Lillian Lincoln Lambert

Leader is more than a title; it carries a responsibility.  Leaders come in all sizes, shapes and colors and they bring a myriad of attitudes to the position. Their responsibilities are numerous, requiring that they possess certain qualities and skills in order to be successful. Many skills can be developed through training but personal qualities are innate.  Training can compensate for some, but not necessarily all, shortcomings.

A successful leader has an attitude that shows his or her desire to make the company successful.   At least these attitudes are needed to be successful.

*Commitment to taking massive action. This means the leader takes action beyond ordinary ones in order to achieve results. Sometimes the appropriate action is awkward, i.e., terminating a friend or relative who is not performing.

*Control over ego and desire for status. An effective leader realizes that results are more important than being known as the key person.  A successful leader builds a strong team and is not concerned about who gets the “pat on the back.” As a matter of fact, it is preferable that a member (or two) gets the credit. A successfully performing team makes the leader look good.

*Trusting the team that has been built. Having the trust and support of the leader is paramount to building a stronger team. The attitude that “No one can do it as well as I” will intimidate some employees and lessen the desire of others to develop and grow.

*Taking risks and dealing with imperfect information. At times leaders need to get outside of their comfort zone and take calculated risks.  Always staying in the “safety zone” can stymie growth.

*Willingness to be unpopular and face conflict. Conflict is never pleasant but at times is unavoidable, particularly when dealing with employees who seem to be performing at less than their potential.  A good leader develops a level of comfort in dealing with conflict so that conversations about expectations and performance can be constructive.

*A balance between monitoring and the need to control. Finding the right balance between micromanagement and abdication may require the leader to develop the attitude of “controlled surrender” or “interested detachment.”  Observe but do not be overly anxious to step in and take over.

Having the right attitude will allow leaders to contribute to building strong businesses that can run without the need for the owner to have in-depth involvement on a day-to-day basis. This allows the owner to perform more effectively as a CEO while the managers are effective at their level in the organization.

This is from Healthy Companies, an on line publication to which I subscribe. I thought this was worth sharing.

A Goldman Sachs executive director resigns, calling the company’s current culture “toxic and destructive.” A United States Senator announces her resignation, saying that the Senate “is not living up to its billing…and routinely jettisons regular order.”

These surprising and very public assertions are the result of one thing: Both institutions purport to embrace a particular set of values while simultaneously allowing destructive habits to take hold—a tell-tale sign that an organization has lost sight of its higher purpose. To be sure, living up to any higher purpose can be difficult and may even seem trivial at times. And while they may not be so public about it, there’s a good chance that many people in your organization feel like Greg Smith from Goldman Sachs or Olympia Snowe of the US Senate. That’s why it’s essential to continually assess whether you and your team are working—in action and in deed—toward the company’s true north.

What Great Leaders Know
Great leaders know that moments may arise when they have to take a stand for their values or give voice to the greater good, even if taking that stand requires a significant personal or professional sacrifice. Though it can be difficult, especially within large organizations, to see the impact of this stand individually, great leaders know that leading by example can have an impact larger than what is visible. It sends a message that regardless of your position, you can ensure that you and your team are adhering to your collective values.

What Message Will You Send?
It’s difficult to know when you’ll be confronted with a situation that challenges your core values. In today’s fast-moving and interconnected world, it’s important to always act in ways consistent with advancing social goals. If you manage to do that, you’ll be making your organization—and the world—a better place.

There are two areas that I tend to avoid discussing just as I would try to avoid the plague – religion and politics. Over the last few days, however, I have had this burning desire to break my rule as it relates to politics.

First an admission: I am a registered democrat who votes very independently, even having voted for republican candidates over my many voting years. Recently I was so perturbed by statements made by presidential candidate, Newt Gingrich that I can no longer hold my peace. In one of his television appearances, he stated that poor kids who live in poor neighborhoods don’t see people working and therefore “literally have no habit of showing up on Monday.” Instead, they gravitate toward pimping and prostitution. He goes on to say that poor children should be given jobs as janitors to learn about working. In response to his statements I want to address three areas

1. The assumption that because people are poor they do not understand what it means to go to work.

2. Demeaning the work that janitors do

3. The implication that being a janitor is dishonorable.

On the first issue, poor people understand work probably better than rich people. They have to work just to survive. Things are not handled to them on a silver platter. I grew up as a poor child (although I did not feel poor) on a farm, raised by honest, hardworking parents. My father was a farmer and my mother a domestic worker/school teacher. Mom had a college degree and taught school before quitting to raise her children. When she needed to go back to work to help make ends meet for the family she could not get a teaching job so she began working as a domestic. My siblings and I all had strong work ethics instilled in us by both parents. Education was also emphasized. From this poor neighborhood I went on to get an undergraduate degree from Howard university and an MBA from Harvard Business School. I would venture to say poor children understand working and have work ethics as well as or better than rich children, many of whom have never had to work but grew up with much indulgence.

