Category Archives: Leadership

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Ask Me Your Questions

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Take a look at the right column of this site.  I encourage you to sign up for the email list of this blog.  Not only will you receive every new post directly to your email inbox, but you will be the first to know of any new announcements.  There are some exciting ones coming up.  And I will never give your info to anyone…ever.

iStockPhoto from myrrha

iStockPhoto from myrrha

2013 is a year of new beginnings for me.  This blog has a new look and an expanded scope.  I have a new job.  I have a new vision for the future and new goals.  I couldn’t be more excited.

Another shift that starts now is I am purposing to focus more upon the highest interests of my readers.  Practically, that means I am trying to write for my readers.  Until this point, I’ve been writing whatever I hoped would be interesting or useful for someone.

In one of last week’s posts, The One Secret to Winning the Business Every Time, I make the case that the most important thing that you can do with your clients and prospects is understand their needs.  You do that by asking questions.

So today, I’m asking for your questions.  Here is how this will work.  You can ask me anything.  As this blog is focused on Next Practices in Life, Business, and Commercial Real Estate, your questions simply need to fall into one of those categories.  Feel free to ask about my experiences, background, job, or my thoughts on any subject.  I’m certainly no expert in most subjects, but I have thoughts on most.  I will respond in one of 3 ways:

  1. Your question will turn into a post – Some of you already been firing questions at me – and they are great questions. Those that warrant a full post will get it.
  2. I will respond that I don’t have a clue – This may happen more than I’d like.  However, if I don’t know, then I will tell you.
  3. I will find out – I expect some questions will pique my curiosity and will send me searching.  In that case, I will report back what I find.

To give you a feel for what I am working on, here are some post titles coming up in the future.

Life

  • A Review of the App ‘Book on Her’
  • How to Pursue the Hearts of Your Children
  • How to Create a Healthy Family Culture

Business

  • The 7 Steps to Cast a Vision that People will Follow
  • The Art of Delegation Results vs Tasks
  • Book Reviews

Commercial Real Estate

  • CRE App Reviews
  • Why You Should Consider Syndications as Part of Your Business
  • More Posts Unpacking the Steps in a Prospecting System
  • An Introductory Post on Creating Presence

Those are my plans, but I want to hear from you.  Here is how you ask a question:

  1. Use the comments section below
  2. Include your name and website – I will link to them if I use your question as a post.
  3. Ask your question!

So ask away!  I look forward to increasing the interaction with you on my blog and ensuring that I am listening to my readers.  Use the comments below.

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5 Reasons to Develop Decisiveness by Using the 70% Rule

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I am naturally a perfectionist.  If my parents read this, they may disagree.  They will remember me leaving potential on the table.  I was the poster child for procrastination.  The truth is perfectionism is the mother of procrastination.

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Photo courtesy of ©iStockphoto.comjoste_dj

I remember one semester of college at Murray State University.  I decided that I would not procrastinate any longer.  I purposed to work ahead in all my classes — finish assignments early.  I remember going to the library to work on a paper that was due weeks in the future.  I found that I could not focus my thoughts.  The possibilities of what direction I could go and how perfect the paper could be were overwhelming.  I needed the pressure of the last minute to focus my thoughts and force me to action.  I am the classic Ready, Aim, Aim, Aim, Aim, Aim…………….Fire!

My father is not this way.  While he gathers information, he is naturally decisive and instinctive.  I would characterize him as Fire, Ready, Aim.  If you can’t tell, we work very well together.

In business and life, there is a great tension between impulsiveness (foolishness) and perfectionism (procrastination).  Leaders are decisive.  In fact, decisiveness is one of the 14 Leadership Traits of the Marine Corps that I wrote about recently — read more here.  Additionally, decisive leaders reject perfectionism.  They understand that it is an elusive fallacy.  Your business should have a goal of success, growth, and excellence — not perfection.  There is a difference.

So how does a leader manage this tension between impulsiveness and perfectionism?  The Marine Corps taught me the 70% Rule.  It says that you take action on any decision when you have 70% confidence in the success of the decision.  That statement just made some of you uncomfortable.  Here are 5 reasons you should consider implementing this rule in your business.

