Leadership Exchange

; What to Ask the Person
in the Mirror
By Robert Kaplan
(Harvard Business Review, 2011)

Successful and unsuccessful leaders go through many of the same processes: at different times in their lives they feel confused, discouraged, and unsure of themselves and their decisions. The difference, according to Harvard Professor Robert Kaplan, is how they deal with periods of confusion and uncertainty— how they ask the right questions. He offers a system of inquiry that ties the leadership function together and includes vision and priorities; time management; giving and getting feedback; planning and delegating; and evaluation and alignment. Asking the right questions means addressing areas where leaders might not feel comfortable, but it is the only way to grow and mature in a leadership role.

Tony Schwartz, CEO of the Energy Project, which has provided effective energy management coaching to organizations such as Google, Ford, Sony, Toyota, and the Los Angeles Police Department, discusses how the U.S. workplace has bred an atmosphere in which workers have become disengaged from their work. We fail to take care of ourselves, he points out, and end up undermining our health, happiness, and productivity. Using a series of quadrants describing the emotional workings of both employees and organizations, he argues that nothing is gained—and much is lost—by constantly pushing people to achieve more and more in less time and with fewer resources. He claims rejuvenation and rest are necessary for creative breakthroughs and broader perspectives, and he proposes solutions for business leaders to maximize human potential by embracing the need for both effort and renewal.

; Be Excellent At Anything:
The Four Keys to Transforming
The Way We Work and Live
By Tony Schwartz
(Free Press, 2011)

; Stop Workplace Drama
By Marlene Chism
(Wiley, 2011)

Gossip, power struggles, and poor team coordination are all symptoms of workplace drama. They are the obstacles that can drain an organization of its best talent, and affect productivity and effectiveness of an organization unless a leader steps up and takes responsibility for changing course. Communications consultant and national speaker Marlene Chism has created an eight-step methodology that breaks through negative thinking that can contribute to drama in organizations. She has identified the gaps that drama creates—a gap between where an organization is and where it aims to be and the psychological gap that occurs when staff members are faced with change and the fear that goes with it. Chism discusses how to understand the different kinds of “drama roles” played in the office, how to work through them, and how to cut personal drama so it does not create further issues at work.

Much of what we think will improve our wellbeing is either misguided or just plain wrong, according to the authors. Contrary to what many people believe, wellbeing is not just about being happy or about being wealthy or successful. A comprehensive study of people in more than 150 countries revealed five universal, interconnected elements that shape our lives: career wellbeing, social wellbeing, financial wellbeing, physical wellbeing, and community wellbeing. The book is filled with research and novel ideas for boosting your wellbeing in each of these five areas.