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Lead Your Shop from the Front
There are certain things that I have read throughout my life that have stayed with me. Being a self-proclaimed history buff, I find reading about leaders who face great challenges in battle to be invaluable and extremely motivational. George Washington is particularly interesting to me because of his integrity and bravery. I recall reading about how he had two horses shot out from under him in the Battle of the Monongahela in the French and Indian War. After the scrimmage, he found four musket ball holes in his coat. In the Battle of Princeton in 1777, his troops were worried that their leader would be shot down because he stayed within 30 yards of the front line as bullets flew. He was heard to say during this battle, “Parade with me, my brave fellows! We will soon have them!” Washington always lead from the front.
At San Juan Hill, Rough Rider Theodore Roosevelt, barreled out of the woods on a horse and shouted to the men lying frozen in fear on the ground in front of him, “If you don’t wish to go forward, let my men pass, please.” The junior officers of the Ninth instantly rose, fell into line, and charged behind Teddy and the Rough Riders.
In World War II, Teddy Roosevelt’s son, Brigadier General Teddy Roosevelt Jr., demonstrated similar leadership qualities on Utah Beach in the great Normandy landing. By his choice, he was the only general to land with his troops in the first wave. Not only did he land on the beach, but he commanded the entire operation while walking around, cane in hand, like a traffic cop.
Famous World War II General Omar Bradley was asked to name the single most heroic action he had ever seen in combat. He replied, “Teddy Roosevelt Jr., on Utah Beach.” It was later reported by a soldier that seeing the general walking around, apparently unaffected by the enemy fire, even when clumps of earth were falling from the sky, gave him the courage to get on with the job. If you have ever viewed the opening scene in the movie “Saving Private Ryan,” you will have an idea of how courageous his actions truly were. Again, Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. was another example of leading from the front.
In the book, “We Were Soldiers Once and Young” written by Lt. General Hal Moore, we are shown a stunning example of bravery and courage. If you read this book, or have read it, you will never forget it. Lt. General Hal Moore lead from the front.
With all of these examples, I am trying to support the notion that leading from the front is not only the way military leaders have won wars, it is also the best mindset for business leaders to adopt. Successful business leaders lead from the front. All great leaders lead from the front.
Why? Because leading from the front eliminates the one emotion that hinders nearly all progress and that is FEAR! Those who lead from the front are the first to know when their plans need to change in response to the challenges of battle or, in our case, business.
I will never forget the leaders that I worked with as a young salesperson. I remember them because they would show me how to do what they were asking me to do. They lead by example. They would get out of their chairs and out of their offices and stand with me, side by side, while I worked with customers. They showed me why what they were asking me to do was important and the right way to do it. They showed me how it satisfied customers, how it created customer retention, and how it would maximize my earning potential.
My fears subsided when I was able to witness, firsthand, my bosses doing the things that they were asking me to do. I wasn’t left wondering what the outcome of my actions would be. I was seeing it happen. This gave me the confidence to step-up and successfully execute.
I have built my training business of over three decades based on the philosophy that leading from the front is the most effective leadership style. It is tried and true, historically proven. I stand side by side with salespeople and managers and show them how to do and say what I recommend.
When I am teaching something new or asking an employee to try something new, I am often met with objections like this: “Jeff, before you got here, I was doing okay. My kids are fed and educated. I live in the type of house I want to live in, and I drive the kind of car I want to drive. My payments are on time. We take vacations. I know you tell me that if I try it your way, I could make more money and improve my lifestyle, and that’s great. But what if you are wrong? What happens if it doesn’t work, and my income drops, and my lifestyle is lost?”
Rather than debate and try to answer this question, I simply step-up and do and say what I am asking them to do and say. No fear. Lead from the front.
I field telephone calls every day, from managers and business owners who are searching for ways to help their “troops” be the best they can be. When I ask these same people if they can do what they are asking their staff to do, less than 10% say they are able. Only half of that 10% say that they stand side by side with their team members and show them how to do the job. And we wonder why so many automotive dealerships have fixed operations departments that are failing and losing money? You can’t lead from your seat. You lead from your feet!
