By Janet Kendall White, founder and CEO of Berkshire Group, Inc. and immediate past president of NAWBO Northeast Ohio
There are a few questions that I get asked often:
Who was your mentor? (Weird that it would be past tense, but it often is. Am I too old to have one now? Too successful? NO to both of those!)
How do you rattle off so many books when in conversations and consulting? I read a lot! Never enough, but a lot. Reading energizes, inspires and informs!
What book impacted you the most? Other than the Bible, that is very difficult for me to answer because so many have impacted me at different times in my life more than others. Today, however, these were on my mind because over the past week or two the principles have come up in one way or another.
1) Lead by Example
From Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
A core principle from Simon’s book is that true leadership means putting the needs of others before your own. He emphasizes the importance of leaders demonstrating the behavior they wish to see in their teams, creating a culture of trust and mutual respect.
Very early in life, someone shared the poem I Would Rather See a Sermon with me and it stuck.
2) Build a Strong Vision
From Team of Teams: New Rules of Engagement for a Complex World by General Stanley McChrystal
In Team of Teams, General Stanley emphasizes the importance of a shared vision in aligning and empowering decentralized teams. A clear, compelling vision helps to unify efforts and ensure that all team members are working toward the same goals.
Vision, vision and vision. So many books could be listed here, but I share the above because I am betting many of you have not read it. Worth the read.
3) Prioritize the Mission, Men and Me
From The Mission, the Men and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander by Pete Blaber
Pete’s book introduces a crucial leadership principle: prioritize the mission first, your team second and yourself last. This approach ensures that leaders make decisions that are in the best interest of the mission and their people, fostering a strong, loyal and mission-focused team. This also prevents us from leading with our ego, it puts mission before ego.
As I was finishing up my term as president of NAWBO Northeast Ohio, this was one thing that I am proud of about my term. When you transition leadership like this, you can’t help but think back on so many things you could have done better, more of, etc., but this is one thing I know for certain I always did and that feels great.
4) Empower Others
From Zapp! The Lightning of Empowerment by Wiliam C. Byham and Turn the Ship Around! by L. David Marquet
William’s Zapp! explores the idea of empowerment, illustrating how empowering employees can spark enthusiasm and improve performance through real-life examples and practical advice.
Zapp! had a huge impact on me and my consulting years ago. It named what I was seeing in organizations and it was very helpful and done in a fun way.
David’s book details how empowerment transforms leadership. By shifting decision-making authority to where the information is, leaders can foster a culture of ownership and accountability within their teams.
5) Practice Humility
From Good to Great by Jim Collins
Jim introduces the concept of Level 5 Leadership in his book, where humility combined with fierce resolve creates the highest level of leadership. Leaders should recognize the contributions of their teams and acknowledge that they do not have all the answers.
PS: Also, see the Hedgehog Principle, very useful in organization planning.
6) Ensure Information Flow
From Call Sign Chaos: Learning to Lead by Jim Mattis
In Call Sign Chaos, Jim emphasizes the importance of information flow in leadership. Effective leaders ensure that information flows freely throughout the organization, enabling informed decision-making and fostering an environment of transparency and trust.
A takeaway I try to apply daily: What do you know, who needs to know it and have you told them?
7) Be Adaptable
From The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen
Clayton’s book teaches that leaders must be adaptable in the face of change and innovation. Embracing flexibility and being willing to pivot, when necessary, can help organizations stay ahead of the curve.
This was so critical to me over the past five years and even today in my business and life.
8) Embrace Continuous Learning
From The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of the Learning Organization by Peter Senge
Peter’s work highlights the necessity of lifelong learning and personal mastery. He argues that organizations thrive when leaders foster a culture where learning is a continuous, collective process.
To practice this myself, each year I set a goal for how many business and leadership books I will read and journal about and how many conferences and/or webinars I will attend for my own development. Leaders I work with who think that the development is only for others in the organization tend not to fare too well.
About the Author…
Janet Kendall White is the immediate past president of NAWBO Northeast Ohio. She is founder and CEO of Berkshire Group, Inc., a WOSB, WBENC-certified, Ohio-based national consulting and training firm that focuses on strategic and leadership development. Over the past 20 years, Berkshire Group has developed a framework for organization change and organic growth, which have been successfully implemented in a broad range of settings, including manufacturing, information systems, biotech, human resources, financial services, health care and various types of non-profit institutions. She is an authorized partner and certified facilitator of DiSC®, The Five Behaviors™.