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““Building the Bridge to Our Building the Bridge to Our Future”:Future”:

Leadership Lessons Leadership Lessons from the Battle of Gettysburg from the Battle of Gettysburg

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Leadership Lessons:Leadership Lessons:Sage WisdomSage Wisdom

Those who do not learn from history

are doomed to repeat it.

(George Santayana)

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Leadership Lessons:Leadership Lessons:Why Study the Battle of Why Study the Battle of Gettysburg?Gettysburg?

From the US and beyond, countless executives from corporations, government agencies and institutes, and the military have come to study the Battle of Gettysburg because…

It provides a laboratory to explore contemporary leadership challenges such as strategy and execution, information gathering and decision making, inspiration and motivation, communication and teamwork, integrity and trust

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The Battle of Gettysburg:The Battle of Gettysburg:Leadership Lessons from Leadership Lessons from General Robert E. LeeGeneral Robert E. Lee

“Leading by intent” v. “Leading by explicit direction: Failed to adapt to new subordinates

Faulty decision making by not relying on others when J.E.B Stuart was missing and ignoring the advice of General James Longstreet on the third day

But, demonstrated strength of character and skill as a leader by taking responsibility for the loss at Gettysburg

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The Battle of Gettysburg:The Battle of Gettysburg:Leadership Lessons from Major Leadership Lessons from Major General George Gordon MeadeGeneral George Gordon Meade

Having only been in his post for three days before the battle, he made good use of talented subordinates, delegating authority effectively in a rapidly changing environment

Decision making style was inclusive and collaborative (e.g. the council of war on second day)

Stayed near the action, gathering data directly, and intervening when necessary

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The Battle of Gettysburg:The Battle of Gettysburg:Leadership Lessons from Leadership Lessons from General John F. ReynoldsGeneral John F. Reynolds

Demonstrated character and integrity when he turned down the command of the Army of the Potomac offered by President Abraham Lincoln

When Meade was named to the post, Reynolds offers personal congratulations setting an example that helped Meade gain the confidence of other senior commanders

Demonstrated trust in his officers (e.g. Buford)

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The Battle of Gettysburg:The Battle of Gettysburg:Leadership Lessons from Leadership Lessons from General John Buford, Jr.General John Buford, Jr.

Perhaps the most important unsung hero in the battle He demonstrates the ability to anticipate events, and

developed plans to successfully take advantage of every opportunity when they were outnumbered (e.g. how deployed troops to buy time)

Build credibility and trust with superiors (e.g. Reynolds)

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The Battle of Gettysburg:The Battle of Gettysburg:Leadership Lessons from Major Leadership Lessons from Major General J.E.B. StuartGeneral J.E.B. Stuart

One of the Confederacy’s most distinguished military leaders, his importance at Gettysburg is based on what he failed to do

To restore his reputation, he interprets Lee’s orders to allow him to fight another battle that cuts him off from Gettysburg until the second day of the battle

Illustrates how a personal agenda can cloud judgment of even the most talented, resulting in costly mistakes

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The Battle of Gettysburg:The Battle of Gettysburg:Leadership Lessons from Major Leadership Lessons from Major General Daniel E. SicklesGeneral Daniel E. Sickles

Without asking Meade’s permission or even informing him of his decision, orders his troops to a new position in front of the rest of the Union Army

By the time Meade had learned of the action, Confederate General Longstreet had launched a devastating attack on Sickles troops

Sickles lacked decision making perspective on how his actions would impact the Union army as a whole

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The Battle of Gettysburg:The Battle of Gettysburg:Leadership Lessons from Lt. Leadership Lessons from Lt. General James LongstreetGeneral James Longstreet

Lee put Longstreet in charge of the Day Three attack, which Longstreet felt had little chance of success

Longstreet was so disheartened about the impending defeat, feelings which he conveyed to key subordinates, that he undermined his troops morale and their ability to carry out vital assignments in battle

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The Battle of Gettysburg:The Battle of Gettysburg:Leadership Lessons from Lt. Leadership Lessons from Lt. Colonel Joshua Lawrence Colonel Joshua Lawrence ChamberlainChamberlain

Ordered to hold his ground “at all hazards” on Little Round Top, and with one-third of his men killed or wounded—and low on or completely out of ammunition—Chamberlain turned to the one weapon he and his troops had available: the bayonet

His knowledge, timely decision making, and a willingness to try the unusual rather than lose by conventional means were key to his troops faith in him and their success in defending Little Round Top

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Leadership Lessons:Leadership Lessons:Sage WisdomSage Wisdom

Leadership and learning

are indispensable to each other.

