Three Sisters

Some say nothing good comes out of Oakland, CA.  With all of the news of murder and crime, the city has taken a black eye from the media.  I am here to tell you that Oakland has produced many good people who have made significant contributions.   I can name three, Denise, Dana and Leslie, my Three Sisters. 

These three strong women, raised by an equally strong mother, have worked hard to overcome many challenges in their lives.  Whether working their way through college or overcoming barriers caused by simply being women, they possess fortitude that has led to many significant accomplishments.   Denise is an budget analyst, Dana an educator and Leslie a Registered Nurse.   All of them are leaders in their professions and highly respected.

 

What makes them special is that they serve their community, church and family in a way that elevates the lives of the people they touch.  As their brother, I am so proud of what they have been able to accomplish personally and professionally.

It is very easy to look outside your own family for examples of leadership, I am fortunate not to have to look any further than my Three Sisters.

Who Will Step Up?

Our nation is in deep trouble when it comes to leadership.  On both sides of the aisle there’s a void of real leadership.  Ongoing issues like unemployment, social security, the budget deficit, Medicare, and the various wars in which we are engaged, represent critical challenges that require strong and decisive leadership.  Unfortunately, all we get from Washington is finger pointing and placing the blame on the other party.  As a result, all over the country there is this boiling caldron of frustration, anger, hate and mistrust that has led to numerous protests.

The decisions our leaders have made over time are now changing the very foundation of our country.  It appears that all they are concerned about is maintaining their power, and many are willing to deceive and spin the truth to keep what they believe is theirs.  How long will we sit back and watch this happen?

Who will step up to be the leader to bring stability to our country?  This nation is ripe and ready for authentic leadership to emerge.  However, I believe it will not come from any one person.  It will come from each and every one of us taking a stand and demanding that our voices be heard.

It’s amazing how Facebook, YouTube and Twitter have impacted so much change, not only in our country, but in the world.  One person challenges the status quo and others pick up on it and it then goes viral.  All of us must be willing to challenge our leaders and hold them accountable for their decisions and to keep their promises.

We must demand that our leaders look out not for individual interests, but the interests of all Americans.  We are all in this together.  Regardless of what party you are affiliated with, Democrat or Republican we are all breathing the same air.  The sun shines and the rain falls on each of us.  The last time I checked, both Democrats and Republicans are facing the same challenges of unemployment, high taxes, and fighting for our freedom.

Who of us will be willing to take a stand and be counted?  Complaining and sitting idly by while our economy and the future of the next generation continues deteriorate, will not get it done.  Write your congressman, blog, volunteer, lead.  You may say that I am one person, what can I do?  You have the power to make a difference.

If we continue to wait for our so called leaders to make the changes necessary to lift up this nation to its former greatness, we are going to be waiting for a long time.

It is up to all of us to do our part. The time is now!

Underground Leadership

"Some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them".  Unknown

With underground temperatures in excess of 90°, thirty-three miners endure tremendous hardship for over 69 days.  During this time they had to fight an assortment of feelings and fears.  Would they make it out alive?  Would they see their families again?  For many of the men their true character was revealed to those underground with them.

One man’s character and leadership emerged, foreman Luis Urzua, as the group’s leader took charge from the start and was instrumental in their survival. This was especially true in the traumatic 17 days before they were discovered.

Immediately after the collapse, Urzua took charge. He began to draw up the orderly rules that would serve as guide in their underground existence, including rationing the small amount of tuna fish and milk available so that it would last longer.  It was a hierarchy to which the men were already accustomed, and they responded to his leadership.

Have you ever been faced with adversity?  How did you respond?  Did panic set in?   Were you looking out for the well being of others or for yourself?   I will be honest I am not sure how I would have responded.  I would like to think that I would have been Luis, immediately mobilizing the men, encouraging them and letting them know that we would get through the ordeal.  His dedication to his fellow miners and his impeccable leadership was the difference between life and death.  It is also important to note that Luis was also the last person taken up from the group.  He saw the well-being of all those under his leadership before he considered his job done.  That's what leaderships is all about!

What are some of the characteristics displayed by Luis?
How would you like to implement those qualities in your own leadership?

Real People

Undercover Boss is one of my favorite shows on television.  It is about various CEO’s of major companies who go undercover in their own organizations to see how they operate at the field level.  


