Book Recommendations
Listed below are some publications that our team at Potential Squared have read and recommend.
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Fierce Conversations by Susan Scott
(published by Piatkus Books)
ISBN-10: 0749923970
ISBN-13: 978-0749923976Available from www.amazon.com
Susan Scott has written a powerful mantra for living your business and private life. Her book advocates challenging yourself to have honest and direct conversations that will have a significant affect on the success or otherwise of your life.
The majority of corporate life is driven by politics and conversations that are ‘about’ people rather than ‘to’ people. This book is a refreshing reminder that the art of straight-talking with a purpose, coupled with emotional intelligence, is behind all successful leadership careers and healthy personal relationships. The author has captured the art of storytelling which brings to life some powerful examples of fierce conversations that have made a significant difference and allows readers to understand the rationale of adopting this approach.
The techniques are easy to put into action. The most difficult aspect about fierce conversations is thinking about having them! The most rewarding part is when you bring these conversations to life and reap the benefits!
Reviewed by: Colin Hunter, Group Managing Director, Potential Squared.
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Execution – The discipline of getting things done by Larry Bossidy & Ram Charan
(published by Crown Publications)
ISBN-10: 0609610570
ISBN-13: 978-0609610572Available from www.amazon.com
There is an ongoing debate in the field of leadership and management about the balance between focusing on the big picture and managing the detail within a business. Commonly, leaders are expected to focus solely on the larger issues such as strategy, market forces and new products, rather than looking into the operational processes within a company.
This book gives licence to leaders to tackle challenges at an operational level and the authors believe that probing the detail within a business can be a powerful leadership tool which encourages individuals to query the way they do things and improve upon them. The added value is generated by effective questioning (whilst ensuring you do not simply provide the answers) and encouraging employees to find new solutions. The authors believe it should be a matter of course for a leader to fully engage with employees two levels below them in the organization’s hierarchy and states that this approach generates significant value. This contradicts mainstream leadership theory which states a leader should only be involved with their immediate direct reports, relying on said direct reports to manage personnel further down the organization.
Reviewed by: Colin Hunter, Group Managing Director, Potential Squared.
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Why should anyone be led by you
Rob Goffee, Gareth Jones
(Published by Harvard Business School Press)
ISBN-10: 1578519713
ISBN-13: 978-1578519712Available from: www.amazon.com
From the outset, this book dives straight into the heart of what drives people to follow successful leaders. The book's key message is a seeming paradox to be "more yourself, with skill".Being more yourself means the leader must genuinely care about their cause, therefore providing meaning to the mission they undertake. Authenticity is key here and plays directly to the leadership brand work that we, at Potential Squared, undertake with our clients. This includes both strengths and weaknesses as the latter demonstrates to followers that the leader is present and real, not a mere 'role holder'. This backs up other work such as Lencioni's 'The Five Dysfuntions of Teams'.
Having said this, a leader must also conform enough to gain traction. This means they must be excellent 'situation sensors' and be able to apply contextual range to their brand. The most effective leaders deal with this tension appropriately, creating authenticity, significance, excitement and community for their followers.
The book is littered with real examples of successful leaders which brings colour to the theory and effectively grounds the messages in reality.
Reviewed by Jonathan Hinkins, Associate Consultant, Potential Squared.
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Blink
Malcolm Gladwell
(Published by Penguin Books Ltd)
ISBN-10: 0141014598
ISBN-13: 978-0141014593
Available from www.amazon.com
Gladwell's central hypothesis is that when we need to make a fast decision, we draw on our instincts and intuition, which are born out of our past experiences, to reach a solution. We don't often create a multitude of options which are equally evaluated and considered. Where options exist, they are usually compared against our first instinctive solution to verify that decision.The book discusses the background to this hypothesis, investigating the research and evidence that suggests this process of finding a solution based largely on instinct and intuition is, in fact, reality.
It is my experience that there is nothing wrong with this! The majority of best decisions are made in this way. When strongly linked to strategic execution, this makes a very compelling viewpoint. Managers and leaders must develop the confidence and experience to make snap decisions, overcoming analysis paralysis and organizational inertia. Business nowadays is fast moving. In global matrix organizations, someone, somewhere will be working in a different time zone to others and will be called upon to make a decision when his or her boss is unavailable. They may not have all the facts at their disposal, but a decision must still be reached. Relying on gut instinct is realistic and appropriate behavior.
This method of decision-making is more commonplace than people think - and is often feared. Anyone likely to be faced with decision-making in high pressured environments would benefit from this book.
Reviewed by Haydn Rees, Group Chief Operating Officer, Potential Squared.