Sustainable Energy

As many of you know, I just spent 365 days in wonderful Afghanistan. Twelve months is a long, hard, grind. We worked 7 days a week, probably logging around 15 hours per day -- day after day, no weekends to recharge, no sleeping in. And if I can be honest, I think I had it pretty easy! I won’t even begin to try to compare my pace to what so many of our Troopers were dealing with every single day on the front lines!

Nonetheless, it was a demanding routine, one which certainly challenged my skills as a leader. It was physically and mentally exhausting. Yet, people were looking to me for guidance and inspiration. No matter how tired I might have been, I had to be on my game at all times. I couldn’t postpone decisions until I was better rested, I couldn’t delegate key organizational issues to someone else to figure out. And with people’s lives literally in the balance, the pressure to perform only further heightened the stress and added to the drain on leaders like me throughout the combat zone.

Toward the end of my deployment, one of my subordinate leaders asked how I was able to stay as positive and energized as I was throughout our time together. He wanted to know how I did it. I shared several thoughts with him, which I layout below. But be sure, it’s no accident that he recognized this characteristic. This is how I try to operate, no matter where I am and regardless of what arena I’m in. I think it is critical to bring positive, inspiring energy to everything we do. In fact, I think it is one of THE most important leadership characteristics I look for in people that I hire or those I promote. I definitely see it as Leader Business.

Here is what I told my teammate as to how I kept up my energy. First, I believed in what we were doing. (We were managing a $5B+ reconstruction program focused primarily on the Afghan Security Forces) It is certainly easier to sell a product when we believe in its merits. I definitely believe in what we were doing. I enjoyed the work, I loved the people I was working with, and despite the daily grind, I thought it was fun and certainly was energized by what we were doing. In other words, not only did I bring energy to the job…but the job gave energy to me! I know what we were doing mattered and I was pretty sure that my contribution to the team and our mission did as well.

Second, I told him that in my approach, leaders can’t have an off-day. When I wasn’t feeling it, and there were plenty of those days, I’d fake it. My bad day or personal problems were not going to trickle down to those whom I knew fed from my energy. When we are in leadership positions, people are always watching. We have to keep up the high level of energy even if, like I said, we have to fake it. In my experience, there is no room for being negative, cynical, or depressed if we are going to lead. Thoughts like that should be kept to one’s self. They tend to bring down the team and drain organizational energy. Instead, leaders must stay positive and be a source of energy for others.

Third, I found it critical during a one-year deployment to stay balanced. I tried not to get too high on the highs or too low on the lows. I tried to be consistent and not let the emotions of the moment drain me. The adage of deployment being a “marathon versus a sprint” certainly applied. I’ve seen far too many high-energy leaders who react radically to good or bad news, especially the latter. They are the red-faced yellers, the angry bosses who personalize everything and are one negative report away from a “coronary!” We can’t get like that. Instead, I think we have to maintain a steady, positive, balanced attitude that brings people up as opposed to tearing them down. Stuff happens and we are charged with dealing with it. People needed to know they could bring bad news to me without fear of losing their head…or their job! Staying positive and energetic, no matter the situation of the moment, kept everyone focused on our mutual goals and objectives, focused on helping each other, and ready to deal with any situation…with the necessary energy to do so.

Finally, I tried to stay fit. Even with 15-hour days, I tried to start each morning with an investment in my spiritual and physical fitness. I can honestly say that both were a source of my energy each day. It is a fact that those who are physically fit have more energy. Well, it doesn’t come without an investment. No excuses. Even with early morning commitments, it was not a question of IF I was going to exercise but how early I’d have to get up! Similarly, I have found that daily time for reflection keeps me grounded and sustains my energy. For some it is a quiet walk or yoga or prayer. For me, it was a chapter a day in my Bible. Both areas of fitness are worthy of consistent investment in order to sustain a high level of energy.

