How can this be—all this failure—after the thousands of leadership books, talks, blogs, classes, and leadership-development programs seeking to make leaders more effective? How can this be, after more than a century of research seeking to figure out how to select better leaders? 

I lay out evidence demonstrating four things: (1) the leadership industry is large and prominent, but, notwithstanding its magnitude and reach, (2) workplaces in the United States and around the world are, for the most part (as there are obviously exceptional places on best-places-to-work lists), filled with dissatisfied, disengaged employees who do not trust their leaders; (3) leaders at all levels lose their jobs at an increasingly fast pace, in part because they are unprepared for the realities of organizational life, and thus, (4) the leadership industry has failed and continues to fail in its task of producing leaders who are effective and successful, and it has even failed to produce sufficient talent to fill leadership vacancies. 

Jeffrey Pfeffer, Leadership BS: Fixing Workplaces and Careers One Truth at a Time

 ——————–

It’s been nearly a year since I presented my synopsis of Leadership BS by Jeffrey Pfeffer. When I read it, I did not “like” it, but I knew it was true. The business world is awash in leadership training programs, and speakers, and books, and… and yet there is little doubt that that there is an ongoing genuine shortage of good leaders.

In every arena.

Mr. Pfeffer’s book is worth reading, to help us think about this dilemma. But in this short post, I would like to recommend an idea that I believe in pretty deeply. Here it is:

Your leadership team needs to have some business book synopsis sessions.

Why is this?, you ask. Here’s why.

We have always known that people who read good books, AND PUT WHAT THEY LEARN INTO PRACTICE, improve their abilities. (It’s the putting it into practice part that is the failure of most leadership programs and sessions. And, that is the job of the receiver, not the messenger, isn’t it?)…

But, one of our book synopsis sessions allows for a pretty serious look at something to learn, something to change, something to tweak, something to implement. And when my synopsis presentation is followed by serious discussion, it is clearer what to implement.

Here’s why I think these sessions are valuable. (This is from my information sheet, attached).

A book synopsis delivered by Randy Mayeux is a fast-paced delivery of the key content of a useful, best-selling business book. Randy is known for the way he includes information from additional sources, and places each book in context both within the larger business world and within the larger culture.
Each synopsis comes with a comprehensive, multi-page handout for each participant that includes the following sections: ”Why is this book worth our time?;” excerpts and quotes directly from the book; memorable stories, and key points from the book; and Randy’s lessons and takeaways.
{Note: Some clients prefer the phrase “Executive Book Briefings” for these presentations}.
Though a synopsis can be presented in as little as 30 minutes, Randy recommends an hour and a half for maximum impact. This provides for interaction, questions and answers, and discussion for the team and/or the organization.

I bet you or your leadership team could benefit from a book synopsis/book briefing session. Click here to send me an e-mail, and let’s talk about it.