Many of you know that I serve a Board Member for the NEXUS Program. NEXUS is a Mentoring Program where we are developing the next generation of Leaders in our community. We meet on the First Thursday of each month. On Thursday last, we had a fascinating speaker who spoke on the subject of Planning. The speaker was Mr. Michael Ducker, President and CEO of FedEx Freight. What we are sharing today are not his thoughts on planning, but rather his answer to a question regarding Leadership. Mr. Ducker indicated that his view of effective, long term leaders embody certain qualities and adhere to certain principles.
MICHAEL DUCKER’S 5 PRINCIPLES/CONSIDERATIONS FOR EFFECTIVE, LONG TERM LEADERSHIP
- TRUTH-INTEGRITY: Your word must be golden. People must know that you are honest and forthcoming in all your dealings. Your personal Integrity must be above and beyond reproach.
- HUMILITY: Your teammates must understand that you know that success is an endeavor, which requires Teamwork. Teammates must understand that you are not the only one capable of having ideas and that All team members are empowered and enabled to make suggestions and their contributions are always appreciated. No big I’s and Little U’s.
- RELATIONSHIPS: Relationships are the fertile ground from which springs the ideas and practices, which makes a company consistently successful. Relationships are, “Reflectors of Values; Refiners of Virtues and Revealers of Vices.” (Now that’s Rev. Alvin O’Neal Jackson-1987. Was paying attention). Consistently nurture the relationships you have among your team members to be an effective leader.
- ENDURANCE: “It’s never over till the final gun. Is there one?” Dennis Waitley Keep leading. This is not a sprint. Every time you solve a problem, clear a hurdle or overcome an obstacle do understand that there are more to come. You must be prepared to run the complete marathon as an effective leader.
- EXPECTATIONS: It is vitally important that All members of the team know what is expected of them. It is equally important that the leader convey what she can be counted on to do on a consistent basis. Often in life we don’t get what we wish for, we don’t get what we hope for, we get what we expect. We only expect that, which is a result of what we have contributed. We expect a harvest only after we have planted and cultivated the field. Team members expect clear directions and the resources required to make them successful. Accountability is a twin of expectations.
Mr. Ducker pointed out that if you look carefully at the 5 principles they form an acrostic. They are the word, “Three.”
Thank you, Mr. Ducker for your presentation. Thank you NEXUS for faithfully developing the next wave of local, “Principle Centered Leaders.”
