The First Two Rules of Leadership

The First Two Rules of Leadership

There is no such thing as a perfect leader. We all do stupid things and can act like a jerk. What are we willing to do in order to overcome these shortcomings? David Cottrell takes us through how to avoid stupid mistakes and be conscientious of how to lead without being a jerk.

This is an easy book to read and makes a lot of sense. David breaks down the two key topic into sub-categories to help understand the value of being smart about decisions you make as a leader. From hiring the right people, to coaching, concentrating on thing of vital importance, and valuing integrity. He is very convincing in helping readers understand these areas where we can sometimes be stupid.

In the area of not being a jerk, David extols the reader to listen, be decisive, encourage others, and attack complacency. He highlights an anecdotal story of two leaders retiring at the same time. One has a party thrown for them, where others are thanking the retiring leader for always seeking to help others to grow professionally. The other has no one to encourage or thank him because he was so focused on managing tasks that he failed to treat people as humans.

I will take the principles I have learned in this book, and apply them in how I coach and lead others, how I approaching hiring decisions, and making decisions with confidence. I would suggest this book for anyone starting their leadership journey or someone who is interested in being a better leader tomorrow than they were today.

Elevate - Push Beyond Your Limits and Unlock Success in Yourself and Others

Elevate

Some people just seem to be over achievers in many areas of their lives. These people have a knack for setting and achieving their goals with greater consistency than others. This books gives insight into at least some of the ways the you and I can build our capacity and achieve more than before.

In the first chapter, the framework is setup for the rest of the book. This is where the author states that there are four categories for human capacity.

• Spiritual Capacity - Understanding who you are, what you want most, and the standards you want to live by each day.

• Intellectual Capacity - How you improve your ability to think, learn, plan and execute with discipline.

• Physical Capacity - Health, well-being, and physical performance

• Emotional Capacity - How you react to challenging situations, your emotional mindset, and the quality of your relationships.

A primary principle is the importance of building capacity in all four areas together.

One particular note is that for the purpose of this book, the term “Spiritual” is not meant in the context of religion or things that are intangible. It is meant to be more focused on the vision, mission, and corporate culture.

Each of the four capacities gets its own chapter and Robert Glazer leads the reader through ways to build on each. Building on each of these capacities is a great way to simplify and focus on growth to help all of us achieve goals we may have otherwise believed to be unreachable.

I believe you will find the information easy to understand and implement into your own lives. Check it out of yourself and let me know about your experience.

Listening, it is how to get to their heart

How often are you listening to those in your care? Not just hearing what they are saying, but really listening. Have you taken the time to try an understand someone, so that when they are having a bad day you know how to get to the root of the problem? In order to do this, it is necessary to have built an authentic relationship, which takes time.

It requires consistent patience to be able to truly listen and pick up on the needs of those around you. How often are you willing to sit and just listen someone fully express their idea, even when you disagree? Do you get impatient and cut them off before they finish, assuming that you know what they intend or that you know better? “Many a man would rather you heard his story than granted his request - Philip Stanhope, The 4th Earl of Chesterfield.

If you know someone well, there will be hints and signs that you can see or hear, that can lead you to understanding their heart. There is a Cherokee Proverb that states, “Listen to the whispers and you won’t have to hear the screams”. Take this as an admonition to pay attention to the small voice inflections, body language, reduction in participation, heightened irritability and many of the other signs that something may be wrong. This can help in working through issues before there is an escalation to the point of a broken or irreconcilable relationship.

“I remind myself every morning: nothing I say this day will teach me anything. So, if I’m going to learn, I must do it by listening.” - Larry King. This is a great reminder of the need to listen. If you are listening there is an opportunity to double your knowledge or wisdom. You will not only have your own insight but you will also be able to gain from the experience of others.

Have you found a mentor? If not, find someone who has success and significance in an area where you would like to grow. Offer to buy them coffee, breakfast, or lunch once a month if they would be willing to carve out 30 or even 60 minutes of their precious time to be with you. No leader is so advanced or experience that he or she can afford to be without a mentor.

Listening is an art. It is developed over time. The more you listen with the intent of being a better listener, the better you will get. Do not take my word for it, put it to practice. If I am wrong, let me know.

