Business Principles start with the Star Leadership Model
First a little background into how the Star Leadership Model was developed. My first two years as a staff instructor I taught very little and was taught very much. By this I went to several instructor level schools and was gone most of the time. The training commander Captain Bob "Banzai" Wilson teamed me up with the "fair haired boy" Jack Strenges. I followed him like a little puppy and did whatever I was told. I was his "probie". As time passed he was what I aspired to be like. One day on the firearms range while Jack and I were preparing for a class he began to tell me how in time I would become the "Senior Trainer" (a coveted title and position) and would take on the leadership mantle. Jack began to talk to me using words like integrity, character and honor. He had never spoken like this to me before. Our relationship changed that day and so did I.
Rick Myers, a mentor and Senior Trainer told me that "people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care!" From that time on I watched Jack & Rick not only to glean what they knew but how they successfully imparted it to others. Their styles were completely different, but extremely effective. To this day they are both regarded as Training Icons! Besides Jack & Rick, five other men helped mold me not only as a Trainer but a Teacher. They are Craig Wiles, Pat Lynch, Billy Sandman, Norm Owens and John Kish. The following leadership model is dedicated to them.
John Maxwell, the "Father of Leadership" as I say teaches us that Leadership is influence plain and simple. Plain to me but not simple to do. I was learning all the "head knowledge" of the different disciplines I needed to teach and on the inside was the "heart knowledge" (real desire to help), however I needed a way or tool to me bring those two knowledges together that could have influence on my law enforcement brothers and sisters and actually help them. It is more than influence, Leadership is a Privilege!
The Star Leadership Model was developed from the combat handgun class I taught on a regular basis. While instructing the students on these five basic fundamentals I realized a correlation between these principles in not only business but life. This was the "tool" I was looking for. Lets examine each of the five fundamentals below to take an in-depth look to see how they became the basis of the Star Leadership Model.
1. Stance
2. Grip
3. Sight Alignment
4. Sight Picture
5. Trigger Control
Star Leadership Principle #1. Stance
1. Stance: In combat the position of your body in relationship to the threat can help or hinder the outcome. Optimal position is one that allows you to move quickly (making adjustments) and shoot accurately (firm foundation when possible) and utilize cover (protection) when available.
Thats how its taught, this is how we apply it; My "Stance" is not where I stand but what I Stand On?! What truth, law or principle is the foundation of which you are standing on, in life and in business? The optimal position in life or business is a foundation built on something solid, long lasting, time tested and able to apply.
For example: In law enforcement, when I make a traffic stop for speeding or any other infraction, my authority comes from something outside of myself. What I mean is that I am able to "stand on" the uniform traffic codes of the state I work in. If I was just stopping people because I wanted to, not only do I have no authority to do so but would open myself, my agency and even my home to liability. One "Stance" gives me legal and proper authority to take action and the other creates civil and or criminal action towards me.
Another example would be a foundation built on money. Money makes a great servant but a terrible boss. It's value changes daily (moment by moment sometimes). If my decisions are only money based, there is no security. Ask yourself how often you look at your bank accounts (assets) and why? The old statement is; "you can't take it with you, however you can send it ahead!"
A successful Stance is all about the relationship whether in your professional or personal life it is the relationship that is the most important. How many times have you heard that "the customer is always right". Thats wrong! It is not about being right or wrong, it is about cultivating the relationship - ALWAYS!!!
Bottom line: Stance is all about The Relationship!
When I would teach this I would have the students make a catchers glove using both of their hands. In the picture to the right my oldest son Joshua has both hands making contact at the thumbs and palms forming a seal.
Have you ever thought of the significance of our thumbs - stay with me here. Kathleen Damonte a teacher of seventh-grade science at Julius West Middle School in Rockville, Maryland writes: "Having opposable thumbs helps in grasping things more easily, picking up small objects, and eating with one hand." Kathleen goes on to give a list of everyday tasks which now become a chore if we are able to do them at all without our thumbs.
