Few topics have as much written about them as that of leadership, and it is very difficult keeping pace with the new ideas and thoughts on the subject. One book that has been released recently is Lead Like it Matters by Roxi Bahar Hewitson (available for loan through the Avondale College Library shortly). This is an honest look at leadership and does not trivialize how difficult it can be.
One recent reviewer, Peter Economy, has picked out eight key insights from the book that will enable you to develop significantly as a leader (full article here). These key insights as identified by Economy are:
- Knowing is the easy part--doing is the hard part
- Leading people is messy
- Leadership is a discipline, not an accident
- Leading and individual contribution require opposite skill sets and motivations
- Leading is all about relationships
- Learning the "soft skills" is hard
- Most change efforts fail, and they don't have to
- Leaders create and destroy cultures
What I particularly like in this list is the recognition that leadership is “messy” and involves managing relationships and unquantifiable issues. Leadership is about people - not machines, relationships – not rules. What about you?
The Avondale Business School can help you and your team develop leadership skills – find out how by contacting Warrick Long at the Avondale Business School.
P: 02 4980 2168