All The Way Archives - All the Way Leadership Blog

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!

How to tell if you are focused on your top priorities – check your calendar

I am writing a blog series about becoming a strong leader in the post-pandemic world. Last December, I declared that leaders must set clear priorities for success in the post-pandemic world. In April, I shared a proven leadership tool, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix, to set clear priorities in demanding roles. In the last two months, I described a powerful tool that helps leaders set clear priorities and focus their daily efforts. For this blog, the last in this series, I will explain how your calendar will confirm that you have set your priorities appropriately.

Is it hard to tell if your focus is on your priorities?

The short answer is no. The best way to tell if you are appropriately focused is to check your calendar to discover how you invest your time. If your priorities show up on your daily schedule, then you are focused on them. If not, then you are distracted by other things. Yes, different activities can easily distract leaders. It happens to all of us. When checking your calendar, three other symptoms may indicate you need to change how you invest your time.

Symptom #1 – your calendar is overpacked

What do you see on your calendar each day? Is it overpacked with endless meetings? How about double-booked? Triple-booked? Do you have time scheduled to get your actual work done, or will you work late every day to complete your tasks?

I believe that having an overpacked schedule is not healthy or effective. I have witnessed many leaders hamper their performance due to their overpacked schedules. You can’t be at two or more places simultaneously.

Similarly, joining multiple virtual meetings simultaneously is not a good idea. Your divided attention is not helpful or respectful to the other participants. If this is you, trim your schedule so that you have only one meeting to attend or task to perform at a time. More focus will increase your effectiveness.

Be careful not to overpack your calendar.

Symptom #2 – your calendar has no white space

Do you have time for any breaks (white space) in your schedule? If your calendar is full of back-to-back meetings with no breaks in between, you may be setting yourself up for failure. If one of your scheduled meetings goes long, it may cause a domino effect on the rest of your day. The next thing you know, you will be late the rest of the day, which is unacceptable. Not to mention that you will be exhausted later in the day. Take daily breaks to transition from one meeting or task to the next. With this approach, you will show up on time and ready for action, not late and exhausted.

Breaks during the workday are healthy for you.

Symptom #3 – you maintain multiple calendars

I believe the best approach to calendars is to have one, not more. Put all the activities that require your attention on the same calendar to get an accurate view of your schedule. Some leaders I know are reluctant to put personal items on their professional calendars, so they have to monitor more than one. Multiple calendars create more work, maintenance, and confusion. Please keep it simple and use one calendar. If you are worried about privacy, you can easily mark something on your calendar so others cannot see the details.

One final observation about your calendar

If you are not careful, other activities will dominate your schedule, not your top priorities. Making sure that your priorities show up on your calendar takes effort. That means you must invest your time to manage your daily schedule or have someone else do it for you. Both these methods work well, as long as someone puts in the work to keep you focused on your top priorities. Trust me, this investment is worth it. Don’t let a crazy calendar full of distractions rule your world.

What gets scheduled gets done.
Michael Hyatt

ATW! will make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

The daily big 3 is a useful tool to help leaders focus on their top priorities

I am writing a blog series about becoming a strong leader in the post-pandemic world. Last December, I discussed how leaders can address the fact that many organizations have fewer people and resources to do the job. I declared that leaders must set clear priorities for success in the post-pandemic world. In April, I shared a proven leadership tool, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix, to set clear priorities in demanding roles. Last month, I described a powerful tool that helps leaders set clear priorities. In this blog, I will highlight another helpful tool for modern leaders to focus their daily efforts. It is called the Daily Big 3.

Setting daily priorities for leaders

Leaders have too many tasks and never enough time to finish everything. The most successful leaders deal with this dilemma by setting clear priorities for their teams and themselves. One such leader is Michael Hyatt. Many of you may not have heard of him before. Michael S. Hyatt is a modern-day productivity and leadership guru whom I trust. One thing I like about Michael’s Full Focus system is its practicality. His system includes a method that helps leaders set clear daily priorities. He refers to these top priority tasks as the daily big 3.

