The One Thing(s)

Over the last several years, we've reviewed dozens of books about management, professional development, strategic planning, communication, leadership, problem-solving and decision-making (to name a few subjects). When these authors' concepts and models are introduced to participants in our workshops, they generate a lof of "lightbulb moments."

Here is a list of five of our favorite works and why we think you should read them.

Emotional Capitalists by Martyn Newman

Newman identifies the unique emotional profile of entrepreneurs and high performers and sets the benchmarks to aim for. Each chapter then systematically describes the psychological building blocks that comprise these essential skills.

Independence
Assertiveness
Optimism
Self actualization
Self regard
Interpersonal relationships
Empathy

The book has remarkable psychological depth but is very readable, intensely practical and full of interesting stories and research that bring the skills to life. This really is the 'how to' manual of applying emotional intelligence to leadership. The "exercises" contained within the stories are easy to practice and integrate into ones work day without artificial contrivances.

The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni

Patrick Lencioni tells a fable to highlight the challenges that leaders face as a result of the five dysfunctions of a team, and then details his model in the last section of the book.

Following the parable, Lencioni presents his models in a pyramidal stage theory design. He identifies the five dysfunctions as:

Absence of Trust
Fear of Conflict
Lack of Commitment
Avoidance of Accountability
Inattention to Results

A 15-question instrument evaluates a team’s susceptibility to the five dysfunctions. The author briefly describes each dysfunction, gives suggestions for overcoming the dysfunction, recommends actions that the leader can take, and then connects the dysfunction to the next dysfunction.

Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni

His page-turning work of business fiction is centered around a cure for the most painful yet underestimated problem of modern business: bad meetings.

The main character, Will, challenges the team to look at meetings the way we view movies...and good movies have conflict, resolution, drama and context. He recommends the following types of meetings:

News Bulletin or Daily Check-in: 5 minute stand-up meeting with the entire team to discuss schedules and pressing deadlines. See The Huddle.
Sitcom or Weekly Tactical: 60 minute sit-down meeting with the entire time reporting on two or three major issues, 60 seconds per person. Then the team develops the agenda for the remaining 45 minutes on the spot.
Feature Film or Monthly Strategic: 2 hour meeting with the entire team discussing two or three key topics. Individuals come prepared with data, anecdotes and pertinent research, ready to "duke it out" if necessary.
Mini-series or Quarterly Retreat: 2 day offsite meeting with the team dedicated to critical conversations about: the competition, team dynamics, morale, top performers, customer satisfaction... things that can't be covered in the monthly or weekly meetings.

As in his other books, Lencioni provides a framework for his groundbreaking model, and makes it applicable to the real world. Death by Meeting is nothing short of a blueprint for leaders who want to eliminate waste and frustration among their teams, and create environments of engagement and passion.

Good to Great by Jim Collins

Tight editing, timely subject matter and a smooth way with the stories, make this a hard book to set aside. Collins thoroughly examines eleven successful companies and the findings from his research expound on the three principles common to all eleven companies: they got the right people...they built a culture of discipline...they question the will of their leaders.

This book is great to share with others on your team. The discussions which it will inspire just might shape your company's strategy next year.

First Break All the Rules by Buckingham and Coffman

The greatest managers in the world share one common trait: They do not hesitate to break virtually every rule held sacred by conventional wisdom.

This book is the first to present this essential measuring stick and to prove the link between employee opinions and productivity, profit, customer satisfaction, and the rate of turnover.

There are vital performance and career lessons here for managers at every level, and, best of all, the book shows you how to apply them to your own situation.

The only downside to First Break All the Rules is a common one... it's about 100 pages too long. So while the first half of the book is a must-read, the second half is a must-skim.

Is there a book you think we should review? Please let us know by emailing info@adventureassoc.com.