(2025-3)

I’ve been doing a lot of reminiscing the past few weeks.  August 20 was a sad, reflective day for me.  Not only was it the birthday of my first nephew (who passed away too soon), but it was the one-year anniversary of my sister Laura’s death.  Laura was a special person to so many people.  She was more than a sister to me.

Since Laura died, I’ve gone through the five stages of grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance).  I decided a post about what Laura taught me would honor her while helping me accept her passing. 

Laura was born in 1954.  She was the second of three children my parents raised.  She didn’t like being called the “middle child” and referred to herself as either the best child or the favorite child.  She was confidently consistent with these monikers (much to the chagrin of the other two of us).

Laura had a couple of quotes that have become family institutions.  The first was from her early childhood.  I believe she was in grade school when we gathered as a family in our small living room in Weatherford, OK.  She was showing off her gymnastics abilities and started by exclaiming “Clear the runway!”  She then did a cartwheel and gashed her knee on our coffee table.  It left a scar that never went away.  “Clear the runway!” became our family announcement whenever we wanted to warn of a risky thing, or just to make fun of Laura.

The first date I ever went on was actually Laura’s.  My dad made a joke of letting Laura go to the drive-in with a boy in Pampa, TX by telling her she could go if they took me with them.  Laura’s boyfriend agreed, so I was the “third wheel” on their date.

The first college dorm room I visited was Laura’s at West Texas State (now called West Texas A&M).  Laura had enrolled in summer school, and we (Mom, Dad, and me) went to visit her.  I was surprised at how small the dorm room was!  This aligned my expectations many years later when I went to LSU for my freshman year.

Laura and I shared a fear of heights.  In the late 90s we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Laura and her husband Myron came to visit us.  We took them to the Golden Gate Bridge.  Laura and I stayed away from the edge as the rest of the family took in the view from the railing.  We went late in the day, and the sunset was magnificent.  As we walked back, the automatic gate started to close to lock access after dark.  Laura freaked out.  She didn’t realize that the gate was only locked to prevent entrance and was still unlocked for exit!  We’ve laughed about that many times.

The second iconic quote from Laura occurred when our extended family was going through our parents’ house after my father died.  We had all three siblings along with our respective families.  Most of my parents’ grandchildren and a few great-grandchildren were present.  Some of the grandchildren were admiring a piece of decorative china my parents brought back from their life in Greece.  They were all trying to decide what it was.  Laura stood with them and listened to them for a while before interjecting “It’s a bud vase, you idiots!”  This quote has caused us all to smile when we remember Laura.

Laura was a very generous person.  She became known for her annual crawfish boils and for taking in a few people who needed a place to stay until they got in a better life situation.  So many people showed up at her memorial service who viewed her as their second mother.

Laura taught me a lot.  Three lessons I‘ve incorporated into my life and career include:

• The unsung hero is truly a hero.  Laura never sought the glory or limelight.  She exuded humility and strength in her life.  Laura’s strong silent approach calmed everyone.  She was great at building others up without seeking anything in return.  When my wife and I bought our first house, we were stressed about the finances.  I remember talking to Laura over the phone about the process.  A few days later, a check from Laura came in the mail.  She helped us financially without any expectations of when we would pay her back.  She said we could pay it back when we had it and told us not to add interest.
• Everyone needs someone who can keep a secret.  Laura was excellent in this area, perhaps the best person I’ve known.  She was not a gossip.  She was a human lockbox.  I’m sure she was burdened with many issues and stories.  She never leaked information and never showed the burden.  Later in my career, I was in numerous positions where I had access to a lot of confidential data and information.  I used Laura as a role model in protecting that sensitive material.
• Leave a legacy of strength, humility, love, and generosity.  I’ve heard it said that people don’t care how much you know, but they know how much you care.  Laura cared about everyone in her circle of family and friends.  Her death has left a deep hole in many peoples’ lives.  It’s truly humbling when I think of the impact she had on so many people.
• Keep in touch with your family, friends, and colleagues.  My sister Laura was a true friend.  I miss talking to her or texting her to check in.  If there’s someone you’ve been thinking about, reach out to them.  They may need a touchpoint from someone who truly cares.

How have you handled grief?  Do you have an unsung hero who inspires you?  Have you applied family lessons to your professional life?  I welcome your thoughts.

I help my coaching clients deal with various problems by coaching them through tough issues affecting their life and work.  If you’re unsure whether my coaching can add value, reach out and schedule a free 30-minute conference call by emailing me at mike@mrhensonllc.com. 

(2025-2)

Recently I’ve spent some time thinking about coaching.  In 2010, I was certified as a John Maxwell speaker, coach, and trainer.  At the time, I was a bit bored in my job and wanted to make a change.  Shortly after being certified, my role changed into one that was challenging and fun for me.  I thought I’d put the Maxwell coaching on back burner while I focused on my new position.

While working, I utilized my Maxwell training, hosting mastermind groups for various employees.  My plan was to stay fresh and use my certification after I retired.  Retirement was an adjustment and I’ve only modestly utilized my coaching passion and skills.  My life has been very fulfilling and enjoyable, due primarily to enjoying four grandchildren (https://mrhensonllc.com/whats-in-a-name/).

The children are growing up and are demanding less of my time and energy, so I am refocusing on my coaching business.  This has involved a lot of introspection and study on the role of a coach.  According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a coach is “someone whose job is to teach people to improve at a sport, skill, or school subject.”  A coach adds value to people.