So what about you? Are you a source of deliberate (on purpose!), inspirational, and sustainable energy that makes people want to follow you? My friends, it matters. To lead effectively, we MUST have this leadership trait. If it does not come naturally (i.e if you are an engineer like me!), learn it. Fake it if you must! Whatever it takes, if we want to be truly effective, we need to be the sort of leaders that people willingly follow. That only comes when we can bring our A-game to every situation – 24/7 and 365 days per year. Trust me…I tested this theory and it worked. I’m positive!! That’s Leader Business!

Got Leadership?

As many of you know, I just got back from Maui after a week of R&R with my wife. It was a nice vacation, to be sure. I needed the time away and that is definitely a great place to do so. I mean, what is not to like: beautiful beaches, perfect weather, snorkeling, parasailing, eating WAY too much, and those drinks with the little umbrellas!

But do you know the first thing we did when we got back? We paid off our credit cards! Makes sense, right? We had saved up the money while I was deployed and then settled up once we got back. Now, contrast that with our “leaders” in Washington. What is the first thing they did after running up the credit card to the max and then doing nothing to pay it off? They created chaos in the markets, struck a deal that only raised the credit limit on the card, and then they all left town and went on…vacation!

Now, I don’t want these pages to become a political battleground. I generally stay out of politics here but then again, we find examples of good and bad leadership in all areas and it drives me crazy to see this example of horrific leadership. There is no sense of urgency, no building of consensus, very few new ideas, and no solutions. We have a real economic hairball, one that we would not allow in our own businesses, let alone our families. Yet this mess will inevitably damage our businesses and our families for generations. Those responsible for it pat each other on the back for making a deal, leave town, and avoid accountability! They stay away from hard choices, going for the “easier wrong” instead of the “harder right!” They blame each other instead of working together. Am I frustrated? You bet I am. Aren’t you? Little wonder that we have the lowest consumer confidence in 30+ years and approval rates among our political leaders that suggest they ALL may be looking for new jobs in November! That may not be such a bad thing!

Meanwhile, we HAVE to find solutions! I’d like to think that the framework for Leader Business might offer a few questions to help us figure our way out of this mess.

Plan – How do we develop a national plan for the way ahead? Note: Forming a committee ain’t it! Where in the world have you ever seen the solution to an emergency is to form a committee??? How about locking people in a room until they figure this out? How about cancelling vacations? How do we have an honest framing of the problem so that the citizenry can see the urgency and be ready to participate in the sacrifices that we’ll all have to make? What are our national Goals and Objectives? What is a reasonable timeline to get back to balance? Where are the bold solutions, what are the risks, and how do we mitigate them?

Prepare – How do we build the teams necessary to tackle these problems? How do we communicate with each other in order to prepare people for the upcoming challenges? What metrics can we agree need to be the focus of this dialogue and how do we hold our leaders accountable to them? What are our priorities and how do we align resources accordingly so that we keep our promises, take care of people, defend our interests, stimulate the economy, make meaningful, strategic investments AND live within our means?

Execute – What MUST we do and what can we put on our National “Stop Doing” list? How do we measure performance, hold people accountable, and WIN in those areas that matter the most (jobs, academics, science, defense)? How do we hold people accountable within our government such that they don’t get to retain their jobs when they don’t perform?

Learn -- How are we taking ownership of problems instead of blaming each other? Who is courageous enough to articulate how we got into this mess while describing the steps that ALL will need to take to improve? How do we avoid these problems in the future? How do we educate the citizenry on where we are, where we are going, and why it is critical to do so?

Friends, I won’t pretend to have all the answers. In fact, you’ll note that above is simply a list of questions. But I have no doubt that we need our leaders to start generating answers to these questions. We have a true financial crisis that is growing across the world. This isn’t time to go on vacation! Nor is it time to blame each other and try to posture to win the next election! It’s time to get to work. Let’s roll up our sleeves, quit fretting about our problems, and start solving them.

I regularly share one of my favorite expressions with my daughters when they are wasting time, wringing their hands over a problem instead of getting going on solving it: “We can’t step up the stairs if we are paralyzed staring at the steps!” It’s time to take the first step. Let’s call it, oh…I don’t know, PLANNING! The rest of the steps will follow. It’s a proven approach. The alternative is…paralysis. Unfortunately, that may be where we are now. It’s my firm belief that we are better than this. But only if our leaders get going and figure out a way to show some basic economic leadership like we expect in our own families and businesses. This isn’t a political statement. This is…Leader Business.

