But when a compass becomes a metaphor, well, we all need one – every day.

As leaders, we’re told to find our “true north.” We need to define our values and our goals, and stay true to them. Then we’re told to stay the course in pursuit of what we plan to achieve. Our metaphorical compasses provide direction, especially when chaos rains down around us, and that’s a good thing.

Navigating life with an intense focus on our compass, however, seldom gets us to our desired destination. We also need a map and, most important, the good sense to leave the most direct route when circumstances demand a detour. That doesn’t mean we abandon our values. It means we pursue progress over perfection.

If you saw the Steven Spielberg movie Lincoln, then you likely caught this message loud and clear. Lincoln, intent on getting the House of Representatives to pass the 13th Amendment before the end of the Civil War, needed the support of Thaddeus Stevens, a fierce opponent of slavery but one who often took a hard-line, all-or-nothing approach to the issues of his day. He saw Lincoln as a “capitulating compromiser.” But his noble desire to fix every problem born of racial inequality often kept him from making progress on any of those problems.

In the movie, Lincoln, played to near perfection by Daniel Day-Lewis, has a private conversation with Stevens and points out that a compass, while pointing you to true north, won’t show you the swamps on your path. Unless you’re able and willing to avoid the swamps, knowing true north is useless information.

Stevens, unwilling to waiver from true north, often found himself bogged down in the swamps.

The Anywhere Leader brings the compass and the map – and discernment to know how to use them. So know what you believe in and establish where you’re going, then do the hard work of forging a path to get there.

Our annual meeting earlier this month connected us with a number of Anywhere Leaders who literally are changing the lives of people for the better. The City of Dallas commits significant resources to helping the homeless and ex-offenders enter or re-enter the workforce. Our company, SVI, worked closely with the City of Dallas to build training to help with those efforts. We then went to Dallas and taught the courses over two days to several dozen people who are working hard to improve their lives.

Anywhere Leaders were all around us – the City of Dallas staff, case workers, nonprofit partners, pastors, and other leaders who are facing these immense and intense social challenges each and every day of their lives.

When someone tells these leaders, “This changed my life,” the depth of that reality shouldn’t be missed. For the person speaking those words, the Anywhere Leader might have been the difference between life and death. The Anywhere Leader pulled them back from figurative death – depression, loneliness, conflict, etc. But in some cases, they helped prevent suicide, death by drug addiction, or death from the hands of others within the criminal, homeless and drug subcultures.

These amazingly curious Anywhere Leaders find creative ways to address systemic problems on a variety of levels. They develop effective programs and services with limited resources. And they push for progress, even as small as it might seem at times.

When we are driven for progress, sensationally curious and vastly resourceful, we put ourselves in a position to change lives for the better – no matter how daunting the circumstances, no matter how engrained the roadblocks. Huge challenges – like helping the homeless and ex-offenders enter or return to the workforce – can leave us discouraged, because success often comes slowly and with a great many setbacks. But the victories are worth the effort and they aren’t small. They change people’s lives.

“There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them.” ― Joseph Brodsky, Russian poet and essayist

We’re reading a book. Well, make that several books. An informal survey confirmed that pretty much everyone in our office at SVI has a “book in progress.” Some, in fact, are reading more than one, although not at the exact same time. Not even our team is that talented. But our team does invest a considerable amount of time reading.

Why?

For information? For research? For entertainment? Yes. Yes. Yes.

Gustave Flaubert, the famed French novelist, once advised, “Do not read, as children do, to amuse yourself, or like the ambitious, for the purpose of instruction. No, read in order to live.”

That’s the right mindset. Books that make you come alive will instruct and inform. They might not always amuse, but many will entertain, engage and challenge you. They will all add value to your life and, therefore, your work.
Dr. Seuss put it this way: “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

Reading isn’t a luxury for anywhere leaders; it’s an essential. The book industry might be in transition (to put it mildly), but we’re still in the information age. Indeed, self-proclaimed “thought leaders” are a dime a dozen. What’s truly valuable, therefore, isn’t just reading, but reading the right things – the things that help you come alive as a person and, thus, as an anywhere leader. That includes books that inform and instruct, but it also includes books that amuse, challenge, entertain and engage.

