Leadership. Safe & Secure.

By Anton Doerig

Leadership. Safe & Secure. will help you . . .

• Find your passion in leadership
• Increase safety & security in your organization
• Master

• Language: English
• Publisher: Castle Mount Media GmbH & Co. KG
• Release date: Jan 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9783948615031

Book preview

1LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY – A CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVE

1.1 No mercy on yourself, your leadership, and your management

Why are you doing this? Why are you subconsciously risking your personal and entrepreneurial success almost every day? Are you really sure that you are on the right track? I know that you have experienced a lot in your life, and life has demanded a lot from you. Professional or entrepreneurial success did not just happen. You worked hard for it. You are an entrepreneur, a managing director, or part of the management of a successful company or organization – or you are well on your way to being there. That is wonderful. Congratulations. Why, then, are you putting everything at risk and endangering your hard-earned achievements without being aware of the consequences? Why? You don’t believe that this is really the case? Then you probably have a bigger problem than you are aware of. You may be risking even more in terms of your success in self-, people- and business management than you realize today.

It is about time! Why not now? Why not right now? Together we will take a closer look at the subject of leadership and how, by changing your perspective, you can greatly increase your success. Leadership demands clarity, passion, and implementation, but that is not enough. It also demands that you have a deep understanding of how to lead teams, organizations, and companies in regard to security in general and, more specifically, to corporate security. Until now, books on the topics LEADERSHIP – MANAGEMENT – SAFETY & SECURITY have predominantly been theoretical in nature. Not here.

In this book we will deal with these topics in a very practical and constructive way because the intersection of these very fundamental fields is more important today than ever before. We will reflect openly and concretely on how to lead people and companies. We are all affected. Our world is teeming with decisions that were made half-heartedly, too hesitantly, too late, not at all, or wrongly. We will see how leaders and managers who no longer know what it really means to attract people and lead them safely and securely to their goals are at a great disadvantage. And it will become clear that to be a great leader means not only mastering LEADERSHIP – MANAGEMENT – SAFETY & SECURITY but combining this mastery with a deeply felt, personal passion.

Recognize opportunities to question your own leadership skills so that you don’t jeopardize and unnecessarily risk your entrepreneurial success. Allow yourself new ways of looking at things with the help of practical experience reports for yourself and for your company on an operational and strategic level. Find out how you can combine leadership with management and security in a promising way. And if, while reading, or afterwards, you actively think about how one or more of the other points can influence you and your organization, then this book has already fulfilled its purpose.

Leadership invariably requires passion. Everything else is deceit against others, against organizations, and, above all, against oneself.

Join us in creating a new and different understanding of leadership. This book is for entrepreneurs and leaders at all management levels of every industry, as well as for managers, administrators, and specialists responsible for corporate security in organizations. Of course, anyone else who may be interested in this topic is welcome to read it as well. I will give you practical examples from over 20 years of professional and operational experience in safety & security and emergency & crisis management in a wide variety of industries. Take these to heart. This is not a conventional specialist or management book. Instead, it is a book that efficiently combines non-fiction books, guidebooks, and specialist books in such a way that it will give you impulses for the future. From the heart of the action, read interesting accounts from a personal and entrepreneurial point of view, and learn how different situations were mastered. Read about what worked, what went wrong, and what points you can extract for the future. Benefit from the most important findings and actively use them for your own company management.

Presence & Essence for Leaders: Leadership needs presence & essence and safety & security at all levels of management! You will not find, therefore, any scientific essays in this book. Neither will you see any popular leadership models or read debates about their validity. If you expect or need such a book, please put this one down right now. Buy a different one on the theoretical aspects of leadership, and avoid discussions involving practical experience. If, however, you want to learn useful facts about the overlap of LEADERSHIP – MANAGEMENT – SAFETY & SECURITY, you have come to the right place. Learn how to bring about and accompany changes in the area of leadership and corporate security in everyday life, and discover where the dangers in your organization may lie. We will look at this together from other – sometimes unconventional – perspectives, and derive something new; something useful for your practical use.

