October 2016

Should someone continue to pay me for doing part of my job? I have encountered people who think that doing a good job in parts of their work is enough to expect continued employment and in some cases promotions.

Here are some examples:

• A nurse who is strong clinically, but consistently fails to correctly document things in patient charts.
• A salesperson who knows his products and competitor products inside and out, but creates very few strong client relationships.
• A middle manager who always gets reports in on time, but does not coach or develop individuals on her team.

Continue Reading…

There is a woman I know who does nothing but serves others. Every time I see her, she is helping or offering to help others. I am amazed at her energy and her constant giving. She is always in a good mood!

Who are the biggest servants you know? I am talking about the people who never stop giving of themselves. They may be leaders with a title. They may be someone without a title. Picture them in your mind.

Now I ask you, how often have you seen that person have a bad attitude or even a bad day? Continue Reading…

“There are plenty of good idea men.  A lot of them are collecting tolls on the thruway as we speak.”  It is a rare individual who can be counted on for ideas and for action.

Over time, as I hired and led teams, I realized that while I loved to have people who were both idea men and action heroes, if I had choose one, I would always choose the action hero.  Creativity is much more common than initiative. Continue Reading…

“He’s doing the job. In fact, he is meeting every performance goal we have for him. But….” It’s what comes after the “But” that can drive leaders crazy and cause sleepless nights.

Unfortunately, many leaders will put up with what comes after the “But” because the performance metrics are being met. It is a tough call for a leader to fire a high performer. It takes conviction and courage to make this decision. But, it is necessary. Continue Reading…

It was one of those meetings. Every time I brought up an issue or an idea, all I got was blank stares or nodding heads. Every time I tried to illicit feedback from my team, I felt as if I were pulling teeth. All I heard was crickets.

When I finally had enough, I looked at my high performing team and said, “You’re all fired!” There was a nervous laugh until they saw my face. I had a stone cold look I learned when I was in the Army.  The laughing stopped. Continue Reading…

I spent a long time believing that if I was good at something, I needed to tell people about it. I thought it was a sign of confidence. Looking back, I realize I turned a lot of people off with that attitude.

Few people would argue that confidence is not an important trait for successful individuals and leaders to possess. But like many positive traits, confidence out of control can be a weakness. I had to learn that confidence and humility can coexist in the same person. Continue Reading…

Last month, I spoke to over 700 people about the role of courage in leadership.  I had 10 minutes to speak.

Courage goes beyond the physical courage displayed by our soldiers on the battlefield.  Moral courage is needed from leaders in the hallways and boardrooms of businesses and non-profits as well.

Click on the image below to see and hear what I had to say to that audience.

Question:

How else do leaders display moral courage in the workplace?

I knew some brilliant people in high school.  They made good grades and graduated without even trying.  They went to good colleges and got impressive degrees.

I also knew some people in high school who struggled with grades.  Try as they might, they fought to make it to graduation day.  Some went to community college and then finished their bachelor’s degree at another local school with unimpressive grades.

Today, I see success and failure in both the brilliant and the average.  The difference between success and failure is often wisdom.  I’ll take wisdom over intelligence every day. Continue Reading…

I am an optimist. If you have read my blogs in the past, you know this. Few people follow pessimists anywhere. Pessimists usually keep themselves and those around them from making any progress or experiencing growth.

I understand that past experiences may cause some people to be pessimists. But I do believe being an optimist or a pessimist is a choice. That choice will often determine the quality of a person’s life and their impact on the lives of others. Continue Reading…

I know why you said what you said!  I know why you did what you did!  I am able to diagnose your motives.  Because I believe I know your motives, I am sure you are the problem and not something else–like me!

These are all lies.  But, they are lies that we easily fall into.  I’ve done it.  I have been sure of someone’s motives.  Have I ever been right?  Maybe.  Continue Reading…

My best friend, Donnie Tillar convinced me to go to West Point.  He was a year older than I was.  Thanks to his persuasiveness I joined my childhood friend as part of the Corps of Cadets.  This is a Memorial Day tribute to Donnie.

This is worth reposting annually.

Continue Reading…

Friends,

I need a favor. Please help my dad, General Jim Anderson and I write our leadership book. We want to better understand what each of you admires in a leader. It will take you less than 2 minutes to answer these questions below.

Maybe they are someone you know personally, or have read about, or seen in the movies – Who do you admire and what do you admire about them? We will present the data collected in the introduction of our book.

