Customer Reviews

The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've got too many books to read... too much wisdom waiting for my intake. So, when I came across this book from a favorite, trusted author who I'd reconnected with through the magic of Twitter, I was reluctant to engage.

It's just a time thing, cost vs. benefit. And to be honest, the title didn't really spell it out for me. I couldn't see the connection with my life and needs. Sure, I have a business have moments of accepting my role as a leader but it's not where my focus is at the moment.

Ahhh... But, as luck would have it, as an author myself I had the good fortune to lay my hands on an early copy. I opened the fresh book planning to scan it for high-points and then file in the "get to it soon," pile... Ha ha.

That scanning turning into reading which turned into a completed book. I can't tell you exactly how but I can tell you that I feel an amazing sense of accomplishment, if only in completing something. More so, I am clear and energized. It's an amazing thing how words can awaken your soul and inspire your purpose.

There's a lifetime of wisdom in this masterpeice--but it's truly the power of the story that makes it work. There's a lot of smarts in every book store, online and in the world but so little knowledge matters for it's never effectively or inspirationally shared. Not the case here. Through a magically vivid story Robin shares a lifetime of transformational wisdom so effectively you won't even feel the pain of learning as it's "resistance free."

And as you may have gathered by now, it's not really a book of leadership, in the traditional sense. It's about LIFE and being a leader of self, an egoless leader of others and most notably a man or woman "at cause" in the world, making a difference. That's what truly matters most in this world we live in today.

If you're a place where you could use a boost of power, hope and confidence... have been thinking you could stand to take a strong handle of control in your life, make this the one book you embrace this year. You can thank us both later.

To Your Life @ FULL Strength,
Shawn Phillips


Author: Strength for Life: The Fitness Plan for the Rest of Your Life
Creator: Full Strength Premium Nutrition for Men ([...])

Do you like a moving story filled with powerful principles for improving your life? If so, this will fulfill your craving. Here's the crucial detail: this story *gives you an experience* so that the principles will stay with you -- and you can apply the principles to your daily life. The context of the story provides power. And here are samples of the principles: "Those who don't make time for daily exercise must make time for daily illness (p. 185)." "If something is important to someone who is important to you, it should become important to you as well (p.112)." "Your former habits of thinking and being must disintegrate before better ways of behaving can begin to integrate (p. 170)." "Take care of people and the money will take care of itself (p. 153)." "Victims recite problems. Leaders present solutions (p. xiii)." "Your words can show people possibilities they never knew existed (p. 113)." This book is a delightful surprise.

Tom Marcoux
CEO,
America's Communication Coach
Author of Be Heard and Be Trusted: How You Can Use Secrets of the Greatest Communicators to Get What You Want
and
Truth No One Will Tell You: How to Feed Your Soul, Save a Business, or Get a Job During an Economic Crisis
and
Nothing Can Stop You This Year!: How to Unleash Your Hidden Power to Persuade Well, Get More Done, Gain Sudden Profits, Command Intuition and Feel Great

"Learning and healing are more holistic when a busy mind experiences ease and fun in the process. Written in a clean style reminiscent of Og Mandino, Robin Sharma's fable sets a stage for you to accomplish your best as a human 'being' rather than a human 'doing'. Kudos, Robin." Barbara J. Semple, Best Selling Author, Instant Healing: Accessing Creative Intelligence for Healing Body and Soul

A wonderful fable that can provide inspiration for ALL potential leaders. Spritiual, yet practical, at the same time.

Fables are a timeless way to remember important principles. In his latest book author Robin Sharma has distilled 15 years of leadership skills and experience and braided them into a memorable story. The book starts by rekindling the desire to do one's best regardless of how burnt out or overwhelmed one might be feeling and then shows how to navigate one's way through various roadblocks.

Whether you are feeling down and out, or are already accomplishing your best the characters and their tales will help you remember ways in which you can use these nuggets of wisdom to turn problems into solutions.

A great book to have in your library and gift to others.

As a business owner who built my company from the ground up, I know what it takes to be a leader. Robin Sharma's book does a wonderful job of identifying leadership skills that anyone can use. You do have the power to lead, and Robin can show you how to claim that power.

The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and Life

The book is written in a style that would appeal to grade seven students: so what? That doesn't mean that it isn't filled with lots of fabulous deep insights: because it is!

