Consistency
Continuing to pull on the consistency thread, after Marcus Canady, the author of the book “Intrusive Leadership”,spoke to our team, I was motivated to write this message:
The consistency piece is true in many endeavors, not just our aviation craft. The same graph in post #13 can be applied to leadership. The blue line is the individual who partakes in the undisciplined pursuit of “SELF-serving objectives” (more money, more power, more attention, more rank and recognition) with little time and energy left to pursue “OTHERS-serving objectives” (more fusion, more care, more service to others). Although so simple and obvious, we often fail at consistently engaging in OTHERS-serving objectives.
Marcus Canady stated something we all observe from time to time, organizations often give leadership opportunities to managers who may or may not be leaders. The promotion and assignment process within many organizations can require many self-serving objectives. Ironically, at times, some of the managers in the best positions to serve people as leaders are stuck serving themselves and those above them in the organization vice the people and community they could lead and serve. This is an age-old institutional problem that, I am convinced, can only be solved individually, one leader at a time (control what is in your control – have a worthy “why” and advance the service with the ”why” driving your actions not the “not why” – rank, title, position).
Mr. Canady said it nicely, “It isn’t about making Captain or Admiral (VP or CEO). It is about people.” Regardless of your rank or position in any organization, if you immerse yourself in your craft while developing and caring for those assisting and supporting the mission, your vocation will be very rewarding.
While we have a responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayers’ money, as a service member, I always felt fortunate to not have to worry about a bottom line. Furthermore, I was exceptionally motivated to pursue our worthy endeavors in service to our country. What are the motivations in your profession? How do you OPI in your world of work? – Spiral up