The Sabbatical is...Over!

Friends,

Well, the excuses are over. I can’t account for my negligence in writing any longer by saying, “I’m busy running a multi-billion dollar construction company” or that, “I’m busy fighting the Taliban.” My year in Afghanistan is complete and...I’m back! My little sabbatical is over! I’ve got a head-full of ideas, concepts, and data points that I can’t wait to share. It’s time to write. I am embarrassed to see that my last blog posting was….uhhhh….January 1st. Well, let’s change that right now!

I will use this first posting to update you all on several things before I start writing again. And yes, this shameless update will NOT be the last you hear from me for the NEXT 6 months! I promise!!!

So, about me. I am back from Afghanistan after the most amazing 12 months of my life. I lived the dream, running a multi-billion dollar construction company in combat conditions, where every decision, every single day, truly mattered. As strange as that might sound, it was the thrill of a lifetime and I would not have missed it for anything!

Now that I am back, it is time to work on some projects. First, I want to spend some time getting the word out about my book, Leader Business. This “best-seller” is a good read and (I hope!) worth your time understanding the cross-over appeal between the military which I have served for 26+ years and the rest of the world in which we ALL live! Would you consider picking up a copy HERE if you have not already? In fact, if you will simply email me and tell me you want a signed copy of Leader Business, I’m prepared to do so!

I am also working on speaking to a number of groups about the Business of Leaders. If I can come speak to your group, as I have booked engagements for a dozen (+) groups already, would you drop me a note and let me know of your interest? The working title of my presentation, "3 Cups of Tea, 2 Bags of Cement, and a Truckload of Leadership" highlights the mix of leadership lessons and great lessons from building in Afghanistan that I can't wait to share!

We have a lot of catching up to do. I’d like to talk to you about things like how we developed a strategic plan for a multi-billion dollar company; how we aligned people, processes, systems, and our communications with that strategy; how we executed to meet the ever-evolving demands from our customer and from the environment in which we operated; and how we conducted After Actions Reviews (AARs) to ensure that learning could be factored into subsequent plans to get continuous improvement. That is the “Leader Business Cycle” and something that I found to be the basic framework for how I approached my time during deployment to Afghanistan. It continues to be a good reference for me. I hope you agree.

So, for a preview, here are some of the upcoming topics you can find on these pages:

-- More on the Drumbeat. How to communicate a vision.
-- Metrics and why they matter?
-- Creating a sense of urgency in your organization.
-- Strategic planning in a combat environment.
-- Finding balance in a 24/7 environment.
-- Energy and why it matters to those we lead.
-- Stratcoms (Strategic communications).
-- Continuous learning when the stakes matter most

Well friends, I am looking forward to re-starting our dialogue. Despite my time away, I could not be more excited about the opportunities we have to re-connect. As I turn on my TV and see what is happening in our world, I am certainly aware of the lack of leadership in so many sectors of our world, especially right here in the United States. Is there something I can offer to help? Who knows. Let’s just open a discussion. You tell me when you’ve heard enough. I’m happy to be back! This is Leader Business! Hooah!

PS. Just so you know I am serious about writing again, I am finishing up this blog as I sit on the porch early morning...in Maui. The picture at the top is from last night's sunset from the beautiful Hula Grill. Nice!! Yes, a little post-deployment R&R! I'm not sure I'll ever leave this place but...I DO have a good internet connection! :)

The Drumbeat

Hello Friends,

I have been negligent in writing. I have no excuse! I used to have the energy and time to post twice per week. And now...well, I won't even count the weeks since I last posted. I guess I have been busy with things at work. I know, I know...who isn't? But my job here in Afghanistan is somewhat consuming. But it is also fertile ground for learning more about leadership. So, it is not for a lack of stuff to talk about. It is mostly from a lack of energy to put this stuff in writing.

