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Here are several leadership lessons and professional advice from my career, Part 1

Earlier this month, I was invited to participate in a podcast recording with one of my good colleagues, Jim Donnely. Jim is the host of the Intelligence Career Conversations. This podcast explores various aspects of intelligence and national security careers, including insights from experienced professionals, advice on career paths and educational requirements, and discussions on current trends and challenges, including talent acquisition and retention. In this blog, I am sharing a link to the podcast for anyone who wants to hear it. I am also providing the text of our conversation, which includes several leadership lessons and professional advice. We covered a lot during the interview, so I am including part 1 in this blog. Part 2 will come later. I hope you enjoy this special edition of All The Leadership!

My career summary in a few sentences

Jim started the episode with a short introduction.

Welcome to the ICC podcast. I am your host, Jim Donnely. Today, I want to welcome Doug Keating to the podcast. Doug is Vice President of business development for the national security technology company Vibrint. After graduating from the University of Virginia, Doug served as an Army Officer in numerous leadership positions for over a decade before transitioning into the private sector in 2001. He worked at several great companies supporting the Intelligence Community for the past two decades, including Accenture, Booz Allen Hamilton, and Microsoft, as a technology leader before joining Vibrint. Five years ago, Doug founded All The Way Leadership!, which focuses on training the next generation of leaders to make the world a better place.

Next, we discussed a series of questions about my career. Below are Jim’s questions and my responses, with some slight editing.

Q1. How did you get started in the Intelligence/National Security space? 

I am happy to share my story about joining the Intelligence Community. Let’s go back a few decades. My last day in the military was 1 Sep 2001. As we all know, shortly thereafter, the unthinkable happened. Our country was viciously attacked by terrorists on 9/11, a day we will never forget. I knew returning to the military would be difficult, especially since I had just moved my family with two young sons to the NOVA region. Instead, I decided that I would serve the nation through private industry. A few years later, Bill Webner, my boss at Booz Allen, offered me an opportunity to become highly cleared and support the Intelligence Community. I said hell yes, count me in, and have been a member of the IC since then. It is hard to believe it has been two decades.

My inspiration for joining the IC was 9/11/2001.

Q2. Tell us about your current role.

I am a Vice President of Business Development and Growth for Vibrint. Since I doubt many of your listeners have heard of Vibrint before, let me give a two-sentence description of the company since we are relatively new. Vibrint helps sustain the mission advantage of the national security community. We uniquely combine two proven technology firms integrating products and services to support the national security mission.

Q3. What excites you most about this organization?

I am inspired by the vision our CEO, Tom Lash, has for Vibrint. We want to be the next great national security company, and we will be. It is a great place to work. We help advance the IC mission in novel and impactful ways. As a technology leader, I am pleased that Vibrint is developing solutions for the IC using advanced commercial technologies like high-performance computing, AI, quantum computing, and LiFi. Check out our website to learn more at www.vibrint.com.

Q4. What professional experiences led you to your current position?

At Vibrint, we are focused on delivering solutions that may include both products and services. We send a trend in the government. More customers are using commercial technology. I have over a decade of experience in the government services sector with Booz Allen and, more recently, spent several years at MSFT, one of the world’s leading technology product companies. Those experiences and my military background serve me well in my current role.

I learned a lot about commercial technology products at Microsoft.

Q5. How did your education/degree impact your career trajectory?

At the end of my military career, I pursued a master’s degree in management information systems while serving as an Army ROTC instructor at my alma mater, UVA. This degree is designed to train future technology leaders, and it was the perfect academic preparation for launching me into the private sector. Over the past two decades, I’ve worked with several Chief Information Officers (CIOs) and other technology leaders across the IC on many transformational technologies, such as cloud computing, big data, and cybersecurity.

I learned a lot from McIntire professors like Ryan Nelson.

Q6. What would you advise students and early-to-mid careerists considering advanced degrees or certifications?

Certifications are a no-brainer. If you need them, get them. Any investment you make in growing your expertise is a wise choice. I would encourage anyone who wants to become a senior leader to pursue an advanced degree. In my case, having an advanced degree accelerated my career progression.

Regarding advice, I recommend that you don’t wait until you are old like me. Obtaining an advanced degree takes a lot of time and energy. It can be grueling. It helps to be young, primarily if you work full-time and have a family like I did when I completed my master’s degree. I was an Army Captain in my early 30s when I received my MS in MIS from UVA. I cannot imagine pursuing a Master’s degree at this point in my career. It would take more than I have to give at this point.

My Company Commander photo - circa 1998. — My Company Commander photo – circa 1998.

Q7. How did your time in the Army prepare you for your civilian career?

I truly enjoyed my time in the Army. It was an honor and privilege to serve in our military. I learned a lot about the world and leadership as an Army officer. My worldview expanded greatly when I lived in Europe, deployed to Bosnia multiple times, and spent time in Ukraine in the mid-1990s. Both Bosnia and Ukraine were eye-opening experiences for me.

Also, the Army did an excellent job developing my leadership skills. I was fortunate early in my career. My first duty assignment was in the 82d Airborne Division. As a young officer, I was surrounded by phenomenal leaders for four years. The best practices I learned from those leaders have paid huge dividends. One of the reasons I created All The Way Leadership! was to pass along what I learned since many companies do not have mature leadership training programs for their employees—especially small companies, which are usually limited due to resource constraints.

I learned a lot about leadership in the 82d Airborne Division.

Q8. What do you wish you would have known before transitioning from the military to the civilian world?

My transition went well. I decided to leave the Army after a decade rather than stay for 20 or more years and retire. I took a risk when I placed a big bet on myself by paying for my advanced degree and taking on a large student loan. A few family members and mentors thought it was a bad idea at the time and advised me to stay in the military until I could retire. I am glad I did not listen to them. It has paid off. I learned from that experience that the best bet you can make is on yourself.