My favorite leadership author and speaker, John C. Maxwell, taught me the importance of adding value to others.  This teaching resonated with me.  I truly enjoy doing it.  I get a buzz out of watching people grow and improve.  It’s not a job for me, it’s a calling.  I’ve seen positive impact in others as a result of my actions.  I particularly enjoy coaching people and watching them excel.

My personal experience with coaches started early.  I remember two coaches in elementary school and junior high that impacted my growth and development.  My Pop Warner football coach was instrumental in developing self-confidence and dependability.  I can picture this coach, but I can’t recall his name.  I was the smallest person on my team and not particularly athletic, unlike my father who lettered in every sport in high school.  (Dad never verbalized disappointment, just continued to encourage and provide tips.  What a guy!)

I remember two impacts these early coaches had on my life:

• In practice one day, coach put me in as an offensive lineman.  The play called for the running back to run through my position.  When the ball was hiked, I blew my block to a much larger lineman across from me.  The running back was tackled for a loss.  Coach then told us to run the play again but told me to switch with the running back.  He then told the running back to purposely step aside.  I was hit hard by that defensive lineman and tackled for a loss.  Coach told me this was to let me know that other people would depend on me and I shouldn’t let them down.
• I had a great band director in school from 5^th to 8^th grade, Mr. DiCosimo.  His son Vincent was my best friend during these four years.  Vincent was an excellent musician.  We both played trombone, but I wasn’t particularly good.  As a result, I didn’t make the cut for the marching band.  Mr. DiCosimo made me his “assistant” doing all the less-desirable tasks that are necessary to support a marching band.  I learned from Mr. DiCosimo that I could add the most value to the band through applying my administrative skills.  This also taught me that every position on any team adds value to the team by fulfilling their duties well.

I also recall my first supervisory position at Chevron well.  I was humbled to be in it and strove to learn all I could about managing people.  I relied heavily on input and advice from others, especially my father.  I also read and studied all I could. 

My first Chevron training program as a young supervisor, Supervisory Skills and Knowledge Program (also known as SSKP).  It was a week-long program that included guest supervisors as teaching leaders.  I’ll share more about my SSKP experience in a different post.  I discovered that I really enjoy supervising employees.  I even like preparing for and conducting performance reviews!  This allowed me to develop my skills supervising and motivating employees.

I counted on many mentors and coaches in my Chevron life to both model and teach leadership and management skills to me.  One of my favorites was Bob Robertson, my very first supervisor.  He remained a coach and mentor throughout my career and was available to me after he retired.

Towards the end of my career, I had a unique experience.  I got to see former employees surpass me (one even became my boss before I retired).  True leaders aren’t threatened when this happens, they are humbled and pleased.  Coaches enjoy seeing growth and improvement.  It is what drives coaches to continue.

While reflecting on the role of coaches, mentors, and leaders, I learned the following lessons:

• A coach can help you identify and address your blind spots.  I learned and grew so much while listening and taking advice from the various coaches in my life.  I dealt with a matter of integrity early on in my career.  If it hadn’t been for the guidance of my first supervisor, I wouldn’t have addressed it or succeeded in my career.  (Yes, this is another teaser for a separate post!)
• Sometimes everyone just needs a relief valve.  There have been times when I needed my coach to just be there for me and listen.  The cathartic nature of verbalizing fears, challenges, or concerns is amazing.  Having someone to be there for you without giving advice or direction is necessary.  Sometimes a coach can guide simply by listening.
• Everyone needs a coach or coaches if they want to improve in their life or career.  Different situations require different coaches.  I wouldn’t hire a leadership coach to help me improve my golf swing.  I wouldn’t talk to a life coach to help me grow my business.  There are coaches that can address many different areas of life and career.

Have you had a good coach?  What did you learn from them?  How would you describe what an effective coach is or does?  I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments on this subject.

I help my coaching clients resolve their problems by coaching them through the identification of issues and barriers standing in the way of excellence.  If you would like to discuss how coaching could help, email me at mike@mrhensonllc.com and we’ll schedule an introductory 30-minute session to see if there is value I could add to you. 

(2025-1)

Early on in my 40-year career, I was aware of the power of job titles.  At Chevron, key words gave an indication into salary grade.  As I grew in my role as a leader, job titles became less important to me.  That’s probably a good thing, because I’ve had some crazy job titles.  The most Dilbert-like title was “Manager, Strategy Development and Opportunity Identification.”  One of my daughters asked, “What do you do, look around and point to something and say there’s an opportunity?”

My favorite job title, and its evolution, is the name my grandchildren call me.  Before I was blessed with my first grandchild in 2017, I decided that if or when I became a grandfather, I wanted them to call me Scoobs.  For the most part, that has remained.  It’s had a few different evolutions by four grandchildren since 2017.

I got the nickname Scoobs in London and Paris in 2001 as I was wrapping up my Executive MBA studies.  I took my family to London for a few weeks before my study week in Paris.  One morning while we were heading to the Tube to sightsee, I strode out at a faster pace than my wife and daughters.  I recall that I was mad for some reason that I don’t remember.  My wife called out to me, but I didn’t hear.  I was hell-bent on keeping some silly schedule.  At some point, all three of them were shouting at me, shouting “Dad,” “Mike,” and “Henson.”  I finally heard and turned around and said, “Why don’t you just call me stupid?”  My older daughter didn’t quite understand and turned to my other daughter and said, “Did he say call me Scooby?”  Eventually, I got over my anger and we all laughed at the story and new nickname.

