Girl Power

The last several days have reminded me of the power and strength...of women!

I was very impressed with Governor Sarah Palin, Vice Presidential nominee for the Republican party. She is demonstrating what women have been saying for years (and what many Democrats were saying in the strong candidacy of Hillary Clinton): It is possible to have it all -- job, family, faith, mom, politician, leader, rock star! She clearly has a full plate -- and appears to be handling it with dignity and grace. I was impressed with her speech, but blown away when I later learned that she delivered it despite a faulty teleprompter and an outdated copy of her notes. Good for her.

I ran the Disneyland half-marathon last Sunday. The setting was awesome, running through the park, along the Santa Ana River, around Angels Stadium, and back to the park for the finish. I did okay -- not as well as I had hoped. But it was a lot of fun. One of my teammates from work ran with me. She is tiny, probably half my size. And she beat me by nearly 25 minutes! Good for her.

Two months ago, President Bush appointed the Army's first female 4-star general, Ann E. Dunwoody. She will be the chief logistician for the Army and will lead the Army Materiel Command. Never before has the Army had a woman wear 4 stars. Good for her. Good for the Army!

Now, I have no doubt that there is still work to be done. Women still do not have the seat at the table in business that they probably should (only 12 of the Fortune 500 companies are led by women, for example). But everywhere I look, I see very strong, very capable women smashing through barriers, shattering the glass ceiling, breaking records, and blazing new trails. Several female friends of mine run their own businesses and are helping me understand what strong leadership really means. There is still work to be done...but progress is clear. Good for women. Good for all of us.

Some call it Girl Power. I call it...Leader Business. Hooah!

Leading From the Front, Part II

Most people have never received formal leadership training. Instead we learn by reading, studying, and from the school of hard knocks. For some in the military, those hard knocks have helped make them successful, and are worthy of sharing with others.

Angie Morgan and Courtney Lynch do just that in their book, Leading From the Front. They share "No Excuse Leadership Tactics" that run the gamut - from taking care of people to staying cool under fire. Written for women, this book has leadership insights that apply to all.

Angie and Courtney "earned their stripes" in the Marine Corps. They continue to remain engaged in the "business of leaders" through their company -- LeadStar. Part II of the interview I did with them is below.

The Marine Corps, like the Army, is a people-centric organization. You talk at length about things like taking responsibility, taking care of others, maintaining balance. How do we cultivate this sort of environment in the business world?

The military has great best practices when it comes to developing people and creating environments that foster camaraderie, loyalty and Esprit de Corps. What is important to remember, too, is that the military can’t motivate its “employees” with stock options, sales contests and rewards. Servicemembers have to use their raw leadership skills to motivate and inspire their troops.

In the business world, it is critical that men and women spend more time on leadership fundamentals to create an environment where employees are valued, taken care of, and treated with respect. Companies spend millions of dollars equipping their employees with technical, job-related training. They need to invest more in leadership development to create the type of environment where employees want to work.

You spend a lot of time in your current business (Lead Star) talking to emerging leaders…and especially female leaders. What are you hearing? Is there a glass ceiling…and how do people crash through it?

The data speaks for itself: women still haven’t achieved equality in the workplace through equal pay and representation in senior managerial ranks. Is this because of a glass ceiling? Rather than debate external factors that might limit a woman’s potential, we try to focus on helping women address the issues that they can control: their leadership skills.

We believe that women routinely don’t ask to be paid what they are worth. We’ve seen it before. Women also sell themselves short when it comes to professional accomplishments, which holds them back from promotions.

Through our work with Lead Star, we want to empower women to not be afraid to ask for a raise, a promotion, and to set their professional sites high. When women address these challenges through their leadership skills development, they will be more equipped to discover the success that they are searching.

Your book, Leading from the Front, is great. What have you found that your readers connect with the most? And while it is largely written for women, are the leadership principles good for “guys” like me?

We learned how to lead in the Marine Corps – out of 180,000 Marines, only 1000 are female officers. The inspiration for Leading from the Front came from the Corps, so “yes!” The leadership principles are relevant to men and women alike.

We chose to write the book, however, for women because most women don’t look to the military for leadership guidance. We wanted to soften the Marine Corps’ image for women without softening its leadership message.

