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Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute

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Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute

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The Arbinger Institute’s Leadership and Self-Deception spends nearly every one of its 177 pages tackling one deceptively simple, fundamental idea: what happens when we see others as less than human, consciously or not? Packed full of its own vocabulary to answer this powerful question, Leadership and Self-Deception has the capability to forever change the world of its readers. While marketed on their strong applications to business leadership, these concepts are applicable to nearly every area of lives. Dating relationships? Absolutely. Marriages? The book itself talks about them. Friendships? You bet. Familial relationships Undoubtedly. I say, with confidence, that the ideas within Leadership have impacted my life forever.

Before I get into the main ideas, here are a few definitions to Leadership’s slang for its concepts:

In the Box: The state of mind where we are inflating ourselves and our own feelings,
seeking justification for our own problems and blaming others – when we see others as less than people.

Out of the Box: The state of mind where we are focused on others and our impact to
others more than ourselves. We can recognize our own role in our problems and are not inclined to blame others.

Self-Deception: The act of being in the box.

Self-Betrayal: When we betray our initial instincts of how to act toward another person in favor of a self-serving action.

Collusion: The event in which somebody who is in the box puts somebody else in the box.

With these important concepts in mind, here are the main takeaways from the book:

1. When we are in the box, we are “Self-Deceived” and inflate our own interests, needs, and priorities to be more important than those of others. While in the box, we see others as nuisances, problems, reasons for our failures – less than people.
2. When we are out of the box, we see others as people with their own unique interests, needs and priorities. We can have successful, genuine relationships and live more rewarding lives.
3. Self-betrayal is how we get in the box.
4. When we betray ourselves, we erode relationships and sink deeper into our boxes as we seek justification for not honoring our initial sense of how to act toward another.
5. Collusion means our boxes can detrimentally impact others, not just us.
6. We get out of the box by seeing & appreciating others as people and honoring them as such.
7. Within an organization, self-betrayal & self-deception cause people to lose focus on results and instead focus on their own interests & self-justification.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think the principles it lays out are incredibly powerful and can truly improve nearly every area of my life for the better. I appreciate that the book emphasizes these changes are life-altering and difficult to consistently practice while still
reminding the reader that it is worthwhile. I feel that the book’s unique terminology makes for a more engaging read and can really enhance dialogue surrounding the book and its contents.

With all that said, however, I do have a couple minor criticisms. The strong use of this terminology throughout makes the book and its ideas very hard to describe to somebody who has not read the book themselves. In a way, the book is self-aware of this, which I appreciate – but it
does not change the fact of the matter. Moreover, Leadership lays everything out in the context of conversation between four or so incredibly static characters. Initially, this helps engage the reader, but after a while it causes the book to drag on. The same points are repeatedly summarized through half-baked, wordy dialogue that does not read like a true conversation. At
times, this creates a near-condescending tone to the reader. Along these lines, the characters become boring after a while as they undergo no real development. The characters and their dialogue are simply a vehicle to deliver the (admittedly) more important philosophical substance
of the book.

In conclusion, despite its basic and repetitive dialogue style and the lack of substance at a plot level, Leadership and Self-Deception still manages to lay out a whole new way of thinking about others. It does so with interesting slang, a strong business theme, and easy-to-digest
definitions for some of the most common-yet-unspoken interpersonal problems we experience as humans. This book has the potential to change lives, and I recommend it to everyone.

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Grace-Full Leadership was written by John C. Bowling. It goes over all of the basic, yet essential, traits that a good leader must possess. I think that we can all learn from the humbleness that Christ displayed and Bowling reiterated in his book. With these traits, we will be much more successful in our future careers.  It consists of two sections that are subdivided into categories for each trait. The following is a brief overview of each section.

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Grace-Full Leadership was written by John C. Bowling. It goes over all of the basic, yet essential, traits that a good leader must possess. I think that we can all learn from the humbleness that Christ displayed and Bowling reiterated in his book. With these traits, we will be much more successful in our future careers.  It consists of two sections that are subdivided into categories for each trait. The following is a brief overview of each section.

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Chapter 1- Grace-full leaders are more concerned with spirit than style. The leaders that focus on style can't see the possibilities that may lie ahead.
Chapter 2- Grace-full leaders are conventional rather than contractual. If a leader is working as if he were contractually obligated, he would not have the passion that a volunteer would have.
Chapter 3- Grace-full leaders view people as ends- not means. People are important for a business, so treating them with respect is essential.
Chapter4- Grace-full leaders recognize the changeable from the changeless. If a leader gets stuck on the circumstances that he cannot change, how is he supposed to grow his team?
Chapter 5- Grace-full leaders seek significance, not just success. Working with a purpose gives greater success than working solely for money.
Chapter 6- Grace-full leaders are responsive as well as responsible. Leaders should be ready to listen to their subordinates, and take their concerns into consideration.
Chapter 7- Grace-full leaders are high-touch. A good leader should be accessible to all the people on his team. He should also work alongside his coworkers.
Chapter 8- Grace-full leaders maximize influence and minimize authority. A manager seeks authority, a leader should seek influence so he doesn't overpower others.
Chapter 9- Grace-full leaders are passionate.
Chapter 10- Grace-full leaders focus primarily on the body, not the head. Keeping the small sections of a business healthy is just as important as keeping the head of a company healthy.
Chapter 11- Grace-full leaders understand accountability.
Chapter 12- Grace-full leaders interact rather than react. For example, the Chicago Fire burned much farther because the leaders did not interact with their teams to avoid tragedy.
Chapter 13- Grace-full leaders follow their "knows." What are the main truths and values that the leader has?
Chapter 14- Grace-full leaders are willing to follow as well as lead. Being humble is pivotal for a leader so he knows how his colleagues feel.
Chapter 15- Grace-full leaders maintain their balance. A balance between self, others, the environment, and God creates a stable structure for leaders.
Chapter 16- Grace-full leaders have double vision.
Chapter 17- Grace-full leaders "go deep." Passion is one of the most simple yet important aspects for a leader.
Chapter 18- Grace-full leaders are skilled meteorologists. Being able to predict future occurrences is an extremely helpful skill.
Chapter 19-  Grace-full leaders anticipate through planning, pathfinding, planting, and prospecting.
Chapter 20- Grace-full leaders take care.

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How Successful People Lead by John C. Maxwell

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How Successful People Lead by John C. Maxwell

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How Successful People Lead by John C. Maxwell is a remarkable guide that explores the essential principles of effective leadership. Drawing on his vast experience and keen insight, Maxwell offers readers valuable lessons on leadership, emphasizing the importance of influence and impact. The book consists of several chapters, each focusing on a specific aspect of leadership. Maxwell not only provides practical advice but also empowers readers to transform their leadership skills throughout this book.

Chapter 1: The Definition of Leadership

Maxwell provides a comprehensive definition of leadership, stressing that leadership is not about titles or positions, but rather about influence and the ability to inspire others. He lays the foundation for the subsequent chapters by emphasizing the importance of personal growth and authenticity in ineffective leadership.

Chapter 2: The Key to Leadership: Priorities

Maxwell delves into the significance of priorities in effective leadership. He discusses the importance of aligning personal and organizational priorities, and how successful leaders make strategic decisions to achieve their goals. I found this serves as a practical guide for readers to prioritize their tasks and focus on what truly matters.

Chapter 3: The Foundation of Leadership: Integrity

Maxwell explores the concept of integrity and its impact on leadership. He provides real-life examples and practical tips on how leaders can build and maintain their integrity, emphasizing the importance of honesty, transparency, and consistency in all interactions.

Chapter 4: The Heart of Leadership: Serving

Maxwell discusses the concept of servant leadership and how leaders can create a positive impact by putting the needs of others first. He emphasizes the importance of empathy, active listening, and genuine care for the well-being of team members.

Chapter 5: The Most Important Person in Leadership: You

Maxwell explores the importance of personal development, highlighting the significance of continuous learning, emotional intelligence, and resilience. He encourages readers to invest in their own growth to become more influential leaders.

Chapter 6: The Ultimate Test of Leadership: Creating Positive Change

Maxwell discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with leading change effectively. He provides practical strategies for overcoming resistance, fostering a positive environment, and inspiring others to embrace change. This chapter equips readers with the tools to navigate the complexities of organizational transformation.

In this book Maxwell does a wonderful job of weaving together real-world examples, practical advice, and timeless wisdom to create a comprehensive guide on leadership. His engaging writing style and relatable anecdotes make this book accessible to readers. Whether you are a seasoned executive, an aspiring leader, or simply someone looking to enhance your interpersonal skills, this book offers invaluable insights that can elevate your influence and impact. By focusing on the core principles of leadership, Maxwell empowers readers to not only lead others but also lead themselves toward personal and professional success.
-Dominic Martinez

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Patton on Leadership was written by Alan Axelrod and it goes over many philosophies and strategies that General George S Patton used during WWII.  The book goes over the importance of decisive and strategic leadership, drawing lessons from Patton's military career. It highlights effective communication, leading by example, and adaptability as key principles for successful leadership. The book provides a great perspective on leadership and something I think we can learn from.

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Patton on Leadership was written by Alan Axelrod and it goes over many philosophies and strategies that General George S Patton used during WWII.  The book goes over the importance of decisive and strategic leadership, drawing lessons from Patton's military career. It highlights effective communication, leading by example, and adaptability as key principles for successful leadership. The book provides a great perspective on leadership and something I think we can learn from.

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Chapter 1: Patton's Early Years

This chapter delves into General George S. Patton's early life, upbringing, and education. It explores how his family background and military heritage influenced his leadership style. The chapter sets the stage for understanding the factors that shaped Patton as a leader.

Chapter 2: The Military Academy

The book covers Patton's time at West Point, highlighting his experiences and achievements during his cadet years. It emphasizes the rigorous training and discipline he underwent, which played a significant role in his development as a person.

Chapter 3: World War I and the Birth of a Leader

This chapter focuses on Patton's involvement in World War I and his early military career. It highlights his journey from a relatively unknown officer to a recognized leader, including his contributions to the development of tank warfare tactics.

Chapter 4: Between the Wars

During the interwar years, Patton faced various challenges and opportunities. This chapter examines how he adapted to the changing military landscape and continued to develop his leadership skills, both in the United States and while stationed in various parts of the world.

Chapter 5: World War II and the Blitzkrieg Leadership

Patton's role in World War II is a central theme of this chapter. It delves into his leadership style during the North African campaign, emphasizing his aggressive and innovative approach in the face of formidable challenges.

Chapter 6: The European

In this chapter, Patton's leadership in the European theater is explored, especially during the Normandy invasion and the subsequent campaigns in France and Germany. His leadership philosophy of leading from the front and instilling discipline in his troops is a key focus.

Chapter 7: Leadership Lessons from Patton

This chapter details the leadership principles and lessons that can be drawn from Patton's life and experiences. It discusses his approach to strategy, tactics, motivation, and communication, offering insights that are valuable for aspiring leaders.

Chapter 8: The Legacy of Patton

The final chapter reflects on the enduring legacy of General Patton's leadership. It discusses how his leadership style has continued to influence military leaders and business executives alike.

Gavin Copeland

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Cooper Nixon - Your Next 5 Moves by Patrick Bet-David 

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Cooper Nixon - Your Next 5 Moves by Patrick Bet-David 

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Your Next 5 Moves by Patrick Bet-David is such an important and useful book to read, it talks about the big five steps to becoming steps ahead of your competitors. These are mastering, knowing yourself, mastering the ability to reason, mastering building the right team, mastering the strategy to scale, and finally being able to master the art of making power plays.

1.) Master Knowing yourself:
Bet-David talks about how knowing yourself is such an important skill to have in the world of business and the worst part about that is, is that it is rarely if ever talked about in business circles. You aren’t able to think ahead without knowing yourself and your strengths, Bet-David also mentions once you know who you are and what you are going to be the path you take to accomplishing that will become much easier

2.) Mastering the ability to reason:
Bet-David says that by mastering reason you will be able to face everything including uncertainty as you know how to get around it, there is so much uncertainty in the business world, such as what will work, whether will it fail, is there something better than this out there.

3.) Master the art of building a team:
Bet-David talks about how once you have built the perfect team around yourself there should be no gaps left to fill in as everyone has their strengths and weaknesses that are covered by other members of the team creating the best team possible. Knowing how to build a team is so important to us as it allows us to be great in whatever situation our business puts us in showing how diverse we can be and having a higher chance of success and promotion, all because we know how to build a team around ourselves.

4.) Mastering the plan to scale:
Bet-David talks about how tracking all of these is just as important as doing them in the first place. Without tracking them precisely you’ll never truly know what you have to grow your business. Without scaling your business you will never grow and never make as much money as you can to have the best life possible. That is why it is so important to make it so you know the skill of scaling your business so you can be successful.

5.) Bet-david says that everyone wants to be the Goliath in their business but only those who know how to make those power moves can be the Goliath. You must know how to control your narrative to be successful. Something all of us younger businessmen and women are good at is social media. Use the skills you already have to get ahead and use social media to keep attention on your business and what you are doing.

Knowing your next five moves is so important to us as we are already behind with us being younger than everyone else, we have to be able to think five steps ahead of everyone else, we have to be grandmasters at business. By reading this book you learn how to do all of these five things in deep detail which allows you to know exactly how to get ahead of everyone else to create the best advantage for yourself over everyone else in the business world.

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Leading Change Review

Leading Change is a book by John P. Kotter, a Harvard Business School professor, that provides a practical framework for leading organizational change. Kotter argues for a fully globalized economic environment and successful firms that can implement successful long-term change. Change will only happen if the employees are willing to help, even making certain minuscule sacrifices. Usually, individuals won’t focus on making sacrifices when they don’t appreciate or believe in the goal; however, if the purpose of change has potential and seems attractive, then sacrifices are made through believing in the transformation. The book outlines an eight-step process for effectively managing change initiatives, focusing on transforming organizations to meet the challenges of today's rapidly changing business environment.

Kotter’s Eight-Step Model of Change

(1)Create a sense of urgency: Leaders should communicate with critical stakeholders why change must occur and why it must occur now. (2)Create the guiding coalition: Assemble a team of influential individuals who can support and guide the change process. (3)Develop a vision and strategy: Identify the areas of change, provide clear and realistic targets for measuring success, and appeal to the long-term interests of organizational stakeholders. (4)Communicate the change vision: Broadly communicate the change vision to the organization to promote understanding and commitment for the new direction. (5)Empower others to act on the vision: Remove obstacles, provide the necessary resources and support, and encourage individuals to take ownership of the change process. (6)Generate short-term wins: Celebrate early successes to maintain momentum and demonstrate the benefits of the change effort. (7)Consolidate gains and produce more change: Build on the momentum of the early successes to tackle larger, more complex issues. (8)Anchor the new approaches in the culture: Reinforce the change by aligning it with the organization's values, and encourage and reward behaviors that support the new approaches. According to Kotter, any type of change starts with the leaders in the industry who have the most influence: people who can articulate a vision and have confidence in new ideas, and mid-level managers empower new employees on new levels.

Key Points

Change needs leadership, not merely management. Significant change is usually only possible if most employees are willing to involve themselves. Without credible communication, and a large amount of it, early and often, employees’ hearts and minds are never captured. The leadership team needs to show their commitment by their example and actions. The major change will not happen for a long list of reasons. Professor Kotter's eight-stage process for making lasting, effective change should be followed sequentially, without skipping any steps or changing the order. Making transformational change is hard work, but the rewards are worth it. Lastly, try and learn from those who have done it successfully.

Why is this important?