Later in Paris, our family joined all the other EMBA family for a tour somewhere.  While on the bus, my daughters told the story to my classmates.  One of them started calling me Scoobs.  My nickname hasn’t changed since 2001.

Sixteen years later in 2017, my first grandchild was born and the family formally started calling me Scoobs in her presence.  When she started talking, she referred to me as “Dew.”  What we didn’t know at the time was that she was having trouble hearing.  After she had tubes put in her ears, she still called me “Dew.”  I didn’t mind, because I was smitten by her.  Actually, I’m smitten by all my grandchildren. 

My second grandchild, my first grandson, was born late in 2018.  Since he had an older cousin, he easily followed suit by calling me either Scoobs or Dew.  Dew was easy for him to start with, and he switched to Scoobs shortly after learning to talk.

The names Dew and Scoobs were interchangeable for the next 2-3 years.  When my third grandchild was born in 2021, he continued the evolution of my grandfather name.  He easily learned Dew but insisted on adding a strong “k” on the end of it.  I was known to him as “Dewk.”   A couple of times he called me “Dewkie.”  Of course, this gave the entire family a few laughs.

The name evolution has continued with my fourth grandchild, my third grandson who was born in 2022.  He could hear his sister and cousins calling me Scoobs, but somehow it came out “Gooch.”  Of course, I didn’t mind.

As I reflected on the various names my grandchildren have called me, I learned two key things:

• The calling matters, not the name.  I love being a grandfather.  My life has been indelibly changed and improved with these four little humans.  There was a time when it looked like we wouldn’t have grandchildren.  Now I’m blessed with four amazing children.  And yes, I gladly embrace my bias! 
• What matters is the relationship.  I have developed a different relationship with each of them.  I treasure my time with them all.  I’ve decided that I really don’t care what they call me if they love me and know I love them.

During my career, these same two lessons are applicable.  I rarely cared what my title was.  I felt a little self-conscious only when one of my direct reports called me Mr. Henson.  I preferred Mike.  I had one employee who insisted on calling me “boss man.”  I thought that was funny, so I didn’t mind.  Other than that, the important thing was knowing what my job was and how to develop my team into a high-performing unit.  I utilized the relationships I developed with my team members to create or add value for Chevron.

In looking back, I should have insisted on business cards without my title.  It would have prevented explaining weird or obtuse monikers!

How about you?  What are your thoughts on job titles?  Let me know what you think by commenting on this post.

(2024-11)

I am an avid World War 2 history buff and have been for quite some time.  In my opinion, the Boeing B-17 was the most impactful airplane of the war.  It is my favorite plane of that period of history.  My love and admiration for this plane was recently rekindled when a fully restored B-17 visited New Orleans for an airshow.  On Mother’s Day, I saw a B-17 flying around the city.  It’s amazing that it’s still flying after more than 80 years.

My appreciation of this plane started in early childhood.  I remember watching the TV series “12 O’Clock High,” which originally aired on September 18, 1964.  I was a little over six years old and watched the show with Dad.  It was one of my most memorable bonding experiences.

When the movie “Memphis Belle” came out in 1990, I had to see it.  The Memphis Belle was one of the first B-17s to complete 25 bombing missions.  The actual plane was restored starting in 2005 and is displayed at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio.

This past year, “Masters of the Air” showcased this aircraft as it chronicled the actions of the 100^th Bombing Group.  If you are a WW2 history fan like me, I’d recommend watching it (currently streaming on Apple TV).  After viewing this mini-series, I spent some time reviewing the history of this iconic aircraft. 

The B-17 was designated Model 299 by its designer, Boeing.  It was the sole four-engine aircraft in a 1935 bomber competition called by the U.S. Army Air Corps (which was later spun off into the U.S. Air Force in 1947).  Although the 299 lost the competition for a production contract (due to a freak accident caused by pilot error), the 299’s performance was well liked by the USAAC.  Thirteen Model 299s were purchased as experimental bombers.  The designation was changed to YB-17 and some slight modifications were made to the original Model 299 design.

The B-17 was believed to be outdated before the start of WW2.  It proved those critics wrong, becoming known for its rugged durability.   A total of 12,731 B-17s were produced over a ten-year period.  During the war Boeing was joined by Douglas Aircraft and the Vega subsidiary of Lockheed in manufacturing this plane.  Many stories exist of battered B-17s making it back to base after bombing missions.  One severely damaged B-17F (named “All American” by her crew) continued to fly after colliding with a German Bf-109 fighter, eventually landing without crew injuries.

There are still a few B-17s that are in flying condition.  The owners of these fine aircrafts sell rides on them.  I made a goal after retiring to take a ride in a restored B-17 then decided that the cost of the ride was a luxury I couldn’t justify.  When the plane flew over on Mother’s Day, I instantly regretted this decision.

