Lead High Performance | Col Mickey Addison

Over at Small Wars Journal, there’s an article about the Head-Hands-Heart Leadership Model that fits hand-in-glove with my own “Leading Leaders” philosophy. It’s a thoughtful and well written article about the basics of leadership: know yourself, know your people, know where you’re going.

Leading people is a “whole person” kind of endeavor: we have to engage our mind and heart and body in the effort or we fail. Moreover, we have to understand we’re dealing with real people as well–not robots–and as leaders we need to engage their whole person. Sometimes leaders will make mistakes, nobody is perfect, so when that happens remember your humility and try again. The article from Small Wars Journal is a good way to think about how to engage in deliberate interpersonal leadership that’s applicable in any environment!

The Hands, Head and Heart Leadership Model | Small Wars Journal

The diverse nature of the relationships in an organization, as well as the complexity of problems faced emphasizes the three aspects of leadership education we previously described, as well as the concepts of training. The Hands, Head and Heart Model uses the ideas inherent in both training and education to describe a leadership model that fits in a diverse organizational setting. Training involves doing, applying, executing, and behaving. Figuratively, it is the “hands” of the model. By contrast, education is the knowing or thinking and represents the “head” of the model. It involves principles, doctrine, rules, and knowledge of the individual or organization. The third area of the model is the “heart,” or the becoming part. This involves the end state or vision. It is where values, beliefs, and purpose come into play. The Hands, Head and Heart Model fits exactly with the Army’s Be-Know-Do Model developed over 30 years ago.

Short week this week, so here’s wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!