Paying for my advanced degree at UVA was a wise decision.

Q9. What do you find rewarding about contributing to the mission of the IC from the private sector?

The IC’s mission is to keep America and its citizens safe in ways other parts of the government cannot. I find it rewarding to support a mission that will ensure our nation thrives and that something like 9/11 never happens again. It is a noble cause. I am a proud member of the IC and plan to stay for many more years.

Q10. How does contributing to the mission differ from Private to Public?

Some responsibilities are performed only by government staff. That is the way it should be. The private sector supports them. I have heard some people say that there is no difference between blue- and green-badged staff. I disagree. Yes- I get the point they are trying to make about collaboration and integration of the workforce. We all must work together to advance the mission. It is essential for success. However, there are differences between these two components of the IC workforce. If there weren’t, we would all wear the same color badge.

Q11. Can you talk about a career pivot point since you started your career in the private sector?

Yes – leaving Booz Allen for MSFT was a colossal career pivot for me. I enjoyed working at Booz Allen. The firm was full of great people, challenging work, and wonderful clients. I had spent over 15 years there. That’s longer than my Army career. It is hard to imagine leaving when you have worked somewhere that long. However, I noticed that my career was not progressing. Also, I had hit a significant milestone birthday, the big 50, and felt like the shot clock was running out. I reached out to a Senior Partner, Mike Thomas, for guidance. He gave me sage advice.

Mike told me the harsh reality that I needed to hear. Finding leadership roles as you grow older does not get easier; it gets harder. Mike recommended I take some time off to focus on my future direction. So that is what I did. I spent a wonderful week alone in Catalonia, Spain, exploring the region while mapping out my future. During that trip, I decided to leave Booz Allen. After I returned, Microsoft reached out about a role that was the perfect fit for my background. A funny thing happened after I left. Several Booz Allen staff reached out asking about my pivot. I passed along Mike’s advice. It is wise counsel.

Q12. What would you advise them if you were talking to someone in college or just starting their career and wanting to pursue a career in your field?

I used to support the Booz Allen Summer Games Intern program, which was excellent. Every year, I spent time with aspiring college students, which was a tangible reminder that younger generations don’t think like me. I will offer a snippet of advice that I gave them here. First and foremost, become the best version of yourself that you can be. College is ideal for figuring yourself out. What is your personality, and what are your strengths and weaknesses? There are many tools available that can help, like the Big Five personality test or strengths finder assessment.

The Booz Allen Summer Games Intern Program is excellent.

Q13. What disciplines or specialties do you believe will be in high demand soon?

I will put a slight twist on this question and talk about one emerging technology that will impact the IC in a big way—quantum computing. Our CEO, Tom Lash, is passionate about this topic. He recently wrote about it. He believes quantum computing is advancing faster than many realize, so we should prepare accordingly, especially regarding quantum-safe encryption and workforce skills. I agree and hope we don’t have the same growing pains the IC experienced with cloud computing. If you are an expert in quantum computing with a high-level clearance, I believe you will have a job for quite some time working in the IC.

Q14. What is the best career advice you received? 

Let me pass along some of the best career advice I received from one of my mentors, Gary Cubbage. I bet most of your listeners are high performers who want to grow, move ahead, and advance their careers. Let’s discuss a simple recipe for success working in the IC.

While at Booz Allen, I was selected to lead a struggling program. The team was about 50 people who worked full-time at an IC customer site. I went to Gary for advice on getting the program back on track. Gary said the best way to improve the program was to make the customer successful by doing the hard things required to solve their mission problems. Simple equation: do hard things + solve tough problems = mission success. So that is what we did. I worked with an awesome team of super-smart people to deliver mission success. We worked hard and loved it. Fast forward five years – the program tripled in size and was thriving. It sounds basic, almost too basic, but it works. Make your customer successful if you want to be successful.

I had many helpful mentors at Booz Allen.

Q15. What is the worst career advice you received?

Over the years, I have received a fair amount of bad career advice. There is no need for me to pass it along to others. It is better to focus on the good, not the bad.

ATW! will make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise the next generation of leaders. The world desperately needs more great leaders—women and men who lead confidently, clearly, and creatively. It’s time to become the leader your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!

Great leaders finish the year on a high note with a strong last quarter

Have you looked at the calendar recently? It is already October. If you are a leader with annual goals, you only have one quarter left to accomplish them. The clock is ticking on both your professional and personal yearly goals. There are less than 100 days until the year ends, which is not much time. It is time to pick up the pace if you are already behind in making suitable progress on your goals. Let’s discuss a tool to help you finish the year on a high note with a solid last quarter—no time to waste. It is time for you to complete a quarterly preview.

How is 2024 going so far?

It is hard to believe that 2024 is already almost over. You may be scratching your head, wondering where the time went. The main question worth pondering is how 2024 is going for you. If you are like me, you have made solid progress on some of your goals for the year. Unfortunately, it is not all good news. I have made little to no progress on several goals. Well, it is time to do something about that. Michael Hyatt’s quarterly preview is the perfect choice to determine your focus for the final quarter. If you have never heard of Michael Hyatt, check out this previous blog post.

What is a quarterly preview?

Michael Hyatt created the Full Focus Planner and the system you use to get the most from it. I use the planner and will not detail how it works. Instead, I will describe one of the critical components of his system—the quarterly preview. The quarterly preview allows leaders to reflect on the quarter before and prepare for the one ahead. It is not an overly complex activity, but it does take over an hour to complete. The best way to describe the quarterly preview is to walk you through the process. This blog is timely since the next quarter starts soon.