Thank you in advance in helping us write this book on leadership. We will continue to update you on our progress and any milestone dates in the publishing process.

Lead Well!
Dave

Dave Anderson speaks with Media and Marketing Entrepreuner Sandra Beck about Leading a Business and a Family as a Single Parent.

All past and current podcasts also available on iTunes. (Over 4 Million downloads to date!)

Please rate us on iTunes as well!

Other resources -free PDF downloads of character-based interview questions are available at Overwhelmedmanagersguide.com.

Or download the podcast by clicking here and listen later!

Stop Reacting!  Start Leading!

Listen to IMPACT Talk Radio today for no fluff, straight talking solutions designed to IMPACT high IMPACT leaders who want to lead high IMPACT Teams. Every show goes beyond theory and gets into HOW to make an IMPACT that matters.

Some people are always stressed, while others always seem calm. Some people are anxious about every decision, while others seem content with the possibility of failure.

As I observe both types of people, I believe there are two self-created issues that set us up for stressful days and nights. They are mindsets that we have control over, yet many of us fail to control. Continue Reading…

It was another day at work with Janet.  She was once again telling me about her problems with her boyfriend.  In my mind, she needed to ditch this loser.

I was confident he was lying to her, cheating on her, and was not the guy she should commit to any longer.  But, her friends were advising her differently.

Me:  “Who are these friends?”

Janet:  “My girlfriends from the gym who I hang out with after work.”

Me:  “Are any of them married?”

Janet:  “No, why?”

Me:  “Seek advice from people who are where you want to be.  Not from people who are where you are.”

Continue Reading…

I have no words.  What can I do?  This does not make any sense.  It is not fair.

I agree.  That is what I feel right now, plus so much more.  I have anger and sadness.

People have died and there are people in pain in Texas and across the ocean to other countries because of a car wreck last night.  There are 5 things I know I can do.  Will you join me? Continue Reading…

Just like any organization, every family needs a set of values. The values in a family may not be on a website or on a poster in the breakroom, but all families would do well to determine what values they hold dear.

Values help organizations and families understand what is most important and what they believe. The time to figure that out is not in a crisis or in the face of temptation. I need to be prepared and my children need to be prepared before the crisis or the temptation comes. Continue Reading…

They were in their robes and ready to be done with high school. I was the only thing between them and graduation and the family celebrations to follow.

As the keynote speaker, I knew I better keep it short and do everything I could to make it memorable. I spoke about the choices they all had. As I spoke and watched the parents sitting in the audience, I realized these choices belong to all of us.

We all control the choices we make no matter our circumstance. Those choices often determine our success in life, our impact on others and our impact on the world around us. Continue Reading…

I spent a long time believing that if I was good at something, I needed to tell people about it. I thought it was a sign of confidence. Looking back, I realize I turned a lot of people off with that attitude.

Few people would argue that confidence is not an important trait for successful individuals and leaders to possess. But like many positive traits, confidence out of control can be a weakness. I had to learn that confidence and humility can coexist in the same person. Continue Reading…

I knew some brilliant people in high school.  They made good grades and graduated without even trying.  They went to good colleges and got impressive degrees.

I also knew some people in high school who struggled with grades.  Try as they might, they fought to make it to graduation day.  Some went to community college and then finished their bachelor’s degree at another local school with unimpressive grades.

Today, I see success and failure in both the brilliant and the average.  The difference between success and failure is often wisdom.  I’ll take wisdom over intelligence every day. Continue Reading…

“If you ever find yourself trying to read me, stop it.  I am not intentionally being vague.  I am just being a bad communicator at that moment.”  This statement became part of my introduction to people joining my team.

Most people reacted to that statement in two ways. Some seemed relieved.  Some were confused.  Whether it was relief or confusion, both reactions were the result of working on teams where they spent too much time trying to figure out their boss. Continue Reading…

If I challenge my boss, she will thank me.  If I speak up for what is right, my boss will not persecute me.  If I fight for my integrity despite pressure from above, I will always keep my job.

None of these results are guaranteed if I do the right thing.  The only time I have a guarantee is if I stay silent.  My silence guarantees things will stay the way they are.  Speaking up is the only way change may happen.

Continue Reading…

Some people are afraid to speak up and challenge the boss.  Some people don’t want to put forth the effort.  And some just don’t care anymore.

As a result, the leader never hears the truth about himself and his ideas.  The people either become silent bystanders or self-serving sycophants.

