The Fearless Front Line by Ray Attiyah - Book review

The Fearless Front Line

The Key to Liberating Leaders to Improve and Grow Their Business

By: Ray Attiyah

Published: March 5, 2013
Forward: Hardcover, 240 pages
ISBN-10: 193713461X
ISBN-13: 978-1937134617
Publisher: Bibliomotion










"Imagine a workplace that is free from stress of managers and staff always finding problems but rarely acting on solutions, a workplace where teams establish and agree on clear standards of excellence, and a workplace where people are encouraged to propose ideas and make them realities", writes training and leadership developer, speaker, and founder and CEO of Definity Partners, Ray Attiyah, in his empowering and company culture changing book The Fearless Front Line: The Key to Liberating Leaders to Improve and Grow Their Business. The author describes how as companies mature, the number of systems, processes, and tendency to over manage and lead less becomes the norm, and offers a complete blueprint to change this control and fear based model with one that empowers both leaders and front line staff to achieve real organizational growth.

Ray Attiyah recognizes that as companies advance in their life cycle, distractions grow in the form of systems and processes that become the focus of the organization. As these systems and processes increase in number and complexity, leaders rely on them more as a safety net to prevent mistakes. The author points out that instead of leading and growing the company, leaders become more fearful and concerned with micromanaging their front line employees. To counter this organizational tendency toward over managing and under leading, Ray Attiyah offers his Run-Improve-Grow model to maintain relevance, stimulate innovation, and spur new company growth.



Ray Attiyah (photo left) understands that to implement the Run-Improve-Grow model effectively, leaders must give up their temptation to control company operations. Leaders must instead focus on the main objective of company growth as the big picture, and empower front line employees to have a sense of ownership of their roles.

The principles of the R-I-G model zero in on establishing excellence, empowering employees, and transforming leaders into fearless agents for growth. Ray Attiyah proposes the following steps for achieving Run-Improve-Grow model as the foundation of a new and empowered company culture where people take ownership of their roles:

* Run: Creating a fearless front line
* Improve: Liberating leaders to do their best work
* Grow: Blazing a trail for growth

For me, the power of the book is how Ray Attiyah combines an efficient and effective framework for improving leadership, empowering front line employees, and for changing the company culture, with the practical steps to reach that new standard of excellence. The author identifies the challenge facing leadership, establishes the easily understood principles of the Run-Improve-Grow model, and provides the techniques and practices to put it into practice. With the holistic focus of the Run-Improve-Grow model, leaders are empowered to lose their fear of bad situations, stop micromanaging their front line people, and to concentrate on growing the company.

Ray Attiyah emphasizes the importance of changing attitudes from one of fear and control to one of trust, empowerment, and a sense of ownership. To help guide leaders through the book, the author includes many illustrative graphics to better understand the concepts, and each chapter includes a section of takeaways to review the chapter quickly, and to facilitate ease of future reference. The author also includes real world examples of the principles in action to offer more background and context for the practical value of the Run-Improve-Grow model.

I highly recommend the comprehensive and leadership building book The Fearless Front Line: The Key to Liberating Leaders to Improve and Grow Their Business by Ray Attiyahm, to any leaders seeking a clear and concise road map toward ending the fear, unnecessary and redundant systems and over management that suffocate the growth potential of their organization. This book will free up leaders to devote their time improving growth opportunities, empower front line employees to take the attitude that they run the place, and to move ahead of the competition.

The Wisdom of Titans by William Ferguson - Book review

The Wisdom of Titans

Secrets of Success from Entrepreneurs Who Rose to the Top

By: William J. Ferguson

Published: May 28, 2013
Hardcover: 256 pages
ISBN-10: 193713458X
ISBN-13: 978-1937134587
Publisher: Bibliomotion










"Talking with these gifted and distinguished individuals was a privilege not only because of their accomplishments, but also because of their willingness to share their lessons along the way", writes senior management recruiter, CEO succession planning facilitator, and Chairman and CEO of Ferguson Partners Ltd., William J. Ferguson, in his engaging and entrepreneurial insight packed book The Wisdom of Titans: Secrets of Success from Entrepreneurs Who Rose to the Top. The author shares the wisdom of eleven highly successful entrepreneurs in search of a blueprint for achieving entrepreneurial success.

William Ferguson recognizes that fewer than twenty percent of entrepreneurial ventures succeed past their initial three years of operation. The author sought out the stories of eleven entrepreneurs who made it to the pinnacle of business achievement to learn their secrets to not only beating the odds, but soaring well beyond the ordinary. William Ferguson discovered a common thread among these titans, as he calls them, that business is ultimately about other people, including the customers they serve, their teams, and others who assisted tremendously in their overall success as entrepreneurs.



William J. Ferguson (photo left) understands that successful entrepreneurs are rare individuals who understand the value of service, of working with others, and fully engaging with others. The titans, whose wisdom is shared in the book, are more than simply hard working people. They are also self aware, have the ability to laugh at their own mistakes and how they learned important lessons, and a genuine love for the business and for other people.