  1. Reality – Decisions are made in time.  Sometimes it must be made very quickly.  You also have competition.  They are also trying to succeed.  They are also trying to beat you.  Being decisive while not impulsive can be learned.  Rejecting perfectionism frees you up to execute with speed.
  2. Speed – Speed is better than perfection.  A good solution executed quickly will have a higher probability of success than a great solution executed too late.  Speed puts you on the offensive.  It allows you to set the pace of innovation and service.  This also means that it puts your competition on the defensive forcing them to react.  He who sets the pace gains the advantage.
  3. Growth – Speaking of mistakes, you will make them too.  Understand that you will and prepare.  Don’t waste your mistakes — learn from them.  The key to learning from your mistakes is debriefing after decisions are made.  What went wrong?  Why did we fail?  Why did we succeed?  What could we have done better?  How could I have done that presentation better?  If you do not pause and reflect, you will waste the benefits of your mistakes.  You will not grow as a leader.  You will not develop better decision-making skills.  You will repeat the mistakes.
  4. Success – Wayne Gretzky said that, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”  This is obvious but so important.  Being decisive with 70% confidence will lead to more success than hesitating due to lack of confidence or information.  As you grow from experience and learning from your mistakes, your success rate will improve.  Over time, this growth can allow you to reach your potential.  Perfectionist straddled by procrastination never reach their potential — never.
  5. Prevents Impulsiveness – Colin Powell is a proponent of the 70% Rule.  He also stated that 40% confidence requires more information gathering and planning.  Going with your gut is often a bad idea.  The 70% Rule acts as a guard-rail for the impulsive who Fire before they make Ready and Aim.

I invite you to share your thoughts below.  Are you a perfectionist?  How would the 70% Rule change how you do business?

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Top 5 Productivity Posts of 2012

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This is the second of the three Top 5 posts you will read this month on theBarronBlog – (click here for the first.)  Today’s Top 5 is around the theme of productivity.  Growth in this area simply means that you are more efficient.  You can get more done in less time.  With more time saved, you can improve your work/life balance – be a better spouse, parent, or friend.  Invest in your relationships.  Live a healthier life.  You can do it, and the posts below can help!

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But First…

Before you get to the posts below, I want to remind you of my favorite discovery of 2012 – The Dollar Shave Club.  This ingenious company produces a great product at an awesome price, and ships razors to your door every month.  No more over-paying for razors.  No more spending time at the store buying them.  I endorse this product 100%.  Guys, do yourself a favor and check it out for yourself here.  Ladies, my mom as well as some of my friends’ wives have signed up their husbands – great gift idea!  Click here for more info (this is an affiliate link, but I do not recommend anything that I do not use myself.)

Top 5 Productivity Posts of 2012

The 5 Steps to a Paperless Office – The key to pulling that off was having a paperless office.  All my data is in the cloud.  All my data is accessible to me anywhere my iPhone has a signal.  I can access it on the fly.  It means I can jump on opportunities with lightning speed.  And speed kills.  Read more…

How to Shave 30 Minutes a Day Managing Email – Email has now become a drug, and we are addicted.  As a major form of communication in the Commercial Real Estate industry, many CRE practitioners feel like they must check their smart phone every five minutes.  Show of hands:  who checks their phone before they even get out of bed?  Guilty here.  Read more…

The 17 Rules of Email Etiquette – My biggest beef with email is its ability to interrupt me.  The nature of my business requires me to be doing multiple things.  I am not a natural multi-tasker.  I much prefer to hone in on a task and focus all my energy on it.  I rarely get to do this.  I am also easily distracted.  The ding and notification that announces every email can cost me 5 – 60 minutes if I let it.  I routinely get 200+ emails a day.  That equates to 200+ opportunities to be distracted from what is important to what is less important but potentially urgent. Read more…

My Tools to Manage Twitter in 15 Minutes a Day – Let me clarify.  In one of my previous posts – The Rule of Thirds – I shared the 3 types of tweets that you should be using:  curating original or other great content, engaging with others, and getting a little personal.  The key to the first category of curating original or other great content is getting the tweets done and scheduled at one time.  Read more…

