stricklin | General Leadership

Feb 5 2018

3 Elements of A Shared Mental Model…The Thunderbird Way

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

The secret of happiness is:
find something more important
than you are and
dedicate your life to it.

Daniel Dennett, Philosopher

The U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds move in unison, seemingly thinking and acting as one…at over 1,000 miles-per-hour. Their actions and thoughts must be precisely aligned. This team, with 50% turnover each year, has built the ultimate repeatable process for aligning its team, for developing a shared mental model of precision.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit with the C-Suiter’s of a highly-successful $7B business. The topic of discussion: The Questionable Future of the Company. Why? They were internationally recognized as an entrepreneurial giant, noted for their “Pirate” mentality consistently causing beneficial market disruption which yielded revolutionary advancements.… Read the rest

Tags: HDD, Leadership, Mental Model, stricklin, Thunderbird Way, Thunderbirds

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Sep 30 2016

The Passion of Leadership

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

A leader without passion
is merely a manager.
–@ChrisRStricklin

Leadership is Passion.

Leadership is the passion to make an organization better.

Leadership is the passion toward each team member, pushing them toward a higher level of accomplishment.

Leadership is the passion for continuous and deliberate self-improvement.

Leadership is a passion which cannot be taught, but must be learned.

A leader without passion
is merely a manager

Leadership is a passion which intrinsically motivates people toward a common goal, ignites others and drives vision.

Leadership is a passion for fact-based decisions, not emotion-based arguments.

A leader without passion is merely a manager.… Read the rest

Tags: Leadership, passion, stricklin

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Aug 26 2016

Lead at the Speed of Trust

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

“We judge ourselves by our intentions and others by their behavior.”

― Stephen M.R. Covey

How fast does a $30B company move, sell, grow and survive?
How fast does a start-up develop their foothold in the business environment?

At the Speed of Trust!

Recently, I had the amazing opportunity to consult with a company founded in 1836 and developing over the last 180 years into the global specialist they are today. Excitement filled me as I flew to their headquarters to sit with the 25 people designated as the future leaders of their company, the chosen few in the military would be considered our HPOs, or High Performance-Potential Officers.… Read the rest

Tags: Leadership, Speed of Trust, stricklin, Thunderbird Way, Thunderbirds

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May 27 2016

Perfection Found in a Fighter Debrief

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

Perfection

Precision

Flawless Execution

As leaders, whether in combat or a Fortune 500 company, we strive for something that can never be achieved: Perfection. While flawless execution and perfection is likely impossible, it’s the pursuit of perfection that will get you closer to achieving it. With that fact in our mind, we struggle every day in our determination to achieve it.

So, how can we close the gap between our actual execution and our planned, perfect execution? The answer can be found in the halls of any Fighter Squadron.

Our Air Force is, hands down, the best in the world. Have you ever wondered how military leaders ensure the continued success of our nation’s fighting force?… Read the rest

Tags: Chris R Stricklin, debrief, fighter pilot, Lessons Learned, Military leadership, stricklin

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Apr 29 2016

Followership: Secret to Military Leadership

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

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“It is the men behind who make the man ahead.”
Merle Crowell

Leadership is a continual journey through actions and growth, not merely a journey’s end for a resume.

Search your favorite online bookstore for ‘leadership’ and you will find in excess of 22,000 books. In contrast, a search for ‘followership’ will yield a mere 20 literary works. Why the dramatic difference? The answer reveals the great secret to why the military is able to produce profound leaders in quantity: the military deliberately develops dynamic followers from day 1 of basic training through retirement.

To best understand the impetus for this success, one must examine how the military first introduces the idea of leadership to the blank-slate brains that arrive in boot camp.… Read the rest

Tags: Chris R Stricklin, followership, Military leadership, military oath, stricklin

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Mar 25 2016

36 Questions Which Lead Leaders

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

“Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.”
Voltaire

Leadership is not about having the right answers, it is the ability to ask the correct questions. It is a compilation of lived and learned experiences, the experiential education which bounds your way of thinking and does not define a rulebook.

As a new senior leader, each member of your organization is wondering three things when you arrive at the organization:

Who are you?

What are you going to change?

How do you affect me?

As you evolve into the new leadership role you have accepted, you must continue to develop yourself and ensure the future of your organization.… Read the rest

Tags: Leadership, mentor, stricklin

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2 comments

Feb 26 2016

Strategic Professionalism Series: Selflessness

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

Selflessness

As a leader, we must understand true leadership is not found in an individual, but the individuals developed. The measure of our success is found in the success of those we lead. At the heart of this statement is a true selflessness in which you know the ultimate purpose of leadership is to build your organization a more capable leader to replace yourself.

True leadership is not found in an individual, but the individuals developed.

As a leader, you must care more about duty to the organization than glory for yourself. You can never show doubt or question either your abilities or those of your team.… Read the rest

Tags: heritage, Inspiration, Leadership, stricklin, USAF

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Jan 28 2016

Strategic Professionalism Series: Commitment

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

Commitment

As a leader, you must realize no one is as committed to success of the organization as you. Your challenge is to motivate those you lead, those who do the work and enable success of the organization, to be truly committed to success of the mission as well as their individual success. The secret is to ensure their commitment is an acceptance and loyalty to being a part of something bigger than oneself. Did the individual join your team or commit to your team? Now, commitment does not mean following the leader and his/her path blindly toward a goal. True commitment requires re-evaluation periodically to ensure goal alignment and re-invigorate motivation.… Read the rest

Tags: commitment, heritage, Inspiration, Leadership, stricklin, USAF

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Sep 4 2015

Tripod of Success: Purpose, Wealth, Legacy

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

Stop.

