The Four Elements of a Great Leader﻿﻿

The Four Elements of a Great Leader

2/1/2015

This guest post in honor of Black History Month is by Hewlett-Packard's Service Delivery Executive
Ronald "Ron" Huff.

I asked HP Service Delivery Executive Ron Huff to write this guest post for my blog after hearing his presentation "The ‘I’s of Leadership" at a recent Dallas Blacks in Tech Meetup.

The intensity, passion and depth of knowledge he presented at our Jan. 22 event generated questions from the audience and attendees sought him out afterward.

You may access the presentation here.--Regina
~~~

1. Go to Work Mentally Hungry
A leader should always go to work mentally hungry. Going to work mentally hungry sets expectations of wanting to learn, do and achieve more. If the leader is never mentally hungry than the support team will have the same attitude.

2. Wipe Away Your Tears
Great leaders know how to wipe away their tears and move forward. The pain and hurt from being overlooked for a position or forgotten about on critical assignments should be motivation to dry your eyes in order to move forward. It takes character, courage and conviction to Wipe Away Your Tears!

3. Management is Essential
Management is essential for successful day-to-day operations. We can’t function without it. Use your management skills wisely and teach others the importance of management-integrity.

4. Leadership is a Bonus
Management is essential and leadership is a bonus. Leadership becomes the bonus after the management is solidified. Leadership shapes the creative thoughts and ideas for improvement. The bonus comes from the extra creative resources that can be used on future endeavors.

Copyright © RH 2015

Hewlett-Packard Service Delivery Executive Ronald "Ron" Huff, HP Enterprise Services, Plano, TX

Books and Other Resources:

The Corner Office by Adam Bryant

12 Lessons for Innovators Gleaned from Bishop T.D. Jakes

My Women’s History Month Salute: Belva Davis, the first African-American woman television journalist in the western US

4 insights gleaned from the friendship of Bishop T.D. Jakes and Rev. Joel Osteen

3 fiction audiobooks you gotta hear

UPDATE: Appreciating Frederick Douglass -- the father of the civil rights movement

31 Comments

Anthony Jr. link

2/2/2015 02:56:33 am

This presentation was very informative for me being a young adult looking for career advancement. He broke down many different concepts on the "I" in leadership. Now I have can see clearly what it means to become a leader and how to prosper as a leader in a company!

Tony Hester

2/8/2015 02:21:09 am

Thanks for your clear and simple words of wisdom that we can all you used daily to keep us calibrated and moving forward.

Regina

2/8/2015 06:26:21 am

Tony,
Your comment confirms the value I knew Ron would provide. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Best wishes!

2/2/2015 01:20:30 pm

Anthony, that is great feedback. I am pleased that the presentation really helped. And it's my wish you found value in Ron's blog post as well. Best wishes!

Louis C. Wright link

2/3/2015 01:57:23 am

Ron presentation hit the key areas that each leader or manager will need to keep in prospective daily. Within my career as a manager in different levels, it is very important to keep the many different phases on the "I" in leadership platform. Each one of us should keep this in mind during your daily walk of life as well when it comes to dealing with people or your employees. His candid and direct approach with breaking down each phase of 1. Go to Work Mentally Hungry, 2. Wipe Away Your Tears, 3. Management is Essential, and 4. Leadership is a Bonus are true keys for your career advancement. It was truly a privilege to be at the conference within Thought Works and look forward to future meetings within the BDPA to obtain the knowledge and wisdom for your future growth for each one of us to become the leaders within any organization or company.

2/3/2015 02:11:37 am

Hi Louis,
You have great wisdom about leadership and Ron's guest post really connected with you. What does it take to Wipe Away Your Tears? How can leaders do this and not become bitter in the process? Thank you.

2/4/2015 10:53:45 am

Regina,

To answer your question, you need to go back into our history and culture with all the indifferences we have had to endure. It first starts with your integrity and what are your motivational motives. You are in a place as a leader to direct and teach, to not wavier no matter what comes at you. Just stay focused and patience because your goals will come in Gods timing.

Cynthia Pete

2/3/2015 01:32:10 am

Very good points...especially #2. In addition to being mentally hungry, you have to persevere through the disappointments. Good Stuff! Thanks for the list of resources as well!

2/3/2015 02:06:00 am

Hi Cynthia,
Your comment is appreciated. I want to provide the best content possible. Let me know if you have suggestions for future blog posts. Best wishes for continued success!

Kellye

2/3/2015 02:56:25 am