So, to further drill the “Lead from the Front” philosophy home, I am going to use military leadership tactics and apply them to the service department. It will look like the following:
a. Process a battle plan that you require to be executed 100% percent of the time, with 100% of your customers. You, as the leader, must memorize and master each step of your process, including word tracks, closes, handling objections, how to use the telephone, and what to say when on it. You must memorize and master your vehicle delivery process, what to say on follow-up calls, and what to communicate in a text message or an email. Each part of the process from initial contact through follow-up needs to be standardized. You must become the lead drill instructor that is willing to repeatedly exercise with your troops.
“Always do everything you ask of those you command.”
– General George S. Patton, U.S. Army
b. Understanding your plan and process has to be complete and all-inclusive. You must be prepared to not only say and deliver your process, you also must explain why each step exists and exactly how that step enhances customers satisfaction.
“A general is just as good or just as bad as the troops under his command make him.”
– General Douglas MacArthur, U.S. Army
c. A leader steps-up, steps-in, and stands-out. That is the most impressive aspect to the military examples I have given you. When leaders were needed, they stepped-up and stepped-in. No panic. They were steadfast and bravely faced their challenges. As a result, they stood-out and were revered by their troops. Leaders are calm under fire because they are prepared and know the process better than anyone else.
“Preparedness is the key to success and victory.”
– General Douglas MacArthur, U.S. Army
d. Leaders who lead from the front know that practice and role-playing build confidence and prepare the troops for all that will face. Practice. Drill. Rehearse. PDR is the only way to ensure that your troops are ready for any situation. As a leader, you will need to build time into your weekly schedule to accomplish this. Preparation and planning result in victory. When you PDR with your people, it shows a whole new level of commitment on your part. It builds confidence. It frees the mind of the individual to navigate through a live situation, since they are not saddled with trying to figure out what the next move should be. They already know what to do next because your training and PDR has prepared them.
“The most important thing I learned is that the soldiers watch what their leaders do. You can give them classes and lecture them forever, but it is your personal example they will follow.”
– General Colin Powell, U.S. Army, and former U.S. Secretary of State
e. Leaders are willing to step into all areas – planning, PDR, and live customer training. This is because great leaders know where to find the best information. By leading from the front, they are the first to know if a plan needs to be changed. They can keep things moving when the customer doesn’t follow the script. They are able to identify a team member’s strengths and weaknesses, and from that, they are better able to set each employee up for success.
“The more you sweat in peace, the less you bleed in war.”
– General Norman Schwarzkopf, U.S. Army
Teddy Roosevelt, Jr. and the first wave of soldiers landed one mile south of their designated site at Utah Beach. Instead of panic, he assessed the situation and calmly stated, “We will start the war from right here!” He is credited by many for saving countless lives and keeping order. Not only did he expertly direct his troops, but he was able to inform the next landing parties about the miscalculation, and it was corrected, preventing major calamity.
“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.”
– Ronald Reagan, 40th President of the United States, and former Captain in the Army Reserves
As I think about the people to whom I credit the most with making a difference in my career, I find that these individuals have much in common. They all lead from the front. They were always willing to instruct and get involved to do whatever was necessary to ensure my preparedness. Because I was prepared, my confidence grew. I knew how to do what I was being asked to do because I witnessed it first-hand. It was demonstrated to me by those who had mastered the process. Even in my early career, when I had little experience and knowledge, I was made to believe that I could do the job and that I would do the job. As a result, I did do the job, and we all were successful.
While many feel that leaders are born, I have learned that leaders can be developed. I know this because I do not believe that I was born a leader. However, by experiencing and witnessing great leadership first-hand, I was able to learn how to successfully lead others. I learned how to make others take ownership of the mission and be responsible for the outcome. Most people in sales want to steer their own ship and determine their own destiny. Their destiny is directly linked to the success of your business and your mission. The harder they work, the greater the spoils for everyone. I learned how to stand-up, step-in, and do the job demanded of me, so that I could show others how to do the job demanded of them. As a result, I stood-out because I stood-up and lead. You can’t lead your troops from your seat. You lead on your feet. You lead from the front.
“Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States, and former General of the Army
Jeff Cowan – Jeff@jcowansprotalk.com
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