A Book Launch With a Twist

Maybe in some ways I'm old school. Yes, I know digital book sales are going through the roof while print sales continue to decline and yet there is something so perfect about the feel of a real, live physical book.

There's also something deeply gratifying about sharing a book with someone I respect and care about. We all buy books for ourselves and yet when someone says "I chose this for you" and gives it to you, well… that has a whole other level of meaning.

So I decided, with my new book Leaders: Their Stories, Their Words, I wanted to be able to reclaim that experience for you. Not just the giving part, but the gathering part. It's my hope that in sharing this book with others, you'll get people talking about Human-Based Leadership so they act on a radically different level. Bring people together and who knows what will emerge? So I spent a lot of time brainstorming ways to inspire people to order not one but two copies of the book. One to keep, one to share.

I wanted to do something different for you...

To that end, we decided to hold the launch in my home town and not in a mega-urban centre (as was requested). We also decided to hold it at the locally-owned Play, food & wine and not a book store, so it can be a gathering and celebration of Human-Based Leaders; both you and those you've identified as HB Leaders.

I decided that I needed to be giving away more than I was getting. Not only did I want to share these amazing stories with you but wanted you to be able to share them with someone you greatly respect. Which is why, when you buy 2 books, you're getting them at our cost. Add edgy conversations you can sink your teeth into and delicious food for you to do the same at one of Ottawa's most highly-rated spots, and we have a recipe for an evening to remember.

Click here to check it all out in detail and register and feel free to share this with anyone you feel would enjoy not only the book, but the experience.  

For those of you who can't attend the live event, we'd love to hear your stories about Human-Based Leaders. Share a story with us along with your name and email address and we'll not only send you a discount code for the book but possibly choose your story for publishing on the web.

You Become What You Focus On

""You become what you focus on" and "You become like the people you surround yourself with." Whatever you think about, whatever you study, whatever your brain is filled with — TV, books, CDs, DVDs, audio books, networking, and those you surround yourself with — are what determines what your life will turn out like. "" — John Spence.

"Driven by an insatiable curiosity to understand the fundamental aspects of what it takes to achieve and sustain excellence in business and life, John Spence has earned a reputation as a leading authority in the areas of Strategic Thinking, High-Performance Teams, Advanced Leadership Development, and Delivering Consistently Superior Customer Service, making him one of the most highly sought after executive educators and professional speakers in America." (JohnSpence.com)
 

John Spence is an extraordinary man, leader, teacher and speaker and I am honored to have him grace the pages of my book (Chapter 1, Leaders: Their Stories, Their Words).

"Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate, and doubt to offer a solution everybody can understand." — General Colin Powell. Or as John says, ...."making the complex awesomely simple."

Congratulations You're a Leader!

Congratulations....you got the promotion into a position of leadership.... Now what?

You’ve gone from being managed to doing the managing without a “how to” book and no...manuals tell you the bare minimum. It's the intangibles, intuitive power of a born leader or one with extensive experience that really make it 'work'. As an executive coach I'm sure you expect me to say that experience beats any book. I know I'll get flack from that one. I'll concede and say the most powerful combination of all are books and experience. Doing beats reading about it any day!

So how do you make that transition? People are often catapulted into positions of leadership they're nowhere near ready for. They end up being overwhelmed and under-qualified when it comes to leading. It’s not that these individuals aren't capable. That's not it at all. It’s just that they’ve been put into positions without the proper training and told to “just do it” or "figure it out".

Large organizations wouldn’t hear of letting someone loose with a dangerous piece of equipment without having the appropriate training, so why is it many companies put people in the positions of power, having a direct impact on staff, the bottom line and future of an organization with sometimes no training at all?

My three cents for starters so you're ahead of the game and not just keeping your head above water is this:

• Call in a coach, one who's a good fit. Like any professional you should choose one who resonates, who you can relate to and respect.

• Don't ever forget where you were before you got here

• Don't be a know-it-all. Because you're not perfect so get over yourself and listen, especially at the beginning. Everyone has something to learn and if you're a new leader, you need to learn more than most; even the bare basics.

• Lead each person according to their strengths and let them be known by their talents. But figure out a commonality at the same time to bring all those talented minds together to work as one. The team might not be unique but each one making up that team, is.

• Pick and choose what you spend your energy on, especially at the beginning. Do something you've already been successful at to achieve what I call a quick and dirty or early success. It's much easier to get the staff on board if they feel you're successful. They’ll want it too!

• Let others know what you're passionate about so they see you from a position of energy and enthusiasm. That'll capture their imagination and attention.

That's about it....for now. If you have any others to add, I'm all ears. Let us all know!

Best!
Donna Karlin

* Note: One of the first books we blogged about on execuBooks Blog was "If Harry Potter Ran General Electric" by Tom Morris. It's philosophical, uses a wealth of analogy and metaphor but brings the concepts of true leadership to light. I highly recommend it!