Posts Tagged ‘quintessential leader’

Book Review of “Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman

Posted: September 29, 2016 in Book Reviews
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Thinking, Fast and Slow - Daniel KahnemanThinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I can usually read and absorb things – even those unfamiliar to me – quickly, but Kahneman’s book demands that you slow down (and, at times, stop altogether) and consider what is discussed here.

This book takes a detailed look at how our minds work. Or, surprisingly to me, in most cases how they don’t.

The mind is composed of two “systems,” as Kahneman labels them.

System A, the fast system, is the dominant mind system we employ the majority of the time.

System A is a flaky system, powered by emotions and impressions (many of which reflect our inherent biases and prejudices, which we’ve over time come to accept as universally true in every and all situations).

System A is also a faulty system that routinely makes errors, but rarely knows and even more rarely cares. System A deals with exactly what is in front of it, never worrying – or wondering – about what’s missing, what’s askew, or what else is needed before coming to a conclusion. Instead, it assumes what is there is all there is and makes up things to make what is there palatable and/or logical and then blithely moves on to the next thing, not missing a beat and never looking back.

Additionally, System is hopelessly gullible and is easily deceived. When we fall for lies and believe them until they become “truth,” we are running exclusively on System A. And we all have a much greater propensity toward this than we can even fathom (Kahneman’s book is full of examples of this and the numbers behind the research he and others he’s worked with over the last 50 are eye-opening).

System B, the slow system, is the system that does critical thinking.

System B is deliberate, analytical, and problem-solving, asking questions, seeking all the information, testing and proving answers based on solid evidence and comprehensive knowledge. All this work takes a lot of time, compared to the non-work of System A, expends a lot of glucose – energy – in the brain (the more hungry we are, the less likely we’re going to use System B at all), and is much harder than what System A does.

It turns out that System B is also extremely lazy: knowing how much effort, time, and resources are involved, System B routinely just lays low and lets System A field and handle everything. Except when System B has no choice but to get involved (retaining information for recall and working with math and numbers are two common examples of System B at work).

System A and System B don’t work together. The easiest way to deceive System A is to give System B something to do at the same time. While System B is diverted and occupied, System A will believe anything, no matter how outrageous or untrue it is.

Marketers and advertisers are the most notorious for exploiting this defect in our minds and they routinely suck most of us in as a result (and have lots of money and loyalty in the process), but we shouldn’t be fooled into believing that it doesn’t happen everywhere else in life as well.

This book really highlights how much we should be using System B for the stuff that matters in our lives – no matter how high the cost – instead of defaulting to (which we tend to do automatically) and relying on System A.

There is a lot to learn here and to use System B to really think about and understand, so it won’t be a quick read (no doubt, by design). But it is well worth the time and investment that we all are in need of making a concerted effort to do.

For those of us who are striving to become quintessential leaders, using System B dominantly is not just an option, but an imperative.

Whether we are building trust and being trustworthy depends upon our use of System B. How we lead our teams in every part of our lives depends upon our use of System B. The example we set for not only our teams, but everyone whose lives intersect with ours depends upon our use of System B.

How are we doing?

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Overview of Chapter 2 of “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth” by John C. Maxwell

Posted: September 11, 2016 in Quintessential Leader Basics
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Striving to become a quintessential leader and growing spiritually, mentally, and emotionally into the character, integrity, and knowledge that being a quintessential leader requires is not optional for us.

15 Invaluable Laws of Growth - John C. MaxwellThe 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John C. Maxwell offers some very practical insights into both the mechanics of growth and the obstacles that we must overcome that hinder us or stop us from growing.

In this series of posts, I will be summarizing the main points of each chapter – each chapter covers a particular law of growth – in hopes that each of us will be more consciously aware of our need to grow, as well as the things that can stand in the way of our growth as we strive to become quintessential leaders in all areas of our lives. (more…)

Overview of Chapter 1 of “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth” by John C. Maxwell

Posted: September 5, 2016 in Quintessential Leader Basics
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Striving to become a quintessential leader and growing spiritually, mentally, and emotionally into the character, integrity, and knowledge that being a quintessential leader requires is not optional for us.

15 Invaluable Laws of Growth - John C. MaxwellThe 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth by John C. Maxwell offers some very practical insights into both the mechanics of growth and the obstacles that we must overcome that hinder us or stop us from growing.

In this series of posts, I will be summarizing the main points of each chapter – each chapter covers a particular law of growth – in hopes that each of us will be more consciously aware of our need to grow, as well as the things that can stand in the way of our growth as we strive to become quintessential leaders in all areas of our lives.

Chapter 1 covers the Law of Intentionality. 

Too often we live our lives focused on increased activity – doing more – assuming that growth automatically be a by-product, instead of living our lives focused on growth and improvement in who we are, what we are, and what we think, say, and do.

