by for Leadership
Hogan’s Heroes Leadership Lesson #4: Confident yet transparent (7/16/2010)
Confidence is a hallmark of Hogan’s leadership. He believes his team can pull off anything even when no one else does. He is neither cocky nor arrogant, however, and is able to identify the risks involved.
Sometimes Hogan’s confidence is tempered by cautious optimism, especially when the only choice is to take a high-risk course of action that seemingly has no chance of succeeding. He is completely transparent in these situations and does not hesitate to share his concerns or misgivings. This is when he is at his best. He is able to lead in the midst of his own fears, which bolsters the commitment and confidence of those around him.
by for Leadership
As a reminder, this week’s blog posts cover the nuggets of leadership wisdom mined from the sixties hit TV show Hogan’s Heroes. Here’s what we’re looking at today. Enjoy!
Hogan’s Heroes Leadership Lesson #3: Leaders take the blame, but they give the credit (7/14/2010)
It is interesting to note that Hogan takes the blame for failures, and he rarely takes credit for the successes. He gives credit to the team for every win, and gives significant praise to the lead on the assignment.
Hogan is also quick to acknowledge his mistakes and take responsibility when things don’t work out. There are instances where he agonizes, but only briefly. He never dwells on defeat. Typically, the team discusses what went wrong, another scheme emerges from the ashes of failure, and they move forward with the new plan. Key point: move forward!
by for Leadership
Hogan’s Heroes Leadership Lesson #2: Strengths are valued
In every situation, bar none, Hogan utilized the aptitudes and strengths of each team member. No one’s talent went to waste. He knew how to make use of even the most mundane skills that other leaders might have overlooked.
Examples include Newkirk’s exceptional larceny talents (such as forgery and safe cracking), Le Beau’s culinary gift, Carter’s munitions genius, and Kinchloe’s technical prowess. Shared skills were also used as the circumstances dictated. For example, when the team needed an impersonation of an enemy officer, the team could call on Kinchloe, Carter, or Newkirk, depending on whether the scheme required an audio or visual impersonation.
by for Leadership
As promised, this week’s posts look at several key leadership lessons from one of my all-time favorite TV shows, Hogan’s Heroes.
Hogan’s Heroes Leadership Lesson #1: Wacky ideas are welcome
As a leader, Hogan recognizes the potential in the ideas of each team member, no matter how far out in left field they might seem.
This is classic brainstorming in which no idea is rejected out of hand. Instead, each idea is listed, and eventually, the team’s creativity kicks in and the merits of an idea come to light. A portion of an idea may be adopted, or multiple ideas may be combined to come up with an innovative solution.
Hogan demonstrates this leadership attribute almost flawlessly as he finds ideas in seemingly innocuous remarks. One great illustration of this is in the 1968 episode “War Takes a Holiday” (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0602451/), in which the Heroes create the illusion of a truce in order to free several underground leaders.
by for Leadership
Having grown up in the sixties, I tend to gravitate toward some of the television shows I enjoyed during that era. One of my favorite shows is Hogan’s Heroes. I am completely hooked. I even have all six seasons on DVD 
Besides being entertaining, the show offers some unique perspectives on leadership. What can you learn about leadership from a WWII sitcom? Follow this week’s posts as we look at several key lessons, and judge for yourself.
