Organizational Trust: The Principle of Alignment 12/112/17

Organizational Trust: The Principle of Alignment* Covey's description of organizational trust reads like an explanation of the principals of Mission Command. In the business world "alignment" means that all elements of the organization are goal focused, in the Army we say with the mission or the commander's intent. High-trust organizations: share information openly, tolerate mistakes as a way of learning, seek innovation and creativity, talk straight and confront real issues, reward candid and authentic communication and hold themselves/others accountable for results. People who are part of high-trust organizations love their work and are proud to tell you about it. The book has a self-test that helps you assess if your organization as high or low trust. Low trust organizations pay a "tax" on all they do (Clausewitz might have called this added fog or friction), but high trust organizations increase in value, accelerate growth, enhance innovation, improve collaboration, strengthen partnerships, execute better and get heightened loyalty. As you can tell, many of these principals are essentially identical to the ones we say we follow in the Army but (to adapt a phrase) all leadership is local. We all have the opportunity/responsibility to build trust since all of us are part of different circles of influence and the principals of alignment apply to all of these contexts; unit, family, church, softball team, etc. The power of a team is truly greater than the sum of its parts and the principal of alignment harnesses the power of teams.

Relationship Trust: The Principle of Behavior 12/8/17

Relationship Trust: The Principle of Behavior* Learning to consistently behave in ways that build trust, and avoid ways that destroy trust, is the principal of relationship trust. These behaviors are timeless, actionable and universal across cultures. Covey focuses on 13 primary behaviors that impact trust between individuals. If you want people to trust you, these behaviors (not words only) will help you. Remember your trust "account" is different with each person and the impact of "deposits and withdrawls," what may be a deposit for one person may be a withdrawl for someone else, also varies. This is partly because any behavior done poorly (too little or too much) can be taken differently. Each behavior also has a "counterfeit" so if you are not sincere it can actually backfire. The 13 behaviors are: Talk Straight, Demonstrate Respect, Create Transparency, Right Wrongs, Show Loyalty, Deliver Results, Get Better, Confront Reality, Clarify Expectations, Practice Accountability, Listen First, Keep Commitments and Extend Trust. Trust is elemental to all relationships and building trust is a key leader capability. Leaders who can build teams who trust each other are valuable in the Army, in the community and in the home. Both the book and the Strong Bonds curriculum cover these behaviors in great detail including: tips on how to practice each behavior, how to find the "sweet spot" so that you strike the right balance and how to spot and avoid counterfeit behavior.** (Note: This thumbnail summary covers 105 pages in the book. You won't get the real benefit of these behaviors from my "cliff notes" summary).

Trust: A variable you can change 11/17/2017

Trust: A variable you can change* Trust must be earned. This is a true statement but there is much more to know about how trust works. Character is the most obvious factor in trust since personal integrity is foundational to establishing trust with anyone. Less obvious is the factor of competence. You may trust a fellow Soldier with your life but that doesn't mean that you would trust them to perform surgery on your brain. Surgery requires expertise and experience; in other words, competence. So we trust our surgeon to operate on our body but that does not mean we would necessarily trust him or her to pilot our next cross country flight (unless they are a flight surgeon). Character and competence are the two halves of the "coin" of trust. If we toss this "coin" of trust into the "fountain" of our environment it "ripples" outward in every direction. The five "waves" of trust are: Self Trust, Relationship Trust, Organizational Trust, Market Trust and Societal Trust (in our context the last two are essentially the same). In this book Covey teaches building trust by ensuring that our perspective, actions and words all work together to create an atmosphere of trust; what he calls see, speak, behave. One of the things I like the most about Covey's book is the emphasis on building trust from the inside out, first yourself, then others. You CAN impact your trust level by taking positive steps. In the weeks ahead we will cover many of those steps. ** Army Leadership Doctrine: We noted last week that ADRP 6-22 6-48 to 6-52 Builds Trust, and table 6-2 (summary of the competency 'Builds Trust') outline trust for Army leaders and the steps to build it. The new FM 3.0 is nested with Army Mission Command and Leadership doctrine, as 1-15 states, "mission command requires mutual trust and shared understanding." These principals are vital throughout the Army, from initial military training through every phase of combat operations. *This is a reflection on chapter 2 of the book "The Speed of Trust" by Steven M.R. Covey and is the basis of the Strong Bonds curriculum The Speed of Trust for Families/Marriages/Soldiers. I highly recommend this book and this training.