How do you complete a quarterly preview?

Completing a quarterly preview has six primary steps, which are described below. If you use the Full Focus Planner, there are pages in the back for these steps.

Write down your top wins. Start your quarterly preview positively by listing your wins from the previous three months. What is a win? Anything that went well.
Measure your progress against your goals. Review your goals and honestly assess your progress. This step is crucial for making adjustments.
Evaluate how your quarter went. Think about the various things that happened during the last 90 days. Ponder questions like what worked? What didn’t and why?
Make adjustments for the next quarter. You want to keep doing successful activities and change what did not work. You may also need to modify some of your goals. More about that in a moment.
Look at your calendar for the next three months. It is essential to look ahead and see what activities you have planned. If you have schedule conflicts, now is the time to fix them, not later. Keep an eye out for weeks or months that are completely packed. Remember that the last 90 days of the year usually include many holidays.
Identify your top 3 goals for the next quarter. This step is the most important. Take time to identify the three most critical upcoming activities.

So it is clear—you do not need a Full Focus Planner to execute your preview. You can use whatever planner or system works best for you. Some leaders may prefer a digital format, while others like analog. I write down the results of my preview in my Full Focus Planner. It helps me remember them for future reference and track my progress during the year’s final three months.

A quarterly weekly preview helps you focus on the future.

The most important result of this preview is your top three goals. These activities are your top priorities for the last 90 days of the year. They will help you determine the best way to invest your time. You may want to postpone or delay an annual goal to 2025 if you do not have time to focus on it. It is better to achieve a few goals than stretch yourself thin by trying to accomplish too much. If you are struggling because you have too much on your plate, your top three goals let you focus on what matters most and finish the year on a strong note.

If you chase two rabbits, you will catch neither.

Confuscious

How do you use this powerful leadership tool?

There are two significant benefits of the quarterly preview. First, it enables you to reflect and analyze your results from the previous quarter. You can learn, improve, and make adjustments for the next quarter. It is terrible for you as a leader if you have a rough quarter and do nothing to course-correct your path forward. The second benefit is that this tool prepares you for the quarter ahead. You know what is coming, have thought about it beforehand, and created plans. This proactive approach is intentional and better than responding to events as they unfold without considering what deserves your attention for the rest of the year.

What is the hardest part of the quarterly preview?

If this tool is so effective, you may wonder why more leaders don’t leverage it. There are three reasons why. First, some leaders do not know about the quarterly preview. Second, some leaders prefer to spend all their time future-focused rather than processing the past. They feel it wastes time doing something like the quarterly preview. Third and most importantly, conducting a quarterly preview takes time. You invest more than an hour or two in your quarterly preview. It might take up an entire afternoon if you had a tough quarter or are far behind on your annual goals. However, it is an intelligent way to start the final quarter and end the year on a high note.

Take time to reflect every quarter – it is a worthwhile activity.

ATW! will make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

Three more takeaways from my episode on the Kind Leadership podcast

Last month, I was invited to participate in a podcast recording with one of my good colleagues, Gino DeGregori. Gino is the host of the Kind Leadership Podcast. He is on a quest to redefine leadership through the lens of empathy, compassion, and integrity. I enjoyed the conversation immensely and wholeheartedly agree with Gino that we need more kind leaders worldwide. In my last blog, I shared a link to the podcast for anyone who wants to hear it and three key takeaways from our discussion. This time, I am highlighting three more takeaways from the podcast. I hope you enjoy this special edition of All The Leadership!

Takeaway #1 – kind leaders know how to handle crucial conversations

As a leader, you will face difficult times and even crises. How you act during these tough times matters a lot. People will remember what you were like when the pressure was on. Here are three strategies for how to handle these situations.

Always treat all people with dignity and respect, especially during a difficult time. Demeaning a fellow human being in the workplace is never okay. Please don’t do it!
Keep your cool. There is no need to yell or let loose on someone. No one likes jerks.
Learn how to handle crucial conversations – take a class, read a book, and prepare beforehand.

The more senior you are, the more important this skill becomes. You want to be at your best when it matters the most. I am amazed at how many seasoned leaders I have worked with who did not properly prepare for crucial conversations. They tried to wing it, but it rarely turned out well. Kind leaders handle difficult times and crises well. Mean leaders don’t. The opposite happens – they get meaner, which makes everyone miserable. Don’t be a mean leader. It does not work.

Read this book if you don’t know how to handle a crucial conversation.

Takeaway #2 – kind leaders bring positive energy

Kind leadership has a direct positive impact on both culture and employee engagement. The best-performing organization I have worked in had kind leaders who created positive company cultures. Kind leaders bring positive energy—you can feel it. Consider what it is like when any leader enters the room or joins a call. Does the energy go up? If so, it is likely a kind leader. It is not the same with mean leaders. They bring negative energy, and people don’t want to spend time in their presence.

People do not enjoy being in meetings with mean leaders.

Kind and nice leaders are not the same thing

During the podcast, I mentioned that I appreciate that Gino named his show The Kind Leader, not the nice leader. I believe there are many misconceptions about kind leadership. Some people think that to be a kind leader, you must be nice to everyone, highly emotive, soft, and squishy. Yikes. That sounds horrible to me, and it is not what kind leadership is about.

Some leaders are known to be both kind and tough.

Kind leaders can be tough

I served with many tough leaders in the Army, such as paratroopers, rangers, and special forces soldiers. These leaders were badasses. Some mistakingly believe these leaders are constantly yelling and screaming at their followers because of the intense requirements of these units. The opposite is true. The toughest leaders I knew were also the kindest leaders. Was there yelling and screaming? Yes – on a rare occasion. Usually, that method was used only in certain training scenarios or for safety reasons. The norm was kind leadership.

