Review by StelKel1592 -- The Leading Man
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StelKel1592
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Review by StelKel1592 -- The Leading Man
[Following is a volunteer review of "The Leading Man" by Stephen J. Blakesley.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Stephen J. Blakesley’s The Leading Man opens with the premise that definitions matter. In order to achieve any goal, you need to know what it consists of and you need to be able to plot a clear trajectory of how to get there from where you are. In order to achieve leadership, therefore, you need to know what it is, and you need to have a clear idea of what you need to do to get there. Consistent with his emphasis on the importance of definitions and clarity, the book is tightly structured and clearly formatted. Blakesley aims to give readers both a concise understanding of leadership and a template for how to achieve it in their own lives.
Blakesley does not claim to offer anything original in his text, but instead, he offers a summary of research into leadership. A reference list at the end lists his sources, which range from explorations of the business world to explanations of the concept of emotional intelligence. He organizes his advice into chapters focusing on six skills leaders must have: presence, visioning, communication, motivation, and emotional intelligence. In each of his core chapters, he explores one of the basic skills. While his focus is on reviewing research, however, he also enlivens the text with personal anecdotes, describing, for instance, colorful characters he has encountered on his travels and the sage advice of his mother. A story about his participation on a hard-working but low-earning sales team provides a particularly compelling demonstration of how crediting others is an important leadership quality.
A particularly interesting chapter is not one of the core six chapters, but an offshoot chapter addressing “amygdala hijacking.” The amygdala is the part of the brain that perceives fear, sometimes referred to as part of the lizard brain, consisting of our most primal impulses. In this chapter, Blakesley delves into neuropsychological research that explains some of the underpinnings of moods and emotions. Blakesley argues that understanding the impact of the amygdala, moods, and emotions on thought processes is another essential skill for leadership. Self-awareness is indeed a theme throughout the book.
One of the strengths of this book is how concise it is. It is ideal for readers looking for a short and accessible primer on leadership skills. Some readers might feel that scare quotes are over-used, but aside from this, the text is very well-edited, with few errors. While the concision is one of the strengths of the book, however, it might also leave readers yearning for more examples and a greater elaboration of how to develop the key skills.
Blakesley gives specific advice in some instances on how to develop the qualities he describes. For instance, he advises would-be leaders not to underestimate the importance of grooming and wardrobe choices. In some cases, however, it is not so easy to see how all readers could necessarily follow his advice. For instance, in his chapter on “presence”, he notes an association between earning capacity and voice pitch. He says that the lower your voice, the greater your potential earnings. What he doesn’t note is that this is problematic in terms of gender. How can women compensate for having higher-pitched voices? Or does his title—The Leading Man—assume they cannot?
Given this book’s clarity, liveliness, and usefulness, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
******
The Leading Man
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4 out of 4 stars
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Stephen J. Blakesley’s The Leading Man opens with the premise that definitions matter. In order to achieve any goal, you need to know what it consists of and you need to be able to plot a clear trajectory of how to get there from where you are. In order to achieve leadership, therefore, you need to know what it is, and you need to have a clear idea of what you need to do to get there. Consistent with his emphasis on the importance of definitions and clarity, the book is tightly structured and clearly formatted. Blakesley aims to give readers both a concise understanding of leadership and a template for how to achieve it in their own lives.
Blakesley does not claim to offer anything original in his text, but instead, he offers a summary of research into leadership. A reference list at the end lists his sources, which range from explorations of the business world to explanations of the concept of emotional intelligence. He organizes his advice into chapters focusing on six skills leaders must have: presence, visioning, communication, motivation, and emotional intelligence. In each of his core chapters, he explores one of the basic skills. While his focus is on reviewing research, however, he also enlivens the text with personal anecdotes, describing, for instance, colorful characters he has encountered on his travels and the sage advice of his mother. A story about his participation on a hard-working but low-earning sales team provides a particularly compelling demonstration of how crediting others is an important leadership quality.
A particularly interesting chapter is not one of the core six chapters, but an offshoot chapter addressing “amygdala hijacking.” The amygdala is the part of the brain that perceives fear, sometimes referred to as part of the lizard brain, consisting of our most primal impulses. In this chapter, Blakesley delves into neuropsychological research that explains some of the underpinnings of moods and emotions. Blakesley argues that understanding the impact of the amygdala, moods, and emotions on thought processes is another essential skill for leadership. Self-awareness is indeed a theme throughout the book.
One of the strengths of this book is how concise it is. It is ideal for readers looking for a short and accessible primer on leadership skills. Some readers might feel that scare quotes are over-used, but aside from this, the text is very well-edited, with few errors. While the concision is one of the strengths of the book, however, it might also leave readers yearning for more examples and a greater elaboration of how to develop the key skills.
Blakesley gives specific advice in some instances on how to develop the qualities he describes. For instance, he advises would-be leaders not to underestimate the importance of grooming and wardrobe choices. In some cases, however, it is not so easy to see how all readers could necessarily follow his advice. For instance, in his chapter on “presence”, he notes an association between earning capacity and voice pitch. He says that the lower your voice, the greater your potential earnings. What he doesn’t note is that this is problematic in terms of gender. How can women compensate for having higher-pitched voices? Or does his title—The Leading Man—assume they cannot?
Given this book’s clarity, liveliness, and usefulness, I rate it 4 out of 4 stars.
******
The Leading Man
View: on Bookshelves
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