Leadership Styles

Leadership Styles — General Wilson 1976 (Tough, Get Out, Search, Critical Path, Sensitive)

No Magic Formulas

There are NO secrets or magic formulas for successful leadership.

Active Engagement

Leadership is a responsibility that requires an active role in engaging with individuals and teams to align their efforts with personal as well as organizational success.

Be Yourself + Wisdom

Although the best advice is to just be yourself, ambitious and aspiring leaders can always benefit from the wise words of others.

Wilson 1976 Source

Wilson 1976

In 1976, Pacific Air Forces Commander, General Louis L. Wilson, Jr., provided the timeless advice below.

Be Tough

Set your standards high and insist that your people measure up.

Be Tough Courage

Have the courage to correct those who fail to do so.

Be Tough Long Run

In the long run, your people will be:

Happier
Almost certainly morale will be higher
Your outfit better
Your people prouder

Get Out from Behind Your Desk

Get Out from Desk

See for yourself what is going on in your work center.

Get Out Benefits

Your people will see that you are interested in their:

Problems
Work conditions
Welfare

Get Out Resolves Issues

Many of your people problems will go away if you practice this point.

Search Out the Problems

Search Out Problems

If you think there are no problems in your organization, you may be wrong.

Job Is Find Them

Your job is to find them.

Foster Reporting

Foster an environment that encourages people to bring problems to you that they are unable to solve for themselves.

Find the Critical Path to Success

Find Critical Path

Get personally involved in issues on a priority basis.

Make-or-Break

Let your influence be felt on make-or-break issues in your organization.

Avoid Activity Trap

Avoid the activity trap — do not spend your valuable time on inconsequential or trivial matters.

Weigh in Where Counts

Weigh in where it counts.

Be Sensitive

Listen to your people.

Communicate + Perceive

Communicate with them and be perceptive to their needs.

Recognize + Innovate

Learn to:

Recognize problems
Seek out ideas
Be innovative

Shared Perceptions

Recognize that effective communication involves shared perceptions.

Empathize When Necessary

Do not be afraid to empathize when necessary.

Leadership Styles — General Wilson 1976 (Don't Take Granted, Don't Alibi, Don't Procrastinate, Don't Tolerate, Be Honest)

Do Not Take Things for Granted

Don't Take for Granted

Do not assume things have been fixed — look for yourself.

Fixed Problems Recur

Furthermore, the probability is high that fixed problems will recur, so monitor your processes.

Do Not Alibi

Don't Alibi

Remember, you and your people will never be perfect.

People Make Mistakes

People will make mistakes, so do not be defensive about things that are wrong.

Disgusting Alibier

Nothing is more disgusting than the individual who can do no wrong and has an alibi for anything and everything that goes awry.

Do Not Procrastinate

Don't Procrastinate

Do not put off hard decisions, they will not be any easier tomorrow.

Not Precipitous

This does NOT mean you should make precipitous or unreasonable decisions just to be prompt.

Get On With It

However, once you have arrived at a decision, get on with it.

Do Not Tolerate Incompetence

Don't Tolerate Incompetence

Once people demonstrate:

Laziness
Disinterest
Inability to do the job

Courage to Terminate

…you must have the courage to terminate their assignments.

Cannot Afford Less

You cannot afford to do less.

Recognize Good Work

When your people do good work, recognize, and encourage them. They will likely do even better.

Be Honest

You must create an atmosphere of trust and confidence.

Be Candid

When talking to your people, be candid and insist that they do likewise.

Set Behavior Patterns

They set their behavior patterns based upon your example.

Half-Truths Disastrous

Nothing is more disastrous than half-truths.

Honest with Self

Finally, be honest with yourself — do not gimmick reports and figures to make things look good on paper.