Greg L. Thomas wrote this book deliberately to remind his readers of what principled-living is all about. I am reminded almost daily of the poor decisions made by others who unbelievably feel the correct way to treat others is through lying, cheating, corruption or deception. This is done by many individuals simply to move ahead in this world. Living by honest and ethical principles seems to be an out-dated way of personal conduct that was once an expected part of our culture. Sadly, intentionally hurting our fellow man has become socially acceptable in today’s modern world and our organizations. To many, the end results now justify the means… by whatever means are possible to gain an advantage.

The dictionary states that a “principle,” is an accepted or professed rule of action, or conduct. For example, a person of good moral principles accepts those morals as personally valuable, or a rule of conduct. This is exactly how Greg L Thomas describes the 12 Principles in his book. They are endorsed as “accepted professional conduct,” with positive results by using good moral principles.  

As you read this book, you will discover the one clear undeniable fact… these principles are meant for each of us to live by if we truly want to become successful. We cannot expect others to follow us without first living by the principles ourselves, hence the name in the title, “personal leadership.” As the author describes in the book, personal leadership is about making yourself a better person by growing from the inside out and not allowing outside circumstances to determine who you are, or how you should live. By changing yourself first, you will have the moral right to coach and expect others to change and grow as individuals. I was truly captivated and intrigued throughout the whole book because Thomas uses many personal examples from his own life, as well as examples of past historical leaders to show how the principles apply. He discusses their struggles and how by living the 12 Principles they were able to overcome difficult obstacles. I even learned some interesting history about the ethics of my American forefathers!  

Greg L Thomas gives you a blueprint on how to apply, (in order), all twelve principles. Pay particular attention to principles number ten and twelve. Principle ten is titled, “Know Thyself” and Thomas asks us to candidly take an inventory within ourselves. He encourages us to truly understand who we are on the inside, not who we think we are. Only by honestly answering this question and correcting any of our deficiencies, will we be able to live a life without duplicity. You will need to read the book in its original chapter order to appreciate why principle twelve is so powerful. You will soon discover… when reading this final principle why the other eleven principles are so deeply rooted within it, and the author.

I would not be exaggerating when I say that I felt Thomas’s passion as I read each individual principle and understood why they are so important to him. The enthusiasm comes through because he uses them himself to practice personal leadership.  The last chapter was cleverly written because he demonstrates how much more powerful the first eleven principles can be when principle twelve is applied. As I mentioned earlier, the definition of personal leadership is about making yourself a better person, and inspiring others around you to become greater as well. Thomas writes this book to let the reader know how he has grown to become a “servant” leader”, and to outline how you too can become a dynamic leader of others as well.  The question remains… can these principles be learned in the business world?  I believe if we stop the “quick fixes” or the selfish “give me what I want” attitude that so many possess today, we can make our organizations, and our world a better place to live.  Greg L Thomas hit a homerun with this book and I for one will continue to practice and teach these valuable principles of personal leadership.

Making Life’s Puzzle Pieces Fit
Using The Twelve Principles of Personal Leadership

Xlibris - 2009 (150 pages hardback)

Author Greg L. Thomas

ISBN 978-104363-8843-6 

weLEAD Rating – highly recommended

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Business consultant Peter Block is no stranger to controversy. A number of his previous works explored the reaches of transformational management, including his bestselling book The Empowered Manager. In an even bolder way, Stewardship – Choosing Service over Self-Interest offers a dynamic new organizational structure for our young century. Block defines stewardship as “the means of achieving fundamental change in the way we govern our institutions.” He believes that stewardship is a choice “to preside over the orderly distribution of power.” This means giving individuals at the bottom of the organizational structure the choice on how to best serve their customers, citizens and community”. It also means accepting accountability at all levels. Block continues to define stewardship as being accountable to the larger organization by “operating in service, rather than in control, of those around us.” His philosophy is centered on a need and commitment to service rather than self-interest.

Peter Block challenges the modern notion of strong leadership and suggests replacing the term with stewardship. His problem with leadership is that he does not believe it has the capability to create fundamental changes in our organizations. He also believes that leadership “inevitably becomes self-congratulatory and over-controlling. We expect leaders to choose service over self-interest, but it seems the choice is rarely made.” Perhaps Block would have better made his point by discussing the various philosophies that pass as leadership rather than neatly collecting them all in one term. Indeed, leadership is often a vague and misunderstood term.

