More Leadership With The Marines by Max Garcia

Now, we will talk about the different leadership characteristics and what they mean so you can begin to apply these with your motivational leadership style starting today.

If you are a leadership speaker these will make you look like gold if you mention them during your next speaking engagement. Most people are expecting a leadership speaker to talk about the same old things at training seminars. When you get up there and start talking leadership characteristics the Marine Corps way people will sit up straight and listen. Just posting these fourteen leadership traits up in the bathroom at work will inspire motivational leadership at the lowest levels. I know because I do exactly that at work. Guys need something to look at while they stand at the urinal why not something that will improve my company. Ok, lets get in right in to it.

1) Justice - this can have several meanings, you do justice not only by punishing or counseling those who do wrong to show that you mean business, you also do justice by making sure those who take care of you are recognized for their performance. This could mean an award, verbal comment, e mail, trophy, letter of appreciation, raise, gift certificate and the list goes on. I have pushed for people to lose a stripe and others to gain one in the same day. Your people must know that you will drop the hammer if you need to at anytime but they must also know you will take care of those who do right because you have their best interest at hear. That is motivational leadership.

2) The next leadership characteristic or trait is Judgement - this one is obvious you must be able to use good judgement on and off work. That means maybe not sleeping with any ones wife you work with, any of your subordinates or not getting too drunk and acting a fool at the company party. Of course there are many more examples too many to list, talking back, driving the company car recklessly ect.

3) Decisiveness - Any leadership speaker will tell you this....As a leader you must be able to make decisions with out wasting too much time. If you are a lower level manager and you don't have the guts to make a decision with out asking the boss first your people will ask another manager for guidance. It's that simple, you will lose credibility. If you are the big boss let those lower level leaders make decisions and support them on it (even if it is not what you would have done). It will pay off in the long run.

To be continued.....