Great leadership and management books might provide you with insightful models, strategies and tactics. Poetry or mystery novels, on the other hand, might help you see problems from different angles. Biographies and history can inspire. Faith-centered books can keep you grounded – or lift you up.

So what books are we reading? Fiction. Nonfiction. Biographies. Books on creativity. Books on leadership. Books on anything, and just about everything. Books that make us come alive.

In no particular order, here are a few books you’d find on the collective nightstands of the SVI team:
The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult
My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers
The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey Eugenides
11/22/63 by Stephen King
Leadership Is Dead by Jeremie Kubicek
Most Talkative by Andy Cohen
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Man with the Golden Arm by Nelson Algren
Eight Million Ways to Die by Lawrence Block
The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins
I, Robot by Isaac Asimov
Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz

Robert de La Rochefoucauld was an Anywhere Leader.

Rochefoucauld, who died May 8 at the age of 88, came from a long line of French nobility, and there’s evidence that he enjoyed the carefree life that often comes with aristocracy. News articles and web accounts will tell you he “pursued international business ventures,” went by the title of “Count,” and spent 30 years (1966-1996) as mayor of Ouzouer-sur-Trazee, a tiny canal village in north-central France with a population of fewer than two thousand people.

Not exactly hard labor.

But Robert de La Rochefoucauld didn’t always live a life of leisure. In fact, when his country needed him most, Rochefoucauld developed and demonstrated the imaginative, innovative and inclusive behaviors that are essential to leadership.
At the onset of World War II, Hitler’s troops took Rochefoucauld’s father prisoner when they invaded Paris. So the 17-year-old Rochefoucauld joined the resistance efforts and eventually became a legendary spy and saboteur with England’s Special Operations Executive (SOE) unit.

The SOE didn’t embrace him because of his pedigree. And while they were impressed by his passion for his cause – fighting for the freedom of his country – what really sold them was his resourcefulness in escaping capture by the Gestapo and making his way out of France. In Rochefoucauld, they saw resourcefulness they could train, and that’s exactly what they did.

Rochefoucauld became a real-life James Bond, but with a French accent. In 1944, for instance, he parachuted into France, disguised himself as a workman, and blew up a German munitions plant with explosives that he had hidden in hollowed-out loaves of bread and specially designed shoes. He was captured twice by the Germans. The first time he escaped by leaping out of a truck and dodging bullets until he found, and then “borrowed,” a Nazi limousine. The second time he faked an epileptic seizure. When his guard came to check on him, he walloped the guy with a table leg, and then took his uniform and pistol before shooting two other guards to make his escape. He later swapped the German uniform for a nun’s habit, which he wore as he passed through Nazi checkpoints en route to a safe house.

Rochefoucauld displayed extraordinary resourcefulness because the times demanded it. The life of an Anywhere Leader might not involve dodging bullets, leaping from moving trucks or disguising yourself as a nun. But we live in chaotic times filled with complex relationships between people and organizations, and creative approaches to challenges no longer are a luxury.

How do we lead like Rochefoucauld?

First, we recognize the need (whatever it is) and take responsibility for creating a solution. Next, we act. That can involve planning or training, but it also involves the courage to take risks while figuring things out on the fly. That’s the type of habit we should all wear with pride.

I know I’m an Arkansas guy writing yet another opinion on Bobby Petrino, our now-former Razorbacks football coach, but I hope to provide a slightly different and important angle.

Petrino was a very powerful man in Arkansas – maybe the most powerful man in our state. I promise you, I could not handle that kind of power-pressure without divine intervention. Most of you couldn’t handle it, either.

