Bob DeKoch, Boldt Construction, on Leadership

Bob spoke at a March St. Norbert's CEO Breakfast & Strategy meeting on "Leadership in the New Economy: Making a Difference, with Care!" He is a very thoughtful and insightful CEO, and has authored three books on CEO issues with Phil Clampitt, a UWGB professor of communications.

Here are some interesting excerpts from his talk:

• Objectivity Requires Listening/Listening/Listening. Think about it. It's not a simple idea.

• "Don't listen in order to solve my problem. Just listen! Accept and understand what I'm trying to say. Get to understanding. Then, when you understand, you can begin thinking about my problem." That's a paraphrase from Madelyn Burley-Allen.

• Negotiations don't usually equal Listening, but they should.

• Boldt's Values: "Honesty, Fairness, Hard Work, Performance and Love of Construction are what we value." I've never seen that a value is to "love the business," but it is! Very interesting.

• The Uncertainty Pyramid:

Embracing

Accepting

Coping

Tolerating

Eliminating

He contends that too often we fear uncertainty, and so we avoid it, even trying to "eliminate" it. More importantly, if we are to move forward and LEARN, Uncertainty should be EMBRACED as quickly as possible so that LEARNING can begin. That's how you begin to dominate your marketplace!

• "Leadership is a means to an end, not the end itself. The 'end' is to 'move the ball forward.'"

• "Take your idea, then wait for your second thoughts about it, then bounce it off of a trusted adviser, and then off your team, and then off your organization. Eventually, you'll have something that everyone will embrace because it's right."

• "The Leader creates the ENVIRONMENT for engagement, and employees provide the energy. When they meet, all things are possible." The Environment, he says, includes having the right people, a great cause, resources to remove barriers, and more.

• Bill Gates: "Develop people who make mistakes, and can make the most from them."

• Some of Bob's Advice for the Road:

Spend time in places and situations that inspire you.

Take time to think, away from the day-to-day.

Create balance in your life. Schedule it.

Be true to your Values. (CAN YOU ARTICULATE YOUR VALUES TO SOMEONE ELSE, RIGHT NOW?)