By Kelly Schmit
As a hard worker, daughter, wife, and mother of two, I would like to think I have experienced a fair amount in my almost 32 years of life. At CUES’ Directors Conference early this week, I was reminded of how small and insignificant life can be in comparison to the world. I was humbled, teared-up and better understood the great debt of gratitude we owe to those serving in our military.
As I listened to Commander Kirk Lippold, USN (ret.), Commander, USS Cole, recount the Oct. 12, 2000, Al-Qaeda attack on his ship in the port of Yemen, I was engrossed in every detail of the story. His tale was harrowing, but what struck me more was his crew’s ability to act under pressure.
Commander Lippold spoke about his five pillars of leadership: integrity; vision; personal accountability and responsibility; trust and investing in people; and professional competence. As I see it, each of these pillars can be applied in any job situation to improve the outcomes of your business.
When all staff members understand their roles and how their work affects results, buy-in to the cause is increased. When a clear, high bar is set, and you give your staff the training and resources they need to do the job right, anything is possible.
Next, practice, practice, practice those five pillars with your staff. This way, when a crisis happens (like the economic crash and bailout), staff can act in the now—within their roles—but still be thinking ahead.
Commander Lippold said the best decision he made in the first 99 minutes after the attack was letting his officers do their jobs and report back to him. The confidence he had in his staff was absolute.
CUES President/CEO Chuck Fagan has gone out of his way to create opportunities for staff members to step outside their usual scope of work—to do planning and then come back to CUES leaders with their recommendations.
I was given the task, for example, of revamping our public relations budget. I came up with an action plan, presented my recommendations to our senior management team, and then was given full support. I am held personally accountable for our donations and revel in the trust I am given to complete my task.
As a mother, my family’s leader, I find it hard to let go. I have to trust in my child’s decisions about friends. I have to invest in them (hockey, dance) when the odds of them doing this professionally are not high. As I see their competence grow, I am hoping letting go will get easier. My job as a mother helps me understand how leaders can have problems letting go.
Commander Lippold said, “If you give your employees the five pillars of leadership, you will find they can accomplish anything.” So far, this has held true in my work with the public relations efforts at CUES. And, I can only hope it will be true as my children grow.
A standing ovation followed Commander Lippold’s speech, and gratitude and respect filled the room. With the Cole crew’s fast actions limiting deaths to 17 from among countless injured, it’s clear the five pillars of leadership are something every company should follow.
Kelly Schmit is marketing coordinator for CUES.
Read more coverage of this week's Directors Conference.
