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Friday, June 22, 2012

"It's All About People" - Colin Powell (Part 1)


(Photo credit: Moni's Academy)

Fans of the WFLDP will undoubtedly know our next leader in the Leaving a Leadership Legacy series. General Colin Powell's A Leadership Primer has been a part of the WFLDP's About Leadership tool for many years.

At-a-Glance Leadership Facts:
  • Awarded the Soldier's Medal for rescuing his comrades from the a helicopter in spite of being wounded himself
  • National Security Adviser under the Reagan administration
  • First black Army officer to have a four-star troop command (Army's Forces Command, also known as FORSCOM)
  • First, if not only, African American to serve on the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President George H. W. Bush and for a brief period under President Bill Clinton
  • First African American appointed to the position of Secretary of State by President George W. Bush
Powell's Thirteen Rules:

In reading his autobiography, It Worked for Me--In Life and Leadership, Powell begins his book with the story behind what he refers to as "My Thirteen Rules"--his version of A Leadership Primer. His original rules began as a "couple dozen snippets of paper shoved under the glass cover on my desktop" and later published by Parade magazine. Once published leadership lovers around the globe altered them into numerous versions and formats. The following list are Powell's version from his book:
  1. It ain't as bad as you think. It will look better in the morning.
  2. Get mad, then get over it.
  3. Avoid having your ego so close to your position that when your position falls, your ego goes with it.
  4. It can be done.
  5. Be careful what you choose: You may get it.
  6. Don't let adverse facts stand in the way of a good decision.
  7. You can't make someone else's choices. You shouldn't let someone else make yours.
  8. Check small things.
  9. Share credit.
  10. Remain calm. Be kind.
  11. Have a vision. Be demanding.
  12. Don't take counsel of your fears or naysayers.
  13. Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.
What snippets of paper (words of wisdom about leadership) do you have clipped/tagged/attached to a e-message/etc.?

Be sure to follow more about Colin Powell next Friday as our Leaving a Leadership Legacy series continues.

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Sources:
  • It Worked for Me.  Colin Powell with Tony Koltz. HarperCollins Publishers
  • Wikipedia
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