This has been an amazing opportunity for me. As most of you know, I am deployed to Afghanistan, serving with the Army Corps of Engineers as the Commander (CEO) of a $5B construction company. We have an incredible workload and doing it in an environment where every project has a story. They are all difficult: rough terrain, many inexperienced contractors, and of course, the presence of bad guys who don't want this program to succeed.

But the bottom line is, we have to win. That means we've got to accomplish our mission. No matter what! We are climbing a mountain that is almost vertical, increasing our output in every part of our program. We have to find a way to push ourselves to levels we didn't think possible. We have to change our tactics, find efficiencies, and blow through obstacles that will undoubtedly be found along the way.

Our overall strategy is simple: Meet our commitments; deliver finished projects; and Build projects while building capacity within the Engineering and Construction community of this country. There are no excuses! Every day matters. Every person contributes. We have to do whatever it takes to get the job done!

My former boss and great mentor and friend, Randy Castro, called this a drumbeat. To accomplish a large vision or tackle an insurmountable task requires consistent focus on the main elements that contribute to success. There are many important tasks (projects). They all must be accomplished. But the team needs to know where their piece fits in the overall picture. They need to hear the drumbeat over and over. This is the vision and this is how we will get there!

Our teammates need to hear and understand this drumbeat. Why is it important? How will we get there? How does what they do...fit into the overall mission? How do they get in step with the beat of the drum? This is what I cover every single day with my senior leaders. It affects what we measure. It shapes our calendars and meetings. It is what I talk to my team about at every forum (town hall sessions, video interviews, emails, project visits, etc.).

It's a drumbeat. Over and over again -- this is what we are doing, this is where we stand now, and this is what we need to do to be successful, to accomplish the mission, to win! Meet our commitments; Deliver finished projects; and build projects while building capacity within the Engineering and Construction community of this country. Hear the drumbeat: boom...boom...boom! Always the same beat, same rhythm, and the same message.

So...what is your drumbeat? If you had to summarize what success looks like into short sentences, sound bites, or milestones...what would they be? Would your teammates know that is what is important? Would they be able to repeat the drumbeat. Truth be told, that is the goal. We should hear it wherever we go within the organization, everyone focused on the same thing. The drumbeat...over and over.

We can't be all over the place. As leaders, we must be consistent. The drumbeat is what helps people understand the vision, share our passion or our sense of urgency, and focus on those difference making contributions that add up to overall victory. It keeps people marching to the beat, everyone in step, all headed in the same direction.

As we head into 2011, let's do it with a drumbeat. I told you mine. You tell me yours! That is what it will take to overcome obstacles, find victories in this tough economy, and to keep people focused on the prize. Beat the drum -- over and over. That should make for a successful, prosperous New Year. Forward...march!!! Happy New Year everyone!!

Credits go to "Tim" for the image at the top of this post!

Leader Business Update

Many of you have written me to give feedback on the Leader Business book and to ask how sales are going. On the former, I thank you for your thoughts and am humbled each time I hear about one person who is applying even a single thing from the book to their own leadership journey. Oh…and I know about the typo on page 12. Haha!

As to the latter, sales are going pretty good…considering. Considering that I am my own marketing team. Considering that my marketing team is in Afghanistan. And considering that my marketing strategy currently consists only of asking my friends to dish out $20 or so for a copy. Considering all of this…sales are going pretty good!

***Shameless plug. Could I ask you to help join my marketing team and perhaps broaden the outreach for the book? Is there anyone you know who might benefit from a discussion of leadership based on how we do it in the military, and who really needs a copy of the book? Is there a group to whom I might speak (so far I’ve done two video presentations and one SKYPE discussion from my “hooch” here in Kabul), sharing some of the lessons in the book and how what we are doing over here continues to validate the philosophies that I wrote about in Leader Business? Would you consider an investment in your own team, perhaps with a bulk order for the holidays? (I have even autographed a dozen or so for one group to give out as gifts to guest speakers! I am happy to help and humbled to contribute in any way I can!). Perhaps you have a leader development program that might benefit from reviewing this book together and answering the discussion questions at the end of each chapter. End of the shameless plug. Haha!***

As for me, in my last two blog posts, I have written about Decision Points (Deciding to decide) and our STOP DOING lists (things we must terminate, defer, or decline in order to maintain focus on our priorities). Both of these have come together in my professional life as I have DECIDED to transition out of the Army! Yes, at the completion of this duty assignment here in Afghanistan, and after 26 years in the Army, I suppose I am ready to move on to something else. I think it's time to do something different…and look forward to the challenge.

