Competitive Leadership: Twelve Principles for Success
288
Competitive Leadership: Twelve Principles for Success
288Hardcover
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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781892049506 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Triumph Books |
| Publication date: | 09/01/2001 |
| Pages: | 288 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d) |
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Competitive Leadership
Twelve Principles for Success
By Brian Billick, James A. Peterson
Triumph Books
Copyright © 2001 Brian Billick and James A. Peterson, Ph.D.All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-892049-50-6
CHAPTER 1
Understanding the Essence of Leadership
"Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it."
— Dwight D. Eisenhower 34th president of the United States
At one time, leadership was considered simply a position of authority. Over time, that viewpoint has changed considerably. The new paradigm of leadership implies that leadership involves a position of responsibility — responsibility for setting the vision of an organization; responsibility for putting into place a process whereby the vision can be achieved; responsibility for motivating and inspiring others in the pursuit of greater goals than they themselves might have believed possible; responsibility for establishing a value system and an institutional culture that reflects the organization's vision and the strategic plan for achieving that vision; and finally, responsibility for providing both momentum and urgency for achieving the organization's goals.
What, then, is a precise definition of the term "leadership"? In reality, no irrefutable definition of leadership exists, despite the fact that countless volumes have been written on the topic. Frankly, there are almost as many definitions put forth concerning the subject as there are individuals willing to share their opinion on the matter.
Personally, my professional experiences and observations have led me to believe that leadership might best be defined as the ability to influence the behavior and actions of others to achieve an intended purpose. As such, being a successful leader requires the presence of several specific traits and qualities (many of which are discussed in subsequent chapters of this book).
For those individuals looking to better understand the concept of leadership, however, a dilemma arises: no single, itemized recipe for leadership exists. Not only do leaders come in a variety of sizes, genders, ethnicities, personalities, and backgrounds, the mix of the traits and qualities required to lead successfully in a given situation tends to vary from situation to situation and individual to individual.
For a while, the emergence of "quantitative managerialism" (an approach that mostly involved the reduction of all tasks to bureaucratic routine) seemed to be the norm for the appropriate focus of leadership. "Quantitative managerialism" is based on the belief (however valid or erroneous) that quantifiable routines have the capacity to be productive with interchangeable managerial parts. The fundamental premise of this approach is that structured leadership is not needed, just middle management's ability to understand the basic process.
Not surprisingly, however, the search for "leaders" remains an ongoing and somewhat ambiguous process. This search is usually conducted by people who, while they can't tell you exactly what leadership is, "know it when they see it."
In professional football, for example, this search is conducted by those general managers and team owners who believe that there is a single process, scheme, or system that will be successful (i.e., produce the desired number of wins annually), regardless of the coaches or players needed to implement a successful program. Many teams look only to "steal" a coach away from a proven system in the ill-grounded hope that he can bring that system with him and transform a losing organization into a winning one. Unfortunately, many teams look more at a coveted system than they do the individual. Hence, they are doomed to repeat the process through failure after failure.
In reality, no definitive answer exists as to which managerial structure offers an NFL team the best chance of being successful. However, whatever form the paradigm takes, there is one constant that must be in place. At the center of the decision-making process, there must be a primary figure who has extensive knowledge of and expertise in the game. The capabilities of that person will be the measuring stick of the organization. That individual's history of experience, having a basic intellect, and being able to take a proactive, anticipatory approach that enables that person to relate to any point of reference within the organization will be the touchstone for top management and the organization as a whole.
In my opinion, sound leadership is exhibited in three fundamental ways: mentally, emotionally, and physically. It is important to note that each must be adhered to in appropriate measure in order to maintain the overall balance that leadership requires.
First, in order to be a leader you must have a basic knowledge of the environment in which you are expected to lead. In his book, Why We Win, Billy Packer presents the results of his interviews with a variety of very successful coaches, and asks them all the same questions. It is fascinating to see the similar mind-set of people with varying backgrounds, ranging from Bob Knight to Joe Gibbs to Tommy Lasorda to Pat Summitt. Each in their own way isolated a fundamental knowledge of their profession as being at the core of their abilities to lead. None, however, intimated that they alone had some intuitive ability or knowledge that separated them from their peers.
Too many individuals mistakenly believe that successful coaches possess fundamental knowledge that provides them with a level of intellectual superiority that affords them the ability to instantly assess a predicament, and out of some sheer burst of individual brilliance formulate the right course of action in every situation. This type of genius may indeed exist, but I have never seen it. What I have witnessed firsthand are individuals like Tom Landry, Bill Walsh, Denny Green, Dan Reeves, and others, who possess a fundamental understanding of their profession after years of study and countless experiences with the painful process of trial and error. Though they may not have individually always had the right answer to every dilemma, they did know how to go about finding the appropriate solution to a particular problem.
