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  Real Leaders Wish Everyone Happy Valentines Day! Simon Sinek, author of Leaders Eat Last, stated this in a recent post: "Success always takes help.  Failure stands alone."  Let that sink in. Success. ALWAYS. Takes. Help. In one of John F. Kennedy's campaign speeches in 1960, he says, "Give me your help, and your hand, and your voice..."  President Kennedy explicitly asked for help.  Cowardly leaders, on the other hand, are all knowing - that is why they were elected, or appointed to their position.  They become omniscient by virtue of being where they are, as if that position brings instant expertise. Success always takes help There are some common themes I have discovered as I've researched and written these Cowardly Leadership blogs.  One recurring theme is:  Fear vs. confidence.  The more confident a leader is,…

Most of the Cowardly Leadership posts discuss various traits and commonalities that cowards who are in positions of authority possess.  We have talked about abdication of their duties, being right simply because they are in power, inability to tell the truth, refusal to speak truth to power, and many others. Managing Through Power [caption id="attachment_667" align="alignnone" width="300"] Leading through humiliation[/caption] Many of you know I am a retired Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve.  I was fortunate enough to read an article recently by Commander Kevin Duffy, USCG, in the United States Naval Institutes Proceedings, entitled Character Has Real Consequence Commander  Duffy relates a time when he was an Ensign (the Coast Guard and Navy's initial officer rank, in other words, he was really new at being an officer and really new at about any…

Thanks to Sergeant Major David Auwen, USMC, a patriot and friend I served with while at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan, for posting this about Leadership and Garbage Trucks.  I borrowed it and adapted it for Cowardly Leadership-Up Close and Personal. Not "all" People, Just Cowardly leaders The video shows the driver talking about how people are full of anger and frustration.  I don't think most people are angry and frustrated.  In fact, I believe very few, especially in positions of authority, are consistently like that.  At least, that's been my experience. I talk about cowardly leadership because the cowardly leaders I've run across are so memorable.  But I've also stated on many occasions that the great majority of leaders I've worked for, and with, have been Real Leaders.  Only a very few…

Sooner or later you probably will work in an environment that is toxic.  If and when that happens, it likely will rank last of all the jobs you've ever had.  Following are considerations for when your job sucks. Studies show that the average American will work for seven different employers over the course of his or her career.  Odds are that not all of those will be pleasant experiences.  You will take a job for money, or convenience, or because your spouse took a new job, or necessity, or some reason other than desire- hoping that it will work out and not be too bad. That hope rarely turns out. [The post below has affiliate links.  If  you see a book you've been wanting to read and decide to purchase it, I…

I enjoy the art of debate.  Tell me why you think what you think.  I’ll tell you why I think what I think.  Not always, but usually, when I’ve found someone who has the same starting point, we will agree.  Not on everything, not even on most things.  But on some things.  There are points I will make that will resonate with my counterpointed individual, and points that he or she will make that make sense to me. But cowardly leaders know no reason. As long as two or more logical, rational people start from a place of reason, and not emotion, some agreement and understanding of the other position  usually is an end result. This is what happened during the debates of the Continental Congress.  Even during the founding period…

If you are a regular reader of Cowardly Leadership-Up Close and Personal, you know that I usually reference another post by a recognized Leader:  Simon Sinek, or Gen David Petraeus, or Secretary of Defense James Mattis, or even investor James Altucher. This week, these are my analogies and my metaphors.  I’m taking full ownership of eggs. [caption id="attachment_641" align="aligncenter" width="391"] Untapped Potential[/caption] EGGS You remember how Forest Gump kept repeating, “Life is like a box of chocolates?” Imagine a chef with a carton of eggs.  What that Chef does with those eggs depends, to a great degree, on how creative, innovative, safe, or conservative he or she is.  He can keep them in the carton, put them away and ensure that nothing changes.  Or, he can make the decision to…

Aren’t sure if you do? Have always worked for your current employer and therefore don’t have a frame of reference to use? Have worked for multiple employers and all of them treated you the same- and, therefore- you don’t know if that is good? Or bad? How Do You Know If You Work For a cowardly leader? That is why Cowardly Leadership-Up Close and Personal is here! So as we kick off 2018, let’s determine if you, in fact, work for a cowardly leader. I’ve been fortunate enough to work in a variety of environments, and in only two cases did I work for a cowardly leader. In both of those, it was a miserable experience. Working for a coward ensures that you will be micro-managed and sacrificed for the…

Cowardly Leadership will return on January 2, 2018.  Enjoy the holidays!

Happy Anniversary to Cowardly Leadership! [caption id="attachment_627" align="alignright" width="143"] Happy 1st Anniversary to Cowardly Leadership![/caption] Sixty-five posts ago, with It's What You Do After You Get There, Cowardly Leadership-Up Close and Personal was launched.  The week before Christmas may, or may not, have been the best timing, but it is when the opportunity and subjects were available. Subject Matter As I've written about over the past year, I have worked directly for two cowardly leaders in my career.  These are people who are in positions of power and authority, but are not Leaders and therefore are always referred to as lower case leaders.   Cowardly leaders are in positions of authority in all walks of life.  Since my background has been primarily in local government, I have focused my personal observations to those that, also, work…

Full Disclosure- the idea for this and some of the material herein is borrowed from James Altucher, whom I quote regularly here at Cowardly Leadership-Up Close and Personal.  This material is from his posting 10 Reasons Your Boss Hates You here 6 Reasons Your Boss is Incompetent 1.  You're More Qualified At the local government level, which is the platform I use since it's the profession I worked in for 30+ years, many people in senior positions are there for the wrong reasons.  Now, without question, the majority of colleagues I worked with at the department head level were smart, dedicated, talented, and creative.  Many of them were game-changers.  But at the level above them are the elected officials and appointed officials.    And just as often, the majority of them are in their…