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Capability and Credibility go hand in hand, and any effective Leader must have both.  Let's start with capability because, well, that's where you have to start. Definition Capability:  The capacity and ability to accomplish something; potential What does this have to do with Cowardly Leadership? It's the beginning. Even cowardly leaders usually have the capability of leading.  If elected, they usually campaign on their capability.  How they can turn things around; how things will be different.  Potential isn't often used in an election campaign but candidates infer they have the ability to increase or fulfill the potential of a community- their city or county. Capacity and Ability "I have the capacity, the ability, the potential- to change things for the better."  That's what we hear from not just elected officials, but those…

Hans Christian Andersen's children's tale from centuries ago remains relevant, maybe more so today than at any time in recent memory.  The Emperor Has No Clothes, as you remember (back when you were paying  attention in kindergarten), is about a gullible, foolish King.  He bought from two swindlers "clothes" that were so light and magical that only those who were stupid and incompetent could not "see" them. Therefore, the King, and everyone around him (not wanting to appear stupid and incompetent), marveled at the clothes.  Obviously I see them! I am not stupid or incompetent!  And the King is worthy of being in his position or he wouldn't be in his position.  So OBVIOUSLY he can see them, and if he can see them, I can see them.  What, you…

It really has more effect when you say it like the 6-year old girl says it to her brother:  "You're just a Mister Know It All!"   It's cute when you hear two kids saying it back and forth.  It's much sadder when you see an elected official actually practice it. A Cowardly Leader Looks At It Differently Of course, a cowardly leader doesn't admit that he is a know-it-all.  He or she says, I was elected, therefore the people told me I know more than they do I'm in a position of power, therefore my authority proves I know more than they do I'm a public figure and people cater to my wishes, therefore I'm obviously more intelligent, otherwise why would they have elected me They should treat me with respect…

All knowing and all-seeing:   Omniscient Leadership.  Of course, there really aren't any omniscient leaders.   Or omniscient anybodies.  Other than religious leaders through the ages (and some guys on late-night TV who know how to beat the stock market). Success Always Takes Help As I discussed in my last blog, Simon Sinek, TED talk star, said in one of his blog posts:  Success Always Takes Help.  It's HERE if you want to revisit it. There are some common themes I have discovered as I've researched and written these Cowardly Leadership blogs.  Probably the #1 recurring theme is:  Fear vs. confidence.  The more confident a leader is, the more likely and comfortable he/she is in asking questions, asking for help, realizing there is a lot of knowledge out there he needs to know.  A common management truism…

I don't mean me personally.  I need all the help I can get.  But cowardly leaders too often say, "I don't need help!"  And they too often don't say Happy Valentines Day. Happy Valentines Day! This will be Part I of two parts with Part II coming up Friday. 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.  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 was asking for help. I'm a big fan of The West Wing.  It's my favorite television series of all time.  I realize it's fictional and idealistic but I still wish- I…

Ah yes.  The 600 lb (maybe 800 lb since this is something everyone has experienced) gorilla in the room.  The micromanager.   The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it. -Teddy Roosevelt My Story I've been fortunate in that I've only worked for a micromanager one time. I voluntarily left a job without a job to go to, in other words, I didn't move on to something else, also one time.  They were the same time.  I left because I couldn't take it any more. I was Director of a large, comprehensive department with a multi-million dollar budget.  We had a lot going on.  I…

We Will Be I was a Director of a Department several years ago that was newly established.   We had opportunities to create a lot of initial structure, such as  program fees, cost recovery ratios, standard operating procedures, etc. We created the first of several ongoing strategic plans.  In other words, some cool stuff that I enjoyed working on since we were able to design and implement much of the structure we needed. I wanted a vision statement, and especially a mission statement.  I felt strongly that the citizens needed to know what we believed in and were about.  Furthermore, I wanted the staff to know it as well.  We were a new organization and we needed a constant we could always refer to and remind ourselves, "This is what…

Strategic Thinking In Where is the Vision, Part I (HERE if you missed it) the focus was on Vision.  The definition of vision, by the way, includes anticipation.  Either the ability to anticipate what is to come, or the sheer excitement of anticipating something in the future. That ability to anticipate what is to come is what is expected of our elected officials regarding a vision- for the school system, for our communities.  Based on their work, but most importantly, based on the "hope" that they care enough to worry about the future, we anticipate (with gladness?  hope? maybe?) our community's future. How Does It Work? Today, the focus is on strategy and strategic thinking. Strategic:  What are you doing now?  What is the business that your government agency is…

Proverbs 29:18 Strategy.  Long range plan.  Master plan.  Does your governmental organization have one?  Do your elected leaders use a well thought out process in order to know what should happen ten years from now?  If not, then where is the vision?  Whatever it's called in your neck of the woods, vision is a critical component of local governmental organizations. Vision and strategic planning is such an important topic, I have split it into two sections.  Part I will focus on vision, and Part II will focus more on the strategic steps. Do You Live in Wonderland? “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat. “I don’t much care where–”…

Cowardly and Courageous Leadership Since this is the week of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday (and not incidentally, the day of the Presidential inauguration), I thought I would start with this very fitting quote: "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."                          -Dr. King This blog is Cowardly Leadership-Up Close and Personal because its focus is on local government, i.e., how locally elected and appointed officials practice cowardly leadership.  Some common traits have emerged as we identify cowardly leaders. One is, “I was elected to this (or appointed to this) position, and you weren’t, therefore I know more…