Peter Drucker, who is one of the best known and influential thinkers on the subject of management theory and practice once said, “culture eats strategy for breakfast”.
Of the many attributes a leader brings to their organization, the culture they cultivate could be one of the most important. The work ethic you exhibit, the moral compass you live by, the class you display, and the kindness that you offer all say a lot about you as a person. Your people are watching you.
In reviewing the book, Leadership from 30,000 feet, I was reminded of the five “C’s of leadership. Compassion, competence, commitment, courage, and character. This book is an easy read, written by five retired United States Air Force General Officers. The following few paragraphs are my take on their five “C”s.
Compassion- does your organization cultivate a culture of compassion? Do your leaders give back to the profession to which they belong?
Do your people belong to service organizations in your community so that they have an opportunity to give back?
If not, you may want to develop a strategy to integrate your folks better into their community and encourage them to be a bigger part of the place where they live, recreate, worship and work.
Competence- does your organization encourage people to become better at their jobs and responsibilities? Does it value and promote continuing education and professionalism to better represent your organization’s commitment to excellence? If not, you may want to develop a strategy to help encourage your folks to be better educated and prepared to perform their responsibilities at home and work.
Commitment- has your organization made an agreement with its employees and volunteers to make their jobs better and more enjoyable for them. When you commit to your team, they know it and respond. They want to do better and to be better. If you have not made this commitment, you should consider a strategy to be a better leader for them and your business. Try to teach them how to be more committed to themselves, their families, and your business.
Courage- does your business have the courage to try new and untried ways to do things? Is there a leader in your organization that is constantly pushing the edge of the envelop by looking at your processes and methods to better perform and accomplish your organizational goals? If not, you may want to cultivate a culture of courage based on how your team works together to try new things, even though some of those efforts may fail.
Character- does your organization have the character to work towards the goals and objectives you have clearly set forth? Character starts at the top. Do you take shortcuts in how you do business deals? Do you treat all your clients and customers equally and fairly? Everyone in your organization is watching the person at the top.
If your character is wanting, you will have a difficult time earning their respect. If you lack integrity, do you have a plan to make the necessary changes to develop the character and integrity that is so vital to your company’s success?
I encourage you to get a copy of our book “Leadership from 30,000 Feet” to learn more about the 5 attributes of strong leaders based on the stories of my colleagues at Two Blue Aces. It’s an easy read and includes simple ‘takeaways’ at the end of each chapter.
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