EPISODE 039: LEE ELLIS | LEADING WITH HONOR

The Leadership Crucible Podcast

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Developing Authentic and Secure Leaders: Insights from the Hanoi Hilton
If you're feeling frustrated and exhausted because your team's performance isn't improving, despite your best efforts, then you are not alone! You may be working longer hours and pushing harder, only to see minimal results, leaving you feeling defeated. Your team may be lacking motivation and collaboration, causing a lack of progress towards your goals. Instead of seeing a united and driven team, you are faced with resistance and stagnation.
In this episode, you will learn to:
Extract Leadership Lessons from Being a POW: Uncover the extraordinary resilience and adaptive leadership skills developed in challenging circumstances.
Embrace Authentic and Vulnerable Leadership: Embrace the power of authenticity and vulnerability in leadership to build trust and inspire others.
Balance Results and Relationships in Leadership: Master the art of balancing achieving results with nurturing meaningful relationships for sustained success.
Engage in Courageous Conversations and Accountability: Learn to navigate difficult conversations and foster a culture of accountability to drive organizational growth and development.
Cultivate Continuous Learning and Adaptability in Leadership: Foster a culture of continuous learning and adaptability to thrive in today's rapidly changing business environment.
My special guest is Lee Ellis Lee Ellis, the founder and president of leading with Honor and Freedom Star Media, is a distinguished figure known for his exceptional career as an Air Force fighter pilot. His extensive experience includes flying 53 combat missions over North Vietnam and enduring over five years as a POW. With a proven track record as an award-winning author, leadership coach, and expert speaker, Lee has worked with influential clients, including Fortune 500 senior executives and sea level leaders across multiple sectors. His profound insights into leadership, team building, and human performance have solidified his reputation as a respected authority in the field. With his compelling personal journey and in-depth understanding of leadership, Lee Ellis is a highly esteemed guest on the Leadership Crucible Foundation podcast, poised to share invaluable lessons from his time as a POW.
The key moments in this episode are:
00:03:00 - Lessons from Vietnam POW Experience
00:08:39 - Transitioning Back and Impact on Profession
00:15:26 - Importance of Integrity, Courage, and Conviction
00:16:06 - The Role of Courage in Maintaining Integrity
00:16:43 - Coaching Yourself and Seeking Ethical Advice
00:18:07 - Balancing Mission and People
00:20:02 - Having Courageous Conversations
00:24:31 - Building a Culture of Accountability
00:31:10 - The Importance of Continuous Growth and Listening
00:33:18 - Learning to Listen and Influence
00:34:04 - Leveraging Bottom-Up Solutions
00:35:20 - Self-Development and Growth
00:36:24 - Mentoring and Learning from Others
00:41:16 - Key Takeaways on Leadership
Bio:
Lee Ellis is Founder and President of Leading with Honor® and Freedom Star Media®. He is an award-winning author, leadership coach, and expert speaker in the areas of leadership, teambuilding, and human performance. His past clients include Fortune 500 senior executives and C-Level leaders in telecommunications, healthcare, military, and other business sectors. Some of his media appearances include interviews on networks such as CNN, CBS This Morning, C-SPAN, ABC World News, Fox News Channel, plus hundreds of engagements in various industry sectors throughout the world.
Early in his career, Lee served as an Air Force fighter pilot flying fifty-three combat missions over North Vietnam. In 1967, he was shot down and held as a POW for more than five years in Hanoi and surrounding camps. For his wartime service, he was awarded two Silver Stars, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star with Valor device, the Purple Heart, and POW Medal. Lee resumed his Air Force career, serving in leadership roles of increasing responsibility including command of a flying squadron and leadership development organizations before retiring as a colonel.
Lee has a BA in History and a MS in Counseling and Human Development. He is a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College and the Air War College. He has authored or co-authored six books on leadership and career development. Lee’s book entitled Leading with Honor®: Leadership Lessons from the Hanoi Hilton has received multiple awards since its release including Winner in the 2012 International Book Awards in the Business and Management Category, and selection on the 2013 U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Reading List. His latest bestselling book is entitled Captured by Love: Inspiring True Romance Stories from Vietnam POWs.
Lee and his wife Mary reside in the Atlanta GA area and have four grown children and six grandchildren.
For free leadership resources from Lee Ellis, visit: leadingwithhonor.com