What is the daily big 3?

The daily Big 3 concept is not hard to comprehend. Your daily big 3 are your three most important tasks and associated actions. Nothing more, nothing less. Your daily big 3 enable you to set intentions and create a focus for the day. I fully realize that many leaders have an extensive list of things they must complete daily. Your daily to-do list may be a mile long. Therein lies the problem. How do you choose what gets priority of effort for the day? Another way to think about this concept. If you accomplish these three things, the day is a success. If you don’t, it is not.

How do you determine your daily big 3?

For some leaders, determining your daily three is not tricky. You look at what you have planned for the day and pick the three most important tasks to complete. For others, it may be a real struggle. Choosing your daily big three is particularly challenging when your schedule is full of endless meetings, unrealistic deadlines, and an infinite list of things you must complete. I recommend spending some time analyzing your activities to pick your daily big 3. All tasks are not equally important. The same goes for meetings. Some are routine, while others are vitally critical.

Write down your daily big 3

I recommend recording your daily big three somewhere so that you can reference it throughout the day. Michael Hyatt’s Full Focus Planner has space for writing down your daily big 3. So it is clear—you do not need a Full Focus Planner to use this tool. You can use whatever planner or system works best for you. Some leaders may prefer a digital format, while others like analog. I use a hybrid approach with both digital and analog tools. In general, I prefer analog. Writing things down helps me remember them later. Perhaps you have the same propensity for analog.

Three thoughts about using this tool

I have used Michael Hyatt’s Full Focus system for several years. Based on my experience here are three thoughts about using this tool.

You do not have to pick three—there is no rule that says you have to pick three activities each day. That number is recommended. If you have less, no worries. I am against picking more than three. If you cannot narrow your focus to three or fewer priority tasks in a single day, then you likely have bigger problems to resolve.
You can include personal items – Most tasks I select are work-related. However, I often include a non-work item in my daily big 3. Life is not about only work. Don’t forget about the rest of your life when setting your daily big 3.
You don’t have to rank them—some people like to rank order their daily priorities. I usually don’t. Yes, some days, a clear #1 priority ranks high above the rest. For me, that is the exception, not the rule.

How do you use this powerful leadership tool?

Using this tool is relatively straightforward. Select your daily big three when preparing for the day, whether the night before or in the morning. Usually, I review my daily priorities when I start work. Next, I will check my progress against my priorities at midday to see how it is going. If none are complete, I may adjust my afternoon schedule to have time for my top priorities. At the end of the workday, I will check my daily big three to see if I have accomplished them. If not, I will complete them that evening or roll them over to the next day. This tool may seem like a lot of work. The investment is worth it. The most significant benefit this leadership tool gives me is focus. If I get sidetracked, the daily big three helps me get back on track and focus on what is essential for the day.

What is the hardest part of selecting your daily big 3?

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 daily big three. Second, many leaders have a mile-long to-do list. The idea of picking the top three things to do every day is daunting. Third, and most importantly, selecting your daily big three takes time and effort. It is a daily discipline. Trust me, it is worth it.

In the next blog, I will discuss a simple way to determine if you have clear priorities.

What about you? Do you know how to set clear priorities? Leverage the Eisenhower Decision Matrix and weekly preview to perform this critical function. Next, install the habit of picking your daily big three before you start your work day. In the next blog, I will discuss a simple way to determine if you have clear priorities.

You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.
John Maxwell

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 weekly preview is another powerful tool to help leaders set clear priorities

I am writing a blog series about becoming a strong leader in the post-pandemic world. Last December, I discussed how leaders can address the fact that many organizations have fewer people and resources to do the job. I declared that leaders must set clear priorities for success in the post-pandemic world. In April, I shared a proven leadership tool, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix, to set clear priorities in demanding roles. In this blog, I am sharing another powerful tool to help modern leaders set clear priorities in the modern world. It is called the weekly preview.

