Yesterday, we heard from JB Training Solutions president Brad Karsh on how storytelling can boost the effectiveness of training. Today, we present a Q&A with Lee Ellis, whose compelling story as a former prisoner of war (POW) provides the background for his unique insights into leadership development.
Ellis, a nationally recognized leadership consultant, award-winning author, and United States Air Force colonel (retired) is often asked these questions on the topic of leadership development.
Q: You spent more than 5 years in captivity as a POW in Vietnam. What did you learn about leadership?
A: Because we had a lot of time to reflect and think about things, I really got to know myself. What are your strengths? What are your struggles? What are you afraid of? Are you living to be authentic? Ultimately, those are the important questions of life and leadership.
I learned to be positive and expect a good outcome, even in difficult circumstances. Communication is really big. We really had to work hard to communicate, because the enemy tried to keep us from communicating. Also honor, which really is about doing what’s right. Our leadership in Vietnam was so extraordinary because those guys led when there was no real reward other than honor and doing the right thing.
The experience had matured me enough to do the right thing and catch up with my peers (and later stay ahead of them). I had to work very hard, but the principles helped tremendously to have a very successful Air Force career. And, they’ve helped ever since that time. I know they work.
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Q: Describe an important lesson that you learned and still use today.
A: I think that one of the things that I learned from my POW experience and discipline of those years was setting a goal and daily biting off a chunk. I learned several French words per day, and I would practice them; I learned several Spanish and German words per day, and then I would also practice them, as well.
I started working on chin-ups by using a two-by-four piece of wood in the wash house. When I started, I could only do four chin-ups; a year and a half later, I could do 30 chin-ups. I was skinny because we didn’t have much food, but there is value in doing something and staying with it.
As a leadership consultant, I’m trying to help someone make behavioral change, so I’m hoping that they will see the value of incremental change. I hope that they will say, “If I just keep practicing, I’ll improve. And then one day I’ll wake up and I’ve made a significant improvement in my behaviors in the last 6–12 months, and now I’m a much better leader.” Then, they see the value in the process.
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Q: Why is leadership development important now?
A: One of my Marine POW friends had an expression that “pain purifies.” There’s a lot of truth in that statement regarding leadership development. It’s not easy. If leadership development was easy, then everyone would wake up and do it automatically. Leadership development can be challenging because good leaders have to do something different to grow, improve, and succeed. Change is difficult—pain purifies.
I’ll give you an example. To be a better listener, that’s a difficult thing for many of us, it’s one of the most powerful things that a leader can do. To listen, you have be out of control, you can’t set the agenda, you have to be patient, and you have to set your ideas aside long enough to hear the other person’s ideas. But to become a better leader, you do have to learn how to become a better listener.
Ellis will keynote at the Advanced Employment Issues Symposium (AEIS) 2015 in Las Vegas, which takes place November 4 to November 6. Ellis will share his harrowing account of being a POW in Vietnam and how he developed powerful leadership principles to help get him and his team members home. “Leadership Development Skills: Powerful Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton” is one session you do not want to miss. Secure your seat to AEIS 2015 now!