Sunday, December 23, 2018

LeaderShop - Workplace, Career, and Life Advice From Today's Top Thought Leaders by Dr. Rodger Dean Duncan


Inspiring to be a better leader and manager takes an added effort from all of us. Some people learn better hands-on or working with a mentor. Others are visual and jump into resources like books, online learning or podcasts. Combined with a variety of real-life experiences and being proactive to learn on your own will also build your leadership skills.

I am a huge bookworm. There have been so many books that I have read where I would love to sit down with the author and chat one on one. Often after I finish a book, I have questions that linger and are relevant to my life or issues on how I can be a better leader.

If you are like me, a comfortable real experience book resonates more than theoretical ideas written by people who have committed themselves more to building theories than sharing practical skills. The new book LeaderShop – Workplace, Career, and Life Advice from Today’s Top Thought Leaders by Dr.Rodger Dean Duncan is a must read. He brings together conversations with over 50 leaders on a myriad of topics that can be used as your tabletop “bible.” The chapters read like friendly conversations from authors including Brian Tracy, Marshall Goldsmith, Stephen Covey, Mark Sanborn and more.

I loved the variety of topics we get to eavesdrop on. Dr. Duncan asks leaders questions that speak to us as leaders, and he doesn’t just address work situations. The conversations also focus on personal success because work isn’t everything. There are tableside chats that pertain to so many topics the reader will find numerous ones that resonate. I loved the casual talks and wrote down some ideas and goals from almost every chapter.

Here are some of the topics in LeaderShop:

•    Meaning and Purpose
•    Mental Maps
•    Workplace Practices
•    Communication
•    Feedback and Accountability
•    Culture
•    Career Management
•    Personal balance

There are few other sources where you will find so much wisdom all in one book. The book can be read chapter by chapter, or you can choose a particular chapter depending on your mood or even a situation that you are encountering. This is the perfect book to keep in your office library to grab for reference and to solve problems.

LeaderShop is volume 1 from Dr. Duncan and I hope that there are numerous more versions to come. This is one of the best reads that I’ve had the opportunity to become engrossed in, and I felt like each leader/topic was talking with me, not at me. Pick this gem up today!




Monday, December 10, 2018

Building Resilience with Appreciative Inquiry by Joan McArthur-Blair and Jeanie Cockell Book Review



Leadership is a journey that doesn’t have a definitive playbook. It’s helpful to have different ideas and models to guide and mentor as we improve our leadership skills. The new book Building Resilience with Appreciative Inquiry by Joan McArthur- Blair and Jeanie Cockell offer a unique roadmap that they call Appreciative Inquiry. This model illustrates how to build resilience in leading oneself and those around you. It’s an approach for positive change in organizations, individuals, and groups. The process engages people by telling and listening to stories to build the future of people and organizations together in an engaging manner.

Appreciative Inquiry (AI) can be used in strategic planning, team development, coaching, organizational development, and research. Ultimately, the process shows leaders at all levels how to build long-term resilience by using AI to reflect on and explore leadership through hope, despair, and forgiveness. This process builds leadership resilience in not just us, but our people. AI helps us navigate through difficult situations as leaders. It guides us in connecting with others.

The book offers personal and real-life leadership situations for readers to see AI in action. It’s useful to know the impact of AI by introducing several valuable models. Moreover, each chapter opens with an inspiring poem and ends with reflection questions to really get us thinking as leaders and asking how we can use the lessons in the book to be stronger leaders who can impact the people around us and the organizations that we work in.

What I enjoyed most about the book are the first-hand stories about AI and how it can change people and organizations. It helps to bring all the various ideas in the book together for that “aha” moment. It helps everything to gel and assists the reader to start down on a new path to leadership.

For those that really see the benefits that AI can bring to your organization or team, there are some excellence chapters at the end of the book to help you practice AI and even conduct your own AI workshop with your team with the support of other leaders in your organization.

If you want to explore a new leadership method, pick up a copy of Building Resilience with Appreciative Inquiry.

