which are sincere motivation, not shallow manipulation.

This week think about: 1) Who is one of the best motivators I know? 2) How can I know the people around me and motivate them more strongly? 3) What is my motivation to motivate others?

Words of Wisdom: “People work hard to uphold a good reputation.”

Wisdom from the Word: “For everything that was written in former times was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and through encouragement of the scriptures we may have hope.” (Romans 15:4 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – April 18, 2017

Fred refused to sacrifice his integrity for the sake of winning. He believed in the value of moving people to action, but never tricked them into action which only benefited him. His dear friend Zig Ziglar dedicated his life to inspiring and motivating others. They shared the joy of seeing the wood catch fire.

Motivation or Manipulation?

There is a critical difference between motivation and manipulation. One is getting people to do something from mutual advantage. The other is getting people to do what you want them to do, primarily for your advantage. If the person benefits, it’s purely a secondary goal.

Manipulation carries a hidden agenda; motivation carries an open agenda.

We all agree that motivation is good and manipulation is bad. But sometimes only a fine line separates the two, and it’s difficult to know which side of the line you are standing. The issues aren’t always clear-cut. Intent is the key. What could be motivation in one instance could be tainted by self-interest and turned into manipulation.

A psychiatrist friend chided me one night by saying, “You businessmen mistake manipulation for motivation. The difference is you can substitute the word “thirst” for motivation, but not manipulation.” That got my mind working. He was saying unless you are satisfying someone’s thirst, you are probably manipulating rather than motivating. What a simple, yet effective, measurement. Bottom line for me: I can motivate with integrity when I am bringing to consciousness a genuine thirst in another.

Whenever we try to motivate without the other person’s knowing what we are doing we need to be very careful. We can try to bring out a latent desire a person doesn’t even know exists. But we must always keep in mind: 1) recognize how close we are to manipulation; 2) set a checkpoint, and be willing to stop if an authentic thirst doesn’t develop; 3) never resort to immoral means even for righteous ends.

My good friend Zig Ziglar reminded my daughter one time to be sure and understand the difference between the “need to” and the “want to.” He was saying to her she must move away from her clear vision of what someone needed until she satisfied their own desire and want.

Remember the little boy whose obedience was not willing? “I may be sitting down on the outside, but I’m standing up on the inside.” Manipulation often results in silent rebellion. True motivation is a path to growth and maturity.

This week think about: 1) What motivates me to take action? 2) How do protect myself from manipulation? 3) Who can I help find their “thirst” this week?

Words of Wisdom: “Bottom line for me: I can motivate with integrity when I am bringing to consciousness a genuine thirst in another.”

Wisdom from the Word: “This is the reason I do my best to always have a clear conscience toward God and toward people.” (Acts 24:16 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – April 11, 2017

Fred developed ideas, strategies, and people. He loved seeing growth and progress. He also appreciated the value of measures and metrics. Wanting to know if the process worked led him to define criteria for the effectiveness of training.

Thank you for your consistent, prayerful support of the Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institute. Our next event is April 18, 19, 2017 at Greenville College in Greenville, IL. Please pray for the team members who will be traveling to campus to “stretch and bless the next generation of leaders… to the glory of God.”

Training Touchstones

The development of others is a strategic element in good leadership. Bringing others along to grow the organization is part of the mission. As training moves along, here are five ways to measure progress:

1) Is this person’s job fitting well with his or her talents? If not, I never be successful in fully developing the potential. It is my responsibility to assess the long range outcome and make sure the job and the talent match.

2) How much willingness to do the job am I seeing? I want to see if the person is enthusiastic about the opportunity to grow. Training has to be more than just an interesting way to pass time. And if I suspect the trainee is thinking, “Well, I’ll do it if you want me to, but I’m not really keen on it” I already know not to expect much.

3) How consistent is the person’s effort? Long-term, not sporadic engagement is what I want. It is the day in, day out effort that benefits both the organization and the employee. A friend once told me, “The amateur performs well when he feels like it. The pro performs well whether he feels like it or not.”

4) What are the objective results? I find many people want to tell me about activity, carry on conversations, give me excuses but produce little or nothing. I like to measure what has actually been done. Some people get by for years talking a good game but doing little. In our family we have a saying “Show me the baby, don’t tell me about the labor pains.”

5) Is this person willing to be evaluated? I am not going to spend time developing someone who resists having his results measured. In the same way, I do not want to attempt to train someone who will never ask for help. If a person knew all the answers, they would not need the training. I see too many whose egos won’t allow them to learn from others.

This week carefully consider: 1) How can I use these questions in my development of others? 2) What do I use as the measurement of personal progress? 3) When do I do my most effective training?

Words of Wisdom: “The development of others is a strategic element in good leadership.”