Setting personal priorities for leaders

Leaders have too many tasks and never enough time to finish everything. This phenomenon is nothing new. Since the dawn of time, leaders have faced the age-old questions of what to focus on and how to invest their resources. Time is the most important a leader possesses. You cannot create more time. Leaders have to juggle many tasks, activities, crises, etc. The most successful leaders deal with this dilemma by setting clear priorities for their teams and themselves. One such leader is Michael Hyatt. Many of you may not have heard of him before.

Who is Michael Hyatt?

Michael S. Hyatt is a modern-day productivity and leadership guru whom I trust. According to Wikipedia, as summarized by my research assistant, ChatGPT, Michael S. Hyatt is an American author, podcaster, blogger, and speaker known for his work on leadership, productivity, and goal setting. He began his career in publishing, co-founding Wolgemuth & Hyatt and later serving as CEO of Thomas Nelson. He authored several bestsellers, including “Platform” and “Your Best Year Ever.” 2012, he founded Michael Hyatt & Company, a leadership development firm.

What is a weekly preview?

Over the past decade, 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 go into great detail about how it works. Instead, I will highlight what Michael describes as the “secret sauce” of the planner—the weekly preview. The weekly preview allows leaders to reflect on the week before and prepare for the week ahead. It is not an overly complex activity, but it does take about an hour to complete. The best way for me to describe the weekly preview in detail is to walk you through the process.

How do you complete a weekly preview?

Completing a weekly preview has five primary steps, which are described below. If you use the Full Focus Planner, there are pages for these steps.

Write down your wins from the previous week. Start your weekly preview positively by listing your wins for the week. What is a win? Anything that went well.
Evaluate how your week went. Think about the various things that happened during the week. Ponder questions like what worked? What didn’t and why?
Make adjustments for next week. You want to keep doing successful activities and change what did not work. You may want to start doing something new for better future results and stop doing something that is not helping you move forward.
Look at your calendar for next week. 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 days that are completely packed.
Identify your “Big 3” activities for the week. This step is the most important. Take time to identify the three most critical upcoming activities. Your “Big 3” can include both personal and professional activities.

So it is clear—you do not need a Full Focus Planner to execute your weekly 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 weekly preview in my Full Focus Planner. It helps me remember them for future reference and track my progress for the year.

A weekly preview helps you identify your weekly “Big 3”

The most important result of your weekly preview is your “Big 3”. These activities are your top priorities for the week. They will help you determine the best way to invest your time over the next week. If you are struggling because you have too much on your plate, your weekly “Big 3” lets you focus on what matters most. One component of step 2 that I did not mention in the previous section is that you should evaluate how far you got on your weekly “Big 3”. A week is successful if you achieve your weekly “Big 3”. If not, then there is room for improvement next week.

How do you use this powerful leadership tool?

There are two significant benefits of the weekly preview. First, it enables you to reflect and analyze your results from the previous week. You can learn, improve, and make adjustments for the next week. It is frustrating for you as a leader if you keep having horrible weeks and cannot do anything to course-correct your path forward. The second benefit is that this leadership tool adequately prepares you for the week ahead. You know what is coming, have thought about it beforehand, and set your priorities. This proactive approach is intentional and better than responding to events as they unfold without considering what deserves your time and attention.

What is the hardest part of the weekly preview?

If this tool is so effective, you may wonder why more leaders don’t leverage it—three reasons why. First, some leaders do not know about the weekly preview. Second, some leaders prefer to spend all their time future-focused versus processing the past. They feel it wastes time doing something like the weekly preview. Third and most importantly, conducting a weekly preview takes time. Typically, you will invest at least an hour in your weekly preview. I believe it is a wise way to start every week.