A proper two-handed combat grip does more than securely hold the weapon, the thumbs act as a guide or set of night sights pointing the weapon in the direction you need it when visibility is inhibited. Quick disclaimer: never point a weapon at anything you don't wish to destroy and never fire at what you can not identify. I know, I know, this is not a firearms class but people are notorious for taking things out of context (admittedly I have done this also - don't tell anybody).
3. Sight Alignment: Is the relationship between the front and rear sight of the pistol and the shooters eye, all aligned in a straight line.
4. Sight Picture: Aligning the front and rear sight and the shooters eye so that the target appears to be resting upon the front sight with equal spacing between the rear sight blades. A correct sight picture includes both sight alignment and aiming point of the intended target.
Thats how its taught and this is how we apply it; Sighting is a "Fine Motor Skill" which means the use of small muscle groups (fingers, wrist, toes, ect) in coordination with ones sight. An everyday example of this is putting your keys into your car door or home door lock. You feel that you can do this blind-folded at times because of how many times you have done it in the past.
Last year Carey and I adopted our youngest son Caleb. He was four months old when we got him. We watched how he would try to pick things up with his hands and track things with his eyes and not be able to do what we know is a simpler task for him. Fine motor skills take time to develop for adults as well.
Can you remember the last time you "lost" your fine motor skills and what happened to cause this? More than likely you were scared! Science tells us that loss of complex motor skills (combination of large and small muscle groups) occurs at a heart rate of 140bpm (beats per minute) and fine motor skills at a heart rate of 115bpm. Since the average resting heart rate is 80bpm, 115bpm is not far away. When we are faced with fear, our responses may differ but our body tends to react the same way, ie the "Fight, Flight or Freeze Syndrome" or Survival Stress Response.
Simply put for our purposes; you heart rate goes up - your performance goes down! Enough with the science, how does this relate to Leadership and Business Principles? Actually it should be obvious, my aiming point of what ever the issue is, is greatly impaired by my own fears, insecurities, lack of preparation and poor confrontation skills. The reason you have Sight Alignment and a Sight Picture is because it is necessary at times to surgically address a specific issue in a relationship without creating collateral damage in the process.
A skilled surgeon can remove a cancerous tumor and save your life, just as a skilled leader can focus his sight on a specific issue with an individual and keep the relationship intact!
Bottom line: Sighting can save The Relationship!
Star Leadership Principle #5. Trigger Control
Trigger Control: Is the consistent and repeated squeeze of the trigger during the firing of the pistol. Proper Trigger Control along with a firm Grip keeps the firearm from jerking or pulling while shooting.
Let me emphasize again that this is not intended to be a firearms all inclusive class, but some background is needed to be able to see the correlation of the firearm fundamentals v. leadership / business principles and their application. I say this to hopefully fend-off my firearm instructor brothers and sisters because I have not included all that is taught with what has been already written. Besides, there is a difference of opinion of the fundamentals of "Combat Handgun".
Thats how its taught and this is how we apply it; Trigger Control is a Fine Motor Skill just like Sighting which is the use of small muscle groups. A training technique we used, was to tell the student to make a fist and point with the index (pointer) finger. Now squeeze the fist hard and then perform a trigger pull with the pointed index finger - the wrist and hand should not move. I better say this now so I don't get nasty emails latter. The hand may and probably will shake slightly, however in Combat Handgun the distances are very close quarters and a slight shake won't mean a "hill of beans". The more accurate the shot placement needed, the more important Sighting and Trigger Control are.
Not to be rude; If you are someone who can put two or more thoughts, precepts or principles together without having to be told how to think, then you are a strong candidate for being able to use the Star Leadership Model in your personal or professional life.