Wisdom from the Word: “A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – April 4, 2017

Fred’s understanding of people created a high demand for his consulting services. He was particularly effective in labor negotiations, sales/marketing campaigns, and board restructuring. He had a clear view and a sound mind when it came to the productivity of organizations. Fred’s ideas were utilized throughout his 60 year business career. Later on Jim Collins popularized these concepts with the “right people in the right seats” language of Good to Great.

Maximizing Effectiveness

The secret of any organization’s success is choosing the right people to play key roles. I recently read about business executive Bernard Tapie who became famous in France by taking over failing corporations and turning them into successful money makers. He developed an empire of 45 companies. His secret: whenever he assumed control of a failing business he immediately brought in his fifteen member management team to reorganize. They worked like a well-oiled machine and repeated the process over and over.

One of the most important aspects of successful leadership is putting together a group of people to carry out the mission. Great athletic coaches know they must have talent to win and so take an active role in the recruiting process. Teams that just happen get happenstance results.

In the small organization staffing can be particularly vexing. But it is extremely important. A costly mistake in smaller operations is thinking they can get by with inferior employees because they aren’t large. Actually, the opposite is true. In a firm of one hundred employees, if one doesn’t pull their weight, it is a loss of 1% productivity. If a company has only 3 employees, one who is unproductive represents 33% of the workforce.

Attracting the right people requires enthusiastically selling your organization to quality prospects. Julian Price who built Jefferson Standard Life Insurance Company surprised the industry by his ability to draw outstanding men and women to a small, regional company in the South. It was small, but mighty in its people pull. In interviewing he would say, “We are going to build a mighty company here. Don’t you want to be part of it?” The challenge of growth and the promise of a future brought many to Greensboro, North Carolina.

Leaders should not be timid about going for the most qualified who bring to the organization the skills needed for growth. When we believe in our vision and our mission it becomes a critical endeavor and one worth sharing. People want to be part of something exciting. Finding the right people to fulfill the dream is the privilege and responsibility of leadership.

This week carefully consider: 1) How strong are my recruiting skills? 2) What is the profile of my ideal team member? 3) When do I enjoy pulling together on a project?

Words of Wisdom: “Teams that just happen get happenstance results.”

Wisdom from the Word: “The one who works his field will have plenty of food, but whoever chases daydreams lacks wisdom.” (Proverbs 12:11 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – March 7, 2017

Fred encouraged maturity. He believed in the goal of growing to the end. This is why he was a life-long learner and lived with a burning desire to “finish well.” Foundational to maturity is character. He consulted with many organizations, both corporate and ministry. Character is the first element he studied.

Effective Leadership

Leadership, as we know, is both something you are and something you do. But effective leadership starts with character. When leaders fail, more often it is a result of a character flaw than the lack of competence, training, or even opportunity.

In the case of Christian organizations, the aim of the leader is to conform more and more to the image of Christ. And, it is their responsibility to build up the congregation, training them in righteousness with a goal of maturity. It is a process. It is critical to understand this. There is no “getting there” and settling down to rest. Leaders who last don’t stop growing; they continue stretching themselves. And in the same manner corporate officers refuse to let down. They strive to get better, stronger, and more adept.

Those who understand this process have intangible personal qualities. Some find these hard to define, but I think we can look at it as a growth process.
Growth must be seen as a whole. I wonder sometimes what we would look like if our mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects were as visible as our physical bodies. I expect each of us would have deformities representing our lack of development. When we are seriously out of balance we would be misshapen, distorted, even grotesque. An example of this idea would be the person who develops their mind to the exclusion of social skills or emotional health.

My good friend Zig Ziglar looks at our lives as a wheel. He teaches others to measure where each section of their life is by marking it on the wheel. Then when the dots are connected the seminar participant can see how rocky the ride would be if areas of their lives are much stronger (or weaker) than others.

Maturity is balanced growth. It’s obviously difficult to keep the inside and outside in total symmetry – or Zig’s wheel rolling smoothly, but it is a worthwhile endeavor. I look at life through the prism of discipline, so I suggest a balanced growth pattern contains plans for the disciplines of: freedom, emotions, things, recognition, accomplishment, experiences, ideas, and relationships.

This week think about: 1) What is my personal definition of mature growth? 2) How symmetrical are my internal and external appearances? 3) What is my biggest challenge to maturity?

Words of Wisdom: “Leadership, as we know, is both something we are and something we do.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking. Instead, be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” (1 Corinthians 14:20 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – February 28, 2017

Fred said he never felt the time pressures so often discussed in leadership articles. He attributed this to the art of delegation. However, before he could delegate he had to understand what his unique abilities were and what “only he could do.” These thoughts from Fred were written in the mid-80s but are strikingly current and relevant.

