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Two Great Sources of Leadership Books are:
This site is a complete listing of the leadership and professional development readings as recommended by the head of
each branch of the U.S. Armed Services.
This is a complete listing of the leadership and professional development reading list as authored by the International
Association of Chiefs of Police.
According to Pat McGill, Amazon.com, “Using
the story/parable format so popular these days, Leadership
and Self-Deception takes a novel psychological approach to leadership. It's not what you do that matters, say the
authors (presumably plural--the book is credited to the esteemed Arbinger Institute), but why you do it. Latching onto the
latest leadership trend won't make people follow you if your motives are selfish--people can smell a rat, even one that says
it's trying to empower them. The tricky thing is, we don't know that our motivation is flawed. We deceive ourselves in subtle
ways into thinking that we're doing the right thing for the right reason. We really do know what the right thing to do is,
but this constant self-justification becomes such an ingrained habit that it's hard to break free of it--it's as though we're
trapped in a box, the authors say.
Learning how the process of self-deception works--and
how to avoid it and stay in touch with our innate sense of what's right--is at the heart of the book. We follow Tom, an old-school,
by-the-book kind of guy who is a newly hired executive at Zagrum Corporation, as two senior executives show him the many ways
he's "in the box," how that limits him as a leader in ways he's not aware of, and of course how to get out. This is as much
a book about personal transformation as it is about leadership per se. The authors use examples from the characters' private
as well as professional lives to show how self-deception skews our view of ourselves and the world and ruins our interactions
with people, despite what we sincerely believe are our best intentions.
While the writing won't make John Updike lose
any sleep, the story entertainingly does the job of pulling the reader in and making a potentially abstruse argument quite
enjoyable. The authors have a much better ear for dialogue than is typical of the genre (the book is largely dialogue), although
a certain didactic tone creeps in now and then. But ultimately it's a hopeful, even inspiring read that flows along nicely
and conveys a message that more than a few managers need to hear.”
According to Howard Rothman, Amazon.com, “Why
do some people consistently inspire others to follow their lead? According to John C. Maxwell, author of 24 books and a regular
speaker on the topic, it's the "character qualities" they possess. In The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader,
Maxwell identifies these top traits as character, charisma, commitment, communication, competence, courage,
discernment, focus, generosity, initiative, listening, passion, positive attitude, problem-solving, relationships, responsibility,
security, self-discipline, servanthood, teachability, and vision--and then defines them in ways that readers can absorb and
utilize. Each is covered in a separate chapter opening with a high-concept definition and continuing with relevant anecdotes,
details on its meaning, suggestions for further reflection, and exercises for improvement. For example, in the section on
vision ("You can seize only what you can see"), Maxwell describes how Walt Disney initially developed the theme-park concept
after accompanying his daughters to a fun-filled but rather shabby amusement park. He then analyzes how Disney's resultant
projects drew on his personal history while meeting other's needs, and explains how readers must "listen to several voices"
to develop successful foresight in a similar way. Finally, Maxwell suggests methods to articulate these visions and measure
their implementation.”
Larry Kryske received a Regular Navy commission
from the NROTC Unit at UCLA on 17 December 1971. Larry Kryske retired from the
United States Navy in September 1993 as a Commander. In his post-Naval career,
Larry Kryske (pronounced Chris-key) develops victorious leaders who have vision, courage, and determination. He is president
and co-founder of Your Finest Hour Leadership Programs. He speaks internationally on leadership as well as on teamwork and
productivity. Larry has over 30 years of worldwide leadership success as a career naval officer, private school administrator,
and strategic planner. He is a professional speaker, certified trainer, coach, facilitator, author, and artist.
Larry Kryske is also a respected authority on
the life and leadership of Winston Churchill, with over 41 years of Churchill study. He served on the Board of Directors of
the International Churchill Society. Larry Kryske has a BA in Astronomy from
the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) and a MS in Applied Science from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey,
California. He is an active member of the Churchill Center and a professional member of the National Speakers Association.
He is the author of two leadership book, The
Churchill Factors: Creating Your Finest Hour and The Greatest Board in the World.
According to one reader of The Churchill Factors: Creating Your Finest Hour, “This is an
extremely well done book. It is packed with practical ideas for building a better professional and personal life. Churchill
is the perfect role mode for anyone wanting to be a leader or motivator of people. The book translated Churchill's method
that brought him countless successes in his life to gems that anyone would find easy to apply. The book was tailored to a
person's unique personality based on four well defined styles. Churchill's method was looked at from each of these different
styles. This was especially valuable and thought provoking. This book is a keeper that I'll refer to again and again!”
Major Wally Adamchik, a former tank commander
and helicopter pilot with the United States Marine Corps, is the founder and president of FireStarter Speaking and Consulting,
a national leadership development and consulting firm. His book, No Yelling:
The 9 Secrets of Marine Corps Leadership You Must Know to Win in Business, draws upon the real-life experiences
of those currently serving in the Marines and those now in the civilian sector to explain how anyone can incorporate the nine
essential behaviors of Marine Corps leadership into their daily business life.
