Weekly Thought – February 25, 2025

Fred called them “one liners.” When the Breakfast With Fred Leadership Institute began the decision was made to create an archive on the website. They became the foundation of the “Fred Saids” tab. This week we feature 22 leadership focused wisdom bites. Select a few that can stick with you as a gift from Fred.

Fred Saids

1) Good leadership is not domination; it serves through mutual benefit.
2) True leaders have a uniqueness that must be recognized and utilized.
3) A true leader loves excellence.
4) Leaders are not capricious. They balance emotional drive and sound thinking.
5) Ultimately, it is the force of character that inspires others to follow with confidence.
6) Authority, but not responsibility can be delegated.
7) A leader knows to whom he/she can delegate and to whom work can only be assigned.
8) Whoever is under a leader’s direction should also be under the leader’s protection.
9) Leaders need the humility of simplicity… simplicity developed beyond complexity.
10) A leader must see the project as a whole, not just its parts. Sometimes, the love of a specialty must be sacrificed to the overall accomplishment of the vision.
11) Every decision should be evaluated considering risk versus reward. Long term winners play with the odds with them, not against them.
12) Leaders can be innovators or maintainers – one originates while the other stands for the status quo.
13) Those who want no fences are usually predators.
14) Humor can open even the most closed mind.
15) We express our values by our choices.
16) Speak to express, not impress.
17) Strong leaders never institute a policy they cannot enforce – it weakens the confidence of others.
18) It is good indeed when the passionate are right.
19) Intelligent leaders profit from their mistakes by not repeating them.
20) No sluggard can succeed in leadership.
21) No one is qualified to lead until the art of obedience is learned.
22) Leadership consists of getting people to work with you, and not just for you.

This week think about: 1) Which of these strike a chord and can be applied this week? 2) How can I use these thoughts to develop others? 3) What questions would I ask Fred if we were having breakfast?

Words of Wisdom: This week just pick a favorite.

Wisdom from the Word: “This also comes from the Lord of hosts. He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.” (Isaiah 28:29 ESV)

Weekly Thought – February 18, 2025

Fred carefully studied leaders of all generations, reading biographies and engaging in conversations. He stayed current and “in the loop” as he frequently said. One of his favorite “Fred Saids” was: “Principles never change – just the illustrations.” These words were written in the late 1990s… timely and timeless example of his comment.

Standing Steadfast

I heard writer Chaim Potok say “a true leader is never absorbed in the stream in which he swims.” Scripture calls this being transformed rather than conformed.

Our society is facing many positions that require challenge and clarification. For example, relativism, situational ethics, personal responsibility versus rights, acquisition and distribution of wealth, equality, political expediency, peer pressure and self-love as expressed in image and significance.

Values and ethics have become a hot subject… almost to the point of becoming a cultural fad. Big philanthropic dollars are flowing to think tanks to study the topic; colleges are establishing departments to investigate their impact; and writers are prolifically cranking out page after page for best seller lists.

I once spoke to a conference built around the theme of “values based leadership.” Everything said was well and good, but I felt I needed to point out we need to ground our human values in divine virtues or we end up being controlled by our human desires, vacillating according to our human interests.

True authenticity requires the foundation of virtue (which is scriptural) not just values manufactured in convenience and social exigency. We need to build on God.

Just as Newton did not create gravity, but discovered it, so we cannot create true virtues. We can discover them and make them the bedrock of our value system. We must always be careful not to sacrifice on the altar of popular acceptance and current thought. Values without virtues are barren.

This week think about: 1) How often do I sacrifice Biblical virtues for cultural values? 2) What role am I to play in calling my sphere of influence to transformation, not conformation? 3) Who defines steadfast contemporary moral, Biblical stands?

Words of Wisdom: “Values without virtues are barren.”

Wisdom from the Word: “And to all these virtues add love, which is the perfect bond.” (Colossians 3:14 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – February 11, 2025

Fred believed leaders made decisions which determined the character of their organizations. He reminded groups of leaders that they could never make exceptions for themselves. They were responsible to make sure decisions were in line with the values and mission of the organization.

Character Counts

Decision makers hold the responsibility for disciplined choices and direction. In considering this aspect of leadership it is critical to look at the undisciplined, not just the well-disciplined. Here are a few of the poor drivers which result in poor decisions.