Understanding Leadership versus Management

Leadership and management are two different skill sets. Many good leaders are not good administrators. And in the same way, good managers are not always effective leaders. The rule of thumb is: Lead people and manage work.

As President, Jimmy Carter was a better executive than leader. He read up to three hundred pages of reports before breakfast, it is said. He was one of our best-informed Presidents, but he had great difficulty getting others to follow him.

Ronald Reagan’s strength has been leadership, not management. The press criticizes him because he often doesn’t fully answer technical questions. He doesn’t focus on the memorization of that information. He devotes his energies to leading through setting the vision for the country, getting others to join behind in the vision, and achieving a sense of well-being about the direction he outlines. People who mock him call him “The Great Communicator.” This is intended to suggest that capable talkers are not thinkers. They also allude to his film career as a negative quality. They do not realize the power of clear communication in strong leadership. Reagan simply delegates the administration.

Even if a leader is not strong in administration, he must recognize its absolute value. It is a foolish person who closes his mind to “the details.” Those who understand the contribution of a well-run organization know how to delegate, appreciate, develop, and then leave it alone.

Over supervision (or being a control freak) is the great sin of leaders committed against managers. The leader’s task is to say, “Here’s where we are, and there is where we ought to go.” The administrator’s job is to successfully get the organization from point A to B. Books written about well-run companies recognize the contribution of teams comprised of leaders with complementary gifts, exercised by strong people. I have always said the pairing of number 1 and number 2 positions is a critical decision.

As A.T. Cushman, the CEO of Sears, put it, “The art of administration is constant checking.” He’s so right. It’s detail work. Management takes a different, but important set of skills. To nurture both leadership and management is to put into place a winning combination.

This week think about: 1) What are my strongest gifts? 2) How am I developing my strengths and bolstering my weaknesses? 3) Where have I experienced the greatest use of my talents?

Words of Wisdom: “Lead people and manage work.”

Wisdom from the Word: “You should explain God’s laws and teachings to the people. Warn them not to break the laws. Tell them the right way to live and what they should do. But you should also choose some of the people to be judges and leaders.” (Exodus 18: 20, 21 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – February 21, 2017

Fred thought all the time. He learned from observation, conversation, and interaction. “Associations, travel, and reading” were three of the essential elements in his development program. He consistently put himself in situations which would stimulate his thinking.

This week a Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institute team will be on the LeTourneau University campus in Longview, TX “stretching and blessing the next generation of leaders… to the glory of God.” Please pray for each person to be both learners and sharers of life experiences.

Leadership Tweaks

Two subtleties are understood by effective leaders.

1) Decisions are not commitments. The first is short-term, the second is long-term.

People decide short-term to work for a specific emphasis; long-term commitment is aimed at the ultimate purpose. Both are necessary. People committed only to the long-term vision and not to specific tasks will not accomplish much. The short-term commitment produces the activity.

Wise leaders know that when they get a decision, even a group decision, they have not gotten commitment. One of the worst mistakes a leader can make is getting a group to decide something they will not commit to. In the emotional moment of decision, you can assume they’re committed, but without full buy-in, things will fall apart.

2) Recognize the “driving wheels.” There’s a difference between people who provide the momentum in a group and those who just go along for the ride. Wise leaders know if they get the drivers committed, they will bring the others. Without the commitment of the driving wheels, the organization moves at an unsteady pace.

The best way to persuade them is not with emotion, but with comprehension. I first heard this from Jack Turpin, founder of Hallmark Electronics. In a speech on sustained excellence he remarked he had no lasting respect for short-term excellence. “Anybody who can achieve that level of performance should strive to sustain it.” It isn’t easy, but it is worthwhile… and productive.

He went on to say that the only way people will perform at this level over the long-term is through complete comprehension of what they are doing. A decision based on emotional fervor won’t last; a fully understood commitment will.

This means leaders must be honest about the vision, the effort necessary, and reasons for expending it. To motivate the “driving wheel” ask the question, “Do you agree this is something worth doing? If so, let’s commit to it together.”

This week think about: 1) How clear am I on the commitments in my life? 2) What are the long-term visions for my work, my family, my community? 3) Who can I help strengthen their sustained excellence?

Words of Wisdom: “A decision based on emotional fervor won’t last; a fully understood commitment will.”

Wisdom from the Word: “But I am full of the courage that the Lord’s Spirit gives, and have a strong commitment to justice.” (Micah 3:8(a) NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – February 14, 2017

Fred and Mary Alice had a sweet love story. Even though they met in 7th grade, they did not date until after graduation from Hume-Fogg High School in Nashville, TN. She worked behind the candy counter at the S.S. Kress store; he would go in, buy a small bag of candy and talk to her. She often talked about what she saw in him: “He had the desire and ability to make something of himself. He was the kind of man I wanted for a husband and for the father of my children.” An interesting twist: Years later Fred was named to the Corporate Board of S.S. Kress. He gave her the first directors’ check with this note: “The second sweetest thing I ever got from Kress.”