Stewardship – Choosing Service over Self-Interest is a book with three parts. The first part discusses the basic concept of stewardship. It highlights the promises offered by developing a passion toward stewardship in contrast to what we experience in traditionally managed organizations. The second part of the book discusses the redistribution of power in a practical way. This controversial section of the book butchers many managerial “sacred cows” and offers a vision of what stewardship can be like in action! Part three examines the reform process and explores how you and your organization can get from where it is today to an environment of stewardship.

If you are one who is not satisfied with the status quo, you will find this book exciting and refreshing. Sometimes written in almost theological terms, Block inspires the reader to expect more from our institutions and ourselves. This book should find itself on the bookshelf of every person interested in the study of leadership.

 Stewardship - Choosing Service Over Self-Interest

Berrett-Koehler Publishers, San Francisco, 1996 (264 pages in paperback)

Author Peter Block

ISBN 1-881052-86-9

weLEAD rating highly recommended

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Books on leadership now abound in bookstores and in our popular consciousness. Anyone who begins a serious study into this subject will soon come across familiar names such as John Gardner, JamesMacGregor Burns, Robert Greenleaf, Bernard Bass, Kenneth Blanchard, Terrence Deal, Warren Bennis, Max De Pree and others. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if one book contained some of the most insightful writings and thoughts of these individuals? The Leaders Companion – Insights on Leadership Through the Ages is such a book and should be on every leader’s bookshelf!

This massive work is edited by J. Thomas Wren and he undertakes a difficult task. Wren constructs the book with three basic premises. First, that leadership is not just a modern “fad”, but is “central to the human condition”. Leadership as a concept is both current and timeless. The second premise of the book is that leadership is not just the province of a select few, but is available to all. Thirdly, and perhaps the most important premise is that leadership is a valuable area of study, especially the process of leadership. Wren hopes the reader will appreciate the “real end of leadership: the achievement of mutual goals which are intended to enhance one’s group, organization or society.”

To initiate these premises the book approaches leadership from a broad perspective. Wren draws upon a broad range of classical writers, leadership scholars, and the wisdom of modern leaders. The book is divided into thirteen parts that guide the reader through the complex structure we commonly call leadership.  Wren acknowledges that understanding this process lies at the heart of improving our lives, surroundings, and world.

This book is an outstanding collection of various leadership perspectives and models. He has opened up the study of leadership through the ages and from a worldview of different cultures. The Leaders Companion – Insights on Leadership Through the Ages is great reading and should be part of your own leadership library!

The Leaders Companion – Insights on Leadership Through the Ages

The Free Press, New York, 1995 (554 pages in paperback)

Edited by J. Thomas Wren

ISBN 0-02-874005-X

weLEAD rating highly recommended

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Occasionally a book comes along that is short, a pleasure to read and truly helpful. If You Haven’t Got the Time to Do It Right, When Will You Find the Time To Do It Over by Jeffrey J. Mayer is such a book. Mayer has spent much of his career as a time management consultant and he has written a basic primer for those interested in organizing their lives to a greater degree.

Most of us are being required to do more work with fewer people. How to get this increased workload accomplished is a common problem. Mayer asks, “But are we really increasing our productivity, or just the number of hours we work?” He then offers a solution. The key to getting work done is not simply to work harder and longer but smarter! Better organization is a solution. This book is centered on the principle of “save time by wasting less of it!” The author uses his vast experience to offer ideas, techniques, and concepts to save time and use it more effectively.

If You Haven’t Got the Time to Do It Right, When Will You Find the Time To Do It Over provides common sense ideas that really work if we are willing to apply them. Being creatures of habit we tend to do things because that is the way they have typically been done. Mayer has boldly stepped out of the habitual routine to find ways to overcome daily obstacles to time and productivity. He attempts to show how time can be saved in “small pieces” rather than in large blocks. He ponders, “Save thirty seconds every five minutes, and by the end of the day, you’ve saved an hour.” The book is divided into two parts. The first part shows you how to organize your workspace including your office, files management and desk. The second part shows you how to streamline your entire business to become more productive and organized.

This is a useful and rewarding book. If it helps you to change only one routine in your life due to its beneficial ideas it will have served a valuable purpose. Easy to read and understand from cover to cover!

If You Haven’t Got the Time To Do It Right,

When Will You Find the Time To Do It Over?

Fireside/Simon & Schuster, 1991 (155 pages in paperback)

Author Jeffrey J. Mayer

ISBN 0-671-73364-8

weLEAD rating highly recommended

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Author Dr. Blaine Lee is an associate of Stephen R. Covey and vice president of Franklin Covey Company. If you appreciate Dr. Covey’s books including Principle-Centered Leadership or The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, you will want this book! Blaine Lee discusses what he terms the power principle, which has the potential to significantly impact all of our relationships in and out of the workplace.