This style of leadership is not the norm in the military.

Takeaway #3 – Three tips for aspiring leaders

I supported the excellent Booz Allen Intern program for years. Every summer, I spent time with aspiring college students, which was a real reminder that younger generations don’t think like me. Many times, they would ask about becoming a leader. I will offer the same advice I gave them regarding aspiring leaders.

Master your craft – If you want to become a great leader, start learning about it now. Don’t wait until you are put into a leadership role. There are a ton of resources available these days. Take advantage of them. It will set you apart from the rest of the crowd.
Become the best version of yourself—invest some time figuring yourself out. Things like—what is your personality, what are your strengths, what are your weaknesses. I believe that the most challenging person to lead is yourself. Why should anyone follow you if you cannot lead yourself?
Get real experience – the thing you lack the most as a new leader is leadership experience. Go out of your way to get a broad set of experiences and find a good mentor to help show you the right way.

Some days the hardest person to lead is the one in the mirror.

Why I started All The Way Leadership!

It is not often that I get asked why I created All The Way Leadership! I launched the company and this blog five years ago for three reasons.

I believe we are in the middle of a global leadership crisis. We lack the leaders to deal with many of the world’s major challenges today. That needs to change.
Many companies and organizations lack the time and resources to invest in leadership training, a particularly vexing challenge for small companies.
Several peers lacked a fundamental understanding of leadership and regularly made basic mistakes. No one ever explained the basic principles of leadership that I learned in the military early in my career.

I was privileged to start my career serving my country as a US Army Officer in the 82nd Airborne Division. While there, I learned a lot from world-class leaders. Much of the content I create for All The Way Leadership! is from my military experience.

ATW! will make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!

The most important lesson this veteran learned serving with Army Paratroopers

A few years ago I was asked at work to share my perspective as an Army veteran. The presentation I gave described the most important lesson I learned serving with paratroopers. It received a lot of positive feedback. Therefore, I thought it would be useful to share the content here.

This video includes the presentation I gave at work.

My family is full of paratroopers

I spent over a decade serving as an Officer in the US Army. I learned a lot in the Army, especially during my first tour with the 82nd Airborne Division. The division was created in World War I. It is a famous unit with a storied history. It also has a special place in my family’s heritage. My father served in the 82nd Airborne after graduating from West Point. It was his first duty assignment as an Infantry Officer. He reported to Fort Bragg in 1956.

My father served multiple tours at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

I followed in my father’s footsteps

Many years later I followed in my father’s footsteps. I joined the 82nd in 1991 as an Infantry Officer. My first assignment was as a rifle platoon leader in Bravo Company, 1/325 Airborne Infantry Regiment. After that role, I transferred to the Signal Corps and joined the 82nd Signal Battalion. I served as a Signal Node Platoon Leader and Division Assault Command Post Platoon Leader. Yes – I was a platoon leader three different times. I finished my time at Bragg as a Company Executive Officer.

Photo from my promotion ceremony circa 1994.

Leaders jump first then other paratroopers follow

Lesson one – leaders go out the door first. The 82nd has a unique culture, full of traditions that have been created over the years. One tradition regarding their leaders is that they jump first during airborne operations. This tradition started back in WWII. What does that mean – leaders jump first. The most senior leader of any airborne operation will go out the door first, before anyone else. For example, if the Commander of the 82d (a two-star general) is part of a jump, he will jump first followed by the rest of the paratroopers.

Leaders jump first to show their commitment to the mission.

This tradition dates back to World War II

During WWII legendary commanders like Matthew Ridgway and James Gavin jumped and fought alongside their paratroopers. No cushy office for them. This act is not one of privilege, but rather of leadership in action. This tradition visibly shows all the paratroopers in the plane that you are willing to lead them by going first. The 82nd expects danger when they jump into combat. Its leaders are expected to face this danger first. This tradition demonstrates that the leaders are willing to do what they are asking their followers to do. It is a powerful way to show others that I am with you and fully committed, just like you.

General James Gavin getting ready to jump before Normandy.

A personal example of this lesson from my time with paratroopers

I learned this lesson firsthand while serving as the Division Assault CP Platoon Leader. My platoon’s mission was to support the Division Command Group with communications capabilities. We jumped in the radio equipment that the Division Commander and other senior leaders used on the drop zone during airborne operations. Many times we jumped from the same plane as the Commander. He would go out the door first, followed by his Aide, and then members of my platoon. For larger airborne operations that involved many planes, my platoon would be split into small groups and jump from several different aircraft. We would be one of the first to leave the plane so that we could land near the command group members.

Mike Steele - 82nd Airborne Division Commander. He served with my father in Vietnam. — Mike Steele – 82nd Airborne Division Commander that I supported. Great man. He served with my father in Vietnam.

Jumping into Puerto Rico was an adventure

I remember one mission where jumping first was somewhat troubling to me. For this operation, we were jumping into Puerto Rico. The drop zone was not big so we jumped from C-130s. The Division Commander was on the first airplane. I was on the second plane and would be the first jumper from that aircraft. Everything en route went fine. As we approached Puerto Rico, the Jumpmaster gave me the command to “stand in the door”. That means I am positioned in the door, waiting for the jump light to turn green. When it does, you jump.

A paratrooper jumping out of a perfectly good airplane.

Waiting can feel like an eternity

Usually, you stand in the door for less than 30 seconds. As you stand in the door of a C-130 you can see out of the aircraft. When I looked out I noticed a potential problem – all water, no land. I am a good swimmer, but I certainly did not want to experience a water landing. I peered at the jump light – it was still red. Thank God. I watched and waited, hoping that the light would not turn green until we were over land. I kept waiting for what seemed like an eternity.

