When Kim Obbink and I first had the kernel of an idea to write a book, we were just riffing on all the bad leaders we had encountered in our careers. The stories were funny, tragic, and in some cases predictable. Then we started to see patterns and how we might use humor to share lessons in our stories.
We debated about launching the series during the pandemic and then realized that there’s no better time to share lessons about leadership, building teams and creating strategies, or “how NOT to” than during these times of crisis. Fortunately, our publisher agreed and now the series is available on Amazon.
- How (NOT) to Be a Leader – Will show you how to avoid being the lonely leader with no one following. We’ll show you how to avoid the top 24 mistakes that keep leaders followerless.
- How (NOT) to Build a Great Team – Unless you’re superman, you need a team if you want to get anything done. If you want to build a great team, we’ll show you the top 24 things NOT to do to get there.
- How (NOT) to Create a Winning Strategy – Execution of a bad strategy still leaves you with a bad strategy. We’ll show you all the ways to avoid creating a bad strategy and how to create one that wins the day.
Today, leaders need to be resilient first and foremost, adaptable, and innovative. Our world has turned upside down and to lead you need to reach into your tool kit and dust off some of the skills that may have been on autopilot for a while and actively use them. People need leaders to show strength through patience, empathy, and understanding, not bravado, ego, and force of will. Truth not lies or fairy tales, and wisdom that knows how to create followership by standing for the successes of the people we lead.
Strategies have changed, opportunities are there if we open our eyes and remain flexible and adaptable. Create a few different ones depending upon your industry, your locations, and your team. Involve your team in the plan so it really becomes a collective enterprise – not just the dream of the smartest person in the room (who will usually remain alone!).
Building teams and momentum in times of crisis usually happens quickly and people are glad for the leadership and the ability to help. The challenge we currently face is not knowing when it will be over or what it will look like when it is. Navigating the uncertainty is hard, however, good leadership is the glue keeping it all together. You want to be able to cross the finish line with your team, not in front of them.
We hope these leadership lessons shared with humor will help give you perspective and support. Let us know what you think of our books on Amazon! We love reviews and they are much appreciated.
Enjoy the series and hopefully, you’ll take an idea or two of what (NOT) to do back to your team!