7 LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

Regardless of political affiliation or which candidate you support, we can all agree that this has been a turbulent election cycle.  For leaders, it has largely been a lesson in “What Not to Do!”  The following are some observations that I recently shared with our leadership team.
 
1. Be careful with your emails.
The FBI recently reopened an investigation of Hillary Clinton due to the discover of 650,000 emails with metadata pointing back to her “persona” server.  Although most of us may not have to worry about classified or confidential material, her mistakes give all leaders some food for thought when it comes to using email:

• Never send angry emails. While it may be good practice to process our responses through writing, it is generally never a good idea to send those responses. If you’re angry with someone, talk to them face to face. Chances are your angry email will only make you look bad and you’ll regret sending it.
• Always assume your emails will be shared. Emails are neither private nor confidential, despite the long disclaimer you put after your signature.  Always assume that what you are writing will be shared with others or forwarded to the person about whom you are writing (either accidentally or intentionally). Always keep your responses professional, general and kind.
• Avoid writing the same way you talk. Your writing style provides people with a perception of the kind of person you are. Use proper grammar, complete sentences and appropriate terms. If you want people to respect you and treat you professionally, then act respectably and professionally.

 
2. Be discreet with social networks.
Donald Trump is renowned for his incessant tweets. In fact, he has been accused of lying because previous posts contradicted some of his more current claims. It suggests the need for all of us to be careful with social media.

• Be kind. Don’t use social media to banter, bully or argue. The only one who looks bad, is you.
• Don’t complain. Don’t go off on rants, or air grievances. Believe it or not, most people don’t care what you think and won’t read your 300 word tirades.
• Don’t give advice, or try to be somebody’s Facebook counselor. At best, tell them to talk to their pastor or get therapy.
• Remember that what you post will live on for decades to come. What you write on social media is a virtual tattoo.  You will live with it for the rest of your life – in job interviews, media scrutiny and people who are simply looking for something with which they can attack you.
• Please, please, please don’t ask someone to like your prayer meme as a means to answered prayer. It really doesn’t work that way.

 
3. Apologize when you mess up.
Hillary wouldn’t apologize for her email debacle until her declining poll numbers forced her to.  Donald Trump was forced to apologize for that infamous, disgusting video that we all hated. Many leaders refuse to apologize because they think it makes them vulnerable to criticism. Maybe so, but it also strengthens their character.
 
Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone. When you do, own it and apologize. It will increase your trustworthiness as a leader.  How often have we seen colleagues who try to avoid admitting a mistake or incorrect statement? Such avoidances come across as weaknesses that betray a person’s ignorance and lack of self-awareness. In fact, we lose respect for a leader when he or she fails to acknowledge a mistake. What we desire in our leaders is honesty, humility and self-awareness. Most people gain confidence when a leader acknowledges a mistake and apologizes. Rather than opening the leader up to more criticism, it makes us believe that the leader can be trusted to do the right thing without begin criticized. It makes them stronger.
 
4. Respect diversity in ethnicity and differing lifestyles.
Trump attacked certain ethnic groups and has never recovered. For many, this is unforgivable and I agree. Never should a leader discriminate based on gender, ethnicity or religion. We should respect all people.
 
Obviously, in some organizations (such as religious), there will be lifestyles or religious views that would be considered antithetical to that organization’s values or beliefs and cannot be accepted. But while we may disagree and even reject certain contradicting values, we can still be tolerant.
 
Tolerance means you put up with or bear with people who hold certain values you disagree with. It means that if you disagree, you are still kind and respectful toward them. Tolerance, however, does not mean we must accept and agree with those values to be as just as true as our own. Rick Warren said, “Our culture has accepted two huge lies. The first is that if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, you must fear or hate them. The second is that to love someone means you agree with everything they believe or do. Both are nonsense. You don’t have to compromise convictions to be compassionate.” In other words, we can love someone without approving what they do. Always be kind and remain professional toward those with whom you may disagree.
 