When a leader asks for feedback and does not get it, who’s fault is it? Continue Reading…

Julie had her reservations.  She wasn’t sure if this guy was right for the job.  Over my first 18 months on the job, Julie always spoke with candor, and she seemed to be a good judge of people.

But, I didn’t listen.  I convinced myself, and then her, that this guy was right for the job.   I made a good case. With some skepticism, she finally agreed. So, I hired him.

Within 90 days, I knew I was in trouble.  I should have listened to Julie. Continue Reading…

Titles mean something.  Team Leader, Manager, Supervisor, Vice-President- they are all titles bestowed on those who are called by an organization to lead.  They have the official duties and responsibilities that go with the title.

John Maxwell says leadership is influence.  If that is true, are the people with the titles the only ones called to lead?  No.  The title gives them some positional authority, but leaders are needed at every level of an organization. Continue Reading…

It was another day at work with Janet.  She was once again telling me about her problems with her boyfriend.  In my mind, she needed to ditch this loser.

I was confident he was lying to her, cheating on her, and was not the guy she should commit to any longer.  But, her friends were advising her differently.

Me:  “Who are these friends?”

Janet:  “My girlfriends from the gym who I hang out with after work.”

Me:  “Are any of them married?”

Janet:  “No, why?”

Me:  “Seek advice from people who are where you want to be.  Not from people who are where you are.”

Continue Reading…

I was a wimp for three years.  I was a coach for twelve more after that.  Add it up and I spent fifteen years in sales leadership at a Fortune 50 company.  Not surprisingly, my success as a leader came in those final twelve years.  I realized, with the help of the people I was leading, that they wanted candor not coddling. Continue Reading…

A lot of people do not like performance reviews.  Many times it is the anticipation of bad news that can cause anxiety in the individual.  The fear of the unknown can overwhelm people.

That’s the problem.  Nothing that is discussed in a performance review should be unknown.

That is why they are called performance reviews – NOT performance reveals! Continue Reading…

It was one of those meetings. Every time I brought up an issue or an idea, all I got was blank stares or nodding heads. Every time I tried to illicit feedback from my team, I felt as if I were pulling teeth. All I heard was crickets.

When I finally had enough, I looked at my high performing team and said, “You’re all fired!” There was a nervous laugh until they saw my face. I had a stone cold look I learned when I was in the Army.  The laughing stopped. Continue Reading…

Confronting your boss is not fun. When I have done it, I have been met with anger, indifference, and/or passive aggressiveness. I have also seen some very positive reactions as well.

When I speak to groups about Building A Culture of Leadership within an organization, I always discuss the need for those without the title to speak up and lead up. I can usually count on someone approaching me after the program with a problem.

Some people tell me about their boss and the issues they will encounter if they attempt to lead up. I usually respond with empathy and one of two quotes from my dad:

• Just because it isn’t easy to do does not mean you should not be doing it!
• Whoever said leadership was going to be easy?

These quotes have some bite to them, but they are true nonetheless. Continue Reading…

Every time people around me use statements or questions from the list below, I feel an aneurysm coming on.  They make my head hurt just reading them.

• “We need to study this further.”
• “Are you sure?”
• “But what if…”
• “We need to cover all our bases.”
• “Can we run some more numbers?”
• “Who’s going to be responsible?”

Is This An Aneurysm?

Uncertainty Dominates

Leaders must thrive in uncertainty.  As leaders, we can rarely obtain all the information we want to have before making decisions.  It is either unavailable or it would take too long to get it.

Uncertainty dominates our world.  As leaders we must accept that fact.  Uncertainty must be overcome by our desire to move forward and grow. 

I have seen the unwillingness of people to embrace uncertainty prevent progress in many arenas.  In business, non-profits, church leadership, and families, fear of uncertain circumstances or uncertain outcomes creates a culture of inaction and over-analysis.

I have written about this subject many times:

Ready, Shoot, Aim

I am an action-oriented person.  Often when I error, it is because I belong to the school of Ready, Shoot, Aim.

The school of thought that gives me the headaches are the people who want certainty before they make a decision.  Their mantra is Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim…

But, I realize my way of doing things can cause problems as well.  People like me need the analytical types to slow me down.  I need someone to point out the details I tend to overlook.

A leader must be willing to listen.  I must know myself and be open to feedback from people who are different from me.  These people keep me out of trouble!  They can give me headaches, but I need them!

Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim….

An analytical leader does not have to be as action oriented as some of us are.  But, just like me, they need to have the opposite personality advising them to move forward.  I may give that person a headache, but they need me too!

