The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell

Book Review

On

THE LEADERSHIP SECRETS OF COLIN POWELL

By

Oren Harari

Business Leadership

March, 26th 2018

INTRODUCTION

The book "The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell" is written by author Oren Harari who is Ph.D. holder and a professor of management at the Mclaren Graduate School of Business at the University of San Francisco. He is the writer or co-writer of six past books, and has added to various expert productions, including the Harvard Business Review, California Management Review, Industrial Relations, and Small Business Reports.

This book is about leadership- the kind of practical, mission and people-based leadership that Colin Powell has practiced, and which throughout his career has translated into performance excellence and competitive success. In "The Leadership Secrets of Colin Powell", Harari offers leadership solutions from a four-star general considered by many to be one of the world's most effective, bottom-line leaders.

While the military is not where one hopes to discover next to each other initiative, Powell underscores that administration has more to do with duty than rank and benefit, and is about aggregate responsibility regarding a mutual mission, assessing execution benchmarks, testing the present state of affairs, taking care of points of interest, encircle oneself with ability, engaging individuals in the field, and demonstrating boldness and resolve.

The book begins with a section on "Powell as provocateur," which includes chapters such as, "Know When to Piss People Off," "Promote a Clash of Ideas" and "When to Challenge the Pros." Other sections examine "Powell on Strategy and Executive" and "The Powell Character."

MAIN CONCEPTS

Encourage open and honest communication in order to get unique perspectives, ideas, and opinions

Encourage transparent communication with a specific end goal to get most accurate and critical information. Be available to subordinates and let them know they can talk their mind without fear of punishment. Instruct them to put aside title or rank until further notice (don't attempt and scare individuals). Encourage active communication of concerns, perceptions, information, bits of knowledge, and recommendations. You should be in contact with your devotees and their thoughts (they are the ones in the trenches).

Make a situation where they feel free to speak their mind (use a cozy, round table to discuss ideas, problems, issues). Avoid from having an enormous work area amongst you and your subordinate while talking about issues. If you don’t know the real problems facing the organization, then you’re ineffective as a leader.

"The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them." (Harari, 2003)

Give subordinates a chance to know their issues and let them think about ways to solve them. Listen to their worries, and after that guide and support them. All through this procedure, stay calm, adaptable, and willing to change your feelings considering new realities.

Distinguish barriers to communication and data flow and destroy them. Simplify excessively confused communication forms. Support ideas from everybody and get the whole group to participate in data stream. We are constantly happier being open and sharing with each other.

Be straightforward and on the other hand if you don't care for a choice, request the chance to accumulate new information. Act with genuineness and respectability and nobody can blame you for remaining on your rule.

Leadership is about influence

Organizational charts and fancy titles count for next to nothing. Leadership as an influence process is a process in which leader alone has the responsibility towards leading a team. Persuade your team to accept you as a leader and follow your lead. A true leader influences, persuades, and inspires others. This is done by:

Setting the case – it's in what you do, not what you say.

Being competent – skills and expertise.

Genuine caring and empathy. Understand people’s needs, aspirations, and expectations.

Show enthusiasm and battle for authoritative objectives and qualities.

Support and ensure the individuals who follow you down your path.

Faithfulness – up, down, and sideways.

Confidence – be infinitely cool, resolute, unhurried, and live it up. Certainty that we have what it takes to tackle our issues.

Certainty and resolve. Certainty in the mission and take steps to do whatever it takes to strategically accomplish your objectives.

COMPARE & CONTRAST

Based on two books "Introduction to Leadership"

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