Grace Under Pressure: The Power of Decency in Leadership By Desiree Grace We’ve lost some great leaders in the electrical industry lately, people of real accomplishment and longevity. But what has me reflecting most is not just what they achieved, but how they did it. What stands out most is their decency . Leadership and decency are not mutually exclusive. You can be both a great leader and a decent human being. One of these leaders took the reins of a company after the founder retired. He grew the business, expanded into new sectors and geographies, and had a profound impact on the industry, the customers, the employees, and the communities where the business operated. He also had a personal impact. He was, as you would expect, highly intelligent. But more than that, he was polite, professional, and decent, with a dry sense of humor. Even in hard times, like during layoffs and pay cuts, he conducted himself with grace and a clear moral compass. Another leader comes to mind—a...

Leadership Qualities: Keep Calm and Carry  Lead On. By Desiree Grace   “Control your emotions and actions,” said Chad Williams, a former Navy SEAL, while discussing the importance of self-control in leadership. I couldn't agree more. A leader sets the tone for their team, whether they choose to fight, flee, freeze, or, even worse, panic. There is tremendous value in emotional self-discipline and keeping calm, even in the most challenging circumstances. It’s not easy, but it is achievable. We’ve all seen this popular poster, created in 1939, to keep the British people motivated when under threat of air attacks. The situations we face are not quite as dire, but the point remains. Let’s talk about three ways you can keep calm and demonstrate self-control when dealing with challenging work situations. Imagine an important customer is involved in a tense negotiation, and the situation escalates, raises his voice, pounds his fist on the conference room table, and makes derog...

Recently, happenstance dealt me a blow. Late one night, I received this quote along with a rather detailed email from a friend who found themselves working for a newly appointed boss: Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. Not that Abraham Lincoln was a distribution expert, but in this case, he had a great point. Allow me to share a few of the observations from the email and follow-up conversation. The long-term and well-liked company President had finally retired. His successor was unanimously selected by the company leadership and was, by all accounts, a team player with charm and charisma. Under the guidance and tutelage of the former boss, things progressed remarkably well. The leadership team and employees alike felt good about the new president. Then tragedy struck. The former boss, who had served as the Chairman of the Company, was struck with a mighty and fatal illness. The passing was unexpected and quick. Wit...