These points and views given by Kotter are essential because they provide a practical framework for effectively managing change initiatives and transforming organizations to meet the challenges of today's rapidly changing business environment. By following the eight-step model closely and in order, leaders can effectively manage complex change initiatives and avoid the common errors that can lead to failure. These same points are applicable to large organizations and can be adapted for use in small, local companies facing the challenges of globalization and increased competition. This model can be used as a roadmap for change in companies that can be applied throughout many contexts. Lastly, it’s shown that any possible change comes through personal motivation and communication through individuals in the leader role, not to mention the change model and the tool it provides for the industry. If there is any hope for change in any organization, Kotter’s points should be easy references for a guide.

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"Growing Influence" by Ron Price and Stacy Ennis

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"Growing Influence" by Ron Price and Stacy Ennis

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"Growing Influence" is novel based Emily's experience as a growing leader in large tech company. As the book moves through her story, the readers are given practical advice on how to develop leadership skills on a relatable level. This account not only gives insight into thriving in business world, but focuses on the transformation of the main character as a whole. A few general themes throughout the book include:

1. Leadership with Character: The book emphasizes the importance of character in leadership, suggesting that it is not only about achieving results but also about how those results are achieved. It stresses the significance of integrity, ethics, and moral values in leadership roles.

2. Developing Expertise: It offers guidance on how to cultivate and demonstrate expertise in a specific field, fostering credibility and respect in the chosen area.

3. Impactful Leadership: The book discusses how to create a positive impact through leadership, both within an organization and in the broader community. It provides insights into how leaders can inspire and motivate others, driving change and achieving meaningful results.

4. Personal Growth and Development: It dives into personal growth and development, encouraging readers to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and offering strategies to enhance their skills and capabilities to become more effective leaders.

Some quotes that encompass the book and it's takeaways are:
- "The first thing great leaders do is turn problems into opportunities."

- "Position, expertise, and character are always a work in progress. It's very important that you realize you're not finished. You're not even close to being finished. None of us are. Great leaders who make the most of their opportunity never have the attitude that they've arrived."

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Start With Why, by Simon Sinek is an inspiring read and offers information to become great leaders as well as find success in life. The goal of the book is to build a world  in which people enjoy their work, and  learn to find the why in what they are doing.

The book is essentially based off of the idea of the Golden Circle. The circle is layered strategically,  with why in the center, how as the next layer, and what as the last layer. Why, How, and What, followed and developed in this order with tools given from the book are the key to having success in a company or organization.

The book develops these ideas with various stories from familiar businesses and important, inspirational people. Martin Luther King and the Wright Brothers are compared as people who were able to find their why, inspire enough of a following to develop their how, and continue to communicate in a way to express their what.

Simon Sinek explained how this idea of the golden circle is applicable in business. A balance of gut decisions and rationale as well as focusing on the structure and design of a business are essential to starting the journey to find the why. In fact, he articulated that an unsound framework only leads to short-term solutions within a company. Ideally, a business should first create the ground work, starting with why, creating long-term reachable goals and outcomes. This idea of organizational structure and design is essential for building a community of followers who are loyal and have the same values. Good relationship with customers is essential to a successful, long-term business.

When a company is able to find their why, how is it maintained? Sinek was able to explain that there has to be a clarity of the why, discipline of how, and consistency of what.

Trust and consistency are  the last two points that really stuck out to me in this book, because they are so crucial to the development of a successful business and life. However there will be failure, or the why will become unclear, staying true to your why, and being determined to be consistent will dig you out of any hole.

The last line of this book is, "if this book inspired you, please pass it on to someone you want to inspire" (Sinek, p.225). I believe this reading is truly inspirational and offers a new insight to not only how to have a successful company, but to just find joy in what you are doing.

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The financial self-help classic "The Wealthy Barber" by David Chilton teaches important money management lessons through a fictional story. The main character of the story is a barber in a small village who encourages his customers on money matters. The book gives readers useful ideas to achieve financial security and wealth accumulation through practical guidance on saving, investing, and living within one's means.

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The financial self-help classic "The Wealthy Barber" by David Chilton teaches important money management lessons through a fictional story. The main character of the story is a barber in a small village who encourages his customers on money matters. The book gives readers useful ideas to achieve financial security and wealth accumulation through practical guidance on saving, investing, and living within one's means.

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chapter 1- This chapter presents the fundamental idea of paying yourself first by putting some money aside each pay period for savings and investments rather than paying other bills.

chapter 2- in this chapter Chilton explains the value of saving at least 10% of your income while highlighting the ability of compound interest to increase your wealth.

Chapter 3- in this chapter, he discusses how to divide your savings into short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals using the straightforward metaphor of three jars.

chapter 4- in this chapter, the "first rule" is presented as being frugal with your money. Chilton emphasizes the value of staying out of consumer debt and recognizing the distinction between needs and wants.

Chapter 5- This chapter discusses the significance of establishing specific financial objectives and drafting a written financial plan to carry them out.

Chapter 6- in this chapter, Chilton presents a series of investment guidelines, such as the advantages of diversification, getting started early, and exercising patience while making investments.

Chapter 7- in this chapter, The rich guy named Roy, whose character is revisited in the novel, offers further financial guidance and talks about the importance of life insurance and retirement preparation.

Chapter 8- in this chapter, The book explores the value of retirement planning and introduces ideas like RRSPs (Registered Retirement funds Plans) and the effect of taxes on retirement funds.

Chapter 9- in this chapter, it discusses the home-buying process, outlining mortgage terms, the benefits of home ownership, and factors to take into account when making a purchase.

Chapter 10- in this chapter, Chilton talks about the value of making a will and buying life insurance to safeguard your family's financial security in the case of your passing.

Chapter 11- The final chapter summarizes the book's key lessons and reiterates the importance of financial planning and discipline.

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In 'A Fish Out of Water,' George Barna provides a comprehensive guide to Christian leadership, offering valuable strategies for individuals seeking to grow in their roles as faith-based leaders. From his experience as a researcher and author in the field of Christian leadership, Barna explores key strategies that are fundamental to realizing one's God-given leadership potential. This book discusses the boundaries of traditional leadership, blending biblical principles with real-world examples to empower leaders in their Christian service. This paper provides a summary of the key strategies. It highlights their significance within the realm of Christian leadership, ultimately showing how these characteristics can be applied in practical, real-life contexts to inspire and transform individuals into effective Christian leaders.

Throughout the book, there are some key ideas that I thought would be good to share. He explains the importance of recognizing one's unique design in leadership. Everyone has leadership qualities just in their own skills and character traits. Some leaders are more outgoing and see the vision for change, others might wait until an opportunity arises for them to step in, or some might just work behind the scenes. The important message in the book was that we are all equipped without the natural skills to be Christian leaders and honor God's call in our own lives, along with leading others to see theirs as well.

Barna presents character attributes divided into five groups to help lead others such as managing a company, school, or church. Spiritual Maturity is a person who is qualified and empowered by God, outpouring faith that drives your mind and heart. Leadership revolves around relationships between God, his leaders, and those who follow his leaders. To become transparent and irrefutable the most important relationships are family ties. A person of integrity demonstrates what it means to be the image of God through this they become trustworthy and gain confidence in decisions and behavior. Demeanor is the way you portray yourself to other people or the confidence in yourself and that reflects how people are going to respond to you and your decision making. A person who chooses to follow these attributes and make the right choices with them helps others to move in an appropriate direction.

I would recommend this book because being a leader is not easy. So much is expected, and one might question whether they are right for the job or not. This is a good book to read and find out that you are definitely not alone. In this book, Barna shares a fresh perspective on what it is to be an effective leader. This book is not a book of basic principles but it goes deeper to discover your God-given potential and unique leadership style.

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"More Than A Pink Cadillac- Mary Kay Inc.'s 9 Leadership Keys to Success" Jim Underwood 

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"More Than A Pink Cadillac- Mary Kay Inc.'s 9 Leadership Keys to Success" Jim Underwood 

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"More Than A Pink Cadillac- Mary Kay Inc.'s 9 Leadership Keys to Success" is a novel written about the unique and extraordinary business that is Mary Kay Inc. It entails the simple set of principles the business was founded on and how it flourishes to this day. Within the novel, we are shown the value-based mindset and leadership skills that have created this booming enterprise. It highlights the inspirational stories from the management team and leaders that illustrate these "9 leadership keys to success."

Section 1: The Foundation-
In this section, we see Chapter 1: How Texas Entrepreneur Built a Global Company on the Philosophy of "Everyone Wins" and Chapter 2: Character Counts: Lessons from the Master Herself. Within these two chapters, we dive into the woman behind the famous symbol of the pink Cadillac. They delve into her humble beginnings that highlight her story of winning against overwhelming odds. We see the ideas of her foundation of success that begin with principle-based leadership and everyone wins, among others. A quote to encompass this section would be, "Many corporate executives focus principally on results. Exceptional leaders focus on the behaviors that create results" (chapter 2, page 25).

Section 2: The Nine Keys to Success
In this section, the author walks us through Mary Kay's nine keys to success through her own personal experience. 1. Create and maintain a common bond 2. Create the future: think and act strategically 3. Makes me feel important! 4. A pink Cadillac in every garage: motivate others with recognition and celebration 5. The heritage department: never leave your values 6. A laurel sat upon wilts: innovate or evaporate 7. God, family, career: foster balance 8. Have a higher purpose 9. Ok never does it: you've got to be great!

Section 3: Conclusion
In this section, the author comes to a close in the novel and describes the "golden rules" that drove Mary Kay Inc. to its successes. Over the years, many businesses and scholars have studied the corporation in hopes of using some of its tactics to be successful. The author also describes how the business was able to sustain itself after its head leader sadly fell to a terrible, debilitating stroke.

The novel encompasses the amazing life of the woman Mary Kay and the incredible business she built with her own two hands. It is able to highlight all the most important tactics that led her to the success she was able to gather.

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The book Zero to One explains and breaks down the ways to build a startup company. Throughout the book he shares multiple different key points of how to start and how to make it successful after the startup has happened.
1. Brilliant thinking and creativity is so rare these days and hard to find. He then explains horizontal thinking which is adding to ideas that have already worked, and vertical thinking which is creating something completely new. Later he then says that the most important thing to a new startup company would be new thinking. He is emphasizing the importance of free thinking and creativity due to the fact that it creates opportunities to come up with great ideas.
2. The ideology behind competition and why people’s views on competition are flawed. Almost all of us believe that competition is healthy and is what is necessary for the economy. Which is partially true. He explains that competition takes from profits to be had for one company. The point that he is getting at is the idea behind competition is all of the same products being created with little to no change. This destroys the idea that he has talked about earlier which is free thinking and creativity.
3. “Thiel's Law” which is that a startup messed up at its foundations cannot be fixed. The idea behind this is very crucial within starting a business which is that it is necessary to have a solid foundation for your company. Having a vision for your company as well as how you want to operate your company is very key to having a solid foundation and the startup company can be successful in the future.
4. The concept of man and machine. He shares that we should not be fearing the concept of technology being the main focus of the future, rather we should embrace it and learn to collaborate with it and find a way to benefit companies to improve. He shares how many people fear technology and that it will take a lot of people’s jobs. However he says that those that can figure out how to integrate technology into their companies and work, will be more successful and can create more ideas which will overall help startup companies. He also talks about how computers and technology can help us create a future that we thought was unimaginable.
5. How to organize the work for the employees to get things done effectively and be able to lean to their strengths. This is a way to find an effective way to match people's talents with their tasks. He shares that as the manager of PayPal, one thing he was able to do is to make one person responsible for doing one thing. This way it would be easy to manage the employees by knowing the one thing they have to do.

Overall, this is a very good book for someone looking to create a startup company and encourages them to be creative within their ideas and business. Or for someone to become more informed about some key concepts that help startups be successful.

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Black Box Thinking Matthew Syed-David Mackinnon

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Black Box Thinking Matthew Syed-David Mackinnon

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For my book review, I selected "Black Box Thinking" by Matthew Syed, a thought-provoking exploration of how various industries handle mistakes in the professional world. Syed's central thesis revolves around the stark contrasts in responses to errors, with some industries leveraging them to drive positive change, while others opt to conceal their missteps, hindering any potential for learning and progress. In this comprehensive review, I will delve into the book's rich narrative and engaging examples to illustrate the divergent approaches taken by industries when confronted with failures. Our journey begins with an examination of the airline industry, setting the stage for a broader discussion on the broader implications of black box thinking.

Syed sets the stage for his exploration of black box thinking by drawing an analogy to the aviation industry. In this sector, a culture of transparency and accountability prevails. When a plane crashes, investigators meticulously analyze the event, seeking to understand the chain of errors that led to the tragedy. This scrutiny isn't meant to assign blame but rather to uncover systemic issues and prevent similar incidents in the future. The critical component enabling this approach is the black box, which records all the data and conversations during a flight. This system creates a feedback loop for learning from errors, thus saving countless lives.

Comparatively, Syed contrasts the aviation industry with the healthcare sector, revealing a stark difference in response to mistakes. In healthcare, the system often fosters a culture of denial and blame avoidance. Mistakes are hidden, swept under the rug, or attributed to a single individual. This failure to learn from errors has devastating consequences, resulting in thousands of preventable deaths each year. The book presents several harrowing case studies where the medical community's reluctance to confront failures led to tragic outcomes, highlighting the critical importance of adopting black box thinking principles.

A captivating aspect of "Black Box Thinking" is the wealth of real-world examples Syed provides to illustrate his points. He discusses the legal profession, where mistakes and misconduct are often concealed, resulting in a failure to hold lawyers accountable for errors. The financial industry also comes under scrutiny, with the 2008 financial crisis serving as a prime example of the detrimental consequences of a failure to learn from mistakes. These industries, like healthcare, have much to gain from adopting a black box thinking approach.

In addition to presenting these examples, Syed delves into the psychological and cognitive factors that influence our response to failure. He discusses the concept of cognitive dissonance, where individuals are resistant to changing their beliefs and admitting mistakes. This cognitive dissonance can hinder progress and perpetuate errors, reinforcing the need for a fundamental shift in mindset.

To counteract the negative impact of cognitive dissonance, Syed emphasizes the importance of nurturing a growth mindset. This involves recognizing that intelligence and abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. Embracing failure as an opportunity for growth and learning is a fundamental aspect of a growth mindset. Syed argues that individuals and organizations should foster this mindset to promote continuous improvement and innovation.

While "Black Box Thinking" convincingly makes the case for learning from failure, it also acknowledges the challenges involved in implementing such a shift in culture. Syed recognizes the prevalence of fear and resistance to change within organizations and discusses ways to overcome these barriers. He highlights the importance of strong leadership in driving cultural change and provides actionable steps for individuals and organizations to start adopting a black box thinking approach.

"Black Box Thinking" by Matthew Syed offers a compelling argument for embracing failure as a means of driving progress and innovation. Through a rich tapestry of examples and a deep exploration of human psychology, Syed illustrates the critical importance of learning from mistakes. By contrasting industries that adopt black box thinking with those that do not, the book offers a powerful narrative on the benefits of accountability, transparency, and a growth mindset. In a world where the fear of failure often paralyzes individuals and organizations, "Black Box Thinking" provides a roadmap for achieving excellence through the embrace of errors and their transformation into opportunities for growth. It is a must-read for anyone interested in personal development, professional success, and organizational improvement.