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Clarity First by Karen Martin Book Review



Over the years I have lost count of how many useless meetings that I have sat through with colleagues listening to countless KPI numbers, reports, financial updates, and other meaningless reports. We all nod as if we understand and that the information is meaningful. Sound familiar?

Too many leaders spend time pouring over numbers and creating reports that lack clarity, relevancy, and actionable information. The new book by Karen Martin Clarity First offers strategies, guidance, and examples of how we should be mining and presenting clear information for our employees, customers, and leadership teams. Karen introduces us to some lean and value stream processes that are useful and manageable without overwhelming with statistics and mumbo-jumbo that goes over the reader’s head.

Karen addresses five key areas that need to be addressed to bring clarity to organizations and teams. Here are the five Ps:

1. Purpose
2. Priorities
3. Process
4. Performance
5. Problem-solving

Organizations that lack clarity drive waste which prevents leaders from achieving goals and only brings confusion. Surprisingly, many companies avoid clarity because it means “putting” everything out there. Lack of clarity alienates employees, stakeholders, and leaders. Everyone within an organization should be encouraged to champion clarity and make it a vital part of the company culture.

Not enough leaders realize that clarity can unleash the power of employees by empowering them. If encouraged, they have unleashed potential, insight, innovation at various levels, and encourage every single person at every level.

Clarity First is a must-read for leaders at any level. Here is what clarity can bring:

Highlighting organizational purpose
Set achievable priorities because clarity exists
Deliver better customer service and value
Encourage transparency
Build stronger problem-solving skills and capabilities
Develop personal clarity to individuals

Clarity isn’t something that should be feared. Every organization should embrace transparency and clarity as a key factor to success. Write relevant reports. Share the good and bad with clarity. Manage transparency at all levels with a variety of data points. Encourage people to bring clarity to work with them every day. Clarity First by Karen Martin can start you on your own clarity journey.



Sunday, October 14, 2018

What Are Your Blind Spots? Conquering the 5 Misconceptions that Hold Leaders Back


Too many leaders today are leaders in title only. They don’t possess relevant skills, and they read book after book or attend seminars to tell themselves that they are indeed strong leaders. These leaders lack conviction in their teams or often fail to see how their misuse of their “leadership skills” only demoralize or make teams feel powerless and unappreciated.

What Are Your Blind Spots? Conquering the 5 Misconceptions that Hold Leaders Back by Jim Haudan and Rich Berens is one of my favorite leadership books that I have read in quite a while. They acknowledge that too many “leaders” don’t understand how they are holding themselves and their teams back. Sadly, these same leaders have no idea what the top leadership misconceptions are and what to do about them. By not recognizing how they are holding others back, entire teams and companies are underperforming and lack the ability to empowering people.

The authors offer tools, strategies, and stories about how blind spots have an adverse impact. Only 30% of our workforce is actively engaged, and that hasn’t changed for years.  It won’t change until authentic leaders recognize their blind spots and engage in restoring purpose, engagement, and connection.

Here are the 5 leadership misconceptions that hold leaders back:

1.    Purpose: Too few organizations operate purposefully. This adversely impacts people, profits, and growth. The authors share how to build a strong purpose statement that will resonate with teams and aren’t just words. Make purpose personal and be passionate about the purpose, not the numbers.
2.    Story: Too many companies think that they have an unusual and compelling story to tell that everyone wants to hear. You don’t. Leaders have it in their heads but can’t articulate it to anyone else. What do you need to do? Proactively close the gap between what you say and what you mean. Also, don’t let your stories kill your strategies. Last, don’t place foolish emphasis on WIIFM.
3.    Engagement: Let’s face it. Enough companies today encourage little to no participation within the organization or with teams. They don’t listen to what their people want or even really care. ASK what your people need. Focus on the emotional versus the rational. The authors suggest using dialogue to reach the hearts and minds of your people. Last, flip the switch for your people. Take the challenges of the organization to your teams and listen.
4.    Trust: Too many leaders think that people won’t do the right thing unless what they are told what to do. Make priorities clear, invite people to use their strengths, and embrace human variability rather than reduce it. Clear-headed leaders clarify hard lines, guidelines, and no lines to make the complex simple.
5.    Truth: Let’s face it. Many leaders don’t want to hear the truth. They feel safer living in a world where what they think is right and think they know what is best for everyone. Wrong. Teams need to feel like they are heard and leaders care. People want to know the truth. Don’t let rumors and a lack of communication rule the day. Use humor every day because it breaks down barriers and walls. People feel safer. Make it a priority to create a truth-telling culture. Be committed and don’t waver. As Haudan and Berens share, “To thyself be true, and others will follow.”