As I reflected on the success of the B-17, I identified a few leadership or life lessons:

1. Quality that lasts can have dramatic impact.  The B-17 was the right bomber design at the right time.  It had a profound impact on the outcome of the fight against Nazi Germany.
2. Newer isn’t always better.  The B-24 bomber was a newer four-engine heavy bomber that also had a big role in WW2.  While the B-24 was also a good airplane, the B-17 was the more durable one.
3. Adaptability is the key to remaining relevant.  The B-17 had at least eight different models from test to retirement from active service.  Each new model helped maintain its relevance in combat.
4. Carpe Diem (Seize the Day).  I regret my decision earlier this year and have decided to ride a B-17 at the next available opportunity.  As a leader, if you have a vision, you should pursue it!

What is something “tried and true” in your life and/or work that can be adapted instead of replacing?  Do you have a plan to remain relevant in your life and career?  If you don’t, reach out to me (mike@mrhensonllc.com) to help with a personal development plan.  If I can add value to you, I’d love to help.

Also, what is your favorite WW2 airplane (if you have one) and why?

(2024-10)

You’ve heard the expression that time flies when you’re having fun.  I firmly believe it!  It recently dawned on me that five years ago on September 1, 2019, I retired from Chevron after over 40 years.  I find it hard to fathom!  I can’t believe five years have passed. 

I decided to look back on the last five years and to ask myself a few questions:

• What pre-conceived notions did I have about retirement?
• Was retirement what I envisioned?
• What have I missed not having a full-time paying job?
• What don’t I miss about working full time?
• What should I do differently (if anything)?

My retirement started off like many retirements – we took our family on a three-week trip to Thailand.  On our outbound flight, I hit my two-million-mile mark with United.  It was fitting to hit this milestone with my family, who had sacrificed so much while I traveled extensively for work.

We had a blast in Thailand and saw so many wonderful sights.  The Thai people are very friendly and nice.  We enjoyed many fun experiences that probably justify their own post.  Stay tuned for details on the trip.

We brought two grandchildren with us on this trip.  The older had just turned two and the younger was nine months old.  Traveling with young children is an experience in itself!

When we returned from Thailand, we settled into our New Orleans home (and put our Houston condo on the market).  My wife and I told our daughters that we would provide backup childcare.  This is not your stereotypical retirement plan (or at least what the TV commercials say), but it’s what we wanted to do to support both of our daughters.

We also spent some time studying where we wanted our retirement to be based.  We selected a few states outside of Louisiana to have our primary residence due to tax structures.  One of these states was Tennessee.  We scheduled a family vacation in Tennessee to check it out.

Right after Mardi Gras 2020, the COVID epidemic and resultant lockdowns struck.  This shook our world.  In May of 2020, we heard that Tennessee had started to open from the lockdown.  We planned a one-week trip at an Airbnb in Gatlinburg with the family to explore the Greater Smokey Mountain Park area.  We spent a week there and thoroughly loved the area.  Julie and I took a trip to east Tennessee in September to look at properties.  We found a property we liked and put in an offer.  After a lengthy process, we closed on our place late in October. 

Back to those five questions I mentioned earlier:

• Pre-conceived notions: I knew I wanted to spend more time with my family.  Because I traveled so much in my job, I initially had no big desire to travel other than our family trip to Thailand.  I’m sure I thought I’d be traveling more with family.  I’ve been able to consult periodically, which I hadn’t planned on.  That’s been a way to stay relevant in my field without taking a lot of time away from family.  One big thought I had, and I’ve been able to mostly adhere to it – no more alarm clocks!
• Is retirement what I envisioned?  I am spending much more time with my family.  Our grandchildren have doubled from two to four.  That’s been an intense joy in my life.  Even though we don’t travel like TV commercials would depict, we’re happy around family.  That’s more important to me.  There have also been a few significant emotional events:
  • My trip down the Grand Canyon (https://mrhensonllc.com/you-did-what/)
  • The death of my father and the resultant work as executor of his estate (https://mrhensonllc.com/bittersweet-transition/)
  • Just recently, my sister Laura died at age 69.  She was so much more than a sister to me.  She was a dear friend.  I will post more about her in the future.
• There are a few things I have missed about having a full-time job: 
  • People:  this is my greatest loss.  I had a great team and very fun projects with good colleagues (and negotiation counterparties). 
  • Travel:  I miss exciting places like Brazil, Panama, Singapore, the Netherlands, London, and Turkey.  It was fun to visit these places, meet nice people, eat some incredible food, and see so many cool sights.  Traveling business class and on expense report was awesome!
  • Mental Stimulation: I rarely had a day that didn’t challenge me significantly.  There were personnel issues, negotiations, logistics, and other projects that kept me on my toes.
• There are also a few things I don’t miss about working (some more than others):
  • Travel: while I enjoyed the parts I mentioned earlier, I don’t miss the stress and physical strain of so much travel.  One of the last years I worked I had numerous international trips (Nine to Brazil, four to Singapore, two to Europe, one to Turkey, and a handful to Panama) and a few trips to California from Texas.  I don’t miss the pain of early morning wakeups to get to the airport, flight delays, flight cancellations, and sleeping in hotels all the time.  A couple of times I woke up and didn’t remember where I was.  Business travel sounds so romantic and adventurous, but it comes at a price. I grew quite weary.
  • Meetings: while I enjoyed the social interaction with colleagues, I tired of meetings that weren’t effective.
  • Corporate Bureaucracy:  there is a comfort of working in a large corporation.  One of the downsides is the number of hurdles and hoops to getting things done well.  I had a work colleague who had the right term for this stuff – administrivia.  I had not heard that term until he shared it with me.  I don’t miss administrivia!