If you have been thinking (tactically that is) about the Five Fundamentals (remember we combined two in Sighting) in a combat setting (up close and personal) then you should begin to realize that the two main fundamentals are Stance and Grip! Why? I am glad you asked. Your Stance is critical and is all about maintaining stability. This platform becomes the foundation of every decision you make. Your Grip is your firm grasp of the specifics, whether a relationship or issue or both. These two fundamentals will come into play more than the rest and will require a more rapid course of action. Your goal is to respond appropriately and not react wrongly.
There is a saying; "Distance is time and time is safety." When you have the time then get the best Sight Picture and Trigger Squeeze you can. Through repetition anyone can be taught to react to a stimulus, only the highly prepared trained professional can reproduce appropriate responses during stressful situations. Is this you? Do you want it to be? This website can be a small part of what will become a life-long process of leadership development in your life.
Bottom line: Trigger Control fires directly to the deepest part of The Relationship
Rick Myers, a mentor and Senior Trainer told me that "people don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care!" From that time on I watched Jack & Rick not only to glean what they knew but how they successfully imparted it to others. Their styles were completely different, but extremely effective. To this day they are both regarded as Training Icons! Besides Jack & Rick, five other men helped mold me not only as a Trainer but a Teacher. They are Craig Wiles, Pat Lynch, Billy Sandman, Norm Owens and John Kish. The following leadership model is dedicated to them.
The Star Leadership Model was developed from the combat handgun class I taught on a regular basis. While instructing the students on these five basic fundamentals I realized a correlation between these principles in not only business but life. This was the "tool" I was looking for. Lets examine each of the five fundamentals below to take an in-depth look to see how they became the basis of the Star Leadership Model.
1. Stance
2. Grip
3. Sight Alignment
4. Sight Picture
5. Trigger Control
Star Leadership Principle #1. Stance
1. Stance: In combat the position of your body in relationship to the threat can help or hinder the outcome. Optimal position is one that allows you to move quickly (making adjustments) and shoot accurately (firm foundation when possible) and utilize cover (protection) when available.
Thats how its taught, this is how we apply it; My "Stance" is not where I stand but what I Stand On?! What truth, law or principle is the foundation of which you are standing on, in life and in business? The optimal position in life or business is a foundation built on something solid, long lasting, time tested and able to apply.
For example: In law enforcement, when I make a traffic stop for speeding or any other infraction, my authority comes from something outside of myself. What I mean is that I am able to "stand on" the uniform traffic codes of the state I work in. If I was just stopping people because I wanted to, not only do I have no authority to do so but would open myself, my agency and even my home to liability. One "Stance" gives me legal and proper authority to take action and the other creates civil and or criminal action towards me.
Another example would be a foundation built on money. Money makes a great servant but a terrible boss. It's value changes daily (moment by moment sometimes). If my decisions are only money based, there is no security. Ask yourself how often you look at your bank accounts (assets) and why? The old statement is; "you can't take it with you, however you can send it ahead!"
A successful Stance is all about the relationship whether in your professional or personal life it is the relationship that is the most important. How many times have you heard that "the customer is always right". Thats wrong! It is not about being right or wrong, it is about cultivating the relationship - ALWAYS!!!
Bottom line: Stance is all about The Relationship!
Star Leadership Principle #2. Grip
2. Grip:A proper grip of any handgun is designed to put as much of the gun in contact with the most amount of the hand or hands as possible. Many poor grips leave gaps between the palm and the handgun. A combat handgun grip is a gross motor-skill, hard consistent squeeze, not to be confused with a marksmanship shooting were to tight of a grip will cause shaking (complex motor-skill) or a tremor.
"Combat Shooting" is defined as close proximity to the target, traditionally taught as 21' or less to the threat. This distance is not set in stone and since we are not teaching a firearms class this mean distance will serve for our purposes. With a proper combat grip the shooter will be able to shoot the first shot and any subsequent follow up rounds both quickly and accurately.
