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Book Review: Lead Well and Prosper

post # 442 — October 4, 2007 — a Managing post

Nick McCormick has written a slim, large-type paperback book (with cartoons) called “Lead Well and Prosper.”

His 15 chapter headings are:

  1. Adopt a Serving Attitude
  2. Teach
  3. Provide Honest and Timely Feedback
  4. Share Information
  5. Listen
  6. Treat People Like Human Beings
  7. Set Goals, Plan and Execute
  8. Learn
  9. Do the Right Thing
  10. Embrace the Uncomfortable
  11. Clean Up Your Own House First
  12. Persist
  13. Do what You Say You’ll Do
  14. Always Follow Up
  15. Plan your Week

That’s a pretty good summary checklist for any manager!

Which of these would everyone say tends to be done best? Which are usually least well done?

4 Comments

Dan said:

One of the oddest things I have encountered in my young career is the overwhelming fear to “Embrace the Uncomfortable” or as Jim Collins might put it, “Confront the Brutal Facts”. The “uncomfortable” can manifest itself in many ways:

  1. We are setting new accountability tools that require us to explain our performance on a more regular basis.
  2. We are forced to explain to our team why we are not getting the job done.
  3. We are asked to manage an area that is outside of what one might see as our “strengths”.

I am sure you could all list thousands more but the reality is that managers, and people for that matter, have a hard time being out of their comfort zone. I believe this has it’s roots in our need to feel like we are in control. If we are uncomfortable we are not in control, and when we are not in control we feel vulnerable. Vulnerability is not seen as a positive in the professional setting (maybe it should be).

All and all, I think we are better employees, managers and service providers when we allow ourselves to embrace the uncomfortable situations, whatever they may be. We become transparent when we are vulnerable and in many ways we show our true colors.

posted on October 4, 2007

Samantha said:

Some great articles here, thankyou for sharing

posted on October 5, 2007

Ron Evans said:

Dan: The greatest self fulfillment and personal rewards I ever received in my career always came from accomplishing tasks that were far, far, far out of my comfort zone. Not many people dare climb the Mt. Everests of the business world but when they do, they are set free of normal personal restraints.

A brilliant man, I was fortunate to work for in my early career, said only the incompetent and super competent get fired. If you have the jam, step out of your comfort zone, don’t worry about the consequences, and accomplish what so few people every have or ever will.

Cheers

posted on October 7, 2007

Natalia Ledneva said:

There is another book with useful list of chapter headings. It is “Leadership. The Sven-Goran Eriksson way” by Julian Birkinshow and Stuart Crainer.

Leaders are different

Leader as a coach

Keep the distance

Stimulate in order to win

Team has its own character

Be more simple

Never walk alone

Be open (global)

P.S. Sorry, I’m not sure that the headings I wrote are correct. I have Russian edition of this book and I translated heading from Russian to English.

posted on October 15, 2007