I’ve learned three lessons in my first five years of retirement:

• There’s so much more to life than work!  Family is very important to me.  I love my family, and I am glad I get to spend more time with them.  I enjoy supporting my daughters and their families.  I joke with my former Chevron colleagues that I don’t know how I found time to come into the office.  My days seem to be very full and rewarding.
• Grandchildren make you feel both very young and old at the same time!  It has been marvelous and great to spend so much time with my grandchildren (currently ranging from two to seven years old).  I get a kick out of seeing things through their eyes.  I am invigorated playing with them.  At the end of the day though, I can tell the impact on my body!
• When you’re doing what you love, time does pass quickly.  I’ve had so much fun the past five years.  It’s a blessing to watch my grandchildren grow up.  It’s also a blessing spending more time with my wife.  We’ve been married more than 45 years, and that time has passed so quickly.  I’m also blessed to be able to support my daughters and their families.

My bottom line – I’m glad I retired when I did.  I missed the COVID pandemic and its massive change to working conditions.  I’m glad I don’t have to travel and go through security so many times now!  I have no regrets about retirement and can’t wait to see what the future brings.

If you are working full-time now, please take heed of my first lesson.  When I was employed, I tried to “work to live” instead of “living to work” and I’m glad I did.  It helped me adjust easily into retirement.

If you’d like to discuss this further, please contact me via email (mike@mrhensonllc.com).

(2024-09)

A dear friend of mine had a great saying she shared with me many years ago – “Books are your friends!”  I believe this, don’t you?

I love books and I love to read.  I started collecting books in ninth grade when I joined the Military Book Club (I’ve been a WW2 history buff for as long as I can remember!).  My passion for collecting books really got turbocharged in high school.  I worked for a publisher who also owned and ran a bookstore.  As an employee I got a discount on any book I purchased.  My collection (and perhaps obsession) expanded exponentially. During this time, I got to meet many authors which further fueled my book purchasing!

I continued to add to my library after I got married and went to work full-time.  I accumulated so many books and moved so often that my father-in-law refused to move my books!

I started tracking the books I read over thirty years ago.  In 2013, I joined Goodreads to automate this tracking.  If you are a reader, I recommend Goodreads to keep track of what you read as well as learning what your friends are reading.  Go to www.goodreads.com to sign up.  (I don’t get any compensation for this referral; I just think it’s a good tool and want to share.)

I did a web search on the positive benefits of reading.  There are many articles on the subject.  Quite a few of them are from medical journals or health websites.  One of these sites (https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-reading-books#bypass-tv) states that research shows that regular reading improves brain connectivity, increases your vocabulary and comprehension, empowers you to empathize with other people, aids in sleep readiness, reduces stress, lowers blood pressure and heart rate, fights depression symptoms, prevents cognitive decline as you age, and contributes to a longer life.  I am glad that research validates the positive impacts of reading!

I recall but can’t document a survey that was done on the reading habits of CEOs.  The headline was that CEOs on average read 60 books per year.  That’s more than one book per week!  I have read at least 52 books per year for the past few years.  When I began, my goal was much lower, but I worked up to it.  It’s not easy but is doable.  I didn’t start setting a goal for this much though.  I worked up to it.  Also, my reading really took off when I started flying internationally for work.  There are only so many movies you can watch!

I try to balance my reading.  This is the third year in a row that I’ve set a goal to read more nonfiction than fiction.  As I reviewed my reading four years ago, it was heavily weighted with fiction.  I learn so much through nonfiction.  I split my reading into the following big categories:  fiction, self-development/leadership, history, spiritual, and current events.  I’m enjoying greater balance in my reading.  I apply this shift in all modes (hardcover/paperback, Kindle, and Audible audiobooks).

What lessons have I learned through reading?

• Books ARE your friends!  I started keeping books that give me joy.  I periodically look through my books and donate those that no longer give me joy.  I feel calm and peaceful looking at my collection.  I have a lot of “friends” there!
• Leaders are readers.  I also did a web search on the reading habits of leaders.  I found a great quote from Harry Truman (see illustration).  I also found quite a few good articles when I did an internet search for “leaders are readers.”  There were articles from Forbes and Harvard Business Review along with many other sites.
• Fiction is a fun diversion.  I feel better about reading fiction than binge watching TV.  It seems to have a good effect on my mind.
• Audiobooks are an excellent way to “read” books.  I remember borrowing audiobooks from a library back when they were on cassette or CD.  Now that you can stream them through apps on your phone, it is so much easier.  It’s a good way to learn while you’re exercising and is an awesome way to enjoy long road trips!

How about you – do you like to read?  What are you currently reading?  What’s been the most impactful book you’ve read in the past year or so?  Let me know either by posting a comment to this post (or Facebook or LinkedIn).

If you’d like to discuss this further, please contact me via email (mike@mrhensonllc.com).

(2024-08)

I believe that inspiration and learning is improved through direct exposure to leaders in a particular field.  I’ve been very fortunate to meet many masters in the self-development field.  In high school, one of my first dates with my wife was to see Norman Vincent Peale (author of “The Power of Positive Thinking”) speak.  I know what you’re thinking – how romantic!

I’ve been interested in personal development for a very long time.  Norman Vincent Peale was one of the first self-improvement authors that I read.  I read six of his books while in high school and college.  I can’t remember how I found out he was speaking in New Orleans, but when I heard about it, I asked Julie if she would go with me.  I still can’t believe she agreed to go!