Leadership Clarity

A true leader is committed to the cause; a true leader does not become the cause.

Staying personally dedicated to the cause can become extremely difficult, particularly if the cause succeeds. A subtle change in thinking can overtake the leader of a successful operation. He or she begins “needing” certain things to carry out the work, whether business or ministry. Early on, the material necessities were minimal. With success too often comes the requirement of more. For example, I overheard a man saying, “How in the world did we ever get along without a company plane?” Success brought the redefinition of basic minimal requirements. It is good to step back and analyze the role of personal ego.

I see this in churches, as well, even though the signs are less visible. When the leader begins entertaining the thought, “What am I getting out of this?” the focus is shifting from the cause to the personal wants of the individual. The focus has become diffused. Other symptoms are professional marketing programs to “enhance the ministry,” time spent on personal visibility and recognition, denominational political progress, etc. The line between the ministry (cause) and the personality becomes blurred.

I greatly admire Mother Teresa of Calcutta. After winning the Nobel Peace Prize she decided she would not accept any further recognition. She was convinced it interfered with her work. She knew her calling and purpose was not to accept prizes and win acclaim. She was in the business of serving the poor of Calcutta. She knew what it would take to stay focused. It also kept her work untainted by political interests, who offered recognition and acclaim in exchange for being connected with her and her reputation.

Most of us leaders have an emotional block occasionally. We need to return to the vision, restate it to ourselves, and rekindle the spark. We must ask, “What is my purpose? Am I satisfying my ego through this ministry or sacrificing my ego to it?” Genuine leaders can say with Paul, “Follow me – as I follow Christ.”

This week think about: 1) What is my cause? 2) How clear am I on the purpose of my work? 3) What steps do I need to take to clarify my leadership?

Words of Wisdom: “A true leader is committed to the cause; a true leader does not become the cause.”

Wisdom from the Word: “I will give them a single-minded purpose to live in a way that always shows respect for me. They will want to do that for their own good and the good of the children who descend from them.” (Jeremiah 32:39 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – February 7, 2017

Fred appreciated Einstein’s words: “Things should be made as simple as possible, but not any simpler.” He liked bringing things to fundamental principles, but not creating pat formulas. He observed the intricacies of thought and enjoyed untangling ideas, so the artfulness of leadership appealed to him.

Thank you for your ongoing support of the Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institute. Your friendship through prayer and financial giving is appreciated.

Forget the Formulaic

There is no valid list of denominators for leaders – no formulas to follow. The ingredients vary in each situation. Sometimes, for instance, leaders must exhibit courage, yet at other times, their decisions are so obvious no courage is required.

I could list several “Traits of a Leader” but it would be like giving you a list of ingredients without giving the amounts or mixing directions. A bony skeleton has all the structure, but without the internal organs and flesh, it doesn’t resemble a human. Most lists are usually just intellectual exercises. You can go down the list, check the boxes, total the score and declare yourself a leader. But without the ability to put them together in an effective manner, leadership is still absent.

For example, one of the greatest requirements of a leader is knowledge of human nature. However, the application of that knowledge varies, depending on the activity. Napoleon was considered to be the greatest general because he was the master of human nature in war. This was the basis of his power. He knew how hard he could push, how far he could go, how much he could do with what he had. Ironically, he didn’t seem to have the same capacity for people knowledge when it came to politics.

Another example is Winston Churchill who showed tremendous leadership in the emergencies of World War II. When he tried to exert it afterwards, he failed. He understood the power of war-time leadership, but could not translate that into post-war success. There is no firm, constant hold on power – it is a delicate, artful balancing act.

Some people ask if leadership is innate or learned. I think it can be coached but never implanted. The great violinist Heifetz could be taught in the beginning days of his musical career. He learned the fundamentals: notes, rhythm, intonation, bowing, and fingering. As he developed he then needed a coach, not a teacher who taught the rudiments, but someone who fine tuned his skills and knowledge of the repertoire. As he became a world famous performer a great conductor remarked, “I can only tell him if he is doing what he told me he wants to do.”

I don’t believe you can make a leader out of someone without an innate sense of leadership. These skills show up early. You can watch three or four year olds and see those abilities demonstrated. With these innate abilities, circumstances and training will bring it out. The natural is a start, but needs the nurturing of development.

This week think about: 1) When did I first realize I was a leader? 2) How can I develop others? 3) What circumstances are most favorable for leadership development?

Words of Wisdom: “There is no firm, constant hold on power – it is a delicate, artful balancing act.”

Wisdom from the Word: “The discerning person acquires knowledge, and the wise person seeks knowledge.” (Proverbs 18:15 NET Bible)