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The Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable

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The Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable

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The Purple Cow by Seth Godin is a book that provides a guideline for how they can come to create the purple cow. Being remarkable is the theme of Seth's writing. The goal of his book is for you to be able to create a unique and remarkable business that can set you apart from others. Unlike most books, Seth's is all over the place. I consider it as a puzzle of sorts. The book is a collage of all different things that are out of order and in mini sections that all tie into the main theme he is trying to provide. It is hard to give points of what Seth is trying to say as the book is somewhat all over the place without any form of chapters. Seth's main points are to be unique and set yourself apart from others. He references Geoff Moore's adoption curve as a way to do so. At the beginning of this curve exists innovators and early adopters and those are what Seth describes as a key to your success. If innovators and early adopters think what you have is something special then that is a purple cow. This special thing you have often requires some risk. Risk makes people scared and this is where most potential purple cows end up not becoming one. If you play it safe you become invisible in a vast marketplace. You must be willing to take risks and continuously adapt to changing circumstances. Lastly, it is important to know that a purple cow doesn’t last forever they can become boring over time the key is to continually innovate and stay remarkable. Ultimately, the message of the book is a call to action for businesses to embrace change, take risks, and strive for continuous innovation to remain unique and remarkable in a dynamic and competitive business environment. Being remarkable is an ongoing journey, not a destination, and success lies in the ability to adapt and evolve with the times.

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Chop Wood and Carry Water by John Medcalf

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Chop Wood and Carry Water by John Medcalf

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"Chop Wood and Carry Water" is a book written about exploration of personal growth and self-discovery. Written with a gentle and insightful touch, the book takes readers on a transformative journey, unraveling the layers of life's complexities to reveal the beauty of simplicity. The author introduces us to a relatable protagonist who embarks on a quest to become a samurai archer, but ends up with a step-by-step guide learning greatness. One of the book's strengths is its ability to convey profound yet applicable principles in a way that anyone can use and implement. The author masterfully weaves the teachings such as mindfulness, the art of routine, and the paradox of progress, into the protagonist's everyday life. As we follow the character through the trials and challenges of their journey, we, too, are encouraged to reflect on our own lives and the roles of mindfulness and simplicity within them. The book excels in illustrating how ordinary tasks and the repetition of daily chores can be opportunities for profound self-discovery. It reminds us that even in the most mundane activities, there is an opportunity to find meaning and purpose. Another notable aspect of "Chop Wood and Carry Water" is its exploration of the delicate balance between ambition and contentment. It touches on the dangers of being consumed by worldly success and provides thought-provoking guidance on aligning one's ambitions with inner contentment. The book also delves into the inner journey, emphasizing the importance of meditation, self-reflection, and confronting one's inner demons. This introspective aspect of the book is a valuable addition for readers seeking both external and internal growth. In the final chapters, the protagonist's return home with newfound wisdom creates a full circle in the narrative, emphasizing the importance of sharing one's journey with others and integrating principles of hard work and growth mindset into everyday life. Here is a brief overview of the practical lessons gleaned from each chapter:

Chapter 1

Starting out - small tasks, small rewards

Chapter 2

Opportunity vs obligation

Chapter 3

Attention to detail - intentionality

Chapter 4

Knowledge through learning vs experience

Mastery comes from both

Chapter 5

Diligence in the small things leads to big opportunities

Greatness isn’t attractive

Chapter 6

Focus on the journey/training allows for goals to be more attainable

Chapter 7

Opportunity vs Test

Chapter 8

Identity has to lie in something more than line of work, etc. (God)

Chapter 9

Embrace the uncomfortable/difficulty

When life gets tough, naturally revert to training

Chapter 10

Becoming the qualities you admire in the people you look up to

Chapter 11

Discouragement is the greatest tool against success

Putting the right “fuel” in our lives

Chapter 12

Journaling and internalizing value statements and progress as well as opportunities for growth

Chapter 13

Work in the shadows is exposed in the bright lights (importance of training)

Chapter 14

Gratefulness vs comparison - using the most from what you have

Chapter 15

Success comes from skill and commitment more than talent

The rough parts of life train to go further

Chapter 16

Mental training - negative visualization vs growth mindset

Chapter 17

Intentionality in consistency - analyzing 24 hour day

Chapter 18

The path to mastery: short burst, shorter dip, long plateau of nothing

Chapter 19

Aiming with everything - focus in every part possible

Chapter 20

Roots of growth don’t show on the surface

Chapter 21

Going through life is like driving trucks in the dark - signs can influence the direction you take

Dictate what the signs say - growth mindset

Chapter 22

Whatever you do in life is always a choice - live in the moment, choice-to-choice

Chapter 23

Goals vs mission - easy to lose value in the work put in vs can’t complete without the journey

Allows for failure to be the greatest teacher

Chapter 24

Surrender the outcome, and you will have the greatest chance of success

Chapter 25

Great people in history have critical failures that lead to their greatness

Chapter 26

Partially attainable goals can be very deceiving

True mental toughness: attitude, kindness, effort, and gratitude regardless of your situation

Chapter 27 & 28

Living by principles vs feelings

Chasing lions in the snow - facing your challenges even in difficult circumstances

Chapter 29:

Labeling feelings with either negative or positive connotations

Warrior dial - learning to not over-hype and hurt yourself

Chapter 30:

“They” - people will label innovation, creativity, and confidence as crazy because it can fall outside what is known, accepted, or comfortable

Chapter 31

Climbing mountains - being great means living the life of training and “the journeys” - mediocrity lies in fitting in and conforming

Chapter 32

Opportunity lies all around, ready for those who are willing to put in the work and rub against the norm

Greatness often is referred to as “talent”, demeaning the work put behind the scenes

Chapter 33

Even when you have achieved greatness, life is all about keeping on that journey of chopping wood, carrying water and climbing the mountain

Not only do these principles apply to oneself and one's personal journey to greatness, but they also have the ability to enhance work environments and culture. Entire teams, divisions, and even entire organizational cultures could achieve goals beyond what they could have imagined, by adopting principles such as embracing each task as an opportunity for growth, letting principles guide every action instead of feelings, and falling in love with the process. Embracing this mentality can turn good companies into great companies, just as the individual can abandon mediocrity and strive for excellence.

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In Greg McKeown’s book “Essentialism, The Disciplined Pursuit of Less”, McKeown is advocating for a different lifestyle than the one we have been all living. McKeown believes that we are all overcommitting and under delivering, and that by simply saying no to additional tasks will gain respect and presence of mind. In Essentialism, McKeown splits the book into 4 major sections: Essence, Explore, Elimination, and Execute. In addition to the fun alliteration, these 4 E’s lay out the guidelines for living an essentialist lifestyle.

Essence

Mckeown chooses to start Essentialism by explaining the core mind-set of an essentialist. At its core, it starts with the power of our choices and decisions. We have the choice to decide whether or not we say yes to doing things, and most of the time, we say yes. Saying yes to all of these things will allow us to get spread far too thin.

McKeown also tells us that we need to discern what is worth our time and what is not essential. He states that “Working hard is important. But more effort does not necessarily mean more results. ‘Less but better’ does.” He also quotes John Maxwell as stating “You cannot overestimate the unimportance of practically everything” Discerning what is important is essential to being able to live an essentialist lifestyle in which you are only doing what is important.

Finally, we learn that we need to trade off our problems and decide which problem we want. In work and in life, we are given a multitude of problems we have to deal with. However, some of these problems are less important than others, and we need to decide which ones to take on and which ones don’t require our attention. McKeown explains that the non-essentialist thinks that they can take on both problems, while the essentialist asks what the trade off is that is needed to be made. In the end, it's better to decide what to put your effort into than to do a mediocre job on all of your problems.

Explore

When discussing essentialism, the second fundamental point in becoming an essentialist is to discern the trivial many from the vital few. McKeown says the best way to start this is to escape, and explains the perks of being unavailable. He says that “In order to have focus, we need to escape to focus.” When McKeown says focus, he means to create the space to explore one hundred questions and possibilities, and not picking out a single possibility and thinking about it obsessively.

McKeown also says that we need to look and see what actually matters. There’s a lot of things that we are shown and told matter, and that everything is vying for our attention. He makes the point that if we stop trying to pay attention to what is asking for our attention, we will eventually find what really needs our attention.

We also need to be extremely selective when it comes to picking and choosing our battles. McKeown references a TED talk by Derek Sivers called “No More Yes. It’s Either HELL YEAH! Or No,” and states that every choice that we make should come down to a simple decision - do we feel total and utter conviction to do it? If we do, then we say yes. If it's anything other than 2 thumbs up, then it's a no.

Eliminate

McKeown also wants us to eliminate these trivial many that are taking up our time and attention. He states that we need to be strong and to “just say no” to certain things that people are asking you to do. He also claims that people will respect you more for being able to say no, and that they will be able to tell that you respect your time and be less likely to ask you to do more things in the future. In this chapter, McKeown also talks about the freedom gained from setting boundaries. McKeown says that non-essentialists see boundaries as constraining and think that having limits will make you limited. However, essentialists see boundaries as liberating and know that having limits will make you limitless. They also will set rules in advance that eliminate the need for a direct “no”.

Execute

The final section of Essentialism is the section on Execution. In this section, McKeown asks the question: “How can we make doing the vital few things almost effortless?”. In order to do this, McKeown explains that we need to subtract the distractions, and that we can bring more to the front by removing obstacles. He also says that making a consistent routine of it will help you continue essentialism habits. Finally, McKeown tells us that we need to focus on what is important now. Prioritization is the most important thing for living an essentialist lifestyle

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Book Review-The Compound Effect By Darren Hardy

“The Compound Effect” by Darren Hardy is an impactful self-help book that dives into the concept of how repetition of small, consistent actions can lead to an overall significant change in one’s life. The central idea of the book is that success and personal improvement are not a result of some large massive change, but rather creating simple daily decisions and habits that will add up over time.

Our Experiences

In the book, Darren Hardy reflects on his own experiences of success and others around him. He implements this to show the impact of the compound effect. He voices that every choice we make, whether it’s related to finance, relationships, personal health, or growth, has consequences that can either be beneficial or destructive. I like to think of it as a snowball effect. If we are to make small positive choices every day for 6 months, our snowball will grow over time with the purest powdery white snow. However, if we make negative choices every day, even though our snowball will still grow, it might be full of dirt, leaves, and sticks. If we create positive choices in our day-to-day lives, we can create a powerful momentum that can transform us into the best version of ourselves.

Contents

The book consists of practical advice and different methods to help us implement the compound effect into our own lives. Some topics covered in the book are goal setting, tracking progress, time management, and learning how to develop and sustain positive habits. It also highlights a huge emphasis on taking responsibility for one’s decision-making and actions.

Key Takeaways

Something that really stood out to me from Darren Hardy’s “The Compound Effect” is the thought that change doesn’t happen overnight. It requires patience and consistency. As someone with little patience, this is very critical for me to learn. It’s so easy to decide to make positive change, but it’s very difficult to really do the work that is required every single day. Hardy also encourages us to be aware of the choices we make on a daily basis. He reminds us that our decisions and habits should directly correlate with our long-term goals. Lastly, we learn that it is important to surround ourselves with positive influences and to rid ourselves of the negative influences that hold us back from gaining progress.

So What?

So What? How can I, and my fellow college students benefit from this information? Well, I’d say it's pretty simple. Being a college student, there are distractions surrounding us left and right. It is crucial to our learning and development to properly manage our time and make not just good decisions, but great decisions. It is also crucial for us to remember that this level of initiative requires small steps. As a full-time student who works thirty-hour weeks, there is nothing I can do overnight to make a change. For us, it requires consistent, positive habits and to surround ourselves with influences that will motivate us and be the most beneficial to our personal journeys.
Conclusion

Overall, “The Compound Effect” is a book that not only informs but calls for action. It is the flawless roadmap for personal improvement. It is a reminder that even though actions can seem small and ineffective, they can have an immense impact over time. I believe that everyone who is looking to better themselves should read this book. It is a valuable resource that will motivate and light their path towards success.

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The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

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The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason

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George S. Clason's "The Richest Man in Babylon" is a well-known book on personal finance and self-help that was first released in 1926. The novel, which takes place in ancient Babylon, uses a variety of parables and stories to teach valuable financial lessons.
The lessons Arkad, the titular "richest man in Babylon," imparts to a group of people looking to better their financial conditions form the basis of the book's structure. Arkad reveals his success guidelines, which still hold true today:
Begin your purse's fattening: Prior to spending your money, set aside some of it.
Manage Your Spending: Maintain a tight budget and cut out superfluous spending.
Make Your Gold Increase: Spend your money properly to increase your fortune.
Protect Your Treasures Against Loss: Steer clear of dangerous investments, and when in doubt, consult a professional.
Make Your Home a Profitable Investment: Take homeownership into consideration as a strategy to increase your wealth.
Plan for your retirement and financial stability to ensure a future income.
Increase Your Earning Capability: To raise your earning potential, keep advancing your knowledge and talents.

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The Culture Question: How to Create a Workplace Where People Like to Work

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The Culture Question: How to Create a Workplace Where People Like to Work

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In the book The Culture Question, the authors present a guide to learning how to have organizational culture and why it is important. Overall satisfaction, success, and motivation for a company is driven more by the culture. Eric Stutzman and Randy Gravitt wrote the book “The Culture Question,” to show understanding, building, and maintaining a positive culture. Many employees do not like where they work, which can affect their mental health and negatively affect the company. The review goes over how to transform a company into having the best organization possible, resulting in happy employees. Picking up this book might be because of the need to change of organization in the company. Soaking in the information of how a workplace can improve will benefit any company big or small.

Key concepts

Impact of Culture on a Company
When the employees want to work and be apart of the company it is only beneficial from there. The love and passion employees have can affect how a company's outcomes are. Struggling to find this love for others can be solved but it takes time and organization.

Diagnosing current culture
Noticing the pros and cons of the company is crucial to knowing what needs to be fixed. Adapting to growth and working through issues is all a part of that. Developing character through working with others can be accomplished with a good culture.

Leading a cultural transformation

Managers, employees, and even customers are all a part of the transformation. Setting goals and having strong, independent leaders is amazing for culture. Behaviors such as accountability, intentionality, adaptability, and authenticity are examined during an evaluation of the culture. Motivation comes from the base of the company which are the leaders.

Quotes

“When a workplace culture is purposefully created to be respectful and inspiring, employees are happier, more productive, and more engaged.”

“Communicating your purpose and values. Employees are inspired when they work in organizations whose purpose and values resonate with them. Providing meaningful work. Most employees want to work on projects that inspire them, align with what they are good at, and allow them to grow. "

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The Making of a Manager, By Julie Zhou sets the blueprint for how to become the most effective manager you can be. Zhou dives into the fundementals of what a manager is, the differences between a manager and a leader, and how understanding yourself is the most important aspect of understanding and motivating other people. In order for one to be a good manager in the scope of Zhou, one must demonstrate a deep understanding of themselves and others.

Key takeaways:

1. Ask/seek out feedback as much as possible. One of the best ways someone can grow is by asking for feedback on what they did wrong or what they could do differently. Zhuo highlights that this is very important when trying to become the best version of youself and constantly learn from other people. If you do not have this type of relationship with your peers or subordinates, then it is impossible to grow both individually and as a unit/company.

2. Motivation and the ability to get members of your team to get things done more efficiently is impossible without proper and constant open communication. If you are not in constant communication with your peers about problems, ideas, well being, than those peers are less likely to be motivated but are also less likely to get things done when they need to be done.

3. On a similar note to the previous takeaway, balancing people and the results is something highlighted throughout the book. Zhuo discusses the delicate balance between managing people and achieving results. Effective managers need to focus on both the well-being and development of their team members and the attainment of organizational goals. Finding this balance can be challenging, but it's essential for long-term success as a manager. Zhuo provides practical advice on how to strike this balance, including setting clear expectations, providing feedback, and helping team members grow.

In my opinion, if you are about to begin or are already in a managerial role of some kind, reading this book will change your entire persective on management. Not only does it shift your focus of the "how" but it also identifies specifically what to do in common situations within the workplace. Overall, this is a great read for learning how to become the best manager you can be.

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Simon Sinek's book "Leaders Eat Last" explores workplace culture, team dynamics, and leadership. For both experienced and future leaders, Sinek's examination of the biological and sociological aspects of leadership offers essential understanding. These are the three main skills I learned from the book.