How to Lead When You're Not in Charge

How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge

This book is written with the intent of working through the content in a small group setting. It is broken up into six sessions which are easy to read and understand. As I prepare to go through this book with a small group of my own, I am looking forward to the conversations which will be prompted by this material.

The information Clay Scroggins presents in in this book is greatly beneficial while reading it on your own. There are great insights to be absorbed and acted upon. After reading it, it will become clear that the greatest benefit will be experienced by reading the material for each session before partaking in a group discussion.

This book was recommended by someone in leadership whom I admire. She is someone who has taken a personal and professional interest in my life. We have worked together for many years. With each conversations she continues to help mold and shape my thinking about leadership and my role in the lives of those around me.

Leadership can be lonely at times, but we do not have to go through it alone. Building relationships by going through material presented in this book, along side others who want to improve themselves, will greatly benefit all involved.

Keep it Simple

Keep it Simple

We live in a society where we are often led to believe that we need complex formulas that drive our daily activities to ensure balance in our lives. In this book, Joe Calloway shows us how to think differently. I have heard references to the KISS (Keep it Simple, Stupid) principle, I have heard it called “Prioritize and Execute”. There are a number of terms which can be used.

In this book you will find insightful instruction on how to simplify things in your life. I am already starting to put some if these into practice. As I look at the day ahead of me, I am beginning to take time to think through the main things that need to be accomplished. Once I define my priorities, I seek to keep distractions at a distance. It is not easy. It takes a conscious effort and ongoing diligence to make sure that email is not a distraction and I avoid attending meetings that do not have a clear agenda.

I often have individuals who want to book meetings which conflict with blocks of time I have scheduled for focused attention. I am starting to decline most of them. I am finding that I need to guard these times in order to accomplish what is expected. There are many more tips and ideas that can be used.

Read the book, find out what works for you. Whatever you do, simplify your life…at work, at home, and for recreation. You will find that you accomplish more and have increased energy for what is important to you.

Leadership by the Book

Leadership by the Book

Ken Blanchard, Bill Hybels, and Phil Hodges worked together to create an insightful and helpful allegorical story to help leaders understand the value of true leadership and striving daily to follow the model that was put on display by Jesus as revealed in the four Gospels in the New Testament.

This story works through the realities that individuals from all professions have a lot to learn and put into practice. The leadership taught throughout this book speaks of the need to lead with your head, heart, and hands. Leadership is not just knowing what to do or how to do it. It is important to meet people where they are in life. It is also important to pursue leadership outside of you profession or career. We all have families, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and many others for whom we serve as an example.

Each of us are individuals, with unique strengths and weaknesses at various levels. As we evaluate our role in leadership we should look to understand four separate aspects.

• Purpose: Tells you what business you are in, and defines the fundamental reasons why you exist as an organization.

• Operating Values: Determines how people should behave when they are working on the purpose.

• Image: Explains what thing would be like if everything were running as planned.

• Goal: Where do you want people’s energy to be focused right now?

As a result of reading this book, I have kept in mind the heart potion of leadership. I think (you can ask others if I am right) that I know how to do the job required by the team I get to lead. I believe that I am fairly good at completing the tasks required to fulfill my position. I know that I need to be better and the relationship and personal touch for those to whom I am responsible.

I recommend this book for everyone who is interested in improving themselves as a leader. As with any book on leadership, if you are not personally engaged to seek out your own improvement you will not benefit from the insights provided.

Note: I realize that there are accusations of misconduct by Bill Hybels. This post is not intended to be an endorsement of any level of misconduct of which Bill is accused. It is only the context of this book that is being reviewed here.

The Five Most Important Questions You Will Ever Ask About Your Organization

Peter F. Drucker (1909 - 2005) was arguably the most influential person in business management and leadership during the 20th century. His ideas and teachings are the foundation for many leadership success stories throughout the world. The Leader to Leader Institute (formerly “Peter F. Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management 1990 - 2002) published this book to primarily help nonprofit organizations. The questions asked, concepts discussed, and examples given in this book can be applicable to anyone in a leadership role.

• What Is Our Mission?

• Who Is Our Customer?

• What Does the Customer Value?

• What Are Our Results?

• What Is Our Plan?

