During World War II, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower commanded history\u2019s most powerful military force. Under his leadership, the Allied Forces liberated Europe. But even as supreme commander, Eisenhower couldn\u2019t simply issue dictums from on high. He needed to hold a complicated alliance together, balancing the competing demands of strong-willed individuals such as Churchill, Roosevelt, Montgomery and Patton. Eisenhower defined the D-Day invasion strategy amid much contentious debate by leading a fair decision process, then making the final decision himself. But he did more than that. He reached closure by breaking the complex issue down into manageable parts. Over five months, the group gradually arrived at decisions regarding landing dates, bombing strategy, the use of airborne troops, and other crucial details. Eisenhower navigated contention by searching for agreement on key facts, assumptions, and decision criteria. He brought the group along gradually, building on areas of common ground. And when he declared a matter closed, it stayed closed. He created a culture of Truth Telling, but he did it in a fair and methodic way.<\/p>\n
EVERY LEADER NEEDS TO CREATE A CULTURE OF TRUTH-TELLING BY LEARNING TO SPEAK THE RIGHT WORDS AT THE RIGHT TIME IN THE RIGHT WAY.<\/p>\n
Often we are offered two extremes: on one side is the \u201cLet\u2019s not hurt anyone\u2019s feelings, we need to be peacemakers,\u201d and on the other side is \u201cwe need to \u201ctell people how it is.\u201d \u00a0\u00a0God turns both of these ideas upside down. He shows us that both extremes are inadequate. \u00a0He reveals a gracious way to be truthful… And a Truthful way to be gracious.\u00a0 This is so upside down because those two words seem to be in opposition, but an upside down leader can weave them both together by learning to speak the RIGHT WORDS at the RIGHT TIME, in the RIGHT WAY.\u00a0 Let\u2019s begin by looking at how important and difficult it can be to get the right words.<\/p>\n
In his book, Why Great Leaders Don\u2019t Take Yes for an Answer<\/span>, Michael Roberto tells the story of John F. Kennedy. In 1961, he authorized US support for the Bay of Pigs invasion, an attempt by 1,400 Cuban exiles to overthrow Fidel Castro. It proved catastrophic. Kennedy later asked his advisers, \u201cHow could I have been so stupid?\u201d \u00a0The team didn\u2019t lack intelligence. But its decision making process was deeply flawed. Veteran CIA officials advocated forcefully for the invasion. They filtered the information that Kennedy saw, excluding officials who might have exposed the plan\u2019s weaknesses. The president and cabinet often referred to the CIA \u201cexperts\u201d downplaying their own reservations. \u00a0 Afterward, Kennedy completely overhauled his foreign policy decision-making process. He directed his advisers to abandon protocol and deference during meetings. He urged advisers not to participate as department representatives, but as \u201cskeptical generalists.\u201d He invited lower level advisers into subgroups to assess alternatives. He assigned close confidants as \u201cdevil\u2019s advocates.\u201d \u00a0He chose not to attend preliminary meetings to encourage free discussion. \u00a0\u00a0He needed a “culture of truth telling.\u00a0 The conclusion of the book is that leaders need to create environments where we can have access to our followers and colleagues contrasting opinions. We need to get access to the RIGHT WORDS.<\/p>\n Why is this? Well Solomon, a king in the Bible who was a leader, international financier, architect, and decision maker says it this way:<\/p>\n 2 The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; \u00a0Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life. \u00a0\u00a03 It is honorable for a man to stop striving, Since any fool can start a quarrel.<\/em><\/p>\n Solomon notes that ticking off the boss is a bad idea. It\u2019s like awakening a lion. To provoke someone who has power over you puts your own life or job at risk. \u00a0Now this is common sense. \u00a0Only a \u201cfool\u201d starts a quarrel with his leader.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The proverbs are called \u201cobserved wisdom\u201d because they are realities anyone can observe. They are principles that everyone can see. \u00a0So herein lies the problem. How does a king, a leader, a mom, a dad, get access to the truth about your son, your teenager daughter, your employees, and your company, when the current of the river of information flows against bringing the \u201cRIGHT WORDS\u201d before you?<\/p>\n Solomon tells us that as leaders we need to find wise men of integrity who will not foolishly quarrel, BUT are RIGHTEOUS and have INTEGRITY, and who will tell us the truth.<\/p>\n 6 Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, \u00a0But who can find a faithful man? \u00a0\u00a07 The righteous man walks in his integrity;<\/em><\/p>\n Are we as leaders creating the environment and building relationships where we have people who are \u201cRIGHT\u201d eous and will speak \u201cRIGHT\u201d words to us. \u00a0\u00a0Solomon notes that most people speak only to \u201cproclaim their own goodness.\u201d Loyalty and faithfulness are desirable qualities, but not everyone who claims to have them actually does. In fact faithfulness is usually missing. Keeping one\u2019s word and being loyal to one\u2019s commitments are important. We need to surround ourselves with people who will speak truth to promote not their own, but instead OUR collective goodness, even if it means bringing us news we don\u2019t want to hear.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
\n http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=35BPnbbLUbw<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n