trust | General Leadership

Apr 14 2017

Continuing the Mission – Your First 30 Days

Posted by Mickey Addison

When things go wrong in your command, start wading for the reason in increasing larger concentric circles around your own desk. – General Bruce D. Clark

Standing on the platform in front of troops and family for the fourth time to take command, this time of a Mission Support Group, I was following a popular and successful commander. I’d be leading a very talented unit of 2,600 Airmen, civil service personnel, and contractors. They had a tremendous reputation for excellence.

In the previous three months, I’d prepared as best I could and now it was “go” time. Under the big Colorado sky on a stunningly beautiful summer day, thoughts about both the mission and people I was now responsible for leading circled my mind.… Read the rest

Tags: Change, continuing the mission, Growth, Leadership, Mickey Addison, military, performance, Team, transition, trust

CONTINUE READING >

3 comments

Jan 18 2017

The Reflective Leader – Looking Backward for a Clearer Vision Going Forward

Posted by Joe Thornell

“Self-Reflection is the school of wisdom.”
Baltasar Gracian

As the year 2016 just ended, and we engage our planning and thinking towards the new year, many leaders are being reflective to determine if they accomplished their goals and objectives for the year. I always enjoyed this time of year when I was actively leading as it allowed me to relax and to look backwards across my previous year, experiences, and most-importantly, my professional relationships.

There is great value in being reflective about your leadership; looking backwards can really help you going forward. Sadly, in our hustle-bustle 21^st century world, and more specifically in our dynamic and challenging leadership roles, there is a scarcity of time for this.… Read the rest

Tags: conflict, distraction, looking forward, new year, Planning, Reflection, trust

CONTINUE READING >

1 comment

Oct 19 2016

Leaders Understand Generations

Posted by Joe Thornell

“They criticize our generation, but they forget who raised it.”
Anonymous

In today’s workforce we have four generations of workers. Effective leaders understand the perspectives, values, and paradigms that shape each generation and the all-encompassing and frequently discussed subject of generational leadership.

It is interesting that this topic was not discussed as I was being shaped in the leadership ranks circa 1977. We spent lots of time learning human relations, equal opportunities, and supervisor-subordinate interactions. We did not focus on the differences that were present in each of us basically because of the timeframe we were born or raised in.… Read the rest

Tags: generation, Thornell, toolbox, tools, trust

CONTINUE READING >

0 comments

Jul 11 2016

Inspiring Greatness

Posted by Christopher P Levy

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”
John Quincy Adams

The U.S. Air Force just installed its 21^st Chief of Staff, General David Goldfein. He became the CEO-equivalent of the Air Force on the 1^st of July. To me, he is one of the most inspirational leaders with whom I’ve ever had the privilege to work. His unblinking integrity, positive attitude, leadership by example and focus on his Airmen combine to create an environment that will move our organization forward over the next four years of his term in office.… Read the rest

Tags: boundaries, greatness, Inspiration, Leaders, Leadership, Team, Trait, trust, Vision, Yoda

CONTINUE READING >

1 comment

Jun 20 2016

What is your Commencement Address?

Posted by Todd Hirneisen

Leadership is not about the next election, it’s about the next generation.
Simon Sinek

The class of 2016 at my high school nominated me to give the commencement address. This was a great honor. As I thought about what to say, it was not as easy as I thought. I put some thought into what I could say that would be succinct, meaningful, and also reflect my experiences. I came up with: Life is About Experiences and Relationships.

I decided to share the speech (minus all the introductions and salutations) because it relates to my experiences and much of what I have written in previous leadership articles.… Read the rest

Tags: Ceremony, Commencement, experience, Graduation, Hirneisen, Leadership, legacy, life, relationships, trust

CONTINUE READING >

0 comments

May 23 2016

Can I Trust You As A Leader?

Posted by Croft Edwards

Can I Trust You? - GeneralLeadership

“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.”
Ernest Hemingway

Do your followers trust you? What about your peers, or your family? Of course, you answer. Are you sure? Let’s take a closer look, because trust is a word we use casually and something we take for granted; my suspicion is that many people cannot really explain what trust means.

Trust is an assessment by others that your behaviors and actions are in alignment with their positive expectations, and that what they value is safe with you.

When I trust you, what I am saying is that I have confidence you will act according to how I perceive you should act.… Read the rest

Tags: care, competence, Criteria, Croft, Edwards, Follow-Through, honesty, Reliability, Sincerity, trust

CONTINUE READING >

1 comment

Jan 25 2016

Dynamic Dozen: Know Your People and Look Out for Their Welfare

Posted by Mickey Addison

Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions.
Harold S. Geneen

During the 1950-1953 Korean War, American fighter pilots dominated the skies, even though the Soviet-made MiG-15 jets were faster and more nimble than the American F-80 and F-86s. The difference wasn’t the technology—it was the battle-tested American veterans flying the aircraft that made the difference. In the military, we often speak of our people as a “human weapon system” as a way to understand the central role of humans in war. Put more simply: military leaders are in the people business. Knowing the people we lead and taking care of their welfare is therefore integral to military leadership.… Read the rest

Tags: dynamic dozen, Growth, Inspiration, leader, Leadership, Mickey Addison, military, performance, success, Team, trust

CONTINUE READING >

0 comments

Aug 31 2015

7 Skills for Becoming An Emotionally Intelligent Leader

Posted by Christian Knutson

“If your emotional abilities aren’t in hand, if you don’t have self-awareness, if you are not able to manage your distressing emotions, if you can’t have empathy and have effective relationships, then no matter how smart you are, you are not going to get very far.”
Daniel Goleman