Why? Because increasing power often leads to decreasing objectivity. When a person gains power, it’s easy to become overconfident, even arrogant. But, as I think about this situation and other situations of moral and ethical collapses of powerful people … (pause) …

Joe Paterno … Tiger Woods … Rick Pitino … Sean Payton … Bill Clinton … Whitney Houston … and thousands more …

I wonder if they collapse from arrogance or if they collapse because of something else?

The sense I get about these powerful people is that there’s more pressure than any of us can possibly realize and that, to quote the cliché, it’s extremely lonely at the top. William Shakespeare said it well, “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”

So powerful people are very uneasy and very lonely, even though they’re constantly surrounded by fans and critics.

What does this have to do with moral and ethical collapses? Well, the point is that we love to drain our powerful leaders – wanting their thoughts, their opinions, their attention, their understanding and their time … all the time. But these leaders are like batteries – they only have so much charge before they have to escape and recharge, filling their own batteries back up so they can be drained again and again. How they recharge – or what they recharge with – can set them up for more success or for the collapse that brings them crashing down.

I believe Bobby Petrino was a lonely man who needed to escape and recharge. And his secret relationship, albeit improper, recharged him.

I don’t believe his mistakes were out of arrogance. I don’t believe he had clouded judgment; he knew it was wrong. Petrino, I believe, showed outward signs of arrogance and poor judgment because those symptoms masked an inner desperation.

Now think about Jeff Long, the University of Arkansas’ athletic director. His batteries will continue to be drained over the next weeks and months because the public, as well as the people he leads, will be in constant pursuit of his thoughts, opinions, attention, understanding and time. It will be important for him to recharge his battery in a moral and ethical manner.

My prayer for both Jeff Long and Bobby Petrino is that they will be able to live fully charged with the proper fuels, not perpetually drained in the midst of considerable pressure. This isn’t about taking a vacation. It’s about building and protecting a life that is capable of finding personal peace and joy even though that life spends most of its time in the pressure cooker. It’s about clearly defining a set of values that will guide moral and ethical decisions on things like how to “escape” or deal with pressure.

That’s important for Long, because he still has an uphill climb as he leads a large, complex and very public organization. It’s important for Petrino, because the end of his career at Arkansas isn’t the end of his life. He has to rebuild his life in light of the many relationships that have been damaged and the many people hurt by his actions – his family, his players, his staff, Arkansas fans, …

If they can live fully charged, they will both emerge as scarred, but better men.

Go Hogs!

I just got back from one of the coolest events I’ve ever been to – The Fashion Institute of Technology Gala in New York. It was cool because the fashion industry really knows how to throw a party. But two things made it even more memorable. One, I got to share the evening with my 12-year-old daughter, who loves all things fashion. And two, I got to see a friend honored for his contributions to the industry.

In the glitz and buzz that surrounds high fashion and New York, I was reminded that a good guy who makes the most of his gifts can inspire and lead others to great things. That’s Bill Dillard III – or as his friends call him, B3.

During the event, B3 took the stage and did what B3 always does – he stepped forward displaying humility and grace. He said thank you to people who’ve helped him along the way. He challenged the progressive industry and he inspired the most influential executives in the fashion business.

I’m not in the fashion industry, but B3 has had the same influence on me. I admire his humility and grace, his thoughtfulness, his savvy business presence and his edge. Because he’s my friend, I get to see his heart, as well.

From my perspective, it is easy to see that B3’s success has nothing to do with luck. He’s just gifted. B3 is one of the good guys – good motives, good talent, good character. Good guys (and gals) aren’t lucky. They are good and they are gifted. These people have been blessed with extraordinary skills and they don’t waste their talent – they maximize it. They have the courage to step up when others shy away or retreat. And they have the right motives that can be trusted.

We can all become one of the “good guys” who inspire others and succeed in business. To do so, we must constantly check our motives by asking ourselves, “are my intentions right and good, or are they behind self-centered power plays.” We must also develop by stretching ourselves and prioritizing our continuous improvement. And we must have the character to be trusted by others. That means we need to be consistent in our behaviors and authentic in who we are as leaders.

