In this episode, Tom and Justin discuss the importance of character in leadership. They define character as who you are and how you manifest yourself to the world. They explore the dual nature of character, which includes how you interact with yourself and how you interact with others. They emphasize the need for leaders to be able to lead themselves before they can effectively lead others. They also discuss the role of honesty and integrity in leadership and how leaders with good character are more likely to be trusted and followed. They provide practical tips for improving character, such as journaling, seeking accountability, and practicing virtues. Key ideas covered in this episode include character, leadership, self-awareness, integrity, honesty, virtues, self-discipline, and accountability.

Takeaways

• Character is the bedrock of leadership and encompasses how you manifest yourself to the world.
• Leaders must be able to lead themselves before they can effectively lead others.
• Honesty and integrity are essential virtues for leaders and contribute to trust and followership.
• Improving character requires self-awareness, accountability, and practice of virtues.
• Leaders with good character are more likely to be successful and have a positive impact.

Key References

• Bass, B. M., & Steidlmeier, P. (1999). Ethics, character, and authentic transformational leadership behavior. Leadership Quarterly, 10(2), 181-217.
• Ciulla, J. B. (2014). Ethics, the Heart of Leadership (3rd ed.).
• Burns, J. M. (1978). Harper & Row.
• George, B., Sims, P., McLean, A. N., & Mayer, D. (2007). Discovering Your Authentic Leadership. Harvard Business Review, 85(2), 129-138.
• Gini, A. (2004). Ethics and Leadership. Business and Society Review, 109(3), 325-342.
• Walumbwa, F. O., Avolio, B. J., Gardner, W. L., Wernsing, T. S., & Peterson, S. J. (2008). Authentic Leadership: Development and Validation of a Theory-Based Measure. Journal of Management, 34(1), 89-126.
• Luthans, F., & Avolio, B. J. (2003). Authentic Leadership: A Positive Developmental Approach. In K. S. Cameron, J. E. Dutton, & R. E. Quinn (Eds.), Positive Organizational Scholarship: Foundations of a New Discipline (pp. 241-261). Berrett-Koehler.
• Trevino, L. K., Hartman, L. P., & Brown, M. (2000). Moral Person and Moral Manager: How Executives Develop a Reputation for Ethical Leadership. California Management Review, 42(4), 128-142.
• Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2004). Character Strengths and Virtues: A Handbook and Classification. Oxford University Press.

Book Reference

Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2021). Everyday People, Extraordinary Leadership. Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1119687016

Sun-Tzu. (2003). The Art of War (J. Minford, Ed.). Penguin Books. New York. ISBN: 978-0140439199

In this captivating episode of the Science of Leadership, host Tom Collins welcomes distinguished military leader General Vince Brooks. General Brooks, with his extensive background in commanding vast forces and his profound leadership insights, shares valuable lessons on leadership, particularly focusing on the concept of servant leadership. His discussion spans from recounting personal experiences in Iraq to articulating the essence of humility, courage, and the significance of creating a lasting legacy through effective leadership. General Brooks delves deep into the principles of servant leadership, emphasizing that true leadership is centered around the lead, not the leader. He shares a poignant story from his time in Iraq that exemplifies this approach, highlighting the importance of selflessness and prioritizing the well-being and success of those you lead. Throughout the conversation, Brooks underscores the importance of humility, self-reflection, and continuous learning in cultivating a leadership style that inspires trust and collective achievement.

Key Takeaways:

🔸Leadership Focus: True leadership is about prioritizing the needs and growth of those you lead, rather than seeking personal glory.

🔸Servant Leadership: Exercising servant leadership involves setting an example and subordinating personal interests for the collective good.

🔸Humility in Leadership: Humility is crucial in effective leadership; it helps leaders stay grounded and better connect with their teams.

🔸Continuous Learning: Great leaders are always open to learning and improving, valuing feedback and reflecting on their experiences.

🔸Creating a Legacy: The ultimate success of a leader is measured by the success and growth of their followers.