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

In the next blog, I will discuss another leadership tool from Michael Hyatt

What about you? Do you know how to set clear priorities? Leverage the Eisenhower Decision Matrix and weekly preview to perform this critical function. In the next blog, I will discuss another tool by Michael Hyatt designed to help leaders focus their efforts. I will challenge you to be even more ruthless when setting priorities so that you can lead successfully in the post-pandemic world.

You have a choice in life. You can either live on-purpose, according to a plan you’ve set. Or you can live by accident, reacting to the demands of others. The first approach is proactive; the second reactive.
Michael S. Hyatt

ATW! will make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

Remembering an American hero this Memorial Day for paying the ultimate price

This weekend, we honor the fallen by commemorating Memorial Day. It is one of the most important American holidays. Many know someone who paid the ultimate price to keep us free. If you served in the military over the past few decades, you are likely aware of an empty chair at a family table somewhere this weekend. With that thought in mind, I am honoring an American hero I knew who sacrificed his life several years ago. Every Memorial Day, I remember Humayun Khan and pray that he will forever rest in peace.

Captain Khan’s tombstone in Arlington Cemetary.

An American hero and his family face controversy

A few years ago, there was a lot of talk about Captain Humayun Khan, an American hero. His father’s comments at the 2016 Democratic National Convention created a tidal wave of media coverage. People took sides. The press stirred the pot. Instead of his death bringing Americans together, it divided us even more. I was concerned that the most important part of the story was getting lost in all the noise. So, I will share the details of Captain Khan’s heroic actions.

Political ad from 2016 that included the Khan family

I knew Humayun Khan when he was a student

He was enrolled in the University of Virginia Army ROTC program while I was an instructor there from 1999 to 2001. I remember Humayun as a fine young man. He was pretty serious, focused on success, and responsive to training. He performed well as an ROTC cadet. To be frank – he did not stand out from his peers. He fit in and showed great leadership potential like all his classmates did when they graduated from UVA and received their commissions. I did not think much about him until years later, when I learned that he was killed in action while serving in Iraq. Like everyone who knew him, I took the news hard. I could only imagine what his family was going through. I can think of no greater challenge in life than losing a child. It must be devastating. My sympathies to the Khan family.

*Khizr and Ghazala Khan announced the Humayun Khan Memorial Scholarship Fund at UVA.*

Captain Khan was a brave American hero when it mattered most

It is worth discussing Captain Khan’s heroic actions when he made the ultimate sacrifice. Here is a brief description:

On June 8, 2004, Khan was inspecting a guard post when a suspicious taxicab began approaching too quickly. Ordering his subordinates away from the vehicle, Khan ran forward 10–15 steps and was killed by a suicide car bomb fitted with an improvised explosive device. The car detonated before it could reach the gates or the nearby mess hall where hundreds of soldiers were eating breakfast. Khan was also posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Plaque for Captain Khan that hangs on the Rotunda at UVA.

Several years ago, I participated in Veteran’s Day activities at a local elementary school. At that event, I shared the story of Captain Khan with the students. I explained the circumstances of his death and described three reasons why I believe he is a true American hero. It seems appropriate to share them this Memorial Day.

Captain Khan’s actions demonstrate three hero-like qualities

Captain Khan put others first. He ordered his troops to take cover to be safe while he assessed the situation. He thought about them before he thought about himself.
Captain Khan possessed the courage to face danger head-on. He did not shy away from it. It is not natural for us to put ourselves in harm’s way. In this case, he saved the lives of many by sacrificing his own.
Captain Khan built a legacy for others to emulate. His story of courage, bravery, and sacrifice should inspire us to greatness. I want to be better when I think of Khan and his sacrifice. I hope it does the same for you.

A real American Hero

I do not expect many of us ever to face a similar situation—Lord knows that I hope none of us ever do—but it is reassuring to know that we have heroes like Khan. Heroes do exist. They don’t wear capes, fly an invisible jet, or come from another planet. Rather, they are everyday people—like you and me. The difference is that they do extraordinary things when called into action.