5. Respect the younger generation.
Neither Trump nor Clinton have a strong appeal to millennials. Millennials care about issues like minimum wage, student loan debt and equality. They feel as though the presidential candidates aren't talking about the issues that matter to them. Instead, they say the candidates speak about social security, taxes, and other topics that they don't view as priorities.
 
Whether you agree with the millennials viewpoint or not, we as leaders must be careful that we don’t speak or lead past the younger generation, caring only care about issues that are important to us.
 
The website Marketing Cloud identified several ways marketers can appeal to millennials

• First, mobile is everything. Most Americans now own a smart phone and many those that own smart phones fall in the 18-34 demographic (Pew Internet). The easiest way to start appealing to Millennials is to reach them where they are -- on a mobile device. Millennials will be the 70% of consumers who will delete an email immediately if it is not optimized for mobile. Millennials love their phones, the newest apps, text-in mobile marketing campaigns, being on-the-go, and always being plugged in
• Second, use social sharing. Millennials grew up sharing on social media. 75% of Millennials have a profile on a social networking site (Pew Internet). Millennials expect brands that are serious and legitimate to have a social presence. If they do not, they will not be taken seriously or even noticed.
• Third, showcase philanthropy. Contrary to belief, millennials can be very philanthropic and love giving back. Over 80% of Millennials gave a financial contribution to a non-profit in 2012.
• Fourth, hire millennials and bring them into the conversation. Who knows how to appeal and reach Millennials better than Millennials? Young talent can help you understand the Millennial viewpoint. Invite them into the strategic process and use them as a sounding board for your ideas.
• Finally, be personable. Young people want to connect on a personal level. They want to see authenticity in leadership and genuine concern. Authoritative and aloof leaders are generally viewed with suspicion and disregard.

 
6. Trust is the leader’s highest commodity
According to a CBS News poll last month, two-thirds of all voters don’t trust either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. A June Rasmussen poll found that 45% thought Trump was less honest even than most politicians. Clinton surpassed him with 46%.
 
Trust requires four elements: character, competence, chemistry and care. Character is about honesty and integrity. These are the fundamental expressions of character, without them a leader’s ceiling is extremely low. Competence is about aptitude and skill set. One can have great character, but they also need the abilities to get the job done. Nothing is more frustrating than a leader who doesn’t know what he or she is doing. Chemistry is how well the leader gels with the team. What kind of relational dynamic and synergy does she or he bring to the other people in the room? Is the leader aware of others and tuned into their needs, or is he aloof, seeing people only as things to use to get his vision done? This leads to the fourth quality of trust: care. People don’t care how much we know until they know how much we care. Leaders who take the time to get to know their people, show interest in their personal lives and felt needs are leaders that connect well with their people and know who to get people to get things done. Take time to talk to your people, listen to them and show a genuine interest in what is happening in their lives outside of work.
 
7. Great communication skills really do matter. 
Hillary has become infamous for her very scripted, cold and clinical approach toward communication. Donald Trump speaks from his heart. Love him or hate him, his speeches are somewhat compelling and draw a huge amount of interest.
 
Remember how you look and how you speak is almost as important, or even more important than what you are saying. Great communication skills are essential to effective leadership. But remember that great communication is always more than mere words. It consists of several components.

• Body Language. The way you stand or sit, your facial expressions, how you lean in or cross your arms all play a major role in communication. In fact, many times people respond more to our posture and “look” than to what we are saying.
• Listening Actively. Communication is not just saying words. It is listening. More importantly, it is active listening. Active listening skills include verbal cues, nodding your head, repeating what is said and asking good questions to draw out more details.
• Use clear and articulate speech. Sometimes, it is wise to prepare your talks in advance. There’s no rule that says a conversation needs to always be extemporaneous. When you know you are going to have an important discussion, take time to plan what you will say. Think about objections people may have toward your opinions or solutions, and prepare answers accordingly.
• Good writing skills are always a part of good communication. Use proper grammar and punctuation, especially in letters and emails. If you don’t have good skills, enroll in a course. Remember, people make judgments about us based upon our writing skills. If you want people to respect you and treat you professionally, then act respectably and professionally.

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