You Can be Nice and Tough

<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><em><span style= "font-size: 12pt; font-family: Lato, sans-serif; color: rgb(66, 71, 76); background: white;">  </span>“When you lead, be tough, not hard." Lee Cockerell</em></strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Episode Highlights</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">01:04 Gain a reputation of high standards.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">05:32 Rules and values must be enforced to be effective.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">07:36 Appearance impacts perception of leadership and quality.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">10:33 High standards requires consistent education, training, and discipline.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">13:16 Train managers to make tough decisions.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>Resources</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href= "https://www.cockerellacademy.com/">The Cockerell Academy</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href= "https://www.leecockerell.com/about/">About Lee Cockerell</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a href= "https://www.cockerellacademy.com/offers/7gmWKn4y/checkout">Mainstreet Leader</a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><strong>You Can Be Nice and Tough</strong></p> <p class="MsoNormal">A listener recently reached out with a question about my leadership style. They say that Disney employees describe me as a legendary leader, but also mention that working under me could be challenging due to my high standards. I have to say that I agree with this assessment. It comes down to having the courage to enforce rules.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Being tough doesn't mean being mean or disrespectful. It's about taking responsibility as a leader or manager and ensuring that policies, procedures, values, and ethics are upheld. It's about creating a culture of excellence. Being an effective tough leader has similarities to a mother's love. Mothers are nice but also tough when they see their children veering off course. Toughness is about caring and helping people grow, not about being harsh.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Finding the balance between hiring nice people and being tough when needed is k