Resources: Connect with General Vince Brooks on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincent-brooks-757116189/

United States Military Academy at West Point | https://www.westpoint.edu/

Book References:

"Servant Leadership" by Robert Greenleaf ISBN-13:‎ 978-0809105540

"Leading with a Limp" by Dan Allender ISBN-13:‎ 978-1578569526

We hope this episode has provided you with profound insights into effective leadership. Stay tuned for more enlightening discussions on the Science of Leadership, and remember to keep striving for character, competence, and caring in your own leadership journey.

Dr. Lori Armstrong discusses the importance of asking the right question in leadership and communication. Asking the right questions leads to clarity of understanding and helps deliver messages accurately. It also shows that the conversation is important and that the leader cares. Dr. Armstrong shares a story about how asking the right question saved a colleague's marriage and helped her husband overcome substance abuse. Asking the right question can have a profound impact on individuals and their lives. It builds trust, strengthens relationships, and creates opportunities for growth. Asking the right questions enhances critical thinking and problem-solving. It also facilitates understanding and clarification, encouraging engagement and participation. Asking questions in a curious and interested manner increases competence, autonomy, and relatedness among team members, fostering stronger relationships and innovation. To become better at asking the right questions, it is important to tailor questions to the person and context, be clear and specific, ask open-ended questions, be curious and not judgmental, use reflective questions, ask for clarification when needed, stay neutral, time the question appropriately, ask 'what else?', and ask solution-oriented questions.

Key concepts in this episode include communication, leadership, asking the right question, clarity, understanding, care, trust, relationships, growth, critical thinking, problem-solving, clarification, engagement, participation, competence, autonomy, relatedness, relationships, innovation, curiosity, reflective questions, neutrality, timing, solution-oriented questions

Takeaways

• Asking the right question leads to clarity of understanding and accurate message delivery.
• Asking the right question shows that the conversation is important and that the leader cares.
• Asking the right question can have a profound impact on individuals and their lives.
• Asking the right question builds trust, strengthens relationships, and creates opportunities for growth. Asking the right questions enhances critical thinking and problem-solving.
• Asking questions facilitates understanding and clarification, encouraging engagement and participation.
• Asking questions in a curious and interested manner increases competence, autonomy, and relatedness among team members, fostering stronger relationships and innovation.
• To become better at asking the right questions, tailor questions to the person and context, be clear and specific, ask open-ended questions, be curious and not judgmental, use reflective questions, ask for clarification when needed, stay neutral, time the question appropriately, ask 'what else?', and ask solution-oriented questions.

Key References:

Enhances Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving

• Tofel-Grehl, C., & Feldon, D. F. (2013). Cognitive task analysis-based training: A meta-analysis of studies. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 763–775. DOI: 10.1037/a0033455.
• Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2006). The Miniature Guide to Socratic Questioning. Foundation for Critical Thinking.

Facilitates Understanding and Clarification

• Janssen, O. (2005). The role of frustration in communication: A theoretical framework. Academy of Management Review, 30(4), 723–739.
• Brownell, J. (2012). Listening: Attitudes, Principles, and Skills (5th ed.). Pearson Education.

Encourages Engagement and Participation

• Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985). Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior. Plenum Press.
• Koestner, R., Ryan, R. M., Bernieri, F., & Holt, K. (1984). Setting limits on children's behavior: The differential effects of controlling vs. informational styles on intrinsic motivation and creativity. Journal of Personality, 52(3), 233–248.
• Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78.

Builds Stronger Relationships

• Reis, H. T., & Shaver, P. (1988). Intimacy as an interpersonal process. In S. Duck (Ed.), Handbook of Personal Relationships: Theory, Research, and Interventions (pp. 367–389). Wiley.

Fosters Innovation

• Edmondson, A. C. (1999). Psychological safety and learning behavior in work teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350–383.

In this enlightening episode of The Science of Leadership, Dr. Tom Collins sits down with Lieutenant General Mark Hertling to explore the intersection of military leadership principles and their application in the healthcare sector. Dr. Collins engages General Hertling in a stimulating discussion about leadership attributes, competencies, and the critical role of continuous self-assessment in cultivating effective leaders. General Hertling shares invaluable insights from his extensive military background and how these have informed his successful transition to healthcare leadership, notably through his involvement with physician leadership development. Throughout the conversation, key themes around communication, influence, and context in leadership are examined. General Hertling emphasizes the importance of understanding the intrinsic motivations of team members and the necessity of aligning personal presence with leadership roles. The episode delves into practical strategies for building strong, cohesive teams in high-stakes environments, focusing on the importance of knowing and engaging with one's team on a personal level. These leadership philosophies are contextualized through real-world examples from both military and healthcare settings, offering listeners a practical guide to enhancing their leadership skills.