We have discovered that women like the last principle best, Always Lead as You Are. In the chapter we discuss the value of authenticity and how it is important to be true to your personality. Readers are always delighted to hear that they don’t have to change who they are to become a leader: they have to improve, but in ways that are compatible consistent with their true personalities.

What are you doing now to continue to share your lessons from the Marine Corps with others?

Beyond Leading from the Front, we created a consulting firm, Lead Star (www.leadstar.us) that provides leadership development opportunities for professionals everywhere. We travel the country providing workshops, keynotes and offering training programs for individuals who’d like to grow and develop as leaders.

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Thanks Angie and Courtney -- for your service and for what you continue to do for leaders. I submit that we all could benefit from the leadership tactics contained in Leading From the Front. If you are a woman...get a hold of these leadership principles asap. And if you're not a woman...but know someone who could benefit from some Marine Corps --Hoorah!--leadership, do them a favor and get them the book.

I read it...and I think that Leading From the Front is what Leader Business is all about! Hooah!

Leading from the Front, Part I

Most people have never received formal leadership training. Instead we learn by reading, studying, and from the school of hard knocks. For some in the military, those hard knocks have helped make them successful, and are worthy of sharing with others.


Angie Morgan and Courtney Lynch were not born leaders. They became leaders during their years in the US Marine Corps. And because they are women, they were among the elite of the elite, breaking barriers as they led in a field clearly dominated by men.


Drawing on their years as Marine Corps officers and successful private consultants, Morgan and Lynch deliver 10 key practices to becoming a powerful leader. In their book, Leading From The Front, you can improve your decision making, focus, and performance as you learn to:

• Set an inspiring example
• Think fast on your feet
• Stop making excuses
• Take care of your team (so they'll take care of you)
• Respond without overreacting
• Stay cool while dealing with crises
• Have the courage to achieve your goals

While the book targets women leaders, these lessons apply for us all. So I have asked Angie and Courtney to answer some questions on leadership, the first part of which is below. Check out what they have to say. If you are interested, read more about the book here. I read it -- and thought they did a great job. If you know someone who could benefit from these “No Excuse Leadership Tactics,” pick up a copy and put it in their hands…ASAP! These lessons are not just for women. They are what Leader Business is all about. Below is part 1 of my interview with these two great leaders:


Your book is Leading From the Front. You indicate in your book that “Titles don’t define leaders; behavior and attitude make the difference.” What sort of behaviors and attitudes enable leading from the front?

So many people in our society believe that leadership is about a job title, notoriety or prestige. We believe that leaders are the ones who influence outcomes and inspire others. You don’t need a job title to be a leader. You just have to demonstrate leadership behaviors. Leadership is about meeting performance standards, serving as a role model, having emotional resolve, being authentic, accountable and decisive. We wrote our book to share 10 behaviors that men and women can demonstrate in their quest to become stronger, more effective leaders.


You have some great principles about decision-making, especially in crisis mode. What can others learn from your Marine Corps experiences about decision-making?


One of the most important aspects of decision making is knowing when to make a tough call. Many of us fall victim to procrastination, delaying a decision all together. When you fail to make a decision, you live life reactively. You lose out on opportunities and you fail to lead from the front. Leaders need to make decisions to be proactive and to move their lives forward. I think we all can recall a time in our lives when we put off making a choice. Maybe it was when we were trying to plan a family vacation or coordinate a trip somewhere with our friends. By the time we got around to making plans, we discovered that airfare was higher than before, or maybe the hotel was booked up. We missed out on the opportunity. Leaders need to know what decisions they can make today to prepare themselves for the future.

Courtney, in the book you indicated that you had a great mentor when you were a young lieutenant. Are we doing all we should to identify and leverage role models? Where are the good ones?

I had a great Gunnery Sergeant who showed me the ropes. He recognized an opportunity to be a mentor and graciously took the time to guide me through my initial days in the Marine Corps. In fact, he still is a mentor of mine. I have learned to be more proactive in identifying mentors. I choose my mentors by observing successful people who I can learn from, asking them to lunch, and creating an informal relationship from there. I think so many people feel pressure when it comes to identifying mentors, or perhaps being mentors themselves. We all have much a lot to learn from other people and there are many who can benefit from our experiences. They key to mentoring is taking the time and being open to professional relationships.

Thanks Angie and Courtney for your service with the Marine Corps and your continuing passion for leadership and service to others. Part 2 of this interview will follow. And thanks for your insights on what we call Leader Business. Hoorah!