KEY MESSAGE

Leaders need to have clarity about themselves, about their visions, and about the team with whom they want to achieve their goals. They must rediscover, strengthen, and, above all, use their passion so that they choose the right strategy for implementation, apply the necessary discipline, exercise patience, and use time efficiently. You have to create a safe and secure environment.

Only then will you attract the right employees and successfully lead them to your desired goals.

The following chapters deal with self-leadership on the one hand and with leading employees, entire companies, and organizations on the other. It is about true leadership. A leadership which comes from within, from passion. A leadership which will guide you and your team to success.

Interestingly, one question about success is almost always asked: Why do some people seem to achieve their goals so easily and others fail to meet their challenges? Success and leadership are closely connected and go deeper into the personal substance of each individual person and organization than we might initially think. And an integral part of success is making sure that nothing compromises the safety and security of your organization – especially not amateurish, incompetent, careless, or negligent behavior.

There are enough books on leadership models, management, and safety and security issues, and there are even more training courses on these subjects. But all the theory in the world cannot help you if you have never been on the front, facing real-life, everyday challenges. Methods and models are one thing, practical experience another. These practical, everyday experiences are exactly the difficult and enlightening moments that are very vividly and figuratively conveyed to you in this book. Most of the experiences come from a professional environment, but there are also personal life situations. They serve as clarifying transfer options, and sometimes simply just as metaphors. My hope is that you personally benefit from the descriptions and other humorous, philosophical, and provocative explanations, and that you take them into consideration as you apply the tips from this book. You may take the appropriate ideas which fit your situation on how to approach and combine LEADERSHIP – MANAGEMENT – SAFETY & SECURITY and apply them, or you may decide that none of this is for you. Simply opening up your thought-processes guarantees you a change of perspective!

1.2 Matter of opinion – an honest wake-up call to reason

We will mercilessly look at the different aspects of leadership in a different way and see how we can successfully implement certain points in a private and professional context. For more than 20 years now, I have been working in the field of safety and security on a regional, national and international level, in the private sector and in the public sector. From the base to the management of authorities, SMEs and large corporations, or as a board member and regional manager for Europe in globally organized associations, everything is there. The observations from my self-employment as a consultant, advisor, coach, keynote speaker and adult educator are also valuable.

Together we will look at the influence that safety and security can have on personal and entrepreneurial leadership. Safety and security are not only a so-called basic need of every human, naturally there are also exceptions, but also a barrier in many respects. They provide the basis for success and at the same time can block its further development. For this reason, experience gained in the field of safety, security, emergency and crisis management is often supplemented with unconventional and provocative statements.

The language and forms of expression adapt to the desired reactions. So, if you read something that is called nonsense here in this book, then it is meant that way and nothing else. If something is colored emotionally, it is deliberate. Shouldn’t we finally talk openly and clearly about leadership? Or do you always speak diplomatically and in a politically correct way, or beat around the bush when you talk to yourself in your mind? Let us be honest with each other – a lot has gone wrong in the area of leadership in our world lately. The clarity, passion and implementation of these issues and the elements they contain are hardly noticeable in most executives and managers. So there is an acute need for action, no matter how certain people on different management levels and experts want to twist and turn it.

Those who do not tell the truth and do not tolerate it, risk too much in life and business!

I assume that not everyone who reads this book will agree with me and share my views. These ideas, however, form a central opportunity, a basis for a change of perspective, if you allow it to happen. The reactions to this book will inevitably vary after its publication. Still, I stand by and take responsibility for all of the positions I offer here. You will find that many executives and managers cannot do this. They prefer to react to what is written here (or what others say), instead of proactively establishing their own individual position. At the same time, I would like to warn you that what you will read here will not always be comfortable and pleasant. It serves as the wake-up call of reason and to show how we can look at leadership differently – no matter what position you currently hold in your organization.

