self-growth

3 Core Attributes of Strong Safety Professionals and Other Leaders 

/ Denis Baker / Leave a comment

I recently had a conversation with a friend. We discussed how my Peloton bike’s consistent use was building a more robust and much more sustainable, and energetic body. As we continued our discussion, we talked about how people become athletes because I mentioned that I was becoming a strong athlete and moving in the right direction. My friend asked this question. “Are athletes born or made?” I started thinking and commenting that I felt I was not born a natural athlete but felt that I was moving toward becoming an athlete. As some of you may know, I have physical issues with my legs and hands, so anything I can do to strengthen those body parts allows me to become more robust and stable. 

Most professional athletes seem to have unique physical talents. But every athlete still must show up and work very hard to maintain their athletic abilities. The most natural athletes will never be competitive (or even in shape) if they don’t try and work hard. 

Later that evening, I started thinking about how safety and other leaders have to play the same role as athletes. Then, I started thinking about what core attributes make a strong influencer and effective leader. For the safety profession, our role falls into two categories. 

  1. Compliance – we are trained in school and learn how they apply to the many different business forms. However, compliance does not exist if workers do not exhibit the right behaviors.
  2. Influence – This is where our profession struggles. Over the last few years, we have increased the information surrounding leadership, and many of our conference speakers focus on the different forms of soft skills. 

As a safety professional, I have focused on soft skills to create a more vital influencer and effective leadership. I have found that many leaders—at least those people will follow—are SELF-MADE. The ability to effectively lead people comes from only the leader’s choices.

Influential leaders come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Some are extroverted; others may be introverted. They may focus on the big picture and become strategic thinkers or active doers.

So, as I continued to think about what main focuses create a self-made leader, I identified three (3) core attributes that will make a person a strong leader. 

Any leader can be effective if they can effectively exhibit these three core attributes

1. Full EmbraceFully Embrace Leadership: Many people in leadership roles don’t lead. Leadership is tiring and requires much work. Being a “boss” or dictator isn’t leadership. To lead, a person must identify and engage people’s will and influence them to ensure they all move in a common direction.

Many people view the role of “leader” as the next rung on the ladder—a reward or a position earned. But unfortunately, they don’t always see leadership as something that only exists through action and relationships.

Influential leaders actively inspire a compelling vision among their team. They are cultural architects and role models. They accept that the path to excellence is often on the other side of discomfort.

They work hard to build their leadership through influentially adding value, showing respect, and creating trust with their team and those they encounter

2. Focus on Serving Others: People who end up in leadership roles are often motivated and ambitious drivers to meet their goals and objectives and get things done. The question is, for whom?

The most effective leaders are motivated to serve others. They focus on delivering value to others and support their team or organization to reach their highest level and exceed expectations. 

Many leaders tend to focus on themselves, their vision, legacy, goals, and advancement. When this happens, a leader’s attitudes and behaviors shift from multiplicative to self-opportunistic. Unfortunately, this path will only result in poor performance and a reduction or failure in the respect and trust created previously.

The difference shows up mostly in results. Are the people around them growing? Does the workforce indicate changes in their behaviors? Are people more confident and independent than they were before? Is the culture sustainable? These are all signs of servant leadership

3. Create the Right Vision: Leaders lead to what they see. They can’t lead if they don’t know where to go. Influential leaders must create their vision through the interactive engagement of their team and those who play a part in the results. Leaders validate the vision and then fully communicate. Anyone claiming to be a leader but who doesn’t know or have the vision only fills the leadership seat but doesn’t know how to drive the bus. 

Why Does This Matter?

It can be easy for leaders to get sucked into the weeds. Often, they drift towards a part of the job they enjoy and have the knowledge and experience. But unfortunately, sometimes, leaders and executives do not understand how to embrace authentic leadership, serve others, and drive their visions.

As a test, think of a vibrant organization with a consistently solid and sustainable safety and operational culture.

Here’s what you will see:

  • The leaders of those organizations are actively doing the work of leadership. They’ve embraced it.
  • They lean towards serving vs. seeking to be served.
  • They radiate the vision.

If you aren’t sure, flip it. Can you think of a vibrant organization with a consistently strong, sustainable safety and operational culture led by a leader?

  • Is inactive, absent, or lost in the weeds?
  • Insists on being the “the boss” or maximizing their perks?
  • Has no vision, no sense of direction, and communicates no purpose?

It will not exist.

Answer these three questions to determine your path forward

To what degree do you believe you:

  • Embrace leadership as a responsibility and role?
  • Provide servant-hearted leadership?
  • Have and communicate a clear and compelling vision regularly?