Possessing the essential mental attributes for a leadership role may collectively involve something as simple as knowing enough to ask the right questions. As someone once observed, "While you go about learning the tricks of the trade, don't forget to learn the trade." This fundamental knowledge leads to the "synergy" that Winston Churchill spoke of when he observed: "The genius of a great leader consists in the constant harmony of holding a variety of great purposes in mind all at once."
Next, you must have a passion for the work you do. All leaders have passion for their calling in life. There's a story told of Ray Kroc, the founder of McDonald's, who one day was traveling in his car visiting some of his restaurants, one of his common habits. On this occasion, he happened to drive through the parking lot of one specific restaurant. He noticed there were papers strewn and blowing up against the fence that surrounded the restaurant. He called the office to find out who the manager of this particular restaurant was and the telephone number. Following that, he phoned the restaurant and invited the manager to join him in the parking lot to clean up the papers. What a picture: both the manager of the restaurant and the founder of McDonald's, down on their hands and knees — Ray Kroc in his suit — cleaning up trash. Did this story have impact? You bet it did, because it was retold many times throughout the restaurant industry. Ray Kroc's passion for cleanliness and his passion for providing customers with a clean environment was lived out in this example.
As a leader, your goals and aspirations must be strong enough to sustain you through the toughest of times. And trust me, if your goals are set high enough and your aspirations are worthy enough, there will be tough times. The source of that passion can be as varied as the personalities of the individuals involved. The NFL, for example, has 32 head football coaches, each with a very diverse set of individual attributes and personal characteristics. Yet, to a man, each possesses a tremendous passion for what he does. Whether it's the cool, intellectual demeanor of a Tony Dungy or the squinty-eyed, intense glare of a Jon Gruden, the common denominator is their passion for the game.
"Greed is good," declared the corporate raider Gordon Gekko in the movie Wall Street. Greed clarifies, crystallizes, and purifies. Greed heightens the senses and is the most consistent of emotions. For me, greed is a euphemism for passion. There may be a better term for this trait that sounds less self-serving, but I don't know what it would be. It is left to the individual to judge the worthiness or moral justification of the source of that passion. Personally, I trust greed.
When I came to the Baltimore Ravens in 1999, there were two major ingredients missing from the team: passion and accountability. It is the very first thing I addressed as their new head coach. In professional sports, it is very easy to become what I term "pro-ized" — i.e., to not let your emotions show in order to demonstrate that you are always in control and that you are above the emotion of the moment. Certainly, as a coach, I can not let my emotion override my judgment. Accordingly, one of the basic tasks that you, as a leader, have is to develop a balance between the two factors that allow you to execute your responsibilities, all the while maintaining the vital elements of both passion and judgment. However, the day passion leaves the equation in my job is the day I seek other challenges.
The point to keep in mind is that anything worth doing is seldom achieved without passion. As our 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, once noted: "Far and away, the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." Passion is the lubricant of success.
Finally, you must have a level of physical energy that will not only sustain you through your endeavors, but will also set the pace for those around you as well. That energy must above all else be constant. After my first year as a head coach in the NFL, the question I was most frequently asked was, "What was the biggest thing that surprised you about the job that you did not know going in?" The answer, for me, was simple. I had prepared my entire professional life for the rigors of being a head NFL coach. I came into this job understanding and prepared for the long hours, the constant scrutiny, and the never-ending pressures associated with this high-profile position. What I did not expect, however, was how much my emotional and physical energy level would dictate the mood of those around me. This unforeseen circumstance was true not only of the players and coaches, but also of the entire organization, ownership, media, and fans.
Master military strategist Karl Von Clousewitz stated in his book, On War, "The personal physical exertion of leaders must not be overlooked. It is as important as any strategy or tactic." If you are not prepared to exhibit a constant level of energy, those around you will respond in kind. Sound leadership cannot be sustained on will alone. Accordingly, everyone in a leadership position should have a consistent conditioning routine to maintain their physical and emotional health. In the Minneapolis Airport there is an advertisement promoting an exercise club that shows an executive going through a workout with a quote, "I don't have the time not to work out."
There are countless times when an individual can find a thousand reasons during the course of a day to not take the time to work out. In the short term that may seem to be a reasonable option in your opinion. Ultimately, however, the physical demands imposed by the responsibilities of leadership will take their toll, and your physical and emotional strength may betray you when it counts the most. Winston Churchill had a daily routine of taking a two-hour nap. Many attributed this to age and fatigue. In truth, it was a masterful step that allowed Churchill to keep a consistent schedule of cramming 14 to 16 hours of quality work into a single day. In the process, his support staff used to have to work in shifts to keep up with England's renowned former world leader.
