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MARCH 2006
Lessons in Leadership
 to this month's edition of M45 Momentum, a monthly e-newsletter for the business community featuring tips, trends and trivia from the experts at M45 Marketing Services.
"Take me to your leader."
 Sure, it's the aliens' standard line when they shuffle off the spacecraft. But it makes sense. When you're on this planet, it's good to know who is in charge. If it's your ballgame, you need to BE a good leader. And if you want to change something, you need to learn how to influence the ones who call the shots.
This issue of Momentum is devoted to leadership. Take some time to ponder what that word means to you, glean some tips from our columnists, and entertain yourself with a quiz from the Star Lite section. 
Learning to Lead
Leadership training is sometimes positioned as a new trend, but Alan Wenzel from Highland Community College has focused on its importance for more than15 years. A well-regarded instructor at the school, he spearheaded the Leadership Institute in 1990 after a local bank provided initial funding. Each year since then, 20 to 25 community members embark on a journey of leadership skill building, and end up better prepared to make a difference at work and in their communities.
Marilyn Smit, co-founder of M45, is a regular presenter at the Institute, offering students a crash course in Media Relations.
Taking the Lead
 Adkins Energy, a leader in providing alternative fuel, recently brought an icon of the agricultural world to its home in northwest Illinois. Orion Samuelson, Oscar-award winning communicator and host of the long-running TV show US Farm Report, was eager to learn more about the company's ethanol facility, as well as big picture issues related to the fuel's production.
Samuelson toured the Adkins plant, visited with board members and area farmers, and shot footage that was used for four segments of his weekly show (which is broadcast on 190 TV stations across the country). Adkins worked with M45 to oversee the event and coordinate all the details of Samuelson's visit and presentation.
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Match the Quotes to the Leaders
| A. |
"Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish." |
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–Margaret Mead |
| B. |
"Always do everything you ask of those you command." |
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–Sam Walton |
| C. |
"If you don't ask, you don't get." |
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–Abraham Lincoln |
| D. |
"You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your grandfather was." |
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–Helen Keller |
| E. |
"How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?" |
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–George S. Patton |
| F. |
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." |
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–Harry S Truman |
| G. |
"If you can't convince them, confuse them." |
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–Mahatma Gandhi |
| H. |
"Toleration is the greatest gift of mind, it requires the same effort of the brain that it takes to balance oneself on a bicycle." |
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–Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. |
| I. |
"Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It's not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it's when you've had everything to do and you've done it." |
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–Charles De Gaulle |
| J. |
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." |
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–Margaret Thatcher |
ANSWERS:
A. Walton
B. Patton
C. Gandhi
D. Lincoln
E. de Gaulle
F. King
G. Truman
H. Keller
I. Thatcher
J. Mead |
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 Remember playing the preschool game "follow the leader?" Did you like being in charge? Or did you shun the position, perhaps preferring to mimic the one wildly flapping his or her arms in front of the line?
Roles may change, but from the time we are little, we learn—through many channels—how to lead and how to follow. What makes a person step up and take a leadership role? What qualities does an effective leader possess? Does it change from one scenario to the next? From job to job? From person to person?
Clearly, good leaders are not locked-in to a rigid style. But most would possess a few common traits, including:
- They set and communicate goals
- They know their limitations
- They are not afraid to ask for help and delegate responsibility
- They are willing to make tough decisions
- They take accountability for outcomes…good and bad
- They look at learning as a lifelong process
It isn't always easy to be "large and in charge." If you're in a leadership position, M45 has tools to help make your job easier. We provide strategic planning, speechwriting assistance, executive training, media training, and employee communications expertise to help you shine when you are "in the front of the line." (Even "born leaders" need help sometimes!) 
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They started as leaders in their own right
Not everyone who aspires to greatness becomes a head of state, the CEO of a large corporation, or even the leader of their local volunteer organization. But the following people all showed they had the penchant for leadership long before they became famous in their chosen careers.
Warren Beatty (actor)
Class President, Arlington, VA High School
Matt Groening (brainchild behind The Simpsons)
High School Student Body President, Portland, OR
William H. Macy (actor)
Class President, Allegany High School, Cumberland, MD
Vince Vaughn (actor)
Sr. Class President, Lake Forest, IL High School
Paula Abdul (singer)
Sr. Class President, Van Nuys, CA High School
Rosie O'Donnell (entertainer)
Sr. Class President, Commack, NY High School South
Dick Cheney (vice president)
Sr. Class President, Natrona County, WY High School
Hillary Clinton (US senator)
Class President, Maine South High School, Park Ridge, IL
David Brenner (comedian)
Class President every year from 4th-12th grades, Philadelphia, PA
Bette Midler (entertainer)
Sr. Class President, Radford High School, Honolulu, HI
Joe Lieberman (US senator)
Sr. Class President, Stamford, CT High School
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Traits of a Good Leader
Honest—Display sincerity, integrity, and candor in all your actions. Deceptive behavior will not inspire trust.
Competent—Your actions should be based on reason and moral principles. Do not make decisions based on childlike emotional desires or feelings.
Forward-looking—Set goals and have a vision of the future. The vision must be owned throughout the organization. Effective leaders envision what they want and how to get it. They habitually pick priorities stemming from their basic values.
Inspiring—Display confidence in all that you do. By showing endurance in mental, physical, and spiritual stamina, you will inspire others to reach for new heights. Take charge when necessary.
Intelligent—Read, study, and seek challenging assignments.
Fair-minded—Show fair treatment to all people. Prejudice is the enemy of justice. Display empathy by being sensitive to the feelings, values, interests, and well-being of others.
Broad-minded—Seek out diversity.
Courageous—Have the perseverance to accomplish a goal, regardless of the seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Display a confident calmness when under stress.
Straightforward—Use sound judgment to make good decisions at the right time.
Imaginative—Make timely and appropriate changes in your thinking, plans, and methods. Show creativity by thinking of new and better goals, ideas, and solutions to problems. Be innovative!
This list was compiled by Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group.
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What's Your CQ?
Do you have the Commitment Quotient of a Cesar Chavez? Are you an innovator? How honest are you? Read about the traits and techniques of great leaders, and learn a bit about yourself at the same time!
…and just for fun, try a quiz.
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“When the best leader’s work is done the people will say — ‘we did it ourselves.’”
—Lao-Tzu, Chinese philosopher |
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