The Contrarian Guide to Leadership (Audible Audio Edition) Steven B Sample John H Mayer Audible Studios Books
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In this offbeat approach to leadership, college president Steven B. Sample - the man who turned the University of Southern California into one of the most respected and highly rated universities in the country - challenges many conventional teachings on the subject.
Here, Sample outlines an iconoclastic style of leadership that flies in the face of current leadership thought, but a style that unquestionably works, nevertheless. Sample urges leaders and aspiring leaders to focus on some key counterintuitive truths. He offers his own down-to-earth, homespun, and often provocative advice on some complex and thoughtful issues. And he provides many practical, if controversial, tactics for successful leadership, suggesting, among other things, that leaders should sometimes compromise their principles, not read everything that comes across their desks, and always put off decisions.
The Contrarian Guide to Leadership (Audible Audio Edition) Steven B Sample John H Mayer Audible Studios Books
I'm a long-time nurse, mid-level manager, and faculty in BSN/MSN nursing programs. As such I am familiar with a wide variety of leadership theories and texts, and in addition to my practice I often teach leadership classes. I was introduced to Sample's 'Contrarian Leadership' theory early in my own doctoral program, and loved it immediately. Most theories (in any profession) are very black and white - do this, don't do this, this is correct, this is poor management. Sample's theory is just what the title states - he questions everything, and provides suggestions as to how to lead effectively through common sense assessment of problems and looking at a wide variety of usable interventions. My favorite from this book deals with problem solving: Early on in my career, I was indoctrinated into the common belief that a good leader solved every problem immediately - then your staff would love you and your company would soar in productivity and/or customer satisfaction. But I almost drowned under the ever-mounting piles of issues that needed a solution. I sometimes envisioned my desk as a coffin, where good ideas came to die. Instead of this 'fix-it-fast' mentality, Sample proposes the approach of 'artful procrastination' - most problems do NOT need fixed in the next five minutes, or even the next week; a few high-risk problems do require a fast fix. In the first group of problems awaiting the fix, artful procrastition results in 1) having more time to accumulate more information, which results in better solutions, and 2) many problems that fix themselves quite successfully. This leaves just a few issues that are time-critical, and a manager who has more time to focus on these needs - again, you get potentially better outcomes because you have time to gather and process information quickly. TThis is a very basically stated summary - but it so clearly defines the importance of questioning and challenging the theories that depend on a list of rules to guide problem-solving. Sample provides simply stated suggestions for successful leadership, with examples and often with pithy phrases to help you remember the concepts. In a way, Sample takes away the guilt many managers suffer when they are unable to fit a solution into a strict leadership structure; the resulting freedom to use common sense results in interventions that make sense to both leaders/managers and their staff, and are therefore more likely to find answers that meet the needs of the many instead of the few. Excellent theory written clearly, with humor and with applicability to leadership in any field and at every level. Should be required reading for any leaders.
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The Contrarian Guide to Leadership (Audible Audio Edition) Steven B Sample John H Mayer Audible Studios Books Reviews
I first heard about this book in Bill Hybels "Courageous Leadership." Hybels requires all of his leaders in his church to first read this book. Surprisingly this book is not based on Christian leadership. The main idea behind the book is that Sample takes ideas that are commonly thought of as a leaders best practices and show why leaders should do just the opposite. (Contrarian definition a person who opposes or rejects popular opinion) I had no idea what a contrarian was before reading this book, but learned alot of valuable ideals.
This book really challenged me to think outside the box. As the title says, the topics covered in this book usually go against what everyone holds as a leaders best practices. In each chapter I had to think about what was being covered and why it made sense to go against the popular belief besides what Sample was simply writing about. I did not want to just take him at his word, but challenged myself to see why his points either made sense, or did not at all. I highly recommend this book to stretch your mind in leadership practices. Very early on in the book Sample challenges the reader to make a hypothetical decision that no-one ever would want to have to make, but it sets the tone for the book for getting the reader out of their current mold and challenging why they think that way.