While undercover, they take on low level tasks to experience the work they are asking their employees to perform.  They often find that the job is harder than they thought.  In one of the last episodes, the CEO of an airline was trained to remove sewage from the plane’s septic system with unfortunate results.  The CEO’s not only experience hard work, but they come to hear personal stories from their employees.  They hear stories of loss and struggle.  They also hear stories of triumph and courage.


At the end of the episode they bring the employees to the company’s headquarters and reveal their true identity.  It is heartwarming to hear the CEO’s express their appreciation to the employees they have recognized as being integral to the company’s success.  The CEO’s will then acknowledge and reward each employee for their contribution to the company.  Sometimes it is with a promotion, a paid vacation or some other reward.


After viewing several episodes I observed that all of the employees were extremely grateful for the acknowledgement of their efforts.  It’s at this time I usually begin to tear up, especially when the employees express their surprise that anyone from leadership would care about them on a personal level.  “They do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”  Unknown


As a leader it is important that you never lose sight of the people whose “shoulders you stand on.”  Leadership is always about people.  Without people who will follow? 

Humble Pie

Have you ever had this conversation with one of your children or with one of your parents? “I am the parent and you are the child. When I tell you to do something it should be, ‘Yes Dad,’ or ‘Yes Mom.’” Sometimes as a parent you may feel like you do not have to explain yourself to your child or that you have all of the answers.

I was engaged in a conversation with my son in which I knew I was right. I made sure that he understood that I was right and that no further discussion really was necessary. After a mild protest he finally gave in, (and not a minute too soon).

After he went upstairs to his room, my wife in her own motherly way and with wisdom and patience showed me the error in my position. As it turned out in this instance my son was right and I was wrong.

Have you ever eaten humble pie? The main ingredient is humility, but other critical ingredients are understanding, sincerity and love. It does not taste good going in, but once it settles in your stomach it gradually satisfies.

After letting the situation soak in a bit, I made the trek upstairs and knocked gently on my son’s door. He opened it and I said that I was sorry that I did not hear him out and asked for his forgiveness. He forgave and we hugged. What a great feeling!

As a leader you have to be willing to be held accountable for the things you both do and say to the people you lead, whether at work or at home. Simply saying, “I am the boss,” or “I am the parent is flawed leadership.

How you handle matters with the people you lead can have either a negative or positive long-term impact on your relationship. Admitting when you are wrong is not a sign of weakness, but respect and strength.

I don’t know about you, but I'd rather eat apple pie.

Wasted Lives

"If I could get the ear of every young man but for one word, it would be this; make the most and best of yourself. There is no tragedy like a wasted life--a life failing of its true end, and turned to a false end." -T.T. Munger

I do a lot of work in some of the toughest areas of Richmond, San Pablo and Oakland, CA. Many times I have the opportunity to interact with the people who live in those cities. About a month ago I had an encounter with a young man who evidently felt I disrespected him in some way. I am still not sure what I did, but he was filled with so much hate and anger directed at me that if he had had a gun with him I probably would not be writing this blog. There are so many young black men that possess so much rage it doesn’t take much to set them off. My experience that day reminded me of a scene in the movie Tombstone when Wyatt Earp asked Doc Holiday what made Johnny Ringo do the horrible things he did:

Wyatt Earp: What makes a man like Ringo, Doc? What makes him do the things he does?
Doc Holiday: A man like Ringo has got a great big hole, right in the middle of him. He can never kill enough, or steal enough, or inflict enough pain to ever fill it.
Wyatt Earp: What does he need?
Doc Holiday: Revenge.
Wyatt Earp: For what?
Doc Holiday: Bein' born.

I think there are a lot of angry young black men out there that are cut from the same cloth as Johnny Ringo. They are seeking revenge for “bein’ born.” They want revenge for not having an intact home, for not being loved, and for not having the life they only see in the movies. They take out their revenge on other blacks. They get involved in drugs to make quick money, and join gangs to find acceptance and protection. In an episode of the television series “American Gangster,” a gang member says that he expected to be dead by 25 years old and now that he is 35 he does not know what to do with the rest of his life. It is a sad commentary when people live their lives with the expectation that will be dead before their 25th birthday. This is the reality of many young blacks living in the ‘hood.

The Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics Report offers a snapshot of racial disparities among violent crime victims. Black people represented an estimated 13 percent of the U.S. population in 2005, (the latest data available), but were the victims of 49 percent of all murders. Most of the black murder victims — 93 percent — were killed by other black people, the study found. In another study dated Aug. 9, 2007 the Federal Justice Department stated “49% of murder victims are black m and most are 17-29 years old, and their murder rate is going up.”

