Integrity Still Matters: How Do You Lead?

Pedigree hardens leadership integrity. For those fortunate to understand every grandfather, great grandfather and the ten past that, you can’t help wonder how family history defines your beliefs, values and actions – how you lead.

Do you have the same bold conviction as your father, your grandfather? Do you stand on the side of honor even when few stand by you?

 

History and the Why It Matters.  Going back to 1039, my great grandfathers were at the knights table at Foulis Castle Seat of the Clan Munro in Scotland. I’m blessed to have my complete genealogy and lineage to reflect upon.  From professors to Patriots to presidents, my family blood has deep roots.  It’s hard not to reflect that some piece of that is carried on. 

 

One generations values, become the next. If it was only one generation of leaders and patriots, maybe it could be dismissed as mere chance.  But what if those leaders, standing for what is right are documented – going back 29 generations? Then would it be simply chance? Maybe it’s a causality of the leaders who generation after generation believed they could change the world.  They believed they could inspire others to make a difference.  With that leadership comes a duty to put others before yourself.  A duty to your family’s future generations. To stand boldly and to believe that honor comes above all else: that your word is gold.

 

Pioneers Beliefs and Their Impact. Why do great leaders inspire?  What beliefs do those leaders swallow? How do the patriots and pioneers of yesterday, compare with leaders sitting next to you in your Monday meeting?

 

My ancestors were among the first pioneers and patriots who came to settle North America arriving in 1632.  We have always had a very proud tradition of honor and loyalty.  We have fought in every major American war since the American Revolution. We have embraced the hard decisions, going back centuries.

 

I’d offer that 29 generations is not chance and that authentic leadership has a leading role. Embrace it – it is authentic leadership.

 

My Family and The Leaders Whose Foot Steps I Follow

Below are my relatives, examples of the patriotism and leadership that has stood the test of time, each helping to make this great country what is it today. 

 

Donald Monro – Clan Chief Monro Clan) in 1032, the original clan chief, proudly took his place like the generations after him, at the knights table. My 29th great grandfather.

 

William Munroe – At the Battle of Lexington first blood of the American Revolutionary War in April 19, 1775. My family is related to 53 of the 77 men on the Lexington Green that day. This is just what we have discovered so far.

  • Sergeant William Munroe – fearing that Adams and Hancock were in danger, he mustered eight of the best men to help guard the Clarke house. Adams trusted Munroe as one of the few and loyal men to protect him at all costs.
  • Some minutemen died instantly—like Jonas Parker, 8 years older than his cousin Captain Parker. Jonas, having loaded his musket, placed his hat full of ammunition on the ground between his feet, ready for a second charge. At the second fire, Jonas was wounded and dropped to his knees and fired again. While reloading his rifle, a British Soldier ran his bayonet straight through him. Jonas, one of the first to die for his country, always said that “he would never run from the enemy” and was true to his word.

 

Samuel Huntington  Samuel signed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation.  He also served as President of the Continental Congress from 1779 to 1781, chief justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court from 1784 to 1785, and the 18th Governor of Connecticut from 1786 until his death. A true patriot.

 

Benjamin Pierce One of the longest Harvard professors in history (50 years) starting in 1831 and a genius mathematician 

 

Charles Lewis Tiffany – Founder of Tiffany’s started the company in Lower Manhattan, New York in 1837.

 

Ulysses S. Grant the 18th President of the United States (1869–77). As Commanding General, Grant worked closely with President Abraham Lincoln to lead the Union Army to victory over the Confederacy in the American Civil War.

 

Franklin D. Roosevelt 32nd president in 1932 and still one of the most Franklin remembered and honored president.  He endorsed the creation of the United Nations and drastically decreased unemployment from 25% to 2% over his tenure.

 

John Astwood and Sarah Bryan (Baldwin) Astwood (9th Gr Grandfather)  Founder of Milford, CT

 

Edmund Ingalls (11th gr grandfather) – Founder of Lynn, MA, in 1629.