William Ferguson includes the wisdom of eleven well known and service oriented entrepreneurs who achieved towering success. The titans were also selfless in the sharing of their secrets to help guide others to achieve their vision and goals of serving others as well. The chapters in the book include the following:

* Have fun at work: Bill Marriott
* Be a student of the business: Bill Sanders
* Make your mark outside the mainstream: Stuart Miller
* Grow the bottom line - period: Noel Watson
* Coach, mentor, and teach others: Julia Stewart
* Create value out of a vision: Robert L. Johnson
* Be true to yourself: Sam Zell
* Take a risk to do things differently: Rick Federico
* Measure your progress at every step: Paul J. Diaz
* Be mindful of the shadow you cast: John Robbins
* Make the 2 percent difference: Bill Jensen

For me, the power of the book is how William Ferguson combines the wisdom of the business leaders included in the book into an overall road map to success on the entrepreneurial journey. The author delves into the lessons offered by well known entrepreneurs, and presents them in an engaging and understandable format that is readily accessed by anyone in business. The eleven principles are not offered as unique stand alone concepts, but as part of an overall integrated view of of entrepreneur success methodology.

The wisdom provided by the titans is not only philosophical in nature, but also contains powerful elements of practical advice that can be implemented by anyone in business. Each chapter begins with a key quotation by the recognized business leader, and ends with a point form summary of the lessons and tips shared in the chapter. William Ferguson provides a real service to the reader as well by establishing common links and ideas from all of the chapters into a hands on blueprint that can be followed to success.

I highly recommend the valuable advice and unique perspective filled book The Wisdom of Titans: Secrets of Success from Entrepreneurs Who Rose to the Top by William Ferguson, to any current or would be entrepreneurs seeking a powerful guide to business success through the lessons shared by some of the most accomplished entrepreneurs in their industries. This book is one that entrepreneurs will return to again and again for both advice and inspiration.

Own The Room by Amy Jen Su & Muriel Maignan Wilkins - Book review

Own the Room

Discover Your Signature Voice to Master Your Leadership Presence

By: Amy Jen Su, Muriel Maignan Wilkins

Published: April 16, 2013
Format: Hardcover, 240 pages
ISBN-10: 1422183939
ISBN-13: 978-1422183939
Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press










"This book is not about improving your leadership presence on the surface. It's about taking it deeper and and finding your Signature Voice", write executive coaches and leadership speakers, co-founders and managing partners of Isis Associates, Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins in their leadership transforming and essential signature voice developing book Own the Room: Discover Your Signature Voice to Master Your Leadership Presence. The authors describe how leaders can better articulate their value proposition through developing their own authentic signature voice, and share the tools and exercises to achieve superior audience connection and to own the room.



Amy Jen Su (photo left) and Muriel Maignan Wilkins recognize that many successful leaders resist the idea of adapting to new and changing business landscapes. After all, as the authors point out, those leaders experienced tremendous success with their current skill set of leadership abilities.

The authors present a practical technique, that will enhance the already existing abilities of the leader, for giving better and more effective presentations. The authors offer a simple method for the leader to demonstrate what they call the authentic value and distinction. The authors also share how to connect with the audience in a positive manner through the leader's own signature voice.



Muriel Maignan Wilkins (photo left) and Amy Jen Su understand the importance for leaders of developing their own authentic, personal, and distinctive voice. This new signature voice transforms the leader into one whose presence moves beyond its current level and creates an immediate impact and connection with widely varied audiences.

Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins present a comprehensive blueprint for leaders to guide their development from the ordinary to the extraordinary through a simple and straight forward series of principles. The steps on the journey to discovering and mastering one's personal signature voice are as follows:

* The myths of leadership presence
* Finding your signature voice
* How do I get a signature voice
* Assumptions: Mental conditioning
* Communication strategies: Skill conditioning
* Energy: Physical conditioning
* What's next: signature voice as a life journey
* Helping others find their signature voice

For me, the power of the book is how Muriel Maignan Wilkins and Amy Jen Su combine a complete framework for understanding and developing an individual signature voice, with the practical hands on practices and exercises to establish that authentic voice. The authors shares their readily applicable techniques for establishing a personal and authentic voice as part of any leadership skill set.

The framework for the signature is based on what the authors call the ACE strategy of assumptions, communication strategies, and energy. These simple pillars for building the signature voice are well defined, explained in an easily understood format, and can be utilized by any leader in all situations.

The book contains examples of the ACE principles in action in real world settings to further illustrate their learning and their implementation, The authors also include a very important chapter on assisting other current and future leaders to develop their own signature voice. This critical attribute of great leadership, in the form of developing other leaders, is often neglected in many books. The authors of this book perform a real service through leaders through the inclusion of that important section.

I highly recommend the leadership strengthening and career accelerating book Own the Room: Discover Your Signature Voice to Master Your Leadership Presence by Amy Jen Su and Muriel Maignan Wilkins, to any leaders at all levels of their organizations, and at every stage of their career development, who are seeking a clear and concise guide to enhancing their presence, establishing an authentic voice, and for connecting with their audience. This book will propel the career trajectory of any leader forward to new heights and opportunities.