The Secret: What Great Leaders Know - And Do by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller is one of many management-type books offered by one or both of these authors. The Secret has been written in a story format. It brings the reader through a series of meetings between Debbie, the main character of the story, and her mentor, the CEO of the company she works at. Over a year's time, Jeff, Debbie's mentor, walks her through a journey of discovery.
During Debbie's journey of discovery, she learns that the secret to leadership is to SERVE. Each letter of the word SERVE refers to a key concept in the secret to leadership. S reminds the leader to "See the Future". E reminders the leader to Engage and develop others. R reminds the leader to Reinvent continuously. V reminds the leader to Value results and relationships. The last E reminds the leader to Embody the values of the organization.
After reading The Secret, I couldn't help but notice some similarities between the research-based leadership book entitled, "The Leadership Challenge". In the Leadership Challenge, the authors provide the readers with five research-based practices that all exemplary leaders embodied. Those five practices are: Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others, and Encourage the Heart. Like the SERVE model, exemplary leaders inspire a shared vision of the future (see the future), enable others to act (engage and develop others), challenge the process (reinvent continuously), encourage the heart value relationships), and model the way (embody the values of the organization).
For those of us who are looking for ways to improve our leadership skills it is important to note that there is "no silver bullet". There is no "quick fix" nor everlasting solution. The journey of building your leadership skills and sharpening the skills you possess is never ending. With each new day comes new challenges and new circumstances. Every day is new; therefore, every approach to overcome the challenge should be tackled in a new way.
The Secret by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller was an easy read and provided practical strategies that WILL increase and sharpen one's leadership skills. I recommend this book as well as others written by these two authors. Their ideas, their values, and their desire to SERVE others propel many of us into successful leadership experiences.
It is my hope that I can embody many of the SERVE principles in my leadership journey on a daily basis.
During Debbie's journey of discovery, she learns that the secret to leadership is to SERVE. Each letter of the word SERVE refers to a key concept in the secret to leadership. S reminds the leader to "See the Future". E reminders the leader to Engage and develop others. R reminds the leader to Reinvent continuously. V reminds the leader to Value results and relationships. The last E reminds the leader to Embody the values of the organization.
After reading The Secret, I couldn't help but notice some similarities between the research-based leadership book entitled, "The Leadership Challenge". In the Leadership Challenge, the authors provide the readers with five research-based practices that all exemplary leaders embodied. Those five practices are: Model the Way, Inspire a Shared Vision, Challenge the Process, Enable Others, and Encourage the Heart. Like the SERVE model, exemplary leaders inspire a shared vision of the future (see the future), enable others to act (engage and develop others), challenge the process (reinvent continuously), encourage the heart value relationships), and model the way (embody the values of the organization).
For those of us who are looking for ways to improve our leadership skills it is important to note that there is "no silver bullet". There is no "quick fix" nor everlasting solution. The journey of building your leadership skills and sharpening the skills you possess is never ending. With each new day comes new challenges and new circumstances. Every day is new; therefore, every approach to overcome the challenge should be tackled in a new way.
The Secret by Ken Blanchard and Mark Miller was an easy read and provided practical strategies that WILL increase and sharpen one's leadership skills. I recommend this book as well as others written by these two authors. Their ideas, their values, and their desire to SERVE others propel many of us into successful leadership experiences.
It is my hope that I can embody many of the SERVE principles in my leadership journey on a daily basis.
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