A leader who errors on the side of over analysis must still make decisions and make them in a timely manner.  To avoid paralysis through analysis, the leader must have someone who is willing and able to communicate the need for action.

Who’s Responsible?

It is a fact.

• If my team is stuck in the conference room in a never ending debate on what to do next, I am responsible.
• If my team is running after one shiny new idea after another without seeing real results, I am responsible.

As a leader I am responsible for what happens on my team.  Period.  My circumstances, my people, my boss, the economy all have influence on the outcomes.  But, I am ultimately responsible.

I am responsible for knowing my strengths and my weaknesses.  They are often the same thing.  I need to take the time to look at who I am and how I tend to operate. Without that level of self-examination, the most certain thing is my future is the status-quo.

The Bottom Line:

One type of leader is not better than another.  However, no matter where a leader falls on the analysis spectrum – Zero to Paralysis – we must all have our opposite nearby and be humble enough to listen to them.

Communicating with my opposite can be difficult and can even induce aneurysms for me.  But, understanding who I am and how I tend to behave is my first step towards finding a balance between action and analysis.

Uncertainty is a certainty for leaders.  A leader waiting on all the answers will spend her life waiting.  Decisions must be made.  In today’s world, the ability to make quick decisions is more important than ever.

I am a big believer that an 80% solution implemented now will always beat a perfect solution that is still in development.  As I have matured as a leader, I realized I need help getting to the 80% while others need help stopping at 80%.

Question:

Where is uncertainty keeping you from moving forward?

Dave Anderson is coauthor of Becoming a Leader of Character – Six Habits that Make or Break a Leader at Work and at Home with his father General James L. Anderson (USA Retired).

You can find Becoming a Leader of Character on Amazon by clicking here:

bit.ly/LOCBook.

You can also find Becoming a Leader of Character at Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million and other retailers.

“What can I do?  If I step up and try to lead my peers, I don’t think they will follow.  I’m not as direct as you are Dave. ”

The quote above is representative of a lot of conversations I have inside of companies who ask for my help.  There are many people who know they should be a leader among their peers.  They just aren’t sure how to accomplish it.

What do I attract?

“But, what if my peers do not want to be led?  What if I have never been expected to lead my peers before?  What if I have never done it before? “

Peer leadership is not easy for many people because they are stuck on the how. “How do I lead my peers?”

Leading peers is not easy.  Leading peers who are leaders themselves is especially tough.  But, whether we are talking about leading peers on the front lines or leading peers in the boardroom there are three rules that will build your influence with your peers.

1.  Attitude Attracts Attitude

Whatever attitude I display, I will attract people of similar attitudes.  Conversely, I will repel people carrying the opposite attitudes.  One way I can lead my peers is through my attitude.

While misery loves company, so does joy.  Joyful people attract joyful people.  If I see the opportunities versus the challenges, if I see the potential in people instead of the failures, if I look for reasons ideas will succeed versus reasons they won’t, I will attract people with a common attitude.

As I consistently portray a positive attitude, my influence on those around me will grow.  We all enjoy spending time with people who have a good attitude.  They make us want to be like more like them.

The attitudes I exude attract similar attitudes.  A peer with a positive attitude will always attract followers.  Conversely, a negative person has few followers.

I must ask myself the old question:

“Attitudes are contagious.  Is mine worth catching?”

2.  Selflessness Attracts Selflessness

As Rick Warren wrote in The Purpose Driven Life, “It’s not about me.”

If I have not figured out the world does not revolve around me, then I may never be able to lead my peers effectively.  Selfishness attracts selfishness and selflessness attracts selflessness.

I think we have all been on a team where selfish behavior reigned. When each person looks out for number one, it is a miserable team to be a part of.  But one person acting selflessly has the power to turn a group of selfish peers into a selfless and sharing team.

When one person is more concerned about the good of the team and aiding others, than she is about helping herself, the power of her example increases her ability to influence peers.

I believe many selfish behaviors at work take hold because people think they must act that way to get ahead, or just keep up.  But, if I truly want to be a leader among my peers I need to do the exact opposite.

I need to be selfless.  I need to realize that my example will motivate others to act similarly.  Selfless acts attract selfless acts.  I can lead my peers by being selfless.  It only takes one person.  If I want to lead, then it should be me.

3.  Courage Attracts Courage

Who’s going to step forward and act?  That first person has Courage.  But that act of Courage often attracts others to act courageously as well.