In a twist of fate, my family used to live in the same house that the Khans owned when their son died. After we moved in, I met his family, and we exchanged letters multiple times. I will share that part of the story at another time. This blog post is about honoring a hero, Captain Humayun Khan, so I will end here.

There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
John 15:13

All the Way Leadership!

A proven leadership tool to set clear priorities in the modern world

I am writing a blog series about becoming a strong leader in the post-pandemic world. Last December, I discussed how leaders can address the fact that many organizations have fewer people and resources to do the job. I declared that leaders must set clear priorities for success in the post-pandemic world. In this blog, I will share a proven leadership tool, the Eisenhower Decision Matrix, to set clear priorities in the demanding modern world. Some of you may already be aware of this tool, which is a good thing.

Setting priorities for leaders is not new

Leaders have too many tasks and never enough time to finish everything. This phenomenon is nothing new. Since the dawn of time, leaders have faced the age-old questions of what to focus on and how to invest their resources. Time is the most important a leader possesses. You cannot create more time. Leaders have to juggle many tasks, activities, crises, etc. The most successful leaders deal with this dilemma by setting clear priorities for their teams and themselves. One such leader is Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was known for getting stuff done.

Portrait of General Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1947.

Who was Dwight D. Eisenhower?

General Dwight D. Eisenhower was a great US Army General. According to Wikipedia, Eisenhower was an American Army general and statesman who served as the 34th President of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, he was a five-star general in the United States Army and served as Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Forces in Europe. He was responsible for planning and supervising the invasion of North Africa in Operation Torch in 1942–43 and the successful invasion of France and Germany in 1944–45 from the Western Front. You would be hard-pressed to find anyone with more leadership experience.

Presidential portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower.

What is the Eisenhower Decision Matrix?

How was President Eisenhower able to accomplish so much as a leader? He used several tools to increase his effectiveness. Let’s start by describing this tool, the Eisenhower matrix, in case you do not know about it. I asked my research assistant, ChatGPT, for a description. It is found below with some minor editing by me and another AI tool for editing. It is a solid summary.

The Eisenhower Decision Matrix, or the Eisenhower Box, is a simple tool for prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance. It’s named after Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States, who was known for his incredible ability to sustain high productivity. The matrix divides tasks into four quadrants based on two criteria: urgency and importance:

Urgent and Important (Do First): These tasks need immediate attention and carry significant consequences if not completed soon. They are typically crisis-management situations or deadlines.
Important, Not Urgent (Schedule): These tasks are important for long-term goals and success but do not require immediate action. Planning, relationship building, and self-improvement often fall into this category. Prioritizing these tasks can lead to lasting benefits.
Urgent, Not Important (Delegate): These tasks require immediate attention but do not necessarily contribute significantly to long-term objectives. These can often be delegated to others or handled quickly to save time for more important tasks.
Not Urgent and Not Important (Eliminate): These are the least critical tasks that offer little to no value and should be minimized or eliminated. They often include distractions or busy work.

This matrix aims to help individuals and teams focus on activities that contribute to long-term success, manage time more efficiently, and increase productivity. It encourages users to spend more time in the “Important, Not Urgent” quadrant, thus planning and preventing crises rather than reacting to them.

How do you use this proven leadership tool?

The best way to maximize this tool is to triage your tasks using the Eisenhower Matrix. List all the tasks you and your team need to accomplish and put them into the matrix. Each task will go into one of the four categories listed below. You may want to include your team members and leaders in this exercise so that they have a say in setting the priorities. Here is a link to go deeper with this tool: https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/.

Important + Urgent = Do first.
Important + Not Urgent = Decide by scheduling it.
Not Important + Urgent = Delegate to others.
Not Important or Urgent = Delete the task from your list.

This decision matrix is a helpful tool for prioritizing tasks.