Maybe you can identify in one way or another with a situation as described, or the whole thing seems familiar to you because you have experienced something similar. Those of you who may actually have a connection to or be involved in some of the individual stories should be told at this point that this is my own description and interpretation of the events and not the perception of others. They are experiences from more than 20 years in different situations, organizations and companies. Therefore, your views and mine do not necessarily have to coincide. They could, however, give you another perspective on what you experienced – if you seek it, want it, and allow it.

This book certainly cannot and will not answer all questions on the subjects of LEADERSHIP – MANAGEMENT – SAFETY & SECURITY. Sometimes I simply aim to leave questions out there as impulses or stimuli. Take these impulses and let them encourage you to continue to look further and learn more about these subjects. You can read the chapters individually or read the whole book from front to back, as you like. The chapters are not necessarily dependent on each other, but they complement each other and still have a common thread from beginning to end. Benefit from what suits you in this moment, and come back to the other things at a later date. Sometimes ideas simply need to ripen.

So, are you ready to delve into the exciting world of LEADERSHIP –MANAGEMENT – SAFETY & SECURITY? And are you interested in discovering what leadership has to do with safety and security? Relax and enjoy the stories, examples, and findings full of passion, discipline, stamina, healthy self-criticism, and humor. You will not regret it. Welcome on board. It is nice to have you with me! With this in mind, I wish you a lot of healthy curiosity, honest interest, necessary openness, conscious ability to reflect on new ideas and, last but not least, an exciting time while reading this book. See you on the last page!

Comment

In order to make reading easier for you and to prevent the reading and writing flow from being too strongly impaired, I have taken the liberty of using male spelling for both sexes in this book from now on.

2(SELF-) LEADERSHIP / MANAGEMENT AS A BASE FOR SUCCESS

2.1 From a clear ME to the safe and secure WE

Before we go deeper into LEADERSHIP – MANAGEMENT – SAFETY & SECURITY and its overlap in organizations and companies, we should start with ourselves and consider a few points. In order to make it easier for us to reflect on ourselves and to succeed in getting started, I would like to offer you the opportunity to take a look at some of the elements and incidents that have happened to me personally. Some of the practical experiences I share with you in this book serve to simply illustrate the concepts we will be discussing. Others can be applied 1:1 into the leadership of people and organizations. We will start with self-leadership and self-management, move on to team and business management, and then dive deeper and more intensely into the topic of corporate security. The circle closes again with a greater understanding of the necessity for clarity, passion and implementation in leadership. I hope that you will find it entertaining and thought-provoking, and I hope that you can even laugh with me about some of the experiences. After that, it is up to you as to whether you want to actively deal with your own stories and find points of comparison. Of course, we won’t go too far or dig too deep. You are also free to leave out my personal experiences and simply read on below. Know, however, that what you may have missed will be entirely your own responsibility. You lead yourself through this book, just as you lead yourself through life, and you decide in every single moment what it is worth to you to spend your time with the examples, inputs and tips listed here. Well then, let us go and see where the journey takes us, what this means and can do for you.

2.2 Self-employment – reach your goals on your own, consistently

Do you remember? From the moment we entered the working world, or even on our first day at school, we were given tasks that we did not really choose ourselves. Some of these tasks were easy to carry out, while others were not as easy. No matter whether or not we liked the tasks or found them easy, they still had to be done – because we were told to do them. Only through the experience of doing these tasks, were we able to grow and learn. They enabled us to go further and to achieve the goals that we had set for ourselves. But whose objectives and goals were they? Those of our teacher at school, our instructor at the workplace or the military, our boss at the company? And why in heaven’s name were we expected to accept these goals as our own personal objectives?

