Leadership Works

The late Congressman John Lewis was an exemplary leader his entire life. He brought an abundance of empathy, he encouraged the hearts of many he came in contact with, he challenged others to act for good and he modeled a better way for others to emulate. Episode 6 takes quotes from the life and speeches of John Lewis and applies them to your leadership journey.

Dr. John Bedker brings his insights and lived experiences to relate famous quotes from Congressman Lewis to the world of leadership. In the case of John Lewis, imitation can be a sincere form of flattery. This episode makes a compelling case for imitation in what John Lewis said and what he did.

In this episode, Dr. John Bedker reviews the recent article from the McKinsey Quarterly, authored by two Stanford Professors, Hayagreeva Rao and Robert Sutton. The article acts as an important tool for leaders - a checklist. The checklist offered by Rao and Sutton is designed for leaders in troubled times...a time we are clearly in. Written by academics, this article is noteworthy in its several operational guiding principles.

Dr. John Bedker has a rich history of bringing training and knowledge to practice. The article presented in this episode details several guiding principles of timely value in our pandemic world. The connections shared from theory to practice are compelling for scholars and leaders.

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This episode details an instance where a leader chooses the good of the military service over his individual life as a military officer to bring to a close the bullying and intimidation by President Trump.

Lieutenant Colonel Vindman, an active-duty Army officer working for the National Security Council, served the Army and his country with exemplary service and distinction. Lieutenant Colonel Vindman chose the good of the Army and the best interests of his profession rather than his own interests to pursue the Army life he loved. This is an episode of true character. A mark of a real leader.

Dr. John Bedker speaks to the uncommon values of Alexander Vindman. It is these uncommon values that are markers of a great leader.

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“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights…”

During this 4th of July 2020 holiday episode, we’ll dive into the Declaration of Independence and relate this historic document and its preamble’s iconic words to the values represented by leaders today.

The focus of Episode 3 is on significant disruption; disruption to our health care system via the coronavirus pandemic, which has led to our economic system experiencing significant disruption in employment, business failures, and diminishing prospects for workers’ future economic security. These parallel and related disruptors to the lives of many Americans have enabled the Band-Aid to come off of other systemic societal woes as well. Among these include inequalities in longstanding systemic racism, policing, education, employment and pay.

We’ll discuss the many challenges leaders face in these troubled times in our nation’s calling “to form a more perfect union,” on this 4th of July holiday. Leaders must lead in ways that all humans will be treated equally. A leadership challenge, to be sure.

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Non Sibi Sed Patriae - not for self, but for country.

In this episode, we’ll explore the removal of Captain Brett Crozier, United States Navy, from command of the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.

Captain Crozier was the Commanding Officer of the United States nuclear aircraft carrier, Theodore Roosevelt. Following an outbreak of COVID-19 onboard the Roosevelt a series of significant leadership events transpired. Crozier followed procedure and communicated the events onboard the Roosevelt to his Chain of Command. He put his crew and his ship before his personal self-interest. The leadership message displayed by Crozier is clear: Non Sibi Sed Patriae - not for self, but for country.

The politicization of military leadership, and the politicization of a Commanding Officer’s judgment and decision making, critical leadership core competencies for any leader, are brought to light. Dr. John Bedker, a former Naval Officer and Commanding Officer, brings his unique experience and insight to this analysis of leadership.

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“The World has loved, hated and envied the U.S. Now, for the first time, we pity it.”

Episode 1 of The Leadership Works Podcast shares a fact-based review of the leadership practices of the President of the United States. Fintan O’Toole, a celebrated Irish journalist, writes of the world’s view of America during the Trump administration. As Finton writes, words matter and the truth matters. America has been loved, hated and envied. Now Fenton writes, America is to be pitied.

This episode begins with remarks given by Martin Baron, the editor of the Washington Post, at the Harvard Class of 2020 virtual graduation. Bacon makes the point that facts matter for leaders. To be trusted, leaders need to demonstrate trustworthy behavior. Trustworthy behavior begins with telling the truth.

Dr. John Bedker shares with the listeners the need and benefits of reflection for leaders. Leaders benefit by “looking in the mirror,” seeing, hearing and learning from the voices of those that witness the leader in action. The erosion of trust as a result of a leader’s departure from facts and truth has a consequence. Leaders need to reflect on the voice they share and the true voices they hear from others. Facts and truth are determinative for leaders.

Please enjoy!

An introduction to John Bedker, and the Leadership Works podcast.