In battle, one person’s courageous example can turn a demoralized unit into an unbeatable force. (See William Wallace in Braveheart or Joshua Chamberlain in Gettysburg,)

In my life, the first time I spoke out against joining 8 guys at a Gentleman’s Club to watch a football game, I was joined by 2 of the crew at a local sports pub instead.  One person needs to speak up against the crowd.  That’s all it takes to inspire others to follow.

Courage attracts Courage.  With a group of peers it takes one person to speak up against a poor plan or a morally questionable decision to spur others forward.

To lead my peers, I need to act with Courage and not quietly follow others down a bumpy path.  When I step away from that path, I will rarely be alone.  My courageous example will attract the Courage in others.

The Bottom Line:

I always wanted my teams to be made up of leaders.   A team full of peer leaders is a strong team.  On this type of team initiative thrives, accountability is expected, accepted and people are fully engaged.

John Maxwell says, “Leadership is influence.”  Among peers, the only way to truly lead is through influence because I do not have positional authority over my peers.

I grow in influence among my peers when they see my actions and emulate them.  To be a peer leader my actions will influence my peers more than eloquent words.  When I set the example with my Positivity, Selflessness and Courage, I will attract similar responses from those I intend to lead.

Question:

How else can peers lead their peers?

Dave Anderson is coauthor of Becoming a Leader of Character – Six Habits that Make or Break a Leader at Work and at Home with his father General James L. Anderson (USA Retired).

You can order Becoming a Leader of Character on Amazon by clicking here:

bit.ly/LOCBook.

You can also find Becoming a Leader of Character at Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million and other retailers.

Character is the reason most leaders fail, but what causes most of our character failures? Why do some leaders succumb to the temptation to lie or cheat? Why do others avoid confrontations or demean their subordinates? Why do micromanagers micromanage?

Honestly, most resources do not go deep enough and get to the root cause of these failures. They just say, “Don’t do this,” or “Do this instead.” When writing our book, we realized we needed a different approach. We wanted to find the real cause for character failures, and we think we found the cause—actually, two causes! Continue Reading…

Question 1:  Are sheep without a shepherd still sheep?  Answer:  Yes.

Question 2:  Is a shepherd without sheep still a shepherd? Answer: No.

A shepherd without sheep is just a hygienically challenged man walking the countryside with a stick in his hands.

Leaders:  It is the people that make you a leader not the title!

Continue Reading…

Who do I trust? And why do I trust them?  There are a lot of things that play a role in whom I trust.

Integrity, consistency, and reliability are just a few.  I trust people who display these attributes – most of the time.  However, even the most honest, consistent and reliable person will lose my trust if they are arrogant.

Humility inspires trust.  Arrogance creates doubt.

Doubt kills trust. Continue Reading…

Humility or arrogance? As leaders if we believe we are the most important person in any situation, we begin to limit our own ability to lead.

Our culture seems to celebrate the arrogance of leaders who pound their chests and promote their own accomplishments. But a Leader of Character is a counter-culture leader because a Leader of Character chooses Humility instead of arrogance. The choice is ours. Continue Reading…

Some people are afraid to speak up and challenge the boss.  Some people don’t want to put forth the effort.  And some just don’t care anymore.

As a result, the leader never hears the truth about himself and his ideas.  The people either become silent bystanders or self-serving sycophants.

When a leader asks for feedback and does not get it, who’s fault is it? Continue Reading…

Leadership and sports analogies go together like peanut butter and jelly.  There are so many bad examples of leadership on display in politics and business, that sports is often the best place to go.

However, when you read the title of this entry, you may now be thinking of sports stars who seem to crave the spotlight.  They are the ones who enjoy speaking about themselves and their accomplishments.  This entry is not about one of those stars. Continue Reading…

Some people would say we were DAL. I prefer to say we were the team that made the Top 71 teams possible. Unfortunately, there were only 72 teams.

I was pushing every button and using every motivational trick I could think of to improve my sales team’s performance. I had never failed before and I was determined not to fail now. I was contemplating firing some people to shake things up. We needed a change. Continue Reading…

Integrity:  Doing what is good, right, and proper, even at personal cost.  That is the definition my father General James L. Anderson taught me years ago.

I had the opportunity to do a talk with my father on the topic of Courage in business. The Lesson: You can’t have Integrity without having Courage.

This video is a short segment of that talk where we focus on the topic of Integrity and what it means to be a person of Integrity.

Question:

What are you willing to sacrifice in order to be a person of Integrity?

