Leadership Fundamentals, Part Three

Editor’s note: Alan Feuer, technical director, Preventive Pest Control, Albuquerque, N.M., is also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. Feuer is writing a series of leadership articles for PCT based on his years of his military and pest control experience. In part one, Feuer shares two goals of leadership to keep in mind as you continue developing yourself as a leader. Feuer, along with Pete Schopen, Schopen Pest Solutions, McHenry, Ill., and Maria Sorrentino, president of Pest Pros of Michigan, Portage, Mich., will be presenting on how to grow as a leader in a series of in-person events: the “Lead People, Manage Stuff” series.  The first session, “Fundamentals of Leadership and Company Culture,” takes place May 20-21 in Chicago, and June 17-18 in Dallas. For more information contact Sorrentino at 269/503-9860 or maria@pestprosmi.com.

The Marines prescribe 11 leadership principles. Today, I will give you four which apply to SELF-LEADERSHIP.

KNOW YOURSELF AND SEEK SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Jesus would teach us, “First remove the plank from your own eye before pointing out the speck of dust in your brothers’ eye.”  If done appropriately, this is a never-ending consideration for every leader of any worth.  All the PRINCIPLES OF LEADERSHIP must flow from this foundational principle so we will spend extra time on this FIRST PRINCIPLE than any of the others.

As an example, and for a starting point, ask yourself these questions. 

1. When was the last time I tested myself physically? 
2. What was the last book or article I read or class that I took? 
3. How do I react to people whose behaviors challenge me?
   

To get you going and to make this real and personal, here are my answers.

1. I was at the gym 15 minutes prior to starting the article, it motivated me to write this article and allowed me to think more clearly.  I go to the gym 3-5 days per week.  Before I congratulate myself too much on this achievement, I must also admit that I am failing by not riding my bicycle. This happens because I dislike the cold or at least that is my excuse.  I call this my B.F.E., or my BIG, FAT EXCUSE.  Whine, cry, whimper.
   
2. I am a learning sponge. My educational growth so far this year. 
   • “Unreasonable Hospitality” by Will Guidara
   • “Bug People to Business People” by Lloyd Smigel. 
   • Purdue and our New Mexico Association conferences this January.   
3. Arghhhhh……… This is my “Achilles Heel!”  I constantly fall short with “challenging people” due to my own pride, lack of understanding and impatience.   Honestly, my first reaction is “Seriously? Get your act together.” I must constantly remind myself that I see the world through my paradigm and not theirs.  Plank and speck…….  I do not know what is going on in their lives right now or what their entire past has been.  If this person is in my life, then it is my responsibility to come to learn more about them and how to conform to or contend with them.  If they are not a part of my life, I simply shake the dust from my boots and move along, wishing them well.  (NOTE, we will talk more about dealing with others soon)
   

Another great question you can ask yourself is, "Do I have someone in my life who challenges me and holds me accountable to growth?” 

We all need some form of mentorship and ACCOUNTABILITY, causing us to strive and seek improvement.  As we climb the “ladder” in our lives, finding a mentor becomes more challenging. I am always seeking out someone to put me in my place. I want them to tell me when I am not doing my best and to push me.

BE TECHNICALLY AND TACTICALLY PROFICIENT

If you reflect on last month’s article, we brought up and defined PROFICIENCY. 

As leaders, we need to know our jobs as well as the jobs of those we supervise.  Not only must we know these jobs, but we must also be able to execute them and to demonstrate our expectations. 

“Follow me, watch and learn.”

As an example, this article series requires me to be PROFICIENT both in leadership, which you cannot directly see, but more importantly in formulating, organizing and then writing this very article. 

Indirectly, I suppose that just by writing this article with the intention of benefiting you as the reader, I am indeed exercising a few leadership traits.

So, you be the judge. Am I proficient at this writing thing?

Oh, and by the way, I know I require help along the way. 

I have proofreaders. Thanks Pete Schopen!!! Pete holds me accountable!

SEEK AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY

You will have to go back to the first article when we covered the fundamentals of AUTHORITY, RESPONSIBILITY & ACCOUNTABILITY.  Leaders step up to the challenges of life. 

Leaders simply say, “SEND ME!” 

We must be careful here to not simply APPEAR to take responsibility, we must SINCERELY desire this charge and then EXECUTE. 

I would say my greatest chance to practice this was when I started my own company in 1996. 

At every turn I had to remind myself what the Marines taught me.  “Everything that happens on this mission is your fault.  Good or bad, you own it.”  I also remembered a less formal mantra.  “Embrace the Suck, you asked for this.” 

No one ever said that good and effective leadership was an easy path.

Taking responsibility is not simply saying “my bad” as an admission of guilt.  This is a current cultural phenomenon which is maddening to me.  Instead, proficient leaders will get the job done and if something went awry, they will take ownership and correct the issue.  They will pay the price.

I damaged our family vehicle in 2019 when I slid on ice/snow at a roundabout and bumped a pole with the front end of the car.  In the moment, my mind was racing to find every reason, every excuse, why this wasn’t my fault. Stupid snow!

While I was embarrassed to admit this to my wife, I knew that I must let her know what I did without modifying the story to make me less the culprit.  I was behind the wheel. I knew the conditions. I failed.

I wrote the check for the repairs. She didn’t make me sleep in the doghouse.

SET THE EXAMPLE

As a junior Non-Commissioned-Officer (NCO) it was made clear to me that we needed to remind ourselves every moment that we were the backbone of the Marines.  In this, our first role was to EXEMPLIFY the honor and warfighting ability and preparedness of the United States Marine Corps. 

I still get goosebumps as I write this.

I remember a panel question asked by our First Sergeant during my promotion panel to become an NCO.  “Lance Corporal Feuer, which leadership principle would you go to first when leading your Marines?” 

This was an easy answer for me. “SET THE EXAMPLE”.

This was easy for me because this had been demonstrated by NCOs who had gone before me.  They simply, by deed and behavior, showed me how to act. 

They demonstrated integrity, discipline, fitness, bearing, proficiency, and a host of other key traits that I could lean on.  They made me want to be a better human and Marine.   They led the way.

Semper Fidelis to that!

CALL TO ACTION AND NEXT ARTICLE

As before, please consider these four principles as you go through your life.  Consider mostly how you could improve on each of these.  Even if you are not in a position of leadership, you can exercise leadership. We all can grow.

Next time we will cover three principles of TEAM LEADERSHIP:

1. Train Your Personnel as a Team
2. Know Your Team and Look Out for Their Welfare
3. Keep Your Team Informed