1. Trust and Safety: Sinek highlights how important trust and safety are for building solid, productive teams. Leaders who put their team members' welfare first create an atmosphere where trust may grow, which eventually encourages more creativity and cooperation.

2. The Power of Servant Leadership: The book promotes the idea of "servant leadership," in which team members' needs come before personal ones. Servant leadership is a leadership style that prioritizes the growth, well-being, and empowerment of employees. This strategy results in long-term success for the company as well as more motivated and engaged workers.

3. The Significance of Establishing a Sense of Belonging: Sinek emphasizes the need to create a sense of belonging in the workplace. People are more dedicated and committed to their organizations when they feel that they are a part of a greater mission and community, which boosts output and increases job satisfaction.

"Leaders Eat Last" is a vital read for anybody hoping to lead with impact since it offers insightful advice on developing a work environment that values cooperation, trust, and a feeling of purpose.

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"Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity"

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"Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-free Productivity"

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David Allen is a best-selling author and a renowned productivity consultant; he is best known for teaching methods of practicing time management called Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity.  Throughout the book, Allen shares his knowledge of time management methodology that readers will implement into their daily routines to be productive, manage life, and improve workflow.  As a college athlete, I find it difficult to manage my time for both my school and baseball schedules.  I feel like I barely have time to sit down and relax without having to worry about whether I took enough notes in class, or if I will have enough time to meet up with my group to work on our business plan.  After reading Getting Things Done, I learned ways to work around my busy schedule.  Additionally, Allen shared methods of project planning and ways to focus on the bigger picture.

There are three parts to the book, the first focuses on the art of getting things done.  The second part explains how to practice stress-free productivity.  Lastly, part three explains the power of key principles. Chapters 1-3 go over some causes of the lack of management skills and go into detail about making objectives to get things done.  One part that stuck out to me was the objectives Allen wanted us to create will have you think about the things you are getting done now and what you can do next.  It goes deeper into just getting one assignment done for school or work, it is about what else you can do now so that in the future you will not have to worry about rushing to get work done.  Allen also talks about things that will pull your attention away from your managed attention, this is called belled loops

Part Two of Getting Things Done shares ways of practicing stress-free productivity step-by-step.  Specifically, chapter 4 talks about a 3-step process starting with scheduling time (roughly 2-3 days) of time where you will be uninterrupted and focused, all your attention is focused on what you need to get done.  The second step is to find a quiet and content space with adequate room for writing space and tools, this area should be free from all distractions and temptations to get off track.  The final step is to gather all the tools you need in order to be successful; this means gathering essentials and organizers that manage your schedule and routine.  One tip to being productive is organization.  Allen shares that keeping lists of important things you need to get done and a daily schedule is a very good way to keep track of active commitments, including tasks, projects, and your next actions.

Part Three is the power of key principles, where you will learn how to manage commitments better as well as how to focus on the outcomes of decisions.  The first part is to only make commitments you need or want to do and say no to everything else.  The next step is to get the commitment done to feel a sense of accomplishment because it feels good to get things done.  Finally, one way to keep a commitment is to renegotiate the agreement by changing the terms so as to not break the agreement you came up with, this could either be personal or with another person involved.  Moreover, the last bit of part three that I thought was important was focusing on outcomes, this means setting goals and focusing on how to execute the actions needed to achieve those goals.  When you know what you want to do and where you want to go, it helps to figure out when actions are needed to accomplish your vision.

Ultimately, I thought Getting Things Done by David Allen was a quality read that is very insightful when it comes to managing your daily schedule in order to be successful and provides helpful advice to stay organized and keep on track.  Some of the takeaways that I have implemented are making a list and writing down everything I need to do the next day.  Additionally, to stop my habit of procrastinating, I have learned to think about what will happen when I get assignments or personal stuff done and how better off I will be.  This way I will feel obligated to be more productive so I can have a stress-free college experience.

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“Who Moved My Cheese?”

“Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson is a motivational narrative assessing how different people adapt to change. The book provides good insight and exceptional quotes. Everyone is able to take away something from the book. Johnson is creative with describing different perspectives and what happens to people when they make a decision. Will they resist change or adapt to it? Will they embrace new opportunities or miss out?

Summary of the Book

“Who Moved My Cheese?” has four characters: Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw. The characters are in a Maze and are looking for special cheese. The book is set up in four main sections: searching for the cheese, going to Cheese Station C, finding no cheese, and Haw leaving in search of new cheese.

In the first section, it talks about the methods the two teams use. Sniff and Scurry are mice, and they use a trial-and-error method. Sniff smells for the general direction to find the cheese, and Scurry runs off in that direction. This plan does not always go well for the pair. Sometimes, he will go in the wrong direction and bump into walls. They remember which corridors they have already been into so they don’t get lost. They repeat these steps until their method leads them to Cheese Station C. Hem and Haw are Little People, and they use “sophisticated methods.” They have more complex brains and are able to think and learn from past experiences. Their beliefs and emotions sometimes cloud their perspective, leading to poor judgment and decision-making. However, they also make their way to Cheese Station C.

The two teams head to Cheese Station C in different ways. The mice wake up early, race, hang their shoes around their neck, and inspect the cheese every day. This allowed them to be ready for change. They would know when change is coming and are prepared to leave right away. Meanwhile, Hem and Haw became lazy. They woke up later, dressed slowly, walked to the cheese, moved their house closer to the cheese, and built a social life. Over time, their confidence that the cheese would still be there became arro. They didn’t notice when the cheese supply was dwindling.

Before they knew it, there was no cheese at Cheese Station C. They immediately became emotional and started blaming everything for moving their cheese. They were really angry and depressed that no one warned them before the cheese was gone. The mice knew change was coming. They decided to go with the change instead of overanalyzing the situation. Haw started to wonder where the mice went. He realized they should stop analyzing and start changing. Except, Hem was being stubborn and convinced Haw to stay put.

Eventually, Haw became impatient and decided to take the risk of finding new cheese. Throughout the rest of the book, it details Haw's internal struggle inside his mind. He would become fearful and anxious, then would find the courage and strength to keep searching for more cheese. He found small bits of cheese and returned to Hem to show him. Hem still didn’t want to leave; he wanted “his cheese” and not new cheese. Haw left Hem at Cheese Station C and continued his journey through the Maze. Finally, he ends up at Cheese Station N, which seemed to have an endless supply of cheese. He hung his shoes around his neck in case he needed to adapt to change quickly. The book ends on a cliffhanger with Haw hearing footsteps and hoping it was Hem. One wonders if Hem ever realized that change was necessary for survival.

Character Analysis

There are four main characters in “Who Moved My Cheese?” They are Sniff, Scurry, Hem, and Haw. Sniff smells change before it happens. Scurry jumps into action right away. Sniff and Scurry have simple brains but good instincts. The Little People have complex brains, beliefs, and emotions. They want cheese to make them feel happy and successful. Haw resists change for a while but then allows it to happen after realizing it’s necessary. Hem is very stubborn, doesn’t want to allow anything to change, and believes change will lead to something worse.

How does this book apply to management?

The book describes how people respond to change. Managers can use the characters as a way of identifying their employees and helping them adapt to change effectively. If they have employees like Hem who are resistant to change, they might need to prioritize encouragement and support. Also, it can help managers identify employees who are strong leaders due to their easy acceptance of change.

There are some strategies that can be used to help employees respond well to change. First, managers can list the positive consequences and benefits after the “change” is enacted. Most people would want to see how change could benefit them. Explaining the positive consequences would make them more likely to adapt and follow. Second, they can interview employees, ask their opinions, and genuinely consider their ideas. Finally, another strategy would be to tell the employees every step of the plan. This will ensure everyone is on the same page and knows precisely how to implement the plan. With the groundwork laid out, they won’t feel like they are taking a huge risk and will be more likely to change with the boss.

Why read this book?

This book isn’t just a useful tool for management purposes, but it can also help an “everyday person” gain insight about themselves. It can show them if they are the kind of person to recognize change before it happens, jump into action, be hesitant to change, or be stubborn about change.

Personally, I would say I am like Haw. I don’t notice change happening right away, I don’t jump into action, and I don’t resist change for a long time. However, once I finally notice that change is occurring, I weigh the pros and cons of how it will affect my life. For example, I was wary of going to college and how the change would impact my life. Once I finally realized how this change was excellent for my development as a person, I accepted it.

There are many pictures of “Cheese sayings” throughout the book. My favorite is “Move with the cheese and enjoy it!” When you come across change, go with the flow; don’t avoid it. This saying tells us to embrace and be joyful about change. To enjoy it, focus on the positive aspects. This will help us have a happier and more positive outlook on life and embrace the change better. After reading this book, you will have many uplifting or thought-provoking quotes.

Conclusion

This book is a helpful tool for managers and personal development. It's a creative narrative that teaches people how to assess their response to change. Do you resist change or adapt quickly? Do you sniff around and scurry after change? Do you Hem and Haw about the change and stay firm in your surroundings, missing the opportunity of change?

References

Johnson, S. (1998). Who moved my cheese. G. P. Putnam's Sons, Tenth edition.

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The First Time Managers (shalkar Wilkins)

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The book "First-Time Manager" by Loren B. Belker, Gary S. Topchik, and Elwood N. Chapman is aimed at individuals who are transitioning into their first management roles. A summary of the book's key points follows:

1. The book emphasizes the importance of understanding and embracing the transition into management that individuals face in their first managerial positions.

2. This course covers fundamental leadership skills such as communication, motivation, decision-making, and teamwork. The authors stress that effective leadership is built on relationships and trust.

3. First-time managers are encouraged to set clear performance standards, job responsibilities, and goals for their teams. A clear understanding of expectations reduces confusion and improves productivity.

4. For new managers, time management is a critical skill. This book offers tips on how to balance administrative duties and people management by prioritizing tasks and managing time effectively.

5. Listening and conveying information are key aspects of effective communication. The book provides guidance on conducting meetings, giving feedback, and resolving conflicts.

6. Delegation: Delegation is a key aspect of management. The book explains how to delegate tasks appropriately, matching tasks to team members' skills, and providing support and feedback.

7. Decision-Making: The authors discuss various decision-making models and suggest approaches for making informed and timely decisions as a manager.

8. Team Building: Building a cohesive and productive team is crucial. The book provides strategies for team development, including hiring and training team members.

9. Performance Management: The authors address performance appraisal and feedback, stressing the importance of regular, constructive feedback for employee growth.

10. Personal Development: "First-Time Manager" encourages continuous personal and professional development. The book suggests seeking mentors and expanding one's knowledge and skills over time.

By Shalkar Wilkins

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Sounds like a dream come true, right?

That is, until all of a sudden you're faced with decisions and duties and maybe even conflicts you never had to face before. Being a manager is an amazing opportunity, but it also requires skills and abilities that weren't demanded from you before you were promoted.

This ebook will cover the skills a new manager will need, as well as helpful tips on some of the challenging situations that you will face. It will give you a better understanding of both what to expect and what you need to do, and actionable advice you can start on today.

Want to save this ebook to refer to later? Download your free copy of the First Time Managers Handbook now!

Chapter 1: How To Prepare For Your New Role

Here you are, a new manager. Did you know that only 15% of first-time managers get any training? That felt that support and help for their new position was not sufficient?

In light of that, the best first advice we can give you is simple: find a mentor or role model.

We'll be mentioning the concept of a mentor throughout this ebook, and there's good reason for that. No book is going to have the perfect advice for your situation. No article will cover all the bases. Find a mentor in your industry, your region, or your actual company if possible. They'll have had specific experiences that you can learn from. No need to reinvent the wheel.

It's also a good idea to prepare in a few other ways:

Set personal goals. What do you want out of this new job? What do you hope to achieve? What do you hope your team will achieve? Define what goals you want to accomplish.

Educate yourself. We'll talk briefly about some books you ought to read, but look online or for classes in your area that talk about management topics. Learn more about the different departments that you'll be managing. Get to know the employees you'll be managing.

Clarify expectations. Discuss with your boss what they are expecting to see from you. Be sure that you understand. Compare that with your goals. Are you on the same page?

Be professional. Develop a professional persona both in your behavior, language, and dress.

People follow as they are led. Prepare your team to be the best by preparing yourself in the same way.

Chapter 2: The 7 skills you need to be successful as a manager.

Some of what you need as a manager will be innate. There's likely a reason you were chosen to be a manager.

There are other skills, however, you will need to learn and build. Even your natural gifts have to be strengthened.

1. You have to know how to get people to respect you.

This heading could have been phrased differently. It could have said that you have to get people to like you. But being respected is more important than being liked. Some employees like ineffectual managers for all the wrong reasons.

2. You have to be organized.

Your ability to be organized is crucial. Disorganization leads to wasted time, lost productivity, and frustration in your team. Your bottom line will also take a hit.

We'll cover a list of tools later in the article that will help with organization, but no tool will replace a habit of disorganization. Tools don't solve root problems.

3. You must understand the value of collaboration.

Your team needs to be able to work together as a team. If they remain autonomous units who refuse to work together, you will be trying to herd cats to get anything done.

Clarify the goal. Know what you want accomplished, and communicate that to your team.

Help them stay on task. Don't micromanage, but provide boundaries so your team can be creative within the boundaries without veering off course. These might be time constraints, tools or equipment limitations, periodic status updates, and so on.

Make communication safe. For a team to collaborate well, everyone needs to feel they are free to share opinions without censure or ridicule.

Successful collaboration gives your team confidence and a chance to exercise their own problem-solving skills.

4. You must be able to motivate people.

Motivating people is the difference between dragging a horse behind a cart, and a horse pulling the cart.

When your team is motivated, all energy is focused on problem solving, collaboration, and forward motion. No energy is wasted on begging, pleading, and cajoling people just to get the bare minimum productivity out of them.

Stop bribing people. Rewards work, but mostly they make people work for...more rewards. The rewards stop, so do the people.

Make them care. People are motivated when they feel passionate or care about the work. Show them why their work matters. Show them how they are making a difference.

Make note of progress. Be able to spot progress your team is making, and make sure they know.

Here's the catch: you must be able to motivate yourself, first. Unmotivated managers aren't great at motivating their team.

5. You must have critical thinking skills as well as emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence includes:

Being aware of your own, and other's, emotions.

Controlling and harnessing those emotions in a productive, problem-solving direction.

Regulating those emotions to keep them from destructive excess in either direction.

Without emotional intelligence, much of what is driving or influencing the relationships and lives of your team will be a mystery to you. The work place isn't void of emotion. Remember, emotion is part of what you use to motivate people.

However, you can't reside only on emotion.

Emotional intelligence is important because you're leading people, but critical thinking skills are needed for identifying and solving problems.

The ability to identify and analyze an existing problem.

The ability to gather and interpret data relating to the problem.

Determining a cause of action that solves the problem with the best result for your business.

Communicating to your team that plan of action and why it's the right one.

6. You must have communication skills.

Endless books have been written about how to be a better communicator. As a manager, you'll never stop working at improving your communication. Absolutely everything you do has a communication component.

Clarify the context. Every person on your team comes to work with their own context from their upbringing, current situation, family life, and experiences. When everyone is listening through their own context, they are all hearing something different when you communicate. As a manager, you have to work on creating a shared vision, a big picture. You might have to explain or describe it from several different angles to cut through all the contexts in the room.

Communicate to the individual. Even when you're talking to the team, be sure everyone understands what's in it for them, and why they should care.

Listen. When you put information out to your team, you need to listen back. You need to check to make sure your team understands what you were communicating. Find ways to ask questions that get past team members who say they understand when they don't but are unwilling to admit it, such as having them repeat to you what you have said in their own words.

Provide action. Communication without a call to action is monotonous. Not all that you have to say to your team will have a call to action, but try to find something. Put into action what we hear helps cement it in our mind.

