Two leadership books . . .

Many in our system know that I enjoy reading and studying about leadership and sometimes ask me to share some of the books that I read.  Two books that I have read within the last year that are influencing my thinking and my work are Change the Culture Change the Game by Collins and Smith and Clear Leadership by Bushe.  If these books had been available earlier in my career I am sure that they would have influenced the direction and pace of my work and that of our system.

I am particularly interested in what Bushe calls the "interpersonal mush" that forms when we make up stories about our experiences and about others.  This "mush" is the result of forming ladders with little or inaccurate data and gets in the way of skillful conversations and quality solutions to difficult issues.  One of the strategies that he identifies is using the Experience Cube.  In simple terms, he suggests that we need to ensure that people know what we are observing, thinking, feeling, and wanting to preclude mush from being formed.  In the absence of us sharing this about ourselves others will make up stories that may or may not be true, but will in either case guide their actions toward us.  Of course, we do the same thing about others when they do not share the information.  Though it is much more complex than this, the book provides us with guidance on how to move our journey forward while creating and maintaining communities of learning.

I would recommend these books if you are interested in leadership and increasing your capacity to support and influence your colleagues.  Of the two, Change the Culture Change the Game is a more difficult read but very supportive of understanding what to focus on in creating cultural change that will sustain over time.