The 7 Rules of Conference Call Etiquette – Alas, the conference call is still sometimes a necessity.  On a recent call, there were 2 different people trying to lead the call (one of them was me).  There were over a dozen people on the call from 4 different time zones.  I couldn’t tell who was speaking.  People were talking over each other.  It was a free-for-all.  Read more…

So as we wrap of the year, what are the areas in your life where you have seen the most growth in productivity?
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The 7 Rules of Conference Call Etiquette

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Recently, I’ve been on a number of conference calls with groups of people scattered across the United States.  My preference is to do video calls.  Especially now that there are so many good technologies like Google+ hangouts, GoToMeeting, WebEx, and others.

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Alas, the conference call is still sometimes a necessity.  On a recent call, there were 2 different people trying to lead the call (one of them was me).  There were over a dozen people on the call from 4 different time zones.  I couldn’t tell who was speaking.  People were talking over each other.  It was a free-for-all.

I had another conference call that I led two days ago that went like clock-work.  26 minutes and we were done.  What was the difference?  I followed these rules.

The 7 Rules of Conference Call Etiquette

  1. There must be a clear leader/moderator of the call – This is the person that keeps the call on track.  Time is valuable.  When you multiply the time spent on a call times the number of people on the call, multiples of hours are spent on a conference call.  There has to be a driver of the bus.
  2. There must be an agenda – Not only must there be an agenda, but it needs to be in front of everyone.  The agenda keeps the meeting on track, and allows all on the call to know the purpose of the call.  It gives direction.
  3. Announce yourself – This was the single biggest difference between the “free-for-all” call and the quick and efficient one.  Announcing yourself when you speak has two huge benefits.  First, it is polite to let those on the call know who is speaking since they can’t see you.  Don’t assume people know the sound of your voice.  Second, it almost entirely eliminates interruptions. I was surprised by this, but think about it.  You aren’t as likely to cut someone off or talk over someone if you are announcing who you are first.  “This is Jack from Ohio and I’m going to interrupt you now.”
  4. Keep the group as small as possible – This is common sense.  So what do you do if you have a large group?  Divide them up.  We are planning a national conference with over a dozen people on the call.  One of our team had the brilliant idea to break into smaller teams depending on which day of the conference you had responsibility.  We now have 2 calls instead of 1, but the groups are smaller and it is so much easier to make decisions and get off the call quickly.
  5. Practice impeccable phone etiquette – There is nothing worse on a call than background noise.  Typing is heard.  A side conversation is happening.  The background noise kills the mojo of the call and is simply rude.  It is so easy to be distracted on a call like this and start checking email, etc.  I get it.  Just make sure your line is muted.
  6. Make sure you have a good connection – Cell phones are tricky.  Regardless of my love for Verizon, sometimes I will still have a bad connection. If at all possible, dial in from a landline.  I am not a fan of VOIP in this context.
  7. Set these ground rules and the beginning of the call – This is the leader’s job.  At the beginning of the call, the leader should welcome everyone and then lay out the ground rules.  Don’t assume that those on the call understand the guidelines for a quick and efficient call.  The leader’s role is huge in setting the tone, keeping the call on track, and making sure that everyone is engaged.  If someone is not speaking up, call them out and invite them to share their thoughts.

A parting thought – if more than one person is in charge of something, then no one is.  I’m sure that is someone else’s quote, but I don’t know who.  It is so true.  A conference call is held because a group is trying to accomplish a task.  Ensure that each part of that task is owned by someone.  Then hold them accountable for the results.

I want to hear the horror stories of terrible conference calls that you have been on.  What rules have I missed?  Share with us!

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Top 5 CRE Posts of 2012

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It is that time of year when we pause and reflect.  Over the remaining days of 2012, I will be posting my “Top Posts” of 2012 in the categories of Commercial Real Estate, technology, and productivity.  Even though I just started blogging in earnest in Sept, we have over 50 posts to choose from in these categories.