My question is where is the concern? Where are the protests? Young blacks are dying at such high rates and yet it doesn’t even garner a front page article. It’s like it’s old hat, like it doesn’t matter that one more young black man has died at the hands of another black. There are so many studies, books and articles of the plight of blacks in America, but no resolution. I applaud those who are trying to address the problems, but much more is needed.

What needs to be done? I believe we need to have more positive role models in the black community. We need to impress upon our young people the value of education. We need to value family. An unprecedented 70% of all babies born into black families are born into single parent households—we must reverse this trend if we are going to change the course of our current downward spiral. We need to focus on the lives of children and create an environment of learning and support that will begin to reverse the negative cycle. The problem will not be cured overnight, but we need to start now!

We need black leaders from all walks of life to exercise their influence to make a difference. Sports and movie stars, doctors, lawyers, architects, teachers, business owners and the like have a very important part to play. They must be active in encouraging and inspiring our young people to break the chain of ignorance and the cycle of death and destruction by inspiring a sense of hope that will help change our communities.

Looking Back

"Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others." Jack Welch

As a leader I sometimes wonder what kind of impact, other than profits, I have had on the people I have led. When I received this letter from one of my former hourly employees it encouraged me tremendously. Hearing this employee's observations confirmed that my principles of leadership were finding their mark, and it motivated me to continue to work to strengthen my leadership abilities even further:

Dear Tony,

I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all of the guidance and encouragement you have given and taught me in the past.

You were and continue to be an inspiration to me and many others that are fortunate to know you.

Over the past few years you have shown me what it takes to be a respected leader. I originally thought it only took a loud voice and some organization to be successful. It couldn’t have been further from reality. You have shown me that it takes respect, encouragement and follow up to be a successful leader.

No matter how busy you were flying around the country or how many meetings you were tied up in you always managed to follow up and keep your word as if I was your only employee.

The greatest thing you taught me was to figure out a difficult situation on my own. You always encouraged me by asking me “what do you think we should do” rather than telling me how to handle it and making me feel rushed. With that type of leadership I felt encouraged and motivated.

Your knowledge and patience has earned the respect you have today from so many people you have affected throughout the country.

I make every effort possible to utilize the many techniques you have taught me and I can only hope that someday I will have just as much respect from my employees as you have from yours.

Many thanks.

Sincerely,

S

It felt so good to know that I was able to play a small part in the development of an individual who is now is a leader in his community.

As a leader I want to encourage you to think about what kind of impact you are having on the people you lead. Are you motivating, inspiring, serving, and respecting the people on your team? I am sure there are individuals whom you have influenced that can say the same thing about your impact on them that my former employee said about my leadership. I hope sharing this letter will inspire you to always be mindful of how you are managing and supervising individuals who work for you as well as those who may be looking at you from afar.

Leadership Essential#2, Respect - check.

Oil and Water

After 75 days we do not appear to be any closer to “plugging up that hole.” Every day I watch the news and see the live video feed of the oil leak, I feel sick. People who live and work along the Gulf Coast continue to be on pins and needles as they contemplate their future. I heard one resident of the Gulf say “I go to bed every night thinking about what I am going to do if the problem is not resolved soon.”

Recently the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) closed approximately 90 thousand square miles of water from fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. This leak promises to be the greatest U.S. ecological disaster of our lifetime.

What is going on? Why is it that the leak is still spewing out thousands of gallons of oil with no end in sight? I believe it is due to a lack of leadership. When the leak first occurred there should have been a call for “all hands on deck.” We needed to make sure we had the best and brightest minds in the room. We know that did not happen. Nations with experience with major oil spills were rebuffed when they offered their help. The leak continues. The people of the United States of America are looking for leadership in the midst of this crisis.

Here is my idea of how to address the problem and inspire confidence;

Both BP and the government should develop a national communication plan.

• As part of the communication plan, leaders need to outline the current and long-term strategy for addressing the crisis in detail.

• They need to explain to the hundreds of thousands of people affected by the disaster how they are going to be compensated for their losses.

All this seems to be a no brainer, but it seems as though when I listen to the news or read about the catastrophe in the Gulf there is no consistency in the communication.