Leadership success in one’s career and life requires more than just good technical skills, intelligence, toughness, determination, and vision. These are certainly important and necessary, but they aren’t sufficient. To truly succeed as an effective leader you need to add the five components of emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence as a concept entered the mainstream in the mid-1990’s by Daniel Goleman in his book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ.… Read the rest

Tags: communications, compassion, EI, emotional intelligence, eq, intelligent, Knutson, respect, self awareness, trust, vulnerability

CONTINUE READING >

1 comment

Aug 19 2015

Know Your Enemies! (Of Learning, That Is…)

Posted by Croft Edwards

“Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
John F. Kennedy

In his TED talk from February 2011 Retired Army General Stanley McChrystal talks about how after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 he had to become a different leader, a leader who in some ways had to completely relearn how he did things. This powerful talk highlights a key skill for leaders, especially leaders in today’s ever-changing environment – the ability to learn. A major challenge many of us face as leaders is that we have our blind spots, we have camouflaged them well, so we cannot see that we are no longer open to the learning and growth we absolutely need.… Read the rest

Tags: assessment, Awareness, Croft Edwards, Curiosity, emotions, Enemies, Friends, Leadership, Learning, trust

CONTINUE READING >

0 comments

May 29 2015

Trust, A Force Multiplier

Posted by Todd Hirneisen

Trust - GeneralLeadership.com “A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other
Simon Sinek

I recently wrote an article discussing building your “trust bank” with people in your organization to create change in an efficient manner (https://generalleadership.com/bank-trust-cash-change/ ). A recent event in my military unit emphasized to me that trust throughout an organization, top to bottom and bottom to top, is the most important factor for organizations to perform at a high level.

Recently, an officer in my unit decided to move on and take a position with another unit. This was a good opportunity for her, and she had my support and the support of the unit to move on to this position.… Read the rest

Tags: attention, building, character, Colonel, Communication, effort, environment, Hirneisen, Team, trust

CONTINUE READING >

1 comment

Mar 25 2015

Encourage TRUST in Your Workplace

Posted by Kimberly Huth

Trust - GeneralLeadership

“The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.”
Ernest Hemmingway

Recently, a friend shared a story that moved me. His grandfather was grieving the loss of his wife. When she died, his grandfather was overcome with grief and inconsolable. Desperate, his grandfather asked my friend if the Air Force could bring his dead wife back to life. He believed he would meet her someday in heaven, but that was not soon enough, he needed her now. It was probably not possible, he knew that, but he was willing to try anything. He had heard rumors the Air Force might have special equipment that could make that possible. … Read the rest

Tags: Communication, messaging, Team Building, Teamwork, trust

CONTINUE READING >

0 comments

Mar 13 2015

Bank Trust, Cash-Out Change

Posted by Todd Hirneisen

Tags: Authenticity, Change, Integrity, interaction, social, transparency, trust

CONTINUE READING >

2 comments

Feb 27 2015

Creating a Culture of Respect

Posted by Mickey Addison

You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them.
Malcolm Forbes

In my last article, I wrote about how integrity is the very foundation of leadership. Extending that analogy, if Integrity is the “foundation” then Respect is the “walls” of a well-led organization.

So, what does “Respect” mean for a leader and how does a leader create a culture of respect in the organization?

In my mind, the four walls of “Respect” are: (1) the inherent dignity each human person has simply by virtue of being a human being, (2) the respect each leader must earn through their actions, (3) the respect for each others’ views and values leaders must require, and (4) the respect for the organization leaders must create.… Read the rest

Tags: character, Declaration of Independence, human dignity, Leadership, military, respect, set the example, trust, walk the talk

CONTINUE READING >

1 comment

Mar 30 2014

Train, Provide, Give and Empower…and Laugh When You Can!

Posted by Geno Redmon

“We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail!”
President George W. Bush

All of us remember where we were on 9/11. I had one of the greatest jobs in the world of the Vice Commander of the Tanker Airlift Control Center (TACC). For the non Air Force people, the TACC is the air operations center responsible for the planning scheduling and execution of all airlift and tanker operations, 24/7 365. Remembering that Afghanistan is a landlocked country, every bullet fired, bomb dropped, every bean eaten, literally everything needed for the war effort had to be airlifted in.… Read the rest

Tags: 9/11, ability, AMC, bravery, empower, expectations, feedback, give, jobs, mobility, provide, redmon, safety, TACC, tools, train, trust

CONTINUE READING >

0 comments

Nov 29 2013

The One Reason Why We Still Insist on Honesty

Posted by General Roger Brady

“Never separate the life you lead from the words you speak.”
Paul Wellstone

Americans seem to be split down the middle on every public issue that comes before them these days, with one possible exception. Honesty is important to us. History tells us this has always been the case, but the seeming inability to maintain the privacy of any communication has made it truer than ever. Leaders in industry, business, government, the military and even the church have learned this the hard way in recent years. In a society that seems to overlook and even reward the most outlandish behavior by its most prominent citizens, there is one reason why we still insist on honesty.… Read the rest

Tags: character, honesty, Leadership, trust

CONTINUE READING >

0 comments

Log-In or Register

All Rights Reserved
The General Leadership Foundation

The views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the DoD or its components.

UA-38980885-1