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Quick Announcement

If you have not done so already, I invite you to sign up to follow this blog via email.  You can click on the link to the right to sign up.  I am working on some exciting projects for 2013, and this is the way to find out first.  You will also be notified every time there is a new post.

Top 5 CRE Posts of 2012

The Difference Between a CRE Broker and a Drug Dealer – Here’s what I mean.  To say that I am a Commercial Real Estate Broker I would literally say:  ”I am a broker in the buying and selling of real estate.”  The problem is that the word for real estate is also the word for illegal drugs.  So, if you don’t know me or have any context to give you a clue, you would not know if I’m saying that I’m a CRE broker or a drug dealer.  Context is everything.  Read more…

The 8 Steps to a Killer Prospecting System – I want to clarify what I mean by prospecting.  Prospecting is a form of business development.  Networking and building a presence – or a platform – is another form of business development.  Their activities are similar.  Their purpose is completely different.  (To read about the difference between prospecting and networking, click here.)  Prospecting involves asking for the business.  That is its only purpose.  Read more…

The Difference Between Top Producers and the Others – In my coaching business with the Massimo Group, I have also had the great privilege of coach CRE throughout the United States and Canada.  From the catbird’s seat, I have gotten to see what top producers do that all the others do not. Read more…

The 12 Keys to Becoming a Top Producer – Faster!  Part 1 – The Commercial Real Estate industry – or any industry really – is often so different from the Marine Corps.  I’m specifically thinking about advancement – growth – achievement.  In the Marines, there was a formula for promotion – at least at the lower enlisted ranks.  I knew exactly how to earn promotion.  Read more…

The 12 Keys to Becoming a Top Producer – Faster!  Part 2 – Top producers are team oriented.  Top Producers are not loners.  They don’t try to do everything.  They understand the value of a team.  And not only just having a team, but maximizing the production of that team.  Rod Santomassimo discusses this in his best-selling CRE book – Brokers Who Dominate.  Beyond the fact that I am profiled – along with about 22 others – this is must reading for any CRE practitioner.  Read more…

As I began this post, this is the time of year to reflect.  What were your Top 5 most productive activities this year?  Please share them with us.  We’d love to learn from you!
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Why the Biggest Problem with Your Business is You

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I hope that you have a mentor.  I have been blessed to have a number of men in my life that have fulfilled this role for me.  You can learn so much from mistakes and experience.  You can also learn from the mistakes and experiences of others.  I prefer the latter.

Having problem concept

A couple of years ago I was having lunch with one of my mentors.  This guy has been wildly successful.  He owns numerous businesses.  He has a great marriage – great family.  Like my dad, he is someone I want to emulate.  I was peppering him with questions.  He told me a story that surprised me.

Years ago, he had somewhat plateaued in his businesses.  He was working too much.  Progress was not being made.  He felt like he had hit a brick wall that he couldn’t break through.  He had a conversation with a mentor of his and asked him what he was doing wrong.  The mentor replied, “The problem with your businesses is you.”

Sobering statement.  My mentor was initially angry.  How could he be the problem?  No one worked harder than him!  He was the leader of these businesses.

I think that every entrepreneur reaches this point.  Characteristics like passion, vision, integrity, hard work, and others are what lead to initial success.  After a while though, the entrepreneur or leader of a business becomes the log-jam.  Nothing gets done with his/her touch. John Maxwell calls this the Law of the Lid.  The business cannot grow past the leadership ability of the leader.  The entrepreneur ends up being his own biggest problem.

At this point, two options exist:  enjoy the plateau or learn to replicate yourself in your business.  In other words, learn to delegate.

I am going to assume that you chose the second option.  The best organization at delegation and reproduction is the Marine Corps.  The Marines regularly take 18-year-old kids and turn them into the best fighting force on the planet.  While you might think that the Marine Corps has a very traditional hierarchical system, it is actually very decentralized.  Twenty year old corporals on the front lines have the training and ability to make decisions on the fly.  Here is how they do it.

Commander’s Intent

I want to acknowledge up front that the Military in general is not good at communicating the “why.”  I rarely knew the big picture.  I suggest that you run your business with the “why” constantly out in front of your team members.