(John F. Kennedy)

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BUILDING THE BRIDGEBUILDING THE BRIDGE

TO OUR FUTURE AT NIH:TO OUR FUTURE AT NIH:

FOUR KEY PRACTICAL SKILLSFOUR KEY PRACTICAL SKILLS

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Building the Bridge to Our Building the Bridge to Our Future: Sage WisdomFuture: Sage Wisdom

Wisdom is knowing what to do next,

skill is knowing how to do it,

and virtue is doing it.

(David Starr Jordan)

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Building the Bridge to Our Building the Bridge to Our Future: Four Key Practical SkillsFuture: Four Key Practical Skills

Building Three Kinds of Trust Signaling the Key Priorities Communicating Effectively Mastering the Language of Leadership

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The First Practical Skill:The First Practical Skill:Building Three Kinds of TrustBuilding Three Kinds of Trust

Three Kinds of Trust Personal Trust

Do they trust the organizational leaders—do they trust you? Confidence, visibility, and delivering results

Organizational Trust Are processes and decision making sensible—and are they fair?

Consistency, voice, and transparency

Strategic Trust Doing the right things in terms of goals and strategies?

Vision, doability, “early victories”

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Building Three Kinds of Trust:Building Three Kinds of Trust:Sage WisdomSage Wisdom

Trust is mandatoryfor the optimization of any system.

(W. Edwards Deming)

Trust, but verify.

(Russian proverb, translation byPresident Ronald Reagan)

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The Second Practical Skill:The Second Practical Skill:Signaling the Key PrioritiesSignaling the Key Priorities

Signaling the Key Priorities Budgets Calendars Metrics Questions Modeling

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Signaling the Key Priorities:Signaling the Key Priorities:Sage WisdomSage Wisdom

Example is not the main thing

in influencing others,

it's the only thing.

(Albert Schweitzer)

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The Third Practical Skill:The Third Practical Skill:Communicating EffectivelyCommunicating Effectively

Communicating Effectively Information-Sharing Overcommunication (by a Factor of 10) Listening

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Communicating Effectively:Communicating Effectively:Sage WisdomSage Wisdom

The problem with communication...

is the illusion that it has been accomplished.

(George Bernard Shaw)

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The Fourth Practical Skill:The Fourth Practical Skill:Mastering the Language of Mastering the Language of LeadershipLeadership

Bring passion and optimism Provide the BIG PICTURE (i.e., the “what” and the

“why” and the “way”) Amplify the importance of each person’s

involvement—and their role in mission success Know that people want to “believe” their actions

are part of something extraordinary—that they can make a difference

Rely on stories and examples Change the pace

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Mastering the Language of Mastering the Language of Leadership: Sage WisdomLeadership: Sage Wisdom

When you reach for the stars,

you may not quite get one,

but you won’t come up with a

handful of mud either.

(Leo Burnett)

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BUILDING THE BRIDGEBUILDING THE BRIDGE

TO OUR FUTURE:TO OUR FUTURE:

FINAL SAGE WISDOMFINAL SAGE WISDOM

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Building the Bridge to Our Building the Bridge to Our Future: Sage WisdomFuture: Sage Wisdom

We can’t become what we need to be

by remaining what we are.

(Oprah Winfrey)

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Building the Bridge to Our Building the Bridge to Our Future: Sage WisdomFuture: Sage Wisdom

Even if you’re on the right track,

you’ll get run over if you just sit there.

(Will Rogers)

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Building the Bridge to Our Building the Bridge to Our Future: Sage WisdomFuture: Sage Wisdom

If you have always done it that way,

it is probably wrong.

(Charles Kettering)

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Building the Bridge to Our Building the Bridge to Our Future: Sage WisdomFuture: Sage Wisdom

No matter what accomplishments you make,

somebody helps you.

(Althea Gibson)

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Building the Bridge to Our Building the Bridge to Our Future: Sage WisdomFuture: Sage Wisdom

Do what you can,

with what you have,

where you are.

(Theodore Roosevelt)

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The Final Sage Wisdom:The Final Sage Wisdom:An African ParableAn African Parable

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.It knows that it must run faster than the fastestlion, or it will be killed. Every morning a lionwakes up, it knows that it must outrun theslowest gazelle, or it will starve to death.It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or agazelle; when the sun comes up, you hadbetter be running.