1) Trying to maintain control. Some organizations create structures for personal, not for leadership development. Generally, the control driven leader is self-serving. Dictators do not develop great succession plans.
2) Trying to outdo the competition. Heathy competition is one part of the infrastructure of commerce, but conniving, fraudulent practices to undercut and undermine others makes for bad decisions.
3) Refusing to admit mistakes. Effective leaders must name and claim mistakes as quickly as possible. The loss must be minimized and the remedial actions must begin immediately. Denying mistakes does not work for real leaders.
4) Hiring or promoting people based on politics. A leader’s first question should be: “Will this person and or move help the organization to fulfill the mission?” The wrong question always is: “will this person and or move vote my way or forward my personal goals?”

True tested, disciplined character is required for the building and leading of an organization with honesty, integrity, and purpose. Disciplined decisions avoid rationalizations, irresponsible and self-serving choices.

This week carefully consider: 1) When have I let personal goals allow an undisciplined decision? 2) How can I help others avoid these pitfalls? 3) What safeguards have I established to ensure my character holds even under the fiercest fire?

Words of Wisdom: “Strong, effective leaders understand that exceptions to organizational values are unacceptable – even for themselves.”

Wisdom from the Word: “For you know yourselves how you must imitate us, because we did not behave without discipline among you.” (2 Thessalonians 3:7 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – February 4, 2025

Fred appreciated talented leadership. He studied them, and spent time associating with strong men and women always learning. He particularly liked the thinking of Max DePree, founder of Herman Miller Furniture Company and author of Leadership Jazz. Fred often quoted DePree: “The number one responsibility of top management is to define reality.”

Following the Mandate

Once the leader defines reality, sets the vision, and gathers a consensus around the mission the organization can move forward with the mandate: “designing programs, recruiting, culture, and an operational strategy. It is key to decide what the business or ministry will and will not do.

1) Loyalty to the mandate, not the leader is critical. The leader must say “I am subservient to the mandate; you don’t serve me. Your job isn’t to make me happy. And don’t keep me in charge unless I fulfill the mandate.”
2) Narrow the focus. There needs to be specificity in the mandate. It should not be possible to interpret a mandate except in a narrow sense. That discipline enables the leader to set boundaries within which programs are developed.
3) Create the right team. When a leader is sure of the mandate, he or she can create a more effective team. The proper team can generally be selected by the fit with the mandate.
4) Call is different from mandate. Mandate is institutional; calling is personal. A leader needs to have a clear sense of call and the dedication to serve effectively. A continuing measure of a leader’s call against the organizational mandate ensures the proper fit.

As leaders think about the mandate for their organizations, they should remember: the simplest way it can be accomplished is the most effective. Organizations tend to let what they do become too complicated. Albert Einstein once said, “God does what He does in its simplest form.” Einstein again counseled “Make things as simple as possible, but no simpler.”

Define the reality and bring it to life.

This week stop to think about: 1) Where do I tend to move from simplicity? 2) How clear am I on the difference between my personal calling and my organization’s mandate? 3) Who models putting ego satisfaction away?

Words of Wisdom: “Call is different from mandate. Call is personal; mandate is institutional.”

Wisdom from the Word: “I heard the voice of the Lord say, ‘Whom will I send? Who will go on our behalf?’ I answered, ‘Here I am, send me!’” (Isaiah 6:8 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – January 28, 2025

Fred followed the principle: strong leaders identify patterns of behavior in their associates, especially those who are close to them. He had a God-given ability to read people; he spent his life developing and using the gift in order to “stretch others” which was his goal.

People Patterns

I have found helpful to employ people in the area of their gifts and passions. When you do this you only have to correlate their gifts and their work, not supervise them. In furthering this process I want to know:

1) Character: How a person uses his or her intelligence, and gifts is determined by their character. An executive friend of mine had a sign on his desk: “You can trust me to be who I say I will do and I will do what I say I will do.”
2) Confidence: It allows a person to attempt a task with a positive attitude and concentration. The lack of concentration is often disastrous.
3) Concept of self: I am not talking about self-image, but self-worth. This factor is related to the willingness to accept responsibility and self-development.
4) Collegial skills: The ability to operate effectively with teams is important. Loners can be stars, but they seldom flourish on teams. Understanding whether a person is cooperative or competitive under which conditions and circumstances makes a difference.
5) Commitment: The loyalty to the organization’s vision makes a person a good fit in addition to their skills and passions.

