Oct 31 08
Total Leadership
By Scott Tibbels
Several years ago I spent a good amount of my study time reading and listening to some of the founders of the personal development movement.
One particular author recalled his time with Andrew Carnegie, the great steel magnate of the early 20th century. The author described Carnegie’s idea of creating a leadership support team called a “Mastermind Group.” It’s a group of like-minded individuals who get together on a regular basis for the purpose of supporting each other professionally.
A good way to build a foundation for any group like this is to focus initially on a good read. Here in Austin, our little group of four business professionals are concentrating on a book entitled “Total Leadership” written by Stewart Friedman. We assign a portion of the book to each other to read along with the exercises. This gives us a good deal to talk about when we meet and really gets the ideas and discussion flowing.
Mr. Friedman has put together a stellar book on leadership. The core message in “Total Leadership” is that we can manage our lives in such a way that our work and our personal lives are not at odds with each other. What a concept. We all struggle with this at one time or another. And it’s really magic when you work in an organization that supports this type of leadership style.
Pick up a copy of this book when you get a chance and study Mr. Friedman’s ideas. My royalty is zero, but I get the satisfaction of knowing that you may realize a more balanced and productive approach to your work, family, self, and community.