Dr. Peale didn’t stay around after his talk, so I didn’t have the opportunity to interact with him one-on-one.  I was young, bold, and brazen, so after a while I went to the hotel he was staying at and asked to speak to him in his room (this was back when you could get a hotel operator to connect you to the room directly).  Dr. Peale’s wife answered the phone and graciously turned down my request to speak to her husband.  She was very nice but held firm to giving her husband time to rest after a very long day.  I’m still shocked that I went this far to meet him.

I’ve also had the privilege of meeting the following masters and authors in the self-development field:

• Zig Ziglar:  I worked for a company that published two of his books.  His book “See You at The Top” was quite impactful to me.  I read it in either 11^th or 12^th grade.  I had the honor of meeting Mr. Ziglar later when the publisher released the book “Confessions of a Happy Christian.”  Mr. Ziglar was a very nice person – very friendly and easy to talk to.

• Scott Adams:  I know he’s not known as a self-development expert, but his office humor was very popular early in my career.  I met him at a conference.  After his talk, he signed books.  I bought four of his books and got in line for his signature.  When I got to him, he asked me “How do you like working at Chevron?”   I asked him how he knew – he pointed out the Chevron pen in my pocket and proceeded to tell me that when he worked at a bank in downtown San Francisco (then the corporate headquarters of Chevron), the bank gave the tellers instructions that if anyone had a Chevron pen, that was all they needed to cash a check!  Great story, and I was impressed with how friendly he was.

• W. Edwards Deming:  I’ve told in another one of my posts how I met Dr. Deming at one of his four-day seminars.  Despite his grumpy stage persona, engagement with him was easy.
• John C. Maxwell:  If you know me, you know that John Maxwell is my favorite leadership author.  I got to meet “my friend John” at his house in 2010.  I attended a certification session and got to have dinner at John’s house.  I went straight to Charlie Wetzel, John’s writing companion.  I wanted to meet Charlie because I read in one of John’s books that he graduated from my alma mater, the University of New Orleans.  As Charlie and I talked, we found out that we graduated the same year – an amazing small world experience!  Charlie then personally introduced me to John and the three of us spoke for a while before John had to speak to all attendees.  John Maxwell is an amazing leadership guru and it was a pleasure to engage him.  He truly lives out one of his books – “Everyone Communicates but Few Connect!”

When I look back on meeting these fine people, I realized a few things:

• Fame doesn’t affect humble leaders.  Zig Ziglar was an incredibly humble man.  He gladly took time to talk to a young idealistic young man.  Even the gruff Dr. Deming was approachable.  Indeed, all the five masters I mention were very nice, enjoyable, and easily engaged.
• Growing and learning are important and pay dividends.  I started my personal development journey in high school.  It’s been a fun ride.   I continue to focus on developing my strengths and learning new things.  I want to add value to others.  To do this, I must remain relevant.
• Everyone, even the masters, enjoy positive feedback.  I’ve been fortunate not to have been “star struck” in any of my encounters with famous people.  I also found that a simple statement of appreciation for their work is well received.  I’ve learned to prepare at least one sentence to say, because you never know when you’ll get the opportunity to interact.  This paid off particularly when I met Scott Adams.

Who are your personal heroes?  Have you ever met any of them?  How did that go?

I’ve learned (and John Maxwell exemplifies this) that I should never stop learning and growing.  Do you have a personal growth plan?  If you don’t, please send me an email if you’d like help developing one.  I can be reached at mike@mrhensonllc.com. 

(2024-07)

According to dictionary.com, one definition of the word “raw” is “brutally or grossly frank.”  Using this definition, is brutal frankness good for a leader?  Should leaders welcome raw feedback?  I believe that raw feedback is good for a leader.  Feedback freely given without fear of reprisal indicates that an open, honest environment exists.

One of my favorite memories from my time as a leader at Chevron was when one of my team members called me an asshole in a public setting.  I’m proud of this story.

I was the lead negotiator for a project in Brazil.  One of my team members, Candice, was designated as the second chair as part of her development plan.  We had planned an intense week of negotiations.  As we wrapped up our internal planning the week prior, I asked the team what would be the worst thing that could happen (a standard safe practice we used).  Candice said the worst thing she could think of was that I would miss my flight connection and she would have to lead discussions until I arrived.  We all got a laugh out of this at the time.  I said I should be able to get a flight out the next day, so we’d only have a 24-hour gap where Candice would have to lead.  I wrapped up the planning session and headed to the airport to catch my flight to New Orleans for the weekend.  The team was to meet at the Houston airport Sunday evening for our overnight flight to Brazil.

After a short weekend with my family in New Orleans, I headed to the airport for my flight to Houston.  I was scheduled to leave New Orleans after 4:00 p.m. and arrive in Houston at 5:25. This would be a tight connection, as we were scheduled to depart for Rio de Janeiro a little after 8:00 p.m.  I had made this connection many times in the past year or so without any issues.

When I got to the New Orleans airport, I found out my flight to Houston was delayed due to weather in the area.  I sent Candice a text message with my status to keep her posted – it would be close!  We landed in Houston very late.  I was two terminals away from the Rio departure gate and I only had 30 minutes to make it.  I sent a text update but got no response.  (Little did I know – Candice and the team were at the departure gate anxiously awaiting my arrival.) 