Secondly, being a janitor is hard work and, in general, is rarely appreciated by the public. I know firsthand because I started a janitorial firm, operated it for twenty-five years and grew it into a $20 million business. Most people who enter their office every day do not consider the fact that while they are home in the evenings enjoying their families; someone comes into the office to create a clean, sanitary environment for them when they return to work the next day. Many do not think of this particular activity until their trash can is not emptied or bathroom not cleaned. As a result too often complaints are issued when expected standards are not met but seldom are compliments given when things are done. Few if any other professions are so unappreciated.

Third, being a janitor is an honorable position. The services they perform are necessary for proper maintenance of buildings and these environments. As the owner of a janitorial firm one of my major challenges was keeping my employees motivated and feeling good about the work they did. To this end, they were not called janitors (because of the negative connotation) but were maintenance specialists. To give them opportunities for training and advancement, we developed the Corporate College Program which was designed to provide employees with an advancement track whereby they invested the time and the company provided the training and resources. As a result many employees advanced within the company to managements positions.

So, Mr. Gingrich maybe poor kids should be trained to own janitorial companies instead of limiting them to working as janitors. Currently most janitorial firms are owned by the majority population while most of the workers are minorities.

For those who read this: Have you thanked or complimented the person who keeps your office clean and sanitary?

Those who know me well know that I am an avid golfer. That does not mean my game is impressive. I’d say it is “average” for someone who took up the game at age 46.  I will get up early and travel distances to play a round. Weather does, however, impact my decision to play. I will not go out in the rain and if it starts raining during a game, I will probably quit. Likewise, temperatures must be in the 50’s to entice me.

I am fortunately to be able to play golf year round. Spring and summers are spent in Virginia where I play in a league once a week and try to get in an extra day with my husband. During the fall and winter I am in Florida and play in a league with a second day of play most weeks.

Golf is not a game I ever thought I would play and certainly not enjoy. I used to think this had to be the dumbest game in the world! How could there be any enjoyment in hitting a little white ball until it finally gets into a hole. But once I started, I was intrigued by the challenge of the game. I do like a challenge!

As I progressed in learning the rules and etiquette of the game, I began to draw many parallels between the game of golf and the game of life.  In golf, your partner will sometimes give a mulligan (that is a second change to hit the ball after a bad shot). When that happens to me, I am grateful for being given a second chance to start my game on the right foot. So it is with life. Every day that I wake up in good health— a good frame of mind is a bonus—I see it as God’s way of giving me a second chance to improve the life that has been given to me.

However, a second chance, in both life and golf, comes with no guarantees. We may get it right, or we may get it wrong. In both cases, it’s up to us to stay focused on the goal of continuously improving ourselves and taking responsibility for the outcome. In the end, the game of life and the game of golf are a competition with oneself. In golf, it’s futile to blame the weather, the ball, the terrain, or the people we play with for a bad round. In life, it does us no good to blame others when things don’t turn out the way we want. Although we might not master every day or win every game, the key is to see each one as another chance to improve our game or our life.

For the last few days in May 2011, millions of people waited with great anticipation to see the final episodes of the Oprah Show. She had decided, after 25 years, to end her very popular daytime talk show to move on to other interests. Many questioned why she would leave a show that has had such success.

Moving on is often a difficult task; whether it is moving to a new job, getting into or out of a relationship or moving away from home. There are so many uncertainties it can be paralyzing. Athletes find it difficult to end his career even when they have been injured or have passed their peak performance. Entertainers hate to leave the limelight when all signs point to declining performance. Entrepreneurs are guilty of staying too long even when their presence is detrimental to the business.

From my own personal experience, it was hard to let go of a business I had birthed and nurtured to maturity. It’s like letting go of your child.  There is never a good time to leave but usually there are signs that there is time for a change. After twenty-five years of operating the business I founded, I sold it. In hindsight I should have exited the business three to four years earlier. Some of my signs were:

1. No longer enjoyed going to work, the passion was gone.

2. Began abdicating some responsibilities

3. Avoided dealing with changes in the marketplace.

4. Reluctant to invest in growth strategies.

These were all key elements in maintaining the business on its successful path.

At some point it is time to let go. Some things may allow for a long planning process about how the change should be made.  In other situations decisions may need to be made quicker. As an entrepreneur, there is time to plan to exit your company if planning is begun early in development of the business.  Reasons to leave a company will vary. i.e. the passion may be gone, as in my case; illness or death may occur or a myriad of other reasons.

I had begun developing a succession plan a few years before selling the company but “dropped the ball” in the process and did not complete it timely. Therefore, when I knew I needed to leave, my options were limited.  I advise clients to begin working on a succession plan soon after starting the business. Having a plan in place does not mean it has to be implemented but if there is no plan your options are limited. Some things to consider are:

*Who is capable of taking over the business?

*Are there family members capable and interested?

*What role do you want to have after leaving the day to day operation?

*Is an employee stock option plan a possibility?

*Is selling part or all of the company something to consider?

Getting adequate answers to these questions takes time and usually requires some outside professional help.

Deciding to “let go” of your company many mean retirement or just give you the flexibility to whatever you desire. I tried retirement for a while but it did not agree with me. I, therefore, got involved in other business ventures. As we know Oprah did not retire but is operating her own network. She had a planned strategy. As successful as the Oprah Show had been she heeded the signs.

If you are an entrepreneur, put in place a plan to exit your business, whether or not you use it.