This calamity must be resolved soon; I hate to think about what another 75 days of leaking oil will have on the Gulf and other waterways. To quote one of the Gulf coast residents “It’s not about the money; it’s about a way of life”.

If you were asked to provide a solution, what would it be?

Leadership (Bitter or Sweet?)

I go to the same coffee shop everyday for my caffeine fix and have been doing so for the past 10 years. During this time I have seen managers come and go. With each new manager I have noticed that some employees seem to take on the personality of the manager. It is amazing to see people change right before your eyes.

There was one store manager that seemed to be dissatisfied with her job and she wore it on her face. I am not sure why she was even hired as a manager. She was short-tempered with her staff and seldom smiled or engaged the customers. Servers, who were previously energetic and happy, turned sour quickly under her leadership. If it were not for the location and the quality of the coffee I would not have returned.

After a time the manager was replaced with one who appeared to love the job and supported her staff. It took some time but the change in the employees was dramatic. With stress levels reduced, unforced smiles returned and employees appeared to be more engaged in their jobs and with the customers.

What does this say about leadership? How you act can have a significant influence on the people that work for you. People draw their energy from their leader. This influence can be both positive and negative, and can have a serious impact on business and the lives of the people you lead. If you are serious about your leadership it is essential that you be mindful of your demeanor, especially when you are working with your team. When your attitude is positive you will be surprised how productive your team can be.

Coffee always seems to taste better when it is served with smile.

Leaving a Legacy

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

John Wooden

I would like to dedicate this post to one of the greatest men and leaders to have walked this earth.

This past Friday, the man who was voted the greatest college basketball coach of all time passed away at 99 years old, John Wooden. Mr. Wooden coached UCLA college basketball for over 27 years, won 10 National Championships and was the first person to be inducted into the hall of fame as both a player and a coach. As word of his death spread across the sports world, former and current basketball players who either played for or knew Coach Wooden expressed their condolences. It was quite apparent by the words expressed that this was an extraordinary man. They used phrases and words like great leader, loving husband, loyal, disciplinarian, inspirational and a tremendous human being.

John Wooden lived by his Seven Point Creed, given to him by his father Joshua upon his graduation from grammar school:

• Be true to yourself.

• Make each day your masterpiece.

• Help others.

• Drink deeply from good books.

• Make friendship a fine art.

• Build a shelter against a rainy day.

• Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day.

It was said by everyone who knew him that there will never be another like him. His life exemplified uncompromising character and strength. Although I never met him, I learned so much from him by the way he coached and the way he treated people. Sometimes the world waits until a person dies before trying to think of something good about the person's life, and then may have to exaggerate or fabricate good things to say. This is not so with Coach Wooden. The people whose lives he impacted have said the same words of gratitude, admiration and love about him all throughout his life--there is no need to exaggerate.

When I look on his life I come to realize even more that life is not about wins and losses, but how you treat people. What I have learned from John Wooden is that leadership is about caring for people. It is about being concerned with both the personal and professional growth of the people you lead. It is about holding the people you lead accountable for doing the right thing.

One of the best comments I heard was from a sportscaster who stated that today the world is a little worse off now that John is gone. He truly left a legacy that will never be rivaled.

Someone Is Always Watching

“Persons are judged to be great because of the positive qualities they possess,
not because of the absence of faults” Unknown

You never know who is looking at you. One day I took my 12 year old daughter to my company for a quick visit. I left my office briefly to meet one of our team members and then came back to pick her up. The next day when I returned to my office I noticed that she had written something on my erase board. What she had written was qualities of a good leader. I was so proud of her and her insight on leadership I could not erase it.

Just in case you cannot read the words they state: Qualities of a Good Leader are… will for success, “know how”, love for everyone, interest in job and consumer, flexibility, strength, care, intelligence and patience. Some might question some of the qualities, but I was impressed with her thinking on the qualities she thought essential to a good leader.

The amazing thing is that at the age of 12 she could articulate the meaning of each one of the qualities. When I asked her how she had arrived at these qualities, she stated with a smile, “I saw them in you daddy.” It is really humbling to know that someone is always watching and listening to what you do and say. It places a lot of responsibility knowing that your example can either inspire or disappoint.

You can be a great leader at work and in the community, but your leadership should not stop there. What are your family and friends saying about you? What are they observing? How many leaders do you know or have heard about that do a great job as a leader in their company, but their home life has fallen apart? I have learned that leadership is who you are at home, work and in your community. Be careful, someone is watching you.