At that time, I was a United Global Services member.  Since I had very little time to make my international flight, they met me at my arrival gate and drove me to the Rio departure gate across the airport tarmac.  I tried calling and texting, but Candice couldn’t hear her phone.  The gate agents checked my passport and visa and allowed me to pre-board with a few passengers in wheelchairs.

I settled into my seat in business class and was served a pre-flight drink as the rest of the passengers were boarding.  I could hear my team coming onboard.  When Candice made eye contact with me, she blurted out “asshole!”  A person sitting close by asked her if she knew me and she sheepishly responded that I was her boss (he got a kick out of that!).

I was not offended at all by this.  I knew that Candice (and the rest of the team) didn’t want to start negotiations without me.  When she saw that I had made it on the plane (and had a drink in my hand), she was very relieved.  I thought it was funny.  We still laugh about this story.

As I remembered this story, I thought this sort of raw, reactive feedback was a good indicator that I had created an environment where everyone on the team was free to provide me unadulterated feedback.

Shortly after this story, my thoughts were validated by a new member of our team (who was joining us for a six-month rotational assignment).  After her first team meeting, I asked what she thought of our team meeting.  She told me that the free, open communication was the best she’d ever seen in a team setting in front of the boss.  She even asked me how we did it – an excellent teaching moment.  I told her I wanted everyone to be open, honest, and direct with me.  I knew I had blind spots as a manager that could be covered by the opinions and thoughts of other team members.  I needed their perspective and wanted no fear of reprisal.  Her feedback validated that I had developed the right culture.

 I learned a couple of leadership lessons from these remembrances:

• Open feedback to leaders is crucial for their growth, improvement, and success.  By allowing my team to provide raw, reactive feedback without fear of reprisal made sure I got the varied perspectives of my team.  I think open feedback is an important contributor to organizational success.
• Open and honest communication in a team fosters a culture of trust, respect, and collaboration.  By encouraging open and honest communication, I showed my team members that I respected their opinions and valued their contributions to the team.

I’d be interested in your thoughts and comments.  Do you believe open and honest feedback helps a leader and develops an environment of trust?  Have you had any good (or bad) examples of open and honest feedback in a team environment?

If you’d like to discuss this further, please contact me via email (mike@mrhensonllc.com) or comment on this post.

(2024-06)

Sometimes accidents and incidents happen when you least expect it.  We’ve heard the phrase “stuff happens” (or the vulgar version) to depict many unfortunate events. In my opinion, this phrase is overused to the point that people can shrug off preventable incidents.   Should we always expect accidents?  Why is it that some people, companies, or industries do better than others?  What role does organizational culture play?

These questions came to me after a couple of recent events.  On March 18, 2024, I received a blanket email from United Airlines’ CEO addressing management concerns over several incidents that occurred in the previous months.  The CEO spoke about how United Airlines had been trying to build a new culture over “the past few years.”  The CEO also made this statement – “We empower our team to speak up and raise their hand if they see something wrong.”  I wondered if this was why they sent the email, or if it was in reaction to the negative publicity they had received.

One week later (March 25, 2024), a broad management shake-up was announced by Boeing.  The airplane manufacturer has been under the microscope due to numerous issues related to the quality of their aircraft (737-MAX in particular), as well as procedures of repairs and maintenance at Boeing facilities.  In addition to this announcement, there have been two whistleblower deaths at Boeing.  Their stories tell of a lax and complacent culture.  I don’t know how much of the stories are speculation, but it sounds like Boeing has a safety culture issue.

After receiving the United email and the Boeing changes were announced, I did a couple of simple internet searches – “United Airlines safety incidents” and “importance of safety culture.”  The first search yielded several stories concerning United.  After reviewing them, it’s clear to me that United management needs to address the apparent lapse in discipline concerning safety.  The second search confirmed my belief that culture, as set and enforced by strong leadership, is the best way to improve safe operations.  I’ll speak more on this later.

United Airlines is facing two primary challenges stemming from the series of mishaps.  The first of these is customer dissatisfaction (and resultant loss of revenue).  Given the choice, customers will fly on airlines that haven’t had accidents or negative publicity.   Another issue facing United is an increase in scrutiny from regulatory bodies.  Increased regulatory oversight is necessary but can complicate a business’ efforts to improve.

Can the culture reinforced by leadership have a direct impact on safe operations?  I believe so.  The research validates my belief.  I remember when Chevron instituted a new safety policy – Stop Work Authority (SWA).  The leadership was very vocal and visible, encouraging any employee to stop work when they observe unsafe conditions.  I felt confident in upper management support of this policy and reinforced it in my operations.  I had the opportunity to support it also by supporting employees who stopped work at customer’s facilities due to unsafe conditions.  In effect, we fired the customer until they could improve safe operations.  This sent a strong message to front-line employees that SWA wasn’t simply something printed on a card.  I was able to contrast this with BP’s apparent culture after the Deepwater Horizon incident.  Sir John Brown (then CEO of BP) testified before the U.S. Congress that BP had an SWA policy in effect also.  My reading about the Deepwater Horizon incident tells me this policy wasn’t fully implemented and supported by leadership.