Jumping at night can be particularly frightening.

Paratroopers jump when the light finally turns green

Eventually, I saw the land, then the drop zone. Next came the green light, and I jumped, followed by my fellow paratroopers. What I learned later was that the jumpmasters decided to put the first jumpers in the door earlier than normal because there was real concern that all the jumpers would not be able to exit the aircraft in time because the drop zone was so small. They did not want any paratrooper to miss the drop zone and have to ride all the way back to Fort Bragg.

Paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne jump from C-130 Hercules aircraft during a mass-tactical airborne training exercise which included over a thousand paratroopers. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod) — 82nd paratroopers jump from C-130 Hercules aircraft during a mass-tactical airborne training exercise which included over a thousand paratroopers. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Michael J. MacLeod)

Reflecting on the lesson I learned during this operation

After the operation was complete I thought to myself what would have happened if the light had turned green while we were still over water. I knew the answer – I would have jumped. I would have done what paratroopers have been trained to do for decades. The light turns green, and then you jump. I could not turn to the paratrooper behind me and say why don’t you go first, it looks kind of dangerous with all that water.

Jumping into an airfield can also be dangerous – lots of pavement.

Leading from the rear is not an option

No – I had been trained as a leader in the 82d that you jump first, and deal with whatever happens next. You lead from the front, not from the rear. That lesson has served me well in many other situations. Sometimes when I find myself in a somewhat scary situation I think of my days in the 82nd, and what it taught me as a leader. You go out the door first.

The reality is that the only way change comes is when you lead by example.
Anne Wojcicki

Are you ready to go out the door first?

What about you? Are you ready to go out the door first? Are you fully committed to the mission of the team you lead? I hope so. If you are committed and competent others will follow you. If for no other reason than to see what happens. Not that kind of leader? Don’t be surprised if your team members are reluctant to follow you. None of us like working for someone who does not lead by example. Don’t be that guy. Instead, be the kind of leader who goes out the door first.

The place for a general in battle is where he can see the battle and get the odor of it in his nostrils. There is no substitute for the general being seen.
General James Gavin, 82nd Airborne Division Commander during WWII

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

Are you ready to be a strong leader in the post-pandemic world?

Being a leader is difficult. It was particularly challenging during the recent global pandemic. All leaders struggled to identify the best path forward as the world dealt with the COVID-19 virus. No one anticipated or expected the crisis. Even worse, leaders did not have an actual historical precedent, or proven playbook for how to respond to the pandemic. We muddled our way through it together. I believe many leaders learned from that experience and now they have to figure out how to become strong leaders in the post-pandemic world.

No one knew how long the pandemic would last.

Are you ready?

Probably not a fair question to ask. My answer is that I certainly hope that I am. Otherwise, the next few years will be rough for me as a leader. After all, we are already living in the post-pandemic world. The main point I am trying to drive home with this question is have you thought about any adjustments you need to make to be a strong leader in the post-pandemic world? I will focus on that topic during this new series of blog posts. In it, I will share a few observations about work-related changes in the post-pandemic world, the impacts they are making, and some solutions leaders can leverage to address them.

The pandemic is officially over!!!

Let’s start with the good news – the pandemic is over. On May 11th of this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced the end of the Federal COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). Whew – we are finally done dealing with this global crisis. Has everything returned to normal for everyone across the globe? No – many countries and citizens are still sorting through the aftermath. However, it is back to business as usual for many people…or is it?

The CDC declared the pandemic over earlier this year.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected everyone

Do you recall what a strange world we lived in just a few years ago? It seemed like everything came to a screeching halt as we were forced to deal with a deadly virus that could spread like wildfire. Most national leaders sent their citizens home as a precautionary measure to prevent widespread outbreaks and avoid overwhelming healthcare systems. In the beginning, I was naive enough to think the pandemic would last only a few weeks, or months at worst. Little did I know that it would keep going for several years.

Many businesses were closed much longer than predicted.

It was a scary time to be alive

The safety and well-being of the general public became the top priority around the world. The virus spread, many hospitals were overwhelmed with patients, and ventilators became scarce. Worst of all, the death toll climbed higher and higher, especially among the most vulnerable segments of our population, as the pandemic kept going with no end in sight, In response, most of us stood in long lines to get vaccinated, wore a mask out in public, and made the necessary adjustments to safeguard ourselves and our loved ones from the virus. All of us put our vacation plans on hold as the world stood still and sorted out the testing protocols and travel policies. Indeed – it was a scary time to be alive.

Wearing a mask became the abnormal norm.

Don’t forget about the pandemic

Why am I reminding myself and you about what life was like during the pandemic? I think it is vitally important to recall those days and never forget what they were like for all of us. The pandemic was unlike anything I have ever witnessed or experienced in my lifetime. The same is probably true for you as well. It impacted everyone around the globe which is perhaps unprecedented. That means we now live in a vastly different world. Therefore, I recommend all leaders consider making adjustments to be successful in the post-pandemic world.

Strong leaders learn from the past and look forward to the future

Strong leaders don’t ignore the past, they learn from it. Also, effective leaders look forward to the future. They do not remain stuck in the past or try to recreate it. In my experience, going backward is not an effective approach. This is especially true when it comes to the pandemic. I have already heard several well-intentioned leaders say they want things to go back to normal…the way they were before COVID-19 arrived. I am not sure what that means, and am completely convinced that is a bad idea. Rather, I believe we should identify what changes occurred in the workplace during the pandemic, analyze their impacts, and address the challenges they bring with practical solutions. Many things changed during the pandemic, but not everything did. Tune in next month to read my thoughts about that topic.

It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.
Charles Darwin

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What is the worst mistake you can make when crafting your strategy?