Key Takeaways:

🔸Continuous Self-Assessment: Leaders must regularly evaluate their character, presence, and intellect to maintain alignment with their values and roles.

🔸Influence Techniques: Effective leadership hinges on the ability to influence and understand the motivations of team members, rather than exerting external motivation.

🔸Communication is Key: Both what leaders say and how they are perceived are crucial. Emotional intelligence and impactful communication strategies are essential for effective leadership.

🔸Building Teams: Successful teams are forged through understanding individual member's strengths, motivations, and fostering a collaborative environment.

🔸Serendipity and Success: The confluence of preparation, being in the right position, and seizing opportunities often defines a leader’s journey and their impact.

Resources:

General Mark Hertling's Book: Growing Physician Leaders | https://a.co/d/i7M9bg6

General Mark Hertling’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hertling-dba-57987066/

Women in Medicine Initiative: http://womeninmedicine.org/

Dr. Tom Collins' LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomcollinsmd/

Listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode to dive deeper into the dynamic discussion of effective leadership principles across different domains and to stay tuned for more insightful conversations from The Science of Leadership.

In this conversation, Tom and Justin discuss the importance of caring in leadership. They define caring as both caring for someone (providing for their needs) and caring about someone (emotional connection and interest in their well-being). They emphasize that exceptional leadership requires both forms of caring. Tom shares a personal story of a teacher who cared about him and how it had a profound impact on his life. They discuss the importance of trust and how caring builds trust. They also address the misconception that caring is not necessary in leadership and highlight the negative consequences of not caring. They conclude by discussing practical ways to demonstrate care as a leader. Caring is a crucial aspect of effective leadership, and it involves both caring for and caring about the people we lead. Caring for others means meeting their needs and supporting them in their work, while caring about them means getting to know them on a personal level and understanding their experiences and hardships. When leaders genuinely care about their team members, it leads to increased engagement, productivity, collaboration, and morale. It also reduces turnover. Leaders can demonstrate care by investing time in getting to know their team members, listening actively, and making them feel valued and supported.

Key concepts covered in this episode include leadership, caring, trust, needs, emotional connection, well-being, effective leadership, meeting needs, support, personal connection, engagement, productivity, collaboration, morale, and turnover.

Takeaways

• Caring in leadership involves both caring for someone (providing for their needs) and caring about someone (emotional connection and interest in their well-being).
• Exceptional leadership requires both forms of caring.
• Caring builds trust, and trust is essential for effective leadership.
• Not caring about the people we lead can lead to attrition and a lack of trust.
• Practical ways to demonstrate care as a leader include asking about personal concerns, showing interest in their well-being, and investing time and effort in understanding and supporting them. Caring for and caring about team members are both essential aspects of effective leadership.
• Caring for others involves meeting their needs and supporting them in their work.
• Caring about others means getting to know them on a personal level and understanding their experiences and hardships.
• Genuine care from leaders leads to increased engagement, productivity, collaboration, morale, and reduced turnover.

Key References

• Goleman, D., "Leadership That Gets Results," Harvard Business Review, 2000
• Nguyen, M. T. & Trepanier, S., "The Impact of Leadership on Employee Retention," Human Resources Quarterly, 2020
• Reilly, K. K., Zhou, S., & Wong, L. "Leadership and Workplace Engagement," Journal of Organizational Behavior, 2021
• Gallup, "State of the American Workplace," Gallup Research, 2017
• De Vries, R., Bakker-Pieper, A., & Oostenveld, W. "Leadership, Communication, and Team Collaboration," Journal of Applied Psychology, 2016
• Society for Human Resource Management, "The Influence of Empathetic Leadership on Workplace Morale," 2022
• Seppala, E., "The Power of Compassionate Leadership," Yale School of Management, 2018