It was great to see such a leader honored. Thanks for being a wonderful example for me, B3. You’re a good man. Congratulations.

What to do?

Bring in a zombie slayer – or reviver – as a consulting organization to recommend new procedures and processes. Add some new reports – something like the famous TPS reports from the movie Office Space. Maybe consider adding more agonizing meetings with no purpose or objective. Put a few motivational signs on the wall to increase morale.

Good luck with that …

It’s interesting how companies address their walking dead. They grasp for business solutions to solve people problems and look to organizational procedures to drive behavior change.

Business solutions and organizational procedures don’t bring people back to life. Personal connections do. Therefore, it’s hard to revive a culture of zombies collectively. Reviving them happens one-on-one. Get one-on-one with your zombies and invest time in them, seeking to understand them rather than racing to judge them.

To revive them, consider these steps:

1. Acknowledge their lack of engagement.
2. Communicate that their lack of engagement is understandable.
   1. Acknowledge personal challenges.
   2. Acknowledge professional challenges.
   3. Acknowledge business disruptions.
3. Ask them to confirm the lack of engagement.
4. Communicate that you’d like the opportunity to support and encourage them, and ask if they’d be open to your support.
5. Explain what that support might look like.
   1. Safe and open communication about real issues. You may need to agree to confidentiality.
   2. One-on-one, face-to-face meetings over a period of time – up to 90 days to discuss the following:
      1. Learn their passions, interests, desires and skills. Start your discussions by learning about them, instead of trying to solve their problems.
      2. Help them better align their work with their passions, interests, desires and skills. Help them find ways of doing more of what they love instead of doing more of what they hate.
      3. Help them understand that what is important for them and for the company is to come alive in their role and in life, not to merely complete the daily task list in accordance with their job descriptions.
      4. Provide examples of what this might look like for them and give them encouragement when you see them coming alive in their work behind their interests, desires and skills. Hold them accountable when they show signs of working merely to execute their task list.
      5. Show continuous sympathy or empathy through this process, but avoid being too soft; some timely tough love and accountability is necessary.
   3. Patience and organizational protection.
      1. Provide them “organizational ground cover.” They need time to get grounded, and they might need protection from others who might be ready to pounce. Be a champion for these people as they transition.

This can be a painstaking process, but it’s truly worth your personal investment to revive your high potentials. Onward!

Photo Credit THEMACGIRL

One of the most authentic people I know is also one of the most agile professionals I know. Donnie Smith fast-tracked his career at Tyson Foods, Inc., starting out as a broiler service technician in his home state of Tennessee and rising all the way to CEO at the world’s largest meat producer. Over the past few years, I’ve had the opportunity to learn from Donnie. He’s featured as a very positive example in both of my books, The Organizational Champion and The Anywhere Leader. And he was recently featured in the Profiles section of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a great story about his life.

What I’ve learned from Donnie is to be everything you are and nothing you’re not. I’ve learned how to treat people and how to work through them to accomplish good things. I’ve learned that, for the agile leader, the right mindset is more important than the right skill set.

What’s the right mindset?

• Be yourself.
• Live with hope and faith.
• Pursue the harder right, rather than the easier wrong.
• Have proper perspective – you’re not that big of a deal.
• Treat people fairly.
• Be fully present in everything you choose to do.
• Champion the progress, not the politics.

Because Donnie is authentic, people-oriented, and has the right mindset, he holds tremendous influence and has experienced tremendous success. He’s a great example to me personally and professionally – even though he is a Tennessee Volunteers fan living in the heart of Razorback country.

All too often, today’s managers and leaders are mimicking their behavior with the chaos – chaotic conditions, chaotic leadership. Disruption in the business brings about intense reactions. But we need the exact opposite – poised and calculated managers and leaders in the midst of chaos. These poised leaders, though agile, exude stability.

