Frontline Leadership - The Hurdle

Book excerpt: It’s hard to jump over a hurdle from a standing position. And leadership has its share of hurdles. Like a track athlete needs to focus on their run up, which includes preparation and training, to jump over hurdles, leaders must have an effective run up to overcome their hurdles. This book discusses the run up of culture creation and developing relationships while defining what leadership is and outlining characteristics and skills shared by successful leaders. Readers will develop a more complete definition of leadership through insights, principles, and scenarios shared throughout the book and walk away with an understanding of how to practice leadership and maximize their effectiveness and potential. Topics covered include sources of leadership and how it is measured; creating alignment and culture; leadership styles; emotional intelligence and decision making; effective communication; coaching and feedback; developing relationships; leading change; and teaching and training. Readers will be exposed to powerful lessons on balancing influence and authority and taking full ownership and responsibility for their team. They will learn how to favor positives and proaction over negatives and reaction and focus more on asking than telling. They will also learn to avoid the pitfalls of basing consequences on results alone and decisions made based on comfort and convenience. Doctors practice medicine and leaders must practice leadership. This entertaining, insightful, and inspiration book identifies leadership as a skill and explains how it can be learned, practiced, and improved. Read it and learn what it takes to create an effective leadership run up, overcome hurdles, and take leadership to the next level.