Leaders at all levels need to understand their leadership strengths and weaknesses. Too many fear to see the truth. We all need to be aware of the leadership misconceptions that plague us every day to grow as leaders and bring our teams along as authentic leaders. Pick up a copy of Blind Spots today!

Thursday, August 23, 2018



For years, leadership has meant strength, control, absolute, and a lack of flexibility. Fortunately, new leaders are learning that serving their people, being more personable, and becoming humble benefits teams and entire organizations. Leaders are finally focusing on personal relationships rather than outdated transactional role relationships. Just because you are a leader does not mean that people must follow. These days employees demand respect, relational interactions, and want to work for humble and uplifting managers.

The new book Humble Leadership – The Power of Relationships, Openness, and Trust by Edgar H. Schein and Peter A. Schein offers a new approach to leadership. Leaders need to be humble. Relationships should change in design and evolve over time. It’s a challenging balance for leaders and their teams. The balance between being too formal or too intimate is a struggle in this day and age. Being humble is key to cultivating a strong culture of cooperation and trust. Years ago empathy wasn’t considered a leadership trait and it is a strength that can pull teams together.

Leaders today need to be adaptive and very in tune with their actions, behaviors, and treatment of teams so that organizational culture thrives and in turn impacts employees. I have worked in organizations with great cultures and those that are toxic. When an organization is toxic turnover increases, sales and service take a dive, and organizations fade.

The authors offer four levels of leadership relationships. Level two represents the most effective balance for most organizations.

Level  Minus 1: Total impersonal, domination, and coercion
Level 1: Transactional role and rule-based supervision, service, and most forms of “professional” helping relationships
Level 2: Personal cooperative, trusting relationships as in friendships and in effective teams
Level 3: Emotionally intimate total mutual commitments

The authors assert that learning and rewarding humility is a learning process. Without focus and commitment, leaders can’t change. They need to practice focused reading and reflection, create homework around designing work relationships and build their behavioral skills through fieldwork and learning.

Humble Leadership doesn’t just present theories and ideas. The real meat in the book are the lessons at the end of each chapter which invite the reader to reflect. There are several chapters detailing real situations in companies and even the military where humbleness has been transforming. These stories r bring the ideas and concepts in the book together. For instance, we learn lessons from a major medical center, an international company, and even the US military.

If you are ready and willing to become humble and change your organization pick up a copy of Humble Leadership today. You don’t need to be a CEO – you can have an impact in your role and within the teams that you work with. If we all make small changes we can have an impact.

Sunday, April 8, 2018



When is the last time that you spoke up at work about something that you felt was wrong or refused to comply with what your boss told you do because it felt wrong?. How many instances have we watched a scene play out on TV where people stood back doing nothing when apparently there was immoral conduct going on? Have you ever witnessed racism or discrimination play out in a meeting and sat back in shock but did nothing? We all have. Throughout your life, you may continue to struggle to do the right thing when what you are told to do may be wrong.

Ira Chaleff’s book Intelligent Disobedience – Doing Right When What You’re Told Is Wrong is a book leaders should read. Sometimes we forget that there is a time and a place to step up and say no to a situation. So many tragedies could have been prevented if someone just dared to object or disobey orders. Ira offers a compelling analogy for when there are times it’s necessary to defy. Consider a guide dog. The dog is trained to understand yet resist a command that may hurt or kill its owner. Consider a blind woman that gives her dog a command to walk across the street. A well-trained dog will resist and refuse if he feels there is a danger. Sometimes we all need an inner guide dog to help us operate in a culture or situation where we are accountable for our actions even when we are instructed to “just follow orders”.