What is the hardest part of the Eisenhower Decision Matrix?

If this tool is so effective, you may wonder why more leaders don’t leverage it. Triaging activities into the matrix is not difficult for most leaders. The hard part is executing your decisions based on the matrix results. For example, many leaders struggle with delegating tasks to others. If you do, then the matrix will be challenging. Similarly, some leaders are reluctant to delete or eliminate any tasks that come their way. I challenge you to avoid this trap. Don’t waste your or your teams’ resources on tasks that do not need to be done. It is not worth it.

Grind culture leads to clutter and chaos over time.

In the next blog, I will discuss another tool to set priorities

What about you? Do you know how to set clear priorities for your teams? Leverage the Eisenhower Decision Matrix to perform this critical function. In the next blog, I will talk about another tool that will help you set clear personal priorities and help put you on the path to success this year. I will challenge you to be even more ruthless when setting priorities so that you can lead successfully in the post-pandemic world.

I have two kinds of problems: the urgent and the important. The urgent are not important, and the important are never urgent.
In a 1954 speech former U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who was quoting Dr J. Roscoe Miller, president of Northwestern University

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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.

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Three key takeaways from my recent conversation on the Kind Leadership podcast

Earlier this 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 this blog, I am sharing a link to the podcast for anyone who wants to hear it. I am also sharing three key takeaways from our discussion. I hope you enjoy this special edition of All The Leadership!

Gino usually releases a new podcast each week.

Takeaway #1 – Kind leaders fulfill the 5 C’s of leadership

Kind leaders lead with empathy. That means they can see the world from others’ perspectives. When it comes to empathy in leadership, I believe it is essential for any leader to ask themselves a simple question: What do the people I am leading need from me to be successful? The short answer is that they want the same things you do in a leader. I call it the 5 C’s of leadership. It is somewhat like a leadership model I learned while serving in the US Army.

Competency – you know how to lead. You know what you are doing.
Confidence – you possess the right expertise and experience.
Communication – you can clearly articulate your thoughts and ideas to others.
Creativity – you know how to craft strategy, develop plans, and make decisions.
Character – you are a good person and a kind leader.

Nelson Mandela changed South Africa under his leadership. — Nelson Mandela changed South Africa through his kind leadership.

Takeaway #2 – Kind leaders demonstrate individual integrated integrity

Integrity and trust are two values that I hold dear and have spent a fair amount of time thinking about. In fact, for All The Way Leadership! I created a concept that I call Individual Integrated Integrity. It is a way for a leader to think about integrity and trust. This framework addresses three hard truths that leaders face regarding their integrity.

Team members pay special attention to the leader’s individual integrity.
They track who the leader is, what the leader says, and what the leader does.
The team will not trust the leader if these three integrity attributes do not align.

Your team members ask, “Can I trust this leader?” Trust is vital for a leader. Without it, you are dead in the water. One quick way to increase your impact as a leader is to show you have integrated individual integrity.

Takeaway #3 – Kind leaders have a growth mindset

Let me say that adopting a growth mindset can be a challenge for leaders like me. When you get a few decades into your career, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking you are done. You think, “I am who I am, I know what I know, and I am going to do what I do. No need for me to grow.” It is better to keep learning and growing. Adopting a growth mindset has made me more resilient, versatile, and relevant. I have worked with many senior leaders who became ineffective because they stopped growing. The world changed, and they did not. As a result, they are no longer relevant. Their followers are waiting for them to retire.

The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset.
Carol Dweck

Three strategies to cultivate a growth mindset in your team’s culture

Be the example – seek growth opportunities as a leader. Read books, listen to podcasts, attend training sessions, and encourage your team members to do the same.
Talk about it—create a growth mindset mantra for your team. One of my teams’ mantras was, “We do hard.” We were starting a new program and guessed everything would be hard. It was, and our mantra helped keep us motivated.
Keep your cool. As a leader, you set the room’s temperature. When you experience setbacks, don’t lose your cool. Deal with the obstacle and get going again.