Leadership in the Valley 11/8/16

The Valley of the Shadow of Death* The suicide of MG John Rossi two days before he was due to pin on his third star is a troubling event that raises concerns for both the Army and all concerned with leadership. A USA Today report ** indicates that General Rossi was troubled by the deaths of Soldiers under his command, particularly those who had committed suicide, and by the pressure of his responsibilities. Our competitive military HR system delivers the finest leaders anywhere; but it also creates tremendous pressure that can lead to behaviors that seem completely out of character. Having talked to hundreds of Soldiers and Family members about suicide I know that one of the key factors is loneliness, which one can feel even when surrounded by others.*** In the Shepherd's Psalm, written by the legendary warrior King David, he gives us the key to walking through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. He says, even though I am walking through this dark valley, "I fear no evil" and he tells us why, "for thou art with me" and "your rod and staff" (the weapon of a shepherd) "they comfort me." The Great Shepherd wants to help us through life's deep valleys and he has sent His people (us) to help anyone who is facing life's fears. This is a sacred duty/responsibility that we all have; the opportunity to walk with someone during life's most difficult hour. When you see someone struggling will you take up that challenge? *Psalm 23: 4 **Tom Vanden Brook, General is Most Senior Army Officer to Kill Self, USA Today 28 October 2016. ***Personal notes from Menninger Clinic Suicide Prevention Training 1996.

Leaders and Relationship 11/10/16

Leaders and Relationships* Leadership is about relationships. Yet, relationships are hard and, as we know, today relationships are colored by so many cultural issues; gender, race, financial status, family background. Often it is much easier, and safer, to either avoid relationships or to keep them very superficial. Indeed, in our popular culture models of relationships are often dysfunctional, either sexualized or self-seeking. One model that has been lost, except perhaps in rural America, is of neighbors chatting over the back fence who have deep, respectful, lifelong relationships that give assurance of unconditional support. As a leader being a good neighbor is foundational because people will not follow you if they don’t trust you and followers will not trust you if you do not invest the time to get to know them. Some may dismiss this as a Pollyanna (or perhaps Fred Rodgers) thinking and instead put their faith management systems. However people, like sheep-as opposed to cattle, want to be led not driven and will follow a leader even in a dark valley.** *This is a personal reflection on chapter 1 of the book, The Way of the Shepherd by Leman and Pentak – The main points of chapter one are, Know the status of your people as well as the status of the work Get to know your flock, one sheep at a time Engage your people on a regular basis Keep your eyes and ears open, question, and follow through. In the weeks ahead I plan to reflect on concepts from each chapter in this book. If you want to follow along by reading the chapters I think you will find it very helpful. The next chapter offers some suggestions on how to put chapter one into action. ** For a spiritual thought on this reflection you may consider Luke 10: 25-37

Leaders and Identity 11/23/16

Leaders and Identity* Before people will follow you they first must identify with you. Marketers understand the power of identity and leverage, the psychological power of branding. Indeed, every school where USACC has a program has a distinct identity that the students, faculty and alumni own, perpetuate and jealously guard (Does the term Blue Nation mean anything). In the same way the team you lead, big or small, must form an identity to truly become a team, and you as their leader must model that identity. People will follow a person who is genuine, consistent and caring; someone they trust. People will also strive for excellence if they believe in the mission and the leadership. But they must sense that their effort has value and that you as the leader value their effort. Creating an identity (brand) is difficult, and in the case of livestock even painful, but it does not matter if the organization you lead is big like the United States, the Army or a small section people (even your own family) if they feel that they are on a great team with leaders they can trust they will accomplish great things.** *This is a personal reflection on chapter 3 of the book, The Way of the Shepherd: 7 Ancient Secrets to Managing Productive People by Leman and Pentak – The main points of chapter are: -Build trust by modeling authenticity, integrity and compassion -Set high standards -Relentlessly communicate your values/mission -Tell followers where they fit -Leadership isn’t just professional it’s personal ** For a spiritual thought on this reflection you may consider John 10: 14-18

Leaders and Followers: Finding a Safe Place 12/7/16

Leaders and Followers: Finding a Safe Place* For followers to do their best work they must feel safe. Near the foundation of Maslow’s hierarchy is safety. People will never accomplish great things if they are always on guard. To keep them from feeling this way they have to feel that they know what’s happening around them. A good leader gives followers constant feedback so they are not surprised. Professional counseling, progress updates, and clearly identified goals are just some of the ways followers learn about what is going on and how they are doing. People who are situationally aware and know where they stand among their peers will work hard to belong and gain the esteem of others. Another thing that can make people feel unsafe is when instigators create drama. Leaders must deal with this quickly and effectively to maintain the safety of the group. Smart leaders also make people feel safe by helping the whole team succeed. For people to be effective they must not only be safe they must be shielded from minor distractions. It does not take an existential threat to keep a group from doing their best, even flies or ants (so to speak) can be enough to keep your team from their goals. For followers to feel safe they need to see their leader and trust that he/she knows what’s going on. They also need to believe that their leader will take action when anything threatens the team. Leaders who manage the internal and external environment will make people feel safe and see their team accomplish great things. *This is a personal reflection on chapter 4 of the book, The Way of the Shepherd: 7 Ancient Secrets to Managing Productive People by Leman and Pentak – The main points of chapter are...Make your pasture a safe place: -Keep your people well informed -Infuse every position with importance -Cull chronic instigators from the flock -Regularly rotate the sheep to fresh pastures -Reassure the sheep by staying visible -Don’t give problems time to fester ** For a spiritual thought on this reflection you may consider John 10: 11-13