7. You must know your industry.

This means you're driven to keep learning. It means you're self-motivated to pay attention to industry trends through training, conferences, and publications. It means you take every opportunity to learn from those who have been in the industry longer than you, or from your own boss.

Chapter 3: How to manage friends

Everyone needs friends at work. It's a miserable place to be if you have none.

Unfortunately, the challenges of being a manager of a friend make it an easy way to lose your friend. 60% of first-time managers say that transitioning from being friends and co-workers to being the manager is the most challenging hurdle.

Chapter 4: How to deal with disciplinary situations

Problems are going to come to you in different ways. Other employees will come and tell you about something. You'll notice negative changes in productivity or sales. Customer complaints pop up. You see something happen first hand.

Let's take a look at a few unpleasant aspects of employee discipline.
Identify Problem Employees
It's valuable to identify which type of problem employee you're dealing with. Most employees aren't problem employees, but if they are, you need to deal with them in the right way for the-the issue they exhibit, and also be aware that you can't let the behavior drag on. For problem employees, there must be a resolution (even if it is firing them) or the whole team suffers.

Disciplinary Actions

Your company's employee handbook will outline what kind of disciplinary action to take in different situations, but there are a few methods that you'll likely deal with.
Writing people up.
Documentation is crucial as a manager, both for good behavior as well as bad. Legal considerations (which vary in different states) require that you document employee interactions before you take further steps that may lead to firing.

Repeated or excessive tardiness or absence.

Poor job performance or outright incompetence.

Failure or refusal to comply with company policy.

Violence or threats of violence.

Sexual harassment complaints.

Discrimination.

Proven drug use or drunkenness while on the job.

Don't forget to document when an employee, even (or especially) a problem employee, does something good. If you don't, it may seem as if you only document the bad and it might seem like you are picking on or discriminating against an employee.

When writing an employee up:

Firing an employee.

Firing an employee isn't a light matter. Except in a few situations (zero-tolerance policies as outlined in your employee handbook), it is a last step in the discipline process. If you're going to fire someone, you need to do it correctly to protect your business, other employees, yourself, and even the person being fired.

1. Be sure your documentation is in place. Don't open yourself up for legal issues.

2. Rely on that documentation, not your emotions. Follow your discipline process!

3. Plan ahead for when the firing occurs. The employee may have to clean out their desk, locker, or office. They have to walk through the building. There are HR concerns to consider. Don't fire someone and then make them sit there as you figure out the plan.

4. Have someone present. Whether another manager, your boss, or someone from HR, have another person there to witness the firing so that accusations can't be made against you.

5. Be direct. Don't be cruel and talk around the issue. Being gentle and direct is the kindest thing you can do to the person you are firing. If you followed the discipline process and rules in the employee handbook, they shouldn't be surprised.

6. Don't argue. Getting fired is traumatic. Don't argue with the person being fired, no matter how they react. Stay calm and on point. Let them vent if they need to, but don't engage.

7. Don't let guilt control you. You might feel guilty or bad about the situation depending on how the person reactions. Don't make promises to help or do something to alleviate the moment.

If you've had to let an employee go, finding a replacement is likely top of mind. Try these recruiting tools to hire the right fit quickly.

Chapter 5: How to deal with managerial stress

The workplace is full of stress. A study found that 80% of workers feel stress on the job, and half admit they need help managing that stress. Some of that stress leads to actual physical pain , with 62% feeling neck pain.

1. Reassess your perspective. Some of what you feel stressed about isn't the reality of the situation. You might be reading into what's happening, or assigning emotions to it that aren't necessary. Not everything is a crisis, even if it feels that way. Learn to step back, control how you feel, and logically look at whatever situation is overwhelming you. Is it as bad or impossible as you feel?

2. Block and control your time. If you let continual crises or employees drag you around, your time is never your own. You are always on a wheel, never catching up. Set aside a regular period of time during the day or week in which you do not schedule meetings, calls, or any other interruptions. Too often you feel stressed because you're not getting things done and they hang over your head. Use this time to catch up. You'll feel better.

3. Exercise, and pay attention to the physical. Staying healthy with exercise, diet, and drinking water is not just a trite admonition. Your physical health has a direct impact on how you react and manage stressful situations.

4. Find a support network. As a new manager, your work friends (your old support network) aren't people you can turn to with your management struggles. Find other managers, mentors, or people outside of work, that can listen and offer meaningful support and advice. You need someone to talk to. As a manager, you will be hearing about employee problems regularly. You need the same ability to turn to someone to talk to.

Chapter 6: Building a strong team

1. Hire the right person. If you have any say or involvement in the hiring process, take it seriously. 75% of employers hire the wrong person, and that ends up being costly both financially and in human resources. Don't hire in desperation. Run background checks. Talk to their references. Find out what you can and decide if that person is both right for the job right for your team. Every team has its own personality. Hire wisely.

2. Build on strengths. Take the time to discover the strengths of each team member. If an employee is lacking in an area, you aren't likely to build that up. Give them work to do that fits their strengths.

3. Be transparent. Secrecy and isolation make weak teams. Be transparent as much as possible about the big picture, the direction the business or project is headed, what you expect, problems, victories-don't keep it hidden. Secrecy inspires gossip and division, not strength.

4. Build trust and confidence. By being consistent and reliable in how you manage your team and relate to each person, you'll help them trust you. You also make it easier for them to be confident in their work; they don't have to wonder how you'll respond since your consistency erases those kinds of doubts.

A strong team is one that works together and isn't isolated from each other. Create an open team through meetings, communication, office layout, and whatever else it takes to build cohesiveness.

Chapter 7: Driving your team to success

Getting your team to move towards success is not like driving a team of horses. There's no whips and yelling. You can't force people to do what you want them to do, but by rethinking how you "drive" your team, you can help them to succeed.

1. Their success is your success. Some leaders don't want their followers to exceed them, which, frankly, makes them bad leaders. If your team members can outshine you, can exceed what you can do-all the better for the team. Don't be afraid of that. Don't try to put a stop to it. Give your team every chance to achieve more than you.

2. Take retention seriously. When people quit, it costs you. Stay on top of dissatisfied or unhappy employees, and fight hard to make the work environment one they want to stay a part of . Studies have shown that even "low-wage" workers are costly to replace. Replacing a $10/hour employee? About $3300. There are more costs than just financial, of course. When employees leave, they take their skills, knowledge, personality, and creativity with them.

3. Use rewards, but cautiously. It is good to reward your team, but remember that rewards are not a substitution for real motivation. If the only thing keeping your team moving forward are rewards, the moment you take the rewards away your team stops. Reward them for great work, hard work, team accomplishments, and meeting goals. Don't use rewards as a carrot on a stick just to get them to show up to work each day.

4. Be goal-focused. You'll be creating sales and productivity goals, and you'll be leading your team to meet them. Break down those big-picture goals for individuals or groups on your team. Provide training to help them make their own goals that will help them meet those bigger goals you expect of them.

5. Make it safe to be creative. Innovation doesn't happen by fiat. It happens when people feel free to be creative and come up with solutions that might not seem "safe". Create an environment where brainstorming, unusual problem solving, and out-of-the-box thinking isn't mocked or pushed down. It's easier to manage according to strict systems and structures, but innovation doesn't flourish in that environment. Being free to innovate is highly motivating for your best employees.

Chapter 8: Recommended management books and blogs you should read

"Not all readers are leaders, but all leaders are readers." - Harry Truman

Want to be an effective leader? Be a reader. Constantly educate yourself.

These blogs will help you keep up-to-date on the latest employee management techniques and advice you need to know.

is an employee engagement and performance tracking system. Their blog has tons of useful advice about how to engage and manage employees.

SnackNation is a healthy snack delivery service that will deliver to home or office. Their blog tackles things like employee engagement, culture, and realistic approaches employee wellness ideas (i.e. not programs that are only attainable for large companies).

OfficeVibe is a service that lets you easily survey your teams to collect feedback and real-time data that will help you build strong, connected teams. Employee engagement is a huge focus of their blog, and they provide a ton of helpful resources.

. Not to toot our own horn, but the When I Work blog is a great resource for small business tips, management best practices, and leadership advice. You can download our free ebook The People Management Handbook to dive even deeper into one of the most important aspects of your new role.

Here are just a few books that will help you as a manager:

The One Minute Manager (by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson)- This book presents common-sense management themes, but does it in a storytelling scenario-based manner which makes the concepts easy to understand and apply.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership (by John Maxwell) - Any book by Maxwell should be on your reading list, but read this one for sure. It takes common approaches to management and breaks them down into 21 easy principles to remember.

Don't Bring It To Work (by Sylvia Lafair) - This book focuses on why people behave so strangely at work, and how personal lives and personality types come into play in difficult work situations. It helps managers understand the underlying issues that create situations.

How To Win Friends And Influence People (by Dale Carnegie) - There's a reason this book is a classic: it is an excellent manual on how to get along with people and get them to move in the direction you want them to. As a manager, that's crucial.

The list of books you should read is endless but look for books that cover both specific management techniques as well as the psychology of successful relationships. Along with books, build a collection of blogs or news feeds. They will provide you with the latest trends and innovations to consider (or reject) much faster than a book.

Chapter 9: Recommended tools

There's no perfect tool, and what works for one setting might not for another. However, communication, organization, project management, and scheduling are the foundation of management. There are tools for each of those:

Google / the cloud. No, not the search engine. We're talking storage (Drive), document creation (Docs, Sheets), planning (calendar) - your basic software tools, except up in the cloud. The benefit of the cloud, whether you choose to use Google, , or , is that you can make files available easily wherever your employees are at. Employee handbooks and forms, for example, are available everywhere. They don't have to come into work to read them.

Scheduling employees and handling requests for time off and sick days is made much easier with the system. Employees and managers can access the work schedule, communicate, and make adjustments from their own phone.

. Think of a digital bulletin board with sticky notes. That's the approach Trello takes to helping you manage projects or simply unify communication. The beauty of Trello is that it's flexible in how you want to use it. Other project management apps, like or , are powerful, but are more geared for serious group project management.

Slack. Communication is crucial, and sometimes emails aren't always the best route. Chat rooms that are geared towards business, like or , keep communication simple, categorized, and immediate.

Any.do. Sometimes a simple to-do list is all you need. Any.do has a great interface that keeps things easy and uncluttered. Google Keep integrates with Google Docs, as well as works as a mobile app. and Remember The Milk are a couple of others in a rather large selection of to do apps.

Tools are industry-based. A restaurant manager won't need what an office manager will need. Choosing the right tools means knowing what you need and not getting caught up in trying to change how you work to fit the tool. The tool must fit you and your goals, and not the other way around.

Chapter 10: Management Is A Tough Balancing Act

Management is tough.

You have to manage your team, but you also have your own work to get done. One of the toughest things new managers struggle with is balancing both of those two.

It's a balance of personal and work life. Friendliness and not trying to be a friend. Managing but not micro-managing. Meeting goals without dehumanizing your team.

You'll know when you start to lose balance. Tipping over is when your stress levels start to rise, your employees will seem unwilling or passive-aggressive, and you'll feel like you're behind the curve. Come back to this list, if that happens. What are you struggling with the most? What did you forget to do?

Talk to your employees. Talk to your mentor. Talk to those higher up the chain. Be honest and upfront. Management can be lonely; don't let personal pride make it even lonelier.

BONUS Content: Advice from successful leaders

One of the best ways to become a great manager is to learn from other successful leaders. Before you go off and become the best manager you can be, take the time to learn from these three experts. Below they talk about why you should make mistakes, how to build a strong team, and learning outside the manual.

"The most important characteristics to look for in a new potential manager are passion and energy combined with business acumen and professionalism.

The best advice I can give my new managers who are new to managing people is this: Your expectations won't always be met, rather train employees to think on their own instead of always telling them exactly what to do."

Suzanne Delica, Owner, Clothes Mentor

Alex Thompson, Owner, Thompson Security, LLC

"Some of the biggest challenges a first time manager can face are determining priorities for responsibilities. As a new manager it's crucial to determine what should be a primary concern and what can be secondary to keep your team on track. To help prepare new managers for these decisions, I meet with them as often as possible for training, but I also share a lot of practical advice. Simply sharing example emails or templates for how things have been done can lead someone down the path of success. If they take those templates and innovate off the way things have been done in the past, that's great!"

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The go to resource every first time manager has to have. Download your free copy of the first time managers handbook now!

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- Throughout the book Jon Gordon talks about all the different things he likes to do to help a team come together no matter what the team if for whether it be a sports team or a team that needs to accomplish a goal for a company or business.
- The book is filled with inspiring stories and practical tips that can help readers create a positive team culture and get the best out of everyone on the team to create the best team possible with that particular group of individuals. It also shows a blueprint/layout for addressing common pitfalls that cause teams to fail, including complaining, selfishness, inconsistency, complacency, and unaccountability. Jon shares innovative strategies to transform a group of individuals into a united, positive, and powerful team.
- The book as you might think gets the job done for teaching people to be a part of a group or team that gets things done along with even being a leader of said teams and how that should look or feel from his personal experience but also through what he has seen in the real world with what might work and what probably will not work with most teams and in most situations.
- This is a great book that ends up enlightening the importance of positivity in building great teams, and it shows the practical tools to help teams overcome negativity and enhance their culture, communication, and collaboration.

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The Art of Negotiation: How to get what you want (every time) by Tim Castle

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The Art of Negotiation: How to get what you want (every time) by Tim Castle

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The Art of Negotiation by Tim Castle is an excellent book, it offers many tips and tricks to use when negotiating. It gives examples of real life situations where you might need to negotiate and how to approach them. This book not only explains how to negotiate but also how to plan for interviews. The Key takeaways are:

1. Persevering Through Failure and Mental Toughness:
Tim Castle emphasizes the significance of perseverance in negotiations. He points out that not all negotiations go well, and occasionally you have to adapt and persevere through hard circumstances. This endurance relies heavily on mental toughness. Castle's suggestions to improve mental toughness are through visualization, encouraging self-talk, and maintaining a regular schedule outside of the workplace. These methods provide people with the strength to overcome challenges and keep their attention on the task at hand during lengthy and difficult conversations. Castle constantly stresses the development of mental toughness as a crucial skill that can help one conquer the challenges of negotiation.

2. Being Prepared:
The importance of preparation for successful negotiation is also emphasized by Castle. In order to approach a negotiation with confidence and knowledge, careful planning and research are essential. It is helpful for readers to follow Castle's guidance on how to prepare for a negotiation by learning about the other side, the nature of the relationship, and your own non-negotiables. Being this prepared not only makes you more at ease during negotiations, but it also conveys to the opposing party that you are serious and knowledgeable. Your own experiences highlight the value of planning ahead because going into discussions unprepared might make you nervous and make the process more difficult. Castle argues that being prepared creates confidence and improves performance.

3. Real-Life Application in Negotiations:
Beyond theory, Castle's book provides examples of how strategies for negotiation can be used in actual situations. These real-world examples, including negotiating wedding arrangements, purchasing a house, a car, and, most significantly, a salary, show how the concepts covered in the book can be applied. The advice on salary negotiations, a topic that can  come up in the workplace, stands out. It emphasizes the necessity of proving your worth by facts and highlighting how your efforts benefit the organization, as opposed to concentrating on your own financial needs.  This advice is particularly significant because almost everyone will need it at some point in their career because the same applies when you are interviewing for a job. The fact that Castle includes these real-life examples is what makes the book such a beneficial read, it acts as a manual for those seeking success in negotiation scenarios.