I saw firsthand the effect a leader can have on the culture of their team.  An organization I was responsible for at Chevron (one of five global manufacturing units) had a particularly poor safety performance.  I took responsibility for this and called for a one-day safety standdown for all our plants.  We arranged each plant to have a facilitated day focused on discussing ways to improve the safety of each plant.  While this was going on, all the supervisors and plant managers convened offsite.  The supervisors and plant managers met to discuss our record and ways to improve it.  As the leader of the organization, I both opened and closed this session.  My introductory remarks were designed to be motivational.  For the kick-off, I pointed out the responsibility of each supervisor for the safety culture and performance of their team.  I also told them the importance of accountability for the improvement.  I made sure each supervisor and plant manager knew that their performance rating (and subsequent bonus and salary treatment) would be affected by the performance of their unit.  I followed through with this during the year-end salary treatment discussion with my plant managers.  I also knew that my rating was affected by our performance.  The team rallied and improved their results the following year.

I’ve learned through my experience at Chevron that the leader sets the tone for the organization.  This is a large part of forming the organizational culture.  As a leader, I knew that I needed to take full responsibility for all results of my team.

I’ve also learned that leadership actions speak louder than words on a policy document.  This was validated by my personal observation of the difference between Chevron and BP.  The words of the United Airlines’ CEO’s email were appropriate, as were the Boeing CEO’s words.  Whether or not the increased focus on safety by United Airlines, as well as the Boeing management shake-up improve safe operations is yet to be determined.  I hope so.

I also believe that words without accountability are not effective.  The Boeing management change is a good indicator of accountability at the top.  I hope the change trickles down to the entire organization.

I’d be interested in your thoughts and comments.  Do you believe leadership has a strong influence on organizational culture?  Can culture make the difference between excellence or mediocrity?  Have you seen an organization that has confidence or mistrust in their leadership?  Is accountability as important as I’ve shared?

If you’d like to discuss this further, please contact me via email (mike@mrhensonllc.com) or comment on this post.

(2024-05)

What style of a leader would you say you are?  I had a couple conversations recently where someone told me I was a servant leader.  Another person told me that my style really impressed him.  When he saw the impact of my leadership expressed at my retirement party in 2019, this impact (expressed by the audience comments) became a vision for his leadership style.  That discussion was very humbling to me.  (It got me thinking about my leadership style, and how many different styles of leadership there are.) 

It had been a long time since I examined my leadership style and tried to categorize it.  The last time I did that was in an MBA class on leadership I had in 2000-2001.  For our individual term paper, the professor required us to write a paper with references and a visual that detailed our leadership model.  I published my term paper as one of my first blog posts (see https://mrhensonllc.com/my-personal-leadership-model/ for the post).

I recently reread Robert Greenleaf’s classic “Servant Leadership.”  This book, which was radical when released, is one of the seminal works on the servant leadership style.  The author lobbies for application of servant leadership to education, business, foundations, and most forms of organizations.  I related to most (if not all) of the author’s positions.  If you haven’t read this book, I recommend it.

I decided to find out how many different styles of leadership exist through an internet search.  This yielded many opinions and lists of leadership styles.  The various websites I visited indicated that there are anywhere from six to twelve leadership styles.  Most had other names for similar styles.  A lot of the articles pull the foundational three leadership styles from a study by psychologist Kurt Lewin in 1939.  Lewin’s study contrasted authoritarian, democratic, or laissez-faire leadership and its effectiveness on children’s art projects.

I was surprised at the different websites that offered opinions or descriptions of different leadership styles.  I expected the Harvard Business Review to have an article on the subject.  They didn’t disappoint.  Not only do they list various styles, but they give good advice on when to use the various styles.  Check it out at https://hbr.org/2024/04/6-common-leadership-styles-and-how-to-decide-which-to-use-when and see for yourself.

I got a lot of information and insight from this review.  While there is no consensus on the number and name of various styles, there seems to be agreement that the most successful leaders flex their style depending on the issue(s) they face.  My experience with good (and not-so-good) leaders validates this thesis.

Many years ago, one of the employees on my team gave me some excellent feedback when they were transferred to another unit.  They told me I was like an umbrella for the team.  I took the rain and other “stuff” that rolls downhill and let the rest of the team carry on without disruption.  I was humbled by this also.

After reviewing both the feedback I’ve received about my performance, my personal leadership model, and my recent internet search, I’ve solidified my thinking around styles of leadership.

There are indeed many different styles.  There are many different humans in leadership roles.  Each will be unique.  They will also apply what they’ve witnessed of others (both good and bad).  I believe it’s both nature and nurture.

I also believe that a leader should be aware of their preferred style of leadership.  Knowing your primary style allows you to share it with your team.  Also, as you are aware of your preferred style of leadership, you can also be aware of when it might not be as effective as it should be.  This will allow you to flex your leadership to best fit the situation facing you as a leader.

According to the Harvard Business Review, “Research suggests that the most effective leaders adapt their style to different circumstances — be it a change in setting, a shift in organizational dynamics, or a turn in the business cycle. That’s why you need to stay attuned to your environment, understand your impact on others, and adjust your approach accordingly.” 

My preferred style of leadership is to be a servant leader.  I recognize there are situations I’ve faced where I needed to flex my style to be more effective.  I’ve also learned from my mistakes where I didn’t adapt and change my leadership style to fit unique issues.

How about you – what type of leader are you?  What type of leadership do you perform best under?  Would you like help in assessing your style of leadership, or in adapting your style?  Drop me a line (mike@mrhensonllc.com) if you’d like to discuss further.

As always, please share your thoughts and feedback on this subject.