SO YOU'RE A LEADER

There are many books on management and leadership, but there are only a few worth the time and effort to purchase and read – even fewer that can be considered essential reading. Two such essential books for the business leader are Leadership Is An Art and Leadership Jazz both by Max DePree.

Max Depree is (or was) CEO of a Fortune 500 multinational corporation and wrote two of the best books of their type. In Leadership Jazz, he poses a series of questions to help leaders gauge their progress. Both books are worth acquiring and referencing often.

In the chapter, “What Would Bucky Say?”, the questions posed provide a good litmus test for anyone who considers themselves a leader —

• When was the last time you called a customer or employee to say “Thank you” or “How are you doing?”
• How long has it been since you have seen the products you sell being made?
• How often do you say, “I don't know”?
• When was the last time an employee or co-worker confided in you?
• Do you have a nose for “stale air”? (A boring, mechanical work environment lacking in creativity.)
• Have you stopped hiring people better than you?
• When did you last block out three or four hours to talk with someone in a different line of work?

There are at least another dozen or so soul- searching questions that people truly concerned about leadership qualities might want to ask themselves. The books are available worldwide and offer an easy, delightful escape from the many responsibilities of leadership.

In one of the last chapters, DePree leaves us with a rather profound, yet accurate, observation– “It is important that we focus more on what we need to be than on what we need to do. In so doing, leaders do transform peoples' lives. What a daunting responsibility!”