Let us assume that far too often you had to do things at school or at work that you did not like at all. Did you do them for the benefit of the teachers, the managers, or the bosses? How did that make you feel? Certainly not fulfilled. Did you feel rather relieved that you had finally left that stuff behind you? Well, that is how it is in life. We are given new tasks every day and we have to do them on our own. But was it really worth all those hours and days that we sacrificed to complete other people’s tasks? Have we misused our time on Earth? And were the tasks you were given – or will be given in the future – really helpful for your own goals or purpose? Please think about your limited time on this earth for a moment. What have you decided to do?

Decisions demand clarity first, then discipline and perseverance.

We ourselves are constantly responsible for what we do and for every minute we do it. No matter which way we spin it and which excuses we look for, we choose our own actions and have to take responsibility for them. We lead our private and professional lives according to rules which are not always our own. However, we have accepted them and must therefore observe them. At any time and any place, whether as a pupil, apprentice, student, employee, freelancer, superior, managing director or partner, company owner, family father etc., we live by rules, which are given to us and that we ourselves can apparently only influence in part. These rules often simplify and coordinate our lives in our communities, provide stability, and support the achievement of our desired objectives and goals. But what objectives and goals are really meant here? No matter what they are, whether in the company, at the leisure club, at university, or at home, we should check whether they correspond to our own innermost goals. Only those who know their goals and purpose know where the journey will take them; this is where the point of personal responsibility for our lives begins to take hold. Do you know where you want to go in your private and professional life?

Independence and self-reliance are not only concepts in the working world for one’s own entrepreneurial adventure, but also concepts that appear early in the upbringing of every child – and follow us all the way to the retirement home. We should regard independence as the most important asset given to us, an asset which we should defend and cherish. Independence and self-reliance are necessary for success. We ourselves are responsible for our time – the only asset that is given to each of us equally. The independence we perceive leads us through our private and professional environment and to the hoped-for, desired success. This in turn goes hand in hand with a serious and binding sense of self-esteem. How should we be successful in our life and in our profession if we do not clearly stand by our independent actions and personal responsibility? Regardless of whether you are an employee or hold a managing position, you can only be successful if you give your own independence and self-reliance and that of your fellow human beings in your immediate environment the opportunity to develop freely. At the same time, it is also clear that as a leader, self-leadership and the leadership of your employees are interrelated. We cannot view corporate and employee leadership in isolation from how we personally lead ourselves. Independence, self-reliance, and responsibility go hand in hand and ultimately unite in self-determination.

Independence leads to success no matter how you look at it. All you need is the right perspective.

Be clear about where you want to go and actively demand your own independence and self-reliance. Be aware that this entails the necessary responsibility and discipline.

Strengthen your own independence and self-reliance and that of your environment at every opportunity. Independence promotes self-esteem and thus enables the further development and progress of your undertaking, whether personally or at work.

If you promote the independence and self-reliance of your employees and give them freedom, you release yourself from consistently wanting to have everything under control. For you, this means more time for new ideas and better opportunities.

2.3 Do not lose the ground under your feet – crash narrowly avoided

Every day we move in the surroundings we have chosen for ourselves and interact with our environment. On one hand, this can be quite hectic, especially if you move in dynamic professional circles. Every action that we trigger produces a rapid reaction. The ping-pong game of the business world has always triggered fascination in some and resistance in others. As time goes on, a routine comes into play, and we act and react in a more or less predictable way. We are used to approaching things with our own proven method, and we take it for granted that these actions will lead to success. Everything goes according to plan, and we make great strides in achieving one goal after another. We are on the road to success, professionally or privately, or both. And when we reach our goal, what comes next? What’s the next big step in life? Stop for a moment and think about where you stand today. Are you on the road to success or even in the passing lane, or are you standing on the side of the road waiting for better times while everyone is passing by?

It does not matter if you have been going at full speed over the last few years, or if you have been driving a bit more slowly; it is always good to allow yourself a breather during which you do not have to deal with everyday problems. A time in which thinking must first take a back seat so that we can change our focus. As the saying goes, You can’t see the forest for the trees. We tend to lose contact with the essentials of life because we are so determined, and at some point, we miss the feeling of being grounded.