Have you ever thought of the significance of our thumbs - stay with me here. Kathleen Damonte a teacher of seventh-grade science at Julius West Middle School in Rockville, Maryland writes: "Having opposable thumbs helps in grasping things more easily, picking up small objects, and eating with one hand." Kathleen goes on to give a list of everyday tasks which now become a chore if we are able to do them at all without our thumbs.
Leaders rely on more than just what they see with their eyes. The number 1 best seller says; we don't walk by sight or by what we can see, but by that which can not bee seen - faith. Further we don't walk in our emotions. The latter means not just wearing your emotions on your sleeve but not being ruled by them either. We should not be cold and calloused in our decisions, nor should we be hindered from making the hard decisions because our emotions come into play. A difficult but fine line. If it was easy everybody could do it. Many years ago I heard a speaker say that the average high school senior could make about 95% of the decisions in most companies in the US. It's the other 5% of the decisions that separates the successful companies from the rest.
Thats how its taught, this is how we apply it; Our "Grip" is not on an object, but is a physical, intellectual and emotional grasp on the issue or problem at hand. This grasp is based on more than facts and figures. Do not confuse facts with truth. Truth is unchanging. Facts may be true, however not all are truth. Let me give you an example. At the writing of this I am 49 years of age. You will have to trust me that I am making a factual statement. Now this true statement is not truth. In a few short months I will stop being 49 and turn to 50. The idea is not necessarily someone's age, but to be able to differentiate between whats true and whats truth. If I fail to "get a grip of the situation I most likely will make an in appropriate or wrong decision. Even in-action is a decision.
Thats how its taught, this is how we apply it; Our "Grip" is not on an object, but is a physical, intellectual and emotional grasp on the issue or problem at hand. This grasp is based on more than facts and figures. Do not confuse facts with truth. Truth is unchanging. Facts may be true, however not all are truth. Let me give you an example. At the writing of this I am 49 years of age. You will have to trust me that I am making a factual statement. Now this true statement is not truth. In a few short months I will stop being 49 and turn to 50. The idea is not necessarily someone's age, but to be able to differentiate between whats true and whats truth. If I fail to "get a grip of the situation I most likely will make an in appropriate or wrong decision. Even in-action is a decision.
We know that "Stance" is all about the relationship. "Grip" is about which relationship? Unfortunately not all relationships are healthy or beneficial. Most business relationships are handled similar to friends and family. It is difficult sometimes to separate them and in reality, there is no separation when they deal with family in a business setting.
The Sheriff at the agency I used to work at used to say; "We are a family." Let me say this as plain as I can. If you work for any organization not owned by your family, especially a government agency - You are NOT a family! The first time you screw-up, you will painfully find this out. You should not be surprised, your not a family, you are an employee somewhere in their organizational structure. This is not to say that you won't develop some very close relationships, especially people who mentor you and the ones you mentor. Don't lose site of your business. It is not designed to replace your immediate, extended or church family.
Jay Hart, my business mentor, Captain in the agency I worked for and most of all - good friend told me 15 years go; "If you succeed in the rat race most people are in, it just makes you Head Rat!" The people who dive overboard into work and climb the ladder of success, typically find their ladder on the wrong wall all to late in life.
Bottom Line: Grip is getting a hold of The Correct Relationship!
Star Leadership Principle #3 & #4. Sighting
Sighting: For this fundamental principle of the Star Leadership Model we will combine both "Sight Alignment"and "Sight Picture"and call them "Sighting". Lets first take a look at each one individually.
Star Leadership Principle #3 & #4. Sighting
Sighting: For this fundamental principle of the Star Leadership Model we will combine both "Sight Alignment"and "Sight Picture"and call them "Sighting". Lets first take a look at each one individually.
3. Sight Alignment: Is the relationship between the front and rear sight of the pistol and the shooters eye, all aligned in a straight line.
4. Sight Picture: Aligning the front and rear sight and the shooters eye so that the target appears to be resting upon the front sight with equal spacing between the rear sight blades. A correct sight picture includes both sight alignment and aiming point of the intended target.