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Book Review: “Built to Last” by Jim Collins

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Book Review: “Built to Last” by Jim Collins

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Summary:

This book talks about the successful habits that lead to companies enduring success. It is compiled of 6 years of research in which they analyzed the concepts, proven by experience and time, that helped other leaders improve within their business. In the beginning of the book, Jim Collins discusses “The Best of the Best”. The final list consisted of 18 companies. They picked specific organizations within each visionary company. The researchers were specifically looking for patterns that can reveal trends, and within their research they applied them to organizations. This was to see if those patterns really worked. Collins then went on to talk about the difference between visionary companies and just successful ones. He talks about a clock builder and how it is a leader who can create a long-lasting impact. Visionary companies say that you can have BOTH change and stability, not just one. Then it goes onto talking about what’s more than profits. Pragmatic Idealism is mentioned to be the ideological nature of visionary companies, along with core ideology being core values and purpose. He talks about how to preserve the core and stimulate progress. Norms can change and there can be a drive for progress. Another powerful way to stimulate progress is BHAGS. This is not a typical goal, but it excites people and creates momentum to stimulate that progress. He goes on to talk about BHAGS and what to consider while creating it. The next portion talks about culture and how visionary companies can be uncomfortable and not a great place to work. He talks about how you should accept the mistakes that will be made and to take small steps, along with giving people the room they need. Next is homegrown management. He goes on to talk about how for a visionary company, it is not enough to be successful during the current generation. The company needs to perform in the next generation. Towards the end of the book, it mentions how good enough never is. He explains how in order to stimulate progress, the companies create discomfort. This forces competition and forces people to work harder to make new products or develop new ideas. To finish it off, Jim Collins explains how to create alignment and build that vision using core ideology and envisioning the future. Building that vision included core values and core purpose.

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Quotes:

“‘shareholder wealth’ is the standard ‘off-the-shelf’ purpose for those organizations that have not yet identified their true core purpose. It is a substitute ideology, and a weak substitute at that. Listen to people in great organizations talk about their achievements and you’ll hear very little about earnings per share.”

“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.”

“Having a great idea or being a charismatic visionary leader is ‘time telling’; building a company that can prosper far beyond the presence of any single leader and through multiple product life cycles is ‘clock building.’’

“Those who built the visionary companies wisely understood that it is better to understand who you are than where you are going — for where you are going will almost certainly change. It is a lesson as relevant to our individual lives as to aspiring visionary companies.”

“Far better to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory, nor defeat.”

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Why read it/why is it important?

Reading this book can help organizations transcend time and generations. They can be built to last. This is what Jim Collins focuses on along with the timeless success principles that can be learned from the visionary companies. The purpose is for a company to exist beyond just profit. This book examines what is behind the success of 18 visionary companies and what ideas that have used that actually work and helped them thrive and become successful and built to last. These ideas can help other companies follow in the same direction and become long-lasting. The advice within this book will help readers discover the importance of adhering to a core ideology while also stimulating progress.

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Porter Loyd

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"The Effective Executive" is a wise book, offering invaluable life lessons for anyone stepping into a leadership role. At its core, the book is a guide to becoming not just a good manager, but an effective leader. The key points are;

1. Finding Meaningful Purpose:
being an effective executive as finding your life's purpose within the workplace. It’s not just about completing tasks; it’s about understanding the deeper meaning behind your work and how it contributes to a greater cause.

2. Time Management and Prioritization:

Effective executives manage their time wisely by focusing on tasks that matter the most. They prioritize their efforts, ensuring that they invest their time in activities that yield the highest impact for the organization.

3. Decision-Making:

The book provides insights into effective decision-making processes. Drucker emphasizes the need for systematic analysis and a comprehensive understanding of the organization's needs. Decisions should be made based on long-term goals and the overall well-being of the company.

4. Building Strong Relationships
Effective executives foster positive relationships within the organization. They encourage open communication, teamwork, and collaboration. By understanding the needs of their colleagues, they create a supportive and productive work environment.

5. Continuous Learning and Adaptability

The book underscores the significance of continuous learning and adaptability. Effective executives stay updated with industry trends, new skills, and are willing to adapt to changing system Lifelong learning is essential for staying ahead in evolving business landscape.

6. Innovation and Creativity
Innovation is key to organizational growth. Drucker discusses the importance of fostering a culture of innovation and creativity within the executive team. Effective leaders encourage new ideas, adapt to change, and view challenges as opportunities for innovation.

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SHOE DOG is a compelling story about the early days of Phil Knight and the journey he went on to create the company we know and love today, Nike. The book outlines how the company was formed and the obstacles that were overcome to create such a successful business. One thing I loved about this book was that you do not have to have much prior knowledge about business because he is really telling a story straight from his mouth.

Phil Knights's love for running was the backbone of Nike in the beginning. Phil had a strong passion that he would stop at nothing to create a successful company. Now, it was no perfect business at first, it started off very messy between 1962 and 1990 when Nike officially went public. Phil faced many standoffs in legal situations, with friends, family, and other business competitors. One thing I really admire about Phil Knight is that he personally felt that he had no reason or want to advertise his product. He always believed that a good product would sell itself it was worth it and that's essentially what happened to Nike. To add on to that, everyone is familiar with the Nike swoosh, it was designed for only 35$!

Now, in the early days of Nike, it was not an easy path as I mentioned before. Phil had a team that it retrospect was not fit to run or even start a business. But against all odds, his quirky, creative, unconventional, motivated team left an imprint on countless lives and will remain in the history of the world forever.  To me, this book proved to me that the American dream is very much alive and well. One thing Phil teaches us is that no matter what stands in your way and what knocks you down, you can be successful if you are passionate and love what you are trying to do. Some key takeaways I had from this read are, the importance of doing what you love, being innovative and lastly, the sports industry is a very difficult industry to be super successful in. Through Phil's story, he highlights many points about determination and the importance of persevering through tough times whether that be in business or in life.
Powerful quotes from his story-
''The cowards never started, and the weak died along the way — that leaves us.''
"Let everyone else call your idea crazy…"
I believed in running. I believed that if people got out and ran a few miles every day, the world would be a better place, and "I believed these shoes were better to run in. People, sensing my belief, wanted some of that belief for themselves."
“Fight not to win, but to avoid losing. A surefire losing strategy.”

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The book The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber, it dives not only into what it takes to start a business but also the myths surrounding the process of getting the parts of a business moving. Here are two main takeaways from the book that were interesting:

1. The Entrepreneurial Myth: Gerber introduces the misconception that most businesses are started by entrepreneurs, when, in reality, they are often initiated by technicians who excel at their craft but lack business acumen. According to Gerber, the myth that is present within the startup of a business is that entrepreneurs are responsible for the upbringing of the operations around the company. While the leadership qualities and drive to create something great are there, they lack the technical knowledge of what pieces go where. Business technicians are the ones responsible for the actual piecing together of all different aspects of a business and understand what needs to be done or what can wait until later. The issue with business technicians is that they lack what an entrepreneur has, which is that ability to motivate people to accomplish a goal and lead them to success. These positions go hand in hand with one another because they fill in the gaps between their strengths. Entrepreneurs are known for their focus on the future, creating a big picture for their company to be inspired by, while technicians work in the present, making sure that everything runs smoothly to insure steady growth. However, who focuses on the past? While this seems unnecessary since it has already happened, it is an important aspect of a successful business because previous mistakes can be prevented. The position that focuses on the past is the manager. Having to coordinate employees to do certain tasks requires seeing what has worked previously and applying it to the present. This is how managers know how to handle difficult situations, since they have seen it occur before. Overall, the entrepreneurial myth makes it sound like entrepreneurs only ever start the business by themselves, when it requires both technicians and managers to focus on what has happened and what is happening right now.

2. Working on Your Business, Not in It: Gerber emphasizes the importance of business owners shifting their focus from day-to-day technical work to working on the business as a whole. This involves creating systems and processes for efficiency. An entrepreneur’s focus is to establish a strong base for their idea that they can grow upon, eventually leading to a well-structured workforce that can function on its own and has the necessary staff to do so. There is a point in an entrepreneur’s work where it begins to slow down. As the business becomes fully fleshed out, the creativity begins to mellow out as well, where most tasks have been assigned to a staff member or have been laid out. This is when the entrepreneur can become bogged down and feel less motivated to do their work. However, as Gerber puts it: Your business is not your life. (pp. 97) Most of the time, when an aspiring entrepreneur creates a business, they feel as if they are putting everything they have on the table. If their business fails, they will not succeed. This is not the case. Gerber goes on to explain how the everyday life of an entrepreneur and their work life are two separate things. Combining them can lead to overall dissatisfaction and disappointment with their performance if their company does not pan out the way they hoped. The approach that should be taken is not being pulled into the idea of working in their business, but instead working on their business and looking for opportunities for it to flourish or grow. Constantly looking for ways to manage and change the company for the better can drag entrepreneurs out of their creative slump and hopefully encourage them to pursue their imaginative endeavors again. In the end, this approach to work life makes managing creativity and work tasks much better and lays out the road for a greater future for both the entrepreneur and their business.

As discussed, two of the greatest takeaways from this book have been the entrepreneurial myth and the idea of working on a business, not in it. These only scratch the surface of what Michael Geber talks about in the text, but they were the most profound topics to dissect and show how management is just as important a role as technicians and entrepreneurs themselves. It is also necessary for business starters to understand that work is not their life and separating their home life from it can lead to less stress and anxiety over the course of their career. To conclude, The E-Myth Revisited is a fascinating book that reshapes the thinking of a small business owner and redirects the mind to see opportunity rather than struggle, and it is a highly-recommended book for those who wonder what it is like to manage a business.

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"Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't" by Jim Collins examines the traits and strategies that set successful businesses apart from those that fall short of greatness or stay average.

A couple main points from the book include:

1. Level 5 Leadership: Collins proposes the idea of Level 5 Leadership, which represents a combination of professional will and humility on a personal level. Leaders that possess this contradictory combination are more likely to lead their companies to success.
2. The Hedgehog Concept: The Hedgehog Concept places a strong emphasis on approaching corporate strategy with clarity and precision. It all comes down to knowing what a company is genuinely enthusiastic about, what powers its economy, and what it can excel at.
3. The Culture of Discipline: According to the book, great businesses have a disciplined culture. It's not about having strict rules, it's about having a disciplined way of doing things so you can focus on the important stuff and not get sidetracked by all the other stuff.
4. The Flywheel Effect: Collins introduces the flywheel metaphor to illustrate how constant effort and consistent implementation of plans can create a self-sustaining force that drives a business forward.
5. Technology Accelerators: While acknowledging the role of technology in the process, the book argues that it does not accelerate the process of going from good to excellent; rather, it reinforces the current state of affairs.
6. The Stockdale Paradox: Named after Admiral James Stockdale, This principle emphasizes the need of confronting the harsh reality of a circumstance while remaining firm in your belief that you can and will succeed.

"Good to Great" provides unique insights into how firms can move from being good performers to reaching continuous excellence through in-depth case studies and thorough analysis. The book has become a business management classic, providing practical counsel and a thought-provoking framework for executives and organizations seeking long-term success.

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Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute

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Leadership and Self-Deception by the Arbinger Institute

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Leadership and Self-Deception Book Review
The Arbinger Institute’s Leadership and Self-Deception spends nearly every one of its 177 pages tackling one deceptively simple, fundamental idea: what happens when we see others as less than human, consciously or not? Packed full of its own vocabulary to answer this powerful question, Leadership and Self-Deception has the capability to forever change the world of its readers. While marketed on their strong applications to business leadership, these concepts
are applicable to nearly every area of lives. Dating relationships? Absolutely. Marriages? The book itself talks about them. Friendships? You bet. Familial relationships? Undoubtedly. I say,
with confidence, that the ideas within Leadership have impacted my life forever.

Before I get into the main ideas, here are a few definitions to Leadership’s slang for its concepts:

In the Box: The state of mind where we are inflating ourselves and our own feelings,
seeking justification for our own problems and blaming others – when we see others as less than people.
Out of the Box: The state of mind where we are focused on others and our impact to
others more than ourselves. We can recognize our own role in our problems and are not inclined to blame others.
Self-Deception: The act of being in the box.
Self-Betrayal: When we betray our initial instincts of how to act toward another person in favor of a self-serving action.
Collusion: The event in which somebody who is in the box puts somebody else in the box.

With these important concepts in mind, here are the main takeaways from the book:

1. When we are in the box, we are “Self-Deceived” and inflate our own interests, needs, and priorities to be more important than those of others. While in the box, we see others as nuisances, problems, reasons for our failures – less than people.
2. When we are out of the box, we see others as people with their own unique interests, needs and priorities. We can have successful, genuine relationships and live more rewarding lives.
3. Self-betrayal is how we get in the box.
4. When we betray ourselves, we erode relationships and sink deeper into our boxes as we seek justification for not honoring our initial sense of how to act toward another.
5. Collusion means our boxes can detrimentally impact others, not just us.
6. We get out of the box by seeing & appreciating others as people and honoring them as such.
7. Within an organization, self-betrayal & self-deception cause people to lose focus on results and instead focus on their own interests & self-justification.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think the principles it lays out are incredibly powerful and can truly improve nearly every area of my life for the better. I appreciate that the book emphasizes these changes are life-altering and difficult to consistently practice while still
reminding the reader that it is worthwhile. I feel that the book’s unique terminology makes for a more engaging read and can really enhance dialogue surrounding the book and its contents.

With all that said, however, I do have a couple minor criticisms. The strong use of this terminology throughout makes the book and its ideas very hard to describe to somebody who has not read the book themselves. In a way, the book is self-aware of this, which I appreciate – but it
does not change the fact of the matter. Moreover, Leadership lays everything out in the context of conversation between four or so incredibly static characters. Initially, this helps engage the reader, but after a while it causes the book to drag on. The same points are repeatedly summarized through half-baked, wordy dialogue that does not read like a true conversation. At
times, this creates a near-condescending tone to the reader. Along these lines, the characters become boring after a while as they undergo no real development. The characters and their dialogue are simply a vehicle to deliver the (admittedly) more important philosophical substance
of the book.

In conclusion, despite its basic and repetitive dialogue style and the lack of substance at a plot level, Leadership and Self-Deception still manages to lay out a whole new way of thinking about others. It does so with interesting slang, a strong business theme, and easy-to-digest
definitions for some of the most common-yet-unspoken interpersonal problems we experience as humans. This book has the potential to change lives, and I recommend it to everyone.

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This book was written by John C. Maxwell. Maxwell speaks on all that a leader encompasses and should encompass. Ultimately it is important to understand that your character is the difference between knowing how leadership works and how to be a leader in the real world. It is a book that goes through 21 qualities in 21 chapters. Each chapter goes into depth about what each quality is and how to utilize it. Below is a list and mini summary of all 21 qualities presented in the book.

Chapter 1- Character

Character is reflecting and upholding a strong moral compass. It is knowing that your words match your actions, and your actions match your words.

Chapter 2- Charisma

Your first impression is something that can make or break a relationship with people so having the ability to attract and charm others will positively impact you.

Chapter 3- Commitment

Commitment is showing dedication and motivation to work hard and go above and beyond.

Chapter 4- Communication

Leaders must show reliable communication and be able to share knowledge and ideas to transmit a sense of urgency and enthusiasm to others.

Chapter 5- Competence

Competence is the leader's ability to say it, plan it and do it in such a way that others know you know how.

Chapter 6- Courage

Courage is the willingness to take risks and face difficult situations.

Chapter 7- Discernment

Discernment is the ability to hear all the sides and knowing what to believe and making wise decisions and judgements.

Chapter 8- Focus

This is the ability to set aside all the distractions and focus on the most important tasks and goals.

Chapter 9- Generosity

A leader should be generous in multiple ways, money, knowledge and success.

Chapter 10- Initiative

Taking initiative is the ability to take action and reach the goals at hand.

Chapter 11- Listening

It is so important to hear and understand those you work with.

