1. Personal Leadership Compass
CHRISTOPHER S. TEMPLE
The purpose of sharing my Personal Leadership Compass with you is to clearly communicate the values I
strive to live, work and lead by and how I enjoy inspiring others. These principles were derived from studying
great and weak leaders, and through personal triumphs and failures that have shaped me as an individual
and as a leader. This Personal Leadership Compass will outline the principles that I lead by, the behaviors I
place great value on, daily expectations and attitudes I will not tolerate.
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• Lead with Humility – “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, its thinking of yourself less.” A leader’s
willingness to seek input, listen carefully, and continuously learn creates an environment where
associates feel respected and energized and give freely of their creative abilities.
• Process over People – Avoid spending time trying to find the culprit (person) who made the mistake but
rather fix the process that allowed the mistake to be made. True process focused problem solving
creates an environment where learning from mistakes can become a powerful element of continuous
improvement.
• Lead by Coaching – Leadership is not the job of putting greatness into people, but rather the recognition
that greatness already exists. The role of a leader is to provide the vision and direction and invest in the
individual to inspire the greatness to emerge.
• How over What – Doing things the right way is ultimately more important than the results. How we
accomplish a goal shows our character, discipline and commitment to our values.
• Lead by Example – Our people can perceive insincerity within the first few minutes of your interactions
with them. Your actions speak louder than any motivation speech or words of encouragement. Your title
makes you a manager; your people will decide if you are a leader.
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• Honesty – It was the first thing you learned in kindergarten, and it continues to be the first thing you
should do in any situation.
• Eager Learner – You are never the smartest person in the room, the collective group is. I encourage
everyone to be the best version of themselves each day. Part of that process is being equally aware of
your strengths and opportunities for personal growth. I prefer the errors of enthusiasm to the indifference
of wisdom.
• Integrity – The consistent alignment of our values, words and actions. Integrity is more about your
eulogy than your resume
• Gemba – or “actual place” is where leaders go to understand work, lead and learn. Being committed to
Gemba is understanding that problems can only be solved where they live, by the people that live with it.
• Listening – Actively listen and focus on what is being said, not what you want to say.
• Be a part of the Solution! How we can, not why we can’t!
• Challenge current state. The only thing constant in life is change, let’s be good at it.
• Be proactive in your work and take pride in it. Do your best! Fix it Now! Don’t wait to be told. Don’t wait
for it to break.
• Give and accept constructive, fair criticism and make honest efforts to improve. Seek and give feedback
to reach your full potential.
• Be Prepared. Preparation shows commitment and respect for others. It is the first step to success.
• Speak your mind during the decision-making process. After the decision is made, champion the decision
like it was your own.
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• Unsafe working conditions, work practices, or willful violations of company safety rules and regulations.
• Lying to cover up a mistake. A purposeful omission is the same as lying.
• Being disruptive, disrespectful, or abusive towards employees or customers.
• Tardiness and interrupting others, both reflect your respect for your coworkers.
Living up to these principles is a life time pursuit that requires daily self monitoring and course correction. It is
my belief that the adherence to these principles and guidelines will result in a culture where individuals are
respected and valued. I am committed to living and leading by this Compass and I expect you to as well.
Principles
to Lead by
Purpose
Valued
Behaviors
Expectations
Unwanted
Attitudes
Commitment