In a nutshell this power principle is defined as learning to influence with honor. Dr. Lee begins the book by discussing the relationship between power and influence. Most societies and cultures use two fundamental power strategies to influence others and achieve efficiency. The first power strategy is one of forced coercion. People do things because they are afraid not to. The person in authority has the “ability to intimidate or bully people, to do something unpleasant or uncomfortable to other people.” The second option is that of a fair exchange approach. People do what they are told because of what the person in authority can do for them. They offer their services because “I will pay you if you’ll do what I want. I have something to exchange for your time and effort…I’ve got something you want, you’ve got something I want. Let’s make a deal.” Blaine explains how these two approaches may be efficient but long-term they are not effective or productive.

The Power Principle offers a third approach to power strategy. It is predicated on a number of core principles clearly discussed by Dr. Lee. This is a different kind of power since it “suggests that the person you believe is powerful is someone others believe in, someone they honor, someone they respect.” When others honor you, you have the ability to have sustained, long-term influence with them. The second 2/3rds of the book discusses why the power principle makes a difference, what they are, and how to use this strategy with your family, customers and coworkers. The final chapters deal with making a commitment to change and the power principle a lifelong quest.

This is an outstanding work and makes an excellent companion to Dr. Covey’s highly respected principle-centered philosophy.

A Fireside Book (Simon & Schuster), New York, 1997 (363 pages in paperback)

Author Blaine Lee

ISBN 0-684-84616-0

weLEAD rating highly recommended

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In the forward of this book Tom Peters says, “If you take time to read only one business book this year, I strongly encourage you to read NUTS!”  We wholeheartedly agree! Between the covers of this entertaining book Kevin and Jackie Freiberg have captured the essence of the “Southwest Spirit” that has made Southwest Airlines one of the top companies in America. Although Southwest served over 90 million bags of peanuts in 1999, there is nothing “nuts” about the way they run their company. Southwest topped the list of Fortune magazine’s Best Companies To Work For in 1998, and since then has been in one of the top four slots every year.

This book is a must read for anyone who wants to see how the concepts of servant leadership are actually put into practice in a real company of over 30,000 employees. You will learn about a company that practices the golden rule as corporate policy—and has paid quarterly dividends for 97 consecutive quarters doing it! The “Southwest culture” described at length in the book gives this company its strategic advantage. This culture genuinely cares about the welfare of the Southwest employees—which are approximately 82% unionized. Southwest Airlines has turned a profit every year since 1973, yet it maintains the lowest fares in a highly competitive industry. It is one of the most admired airlines in the world, regularly ranks best in customer service, and has a consistently high safety record. Southwest was the first airline to establish a home page on the Internet, and was named by BusinessWeek as a “Web Smart 50” company.

Some of the book’s statistics about the airline are now out of date due to incredible growth. More recent statistics are readily available at Southwest’s web site (www.southwest.com). However, the principles discussed in this book that are used to guide this most admired airline are timeless.

NUTS! Southwest Airlines’ Crazy Recipe for Business and Personal Success

Bard Press, October 1996 (363 pages in hardbound)

Bantam Doubleday Dell Pub, March 1998 (362 pages paperback reprint edition)

Authors: Kevin and Jackie Freiberg

ISBN 0767901843

weLEAD rating highly recommended.

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Ed Oakly and Doug Krug provide an understandable and clear definition of what they term "Enlightened Leadership." This type of leadership approach attempts to deal with real underlying problems within organizations rather than their symptoms. It is founded on an approach that leaders must first or concurrently deal with the "mindset" or spirit of their people as well as changing processes or structures. Without positively dealing with attitudes and thinking styles among the organization all efforts of changing structures, systems or processes will meet great resistance and potential failure.

They formally define Enlightened Leadership as "the willingness and ability to draw the vision from their people and inspire and empower those people to do what it takes to bring the vision into reality. Indeed, Enlightened Leaders nurture and encourage their people to be open, creative, and innovative and find what it takes to achieve their shared objectives." This type of leadership gets the "members of the organization to accept ownership for that vision as their own, thus developing the commitment to carry it through to completion."

Much of the book is devoted to asking thought provoking questions in the authors hope that the reader can discover their own answers to an enhanced leadership approach. Much of the content in the book is a result of their personal experience working with their own clients and using their own observations. It is obviously full of valid and helpful information presented in an interesting and easy to read style.

