Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Out of the Question

This could be the 2016 winner of best leadership books - Out of the Question: How
Curious Leaders Win, by Guy Parsons and Allan Milham.  Two words in the title sum it up - Question and Curious.

In this new book, Guy and Allan discuss the difference between Knowing Leaders and Learning Leaders.  Knowers know what to do and how everyone should get there.  Learners are open, creative, and foster collaboration.  Which one do you think is more effective?

Today’s workforce is nothing like that of the past.  The, my way or the highway days are over.  Try that with your younger workers and see how long they stick around.  Leading with curiosity brings out questions and collaborative learning.  Just because you may be in a leadership role doesn’t mean you have all the answers . . . although we see many people who still think that.

I love the section on the Power of the Pause.  Yes, pause.  I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count how many “leaders” I’ve known who never pause during a discussion or planning session.  They always have THE answer - immediately.  How many times have we run into that and ended up reworking?

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to take themselves and their teams to the next level.  Read this book and use it and you’ll probably end up multiple levels ahead.

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