Since the beginning of time, humans have loved the story of the underdog. From Cinderella to Erin Brockovich to the 1980 U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team (dubbed the Miracle on Ice), the idea of a person rising from nothing to conquer his or her way to the top has a timeless appeal.
What history doesn’t always remember, however, are the great leaders supporting these illustrious come-from-behind heroes. Cinderella had her fairy godmother and a team of mice, Erin Brockovich had Edward Louis Masry, and the Olympic hockey team had Herb Brooks, who famously told his team, "You're meant to be here. This moment is yours. You're meant to be here at this time."
Great Leaders Build and Leverage Great Communities
The question of what makes a great leader has long been a focus of PFD Group’s coaching and strategic planning services, but it has also become a topic of discussion after the recent release of the Los Angeles Times piece, Is the World’s Richest Person the World’s Worst Boss?
The article chronicles the leadership style of one individual, who heads some of the world’s most innovative companies. According to the Times piece, this person is known for “the out-of-nowhere firings, the threats and the bluster, the pubescent jocularity, the day-to-day uncertainty and the urgent demands to work through the night.”
This is no way to build a sustainable community.
Community is a Two-Way Street
Why is community important? Because, among other things, a great community can help leaders learn more about themselves, which can help them build and grow better businesses. The process is cyclical, because as individuals become better leaders, they in turn build better communities.
Inc. Magazine calls this the “weird, paradoxical part of starting a community.” The article, entitled 10 Ways Great Leaders Build Amazing Communities, says you're building a community “to solve a problem in your own career or life, but to get members, you need to be concerned first with their needs, not yours. A great leader focuses on helping other people solve their problems and achieve their goals. Otherwise, why will people follow you?”
Changing the World
Importantly, great communities have the power to change the world. This power to change the world through great communities is something we emphasize on a regular basis, but the sentiment is spotlighted and put into action at our annual 2022 Stewardship Summit in Alaska.”
Before summit attendees land in Alaska, we spend significant time meeting with caterers and event planners to build a production team that aligns with our core values. We regularly recommend our clients utilize creativity in their own business building, so it is imperative to us that the people we work with to support our events are instilled with the same passion for creativity that we recommend for others.
Leadership Styles Matter
When it comes to building great communities, the best leaders understand that leadership is about backing up your words with actions.
“A leader’s words matter, but actions ultimately do more to reinforce or undermine the implementation of a team of teams. Instead of exploiting technology to monitor employee performance at levels that would have warmed Frederick Taylor’s heart, the leader must allow team members to monitor him. More than directing, leaders must exhibit personal transparency. This is the new ideal.”
― Stanley McChrystal, Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World
Obviously, there are many leaders exemplifying greatness, but for this article, we’d like to offer the antidote to the Times’ “world’s worst boss.”
That is Kenneth Morris, a U.S. Navy Veteran and Executive Director of the Aviation Community Foundation (ACF). At the foundation, Kenneth helps build a quality talent pipeline for the aviation industry by assisting high school graduates in finding internships, jobs, mentors, and other industry contacts. (Note: PFD Group’s CEO Ethan Martin is the founder and serves in an advisory capacity to ACF.)
Kenneth and Ethan.
In 2020, Kenneth was selected by the Department of Transportation as one of 11 U.S. military veterans in Texas (and the only African American) to fly in the Forces to Flyers initiative, which prepared him to become the first commercial pilot in his family’s history.
Want to see Kenneth achieve true weightlessness? Check out this YouTube video of his flight with the Blue Angels, as part of their key influencer program.
If you’re looking to build your own great community, we would love to talk with you about your why and your vision for your company. For more information on our strategic business coaching services, please contact us to schedule a call.