Our Battalion Commander pointed at the map and explained his strategy. Everything was dependent on the element of surprise. We must attack before being detected. Otherwise, the battle would be lost. Guess what happened when we executed the strategy. The enemy detected our battalion before anyone was in position. Chaos ensued and we were wiped out. Luckily for us – it was a training exercise, not a real-world operation. Nonetheless, our commander was embarrassed and chastised by his senior leaders for creating a bad strategy. Our commander made a classic leadership mistake. He discounted the risk and assumed that everything would go according to plan. It didn’t and we failed.

An Army leader briefing his team members.

The biggest mistake you can make is ignoring the risks

Every strategy you create as a leader will come with risks. I am amazed at how many leaders choose to dismiss, ignore, or discount the risks rather than deal with them. There simply is no such thing as a risk-free strategy. The best approach that a leader can take when crafting a strategy is to identify the risks and determine ways to manage or mitigate them. The biggest mistake you can make is ignoring the risks and hoping for the best. The best scenario case rarely happens, and certainly does not happen over and over again. Prepare for the worst-case scenario so that your strategy does not fall apart because your team does not know what to do.

There are many versions of Murphy’s law – this is the easiest to remember.

Making bold moves creates the biggest impacts

As a leader, you drive results. In many cases that means your strategy will need to include bold moves. Never forget that risks and rewards correlate. If you want a large reward as the outcome of your strategy, you will likely need to include some bold means which will come with risks. Bold strategy = higher risk. Recognize this truth and factor it into your plans. If you are expecting huge results from your strategy and do not contemplate the associated risks, then you are setting up your team for struggles. Don’t be that kind of leader. Plan for the risks and deal with them when they arise.

The D-Day invasion was a high-risk strategy that paid off.

Another mistake – don’t be afraid to take risks

It is important to also point out that you need to take risks as a leader to get great results. If you refuse to ever take big risks, don’t be surprised if your team gets stuck in neutral. Now, I am not saying take big risks all the time, or stupid risks. Rather I am suggesting that smart, calculated risks are the way to go. I like the way Mark Zuckerberg says it below. You will likely fail if you avoid all risks. Be brave.

The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.
Mark Zuckerberg

One caveat – not all strategies require boldness

Not all situations require a bold strategy. If the team you are leading is performing well and delivering high-impact results don’t feel the need to put a bold strategy in place. In this case, craft a strategy that keeps your team moving forward. Manage the risks as needed and monitor the situation in case changes are needed down the road. You will exhaust your team if every day is high-risk execution.

Performance correlates to leadership ability — Excellent performance means your strategy is working.

ATW! will make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

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Strong leaders actually know how to craft a strategy

Last month I wrote about the fact that crafting a winning strategy is what strong leaders do. The next series of blogs will describe in more detail how to formulate your team’s strategy as a leader. This month we will begin with the basic concept.

A plan of action designed to achieve a major or overall aim.
Basic definition of strategy

Some leaders are clueless

Have you ever worked for a leader who does not know what a strategy is…really? No one trained him, and it showed. For example, I worked for one leader who had no clue. He knew it, I knew it, everyone knew it. The organization put this leader in charge of crafting the strategy we would use moving forward. He floundered, and we all watched while this leader struggled. He did not know what he was doing and never delivered. All his stakeholders were left in the dark wondering what was happening. Where were we going? As you might imagine – it was a painful experience for all of us and did not end well for this leader.

It is no fun working for a clueless leader.

The leader who replaced him was much better

Eventually, a new leader was put in place. This leader went to work right away crafting a strategy for the organization. She gathered a team to help define the strategy. She socialized it with her leadership team, received feedback, and made adjustments. A final product was delivered that was well-received by practically everyone. Trust was restored, a clear path forward was identified and performance improved rapidly as we began executing the new strategy. I watched in wonder as she turned around a bad situation in about 90 days. It was a pleasure working for a leader who knew what she was doing and inspired her followers.

In reality, strategy is actually very straightforward. You pick a general direction and implement it like hell.
Jack Welsh

A tool to help craft your strategy

As a leader, it is important that you understand what a strategy actually is. Some leaders struggle with thinking strategically because they do not really know what it means. You probably hear the word strategy a lot. I would offer that what many people are talking about when they say the word strategy is actually tactics, process, and procedures. This diagram found below is the best way I know to think about what a strategy is. It is simple to understand.

Use this simple diagram to formulate your strategy

When in doubt draw it out using this simple diagram. Starting on the left – we, that is you and your team, are here. It is important to define the current state – the blue circle with the red star. Describe what is going well with your team and what needs to change. On the right is the future state. You want to be there – the green circle. The strategy articulates how you are going to go from here to there – the arrow. Any strategy that does not include a how is not an actual strategy. I am going to say that again because I cannot count how many strategic briefings that were all fluff and no substance. In other words, there was no way to actually implement the strategy. Any strategy that does not include the how is not an actual strategy.

Simon Simek reminds us about the importance of the how.

An example of a strategy with no how in it

Years ago I worked for an organization that did not understand this topic. The business unit I worked in did not know how to articulate real strategic thinking. One year all we received from senior leadership was “grow the business”. The current state part of the business was only the revenue number we generated the last year, $100 million. The future state was another number – our target for the next year, $120 million. The strategy was we need to grow by $20 million, or 20%. No mention of how we would reach that number. Go and grow. Wow – talk about a strategy with no how in it. What happened next was predictable.

High growth strategies are not easy to implement.