The book includes more than 100 interviews with
current and former Marines, and offers side-by-side comparisons of their application in military and civilian settings. “The leadership techniques displayed by the United States Marine Corps have
proven themselves time and again in battle,” says Adamchik. “These same principles can be applied from the break
room to the board room to help anyone excel in business.”
Although directed at technology companies, Joe
Bentzel’s book is applicable to any business in the 21st Century. As a
small business owner, Joe’s explanations on identifying “ecoregions,” working in the “sandstorm”
and customer barrier management were particularly useful to me. In addition to
providing ideas on how market and sell your product, Joe provides historical insight into the development of today’s
software industry giants. His look at the past becomes an excellent lens from
which to view the present and future as it relates to penetrating global markets and business leadership in the 21st Century. Perhaps the most refreshing part of the book is Joe’s efforts to put to sleep
the mistaken ideas about the “new economy.” It’s not the next
“killer app,” it’s the business leader (like Carnegie, Huntington or Rockefeller in the 19th Century, or
Google, MSN or Yahoo in the 21st Century) that understands and applies the market rules to their business model. Simply put, Joe demonstrates it the people, not the technology. A
final note, Joe’s writes in an easy to read and entertaining style. His
use of metaphor helps the reader digest complex concepts. And, if you he provides
interesting insight into a few of the coming “corporate showdowns” in his industry. If you want to compete in the 21st Century you need a copy – strike that – every member of
your senior staff needs a copy.
According to the book description of
Toy Box Leadership: Leadership Lessons from the Toys You Loved as a Child, “Reach back into
your childhood and recapture the leadership principles you learned from your favorite toys. What can LEGOS teach you about
building your business through connection? How can Slinky Dog demonstrate the value of patience when you're growing your
organization? What has every little boy learned from his Little Green Army Men that he can use in business strategy? Whether
you are an executive, a manager, or a parent, in Toy Box Leadership you will find the toy box a great place for lessons to
successfully influence and lead others.”
John Salka “is
a 27-year veteran of the FDNY and currently holds the rank of Battalion Chief in the 18th Battalion in the Bronx. He has instructed
at the FDNY Fire Academy in several capacities including it's Probationary Firefighters School, Captains Development Program,
Firefighters Professional Development Program and it's Battalion Chiefs Command Course.” John
Salka is the author of First In, Last Out: Leadership Lessons from the New York Fire Department.
Publisher’s Weekly said of
First In, Last Out: Leadership Lessons from the New York Fire Department, “Salka, an FDNY battalion chief
in the Bronx, has spent 25 years with the department, rising from firefighter to his current rank. He shares his insights
on managing people, coping with crises, mentoring, decision making, adjusting to change and more. While Salka uses his experiences
fighting fires, he clearly shows how his work has applications in almost any corporation: "[O]ur mission is to protect
the people and property of New York City.... Since your customers define this value, your customers define your business.
Organizations today need to ask themselves, Who is our customer? Only by figuring out exactly who their customer is and what
they want can organizations fully grasp their mission." Salka discusses how he works with his firefighters and how managers
can use his tactics. For example, he says, "[T]he most effective way to show your people that you trust them is to delegate
to them. This is standard operating procedure in the FDNY. By letting them tackle problems on their own, you demonstrate your
belief in them." The book covers key aspects to leadership—establishing trust, connecting with employees, decision
making, engaging employees, dealing with crises and nurturing new leaders—in a logical fashion. The writing is solid
though not inspiring. Readers who expected thrilling tales of firefighting will be disappointed because Salka's real-life
anecdotes are toned down. Overall, this is a solid, but not unique, look at leadership.”
One reader of First In, Last Out: Leadership Lessons from the New
York Fire Department said, “Salka's advice is modeled on the leadership lessons of the New York City
Fire Department. He takes many of the basic principles of effective leadership that are used to define the officers of FDNY
and applies it to real life situations that can be used at any level of leadership by comparing these situations to those
faced by the firefighters and their daily battles.
This book's real strength
comes from Salka's approach: he writes to the front line supervisor/manager, the folks who are often on the first tier
of management. While many books, as good as they are, assume that the reader is in a position to affect policy and choose
their entire team, "First In" speaks to managers whose responsibility is the daily performance of the staff. In
addition to great advice that can be put to practical use by leaders at any level, Salka regales the reader with.”
One reader of First In,
Last Out: Leadership Lessons from the New York Fire Department said, “As a member of corporate America,
I know first hand how many bad managers there are out there, and how easy it is to make poor decisions when managing people.
This book is straightforward and easy to read, but more importantly, it outlines what I think, are some of the most fundamental
ideas behind strong leadership. Some are common sense ideas that are easy to forget (and are helpful to read again from this
angle) others are more surprising. But you will see most if not all of them in every good boss/leader you've ever worked
for or observed. (and respected, for that matter.) Highly recommended to anyone who is looking for a truly useful book on
managing and leading - the right way.”
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