Chapter 12- Passion

When a leader reaches out in passion he is usually met with an answering passion.

Chapter 13- Positive Attitude

Your attitude is a choice and it is vital to keep a positive one.

Chapter 14- Problem Solving

It is so important to be able resolve issues as they come about.

Chapter 16- Responsibility

This is when a leader is held accountable for his actions and responsibilities.

Chapter 17-  Security

A leader who is confident in themselves and can provide a sense of security for others.

Chapter 18- Self-discipline

The first person you lead is you.

Chapter 19- Servanthood

It is important as a leader to put others first.

Chapter 20- Teachability

To keep leading you must keep learning with a willing heart.

Chapter 21- Vision

Dreaming big as a leader can take you far.

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"The One Minute Manager" By Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson

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"The One Minute Manager" By Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson

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"The One Minute Manager" is a classic management book authored by Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson. This book, published in 1982, is a concise yet powerful guide to effective management practices. It has become a staple in the world of business and management literature, offering valuable insights and practical advice for managers at all levels. In this review, we will explore the main concepts presented in the book, evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, and discuss its enduring relevance in the field of management.
The central theme of "The One Minute Manager" revolves around the idea that effective management can be achieved in just a minute. This simplicity is conveyed through three core management techniques:
One Minute Goal Setting: The authors stress the importance of setting clear and concise goals. The One Minute Manager advocates setting one-minute goals that are brief, specific, and written down. This practice helps team members understand their responsibilities and what is expected of them.  One Minute Praising: The authors emphasize the significance of providing immediate and specific praise when an employee does something right. This approach reinforces positive behavior and motivates employees to continue performing at their best.  One-Minute Reprimands: Just as quick praise is essential, swift reprimands are equally important. The One Minute Manager suggests addressing mistakes immediately, focusing on the behavior, not the individual. This ensures that corrective actions are taken promptly and do not linger.
Blanchard and Johnson illustrate these principles through a simple, relatable story about a young manager's quest to improve his management skills by seeking guidance from an experienced One Minute Manager. The narrative format makes the book engaging and easy to understand, allowing readers to grasp the concepts more effectively.
"The One Minute Manager" offers several strengths that contribute to its enduring popularity. First and foremost, the book's simplicity and brevity are commendable. The authors distill complex management concepts into a straightforward framework that is easy to grasp and implement. This is especially valuable for new and seasoned managers seeking practical advice.  Furthermore, the book places a strong emphasis on the importance of positive reinforcement and immediate feedback. These principles have universal applicability and can lead to increased employee satisfaction and productivity. However, the book does have its limitations. It oversimplifies the complexities of real-world management. Not all management issues can be resolved in a minute, and real-life situations often demand more comprehensive approaches. Some critics argue that the book may inadvertently encourage authoritarian or overly directive management styles, which may not be suitable for all organizational contexts.
Despite its age, "The One Minute Manager" remains relevant in the world of management. The principles of goal setting, praising, and reprimanding are still fundamental to effective management. In fact, these techniques align well with contemporary management philosophies such as servant leadership and agile management, which emphasize open communication and rapid feedback.

In conclusion, "The One Minute Manager" is a classic management book that offers valuable insights and practical tools for managers. While its simplicity and brevity are strengths, it is important for readers to recognize that it may not provide all the answers to the complexities of modern management. Nevertheless, the book's enduring relevance and time-tested principles make it a valuable resource for both new and experienced managers

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"The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" by Patrick Lencioni outlines the common obstacles that impede effective teamwork within organizations. This book presents a model through a fictional narrative, highlighting five key dysfunctions:

1. Lack of Trust:
Trust serves as the foundation of a cohesive team. Without trust, team members are hesitant to be vulnerable with each other, hindering open communication and collaboration. Building trust within a team is essential for creating a safe environment where members can share their thoughts and concerns.

2. Fear of Conflict:
Teams often avoid conflict to maintain superficial harmony. However, productive conflict, where differing opinions are openly discussed and debated, is crucial for making well-informed decisions and fostering innovation. Lencioni advocates for teams to embrace healthy conflict to drive better outcomes.

3. Lack of Commitment:
Teams may fail to commit to decisions when they have not been actively involved in the decision-making process. Collective commitment ensures that everyone supports the team's goals and decisions, enhancing accountability and follow-through.

4. Avoidance of Accountability:
Effective teams hold one another accountable for their actions and results. In dysfunctional teams, individuals may shirk responsibility and not deliver on their commitments. Encouraging team members to take ownership of their performance is vital for overall success.

5. Inattention to Results:
The ultimate dysfunction is when team members prioritize their individual objectives over the team's collective goals. A cohesive team is one that focuses on achieving shared results, aligning personal success with the team's success.

In summary, "The Five Dysfunctions of a Team" provides a framework for understanding the barriers to effective teamwork and offers practical strategies to address these issues. By addressing these dysfunctions, teams can improve their communication, decision-making, accountability, and ultimately achieve better results. The book emphasizes the critical role of trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and a shared focus on results in building successful teams.

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How Successful People Lead by John C. Maxwell

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How Successful People Lead by John C. Maxwell

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How Successful People Lead by John C. Maxwell is a remarkable guide that explores the essential principles of effective leadership. Drawing on his vast experience and keen insight, Maxwell offers readers valuable lessons on leadership, emphasizing the importance of influence and impact. The book consists of several chapters, each focusing on a specific aspect of leadership. Maxwell not only provides practical advice but also empowers readers to transform their leadership skills throughout this book.

Chapter 1: The Definition of Leadership

Maxwell provides a comprehensive definition of leadership, stressing that leadership is not about titles or positions, but rather about influence and the ability to inspire others. He lays the foundation for the subsequent chapters by emphasizing the importance of personal growth and authenticity in ineffective leadership.

Chapter 2: The Key to Leadership: Priorities

Maxwell delves into the significance of priorities in effective leadership. He discusses the importance of aligning personal and organizational priorities, and how successful leaders make strategic decisions to achieve their goals. I found this serves as a practical guide for readers to prioritize their tasks and focus on what truly matters.

Chapter 3: The Foundation of Leadership: Integrity

Maxwell explores the concept of integrity and its impact on leadership. He provides real-life examples and practical tips on how leaders can build and maintain their integrity, emphasizing the importance of honesty, transparency, and consistency in all interactions.

Chapter 4: The Heart of Leadership: Serving

Maxwell discusses the concept of servant leadership and how leaders can create a positive impact by putting the needs of others first. He emphasizes the importance of empathy, active listening, and genuine care for the well-being of team members.

Chapter 5: The Most Important Person in Leadership: You

Maxwell explores the importance of personal development, highlighting the significance of continuous learning, emotional intelligence, and resilience. He encourages readers to invest in their own growth to become more influential leaders.

Chapter 6: The Ultimate Test of Leadership: Creating Positive Change

Maxwell discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with leading change effectively. He provides practical strategies for overcoming resistance, fostering a positive environment, and inspiring others to embrace change. This chapter equips readers with the tools to navigate the complexities of organizational transformation.

In this book Maxwell does a wonderful job of weaving together real-world examples, practical advice, and timeless wisdom to create a comprehensive guide on leadership. His engaging writing style and relatable anecdotes make this book accessible to readers. Whether you are a seasoned executive, an aspiring leader, or simply someone looking to enhance your interpersonal skills, this book offers invaluable insights that can elevate your influence and impact. By focusing on the core principles of leadership, Maxwell empowers readers to not only lead others but also lead themselves toward personal and professional success.

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Title: A Simple yet Profound Guide to Embracing Change - "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson                                                                  

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Title: A Simple yet Profound Guide to Embracing Change - "Who Moved My Cheese" by Spencer Johnson                                                                  

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Spencer Johnson's "Who Moved My Cheese" is a deceptively simple yet powerful allegorical tale that imparts essential lessons on dealing with change. The story revolves around four characters who inhabit a maze, representing the challenges and uncertainties we face in life. Their quest for "cheese" symbolizes our pursuit of success and happiness.

What sets this book apart is its accessibility. Johnson uses the maze and its characters to make the concepts of change and adaptation tangible, which is ideal for readers of all ages and backgrounds. The characters' contrasting approaches to change are both relatable and instructive. Sniff and Scurry represent those who quickly adapt to change, while Hem and Haw portray those who resist it.

The narrative is concise, making it a quick read, and the use of cheese as a metaphor adds a delightful touch. Johnson masterfully conveys the fear of the unknown and the need to let go of the past to move forward, which are experiences we can all relate to. The story encourages introspection and offers valuable insights into how one can better navigate life's transitions.

One of the book's strengths is its ability to resonate with various aspects of life, whether in personal relationships, careers, or personal growth. It reinforces the idea that change is a constant, and how we react to it can determine our success and happiness.

Spencer Johnson's "Who Moved My Cheese" is a thought-provoking parable that serves as a valuable reminder of the importance of embracing change and adapting to life's twists and turns.

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Zakaria-"Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath

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Zakaria-"Made to Stick" by Chip and Dan Heath

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Abstract

Made to Stick is a book that will transform the way you communicate ideas. In this book there are many different aspects that the book goes in depth on that pertain to making or keeping an idea sticky and interesting. In this paper I will introduce the book followed by the main takeaways that you are supposed to get from the book. I will describe those 6 takeaways to keep in mind when creating your ideas and trying to sustain them. From these hopefully you will gather the creativeness needed to help your ideas be and stay relevant.

The general person often finds themselves wondering why do some ideas thrive while
others die and how can you boost the chance of your idea being a worthy one? Well in this book Made to Stick two of the most educated idea gatherers Chip and Dan Heath answer these very questions. In this book, the Heath brothers essentially reveal the anatomy of sticky ideas and
ways that you can make those ideas even stickier. They especially go in-depth into using the human scale principle and using the Velcro Theory of memory which they stress as being important because they create curiosity gaps. Nevertheless, this book is full of vital principles of winning ideas for us to use when trying to make our own ideas stick.

Simple and Unexpected

The goal is to strip an idea to its core without turning it into a silly sound bite. The hard part isn't weeding out unimportant aspects, but it is in pruning the important, but not truly essential aspects, distilling to the most important idea at the core. Determine the single most important thing, being careful not to bury the lead. The military uses a "Commander Intent"

instead of a plan. For example, rather than details on how to take a bridge, the CI might be "take the bridge." Use the technique of the inverted pyramid from journalism which is to tell most important aspect first, then tailor, then add details. This forces prioritization. The key to
motivating others with your ideas is to use the core message to help them make decisions as they apply your idea. The essential part is to make the message compact and to have it imply a sense
of worth or priorities about how to implement it. For example, a newspaper editor liked to have his paper strongly - and only - reflect local issues. He had a motto of "names, names, and
names." Note how this guides the individual decisions made by his reporters. One way to do this is to tap into the memory of the idea's recipients by embedding schemas. One can use memory
schemas to keep an idea simple: One could describe a pomelo as a "large citrus fruit with a thick, but soft rind", or as "a pomelo is basically a super-sized grapefruit with a very thick and soft rind." Another way to describe this is as a "generative analogy" that is, a metaphor that generates new ideas.

Concrete and Credible
Of the six traits of "stickiness" described in this book being concrete is the easiest to accept and implement. The power of being concrete is illustrated by the longevity of Aesop's fables. For some 2,500 years they have resonated and been remembered by humankind. They are a striking example of concreteness. For example, the story of the fox and the grapes ends with the fox
concluding that grapes out of his reach are likely sour hence the phrase "sour grapes", which appears in nearly every language. This provides a concrete image that lasts. Compare "sour grapes" to the conclusion "don't be such a bitter jerk when you fail." The latter has no staying power. Something becomes concrete when it can be described or detected by the human senses. A V-8 engine is concrete; "high-performance" is abstract. Concrete ideas are easy to remember. Experiments have shown that people remember concrete over abstract nouns; "bicycle" over
"justice" or "personality." The kidney-heist urban legend, for example, has tons of detail about the illicit procedure. This illustrates that the "curse of knowledge" is the main enemy of being concrete. The main difference between an expert and novice is the ability of the expert to see things abstractly. For example, the difference in reaction between a judge and a jury. The jury sees all the concrete aspects of a trial - the lawyers' clothing, manner, the specific procedures in a classroom; the judge sees all in terms of legal precedent and the lessons of the past. Novices perceive concrete detail as concrete detail; an expert sees concrete details as symbols of a pattern.

Emotional and Stories
To illustrate the effect of emotion versus reason a group studied the effect of soliciting funds for starving children in Africa with two appeals. An appeal based on statistics and one focusing on a single-named child. Of course, the latter won. The surprising part of the study was that any time reason was evoked the amount of giving decreased. For example if they used both the statistics and the individual child it decreased and if they asked a person to do a simple calculation, not related to the charity, even this decreased giving. Once we put on our analytical hat we react to emotional appeals differently and they hinder our ability to feel. The most basic
way to make people care is to form an association between something they don't care about and something they do. We all naturally practice the tactic of association. The caution here is to create new associations that get past the old, common ones that have become diluted in value.
A prime example of overcoming a tired phrase with new emotional resonance is the case of "sportsmanship." This term had become a tired phrase, which acquired too many meanings to become emotionally powerful. An advocate for true sportsmanship refocused the emotional
appear of the concept by calling it "honoring the game." If people care about sports, then they care about the game.

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In " $100M Leads" by Alex Hormozi, the quote "You get rich from what you make. You become wealthy from what you own" serves as a thought-provoking foundation for understanding the dual nature of financial success. The book explores the critical role of leads in business growth and emphasizes the importance of crafting compelling offers and lead magnets to entice potential customers effectively. It also delves into diverse lead generation strategies, highlighting the significance of diversification and strategic adaptation for successful lead generation. Finally, the book underscores the need for measuring and optimizing lead generation strategies through data-driven decision-making and continual adjustment for sustained success.

Overall, the book provides a comprehensive guide to achieving business success by mastering the art of lead generation and marketing, striking a balance between creativity, intelligent marketing strategies, and data analysis. It emphasizes that businesses can turn potential customers into loyal clients and assets for long-term prosperity by following the principles outlined in the book.

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Cruz Ramirez- The Lean Start up by Eric Ries

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Cruz Ramirez- The Lean Start up by Eric Ries

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The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

It goes towards trying to use the lowest amount of resources as possible to create successful businesses. There’s 5 principles along the book that are needed to keep in mind knowing that entrepreneurs are everywhere, entrepreneurs is management, validating learning, Innovation accounting, and having build-measure-learn stages that will lead to a company's success and avoiding high failure rates as well as reducing risks.

Chapter 1 (Start):   It's the start of the economy being suitable for the startup business. Trying to balance themselves including customer requirements and insights into the production. Startups require certain amounts of failures to products which help them be tested and improved, failure isn’t always appreciated but it's part of a process that is necessary.

Chapter 2 (Define): Taking the initiation for new products or new operations. Taking risks and trying out new ideas even if it means developing the enterprise. Creating organization startups include new discoveries and new inventions. These initiations can be for existing products or for new discoveries made.

Chapter 3 (Learn): Sticking with plans that help you stay on a budget but still produce good quality. Learning from mistakes and making the product better by what the customers think so you will have less waste in the development process. Acknowledging that there are pros and cons that come along with making products but learning is essential to their development with the value of providing benefit to the customer.

Chapter 4 (Experiment): Doing test predictions is important before launching products to make sure they are carefully designed. Creating hypotheses will give you ideal information to see how customers discover the new product and it helps test behavior to see if the assumptions you have made are correct. Starting somewhere to evaluate if a product being made would interest anyone in buying it.

Chapter 5 (Leap):  The startup builds a product and customers interact with it. From the interaction of a product it creates feedback and data to help toward the next duplicate of the product. There aren't any instructions to follow and copying what others do isn’t gonna lead you to success whether you have to develop your own strategies. Go with your intuition even if it means taking a leap of faith as best as possible to create a product that people will actually want.