But for now, I have 8 months remaining on my tour of duty…and a whole bunch of MISSION in front of me. I work with a great group of people here in Afghanistan and have a job I can only dream about (When will I next get to be the CEO of a $5B construction company?). The challenges are enormous but I am reminded every day – THAT’S WHY THEY NEED ME! If you are on facebook, check out our page and some of the videos about our experiences over here in Afghanistan: Afghanistan Engineer District - North.

I am learning daily the importance of leadership and reminded that the timeless principles that I wrote about in Leader Business really do work. But, I also know I have to do more than write about them, or give motivational speeches to help people believe in them. I have to live them every day. Leadership is not what we say (or write). It is what we DO. Sometimes I do a really good job at it. Sometimes…I goof things up. But I’m giving it my best, learning from each experience, and getting better every day.

That’s what I wrote about in the book. That’s what successful leaders everywhere do. And that’s what I call…Leader Business! Hooah!

The "Stop Doing" List

Hello Friends!

Greetings once again from Afghanistan. As most of you know, I am deployed with the US Army, working with the US Army Corps of Engineers. Our mission is primarily construction projects in support of the Afghan Security Forces and overall Counter Insurgency Operations here in country. As for me…my mission is leadership. Or, shall we say…Leader Business!

As I begin this discussion, would you join me in giving a hearty “shout out” to our Veterans on this Veteran’s Day? It is because of brave, selfless warriors like them that we can enjoy the freedoms and blessings of our lives. Let’s not forget them, let’s never leave any behind, and let’s remember to thank them – and their families – for their sacrifices, wherever and whenever they may have served! Hooah!

In the last post, I described the importance of identifying decision points – where we decide to decide – well ahead of the actual decision. This provides leaders the flexibility to influence the outcome and the ability to adjust the team, align resources, and keep the mission on track.

While we may not know it, we face decision points every day. Unfortunately, we watch most of them go by without action. Disciplined teams with disciplined leaders are talking about decisions regularly, keeping everyone on high alert for the triggers that suggest a decision is pending. This highlights the importance of regular, mission-focused communication. Keeping everyone’s head in the game is enabled by this major leadership responsibility. When people know what to look for (triggers or road signs of the pending decision), when they are kept in the loop about what is happening around them (we call this situational awareness), and when we include their input in our discussions about future decisions, options, and how we might shift our plan depending on what happens, we are rarely surprised by the inevitable forks in the road.

In any case, one of the important decisions we have been making lately surrounds what we should STOP DOING. Most of it surrounds our core competencies, our primary revenue generators, and our main mission. Everything else needs to be examined within this framework to determine whether we should stop doing it.

Like many of you, we have more MISSION than we have people. In the resource constrained environments in which we operate (to include here in Afghanistan), we often find that we eventually run out of resources, but never lack for things to do. Some of those things…are really not important. Many of them can be done by someone else. Others don’t make us any money. Most of them are distracters, consumers of resources (especially time) that we need to put into our main mission area.

So, we have hit some important decision points recently and decided – to STOP DOING some of those things. We were putting energy into a couple of projects that started to become more trouble than they were worth. We need those people focused on our priorities. We stopped doing them. I talked to my leaders about how we would accept new projects…and what we would leave for others. It simply comes down to the fact that saying YES to everything eventually maxes out resources and reduces productivity and output. Sometimes we have to say, NO.

None of this comes easy. Most organizations, and especially the one I get to lead, have a hard time with this. We like to be solution providers. We enjoy new challenges. Our tendency is to take on more and more. But there comes a point where we begin to water down our primary purpose, lose focus on our core competencies, and threaten our ability to accomplish the mission. That’s when we have to examine our team and build a STOP DOING list.