One meaningful benefit of leaders achieving an enhanced level of physical conditioning is that it allows you to better monitor the stamina of your associates. If you are tired or fatigued, there is a reasonable chance that your troops are also. Maybe you both need a break. In years past, the mentality in pro football was that a team will outwork and out-tough its opponents. This concept has proven to be naïve. In the NFL, everyone works hard and is tough. To think otherwise is to set yourself up for defeat. What has evolved in the league is the realization that teams should focus on the concept of working more intelligently in order to get their players to the game healthy and fresh. This process must be monitored and gauged by leadership, which itself must also be healthy and fresh for battle.
One aspect of the position that did not surprise me was the need for achieving and sustaining a high level of performance in my various leadership responsibilities. In that regard, philosophically, I believe that "perfect" can sometimes be the antithesis of "good." As such, the best way to become a skillful leader — whether as a coach, an executive, a politician, or whatever — is not to set out to become "perfect," but rather to aim to be effective all of the time.
Perhaps no one better exemplifies this philosophy than John Wooden, the great UCLA basketball coach, who set a standard for success in sports that will never be matched. Wooden's record of winning 10 national championships, (7 consecutively), 88 consecutive victories, and four perfect seasons defines the word "dynasty" that so many people want desperately to apply to teams today. Wooden's career and writings have been a major source of inspiration to me and to so many others. In his masterful tapestry on life and leadership, Pyramid of Success, it is interesting to me that the most successful of all coaches did not list "winning," "championships," or "success" at the top of the pyramid. Instead, he used the term "competitive greatness." That term is brilliant in its simplicity, yet limitless in its interpretation. It encompasses all of the elements of winning and success, but transcends those terms in a more personal way that embodies all that we strive to achieve on our way to self-actualization.
Applying the specific concepts of leadership to this theme is the underlying principle of an approach to influencing the behavior and actions of others I have termed "competitive leadership." As such, the primary focus of this book is to present a detailed overview of the traits and qualities I believe are essential to competitive leadership. It is important to note that while skillful leaders tend to possess most (if not all) of these attributes, the absence of merely one of these can compromise a person's efforts to be an effective leader. As a leader, you cannot afford to disregard any of the attributes that constitute the essence of leadership.
CHAPTER 2Be Values-Oriented
"Try not to become a man of success, but rather to become a man of value."
— Albert Einstein Nobel Prize winner in 1922
If you were to read through the Harvard Business Review for the past 10 years, you would find dozens of articles extolling the merits of value-driven leadership. One of the major points that is emphasized in these articles is the fact that skillful leadership involves a moral dimension.
This moral dimension is anchored by the presence of certain internalized traits. The Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, North Carolina, states that the highest predictor of success in an organization is leadership that functions with integrity and honesty. Three other core traits that are frequently attributed to sound leadership are trustworthiness, loyalty, and pride.
While no two leaders are exactly the same, one similarity that is almost universally found in most leaders is the presence of ethically grounded principles. In other words, a major reason some leaders are more effective than others is because of who they are as people. All other factors being equal, principle-centered leaders are more capable of inspiring confidence and rallying others to achieve a common purpose.
In that regard, how you lead and how effective you will be in the long run in your leadership efforts will ultimately be affected by whether your words and actions reflect a strong, personal commitment to such values as integrity, trustworthiness, honesty, loyalty, and pride. If they do, your efforts will be accorded a sense of legitimacy and moral authority that emanate from your values. These core traits constitute what being professional is all about.
The phrase "I am a professional" is a very popular one in today's society. Whether it refers to an attorney or a hooker, people use it to give legitimacy to their position regardless of the stature they may hold or deserve. It is a way of demanding that they be treated with a level of respect that the previously mentioned core traits signify.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Competitive Leadership by Brian Billick, James A. Peterson. Copyright © 2001 Brian Billick and James A. Peterson, Ph.D.. Excerpted by permission of Triumph Books.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Foreword by Andrea Kremer,Preface,
Acknowledgments,
1. Understanding the Essence of Leadership,
2. Be Values-Oriented,
3. Be Prepared,
4. Be Self-Disciplined,
5. Be Knowledgeable,
6. Be Performance-Oriented,
7. Be a Commmunicator,
8. Be a Motivator,
9. Be a Problem Solver,
10. Be a Team Builder,
11. Be Opportunistic,
12. Be Self-Assured,
13. Be Courageous,
14. Crafting a Mosaic of Effective Leadership,
Appendix. Diary of a Super Bowl Team,