Dave Anderson is coauthor of Becoming a Leader of Character – Six Habits that Make or Break a Leader at Work and at Home with his father General James L. Anderson (USA Retired).

You can find Becoming a Leader of Character on Amazon by clicking here:

bit.ly/LOCBook.

You can also find Becoming a Leader of Character at Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million and other retailers.

There are really two types of Courage: physical Courage and moral Courage. Physical Courage is taking action in the face of perceived or actual physical danger.

In society at large, many times we automatically call a person a hero if he or she overcomes a grave physical danger, such as a fire, robbery, car accident, or tornado. But is physical Courage displayed out of self-preservation on the same level with physical Courage on display when others are in harm’s way? That is when the second type of Courage arises—moral Courage. Continue Reading…

“If you ever find yourself trying to read me, stop it.  I am not intentionally being vague.  I am just being a bad communicator at that moment.”  This statement became part of my introduction to people joining my team.

Most people reacted to that statement in two ways. Some seemed relieved.  Some were confused.  Whether it was relief or confusion, both reactions were the result of working on teams where they spent too much time trying to figure out their boss. Continue Reading…

Character is the reason most leaders fail, but what causes most of our character failures? Why do some leaders succumb to the temptation to lie or cheat? Why do others avoid confrontations or demean their subordinates? Why do micromanagers micromanage?

Honestly, most resources do not go deep enough and get to the root cause of these failures. They just say, “Don’t do this,” or “Do this instead.” When writing our book, we realized we needed a different approach. We wanted to find the real cause for character failures, and we think we found the cause—actually, two causes! Continue Reading…

“If you want to accomplish something you have never accomplished before you must start doing things you have never done before.” Those words hit me hard a few years ago. The truth is:

Your Comfort Zone is Also Your Mediocrity Zone

If you want to be average – if you want to be the same person in five years that you are today, then stay in your comfort zone. That was what I was doing. I never set out to be mediocre, but I was heading towards it at the end of my corporate career. Continue Reading…

“What can I do?  If I step up and try to lead my peers, I don’t think they will follow.  I’m not as direct as you are Dave. ”

The quote above is representative of a lot of conversations I have inside of companies who ask for my help.  There are many people who know they should be a leader among their peers.  They just aren’t sure how to accomplish it. Continue Reading…

Question 1:  Are sheep without a shepherd still sheep?  Answer:  Yes.

Question 2:  Is a shepherd without sheep still a shepherd? Answer: No.

A shepherd without sheep is just a hygienically challenged man walking the countryside with a stick in his hands.

Leaders:  It is the people that make you a leader not the title!

Continue Reading…

Every time people around me use statements or questions from the list below, I feel an aneurysm coming on.  They make my head hurt just reading them.

• “We need to study this further.”
• “Are you sure?”
• “But what if…”
• “We need to cover all our bases.”
• “Can we run some more numbers?”
• “Who’s going to be responsible?”

Continue Reading…

If I challenge my boss, she will thank me.  If I speak up for what is right, my boss will not persecute me.  If I fight for my integrity despite pressure from above, I will always keep my job.

None of these results are guaranteed if I do the right thing.  The only time I have a guarantee is if I stay silent.  My silence guarantees things will stay the way they are.  Speaking up is the only way change may happen.

Continue Reading…

“This is one of those times when being a leader sucks.” It was all I could really say to this young leader I was recently coaching. She knew what she had to do and that it was not going to be easy or comfortable.

Hard decisions are part of being a leader. Whether we are a CEO, a middle manager, or a front line employee – Whether we are a coach, a team captain, or an underclassman – Whether we are a husband, a mother, or a child. When it is time to step up and lead, no matter our title, being a leader can really suck.

But if I consider myself a Leader of Character, I must be willing to make those tough decisions even if I do not like making them. Continue Reading…

Honesty or Integrity? Are they the same thing? Is one more important than the other? Many people use the terms interchangeably confusing one with the other.

You can be an honest person and have questionable Integrity. Honesty is a part of Integrity, but they are not the same thing. Continue Reading…

Page 1 of 712345»…Last »

I am not going to candy coat this blog with euphemisms. Let’s just be honest with ourselves and call a spade a spade. A liar tells lies. A coward is too scared to do what is right. An egomaniac puts himself first.

When we use a euphemism to describe our behaviors, it is usually a tool to make us feel better about ourselves. I am not going to do that here. I will leave that to the politicians who say they “misremembered”.

