On Being a Better Leader...

Kicking off the New Year with some thoughts on becoming a better leader.

“To handle yourself, use your head; to handle others, use your heart.” — Eleanor Roosevelt

relevant articles:
To be an inspiring leader
What it means to be a leader
9 ways leaders insult their employees
18 tips for young leaders

must watch:
good leaders make you feel safe

for reference:
leadership quotes

great reads:
Talent is Overrated: What Really Separates World-Class Performers from Everybody Else by Geoff Colvin Written by Fortune Magazine’s Senior Editor at Large, this book is a gold mine. Colvin distills the pervasive myth that great virtual leadership requires inborn talent. Focus on chapters 4-8, which discuss ‘deliberate practice’ – one of the best tools for any manager at any level.

The First-Time Manager by Loren B. Belker, Jim McCormick and Gary S. Topchik Complex issues are boiled down in this beginner book, which makes it a good choice for a newbie. It provides no-nonsense advice on how to find your management style, hire, motivate staff, lead meetings including skip level meetings, manage performance, and stay balanced.

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie This management book stands the test of time like no other (the first edition was published in 1936!). While the title may suggest that management means manipulation, Carnegie’s real message is that people need to feel important and appreciated – simple advice that rings as true today as it did 80 years ago.