The answers to these five questions do not need to be complex, but should be well thought out. For example, if your mission is too broad reaching how will you be able to focus in on the right customer? If your mission is too complex, how will you measure the results? I have heard and read from many leadership coaches and consultants that you mission statement should be brief (no more than 10 words) and clear.

After clarifying your mission, then you will get help in discerning, just who is your customer. You might find it interesting to read about the best way to define you customer. There are primary and secondary customers. How do you ensure you are serving your primary customers most effectively? How do you know that they see the value you are trying to provide? The rest of this book takes the reader through a logical progression in evaluating how to best serve your customer, provide the desired results, and plan for the future.

This is one more book that will be kept in my personal leadership library. I plan to refer to the instructions and guidance on a regular basis. For anyone reading this post and interested in leadership growth, you will find a wealth of insight into leadership principles that are worth implementing in your own life.

How Successful People Think

Over the years John C. Maxwell has written and published a number of books on leadership. His insight and ability to share is second to none! In How Successful People Think, he delivers great insight and understanding into the realm of thinking like a leader.

This book systematically takes the reader through cultivating, engaging, harnessing, employing, and utilizing different types and ways of thinking to help us learn how to be better leaders. When reading the material, you should be able to see how it applies to your own life and figure out how to take steps towards implementing the habit of intentional thinking into your life. Using the lessons and ideas taught in this book will help you become a better version of who you have been created to be.

I highly recommend this book, as well as the others I have reviewed thus far in 2019. These reviews, and other posts can be found on my LinkedIn profile. Feel free to read any of the posts and provide me with any feedback you believe is constructive.

This week, I am updating my vision, mission, and other items on my personal website (www.toddrthomsen.com). I intend to continue my progression through leadership and management books, as well as sharing and showing ways to practically apply what I have learned.

The Three Signs of a Miserable Job

Patrick Lencioni is quickly becoming one of my favorite leadership authors. Not everyone enjoys the leadership fable format. One of the values I find in leadership fables is that the reader gets to absorb a scenario in how to potentially implement ideas being conveyed.

If you are a leader, it is incumbent upon you to ensure those in your care feel relevant, have measurable goals/targets, and feel as though their personal lives and professional contributions are valued by you. This last of these values can be misconstrued. In the book, Patrick Lencioni uses the term “anonymity” to describe an attitude a leader can have towards subordinates. When we feel anonymous in whether or not our contributions are known, we are less likely to continue our striving for excellence. Provide feedback to recognize the behavior you want to re-enforce, get to know what is important to those in your care, show that their lives matter. This is not a challenge to figure out how to become great friends with those you lead. It is a call to ensure you are providing public recognition for individuals who are performing their job well.

The ideas are simple, but not easy to implement. It takes hard work, attention to detail, and consistent patient follow up to implement and carry through on these ideas. As I have seen in my own leadership experience, it is easy to get lost in many other task and duties. There are a myriad of demands on a leader’s time. If an individual can pause, reflect, and focus on these three aspects of leadership it will go a long way to bring success to the individuals in your care and the organization as a whole. Many leadership experts will teach that if the employees are well cared for, they will in-turn care for your customers and your business. Give the people you lead a reason to be passionate about and excited for the time they spend in your care.

What Got You Here Won't Get You There

A few days ago, I was standing in line at the Jacksonville International Airport to board a flight. While waiting for the boarding processes I was reading this book. I had already finished 75% of it and was convinced that I had indeed picked up a jewel of a book on leadership and self-development. Then, out of nowhere, a kind lady who is a leadership expert/consultant encouraged me with a few words about how much this book affected her leadership journey.

If you are really interested in seeking to pull back the covers of your own blind-spots and address personality issues that are preventing you from excelling, then pick up this book and read it from cover to cover! Marshall Goldsmith brings years of leadership coaching experience and his PhD in Organizational Behavior Studies to this book that is easy to read, essential to absorb, and a must to implement.

In this book, you will see 20 bad habits that can and should be broken. Most will not need to address more than 2 or 3 habits, but many of them correlate and all should be part of a self-evaluation. When reading about these bad habits and how to overcome them, do not project upon others. Do all you can to avoid the temptation of thinking that some of these apply to someone else in your circle of influence. Use the insights provided to evaluate yourself and how you can improve.

There are many great books on leadership and personal development. This book is one that I will stay in my personal library for the foreseeable future. I recommend you consider the same.