The leadership team struggled to get everyone motivated

The go and grow strategy was not well received by the leadership team. Market conditions were changing – the next year would be much harder than the last year. The growth target was much larger than the previous one – twice as large. Leaders in the business unit wondered how in the world are we going to grow twice as fast in a tough market. No clear answers were provided by the senior leaders. The reality is that they did not know how we would do it. They were hoping for the best. The leadership team struggled to get everyone bought into the strategy and motivated to make it happen. As a result, we did not have a good year, we missed the target, and new leaders were brought in to fix the problem.

Getting buy-in from the team is critical for strategy success.

What about you?

Do you know how to craft a winning strategy? Have you taken the time to formulate, codify and communicate it to your stakeholders? If not, make the investment now. If so, you will enjoy the next few blogs. We are going to explore this topic in detail to include points to ponder, practical tactical tips, and lessons learned based on decades of experience.

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Crafting a winning strategy is what strong leaders do

Take a moment right now and think about a strong leader you know. Someone you truly enjoyed working for. Ask yourself a basic question about this leader. Does she know how to craft a winning strategy? I bet the answer is yes. Strong leaders win. Now think about a weak leader you know well. Someone you did not enjoy following. Ask yourself the same question. Did he select a winning strategy? Your answer probably changed to no. It is difficult to follow someone who does not know how to win. Losing sucks. It always has and always will.

Winning is a great feeling that your team wants to experience.

Strategy is a constant leadership challenge

Strong leaders think strategically on a regular basis. How will my team win today, tomorrow, and the next days after that? Having a winning strategy is a constant challenge that every leader faces. Trust me – your competition is thinking about ways to beat you and your team. You better do the same thing. It is easy to rest on your laurels and fall into the trap of focusing your time and energy as a leader on tactical execution. I call it the “keeping the trains running” mentality. Weak leaders keep their heads down, failing to look at the big picture and over the horizon. Don’t be that kind of leader. Being a strong leader is more important than ever these days.

Complex challenges require leaders with comprehensive solutions to solve them. — Sometimes a leader needs to step back and look at the big picture.

It is a highly competitive marketplace, so strategy is important for success

The business world is a competitive place. I cannot think of many industries that are not highly competitive. If you want to win you better have a good strategy before your competition eats your lunch. I have written before about what happens when a leader does not have a good strategy. If some days it feels like you are in a brawl at work – it probably is because you are. Let’s face it – the COVID crisis made it even more important than ever to have a good strategy to not only win but simply survive in some industries. The whole world changed last year. Strong leaders recognized the need for new strategies to be successful in the post-pandemic world and are adjusting accordingly. While others are hoping that things will return to normal (whatever that means), and may not make it much longer.

Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.
Mike Tyson

Leaders are expected to provide the winning strategy for the team

Let’s pose a simple question – who is responsible for the strategy? Answer – the leader. Sure you are going to get help from others when crafting the strategy. But, if you are the leader, you need to own the strategy for your team. They will expect it, and you need to deliver. Think about it. Who will the team turn to when execution gets tough? The leader – of course. That is why you are there. Strong leaders understand that they are expected to provide the winning strategy for their team. Weak leaders delegate it to others, or simply hope for the best. And we all know by now that hope is not an effective strategy, especially in a competitive market.

You are the quarterback – call the play!

Picking a winning strategy may be challenging if you have many possible paths in front of you

My last point is somewhat counter-intuitive. I believe picking the best strategy is most difficult when you have many possible options. It is usually pretty easy to pick between two or three options. More than that then you should spend some time analyzing each option before selecting, but don’t take too long. The reason I mention this topic is that I have worked for leaders who were bad at strategy simply because they wasted precious time trying to pick the best path forward. We would spend days, weeks, and months thinking through the options and never commit fully to one. Meanwhile, our competitors selected their strategy and were busy executing it.

Solving problems is a leaders job. — Don’t spend too much time selecting the strategy.

What about you? Do you have a winning strategy?

Are you crafting a winning strategy for your team? Do you spend time thinking strategically with your team on a regular basis? If not, then you have work to do. Don’t worry – All The Way Leadership! is here. The next series of blog posts will focus on strategy formulation.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

The most important lesson I learned with the US Army Paratroopers

Recently I was asked at work to share my perspective as a veteran. The presentation I gave described the most important lesson I learned serving with paratroopers. It received a fair amount of positive feedback. Therefore, I thought it would be useful to share the content here.

This video includes the presentation I gave at work.

My family is full of paratroopers

I followed in my father’s footsteps

Leaders jump first, then other paratroopers follow

This tradition dates back to World War II

A personal example of this lesson from my time with paratroopers

Jumping into Puerto Rico was an adventure

Waiting can feel like an eternity

Paratroopers jump when the light finally turns green

Eventually, I saw the land, then the drop zone, and finally the green light. I jumped, followed by my fellow paratroopers. What I learned later was that the jumpmasters decided to put the first jumpers in the door earlier than normal because there was real concern that all the jumpers would not be able to exit the aircraft in time. After all, the drop zone was so small. They did not want any paratrooper to miss the drop zone and have to ride back to Fort Bragg.

Reflecting on the lesson I learned during this operation

Leading from the rear is not an option

The reality is that the only way change comes is when you lead by example.
Anne Wojcicki

Are you ready to go out the door first?

The place for a general in battle is where he can see the battle and get the odor of it in his nostrils. There is no substitute for the general being seen.
General James Gavin, 82nd Airborne Division Commander during WWII

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

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How to avoid confusion during your next video call

This month I will share another tactical tip to avoid utter confusion during your next video call – facilitation. If it is your meeting – actively facilitate the call. Don’t expect the participants to know what to do during your calls.

Many are working from home due to COVID-19.

Communicating effectively on-camera is challenging for groups

In case you did not read the last two blogs or watch the videos let’s start with the hard truth first – it is challenging to communicate effectively on-camera, especially in group settings. Three common scenarios happen during many video meetings that can create communication challenges.