The last strategy is particularly challenging. As a leader, you get to deal with the good, the bad, and the ugly. When ugly shows up, you want to scream and shout. Don’t do it. Getting worked up will not solve your problems. It may have the opposite effect. Word will get out that you lost your cool, which harms your reputation.

One of my favorite podcasts is The Diary of a CEO – a fresh perspective.

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 with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

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The legacy of MLK continues to grow years after his most famous speech

Martin Luther King, Jr. remains a personal hero of mine. I believe MLK is one of the greatest leaders America ever produced. His name belongs among other American titans like Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Ike Eisenhower. Here are five reasons why his legacy continues to grow years after his most famous speech.

1. MLK leveraged his strengths to the advantage of others

Martin Luther King, Jr. did not have much power at all as a leader. He was an African-American man living in the segregated South. Whites and blacks were not equal. He was not a wealthy man either. MLK did possess several strengths that he leveraged to the advantage of others. First and foremost, he was a man of deep faith. Trained as a Baptist minister after completing college, MLK based his worldview on his Christian faith. He often quoted scripture when speaking and writing to justify the righteousness of the civil rights cause. Brilliant – preach the truth to the racists who claimed to be Christians. Little did they know at the time how foolish they looked in retrospect.

Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.
Proverbs 18:2

2. He fought the battle with ideas

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a smart man. He passed the entrance exam for Morehouse College at age 15. He graduated with a degree four years later. MLK completed seminary, earned a Master’s degree, and received his Ph.D. by age 26. Impressive academic credentials that would serve him well over the years. If you read his writings or listen to his speeches they are both inspirational and logical. It is hard to pull apart his positions or argue against them. Many tried – most failed. MLK decided to fight his battles with ideas and non-violence. Genius moves on his part. His enemies, critics, and antagonists were not sure how to respond. They did not realize that he fought from higher ground and held the advantage, rather than the other way around.

3. MLK learned big ideas from others

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Christian, and he was willing to learn from others. His non-violent approach to the civil rights struggle was rooted in his faith and modeled after Gandhi’s actions when battling the British Empire. According to a trusted internet source, from the early days of the Montgomery bus boycott Martin Luther King, Jr., referred to India’s Mahatma Gandhi as “the guiding light of our technique of nonviolent social change”. MLK realized the odds were stacked against him. He decided to learn from another leader who faced a similar situation and won. Ingenious idea – it worked. In the end, both were victorious.

4. He spoke with clarity and purpose

Martin Luther King, Jr., is arguably one of the greatest orators in American history. When MLK spoke, he inspired others to act. The words he said, and the ideas he offered still reverberate across the world today. He was clear and spoke with purpose. It is a divine talent that few possess. Imagine for a moment the pressure MLK must have felt as he stood before hundreds of thousands on the National Mall. The “I Have a Dream speech” he gave that day is considered to be one of the best speeches ever. Right up there with Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. MLK’s most famous speech inspires me to be a better person and dream of the world he described.

One of the best speeches in American history.

5. MLK chose the harder path

Martin Luther King, Jr. paid the ultimate price for the civil rights cause. He was assassinated on April 4th, 1968. What a tragic loss for America, and the world. His early death is strikingly similar to President Lincoln’s. Both were gunned down by madmen. Both decided to take the harder path and paid the price. Lincoln and MLK both took America to a new mountaintop, a better place. I am grateful for both of them. I especially admire MLK’s decision to take the high road, the harder path. His life greatly impacted mine. I was born only a few short months before he died, and I cannot imagine what the world would be like without him. I am reminded of his impact whenever I hear the song “Pride (In the Name of Love)” by U2. A song they wrote in tribute to him.