This book also has alot of practical applications and is not just all theory and thought. I tend to learn through example and find it easier to connect with a book that has practical implications rather than be just about theory. This book has a good mix and Sample makes sure to have practicality in all of his chapters and topics.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book
"... the leader's role is to be sufficiently broad so as to be able to integrate the advice of several experts into a coherent course of action."
- Showed me that a leader does not have to be the know-all in all particular fields that they observe, that is what the experts are for. The leader just needs to have experts in specific areas that they trust and have the ability to gather all the information and formulate an appropriate plan.
"..., an effective leader must sell himself first and his vision or policies second."
- A leader must have followers, if not they are not a leader. If a leader does not first sell themselves and show others why they should follow, then the leader has no chance of getting people on board to follow their vision. So when being a leader you need to make sure those you lead trust you as a person before they trust your vision.
"If you leave a white post alone it will soon be a black post. If you particularly want it to be white you must be always painting it again." (Quote from G.K. Chesterton)
- A simple thought but can be applied to alot of places in life. As with leadership and inspiring others to a vision, eventually excitement will wane. Thus everything will take continued work. You are either improving or degrading, no staying the same.
Excellent book on leadership and ultimately on life. Some key points to remember
Avoid making a decision today that can reasonably be postponed for tomorrow.
Think gray and avoid snap judgments.
Be careful with choosing your lieutenants - second rate lieutenants can distort your reality if they do not know what to count and how to count.
The second rate lieutenants in turn tend to hire fourth or lower rate subordinates which additionally worsens the decision making environment. There are books that have influence on your life even if you have not read them - we are living in a society that is still influenced by these books (The Supertexts) to a more or lesser extent. So you better read them as well - you do not have to agree with everything (or with anything) but you will be able to make more informed judgments.
You can not copy your way to excellence.
So, in my humble opinion it is a highly recommended book for the searching soul!!
I'm a long-time nurse, mid-level manager, and faculty in BSN/MSN nursing programs. As such I am familiar with a wide variety of leadership theories and texts, and in addition to my practice I often teach leadership classes. I was introduced to Sample's 'Contrarian Leadership' theory early in my own doctoral program, and loved it immediately. Most theories (in any profession) are very black and white - do this, don't do this, this is correct, this is poor management. Sample's theory is just what the title states - he questions everything, and provides suggestions as to how to lead effectively through common sense assessment of problems and looking at a wide variety of usable interventions. My favorite from this book deals with problem solving Early on in my career, I was indoctrinated into the common belief that a good leader solved every problem immediately - then your staff would love you and your company would soar in productivity and/or customer satisfaction. But I almost drowned under the ever-mounting piles of issues that needed a solution. I sometimes envisioned my desk as a coffin, where good ideas came to die. Instead of this 'fix-it-fast' mentality, Sample proposes the approach of 'artful procrastination' - most problems do NOT need fixed in the next five minutes, or even the next week; a few high-risk problems do require a fast fix. In the first group of problems awaiting the fix, artful procrastition results in 1) having more time to accumulate more information, which results in better solutions, and 2) many problems that fix themselves quite successfully. This leaves just a few issues that are time-critical, and a manager who has more time to focus on these needs - again, you get potentially better outcomes because you have time to gather and process information quickly. T
This is a very basically stated summary - but it so clearly defines the importance of questioning and challenging the theories that depend on a list of rules to guide problem-solving. Sample provides simply stated suggestions for successful leadership, with examples and often with pithy phrases to help you remember the concepts. In a way, Sample takes away the guilt many managers suffer when they are unable to fit a solution into a strict leadership structure; the resulting freedom to use common sense results in interventions that make sense to both leaders/managers and their staff, and are therefore more likely to find answers that meet the needs of the many instead of the few. Excellent theory written clearly, with humor and with applicability to leadership in any field and at every level. Should be required reading for any leaders.
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