Denis is an Executive Director for the John Maxwell Group and is a certified leadership coach, trainer, keynote speaker, and DISC Behaviorial Consultant. Denis is a senior safety professional and a strong, passionate influential person. He is committed to teaching and communicating practical and relevant influencing techniques.  His unique, passionate, and emotionally driven style resonates with many, creating a desire to become an effective leader. 

You can contact Denis at dbaker@leaderinfluence.net for information on coaching, leadership, team and culture training, DISC Behavioral consulting, or to be an inspirational speaker at your next event.

CONSIDER THESE 5 INSIGHTS TO YOUR LEADERSHIP APPROACH IN 2021

/ Denis Baker / Leave a comment

“This is a new year. A new beginning. And things will change.

TAYLOR SWIFT

If you read my recent blog, “Goal Setting Questions Determine the Path Forward,” then you understand the benefits of putting together well-described goals by following the questioning process below.

Xwhere you are now, or your current reality
Ywhere do you want to go—what will be your finish line
WhenThe date you want to cross the finish line

Well, I thought I would piggyback on that topic and share how I will approach 2021. Sure, I have put together 4 goals for 2021. However, in the last few days, I’ve had my inner self (vision) sitting on one shoulder and my outer self (reality) sitting on the other shoulder. Both gave me positive and annoying feedback on how to approach the new year. I know, it sounds weird, but this content came from them.

Being a leader in 2020 has been challenging, but we should be amazed because we have gotten through it. However, as a leader, you should be thinking of your approach in 2021. Things have changed, things will change, and new challenges will come in to play. So we need to embrace this reality and prepare to answer the question;

How do you approach your leadership in these times?

2020 didn’t turn out anywhere near where I thought it would. I hadn’t even the slightest clue the economy would fall, jobs would be lost, and travel would be minimal. I’ve said this before, my daughter’s family moved to Athens, Greece, in January, and we haven’t been able to go and visit. They haven’t been able to come back to the U.S., and my wife and I had to go through Christmas without our grandkids (we face timed). Our hearts were broken! 

I don’t expect 2021 to turn back to how it was before the crisis, but I think we need to think differently and be willing to take a different approach in our leadership. Don’t get me wrong, necessary leadership skills are still valid, but our approach must embrace the current conditions and embrace change. 

Leaders who lead in the real world tend to find success than leaders who lead in a world that doesn’t exist. No one knows the future, but that doesn’t mean you can’t prepare. And while I have no superior insight into the future than you do, I have identified these 5 insights as my approach to 2021. 

1.     Uncertainty

The future is uncertain. Reality says that has been true since the beginning of time. Right now, nothing is predictable. Think about it, a new government and a continual crisis, who knows what will take place.

Leading through uncertainty—requires a whole new skill set. With the future being uncertain, you must lead with agility and flexibility. Those two attributes will allow you to identify change and make the necessary adjustments. 

2. Instability

Uncertainty is one thing. It removes your ability to see what’s ahead.

Instability is different. Instability means the present circumstances are volatile and unsteady. The most effective way to lead through instability is to identify the most traction and utilize your resources to maximize the outcome. The best way to create future momentum is to pour resources into anything that’s producing current momentum. That’s why restaurants are beefing up takeout and drive-thrus. 

In these unstable times, when you find momentum, keep fueling it. And keep the options open.

3.     Economic Unknown

People are spending like there’s no tomorrow and saving money at historic highs. Others on the lower end of the socioeconomic spectrum go broke. Who knows what’s going to happen next? And the U.S. presidential election throws an extra measure of unpredictability into the mix.

How will I approach the economic strangeness in 2021? I will prepare for a season of savings and charity. You can’t give what you don’t have.

4.     Opportunity

Opportunities always exist in a crisis. Innovation is born out of a crisis. A crisis is an accelerator of new ideas. The current crisis has generated changes such as; the emergence of the home as the new hub for fitness, schooling, work, shopping, entertainment, and church. The very obstacle you’re fearing might be the most incredible opportunity you’re facing. It all depends on how you approach it.

Obstacle or opportunity? The future belongs to those leaders who take advantage of opportunities. 

5.     Internationally Grow Yourself

I saved the most important until last, but the best thing you can do is deepen your personal growth for the year ahead. John Maxwell said, “We see the world NOT as it is, BUT as we are.”

I think the best things in life won’t ever come to us (believe me, I’ve approached much of my life that way). No, what I’ve found is I need to grab them. I don’t expect them to roll downhill to me, but instead, I have to climb the hill and grab them.