 

John Moss, Sr (8th gr grandfather) – Founder of New Haven and Wallingford, CT

 

John Moss, JR (7th gr grandfather) – Founder of Wallingford, CT

 

Rev John Lathrop (9th gr grandfather) – Founder of Barnstable, MA

 

LT Thomas Munson (9th gr grandfather) – Founder of Hartford and New Haven, CT

 

Samuel Munson (8th gr grandfather) – Founder of Wallingford, CT

 

John Osgood, Sr (11th gr grandfather) – Founder of Newberry, MA and Andover, MA

 

Richard Blood (9th gr grandfather) – Founder of Groton, MA

 

Captain James Parker (9th gr grandfather): Founder of Groton, MA Also played a part in resolving a witch accusation in Groton 21 years before Salem outbreak without incarceration or jail. Major Willard and Capt. Parker led a contingent that marched in August 1675 to the rescue of the new western community of Brookfield “and just in the nick of time saved that town from massacre,” according to Dr. Green.

 

SGT John Stevens III (10th great grandfather) – Founder of Andover, MA

 

Reverend Stephen Bachilor ( 9th great grandfather) – Founder of Hampton, NH

 

*There are hundreds of other pioneers and founders, I am directly related to, I simply don’t have time to list them all.

 

 

References

Brown, D. (2014). An Interview with Michael E. Porter, Professor, Harvard University | Dawkins Brown. Retrieved June 13, 2015, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/interview-michael-e-porter-dawkins-brown

 

Collins, J. C., & Porras, J. I. (1996). Building Your Company’s Vision. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from http://www.sementeestrategica.com.br/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2011/10/ESTRAT%C3%89GIA-Colet%C3%A2nea-de-10-artigos-cl%C3%A1ssicos-da-Hravard-em-ingl%C3%AAs.pdf

 

Porter, M. E. (2008). What is Strategy. Harvard Business Review, (4134), 1–20.

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Peter is a technology executive with over 20 years of experience, dedicated to driving innovation, digital transformation, leadership, and data in business. He helps organizations connect strategy to execution to maximize company performance. He has been recognized for Digital Innovation by CIO 100, MIT Sloan, Computerworld, and the Project Management Institute. As Managing Director at OROCA Innovations, Peter leads the CXO advisory services practice, driving digital strategies. Peter was honored as an MIT Sloan CIO Leadership Award Finalist in 2015 and is a regular contributor to CIO.com on innovation. Peter has led businesses through complex changes, including the adoption of data-first approaches for portfolio management, lean six sigma for operational excellence, departmental transformations, process improvements, maximizing team performance, designing new IT operating models, digitizing platforms, leading large-scale mission-critical technology deployments, product management, agile methodologies, and building high-performance teams. As Chief Information Officer, Peter was responsible for Connecticut’s Health Insurance Exchange’s (HIX) industry-leading digital platform transforming consumerism and retail-oriented services for the health insurance industry. Peter championed the Connecticut marketplace digital implementation with a transformational cloud-based SaaS platform and mobile application recognized as a 2014 PMI Project of the Year Award finalist, CIO 100, and awards for best digital services, API, and platform. He also received a lifetime achievement award for leadership and digital transformation, honored as a 2016 Computerworld Premier 100 IT Leader. Peter is the author of Learning Intelligence: Expand Thinking. Absorb Alternative. Unlock Possibilities (2017), which Marshall Goldsmith, author of the New York Times No. 1 bestseller Triggers, calls "a must-read for any leader wanting to compete in the innovation-powered landscape of today." Peter also authored The Power of Blockchain for Healthcare: How Blockchain Will Ignite The Future of Healthcare (2017), the first book to explore the vast opportunities for blockchain to transform the patient experience. Peter has a B.S. in C.I.S from Bentley University and an MBA from Quinnipiac University, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. He earned his PMP® in 2001 and is a certified Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Masters in Business Relationship Management (MBRM) and Certified Scrum Master. As a Commercial Rated Aviation Pilot and Master Scuba Diver, Peter understands first hand, how to anticipate change and lead boldly.