Enlightened Leadership - Getting to the Heart of Change

Simon & Schuster, 1994 (265 pages in paperback)

Authors Ed Oakly and Doug Krug

ISBN 0-671-86675-3

weLEAD rating highly recommended

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Author Gary Yukl uses his expertise and credibility to write an outstanding book focusing on managerial leadership rather than social or parliamentary leadership. He attempts to include information on both the theory and practice of leadership in modern organizations. This valuable text also includes many recommendations and guidelines for improving the effectiveness of managers and leaders. Leadership in Organizations includes a number of cases in an attempt to help the reader understand real world organizational problems and applications. This is a book that is primarily written and mostly reads like a college text book and is indeed used by a number of universities in their managerial or leadership programs. However, it is easy to read and does an excellent job of including the most informative and relative literature, studies and theories available today.

Gary Yukl has written perhaps the most comprehensive work ever covering virtually every aspect of modern organizational leadership. It can rightly be considered the students “bible” for the study of modern leadership principles and theories. It is highly recommended for anyone interested in the study or organizational leadership, leading teams, leading change or studying follower-based approaches toward leadership.

Leadership in Organizations, 4th Edition,

Prentice Hall, 1998 (564 Pages in hardbound)

Author Gary Yukl

ISBN 0-13-897521-3

weLEAD rating highly recommended

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Author Garry Wills has a keen sense of the importance of followers to leadership. In the introduction to the book he states plainly “The leader most needs followers”. He goes on to explain that in reality followers “have a say” in what they are led toward! The theme of Certain Trumpets is that a successful leader doesn’t just trumpet or sound their own certain message, but instead they sound a specific call to others capable of following. He believes that leaders need to understand their followers more than followers need to understand them! What is Garry Wills basic definition of a leader? “One who mobilizes others toward a goal shared by the leader and followers”. In other words, coercion of others is not leadership, it is just power.

With this introduction in mind the rest of the book consists of Wills discussion of individuals who have possessed leadership in various ways. The author believes that different leaders should be considered notable because of their own goals rather than their personalities, which is the most common perspective. As a result of this perspective, Wills does not treat leadership as a single thing, but mentions sixteen various kinds of leadership within the book. He also goes on to discuss various subdivisions within the sixteen kind’s. Certain Trumpets attempts to define these distinctive types of leadership by using examples that range from Franklin Roosevelt (Electoral Leadership) to Dorothy Day (Saintly Leadership). To make this exploration interesting, and to provoke thought, he also provides an antitype character in contrast to each distinctive type of leader presented. It is Wills hope to exemplify the individual’s characteristics by providing this contrast. Wills doesn’t think we lack leaders today, but sufficient followers. He refers to this as the “real problem with leadership”. Certain Trumpets is easy to read, stimulating and creative enough to look at leadership from a different lens.

Certain Trumpets - The Call of Leaders

Simon & Schuster, 1994 (336 pages in paperback)

Author Garry Wills

ISBN 0-671-65702-X

weLEAD rating recommended

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 Good Company, written by authors Hal Rosenbluth & Diane McFerrin Peters, is an easy to read primer on discovering the basics of a successful modern business. Rosenbluth & Peters begin by dogmatically proclaiming that “companies not only can positively influence lives, they have an obligation to do so.” Both Rosenbluth and Peters have been closely associated with Rosenbluth International. This organization has been a world leader in travel management. Anyone familiar with the digital economy knows that travel management has recently undergone a revolution in how it conducts business and generates revenue.

The authors define the type of company we would all like to work for! A company built on friendship and where everyone genuinely cares about each other. Does this sound too good to be true? Apparently not, as this book demonstrates how fifteen of the worlds best companies have confronted the most severe management challenges and prevailed. In contrast to the prevalent management technique of operating “lean and mean”, Good Company demonstrates the opposite approach.  Rosenbluth and Peters offer solutions on how an organization can discard outdated practices and create an environment of innovation, teamwork, continuous learning and joy at work. Chapter six of the book is entitled, “We’re Not Born into Leadership: We Convert”. It is here the authors define a valuable principle by stating that “Companies can’t bestow leadership upon people; true leadership is earned with right attitude, skills, and behavior.”

The cultural foundation of the book's corporate examples is most refreshing. It is that the pathway to competitive success is paved by investing first and foremost in your people. The authors show how any size organization can gain a competitive edge by accepting greater responsibility for society at large and the welfare of their employees. Organizations specifically mentioned include Land’s End, Hallmark Cards, Mary Kay Inc., Southwest Airlines and over a dozen others.

Good Company – Caring as Fiercely as You Compete

Addison-Wesley, 1998 (205 pages in hardbound)

Authors Hal Rosenbluth & Diane McFerrin Peters

ISBN 0-201-33982-X

weLEAD rating highly recommended

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