Take 30 seconds and state your definition of success—out loud.

Don’t think, just let your natural definition flow then continue the statement with how you measure success.

Have you ever taken the time to determine your personal definition of success? Ironically enough, few of us have devoted the time to personally define the single thing which we design our lives around. Now, many of you consider yourself more focused on happiness than success. It is my belief, when defined correctly, happiness and success are one and the same.

After years of climbing the corporate ladder, running the rat race, going somewhere and reaching for the stars, I asked myself this simple question…how do I define success?… Read the rest

Tags: #TripodOfSuccess, Definition, focus, Inc, legacy, purpose, Series, stricklin, success, Tripod, wealth

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Aug 14 2015

Tripod of Success Series: Legacy From a Third-Grader

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

Myrtice Smith was born in 1932. After completing third-grade, she quit school to work on the family farm and help care for her brothers and sisters during one of the most trying times in our nation’s history. By every stretch of the imagination, this was not the proper start to a successful life.

Myrtice Smith was my grandmother, whom I called Nanny. She was a hard worker. She ran a gas station then a restaurant all while working the farm to grow vegetables and raise animals to feed her family. Regardless of how tired she was after a long day, she always reminded me to set my goals high.… Read the rest

Tags: #TripodOfSuccess, Definition, focus, Series, stricklin, success, Tripod

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Jul 10 2015

Tripod of Success Series: Wealth From A Craftsman

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

In today’s world of mass production and one-stop shopping, the artistry of being a craftsman is harder to find than ever. Recently, I met a craftsman who taught me more than how to build tables.

It was a quaint little shop in Ulus Turkey. Hardly room to move inside. Off the beaten path, but in a beautiful little town where my wife and I enjoyed having lunch and strolling though the local shops enjoying the culture of a town that time seemed to forget. He was a woodworker who always carried a small spiral notebook. His shop was full of amazing creations, combining antique with his unique handicraft.… Read the rest

Tags: #TripodOfSuccess, Definition, focus, Series, stricklin, success, Tripod, wealth

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Jun 12 2015

Tripod of Success Series: Purpose From an APCO Electrician

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

The best part of my childhood days…
Running to meet my grandfather after work…

As a young boy in rural Alabama, I ran to meet my grandfather in the front yard every day. The dust would rise as he traveled down the long farm road, returning from his job as an Alabama Power Company (APCO) electrician. From his black dome lunch box he would hand me a treat and tell me about his day as we walked together toward the house. I loved and respected him, but knew at a young age I wanted more. I wanted out of this small town, to find success in the real world.… Read the rest

Tags: #TripodOfSuccess, APCO, Definition, focus, Series, stricklin, success, Tripod

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May 8 2015

Tripod of Success Series: How Do You Define Success?

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

Success 2

Stop.

Take 30 seconds and state your definition of success—out loud.

Don’t think, just let your natural definition flow then continue the statement with how you measure success.

Have you ever taken the time to determine your personal definition of success? Ironically enough, few of us have devoted the time to personally define the single thing which we design our lives around. Now, many of you consider yourself more focused on happiness than success. It is my belief, when defined correctly, happiness and success are one and the same.

Think again about your personal definition of success. Did it include money, stature, or fame?… Read the rest

Tags: Definition, focus, Series, stricklin, success, Tripod

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3 comments

Mar 9 2015

Why We Write…

Posted by Matthew T. Fritz

Our Values

Serving Others by being Responsible
Sharing Generously by being Humble
Walking the Talk by being Accountable

Over the past year, General Leadership has been fortunate to experience a surge in popularity, interest and exposure through the Internet. We now boast 40,000 views a month and over 10,000 regular subscribers to our mailing list. As part of this increasing influence, we have received quite a few queries on why we individually devote a significant amount of time to The General Leadership Foundation. Recently, I was in a class with fellow General Leadership Curator Matthew T. Fritz and, during a class break, one of our student peers looked at us and said, “Aren’t you two the General Leadership guys?”… Read the rest

Tags: #GeneralLeadership, About Us, author, curator, fritz, General Leadership, join, Leadership, legal, military, resources, stricklin, The General Leadership Foundation, write

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Feb 11 2015

Establishing Goals: Achieving Greatness One Step at a Time

Posted by Chris R Stricklin

“Do not merely set goals for your organization…
Establish a culture which owns the success of the team.”

Airman Knight used the reflection of the front door to do one last check that her Air Force uniform was perfect. She peered around the mantra “We Build Fighter Wingman” etched in the glass to straighten her gig line. As the timid, soft-spoken 19-year-old opened the door to her first duty assignment, she was nervous for the world she would find, how she would fit in and how she would interact with the Type-A personalities found within the squadron.

Fast forward three months.… Read the rest

Tags: establishing goals, greatness, inspection, Leadership, stricklin, Thunderbirds, USAF

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