PRACTICAL EXAMPLE

It was the middle of summer and I was under a lot of pressure timewise. During the previous months I had had to organize many additional things so that we could finish setting up courses and trainings for our customers. At that time, we had also planned a course in Ticino in the south of Switzerland. After we had discussed the most important points as a team (although I had not clarified everything, yet), I took the car through the Canton of Valais over the summit pass of Nufenen towards Ticino. It is a very beautiful area, but because I was so wrapped up in my thoughts about all of our business challenges, I did not really see any of it. When I arrived in southern Switzerland and made the last attempt to clarify the final details with those responsible for the project, I was quite annoyed by the attitude of some colleagues, whose behavior I could not really call professional. At the time, we were a handful of German-speaking Swiss who worked as instructors with their French-speaking colleagues at a training center in the French part of Switzerland. There were some really very good, qualified colleagues who were at a top level, and also those who, well, how should I put it here, were just there. And it was precisely with those, the latter, that I had to struggle more and more with in recent weeks, so that their professionalism corresponded to what I believed we owed our customers. This situation and other aspects of the preparation had led to the fact that I had hardly slept at night because my thoughts constantly revolved around the most diverse problems. Sometimes, I even had difficulty breathing, and sometimes, I couldn’t feel my pulse properly anymore. Both are important signs that should make you sit up and take notice.

Well then, we had successfully completed the course in Ticino, and I was driving fast from Italian Switzerland to the lower part of Valais. Suddenly, I noticed how I was sitting behind the steering wheel and had the feeling that my thoughts were causing a huge noise in my head and somehow, I could no longer properly feel the physical contact to the vehicle anymore. That is when I realized, Damn, I have had enough! I held the steering wheel tight with both hands and pressed the accelerator just before the summit of the pass until I reached the next passing point and slammed on the brakes until the car stopped. I pushed the door open, got out, walked a few meters away from the car and stopped. I stretched and took a deep breath, but somehow, I still did not really feel better. I still could not feel my body, but my thoughts were louder and whirling round and round. What is this all about? I shouted loudly and stretched again and tensed every single muscle of my body. I tried to perceive myself in the truest sense of the word. But nothing changed. I did not feel strong enough and had lost any feeling of power. You could say I just wasn’t grounded. Do you know this completely irritating feeling of no longer feeling your own body and the ground under your feet? If not, then be glad that you have been spared this so far. I decided to sit on the ground a little off the beaten track and touch the large stone slabs that were next to the road with my hands. They were pleasantly warm. My gaze wandered alternately across valley and horizon. It’s really nice up here. Why didn’t I see this landscape, this beautiful nature on the way here? Okay, I’ll just take a little break before going any further. I laid down on my back and let my body absorb the warmth and energy of the ground. Then I noticed how the noise in my head, the annoying and until then increasingly repetitive thoughts, became quieter. My whole body relaxed. From lying on the ground and feeling the earth beneath me, I was able to slowly but surely reconnect to and sense my body. I felt a force going through every single cell of my body, from my chest and belly to my feet and upwards to my head. The last sparks of the annoying noise were finally extinguished.

Peace, emptiness, and a kind of gratitude or a feeling of security returned, and I could breathe deeply and strongly again. My lungs filled with the wonderful fresh air of the Alps, and I felt how the positive effect extended to my entire body. Full of energy and, above all, with my head free, I was able to get back into my car and drive home at a more moderate speed.

From this moment on, the previous problems were no longer in the foreground but could be viewed from a certain distance and a different perspective. They seemed much smaller to me and had lost their power. Solutions appeared by themselves in a calm manner during the relaxed journey, and these solutions could be implemented over the following days, weeks and months in such a way that, in hindsight, I knew that I had made the right decisions for the future.

Above all, this stop at the pass summit and the calmer, more relaxed pace that