VIC'S VOCALS

Harry Truman is famous for his desk plaque that read, "The buck stops here." This saying has gone down in history synonymous with leadership responsibility although the history of this little saying goes all the way back to the wild, wild west and card playing.
In his book How To Get Rich Donald Trump wrote "The buck starts here" which also spells out leadership responsibility. In his own style Trump says that leadership responsibility begins with him.
Which one of these leaders is correct in their assessment of leadership responsibility? Well, they are both correct. The leader sets the tone for the organization and how that responsibility is to be received.
But what is this responsibility that leaders have in their organizations and with those that look to them as examples (because if you are a leader people will look to you as an example)? There are five key functions of an exceptional leader. They are:

1. Growth
2. Communication
3. Loyalty
4. Reliability
5. Vision

These five functional keys will unlock the door for effective leadership. They go hand in hand as you lead those that follow you. These five keys are inspirational as they look to the future. They are motivational as they focus on mentoring those that need it.
After Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans the devastation was beyond believable but yet it was shown to us every night on the news. One the biggest items on the news was who to blame for the catastrophe. The Mayor would blame the Governor who would blame the Mayor who then would blame the Governor again who then would ... well you get the picture. In the whirlwind of blaming each other everyone found the time to pass the blame to the Federal Government and more specifically to the President. It was in the midst of this storm of blame that President Bush stood in Jackson Square on September 15th and told America, "Four years after the frightening experience of September the 11th, Americans have every right to expect a more effective response in a time of emergency. When the federal government fails to meet such an obligation, I, as President, am responsible for the problem, and for the solution (Italics mine).
Does the buck REALLY have to stop here?! Well, if you are a leader then yes and it not only stops with you but starts with you as well.