Chapter 6 (Test): Getting your MVP for innovative products and getting rid of features that early adopters don't care about since the feature of what early adopters don’t want is waste. You need to know what customers want since you don’t know which attributes customers will value in your product. Even if investors get impatient with the experimentations since they want results you need to have metrics for information and responsiblity.

Chapter 7 (Measure): Proving that the startup can become a sustainable business. The evaluate process but being aware that standard accounting practices don't work well evaluating the progress concerning startups. Improving results with every redo made to help it teach you more about customer’s needs. Your metics will improve but if they don’t improve outstandingly over time then that’s when you will know to pivot.

Chapter 8 (Pivot): If any idea you are making isn’t working for you, you will need to change your strategy. You will need to build on what you have already learned instead of trying to throw everything away and start over. There’s a lot of bravery needed when pivoting but if not pivoting is being made then some companies will fail because they don't pivot. A pivot should be structured and well thought of before it is made.

Chapter 9 (Batch): You need to know who your customers are, what your customers want, how to listen to customer feedback, and how you can plan to help your business grow. Trying to avoid creating large batches since they create many problems and will more likely lead you into death spirals when trying to pursue larger batches that will ultimately lead you to failure. Do plannings in the opposite order to decide what you want to learn and figure out how to measure it.

Chapter 10 (Grow): Startups create enduring growth through the engine of growth. Everything (other than one-time sources of growth that don't have a long-term influence) that is sustainable in this context There are a few strategies for creating sustainable growth. For instance, repeat customers promote a brand's sustainability by spreading the word about it to their friends and colleagues. When customers witness other people using the product, sustainable growth also occurs. We are more likely to purchase something for ourselves when someone else looks nice in the newest style. As long as the costs of traditional advertising are lower than the revenue generated by extra sales, traditional advertising can likewise promote growth. And last, growth can be maintained via customer repurchases.

Chapter 11 (Adapt): using the "Five Whys." With each round of this procedure, which asks you "why?" five times, you delve more into the cause of a problem. You'll discover that there's always a human issue underlying every technical issue. Once you know what caused a problem, you should try to remedy it, but obviously you can't apply all of your resources to every tiny issue. If there is a significant issue, you should be prepared to spend a sizable amount of money to address it. However, if it's only a little issue, don't let it consume everyone's time and effort. Learning and being able to adapt is a huge factor.

Chapter 12: Innovate:  As their varied goods go through their unique cycles of growth, businesses must handle a variety of different forms of work. A growing startup has more markets and consumers, and its product is becoming more well-known. Procedures become common once the product's market is established, and updates and improvements promote long-term growth. Outsourcing, automation, and cost-cutting strategies are used for legacy products.

Employees tend to move with products as they progress through the system, which can disadvantage new products because many of the best individuals continue with the established products. It is preferable to have cross-functional teams that concentrate on various phases of the growth cycle. The product is passed from one team to the next as it becomes older.

Chapter 13: Epilogue: On occasion, people can become so absorbed in the system that they neglect the human factor. Innovation comes from people. It's crucial to avoid becoming overly strict in your organization because of your obsession with keeping the system in place.

Also watch out for fads, buzzwords, and pseudoscience. As always, follow the process and approach innovation methodically. Even while the Lean Startup methodology is excellent, it is only the beginning of what may be accomplished by incorporating innovation management into the scientific approach. There is still much for us to learn.

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

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The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

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Starting from the inside out, the seven habits of highly effective people start with an inward examination. In order to project joyful and almost flawless lifestyles on social media, we as a culture try to establish those profiles. Furthermore, since social media serves as a person's highlight reel, we could find ourselves changing how we appear on the outside while experiencing inner turmoil. Who will be on that list of social media followers? Most likely not. So how can you make your life better by realizing these values? by enhancing your innermost qualities. You have to go deep within yourself to find your core beliefs and habits before you can make any kind of change in your life. These values form the basis of your personality and operate as a compass to direct you toward your objectives. Maybe ideas like integrity, honesty, and justice are your guiding beliefs. These are common ideas that direct our behavior and bring achievement; on the other hand, concepts like dishonesty and selfishness can bring failure. Since principles are natural laws and you reap what you sow, it's critical to consider your guiding principles and assess whether they are promoting harmony or conflict with the natural world.

Chapter 2: This is where our first principle comes into play—the ownership concept. We are able to take charge of our life. It's quite simple to hold other people responsible for our circumstances, yet doing so is pointless. As we find ourselves in difficult circumstances, we frequently say things like "It's not my fault" or "I had no control over what happened," but as we start to accept responsibility for our life, we adopt new values. Things start to shift in our environment. The ownership concept compels us to own up to our mistakes as well as to accept responsibility for our achievements. The first habit, being proactive, is initiated by this paradigm change.

Proactive people do something about it. They accept responsibility and take charge of their lives. People who are proactive, for example, adopt healthy lifestyle changes without waiting for a diagnosis. Instead of waiting for their supervisor to give them orders, they recognize issues and devise fixes. They don't wait for an argument to start speaking clearly; instead, they actively listen to the people in their lives.

Chapter 3: HABIT #2 - BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

It would help if you had direction in order to start with the end in mind. Success in creating anything requires direction, just like in building a house. Effective people have a sense of direction in life rather than just working hard and hoping for luck to find them. But how are you going to discover that way? You can start by seeing your friends and family attending your funeral in thirty days. What do you hope they will say about you? What statements do they make about the way you spent your life? You might discover the main focus of your life by thinking about what you want your loved ones and friends to say about you. You could be self-centered, work-centered, money-centered, or family-centered. You can start living intentionally and with purpose if you think of your personal statement as your life's blueprint.

Chapter 4 HABIT #3 - PUT FIRST THINGS FIRST

Important and urgent tasks are the main focus of Quadrant One. Although this appears to be a crucial area, it is more appropriate for assignments that fall outside of our purview, such as urgent problems that require immediate attention. This quadrant can contain both the burning down of the house and a job with a tight deadline.

Important but non-urgent tasks are the emphasis of Quadrant Two. Since these are the duties that are most important to us, this is the most critical quadrant. These chores include forming connections and making future plans; these are crucial ideas that take time to implement. Take action with the intention of strengthening the tasks you placed in quadrant two. For example, instead of listening to music or your favorite podcast on your vehicle journey home, spend some time calling a friend or family member if you want to enhance your relationships. The third quadrant is devoted to urgent but unimportant duties. These are the chores—like phone calls or meetings—that throw a wrench in our plans. When you prioritize tasks in quadrant three, you find yourself responding to tasks that are determined by other people's priorities rather than your own. This may have a number of negative effects, such as a lack of short-term focus or an overwhelming sense of helplessness. The activities in Quadrant Four are not urgent or significant. These include time-wasting activities such as binge-watching a whole Netflix series in one sitting or aimlessly browsing social media while at work. These tasks result in people losing their jobs and living a life of total dependence. Working with shopping center managers, for example, Covey found that although these managers understood the value of and potential benefits of developing relationships with store owners, they rarely dedicated more than 5% of their time to this task. Rather, managers devoted the majority of their time to quadrant one tasks, which included responding to emails and calls, going to meetings, and preparing reports.

CHAPTER 5: It's dog-eat-dog throughout the planet. It's all about brutal, intense competition, and if that means lying and cheating to achieve your goals, then so be it. Are you of that opinion? Is this truly a world where dogs eat dogs? Aren't you violating your moral values of honesty and integrity if you have to lie and cheat? Regrettably, a lot of people in today's culture have this mentality. They think you have to lose in order to win. However, what if I told you that this isn't the only way life can be? Rather, life need not be a contest; both sides might come out on top. Successful, interdependent relationships can be established by cultivating a win-win perspective. By approaching situations with a win-win mindset, you will ultimately find yourself forging strong bonds with both parties rather than gradually undermining one. Finding a connection that might use a win-win solution is an excellent way to start thinking about how to put this mentality into practice. Now imagine yourself in the other person's position and list the solutions that the person would view as successful. Put down now what you think is a victory. Make an effort to devise a solution that includes gains for both parties.

CHAPTER 6: Imagine visiting an optometrist and informing the practitioner that you have trouble seeing distant signage. The optometrist then hands you his own pair of spectacles, stating, "These have worked for me for years!" Put them on and see if they fit you well. The doctor just provides a straightforward, probably ineffective treatment without any testing or queries asked. You couldn't trust that doctor, therefore you wouldn't go back to him. You trust individuals who understand what you're going through, whether they be a friend or a doctor, and listening is a crucial part of comprehending. Instead of just handing you a random pair of glasses to cure your problems, the doctor would know better how to treat you if he paid attention to you. Speaking of listening, the best kind is empathic listening, which necessitates a paradigm change to be accomplished. You know, we usually aim to be understood rather than to understand first. Rather than becoming ready to understand, people are always either speaking or getting ready to speak. It is possible to learn how to listen intently, even though it takes time and effort. You may concentrate on being understood once you have mastered the art of seeking to comprehend.

CHAPTER 7: I mean, everyone is unique, right? If everyone had the same viewpoints and was incapable of learning from one another, the world would be a very dull place. We actually depend on one another. Now that we understand the Principle of Team Execution—that we depend on one another to survive and that fruitful interactions require both independence and interdependence—we can concentrate on collaborating with one another. Put otherwise, it is better to have two heads than one. Despite the fact that everyone has a unique perspective, everyone has something to give the larger good. You can expose yourself to countless options and new opportunities when you work with synergy.

CHAPTER 8: Maintaining an active lifestyle aids in honing the first habit of being proactive. Renewing your spiritual self can be achieved through praying, practicing meditation, or spending time in nature. You can follow habit two with the support of the Spiritual Dimension because you often review your guiding principles and essential values. If you're unsure of how to approach these four aspects, start by listing the kinds of activities you can engage in under each area to help you feel refreshed. Choose one task from every area and make a commitment to finish it the following week.

FINAL SUMMARY: Instead, seize the initiative and accept accountability for your life. Start with the goal in mind. Put an end to haphazardly taking on any job that comes up. Rather, visualize your future self and align your efforts to bring that self to pass. Prioritize your priorities. Give up wasting time on things that don't advance your objectives but yet seem vital. Rather, set priorities for your work and concentrate on the significant, non-urgent ones. Consider win-win. Give up believing that you have to win or lose. Instead, work out a solution that will benefit both of you.

Consider win-win. Give up believing that you have to win or lose. Instead, work out a solution that will benefit both of you. Prioritize understanding over being understood.

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Loving Monday: Succeeding in Business Without Selling Your Soul by John D. Beckett 

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Loving Monday: Succeeding in Business Without Selling Your Soul by John D. Beckett 

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The book Loving Monday: Succeeding in Business Without Selling Your Soul by John D. Beckett is about seeing how your work can be filled with meaning and purpose. Beckett discusses and encourages a Christian perspective on work and business.  He believes that people can lead fulfilling, purpose-driven lives in the business world while staying faithful to their Christian beliefs. Throughout the book, Beckett emphasizes the importance of integrating faith and work. The book is divided into four major parts: The foundation, the big picture, applications, and the wrap-up.

Part One: The Foundation

In part one Beckett shares some of his personal experiences and challenges. The first chapter of part one is Beckett talking about his experience with ABC News learning about Beckett Corporation having issues with the Equal Opportunities Commission (EEOC) guidelines. Beckett Corporation believed many of these guidelines would restrict religious freedoms in the workplace. Thus, ABC News wanted to discuss this guideline issue with Beckett himself. Beckett goes the rest of the chapter talking about this broadcasting experience with ABC News. This first chapter lays the foundation for the rest of the book. Hence, the section being called “the foundation”. What I mean though in this chapter it is clearly defined through Beckett’s interview with ABC News. In the interview the interviewer Peggy asked Beckett a question that “had concerned [his] life’s purpose” (1998, p. 23). Beckett proceeds to answer the question saying “My main mission in life is to know the will of God and to do it” (1998, p. 23). This quote is the main foundation for this book and Beckett’s beliefs.

Part Two: The Big Picture

In part two Beckett has the reader look at Western culture through two distinctly different windows. The first window is viewing business and faith as separate from each other. The second window views business and faith as unified and compatible with one another. The chapters in this section are about ethical dilemmas that affect business and the business environment. Beckett delves into the dualistic worldview of life and business and whether it is possible to serve God while being in business.

Part Three: Applications

In part three Beckett has the reader look at specific ways that traditional qualities and beliefs can be integrated into our work life. These traditional qualities and beliefs are derived from the Bible. The applications Beckett talks about in the chapters of this section are treatment, gifts, problems, compassion, services, and values. In the first chapter of this section, Beckett discusses how you treat employees and customers. The purpose of this chapter is that the external perspective such as customers matches the internal perspective such as the employees. Beckett believes businesses should treat both employees and customers with respect and care. Not just treating customers with respect and treating employees poorly. Otherwise, businesses are creating a false external perspective. Along with respecting employees and customers, Beckett talks about business giving back. Whether or not the services that business provides reflect the values of the Bible.

Part Four: The Wrap-Up

Part four ties up all the key concepts together, describing their connections for people in business. The chapters in this section talk about how to have a fresh passion for your business every day, including Monday. The chapters also talk about what God’s ultimate goal is for you and how to be an ambassador for God.

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McKaylee Becker                                                                                               This book explores why some companies make the leap from being good companies to great ones, while others fail to do so. Throughout the book, Collins uses extensive research and compelling examples to illustrate these concepts, providing a roadmap for organizations aiming to make the leap from good to great.

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Chapter 1: Good is the Enemy of Great

Collins introduces the concept that being a good company can prevent an organization from becoming truly great.

He outlines the research methodology used to identify and study companies that made the leap from good to great.

The chapter sets up the framework for the rest of the book, introducing the idea that greatness is not a function of circumstance but largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline.

Chapter 2: Level 5 Leadership

Introduces the concept of Level 5 Leadership, a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will.

Level 5 leaders are ambitious for their companies, not themselves.

They set up successors for success and attribute success to factors outside themselves, but take responsibility for poor results.

Chapter 3: First Who, Then What

Great companies focus on getting the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off) before figuring out where to drive it.

The chapter emphasizes the importance of hiring for character and capability rather than specific skills or knowledge.

It introduces the concept of "First Who, Then What" as a path to greatness.

Chapter 4: Confront the Brutal Facts (Yet Never Lose Faith)

Great companies maintain unwavering faith that they can and will prevail in the end, regardless of the difficulties.

At the same time, they have the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of their current reality.

This chapter introduces the Stockdale Paradox: the ability to balance optimism with realism.

Chapter 5: The Hedgehog Concept

Great companies focus on one big thing - their Hedgehog Concept.

This concept is at the intersection of three circles: what you're deeply passionate about, what you can be the best in the world at, and what drives your economic engine.

Developing a Hedgehog Concept takes time and iterative processes.

Chapter 6: A Culture of Discipline

Great companies have a culture of discipline that eliminates the need for hierarchy.

They have disciplined people who engage in disciplined thought and take disciplined action.

This culture gives people freedom and responsibility within the framework of a consistent system.

Chapter 7: Technology Accelerators

Great companies use technology as an accelerator of momentum, not a creator of it.

They avoid jumping on technology bandwagons and carefully select technologies that fit with their Hedgehog Concept.

Chapter 8: The Flywheel and the Doom Loop

Great companies build momentum gradually, like pushing a giant flywheel.

Each push builds upon previous work, eventually leading to a breakthrough.

In contrast, comparison companies often fall into a doom loop of reactive change and disappointing results.

Chapter 9: From Good to Great to Built to Last

This chapter connects the concepts from "Good to Great" with Collins' previous book, "Built to Last."

It explains how companies can go from good to great, and then sustain that greatness over time.