That said, the commander’s intent is the “what.”  This is the directive that comes from on high that says take that hill.  The Commander does not come and tell anyone how to do.  He simply gives the directive.

We recently built a database of all the Dollar Stores in Kentucky.  I gave the directive to my executive assistant to find me the location, physical data, owner, and contact information on every store.  She had the training and tools to accomplish this.  She did not need me hawking and micro-managing.

Rules of Engagement

Remember in the movie Top Gun when Maverick and Goose were in the dog fight with the fictitious MIG-28 at the beginning of the movie?  Their Commander kept telling them “Do not fire unless fired upon!”  (You can see the cigar in his hand, can’t you?)

Rules of engagement tell you what you can and can’t do.  This is where delegation really works.  The best kinds of rules for a team member are the ones that explain what is not acceptable.  In other words, if you can define the boundaries of what is not OK, then everything in that box is OK.

Now your team members have the “Commander’s Intent” or the task to accomplish, and they understand the boundaries.  Within those boundaries, they are free to accomplish the task with great creativity and resourcefulness – and without you staring over their shoulder all the time.

How would these principles of delegation impact the team that you lead?  Are you the lid on your business?  I invite you to share with us in the comments how you could implement these principles in your business.
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Top Posts for November – And The Dollar Shave Club!

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In case you missed them, here are the top posts from November.  I have also added a bonus Saturday post at the bottom that is guaranteed to improve your daily life – if you shave.  Be sure to check it out at the bottom!

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The 17 Rules of Email Etiquette – My biggest beef with email is its ability to interrupt me.  The nature of my business requires me to be doing multiple things.  I am not a natural multi-tasker.  I much prefer to hone in on a task and focus all my energy on it.  I rarely get to do this.  I am also easily distracted.  The ding and notification that announces every email can cost me 5 – 60 minutes  Read More…

The Difference Between Top Producers and the Others – How many times have you heard brokers complain about how the market has sunk their business?  Maybe I’m talking about you?  You have heard the cliché, “a rising tide lifts all ships.”  The reverse of that would be, “a sinking tide sinks all ships.”  That seems to be the mantra of the CRE industry of the last four years.  Read More…

How the 14 Marine Corps Leadership Traits Apply to Your Business – Part 1 – Today, I was organizing my closet.  Hanging there next to my ties and dress shirts were my old Marine Corps uniforms.  They caused me to think back 8+ years to my former life.  So much of my life now is influenced by my enlisted years.  Just as the old meets the new in my closet, so much of the USMC leadership traits apply to running a business.  Read More…

How the 14 Marine Corps Leadership Traits Apply to Your Business – Part 2 – I was born with bearing.  God just knitted this one into my personality.  When I was a PFC (private first class), I had duty for the first time.  This meant that I stayed up all night manning a post in the barracks.  I was part of a 3-man team.  This was my first time “on-duty,” and I made a mistake…  Read More…

How to Turn Failure into Motivation – You will experience failures in your personal and professional lives.  It should not be the failed goal that defines the experience but the way that we respond to the failure.  Consider reflecting on these questions…  Read More…

My Salute to Our Fighting Men and Women this Veteran’s Day – Today is Veteran’s Day.  Today is the day that we remember and honor all the men and women who sacrificed.  They sacrificed years. Some sacrifices limbs.  Many sacrificed their lives – for you and me.  We understand freedoms not known by most throughout history.  My brother, who is a Marine Aviator, is this day protecting the freedoms of Americans to burn the flag or hate our country.  That is sacrifice.…  Read More…

Bonus Post

I remember when I was in college, I would shave every 3 to 4 days.  There was two reasons for this:  every guy hates shaving, and I was lazy.  Then I enlisted in the Marine Corps.  They require a clean-shaven face every morning.  It is called “scraping your grape.”

Five years of “scraping my grape” every day has two unfortunate consequences.  The first is that I now prefer the shaven face.  The second, and worse, is that my wife now can’t live with my scrubby face anymore.