From an early age, we are taught to respect our elders and do what they tell us to do. Schools socialize us early on to sit in our chairs and be compliant and obedient. Don’t question, don’t talk back, do as you are told. Sadly, this follows us as we mature and the expectations are no different when we become employees. We “know” that we should do as we are told. Often, we are punished when we speak up even when it is the right thing to do. Few of us will rock the boat. Time and time again history has shown us how tragedies could have been prevented had someone spoke up. We live in different times where the moto is “see something, say something”.

Ira shares numerous examples and case studies that are shocking. They illustrate how humans will stand back in some situations and do nothing even though they know it is wrong. His stories are wake up calls. We need to find a healthy balance in our lives for functioning within a system of rules and expectations while being true to ourselves and be responsible for speaking up when we see something that is wrong. Just sitting back and not doing the “right thing” is no longer an option. We need to instill a sense of Intelligent Disobedience and act on it.

Effective leaders will guide their teams to learn and practice Intelligent Disobedience. Here are some starting points to consider

•    Identify certain risks and be willing to train people to give appropriate responses. Encourage alternative measures or correct violations by encouraging people to speak up.
•    Train people to question the phases of obedience. These include cooperation, strain, divergence, divergence amplification or education, and how to do the right thing.
•    Inform people that the earlier they question, the better.
•    The process can be done with politeness but may need people to become more assertive.
•    Orientate new employees about Intelligent Disobedience.
•    Support people when they do the right thing and share their experience with others.
•    Encourage, validate, and encourage people to do something even if it may go against the norm.

Intelligent Disobedience is a book that all leaders should read. Servant leaders lead from the bottom up and should train and encourage their people to do the right thing even when it may be perceived as the “wrong thing” to do. We should empower our people to think before blindly following “orders” or policies. We should push people to do what is right without the fear of repercussions. Most of all we need to offer our people the tools and training to take the first step in standing up.








Monday, April 2, 2018

The Essentials of Theory U - Core Principles and Applications by C. Otto Scharmer



Over ten issues ago Theory U was published, and it was over 500 pages that contained numerous tables, graphs, and other insights. The author C. Otto Scharmer just released a condensed version of his original book called The Essentials of Theory U – Core Principles and Applications. This version of the book is only 157 pages and has some great insights for leaders and is the perfect size with wisdom to keep handy as you meet daily challenges.

Theory U encourages us to look at the world with fresh eyes. We need to be more cognoscente of how we pay attention to if at all, problems to avoid looking at everything as a “blind spot”. We need to be open to listening to our inner selves and be aware of any blind spots so that we can make change that sticks and benefits others.

There are three key elements to Theory U:

1.    Develop a framework for recognizing blind spots with our leadership and any system changes.
2.    Find a method for implementing an awareness-based shift that encompasses processes, principles, and other outside forces.
3.    Develop a new “narrative” for societal changes and impacting all of our mental and institutional operating systems.

The book thoroughly explains the Theory U and delves into the various issues that happen with blind spots and how it impacts us as leaders. Scharmer offers up some actionable methods and ideas to help leaders change and take action looking beyond blind spots. I was uplifted at the author’s framework to help me develop a better awareness and be open to alternative possibilities. We need to be more present while sensing everything around us and ask for more openness and understanding from those around us.

The Essentials of Theory U is a useful paired down version of the original book. It’s a book that you will want to read carefully to pick out which nuggets will assist you in your daily challenges. It may be beneficial to take a few notes to reference and it’s a more substantial read than most of us may be accustomed to reading but well worth it.





Saturday, March 24, 2018

Let's Stop Meeting Like This - Tools To Save Time And Get More Done by Dick & Emily Axelrod





Let’s face it – most of us hate meetings. Our calendar is stocked full of meetings that we usually don’t need to attend. We show up, pretend to pay attention, and take notes to remind ourselves of the 50 things that we need to accomplish once we escape the room.

