Archives For Personal Development
Personal Development category focuses on continuous improvement for 21st Century Leaders.
There’s a burst of discussion lately on the value of being “nice.”
A fine new book by social media expert Peter Shankman, for example, is entitled: Nice Companies Finish First.
Serve to Lead advances the notion that the conditions of the 21st century–transparency, social media, and so on–set the stage for greater value creation through collaboration and empowerment.
Such an approach is distinct from the 20th century management notion embodied in Leo Durocher’s famous quip: Nice Guys Finish Last.
And yet, I’m a bit uneasy about the widespread focus on being “nice.”
Why?
Winston Churchill, Sir Kingsley Wood, Anthony Eden, May 10, 1940. Getty Images
On Friday, May 10, 1940, at 5:35 a.m., the beautiful spring dawn of northwestern Europe was sundered by the unanticipated, unmistakable, ominous, thunderous rumble of heavy artillery fire. Adolf Hitler himself was on the scene, directing the surprise German invasion of Holland and Belgium.
The ruthlessly effective Blitzkrieg that had been loosed upon Poland was now on the move in the West. The Wehrmacht moved with rapid, rehearsed precision through the Low Countries. Its success surprised even the German high command. The Luftwaffe hit French airfields, as well as targets in Holland and Belgium.
Amid the chaos, British prime minister Neville Chamberlain scrambled to hold together his government. Hours of political maneuvering removed any lingering doubt that the premier could not unite his Conservative party, much less Labour and Liberals, into a war cabinet.
Shortly after 6 pm, Winston Churchill was called by a reluctant King George VI to form a new, all-party government.
Corporate consultant Steven Snyder has written a compelling book, Leadership and the Art of Struggle.
Snyder sets out to illuminate “how great leaders grow through challenge and adversity.”
He succeeds admirably.
Audio versions of Serve to Lead, Reagan on Leadership, and Theodore Roosevelt on Leadership will be released for the Holiday Season 2013-14.
Tom Peters
Legendary leadership and management authority Tom Peters is notable for his generosity. For example, he routinely shares his famous slide decks online for the taking.
His latest gift is a tremendous essay, Presentation Excellence.
Steven Spielberg’s recent movie, Lincoln, is a real treat to watch. The acting is superb and the period sets and costumes are magnificent.
More important however than all that are some of the lessons in leadership we can all learn from our 16th President.
Books have been written about the many leadership lessons Lincoln demonstrated, but there are three that may stand out as the most important. All three were well depicted in the movie.
Consequential Leaders.
Personality and charm and motivation can be brilliant baubles of charismatic leadership as it’s experienced by others in real-time.
The test of time is more demanding. It’s focused on results. Future generations can see what’s happened. They have to live with the consequences.
The supreme leadership test: Would the most significant actions and consequences have occurred, had others held the relevant position of power or influence?
Margaret Thatcher’s leadership passes this test, indeed flies past it.
The Pumpkin Plan is a terrific read for anyone who is, or is striving to be, an entrepreneur.
Mike Michalowicz has boiled down the some key insights that can help guide any entrepreneur, keeping their eyes on the essential.
‘Action, Action, and Still More Action!’
Leaders think. Leaders plan and prioritize. Leaders manage their time and money effectively.
First and foremost, however, leaders act.