a few
Guiding Resources

I especially love the Elephant and Rider analogy throughout the book: for functional change to occur, you have to direct the rider while motivating the elephant and shaping the path.

Also discussed in some of these other books, I am particularly drawn to the fixed mindset v. growth mindset.  I have always loved change (for the most part), and the growth mindset is a big part of that.

Seeing others as people to lead not objects to achieve my goals is the takeaway from this book.  It's easy for us to become myopic as we work towards our own goals and quotas, and in doing so, we degrade the trust others should have in us.
 

This was a defining book for me and along with Servant Leadership, hashelped shape my personal mantra: "Empathy and Integrity above all else." I have always maintained that mistakes are human, but kissing my kids goodnight with a day filled with integrity is how I want my character to be defined by others.

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The primary takeaway from the abbreviated course (through Boston Scientific's intra-learning platform) and the book is lead with empathy and mutual respect.  One of the areas of improvement for myself is in leading and executing difficult conversations.  This breaks it down into an algorithm that allows for a conversation instead of a confrontation.

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These are free courses available in conjunction with MIT, Harvard, etc.  I am currently enrolled in Supply Chain Fundamentals, working towards certification in Supply Chain Management.  

What output do we want to achieve? Thinking of a process as a system in order to achieve the desired output helps tweak the cogs and wheels by challenging the status quo.  Finding leverage points to make change in output is essential to streamlining a process and making it ultimately easier for those following it.

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What I love about this book is that with each law of power discussed, I could put each one into practice to evaluate the results.  While often difficult to change my habitual reactions, the results were FASCINATING.  While some take time, others are instantaneous.  

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Despite the fact that it is in the first chapter of the book, knowing that "people do not care what you know until they know that you care" is essential to my leadership style.  It has also helped shape my personal mantra, like the Four Agreements: "Empathy and Integrity above all else."

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"A good leader has nothing to prove, but everything to prove."  A leader does not have to shout their role from the rooftops, but rather act in a way that their leadership is assumed.  Simplicity rules efficient execution, and the leader assumes absolute responsibility.

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One of my favorite podcasts of many, this juxtaposes rival companies and their success or failure.  For example, the first season was Netflix v. Blockbuster, following the demise of the latter after claiming no one will stream video.  Cue the Titanic.  

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