Since I have resigned myself to shaving every day for the rest of my life, I now hate the razor racquet.  I can buy the razor handle for pennies, but the razors cost a fortune.  I’m in a bad mood every time I have to buy razors.  And since I have to pay so much for them, I use them longer than I should.  This causes me to hate shaving even more.  This is a vicious spiral.

Enter the Dollar Shave Club!

This is the coolest idea I’ve seen in a long time.  Additionally, this video is genius and hilarious – though unfortunately more raw than it needs to be.  Regardless, enjoy the video.

So here is how it works.  You sign up for one of the 3 levels of razors.  They send you every month the razors you need – automatically.  This rocks for the following reasons:

  • The razors are comparable to the Gillette Fusion I used before.
  • The price of the razors are way less.
  • You no longer have the negative experience of actually purchasing over-priced razors from the store – the razors are shipped to your door!
  • You don’t have to stretch the use of each razor.  This improves your overall experience.

In a word, the Dollar Shave Club rocks!  Sometimes it is the simple things in life.  This is one of those things.  Do yourself a favor and check them out.  And have a great weekend!

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How to Turn Failure into Motivation

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This is a guest post written by Major Mike Arnett.  Not only is Mike a world-class Army doctor, he was also my college roommate and easily one of the best friends I’ve ever had.

A few weeks ago, I had dinner with my old friend, Bo Barron.  Bo was on the way to the airport in Nashville.   He was flying to Connecticut where he would be speaking on the use of technology in the commercial real estate industry.  Bo is my only friend from college who has served in the military, and there is a bond between those who have worn the uniform of our country – even between Jarheads and G.I.s.  It was an ideal way to spend Veteran’s Day evening: eating great deep-dish pizza, drinking a great beer, and telling war stories with a great friend.

Major Mike Arnett and Bo Barron. Taken by Mike’s 6-year-old son.

In reference to his upcoming speaking engagement, Bo told me of his passion for speaking to groups.  He then asked me if I remembered a Beta Club speech competition in 1993.  I honestly have no recollection of that district round.  Quite conversely, Bo has an extremely vivid memory of the event.  He clearly remembers me beating him in the districts to deprive him of a trip to Louisville.  This was two years before we would become friends and roommates at Murray State University.

Bo responded to this defeat by committing to his public speaking skills, seeking out opportunities for speaking engagements, and building his confidence in front of a group.  Now, he travels from his corner of Western Kentucky to New England (among others) for corporate speaking engagements.

I have a very similar experience with an 8th grade football teammate, David Campbell*.  David was scrawny even by middle school standards.  Considered that I topped out at 5’7″, it takes a diminutive form for me to use the label “short.” During the football banquet that year, I was surprised to hear that the academic award for highest GPA went to David.  It turns out that my good grades were still short of his 4.0 GPA.  I knew that I would never be the offensive star, but I figured that I could study harder than David and get that award in 9th grade.

That is exactly what I did.  With a 10×14 wooden plaque supporting a plastic football player as my only motivation for academic excellence, I made a 4.0 and received that academic award.  Holding that award was extremely gratifying, and I took much pride in achieving my goal. Spring semester of my freshman year, I continued taking the same classes and it was not particularly difficult to maintain the same study habits so I kept making As.

During my sophomore season, David did not try out for the team but there were some smart upper class-men, and I really wanted another award.  So, I committed myself to winning the academic award again.  I studied on the J.V. bus during away games.  I used the time in between school and practice to complete small sections of homework.  It went as planned.  I received another 4.0 for the fall semester and another plastic football player.

At the end of our sophomore year, the school released the class standings.  I was surprised to see that I was tied for class valedictorian.  The potential of a much greater accolade motivated me for the next two years.  The study habits and decision-making patterns that I developed out of pursuit of an award with a plastic football player resulted in a full academic scholarship to college.

You will experience failures in your personal and professional lives.  It should not be the failed goal that defines the experience but the way that we respond to the failure.  Consider reflecting on these questions:

  1. Why did I not achieve my goal?
  2. What do I need to change or improve?
  3. What do I need to give up in order to spend my time more productively and succeed?
  4. How can I get better?  Be as specific as possible.