Every problem or crisis introduces one to themselves. It brings out the best and worse of us. 

The number one catalyst in growth is identifying growth areas. In life, it’s not what we get that makes us valuable. It’s what we become in the process that brings value to our lives. Action is what converts human dreams into significance. It brings personal value that we can gain from no other source.

So how do we intentionally grow ourselves? Here you go.

  • Take action
  • Re-affirm your values
  • Evaluate your character
  • Experience your inner fulfillment
  • Read books 
  • Listen to various podcast
  • Identify a mentor
  • Consider being coached 

If you want to grow yourself, your growth will thrive in these difficult times. Invest your time and effort to grow yourself intentionally. The results will be astounding!

If you would like to strengthen your leadership, teamwork or simply grow yourself, then please subscribe to my blog by entering your email address in the space below and click on thee orange sign-up box.

BUILDING QUALITIES OF INTEGRITY

/ Denis Baker / Leave a comment

“Integrity is the foundation upon which all other values are built!”

What are you willing to do for $10,000,000?

This question was posed to 2,000 Americans in an anonymous survey. Here are the results;

  • Would abandon their entire family (25%)
  • Would abandon their church (25%)
  • Would become prostitutes for a week or more (23%)
  • Would give up their citizenships (16%)
  • Would leave their spouses (16%)
  • Would withhold testimony and let a murderer go free (10%)
  • Would kill a stranger (7%)
  • Would put their children up for adoption (3%)

When I look at these stats and consider the way most American businesses and people operate, I think it is clear that integrity is falling behind. However, leaders who genuinely want to honor people and run a respectful business must lead with integrity.

The Bible provides excellent examples of various components of leadership. An interesting narrative in the Bible is the story about Daniel and his three friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. This story is an excellent illustration of how to build integrity. These young Hebrew men were recruited into service by King Nebuchadnezzar If you focus on the details, the qualities to make integrity reveal themselves. 

As you read these qualities, rank yourself between 1-10 on each quality, 1 being the least and 10 being highest.

1. Leaders make tough choices by doing the difficult right things 

Daniel refused to eat the King’s food (Daniel 1.8) because Jewish law prohibited eating food offered in idol worship. He risked expulsion and possibly death by making such a choice. However, he made the right choice by doing the difficult right thing. 

2. Leaders treat their critics and enemies with respect. 

After Daniel and the King’s wise men were unable to tell the King the dream he had, and interpret it, ordered all wise men executed. However, Daniel approached the executioner with “tact” (Daniel 2.14). The encounter opened the door for Daniel to appeal to the King and interpret his dream. This changed Nebuchadnezzar to change his decision.

3. Leaders build their moral compass around their values.

When Daniel appeared before the King, he told him, “no human could interpret his dream, but that the God of heaven could solve his problem.” Daniel’s commitment to his values and beliefs served created his integrity. Whenever Daniel faced a decision, he always defaulted to what he valued. 

4. Leaders are consistent even in the small things because the little things matter.

In Daniel’s later years, he faced what appeared to be a small compromise. The current King, King Darius, was tricked by leaders jealous of Daniel into issuing a 30-day edict requiring everyone to pray to the King. Because Daniel had strong integrity and they could find any character flaws (Daniel 6:4), they resorted to deceit

For decades Daniel prayed to God three times a day, and everyone knew it. Now in his 80’s, he could have easily made a small compromise by praying to God in secret and fake prayers to the King. But that is not what Daniel could do. His integrity caused him to refused to follow the King’s proclamation and was thrown into the lion’s den, where he was later rescued. Leaders with integrity refuse to cut corners, compromise, or give in to the small matters of life and leadership.

5. Leaders model integrity for their kids and grandkids.

With two grandkids, my commitment to building strong integrity and values is becoming more prominent in my life. When I think about what I do and how I respond and react to things and situations, I consider that they will be more apt to model what I do (and did) than what I say (or said).

ENDING 

Centuries ago the Chinese were so fearful of their enemies that they built the Great Wall of China, It was so high they knew no one could climb over it & so thick that nothing could break it down. 

 But during the first 100 years of the wall’s existence, China was invaded three times. Not once did the enemy break down the wall or climb over its top. Each time they bribed a gatekeeper and marched right through the gates. 

Great leaders diligently seek to live, model, and build integrity into their lives. With honesty, we will thrive. Without it, our values lessen, and our souls wither.

My Greatest Challenge? Me.

/ Denis Baker / 3 Comments

My job would be the greatest in the world if it weren’t for people!