Awkward: someone said something completely inappropriate (e.g., yelled at their kids) that everyone heard. What do you do next?
Boredom: no one is talking because they are distracted and not paying attention. Hard to get stuff done if everyone is zoned out.
Confusion: multiple people talking at the same time. Hard to hear much less understand what is being said when this happens.

Many participants can lead to confusion during a video call.

What can you do to improve your performance during video conference calls?

I already shared the most practical tip I can give you to be better on-camera is to turn on your camera as much as possible. I did my best to convince you that the mute button is your friend, and will help you avoid awkward gaffes. Last month I shared the third tip – have a purpose and agenda for your call. This month I will discuss the importance of facilitating your calls so that they do not devolve into confusion. Facilitation is a common technique to maximize participation for in-person meetings. Use it on your video calls for the same reason.

You will not see meetings like this in the near future.

Video calls are harder to start than standard conference calls

I believe it is more difficult to start a video call than a standard teleconference call. For a voice-only conference call, you can normally bring everyone onto the line at the same time. Most platforms will usually give an audio indicator (e.g., beeps) when a participant joins. It is easy to kick-off by simply announcing your name and beginning the meeting. The first few minutes of a video call can be confusing. Participants usually join at different times. Some of them will use their cameras, others won’t. Some may announce their presence or say hello when they join. Others will say nothing at all. It is rare that everyone is ready to go right away. If it is your meeting – start facilitating when you join. Let everyone know when you will start the conversation and then announce that it is time to begin. Given the current COVID crisis I think it is okay to let participants banter a bit before you begin. Some of them will be happy to see others on the video.

You will need to wait for others if you are first to join the call.

Start your video call on a strong note to avoid confusion

Kick-off your call by explaining the purpose to everyone. As I wrote about last month never host a meeting that has no purpose. Be a strong leader who begins the call by explaining the purpose clearly and succinctly. Everyone on the call will appreciate giving them a clue about what will happen during the meeting. This tactic is particularly appropriate for one-off video discussions. If the participants do not meet on a regular basis, it is your job as the leader to explain why the meeting was scheduled and what you hope to achieve during the call. No need to spend ten minutes explaining the purpose – a simple explanation will do.

Start your session by stating the purpose.

Facilitate the call so that others can follow along

If it is your meeting, facilitate the video call so that others can follow along. At a minimum let everyone know the agenda, and general flow that you expect during the call. Guide the discussion to ensure that all the topics on the agenda are covered and you get the right amount of input from the participants. Don’t expect others to know the right time to chime in. If you are using slides for the discussion pause at the appropriate time to let others make comments, ask questions, and provide their feedback. Your calls will get boring real quick if one presenter drones on and one while others struggle to pay attention. Monitor your audience to recognize when they want to contribute to the meeting. Participants may not feel comfortable talking so you may need to ask them for their input. This challenge is particularly true for video calls with many participants.

Video calls with a lot of participants are challenging to facilitate.

Consider the number of call participants when facilitating

Bottom line – the larger the number of participants on your call the more challenging it is to facilitate. Plan accordingly. Anytime you have more than ten people on a call it may be difficult to guide a meaningful discussion. Three tactics to help with larger meetings. First, use verbal cues to let participants know when you want to hear from them. If you pause for input leave plenty of time for people to come off mute and talk. Sure the seconds of silence may seem awkward. But it is better to provide a pregnant pause than rush to the next topic. Second, avoid trying to pack too many agenda items into one meeting. It is really difficult to fly through a long agenda with a large group. Consider breaking the agenda into multiple meetings, or reduce the size of the audience if you want their participation. Third, leave a dedicated portion of the meeting for inputs from the audience. I have sat through many video calls that are scheduled for an hour and save practically no time for Q&A. For example, don’t let presenters talk for 55 minutes straight and then try to power through five minutes of questions. Instead, stop the presentation at 45 minutes and leave 15 minutes for interactive dialog. Trust me – your participants will appreciate it.

The chat function can help avoid confusion during discussion

Another technique to help facilitate video calls is to use the chat function that many modern collaboration tools provide. At first, I was skeptical of using live chat during a video call. Now I am a big fan. It is an effective way to add another communication channel without disturbing the meeting flow. Simply let everyone on the call know that you will be using the chat function during the session. Chat allows participants to chime in without interrupting a presenter or talking at the same time as others. They simply type their input for others to see. The chat function is also a clever way to facilitate Q&A during a presentation. Participants can type in their questions during the session. Others can sometimes answer the question without taking air time during the call. They simply respond to the chat.

You can share comments and links in the chat window.

Finish on time to prevent confusion at the end of the call

If your call goes longer than planned confusion may happen at the end. Most participants will not hang around if the meeting goes past its scheduled finish time. No – they will drop from the call and move onto their next activity. If several participants leave at the same time chaos may follow as you try to figure out who is still on the call. I don’t even consider it rude if someone drops from a call because it goes long. Avoid this scenario by being a better leader. End your call on time, or even early if you are done with the agenda. I cannot recall any time in my career when someone complained because a meeting was shorter than scheduled.

Participants will leave if your calls go long.

Last word of warning

Like many leaders, I have participated in hundreds of video calls during the last six months of the COVID crisis. Some of them were really productive, while others were a complete waste of time. The ones I enjoy the most start on time, have a clear purpose and agenda and are actively facilitated. The result is a meaningful dialog with the participants. Be the type of leader who hosts those kinds of video calls. Not the ones that are awful where everyone watches the clock hoping that the call will end soon. If your video conference calls are torture, participants will vote with their feet and stop showing up to your meetings. They have better things to do than watch you flounder on camera.

Peter Drucker was not a fan of meetings.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!