PIC No. 8:
• Title: The New Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good Managers into Great Leaders (3rd Edition)
• Authors: John Zenger and Joseph Folkman
• Publisher: McGraw Hill (352 pages, Nov. 15, 2019)
• Management Bucket #8 of 20: The Culture Bucket
Welcome to Issue No. 8 of PAILS IN COMPARISON, the “little brother” of John Pearson’s Buckets Blog. This blog features my “PICs”—short reviews of helpful books—with comparisons to other books in my 20 management buckets (core competencies) filing system.
“10 Fatal Flaws That Consistently Lead to Failure in Leadership”
The authors of The New Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good Managers into Great Leaders (3rd Edition) note: “The great benefit of periodic physical exams is that they discover a condition we didn’t know about. Caught early, these problems can often easily be corrected.”
Then they add, “We think every leader should have a periodic checkup on their leadership health. Everyone benefits. Roughly a third will be surprised to learn that some behavior is holding them back. Only by discovering what it is can they fix it. The rest will get a few tips to make them even better.”
Whew! Just when you think you’re conversant with the leadership literature—another book appears and you’re back in class for Leadership 101. But…that’s OK.
ASSIGNMENT: Make a list of the “10 Fatal Flaws That Consistently Lead to Failure in Leadership.” Actually, you don’t have to make a list. Authors John Zenger and Joseph Folkman have already done your homework:
#1. Not Inspiring Due to a Lack of Energy and Enthusiasm
#2. Accepting Mediocre Performance in Place of Excellent Results
#3. Lack of Clear Vision and Direction
#4. Loss of Trust Stemming from Perceived Bad Judgment and Poor Decisions
#5. Not Collaborative or a Team Player
#6. Not a Good Role Model (Failure to Walk the Talk)
#7. No Self-Development and Learning From Mistakes
#8. Lacking Interpersonal Skills [Note: There are “Sins of Commission” and “Sins of Omission.”]
#9. Resistant to New Ideas, Thus Did Not Lead Change or Innovate
#10. Focus Is on Self, Not the Development of Others
Here’s the good news: Fatal flaws be fixed, say the authors. Every chapter is must-read, but I’d suggest that Chapter 7, “Fatal Flaws Must Be Fixed,” is a must-must-read chapter. See the five critical steps for fixing fatal flaws, including “Seek the Help and Involvement of Others.”
Generously endorsed by Marshall Goldsmith (his book, What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, was my 2013 book-of-the-year) and James M. Kouzes and others, this third edition is packed with extraordinary content and practical next steps.
PAILS IN COMPARISON: Reading this book reminded me of several other must-read books in the Culture Bucket:
• What Got You Here Won’t Get You There: Discover the 20 Workplace Habits You Need to Break, by Marshall Goldsmith with Mark Reiter (read my review). Listen on Libro.fm (9 hours, 38 minutes).
• The Student Leadership Challenge: Five Practices for Becoming an Exemplary Leader, by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner (read my review). Note: The book purchase includes one user’s access to the Student LPI. Listen on Libro.fm (4 hours, 19 minutes).
• Leadership Briefs: Shaping Organizational Culture to Stretch Leadership Capacity, by Dick Daniels (read my review)
TO ORDER FROM AMAZON, click on the title for The New Extraordinary Leader: Turning Good Managers into Great Leaders (3rd Edition), by John Zenger and Joseph Folkman. Listen on Libro.fm (10 hours, 11 minutes). For more book reviews, visit John Pearson’s Buckets Blog and subscribe to Your Weekly Staff Meeting. (Note: As an Amazon Vine reviewer, I received this book in exchange for an unbiased review.)
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