Next time you find yourself in the midst of chaos, don’t allow your behavior to mimic the chaos. Don’t match it. To do so, consider these things:

1. Don’t feel the need to react immediately. If someone tosses a live grenade at your feet, you have to assess quickly. In most cases, you have a bit more time than you think. Even healthcare workers don’t react immediately; in the most critical situations, they assess first.
2. Listen to the reactions of others. This is part of the assessment process. Being a great listener in the midst of chaos sets you up better than the person who races narrow-mindedly toward a quick answer.
3. Carefully monitor the tone of your voice. When it’s time to speak, make sure you are calm. Otherwise, you simply become part of the storm.

Onward!

Frankly, it’s disturbing to feel the need to make that point. But the facts are even more disturbing.

The unemployment rate for vets who served since 2001 is 2.6 percent higher than the general population, according to a report in September from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about 235,000 veterans who want a job but don’t have a job.

We say nice things when we pass military personnel in the airport — “Thanks for your service … Sure do appreciate you …”– but then we dismiss them when they drop a job application on our desk — “Sorry, your skills don’t translate … You’re just not qualified.” They are losing out on opportunities to feed their families, but it’s corporate America that’s really losing out.

In The Anywhere Leader, I make the case that the one thing we can count on in business is uncertainty. Most of us, however, aren’t trained to lead through uncertainty. That’s just not a class you find in many business schools.

But the military teaches it — and it teaches it extremely well. There’s never been a greater need for leaders who are capable of leading through the unknown, and I’ll argue that no group brings more experience or is more prepared to lead through uncertainty than veterans. They are amazing Anywhere Leaders.

Anywhere Leaders are Driven for Progress, Sensationally Curious and Vastly Resourceful. Which of those traits do you not value in your employees? Today’s veterans bring all these job skills to the workplace — here’s how.

Veterans: Driven for Progress
Veterans didn’t join the military just to earn a paycheck; they’ve got an emotional commitment to a country that they love. They are dedicated to a purpose or mission that’s greater than self. So they are daring (but discerning) in the name of progress. And they are determined, especially in the face of adversity. That’s what I call Driven for Progress.

Veterans: Sensationally Curious
You might not think of veterans as Sensationally Curious. They are known for following orders, not asking questions. But my research and my own experience as a veteran taught me that it’s the behaviors associated with curiosity that make the difference.

If you are curious, you are reflective, receptive and perceptive. Those behaviors allow you to relate well with others, even foreigners, so that you can build strong teams internally and with those who are very different from you.

The veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, more than any veterans before them, have taken on the role of cultural bridge-builders. They fight the enemy while trying to win over communities. They know how to build trust in teams and communities that aren’t like them in any way, shape or form – without sacrificing the mission.

Veterans: Vastly Resourceful
They’re also Vastly Resourceful. That’s always been the case in the military. They are trained to make do with whatever resources are available. Today’s veterans come from a pretty well-equipped military, but war is the great disrupter of shiny, new equipment.

The enemy is literally trying to kill them, and they constantly — and quickly — have to counter that enemy’s tactics. So they figure out on their own how to reinforce the armor on the bottom of a Humvee or make a replacement engine pulley from a Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) box and some Duct tape.

This resourcefulness, curiosity and drive for progress give veterans the traits needed to figure out the skills they might be missing for most jobs; these traits make them great leaders regardless of the job.

But don’t assume they don’t have skills. Veterans have played a number of roles in a military that’s trained them not just to fire weapons, but with specific, transferrable skills in technology, media, communications, medicine, logistics, management, leadership and countless other areas.

Fighting the Battle of Uncertainty
The business case for hiring veterans is simple: You battle uncertainty every day in your business and it will only get more intense and extreme. There’s nobody who has battled uncertainty more than these soldiers.

Maybe you don’t have bullets flying by your ear at your office, but don’t you want somebody who’s been under that kind of pressure and intensity and shown a resolve, commitment, aptitude and skill to succeed?

The victories, small and huge, in Iraq and Afghanistan are amazing, and the sacrifices by the men and women fighting there are enormous. We can, and should, thank them when we see them — with words and with jobs.

This article was originally published on Monster.com