This “people reading discernment” is particularly important as measured by the size of the organization. One person out of place in a group of 100 represents 1%; the wrong person in the wrong place in a group of five represents 20%.

Understanding behavior is the key to peak performance. Reading people is essential to effective leadership.

This week carefully consider: 1) How do I evaluate those in my business, community service, or friends? 2) Which area is my strongest? Weakest? 3) What plans do I have to continue growing in discernment?

Words of Wisdom: “Strong leaders identify patterns of behavior.”

Wisdom from the Word: “For wisdom will enter your heart, and moral knowledge will be attractive to you.” (Proverbs 2:10 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – December 31, 2024

Fred “broke out in hives” (as he would say) when being manipulated. He highly regarded his good friend Zig Ziglar whose healthy motivation helped hundreds of thousands during Zig’s lifetime. Those who “worked others over to get their own way” received no applause from Fred.

Walking the Fine Line

We all agree motivation is good and manipulation is bad. But sometimes only a fine line separates the two, and it’s difficult to always know which side you’re on. The issues aren’t always clear-cut – what may be a legitimate case of motivation in one situation could, with a different intent, be manipulation.

For example, Mary Alice hid eggplant in a casserole to introduce it to me knowing I said I would never eat it. I complimented her dinner preparation: “This new dish is really good. What is it?” When she told me I had to decide if I was being motivated, or manipulated. Her motivation was a key factor. And besides, it really was good!

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 for manipulation.” He was saying unless you are satisfying someone’s thirst, you are probably on the wrong side of the line. I can motivate with integrity because I am bringing to consciousness a genuine thirst.

I was motivated in my appreciation of Dixieland music, for example by Senator S.I. Hayakawa. He was an absolute authority. During one evening we began a discussion about the subtleties. He played on my intellectual interest to attract me to Dixieland. Later I realized that he, an excellent teacher and semanticist, had instilled a deeper interest.

At no time during our conversation did he expect my compliments on his teaching skills. He never said, “I’m going to try to intrigue you.” He simply intrigued me. He saw the thirst. He motivated and enlivened an interest I already had. He deepened it.

This week consider: 1) How clear am I on the distinction between motivation and manipulation? 2) Who has recognized thirst in me and motivated me to grow? 3) When am I tempted to slide into manipulation?

Words of Wisdom: “I can motivate with integrity because I am bringing to consciousness a genuine thirst.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Take note of the one who has integrity. Observe the upright. For the one who promotes peace has a future.” (Psalm 37:37 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – December 24, 2024

Fred, as a young man, received his early corporate experience at General Shoe Corporation (GENESCO) in the personnel department. His understanding of human behavior was soon recognized and gave him opportunities to quickly advance. The efficacy of training was a particular expertise. This week’s piece offers excellent counsel for trainers.

Criteria for Effective Training

In every aspect of business it is important to establish measurements. This is especially true for those responsible for training. Here are five questions I have found to be helpful in evaluation.

1) Is this job fitting well with his or her talents? If the answer is no, then I have little possibility of maximizing the person’s potential. It is my job to make sure job, talents, and temperament mesh. For example, putting a loner into a team operation will grind the gears long term.

2) How much willingness to do the job am I seeing? I watch to see if the person is basically enthusiastic about opportunity. If the job is simply something to fill time and provide a paycheck, I don’t expect much.

3) How consistent is the person’s effort? Sporadic effort is not what I want. A friend once told me, “The amateur plays well when he feels like it; the pro performs well whether he feels like it or not.” Long-term, consistent, day-in, day-out effort is what pays off in an organization.

4) What are the objective results? A lot of people give activity, talk, and excuses but produce little. Some get by for years without really producing. I know a man who is regularly praised. When I asked what specifically was highly regarded. “Oh, he’s got personality. He is such a likable guy.” But bottom line: he has never produced anything.

5) Is this person willing to be evaluated? I am not going to spend time developing somebody who resists having his results measured. Those who let me know they are self-evaluated and refuse feedback are not candidates for upward progress.

This week think carefully about: 1) How can I apply these questions in my work, my parenting, my community/church relationships? 2) Which question is most helpful in my current situation? 3) What can I do to help someone who is growing?

Words of Wisdom: “Long-term, consistent, day-in, day-out effort is what pays off in an organization.”

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)