Great foundational information for aspiring leaders to hear and those already in leadership to remember and share. I'll be using this as one of my references when I talk to our up and coming leaders at my company.

2/3/2015 07:34:12 am

Kellye,

Just knowing that Ron's guest post will help future leaders at your company is exciting. Please keep me posted on the outcomes! Thank you for sharing.

Sharon

2/3/2015 05:38:28 am

Great insight

2/3/2015 07:35:27 am

Sharon,

Thank you for the feedback.

David Smith link

2/3/2015 08:24:14 am

Leadership is varied, layerd and complex. Ron makes a compelling argument and undoubtedly these skills has worked for him over the years.

2/3/2015 12:52:38 pm

Hi David,

You are right about the complexity of leadership. Your thoughts are appreciated. Best wishes for continued success!

Antoine

2/3/2015 09:08:38 am

Great information to use on a daily basis when it comes to dealing with Leadership/Management. Very Good "Lesson Learned."

2/3/2015 12:55:10 pm

Hi Antoine,
I am thrilled to know Ron's guest post provided practical guidance that you can use daily. Your comment is appreciated. Best wishes for continued success!

Gerry link

2/4/2015 01:32:34 am

I enjoyed reading the four points. When it comes to the points 3 and 4, where management is essential and leadership is a bonus, I find myself going back to the Stephen Covey 7 Habits of Highly Effective People where he makes his view known that "No success in management can make up for failure in leadership." To put it in other words, it doesn't matter how good you are executing if you are moving in the wrong direction. It would be interesting to have a clarifying discussion on this topic.

2/4/2015 05:32:25 am

Gerry,

Excellent contribution to this guest post; and let's see what others have to share. Thank you!

HITESHA

2/4/2015 12:38:07 pm

The post is very resourceful and perfectly depicts the mirror image of what leadership is all about. I think going to work mentally hungry is the catalyst that probably makes all other elements work together. I enjoyed reading the post. I look forward to read more in future!
Good Luck.

2/4/2015 01:44:17 pm

Your encouragement means so much. Do you have any suggestions for future blog topics? Thank you for sharing.

2/4/2015 01:40:28 pm

Thank you Louis for walking us through the steps. Great advice!

Deidra

2/9/2015 04:11:15 am

This is a new way of looking at Leadership. The emphasis on management being required while leadership is a bonus, is simply fantastic. Thank you for your wonderful insight. God bless!!!!

2/9/2015 05:07:22 am

Deidra,

New insights drive new opportunities, don't they? Thank you for sharing and best wishes!

Claude Bird

2/12/2015 03:31:16 am

Ron's thoughts on leadership resonates harmoniously with traits of being and/or becoming a great leader. In today's environment, it takes a combination of quality leadership ship attributes to be successful. Mental fortitude (“wipe away the tears”), measured ambition (“mentally hungry”), coupled with sound management skills, leads to superb leaders and leadership. Thanks Ron!

Derrick Willis

2/16/2015 01:21:29 am

This was very insightful! In particular, bullet #2 "Wipe Away your Tears". In the day-to-day world of a very competitive corporate environment, exposure is essential. However, often times we're overlooked for significant contributions, while mistakes are easily exposed. In an environment such as this, wiping the tears and moving forward, is essential as a leader - Realizing that the exposure will come, if you remain positive, and continue to deliver!

2/16/2015 01:37:24 am

Hi Derrick,
What a powerful comment and an excellent beginning for the week. Best wishes and continued success!

Brandi

2/17/2015 08:07:36 am

Ron's post is fantastic yet concise. The 3-C (character, conviction & courage) combo from the second point is critical. The distinction between management & leadership in the fourth point is so important. Leadership is the step above management--often times people rush to it without establishing the management first. Great job, Ron!

2/17/2015 01:55:15 pm

Brandi, I enjoyed reading the "3-C" element in your comment. Do you have suggestions for future blog topics? Your feedback is appreciated. Best wishes!

Charlette link

3/1/2015 11:02:48 am

Ron, excellent advice and I found the information not only informative, but definitely useful in my daily work. I especially have been there in being overlooked for a position and #2 Wipe Away the Tears really provides me the motivation to keep moving forward to learn and understand that I may not have been prepared for that role or it wasn't something meant for me that there is something else in my future. So encouraging and insightful...looking forward to your next blog Ron!

3/1/2015 10:20:57 pm

Charlette,
Your comment indicates you faced challenges and kept moving forward. Thank you for sharing and best wishes for continued success!

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