Too many of us are too kind. We won’t say no to meetings, and we try to keep the peace. With so much going on it’s time that we take back control of our work lives and priorities.  We need to take a new look at how to approach and manage meetings. If you are wringing your hands every day over meetings, pick up the book. Let’s Stop Meeting Like This – Tools to Save Time and Get More Done. You need to read this book if you find yourself the culprit setting up meetings no one wants to attend, and you find that not much comes out of them.

This book offers tangible and realistic strategies for setting up meetings, eliminating people who aren’t stakeholders and getting things done. Meetings need to be better planned, have specific outcomes, and people need to feel that their input means something. Here are some of the highlights of meetings from the book:

  • Create concrete and managing plans
  • Build connections
  • Invite people to meetings and let them know they are valued
  • How to move projects forward
  • First aid for meetings
  • Five steps to meeting success
  • Three steps to meeting effectiveness
  • Connect people to one another and the task
  • Encourage open discussion
  • Elicit people’s dreams
  • How to be a better facilitator

The meat of Let’s Stop Meeting Like This is the concept of the meeting canoe. It’s a visual of an actual canoe with paddles that is a blueprint to conduct productive meetings. It shows leaders how to efficiently design and lead meetings that will work in any setting from the boardroom to small breakroom chats.

The canoe is divided into sections as depicted below:
  • Welcome: People are an asset and critical
  • Connect: People need to be connected to one another and the tasks at hand
  • Discover: Find out the way that things are with honest feedback
  • Elicit: Discover people’s dreams
  • Decide: Discover next steps as a team
  • Attend: Stay to the end and take action 

Pick up Dick and Emily Axelrod’s book Let’s Stop Meeting Like This today if you want to turn time-consuming meetings into productive and meaningful interactions to get things done with key people who have an impact.





Sunday, February 25, 2018


When I was growing up, we didn’t have the internet. We learned from mentors or read books. Unfortunately, most of us didn’t have influential mentors or people who shared valuable life-changing advice. I love learning from people who have lived a full life so that we can learn from them and not repeat mistakes. When I was growing up, I wish that I had Skip Prichard’s new book The Book of Mistakes in my hands. It would have saved me grief and making mistakes that were painful to endure.

I would love to arm every young person with Skip’s book. It’s a valuable bible on how to achieve and not only be a better person but efficiently empower others. The Book of Mistakes is a parable. We join David, a stressed and disenchanted young professional, on his journey to discover the nine mistakes that prevent people from achieving their goals. He meets mysterious people who share their stories, and each one offers him a parting life mistake to learn from in the hope of him avoiding the same mistake. Absorbing these mistake are critical for any of us to overcome hurdles that we face and distractions that veer us off of our path.

The Book of Mistakes made me pause and think about the journey that I have been on over the years. For years I searched for my purpose, and Skip’s words would have guided me in finding and following my mission. It would have helped me push down barriers more quickly. I would have had a clearer mind to achieve more than I thought possible. Guess what? It’s not too late. The Book of Mistakes recommends steps to consider on our life journey to be happier, more satisfied, have a stronger sense of community, and be at peace.

The nine mistakes impacted me. I have a list of the nine mistakes on a sign at my desk and on my IPad screen to remind me several times how I can stay on the path that will bring me success. These mistakes should be posted in every classroom to guide young adults as they waver through growing up and become absorbed by obstacles and the negative talk around them.

