The Leadership Handbook -- It Truly Can Be

If you are interested in reading The Leadership Handbook:  26 Critical Lessons Every Leader Needs by John C. Maxwell, do a quick scan of your personal or professional library.  If you find the Maxwell book Leadership Gold, then do not get this book.  The former titled book was previously published as the latter book, so they are one and the same.  Nothing having a copy of the latter title, I have grabbed this version and enjoy reading through it.

This Maxwell book is no different than any of his others.  I will list several points to further define that aspect:  (1) he continues to be quotable with his ever-present one-liners that stick with you, (2) he constantly references laws or components of his other books to drive you those ways, and (3) he puts forward ever-practical advice regarding leadership.  You do not find anything earth-shattering in my above points; however, you must understand something here -- Maxwell readily admits that we already know many of these things.  He is not necessarily trying to teach you something new as he is trying to come alongside you, as a friend, to inspire you to implement what you already know.

The book, as its title suggests, is broken down into 26 "lessons."  These are very short chapters that you can breeze through quite quickly, but RESIST THAT TEMPTATION.  What we need to do is slow down and work methodically through them.  Having the knowledge is great, but the application of that knowledge is what shows wisdom (and thus makes you a better leader).  Maxwell suggests that emerging leaders read one chapter each week for 26 weeks, and he suggests experienced leaders to take two weeks per chapter -- one week for you and one week to mentor someone else about that lesson.

I, as an experienced leader, am taking a slightly different approach - sort of a hybrid of his suggestion.  I am taking this book one lesson a week and focusing on that lesson throughout my work week.  To do so, I write the title of the lesson at the top of my Passion Planner (see http://www.passionplanner.com for more information) where it asks for "This Week's Focus."  My goal is to implement the lessons weekly and then reflect back in the Passion Planner section "Good Things that Happened."  My team knows that I am working through this book and its principles, so I will have informal discussions with them about its influence in my leadership.  Once I have finished all 26 lessons, I will go back and take several team members systematically through these lessons.

Maxwell hammers home some major points for leaders to know and understand as you go through this leadership-improvement process.  I am not putting all of them below, but did want to highlight a few of my favorites from the introduction:  (1) leadership is the willingness to put oneself at risk, (2) leadership is being dissatisfied with the current reality, (3) leadership is taking responsibility when others are making excuses, (4) leadership is the ability to submerge your ego for the sake of what is best, and (5) leadership is, above all, courageous.

At my title suggests, this book can truly become a handbook if you choose to enact the necessary steps for it to produce personal and professional change.  I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in improving as a leader.  One final thought -- be sure that the change you implement affects your personal life primarily?  Why?  If you change personally, then professional change is guaranteed -- the opposite is not true.

 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Just Another Dime a Dozen Leadership Book

Leadership books are a “dime a dozen” in the modern day.  By that statement, I imply that nothing is truly novel because the ideas are merely repackaged into a different format.  Fairness is Overrated:  And 51 other Leadership Principles to Revolutionize your Workplace, by Tim Stevens, is another one of those books.  I am not saying that the book cannot help you become a better leader (because it can); however, the volume does not have revolutionary thoughts that distinguish it from any other.

Stevens divides the book into four major sections:  (1) be a leader worth following, (2) find the right people, (3) build a healthy culture, and (4) lead confidently through a crisis.  If you have read any amount of leadership books, those major headings reveal why I consider this book one of those that are a “dime a dozen.”  Within those major section headings, the author has written short – and I mean very – chapters that are easily digestible.  This format is a positive in that the ideas are easily accessible but it is also a negative in promoting the tendency to read through them quickly.  At the end of each chapter, a couple of discussions or application questions are applied.  If you are going to use this book to bring about change in your leadership, then the power rests within those personal applications.  

The namesake chapter is number 38 and begins on page 152 – “Fairness is Overrated.”  He does argue quite forcefully and correctly that fairness should not be a priority.  Why?  Listen to these short sentences – “We make decisions based on priority, not fairness.  We filter discussions through our mission and values, not whether it is fair” (page 153).   Very true!  Our world, with its bent toward social justice, struggles with being unfair; however, Stevens is right in his statement.

While the author is quotable, again, this book is a “dime a dozen” without anything spectacular; so that is why I rated this book as I did.  I also struggled with his background as a pastor and the lack of focus on God's expectations of leadership (rare quotes from Scripture or even mention of God or Jesus).  If you apply what you read from it, then changes will occur in your leadership; so if that is what you are seeking (and you will not breeze through it too quickly), then it might be a good book for you. 

 Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLookBloggers.com review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”