At the beginning of the last blog on leadership, I mentioned that character and integrity are closely woven together, often interchangeable, and are both based on moral qualities that one builds and develops inside themselves. However, there are subtle but significant differences between character and integrity. For instance, character is often referred to as being a part of the person that you are or have become, whereas integrity often connotes action.
Vince Lombardi often referred to integrity as “character in action.” Thus it is “the manifestation of an unshakable set of principles that you will not violate under any circumstances.” This is such an important point when developing leadership skills because, as a leader, your beliefs, character, and personal mission statement will be challenged. There will be lots of opportunities but also pitfalls that are masquerading as opportunities that you will come across. Vince Lombardi made a point of saying that if opportunities come up that do not either reflect your mission statement or will not bring significant positive enhancements to your business, you must leave them behind. As a leader, you are not called to be perfect, but you are called to have the depth of character, moral compass, strength, integrity, and vision to clearly see and set out diligently and unwaveringly on the road ahead of you. If you are clouded or bogged down by the mundane, tedious tasks of everyday life and easily swayed from your course or vision, no one will want to follow you. It’s hard enough getting people to follow those who have focus, conviction, heart, passion, and purpose, so if you are easily uprooted, why would anyone put their trust or time into you?
Furthermore, in the last blog, I mentioned that one of the most important aspects of character and integrity is a person’s word. Your word is something that is your bond, your binding contract and the thing by which you are known. It is a defining characteristic, and though, as Vince Lombardi stated, “it takes years to build a reputation, [but it] only takes an instant to lose it.” Furthering his point he continues by stating that “without truth there can be no trust”, which is another common theme throughout the book – as well as one of the core values in the Lombardi leadership model, which I will delve into in greater detail later. He urges us to always seek the truth and advises that people will only follow those they can trust.
As I mentioned in the introductory blog, leaders shouldn’t need to be micro-managed. They should have enough drive, dedication and determination to know that the tasks that they might find tedious still build to a larger goal. They should have the foresight and the commitment to either buckle down and complete those more tedious tasks, or delegate them to someone who is better equipped to execute them.
Moreover, Vince Lombardi trusted the people around him enough to know that if he delegated something to someone, it was considered as good as done. He didn’t take on EVERYTHING. It isn’t a leader’s job to BE all things, their job is to SEE all things, both in themselves and in others, and delegate effectively and accordingly. He understood the strengths of those who worked for him, which aided him in delegating effectively and allowed him to build those who had the potential to be great leaders. That being said a person’s word is fundamental and sets the tone for what sort of person they will prove to be. On one hand, you cannot promise more than you can deliver, but on the other you need to have confidence and inspire confidence, trust, and ambition in those around you. This is a very fine line to walk and I will remind you that no one said becoming a great leader was easy. It is not. It means constantly being the barometer for truth, asking more of yourself than you do of others and then delivering. It means always having a clear vision and goal, keeping your ambitions both ambitious yet plausible, keeping an honest eye on the shifting market (whichever market you choose), and adhering to your convictions and moral code at all times. As I said, and as Vince Lombardi said before me, the call to leadership is a lonely one. It finds you often solitary, often stepping out into the unknown for the sake of your own goals, often showing up first and leaving last. More often than not, the role of a leader is a thankless job, because while you are called to inspire, instill, cheerlead, and pioneer, you are not promised recognition, or even success. In fact the only promise I can offer you is that without constant commitment, and the implementation of some of these necessary and integral tools, you will not succeed.
Leadership is not something you stumble upon or do unintentionally. As Vince Lombardi referenced, people who are famed for their performances, on the field or in any vocation, have been preparing for that moment for a very long time. They have prepared, they have envisioned, they have trained, studied, perfected, and gotten into the mindset of success. They have seen themselves there and they have propelled themselves toward it. These are critical qualities and mindsets that a leader needs to embody- if you can’t imagine, see, and taste your own success, then how can you expect anyone else to?
The life of a leader is hard, lonely, narrow, and even overwhelming, at times; however if achieved, it is greatly rewarding. Leaders innovate, they challenge and create, motivate and inspire, break boundaries and achieve. They lead, not just by their words, but by example. They expect and execute nothing less than excellence, from themselves as well as others. They are always looking toward the larger goal and are never distracted by side-line antics. They are a beacon for others to follow, always being transparent in their intentions and deliberate in their actions. They ask that people challenge them and rise to the occasion. They ask for input, they include others in the decision making process, they not only listen – they really hear and feel what you are saying. They take pride in their own successes as well as the successes of those they have chosen to employ and in whom they have invested. They are the epitome of mental toughness, they are always seeking the truth, no matter how honest or brutal, they are not afraid of failure and instead find within it the challenge to deliver even stronger the next time. Their “norm” is excellence, and yet they are not even satisfied with that.
So what kind of leader are you capable of becoming? Are you destined for greatness? Do you have what it takes to step out into the unknown and achieve great things? Are you inspirational? Are you driven and determined, honest and transparent? Do you have dreams of achieving great things? Because I think you do. I think you all have the capability to be the best in your field. I think you can all shatter the glass ceiling of even your own expectations. I think the legacy of greatness can be passed on through you. But it isn’t up to me. Be willing to be your own greatest cheerleader and your own worst critic. Invest time in building an empire of success and use these tools, and the forthcoming tools in the final blog, to build the monument of your own success. You have what it takes– have you made the commitment?
After working with, and for, many different real estate firms, it became apparent to Harout that there was a major disconnect between what consumers needed/wanted and the service that was being provided to them. It was upon this realization that Harout founded and opened JohnHart Real Estate; and as the CEO/Principal Broker he has continued to break from the norm and redefine real estate with an insatiable appetite to give his clients the service and attention they deserve.