My character is a work in progress. We all have work to do. But, what should I be working on and where should I start? Continue Reading…

“That’s enough Lieutenant Anderson!”

I sat down and stayed quiet for the rest of my battalion commander’s weekly meeting.  I saw the smirk on our operations officer’s face.  As I walked out of the room later, a friendly captain patted me on the back, shook his head and told me not to give up.

Continue Reading…

I pushed the limits as a cadet at West Point. I marched well over 100 hours of punishment tours during my four years in school. There were a lot of ways to get in trouble, and a lot of rules to tell us what not to do.

Every violation of the rules at West Point had a title that described the offense. The most unique title for a violation of the rules was “Gross Lack of Judgment.” Basically it was a catch all phrase that meant a cadet did something that no one had anticipated needing to create a rule to prevent! Continue Reading…

Thirty-two years ago this week, I entered the United States Military Academy at West Point as part of the Class of 1988.  This week the Class of 2020 began their journey as part of the “Long Gray Line”.

In honor of Independence Day and the men and women who serve so we can have the freedoms to speak and to pray as we see fit, I am publishing The West Point Cadet Prayer.

Before you read it, ask yourself: “What challenge does this prayer offer me?” Whether you are a person of faith or not, I think you will find a challenge meant for you.

Continue Reading…

Every male freshman (plebe) entering West Point has a mandatory class that few other colleges offer much less require.  Boxing.

Each morning that boxing was on my schedule I woke up thinking about it.  I would sit in calculus, chemistry or computer programing class thinking about boxing.  It didn’t matter that I had tests or other graded exercises in those classes.  Boxing dominated my thoughts.

Continue Reading…

“Argue with me.” He said it, AND he meant it. As I watched this leader invite his team to tear down his idea, I was astonished, inspired and humbled.

• Astonished: Because I had never seen a leader so readily open to criticism from the people he led.
• Inspired: Because I watched his team argue passionately for and against the leader’s point of view.
• Humbled: Because I realized I am not always confident enough to have my ideas torn down by others.

Continue Reading…

Positivity or negativity? It boils down to making a choice. The attitudes we display go a long way in determining what type of leader we are and how many followers we have.

Do we choose our attitudes or do we let our circumstances or other people choose them for us? Do we choose to focus on others or on ourselves? Do we choose to look for solutions or look problems? Our attitudes have been and always will be a matter of choice. Continue Reading…

Politics.  Gossip.  Back stabbing.  Whining.  Distrust. Selfishness.  Bad Attitudes.  Work environments characterized by one or more of these traits are miserable places to work.

I often run into leaders that know they are leading teams that have these issues.  Unfortunately some of these leaders fail to realize that the cultures of their teams are the results of their leadership.  Or more accurately, their lack of leadership.

Continue Reading…

Unreliability or Duty? It’s a choice. Do we choose to do what needs to be done, or just what we want to do? Do we choose to follow through on all our commitments or flake out? Do we choose to give our best in all areas of our jobs, or just the part we really enjoy?

The business world may call this accountability. But I use the term Duty, as do our heroes who serve in the military. Understanding what our Duty is does not have to be complicated – especially as a leader. Continue Reading…

Dave Anderson interviews Social Selling Evangelist Mario Martinez Jr. Show #2 – Topic: Making Your Brand Not Suck. (30 minutes)

Social Selling Evangelist and Keynote speaker Mario Martinez of M3Jr Growth Strategies. Learn more at www.m3jr.com.

All past and current podcasts also available on iTunes. (Over 5 Million downloads to date!)

Please rate us on iTunes as well!

Listen Here:

http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/www.toginet.com/podcasts/impacttalkradio/ImpactTalkRadioLIVE_2016-06-08.mp3
Or download the podcast by clicking here and listen later!

Order Dave Anderson’s new book:

Becoming a Leader of Character –

Six Habits That Make or Break a Leader at Work and at Home 

Click on the logo below:

Other resources -free PDF downloads of character-based interview questions are available at Overwhelmedmanagersguide.com.

Stop Reacting! Start Leading!

Listen to IMPACT Talk Radio today for no fluff, straight talking solutions designed to IMPACT high IMPACT leaders who want to lead high IMPACT Teams. Every show goes beyond theory and gets into HOW to make an IMPACT that matters.

Selflessness or selfishness. We all make daily choices that prove we are selfish or selfless. As a leader, if our decisions display our selfish nature, then we are unlikely to have committed followers.