So, what about you? What can you STOP DOING? What might you outsource to someone for whom that task might actually be a core competency? What non-revenue generating, non-priority mission, non-HEDGEHOG (my Jim Collins analogy of the day) task or event should you stop, defer, or eliminate? Could you do as we have done, gather your key leaders, and ask this question: What can we STOP DOING to improve our output? What about in your personal life? What things are you putting time into that add no value, take away time from what is really important, and should similarly be examined for inclusion on this list?

You are at an important decision point right now. What you do with this, what you STOP DOING, might give you the energy you need to improve your team. Just having this discussion might help people understand how focused you are on your mission. They will get a clear picture of how critical you view your priorities and how disciplined you will be to eliminate anything that gets in the way. And so, my friends, it is time to decide to decide. In this case, to decide…to STOP. That’s…Leader Business!

Deciding to Decide

First of all, to my millions of readers (Haha!), I find myself in that awkward position of having to once again apologize for not keeping up with this blog. I know I have not posted anything in a few weeks and for that, I have no excuse. Although I will admit, the demands of the job here in Afghanistan have been taking a toll. Something about these 90-hour work weeks seems to squeeze out any extracurricular activities! But...no excuses. Let's talk about the business of leaders!

One thing that there is no shortage of here for me is the opportunity to make decisions. Some big, some small. Some involve minor issues like who to meet with or what projects I need to visit, while others involve larger issues like whether we should take on certain projects, how to prioritize our resources, or what we need to do to execute a multi-billion dollar construction program.

One thing that is common among all of these issues is that as leaders, we must "decide to decide." That is not to say that we have to make decisions immediately. Clearly there are times for immediate action. But the key leader skill that I practice regularly with my teammates is to identify when decisions must be made, what possible alternatives should be considered, and how those alternatives will be implemented.

During previous assignments as a trainer at the Army's National Training Center, one of the most important decisions a training unit leader often would make during a mission was when to commit his reserve force. They would usually hold some component of their force out of the engagement, but ready to respond to the enemy's attack or to reinforce any successes during the battle.

Unfortunately, few leaders were successful in getting their reserve forces to the place they were needed on the battlefield in time, usually missing the opportunity to make the difference in the mission that was envisioned for them. Commanders failed to decide when to decide ahead of time, with a good analysis of how long it would take to get that reserve element moving, or of how much time it would take to get to the place where they could engage the enemy from a position of advantage. They usually failed to understand exactly what event would trigger their decision, and got their forces moving after it was too late.

We call those triggers decision points. They are the point in time or space when we must decide. They are the point of no return, where experienced leaders understand that they must either commit immediately, or deal with the consequences of not having done so.

Leaders must review decision points regularly with their team. When we don't, we become informed of important milestones in a project -- after we miss the milestone. All too often, someone on the team knew we wouldn't hit the milestone much earlier, when we could have taken action to still meet the mission requirement. We could have reallocated resources, reprioritized our work efforts, and certainly informed our customers about any possible fallout well before the project went south. Those decision points are where we must decide to decide.

In the lifecycle of a project, there are many of these decision points. As leaders, we have to be able to work backwards on a timeline, identify when events will happen, and then move further back to determine when we will know that those particular things will happen. Those are the triggers, much like with the combat leader, when we must either decide to decide, or find ourselves arriving at the battle too late to influence the action. It is much like the fork in the road in the picture above. You don't wait for the actual fork to decide which path to take. You make your decision, you decide to decide, well ahead of the fork, when you see the road sign that there is a fork ahead.

As leaders, we need to work with our staff to identify those signs early. We need to constantly review our situation and look for those triggers that will indicate that a decision must be made, as well as formally detail the information that will be the basis for that decision. When we do that, we will be much more prepared to make a decision when the inevitable fork arrives. We can commit early enough to still influence the action, not after it is too late to make a difference.

Following this approach will not guarantee that our decisions will always be right. But they will be timely, with a solid basis (those triggers) upon which to make them, such that, more often than not, we will take the right fork. That makes "deciding to decide" -- Leader Business!