This chapter addresses the need for us to intend to grow first and lists the growth gap traps – the erroneous believes we have that keep us from growing – that we must overcome (not all will apply to everyone, but these certainly cover the gambit):

  1. The Assumption Gap – we assume that spiritual, mental, and emotional growth is automatic and will simply happen with time. This is untrue. To bridge this gap, each of us must take personal responsibility for our own growth, including taking the actions necessary to begin growing and to continue to grow for the rest of our lives.
  2. The Knowledge Gap – we don’t know where we need to grow or how to do it. To bridge this gap, we must first do a thorough analysis of where we are today, where we should be and/or need to be, and where we want to be when everything’s said and done. My suggestion is to write things down during this self-analysis because it helps with focus and it also gives us a concrete reference point to start from. Then we begin to, with purpose and deliberation, take continual steps forward, finding the best resources we can to take rights steps in the right direction, toward our goal, increasing not only our knowledge, but our ability to apply that knowledge, as we grow and improve along the way.
  3. The Timing Gap – we use this to put off undertaking growth and improvement by either saying we don’t have the time to do it now or by delaying it to a later time (tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, when this or that event happens, etc.). There is no time like right now while you’re reading this and I’m writing it for us to commit to and undertake intentional growth and improvement. There is a undeniable correlation between delayed action and a diminished sense of urgency and immediacy that will set in with us and keep us exactly where we’ve always been if we do not take action now.
  4. The Mistake Gap – we don’t take action toward growth and improvement because we’re afraid of making mistakes. Growth, by its very nature, is messy and mistakes are part of the learning process. Because growth includes a willingness to take risks (doing things we haven’t done before or trying to do things better – and, therefore, differently – than we have before), mistakes are inevitable along the way. Mistakes serve two very valuable purposes in our lives. They both teach us to consider things from every angle (to think critically) and they clarify what does work and what doesn’t work.
  5. The Perfection Gap – we can’t start growing until we find the best and most fail-safe way to do it. Waiting for the perfect way will find us at the end of our lives having achieved nothing in terms of growth and improvement. The only way to learn what the best way to grow and improve involves is to actually begin and utilize the tools and resources we have to gain the knowledge and ability to continue to move forward.
  6. The Inspiration Gap – we don’t “feel like” doing it or we are waiting for inspiration to begin to grow. Life consists of many things that we may not feel like doing or we’re not inspired to do, but to live, we have to do them anyway. Growth, however, should be something we so strongly desire that we push forward in it by just doing it, whether we feel like it (sometimes we won’t) or whether we’re inspired (sometimes we won’t be).
  7. The Comparison Gap – we compare ourselves to other people and use them both as a measure and a reason not to undertake growth. When we compare ourselves to other people, we will find plenty of reasons not to undertake growth. Often, we end up comparing apples to oranges in these peer comparisons and we use the faulty conclusions we draw to undermine our own growth process. Each of us is a unique creation, with different abilities, strengths, and talents. We may often find an area where we need to grow that is comparable to climbing Mt. Everest for us, but it may be an area that somebody else has no trouble growing in (or it’s not even a problem area). To start drawing comparisons between ourselves and that other person will inevitably throw up a strong deterrent to us taking the first step toward growth that we need to take.
  8. The Expectation Gap – we expect growth to be faster and easier than it actually is. The reality is that growth is long and hard work. It takes dedicated time and concentrated, diligent effort. It is often at the point where expectation meets reality that we are most tempted to – and many people do – quit altogether. Instead, we must just keep putting one foot in front of the other, even if we’re at the point that just doing that requires all the energy and effort we have. Each step forward moves us closer to the goal.

So how do we begin the process of intentionally growing?

There are four areas we need to consider:

  1. Ask ourselves the right questions
    1. Where am I?
    2. Where do I need and want to be?
    3. What direction to I need to take?
    4. What limits am I placing on my growth and how do I remove them?
  2. Do it now
  3. Face the fear factors
    1. Fear of failure
    2. Fear of trading security for the unknown
    3. Fear of what other people will think and say
    4. Fear out outgrowing people (this often happens)
  4. Change from accidental growth to intentional growth

Comparison of accidental growth to intentional growth

As quintessential leaders, intentional, purposeful, actionable growth and improvement must be taking place in our lives continually and the results of our ever-moving progress forward must be evident at all times and in every part of our lives.

How are we doing?

Book Review of “Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America” by John M. Barry

Posted: July 27, 2016 in Book Reviews, Examples and Analyses of Lack of Leadership and Unquintessential Leadership
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Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed AmericaRising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America by John M. Barry
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After unprecedented continuous and heavy rain storms from the summer of 1926 through the spring of 1927 along the Mississippi River, the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 became the worst and most destructive river flood in the history of the United States, with 27,000 square miles along the river overwhelmed and buried by water at depths up to 30 feet.

Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America doesn’t just document this historic natural disaster. Instead it comprehensively looks at all the factors, many of them more than a century in the making, that coalesced over time to create not only this disaster, but the response to it, and the way it dramatically changed life, especially in the lower Mississippi, from the Mississippi Delta to the swamp country below New Orleans, forever.

This book is gripping and grabs you into the story, not only of the Mississippi River, but of America: its geography, its people, its society, its military, its power enclaves in business, government, life and the deep and fatal flaws of each of those that, ultimately led to this disaster and its aftermath.

For people like me, with a strong scientific bent, the numbers, the physics, the math, the structure, and the detailed solutions for harnessing the destructive power of the river are enthralling, but they are presented in a way that anyone can easily understand, especially when the flaws in thinking because of ignorance and/or laziness crop up along the way.

There are no heroes in this story, only mere limited humans. Some were downright villainous: self-absorbed, narcissistic, mean, hate-filled, murderous, deceitful, and motivated simply by pride, vanity, and greed. Others were products of their environments and experiences, believing they were altruistic, good, and devoted to the greater good, while in fact when push came to shove, the darkness of their hearts revealed itself as well.

Even the one man who knew the Mississippi River better than anyone else (and probably still stands alone in that intimate knowledge of the river) and had the engineering genius to know how to properly harness its power for good and did everything within his power to make that happen, James Eads, had flaws of character that emerged under pressure.

It’s often been said that we will never know how strong we are until we are surrounded by and confronted in every space of our lives with the impossible.

I believe – in fact, I know from experience for certain – that we will never know or understand how truly weak we are – where the hidden deep and destructive flaws of our hearts, our souls, our minds, and, indeed, our very nature and character are – until we are inundated at every turn with the impossible.

It is at this point where we have the opportunity to choose: to fully and humbly commit and endeavor to completely change and replace the very broken, the fatally flawed, and the intrinsic dastardly wrongs that permeate the human heart or to fully and proudly embrace them and feed and grow them to their fullest extent.

Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America, at its core, is about the choices of America, its people as a whole, its society, its government, and, in fact, every single individual in the face of these weaknesses.

The choices disappoint. The weaknesses have continued to grow and to even more deeply become interwoven in the America – its people, its government, its society, and every single individual (including you and including me, if we have the courage and the honesty to admit it) – of 2016.

There is no concern or care for each other anywhere in the fabric of America and its organizations and institutions. Everything is about greed, power, and money. We destroy each other at every turn and in every nook and cranny of our society for our own benefit and for our own profit. We oppress. We steal. We lie. We cheat. We deceive. We hate. We destroy.

And we wrap all up in a pretty paper with a bow and sing our praises and exalt ourselves as we run the victory laps of our destructiveness and proclaim our honor and glory without end, when instead we should be ashamed of ourselves and doing something to wash away our sins.

Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America is as current in its indictment of us as a nation, as a government, as a society, and as individuals as the century it covers that culminated in the preventable, but humanly inevitable, Great Mississippi flood of 1927.

The lessons here are instructive if we’re willing to learn them.

For those of us striving to be quintessential leaders, we must learn them and we must change as a result.

Otherwise, we have no claim at all to being quintessential or being leaders. We, instead are just pretenders, merely giving lip service to something that we know nothing about and want nothing to do with because doing it is infinitely harder – and requires so much more, and more than we are willing to give – than simply talking about it.

Are we merely talking a good game or are we doing the hard work?

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Father’s Day 2016: My Dad Was My Human Role Model for Quintessential Leadership

Posted: June 16, 2016 in Examples and Analyses of Quintessential Leadership, Qualities of a Quintessential Leader, Quintessential Leadership, Quintessential Leadership is an Art
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Dr. Ned M. RossThe first – and one of less than a handful of people whose lives have intersected with mine in which I’ve seen an unwavering commitment to quintessential leadership – quintessential leader in my life was my dad, Dr. Ned Moses Ross. He modeled quintessential leadership  in everything he was, he did, and he said. (more…)

Quintessential Leader Basics: Determining, Understanding, Establishing and Pursuing Your Priority

Posted: June 5, 2016 in Practical Quintessential Leadership
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Priority Quintessential LeaderEach of us has a priority in life. We may not even be aware of what our priority is because it is a subconscious choice we’ve made. It may be a priority that we didn’t choose, but instead is just simply the result of following, right or wrong, somebody else’s example and/or definition of what our priority should be.

However, determining, understanding, establishing, and pursuing the priority of our life should not be left to our subconscious nor should it be put in the hands of other people to determine or model. (more…)

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