The Nine Mistakes

  1. Working on someone else’s’ dream. Aren’t many of us doing that day in and day out? Don’t forget YOU and your goals. Set aside time to work on what you believe in and are passionate about. 
  2. Allowing someone to deflate your value. Every one of us has value in this world and don’t forget it. Don’t let someone step on your spirit and make you feel less important 
  3. Accepting excuses: Take ownership of your life and don’t allow excuses to rule the day. Behind every excuse is a way to success so tune them out and tune out any doubts.
  4.  Surround yourself with the wrong people. When you were growing up, how many times did your parents tell you to not hang out with the wrong crowd? That remains sound advice as adults. You become what you are around.
  5. Staying in your comfort zone. You will never grow if you don’t jump out of your bubble. 
  6. Don’t let temporary setbacks become a permanent failure. Remember, “Setbacks are the seeds that sprout opportunity.”
  7. Trying to blend in instead of standing out. Be authentic and be you. Always stand out and above. 
  8. Thinking there is a fixed and limited amount of success available. The beautiful thing about life is that there is an unlimited possibility. Be motivated, not intimidated by the success of others. There is plenty to go around. 
  9. Believing you have all the time in the world. We are all given the time in life. Use it wisely and don’t have regrets. 

We learn more than just the nine mistakes in The Book of Mistakes. We learn some simple, yet often forgotten, laws that should guide us in everything that we do. 
  • The law of desire
  • The law of gratitude 
  • The law of belief


If you have young people in your life, you need to get The Book of Mistakes into their hands. Today. If you are older and wiser, you need Skip’s book to light a fire within you so that you quit making excuses and making the same mistakes in your life over and over. It’ never too late to start again to bring out your best and find personal success.  



















Saturday, February 24, 2018

The Courage Way - Leading and Living with Integrity by Shelly L. Francis





Becoming a leader is like parenting. Sometimes it’s a surprise, other times it seems like you’ve been waiting for the opportunity forever. You are thrust into a whole new world, and there isn’t a day that goes by that you don’t wonder if you are “doing it right” or being an active parent. You look inside and out to learn how to be the best that you can while influencing your child.

Leadership leaves many of us feeling inadequate and looking over our shoulder wondering if we are “doing it the right way”. I’ve worked with servant leaders who lead from within with grace and humbleness and “leaders” who think yelling and threatening is leadership because people quickly respond and fall in line.

Ultimately what drives authentic leadership is courage. Courage will compel you to look deep inside yourself to bring out your best with integrity and it will drive you to impact those around you. Courage is more than just stepping up. It means living your life becoming “your best self and inviting others to do the same”. Need some courage? Shelly L. Francis’s new book The Courage Way – Leading and Living with Integrity will take you on an incredible journey.

Shelly Francis works at the non-profit Center for Courage & Renewal. The center has over 300 facilitators worldwide who aim to create “a more just, compassionate, and healthy world by nurturing personal and professional integrity and the courage to act on it”. Shelly walks us down the path of showing us the courage way and forcing us to look deep inside to understand the work of being a leader and bringing out the courage to live the leadership ways. We need to ask ourselves “what would you do with more courage?” and act on it.

There are five key ingredients of the Courage Way:
  1. True self
  2. Trust
  3. Community
  4. Paradox
  5. Reflection

These elements enable us to become what we can be. Courage isn’t a singular “thing”. It can take many forms such as courage to answer your calling, the courage to choose wisely, the courage to stay or leave, or the courage to care for true self. Some courage is more natural for us to summon while others may be daunting. There is more to courage than just the discovery process. In order to flourish, we need to live in a Circle of Trust. What’s that? It’s a process to create and grow a safe space for both individuals and groups so that they can trust one another to develop growth, restoration, team building, and reconnect. Within this circle there are 11 touchstones.

Ultimately, Shelly emphasizes the need to take care of ourselves and regularly reflect. To be an active leader you need to trust in yourself and others. You need various forms of courage to develop people, build trust, and form a healthy community. With courage comes authentic and natural leadership that grows over time and only brings out more courage to step out of your comfort zone.

The Courage Way shares real-life stories of professionals who have made changes in their leadership because they have found inner courage and it has impacted both their lives and those around them. The Courage Way is a unique leadership book that will remove you from your comfort zone and force you to look at yourself with a fresh perspective that may bring out courage that you never realized you possessed. The question is, do you have the courage to look at leadership from a different angle and start living a life of integrity and authenticity?