Excellence in Leadership

1
Excellence in Leadership

• Florida Economic Development Council

2
A few things before we get started

• I take this subject very seriously, but I am not
  an expert!
• I have a ton to cover do not freak out!!
• You have to do the heavy lifting
• What does this mean to me?
• How can I apply these ideas in my life?
• What can I do right away?

and a short apology !
3
What does it truly take to achieve excellence as
a leader, in your career, and in your life?
4
Studying the lives of people who have achieved
excellence, I have consistently noted that they
have defined their vision, established their
goals, and irrespective of obstacles, committed
themselves to their achievement. The moment in
which they fixed an objective in their mind and
decided to concentrate all their energies on that
objective, they began to surmount the most
difficult odds.
- Sir Edmund Hillary
5
The Formula for Excellence

• Decided specifically what it is that you really
  want to achieve.

• Determine exactly what it will take to achieve
  it. (5 Ws and H)

• Focus every bit of energy and effort to achieve
  it.

6
THE THREE WATCHWORDS OF EXCELLENCE
FOCUS
DISCIPLINE
ACTION
7
What must you focus on to become an excellent
leader?

• Let me give you a few ideas

8
Johns Top 10 of Leadership
Tens of thousands of pages Hundreds of
books Hundreds of classes More than 350
organizations Dozens and dozens of leaders 15
years of my life

• In no particular order!

9
Vision

• Future oriented big picture
• Vivid, compelling, exciting, inspiring
• Not a job a quest!
• Extremely well communicated across all areas of
  influence down, up, sideways, other
  departments, partner organizations, customers,
  the community over and over again. TEC Florida
  the BIG 3

10
Communication

• Clear, specific, easy to understand
• Asks fantastic questions
• Superb listener
• Subordinates, peers, managers, clients,
  community
• C.C.C.C.T.

11
Best People

• Connoisseur of Talent!
• Organizer of Genius
• Not afraid of people wildly more talented than
  themselves
• Play well together in the sand box
• 2nd rate managers
• This is a KEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Great TEAM builders

12
The John Spence model for High Performance Teams

• D
• M
• C
• C
• M
• D

irection
easurable Goals
ompetence
ommunication
utual Accountability
iscipline
13
Highly Self Aware

• They do NOT need to be right
• They know and admit their faults
• They ask for frank feedback
• They ask for help Level 5 Leaders
• They spend serious time on personal and
  leadership development

14
Honest

• Tell the truth all the time
• Leadership Challenge
• Transparency
• Say the tough things CUCBS
• Confront the difficult issues
• Stockdale Paradox

15
Credibility

• DWYSYWD
• Walk the talk
• People judge you by your actions not your
  intentions
• What you are speaks so loudly, that I cannot hear
  what you say
• Build high levels of TRUST

16
TRUST 4Cs
Consistently Communicate
TRUST
C o n c e r n
Affection
Dis-trust
Respect
Competence
17
The mantra of excellent leaders

• I am good at what I do

and I do it because I care about you!
18
Embrace Risk

• Actually great Risk Minimizers
• Ask for help
• Vast network of talent to save you
• Do not cut off the limb
• Reward spectacular failures punish mediocre
  success!
• F.F.F.

19
HUGE Responsibility

• Incredibly high levels of personal accountability
  
• They understand Impact and Influence
• Nothing is small everything counts
• 25/8/366
• Leadership is not a position or a title it is a
  serious commitment and a significant
  responsibility

20
VERY Serious Students

• of their organization
• of their industry / profession
• of their people / peers / managers
• of effective life skills
• of their own leadership interactions
• and especially of themselves
• How much study???

21
Make Things Happen

• Leadership is actionnot position
• Culture of urgency
• Results driven / without driving people into the
  ground
• Relentless but never ruthless
• Want to put a dent in the universe
• Dont try to look like they are busy they
  simply get things done

22
Personal Philosophy of Leadership

• Extremely well thought out
• Values driven
• Fully integrated
• Well communicated
• Lived in all aspects of their life
• 100 accountable
• An example Philosophy of Excellence

23
Charlie Trotters Leadership Philosophy

• Hire Only the Best
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Highest Standards
• Innovation
• Truly Delight Customers

24
Top 10 Leadership Summary

• Personal Philosophy of Leadership
• Communication
• Vision
• Best People
• Self Aware
• Honest
• Credible
• Risk Minimizer
• Accountable
• Serious Student
• Action Oriented

25

• The greater danger for most of us is not that
  our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it
  is too low and we reach it.
• Michelangelo

Thank You
Questions / Comments / Clarification ????
These slides are already posted at
www.johnspence.com
26
Excellence in Leadership

• Florida Economic Development Council