To this day, I consider my disappointing 8th grade football banquet as one of the pivotal moments of my life and David Campbell has my eternal gratitude for his unintentional influence on my academic career.  Likewise, I am glad that Bo Barron holds no grudges.

So what failures in your life have led to pivotal moments?  What failures have you wasted?  We would love to hear from you!

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How the 14 Marine Corps Leadership Traits Apply to Your Business – Part 2

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This is part two of a 2-part post on the 14 leadership traits of the Marine Corps, and how they can apply to your business.  You can find Part 1 here.

I was born with bearing.  God just knitted this one into my personality.  When I was a PFC (private first class), I had duty for the first time.  This meant that I stayed up all night manning a post in the barracks.  I was part of a 3-man team.  This was my first time “on-duty,” and I made a mistake.
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I let a female Marine into her boyfriend’s room allowing her to catch him with another woman.  Chaos ensued, and first thing Monday morning, I was in front of the Company Gunny at the POA (position of attention).  I would classify that butt-chewing in the epic category.  Yet I stood there unflinching.
That Gunny loved me from there on out.  For the next year, he would pull me in his office, shut the door, and have me take a seat.  He would then give me a tongue lashing while smiling at me.  He believed this tactic struck fear into the other students at that school.
Here are the final 7 leadership traits of which one is bearing.

The 14 Leadership Traits of the Marine Corps – Part 2

8.  Endurance – I love this quote from Marine.com regarding endurance.  “It is impossible to lead from the front when you are falling behind.”  Endurance is seeing things through to the end.  In the context of battle, endurance refers to a mental and physical willingness to press on – beyond what is believed possible.  In your business and mine, endurance is not only going the extra mile, but convincing your team to do the same.  Does your company typify going the extra mile?
9.  Bearing – Bearing is the ability to keep your cool – and professionalism – in the face of extreme stress.  Bearing in business is the ability to take a tongue lashing from a client, say thank you, and continue to work towards the client’s best interest.  That is true professionalism, and I hope it describes you!
10.  Unselfishness – The trait of unselfishness describes the team-first ethos of the Corps.  It is a part of the DNA of Marines to put the warrior to the right and left above himself.  In business, this looks like servant leadership and client-first decision-making.  Servant leadership is the idea the leader serves the team trying to make them successful.  In so doing, the leader succeeds.  Client-first decision-making is when the client’s interests always win out.  This is a huge problem due to the opaque nature of Commercial Real Estate.  Brokers often serve their own interests over their clients.  What about your company?
11.  Courage – When you think of courage, you often think of Maximus in the movie Gladiator or William Wallace in Braveheart.  These characters showed courage on the battlefield.  Courage is much more that this, however.  Courage is having the fortitude to do the right thing when there will be adverse consequences.  The easy path rarely has a sign that says, “The Right Thing for the Right Reasons.”  Only the person with moral courage will travel that path.  Will you?
12.  Knowledge – Knowledge is about personal growth – consistent daily growth.  Know more than you did yesterday.  Have a better grasp on your market.  Know who owns that building – and that one.  “Without knowledge, judgment is reduced to intuition; decision-making becomes nothing more than a guess.”  Are you guessing?
13.  Loyalty – Loyalty is an unyielding commitment to others.  In the Corps, this is mostly felt towards the Marines in your fire-team, squad, or platoon.  In the eight years I’ve been back in the civilian world, this is the trait I see lacking the most.  Companies are not loyal to their employees.  Employees will take a better offer without batting an eye.  Fathers bail on their families.  The world needs more loyalty.  Why don’t you let it start with you?
14.  Enthusiasm – Passion!  I believe that God created us all with a unique skill set and purpose.  I do not believe that we can do anything that we put our minds to.  I believe that we can truly excel when we find our sweet spot.  That is where passion explodes.  I remember in boot camp being able to pick out the recruits that I thought would be career Marines.  They had found their sweet-spot, and they knew it.
So there are the 14 leadership traits of the Marine Corps.  I challenge you to evaluate your business in light of these time-tested principles.
What other leadership traits would you add to this list?
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