Leadership

Yes to the Mess, by Frank J Barrett

“The only plan that is missing, it often seems, is the one for things as they actually happen” (pg 1).

“Organizations consist of a group of diverse specialists who, under great duress, make fast, irreversible decisions, are highly interdependent, are dedicated to creation and novelty, and act with little certainty where it’s all going to end up” (pg 2).

"{We} learn by leaping in and taking action before {we} have a well conceived plan” (pg 6).

“The goal of improvisation is to be mindful and creative, making up ideas on the spot that respond to what’s happening in the moment, but the road to mindful adapting leads through copying and imitating because, as every jazz player learns, there are times when your only choice is to fall back on the patterns you learned through mindless habit” (pg 7).

“In order for musicians and leaders to “strive a groove,” they must suspend some degree of control and surrender to the flow” (pg 8).

“Sometimes leadership means letting go of the dream of certainty, leaping in, acting first, and reflecting later on the impact of the action” (pg 11).

“If you’re not making a mistake, it’s a mistake” (pg 43).

“The teams reporting more errors were actually the ones with the strongest cultures and best leadership” (pg 53).

“When those with status are distant and intimidating, those beneath them are more likely to save face by hiding or ignoring errors” (pg 53).

“Organizations that fail to learn from errors become vulnerable to predictable surprises” (pg 54).

“I realized that things are going well when I’m the last one to know” (pg 59).

“To become a full human being, we must commit to action, practice new skills, and put ourselves at risk of public failure. Only through such full engagement is a meaningful life possible” (pg 62).

Jamming happens spontaneously, whenever two or three or (best-case scenario) a dozen or more are joined in common purpose, common practice, and common desire to raise the bar for everyone involved” (pg 102).

“Hanging out in homogenous groups not only reinforced existing views but pushed people to more extreme opinions” (pg 111).

“Lead, follow, or get out of the way” (pg 119).

“He listens to what everyone is playing and then plays what is missing” (pg 122).

“If everyone ties to be a star and does not engage in supporting the evolution of the soloist’s ideas, the result is bad jazz” (pg 125).

“It takes a lot of self-confidence not to say everything that you know” (pg 129).

“Why be dumb when you don’t have to be?” (pg 130).

“Leadership effectiveness is judged not by authority or how far up the pyramid people sit, but by how well they work with the resources at their disposal, no matter how limited, and how effectively they help free their own potential . . . and that of others” (137).

“It is often the very competence and patterns of success that have blinded these organizations and led to their downfall” (pg 140).

“You’re never in a secure position. You’re never at a point where you have it all sewn up. You have to choose to be secure like a stone, or insecure but able to flow” (pg 142).

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The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, by Patrick Lencioni

“Great teams do not hold back with one another. They are unafraid to air their dirty laundry. They admit their mistakes, their weaknesses, and their concerns without fear of reprisal” (pg 44).

“If we don’t trust one another then we cannot be the kind of team that ultimately achieves results” (pg 44).

“If you let profit be your only guide to results, you won’t be able to know how the team is doing until the season is almost over” (pg 77).

“Politics is when people choose their words and actions based on how they want others to react rather than based on what they really think” (pg 88).

“When people don’t unload their opinions and feel like they’ve been listened to, they won’t really get on board” (pg 94).

“Disagree and commit” (pg 95).

“Once we achieve clarity and buy-in, it is then that we have to hold each other accountable for what we sing up to do, for high standards of performance and behavior. And as simple as that sounds, most executives hate to do it, especially when it comes to a peer’s behavior, because they want to avoid interpersonal discomfort” (pg 98).

“It’s about you. You have to decide what is more important: helping the team win or advancing your career” (pg 124).

“Some people are hard to hold accountable because they are so helpful. Others because they get defensive. Others because they are intimidating” (pg 148).

Grade: A

Loved this book. Easy read and fully inspiring/helpful. I even pushed my staff through our own staff evaluation. You can see it here: Fall Semester STAFF Evaluation (5)(1).docx

A strong read for anyone in leadership.

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