The Leader's Pocket Guide: 101 Indispensable Tools, Tips, and Techniques for Any Situation Book

CONTENTS

Prologue 1

SELF

Introduction 3

Research Says 4

1 . How to Know Yourself Better 5

2. Think More Critically 7

3. Character Trumps Perfection 8

4. Yes, It Does Matter What People Think of You 9

5. Add to Your Leadership Brand 10

6. Why Accountability Counts 13

7. Making the Choice to Manage 14

8. Making the Choice Not to Manage 16

9. Develop the Confidence to Lead 17

10. Project Confidence 19

11. Three Ways to Regenerate Hope 20

12. Act Like a Leader 22

13. Four Ways to Lead with Presence 24

14. Build Your Resilience 26

15. Avoid “Coulda, Shoulda, Woulda” 28

16. Get People to Believe in Themselves 29

17. Take Charge of Your Own Fears 31

18. Level with Yourself 33

19. What Are You Doing to Add Value? 35

20. Friends, Family, Health 37

Self-Assessment: Self 39

Action Tips for Self 40

COLLEAGUES

Introduction 41

Research Says 42

21. Put Integrity and Humility into Your Ego 43

22. Show Your Colleagues How to Think Critically 45

23. Use a Checklist to Lead 47

24. Use a Task List to Manage 48

25. Act Like You Own It 50

26. Practice Your Troubleshooting 51

27. Stop Spinning Wheels 53

28. Act with the Big Picture in Mind 55

29. It Takes a Strong Leader to Compromise 57

30. You Can’t Say “Not My Job”! 58

31. Defend Yourself Without Being Defensive 60

32. Practice Defending Yourself the Right Way 61

33. The Glass Is Half Full 63

34. How to Influence Your Colleagues 64

35. Lead Your Peers the Right Way 66

36. Help Your Team Avoid Burnout 68

37. Improve Team Performance 71

38. Optimize Team Success 72

39. Persuade Peers—Make It Personal 75

40. Support Your Teammates the Right Way 76

41. Get Your Team to Play Smart Together 77

42. Avoid the Niceness Disease 79

43. There Is a Positive Side of Conflict 80

44. Take Charge of Change 82

45. It Takes a Good Problem Solver to Compromise 84

46. Three Ways Strong Leaders Put the Team First 85

47. Help Colleagues Gain Outside Perspective 87

48. Turn Small Talk into Smart Talk 88

49. Lead Through Your Boss 91

50. How to Sell an Idea to Your Boss 92

51. How to Recognize the Signs of Hubris 94

52. How to Cure Yourself of Hubris 96

53. Coach Your Colleagues 98

Self-Assessment: Colleagues 100

Action Tips for Colleagues 101

ORGANIZATION

Introduction 103

Research Says 104

54. How to Instill Purpose in Your People 105

55. Make Your Leadership Relevant 106

56. Connect Authentically 108

57. How to Ask Good Questions 110

58. Manage with the Door Open 112

59. Visit Employees Where They Work 113

60. Lead for Engagement 116

61 . Make Your Off-Site More Engaging 117

62. Avoid Micromanaging Anything 120

63. Don’t Let Conflict Ruin Your Team 122

64. Questions for Leaders Facing Long Odds 124

65. Deliver a Reason to Be Urgent 126

66. Wield Power Gracefully When Making Decisions 128

67. Hold the Platitudes 130

68. Use Your Senses to Hire 131

69. Hire for Character and Integrity 133

70. What You Need to Ask About Your Company 135

71. Three Ways to Execute Better 136

72. Step Back to Lead 138

73. Don’t Give In to Defeatism 140

74. Generate Enthusiasm About the Work 142

75. Lead Like a Salesperson 143

76. Five Ways to Connect with Those Who Can’t Stand You 146

77. When the Going Gets Tough, Lead 148

78. When Things Go Wrong 149

79. Develop a Crisis Plan 150

80. Cut Out the Doom and Gloom 153

81. When Speaking in Front of a Hostile Audience 155

82. Put Principle over Policy 157

83. Build Common Cause 158

84. Defuse Discord 161

85. Right a Wrong 164

86. Questions to Help You Coach Your Employees 166

87. Buck Up the Team 168

88. Lead with Passion 170

89. Lead with Compassion 171

90. How You Can Add More Value to Your Organization 172

91. Are Your Employees Listening? 175

92. Four Ways to Reverse a Decision 177

93. Managing When You Cannot Disclose Information 180

94. Let Your Face Show You Are in Charge 181

95. Why Leaders Use Stories 184

96. Tell Your Story with Impact 185

97. Three Pillars of Inspiration 188

98. How to Inspire Others 189

99. When It’s Time to Hang It Up 191

100. Make Time for Yourself Outside of Work 193

101. Six Words to Lead By 195

Self-Assessment: Organization 197

Action Tips for Organizations 198

Handbook 199

Acknowledgments 203

Notes 205

About the Author 209