We still have a long way to climb

America and the rest of the world still have a long way to go when it comes to equality and civil rights. In fact, I think one could argue that we have taken a few steps backward this past decade. That needs to change. Let’s move forward to the next mountaintop. To go backward would sully the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. A man whose legacy continues to grow with each passing year.

All The Way Leadership!

Leaders must set clear priorities for success in the post-pandemic world

I am writing a blog series about becoming a strong leader in the post-pandemic world. First, I asked, Are you ready to be a strong leader in the post-pandemic world? Next, I continued the conversation by listing many bold predictions that did not come to fruition in the post-pandemic world. In October, I discussed three big work-related changes that all leaders need to understand to be successful in the post-pandemic world. In this blog, I will focus on how leaders can address big change number one – fewer people and resources to get the job done. The bottom line is that leaders must set clear priorities for success in the post-pandemic world.

Many organizations have fewer people

As I wrote in a previous blog, many industries reduced their workforce during the pandemic. Some that were hit hard, like travel, hospitality, and entertainment, rebounded and are on a positive trajectory in the post-pandemic world. Others have not faired so well. If you are wondering which industry laid off the most people this year, the answer is technology, according to my research assistant, ChatGPT. Here is what my assistant said when asked what sector laid off the most people in 2023.

“In the past year, the technology sector experienced many layoffs. Many tech companies, including major players like Cisco, Evernote, Oracle, Zendesk, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Cognizant, and Amazon, announced substantial layoffs. These layoffs affected various departments and were often attributed to cost reductions, restructuring plans, and a need to adapt to changing market conditions. The layoffs ranged from a few hundred employees in some companies to larger percentages of the workforce in others.”

Laying off employees is nothing new for many industries. The change this time around is the scale of the lay-offs. For example, the technology sector laid off over 100K employees in 2022. Numbers for this year are not final, but many believe it will be another large number. What does that mean for leaders? You will not have as many people in many industries to do the job as before. Sometimes, your team may be severely short-staffed, which can be challenging.

Some organizations have fewer resources

Not only did organizations reduce their workforce, but some also decreased their resources. What does that mean? Smaller investments, reduced offices, decreased benefits, lower budgets, less travel, and other ways to save money by cutting expenses. Don’t be surprised if fewer resources are available than before, which will limit your options. For example, if you use consultants to augment your workforce, you may be less able to leverage them as you did before the pandemic. I know many companies have “tightened their belts,” which makes leading in the post-pandemic world more challenging. However, lean times can sometimes lead to innovative solutions.

Leaders will need to set clear priorities

Given this new reality of fewer people and resources, leaders must set clear priorities to succeed in the post-pandemic world. Why? As a leader, you cannot waste your team members’ time on activities that don’t matter much or expend resources on low-return items. Gone are the days when you quickly produce better results by throwing more people at the problem. Neither can you afford to blow your budget early in the year and hope to get more resources later. No, wise leaders will set clear priorities so that the things that matter most get done first by their team members and themselves.

Strong leaders invest their own time in top-priorities

Let’s not forget that leaders must also set clear priorities for themselves. How you invest your time is hugely important. Please don’t waste it sitting in endless status meetings or low-impact activities. No – you need to focus on the top priorities. Over the years, I have witnessed many leaders who do not understand how to invest their time. They let others dictate how they spend their days without considering it. How can you spot a leader wasting their time on low-impact activities? Look at their calendars. It will tell you all you need to know. We will talk more about calendar management for leaders later this year in case it is one of your obstacles.

In the next blog, I will discuss a tool to set priorities.

What about you? Do you know how to set clear priorities for your teams and yourself? Do you have the tools you need to perform this critical function? If not, don’t worry. In the following few blogs, I will talk about tools that will help you set clear priorities and help put you on the path to success this year. Even if you already know how to set priorities, read the following few blogs. I will challenge you to be even more ruthless when setting priorities so that you can lead successfully in the post-pandemic world.

The most precious resource we have is time.
Steve Jobs

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