Denis Baker

Here is reality. People are the reason I have a job. Probably the same for most of you.

What is the most challenging aspect of any position?

PEOPLE!

In the last few years my interaction with leaders and employees have been well……CHALLENGING.

I’ve found that regardless if the organization is growing, adding people or whether the organization was downsizing, people have been my biggest challenge.

Don’t get me wrong; some are very good, others well are…. CHALLENGING.

As I reflect on these last few years, I’ve realized the challenges with people is affected by my ability to manage my self-leadership.

I’ve also come to realize that being a leader is…..CHALLENGING. I found that leadership is, indeed, a 24/7 job. Leaders must practice the art of influence every time, all the time. If you sway, you will fall back into the same practices of those you lead.

Here is an example of one of my challenges;

In one of the organizations I’ve worked at (no longer there), we opened an additional manufacturing facility. That meant we needed additional leaders and employees. The CEO tapped into a retired individual without having any discussion with the executive leadership group. He was familiar with the type of business and had significant manufacturing experience, but didn’t have a great ethical reputation. It meant that he would be in charge of securing the location, ensuring the building was ready for manufacturing and recruiting people to build the product. He accomplished everything as needed. However, the way he went about it was not what I expected.

For instance:
……., he went to his former employer and convinced a large group to come over and work for us. He did this without any discussions or insight into our hiring process. That meant we had employees showing up for work without being fully authorized, without going through background checks, physicals, and orientation. I was frustrated! I immediately grew dissatisfied and refused to accommodate or help him in any way. He continued to defy our policies and procedures and was causing much discord between employees. I found myself resisting his ideas and refusing to support him.

After a year, we laid-off everyone and closed the facility.

My frustration was significantly affecting those whom I led. It was noticeable, and my attitude was not very good. The employees closest to me were asking what was wrong with me, why was I letting this guy get to me?

I realized that I was the problem.

I had the knowledge and ability to change this situation immediately. I was the company leadership example.

As the head of Safety and HR, people were looking to me for direction, watching my reactions to this guy’s actions, and I was failing.

As I began to think and meditate on the situation, I realized that I had done a poor job of self-leadership. I had temporarily walked away from what I knew and the very things I had taught and coached others on.

I realized that a leader’s greatest challenge is self-leadership.

I also found that my leadership example must be right-on for others to follow. I must always find a way to add value to every situation to influence others.

I needed to be a strong influencer to have this person do what was right. I realized that if I lead myself the correct way, others will follow. If you don’t lead, or lead poorly, you’ll push people away. Even those whom you consistently influence will become frustrated. They see your frustration and act similarly. Eventually, you will drive them away. These are the very people you need to influence.

When considering self-leadership, I like to follow three areas shared by John Maxwell.

Here they are, with my flair and take.

  1. Emotions – Like anyone else, leaders experience powerful emotions. However, good leaders know when to display emotions and when to delay them. I often hear people question leaders that show powerful emotions. We must demonstrate our emotions in appropriate situations. The wrong emotion at the wrong time can do significant damage. The right emotion at the right time can produce incredible results. Leaders must hold their emotions in check until an appropriate time and place. Remember, the ultimate goal in leadership is adding value. Emotions can add or detract value based on the way they are displayed.
  2. Thoughts – Leaders are thinkers. Thoughts are critical to making sound decisions. If you are too busy to spend time in thought, your decision-making ability is affected. A good leader must allow time for gathering and organizing his/her thoughts.
  3. Energy – Successful people are high energy people. However, high energy levels can create problems, both for you and for those whom you influence. My accomplishments drive me. I tend to focus on achievement, but tend to over-achieve and overwhelm people. In my training as an Executive Director with the John Maxwell group, I realize that I must focus my efforts on what provides the most significant results by adding value to others. To ensure I focus on the right things, I start every day reviewing my calendar and identifying the one or two activities that require the highest amount of energy. I focus my energy on them and sandbag the rest of the day. No, I don’t give them less effort, but I am slow and steady to complete these projects. I cannot afford to expend my energy on situations or people pulling me down as a leader. I must focus on people and projects that results in influence and ultimately, increases my leadership.

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

Being in leadership is well…….CHALLENGING.

As leaders, we must remember to self-lead our actions. Whether it is a situation, person or group, the way we react and act is a direct result of our leadership frame of mind. Follow the three things mentioned above, and you will begin to self-lead yourself effectively.

Jim Rhone once said,

“The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humor but without folly.”

Jim Rhone

I think if we can take hold of this, we can all be effective leaders who are up to the challenge.