Thats how its taught and this is how we apply it; Sighting is a "Fine Motor Skill" which means the use of small muscle groups (fingers, wrist, toes, ect) in coordination with ones sight. An everyday example of this is putting your keys into your car door or home door lock. You feel that you can do this blind-folded at times because of how many times you have done it in the past.
Last year Carey and I adopted our youngest son Caleb. He was four months old when we got him. We watched how he would try to pick things up with his hands and track things with his eyes and not be able to do what we know is a simpler task for him. Fine motor skills take time to develop for adults as well.
Can you remember the last time you "lost" your fine motor skills and what happened to cause this? More than likely you were scared! Science tells us that loss of complex motor skills (combination of large and small muscle groups) occurs at a heart rate of 140bpm (beats per minute) and fine motor skills at a heart rate of 115bpm. Since the average resting heart rate is 80bpm, 115bpm is not far away. When we are faced with fear, our responses may differ but our body tends to react the same way, ie the "Fight, Flight or Freeze Syndrome" or Survival Stress Response.
Simply put for our purposes; you heart rate goes up - your performance goes down! Enough with the science, how does this relate to Leadership and Business Principles? Actually it should be obvious, my aiming point of what ever the issue is, is greatly impaired by my own fears, insecurities, lack of preparation and poor confrontation skills. The reason you have Sight Alignment and a Sight Picture is because it is necessary at times to surgically address a specific issue in a relationship without creating collateral damage in the process.
A skilled surgeon can remove a cancerous tumor and save your life, just as a skilled leader can focus his sight on a specific issue with an individual and keep the relationship intact!
Bottom line: Sighting can save The Relationship!
Star Leadership Principle #5. Trigger Control
Trigger Control: Is the consistent and repeated squeeze of the trigger during the firing of the pistol. Proper Trigger Control along with a firm Grip keeps the firearm from jerking or pulling while shooting.
Let me emphasize again that this is not intended to be a firearms all inclusive class, but some background is needed to be able to see the correlation of the firearm fundamentals v. leadership / business principles and their application. I say this to hopefully fend-off my firearm instructor brothers and sisters because I have not included all that is taught with what has been already written. Besides, there is a difference of opinion of the fundamentals of "Combat Handgun".
Thats how its taught and this is how we apply it; Trigger Control is a Fine Motor Skill just like Sighting which is the use of small muscle groups. A training technique we used, was to tell the student to make a fist and point with the index (pointer) finger. Now squeeze the fist hard and then perform a trigger pull with the pointed index finger - the wrist and hand should not move. I better say this now so I don't get nasty emails latter. The hand may and probably will shake slightly, however in Combat Handgun the distances are very close quarters and a slight shake won't mean a "hill of beans". The more accurate the shot placement needed, the more important Sighting and Trigger Control are.
Not to be rude; If you are someone who can put two or more thoughts, precepts or principles together without having to be told how to think, then you are a strong candidate for being able to use the Star Leadership Model in your personal or professional life.
If you have been thinking (tactically that is) about the Five Fundamentals (remember we combined two in Sighting) in a combat setting (up close and personal) then you should begin to realize that the two main fundamentals are Stance and Grip! Why? I am glad you asked. Your Stance is critical and is all about maintaining stability. This platform becomes the foundation of every decision you make. Your Grip is your firm grasp of the specifics, whether a relationship or issue or both. These two fundamentals will come into play more than the rest and will require a more rapid course of action. Your goal is to respond appropriately and not react wrongly.
There is a saying; "Distance is time and time is safety." When you have the time then get the best Sight Picture and Trigger Squeeze you can. Through repetition anyone can be taught to react to a stimulus, only the highly prepared trained professional can reproduce appropriate responses during stressful situations. Is this you? Do you want it to be? This website can be a small part of what will become a life-long process of leadership development in your life.
Bottom line: Trigger Control fires directly to the deepest part of The Relationship
