Page 111 - Leadership Lessons of the White House Fellows

THE LESSONS

threats when there are so many other competing demands for those
resources; the ability to enlist public support for improved security despite
the trade-offs in lost time and possible inconvenience; the determination to
remain vigilant despite the inevitable lulls and false alarms—this all required
strong, consistent leadership. Because of what happened at Logan we knew
that we would be in the national spotlight and that Logan would be the
yardstick by which anxious travelers around the country would measure how
well the nation, and the nation’s airports, had responded to the new day that
dawned on September 12, 2001. That put a special obligation on us to make
sure Logan got it right. The way we looked at it, rebuilding public confi-
dence in America’s air travel system would begin with us at Logan. ‘Lead,
follow, or get out of the way’ was our motto.”
A leader’s basic task is to keep people energized and focused on accom-
plishing the organization’s mission. As a White House Fellow, Craig Coy
saw how a date to brief the president of the United States and his cabinet
energized entire departments to get their acts together and get the job done.
Years later at Massport, he created a can-do atmosphere in which workers
were driven to a nearly superhuman level of achievement—all because he
maintained a sense of urgency that neither overwhelmed them nor allowed
for a moment’s lethargy. Striking that perfect balance is the mark of a great
leader, and the first step toward achieving that balance is initiating a
dialogue.
That’s what effective leaders do: They create a sense of urgency by
communicating with their team to set a goal and a workable time line for
achieving it. They hold team members accountable by checking their progress
at regular intervals. They encourage their team by being responsive to their
questions and concerns and by providing positive feedback. They are flexible
and always willing to change course if something is impeding success.
Great leaders create a sense of urgency by conveying a bold vision that
captures people’s imagination about what can be accomplished in the
future. They go one step further by getting all the members of their team
to see and feel the need for change.

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