If you really want to understand what type of character someone has, look at the choices they make on a habitual basis. When faced with choosing what THEY want versus what may be best for others, what do they choose? Selflessness or selfishness? Continue Reading…

Dave Anderson interviews Social Selling Evangelist Mario Martinez Jr. Topic: Leaving Corporate Leadership and Leading as an Entrepreneur. (30 minutes)

Social Selling Evangelist and Keynote speaker Mario Martinez of M3Jr Growth Strategies. Learn more at www.m3jr.com.

All past and current podcasts also available on iTunes. (Over 5 Million downloads to date!)

Please rate us on iTunes as well!

Other resources -free PDF downloads of character-based interview questions are available at Overwhelmedmanagersguide.com.

Listen Here:

http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/www.toginet.com/podcasts/impacttalkradio/ImpactTalkRadioLIVE_2016-05-25.mp3
Or download the podcast by clicking here and listen later!

Stop Reacting! Start Leading!

Listen to IMPACT Talk Radio today for no fluff, straight talking solutions designed to IMPACT high IMPACT leaders who want to lead high IMPACT Teams. Every show goes beyond theory and gets into HOW to make an IMPACT that matters.

My best friend, Donnie Tillar convinced me to go to West Point.  He was a year older than I was.  Thanks to his persuasiveness I joined my childhood friend as part of the Corps of Cadets.  This is a Memorial Day tribute to Donnie.

This is worth reposting annually.

Continue Reading…

There is really only one person on earth who truly knows your character – YOU. All of us have strengths and weaknesses in our character. But do we stop and really look at ourselves in the mirror?

We have developed the My Mirror Character Assessment for just that purpose. You will get a snapshot of your character in as little as five minutes and it is FREE!

Take it now: http:/mycharactertest.com Continue Reading…

Most people do not look in the mirror and think – hypocrite. But, if we pick and choose when we act with Integrity, what should we call ourselves? Answer: Hypocrites

Part time Integrity is not really Integrity. It is hypocrisy.  If we only choose Integrity when it is easy, what are we? Answer:  Hypocrites. Continue Reading…

Who do I trust? And why do I trust them?  There are a lot of things that play a role in whom I trust.

Integrity, consistency, and reliability are just a few.  I trust people who display these attributes – most of the time.  However, even the most honest, consistent and reliable person will lose my trust if they are arrogant.

Humility inspires trust.  Arrogance creates doubt.

Doubt kills trust. Continue Reading…

Humility or arrogance? As leaders if we believe we are the most important person in any situation, we begin to limit our own ability to lead.

Our culture seems to celebrate the arrogance of leaders who pound their chests and promote their own accomplishments. But a Leader of Character is a counter-culture leader because a Leader of Character chooses Humility instead of arrogance. The choice is ours. Continue Reading…

Dave Anderson interviews best selling author Jeb Blount. Topic: Why Do People Follow You? (30 minutes)

Jeb Blount is the CEO of Sales Gravy (www.salesgravy.com) and the best selling author of People Follow You along with 6 other best sellers.

All past and current podcasts also available on iTunes. (Over 5 Million downloads to date!)

Please rate us on iTunes as well!

Other resources -free PDF downloads of character-based interview questions are available at Overwhelmedmanagersguide.com.

Listen Here:

http://www.podtrac.com/pts/redirect.mp3/www.toginet.com/podcasts/impacttalkradio/ImpactTalkRadioLIVE_2016-05-11.mp3
Or download the podcast by clicking here and listen later!

Stop Reacting! Start Leading!

Listen to IMPACT Talk Radio today for no fluff, straight talking solutions designed to IMPACT high IMPACT leaders who want to lead high IMPACT Teams. Every show goes beyond theory and gets into HOW to make an IMPACT that matters.

Courage or Cowardice? It is the leader’s choice. There is no middle ground. Leaders are constantly confronted with choices that will expose us as a coward or a courageous Leader of Character.

• What do we do when we are faced with uncertainty?
• What do we do when we are faced with a situation that makes us uncomfortable?
• What do we do when we are faced with saying what someone wants to hear versus something they need to hear?

Our choices when we face our fears define who we are as a leader. Continue Reading…

84% of employees do not believe their company’s culture is widely upheld according to a study by the Aberdeen Group.  The startling thing is the numbers are only slightly better for executives who answered that same survey – 81% admitted they are not doing a good job upholding the company culture.  These are the people who are responsible for reinforcing the culture!

A ship left adrift rarely ends up in port.  That ship usually ends up on the reef. Continue Reading…