The book is written in a fable style as one man undergoes a short journey with some deep learnin's going on.

Sharma's book shows some of the key actions you need to take, if you want to be at your fullest and most dynamic, no matter what your station in life is. Sharma covers four important principles needed to be great today. And he puts the actions (rules) in those principles into easy to remember acronyms.

For instance, under the "You Need No Title to Be a Leader" principle, the rules are IMAGE. These are Innovation, Mastery, Authenticity, Guts, and Ethics.

Under the "Turbulent Times Build Great Leaders" principle, the rules are SPARK. Speak (candidly), Prioritize (ruthlessly), Adversity (reveals opportunity), Respond (instead of reacting), Kudos (to everyone).

In the "Deeper Your Relationships, the Stronger Your Leadership" principle, the acronym is HUMAN. Helpfulness, Understanding (listen more, speak less), Mingle (be with your people), Amuse, Nurture (manage tough and tender at the same time).

Finally, in "To Be a Great Leader, Become a Great Person", the acronym is SHINE. See (clearly [pay attention to the type of thoughts you have]), Health (is Wealth), Inspiration (matters), Neglect (not your family), Elevate (your lifestyle).

These are all fabulous tips and, wrapped into easy to remember acronyms, are much more likely to be used and remembered. Some additional ones are KMF (Keep Moving Forward [when stalled]), and BIW (Best In World - how would that person use their time, right now?).

Having given the book a five star rating, I'll share my two minor complaints about some content, in the interest of "Speaking Candidly".

Firstly, Sharma suggests that, in order to make the time to achieve this excellence, we should all be able to get by on an hour's less sleep per night. But this isn't what the scientists are saying - they suggest that our society is dangerously sleep-deprived. Furthermore, other scientific research has shown that those attempting to achieve mastery in their chosen field, through dedicated practice, actually need about one hour MORE sleep than the average person. In IMAGE, Sharma suggests that we should seek Mastery at work (a worthy thing, I think), so these two facts don't mesh. Furthermore, there's some thinking that our society is, collectively, suffering from ADD (Sharma says so, and many agree), and sleep deprivation looks a lot like ADD. Finally, many scientists suggest that our collective health is suffering from a lack of sleep.

Perhaps he should instead focus only on the suggestion that we spend our time more wisely, and turn down/off the electronic distractions. Also, this seems like a "cheat" (as the kids call it) - let's just take the extra time we'll need for all of this out of the "blank ledger" (sleep) and no one will notice. This is exactly how the environment came to be as degraded as it is today - everyone assuming you can take or dump into something that appears "free" (like sleep). Sharma needs to be more informed on the sleep issue, and then more candid about where the extra time for this excellence will need to come from.

The second thing I have some issue with is the idea that we can all live an elevated lifestyle, full of Porches and world-class travel and that this is all "OK", and "nothing to feel guilty about". On the one hand, he does take issue with the idea that a life of possessions is meaningful in any deep way but, on the other hand, does sort of promote the idea that there's nothing wrong with everyone having a wealthy lifestyle. The only thing I'd ask Mr Sharma here is "Has he heard of global warming; considered that we are on the edge of the environmental precipice?" No? Well, perhaps he should ponder this issue even a little bit. I would look forward to a book of his, deeply considering this very serious issue we all face.

Notwithstanding these two issues, if you are looking for a book choke full of good ideas on how to be excellent in business and life, and full of inspirational quotes and thinking, then this is your book. It's up to you whether or not to use them. I, for one, intend to. I will also be passing this book onto my daughter in the hopes it helps her pursue excellence in her life.

"The Leader Who Had No Title" tells the story of Blake Davis, a veteran of the war in Iraq who is drifting along at his job, feeling disconnected from his work, from his relationship, and from life in general. One day an extraordinary character walks into his life. This eccentric old man knew Blake's father, and undertakes to transform his perspective on what really matters in business and in life.

He introduces Blake to four master teachers, including a hotel maid, a former athlete and sports shop owner, a former corporate CEO turned gardener, and a massage therapist. Each one gives Blake an intensive lecture worthy of any MBA curriculum, chock full of psychological and spiritual insights, and tied to acronyms that recap the points in their lessons. The story lines felt a bit forced at the time, but in retrospect, I appreciate those devices, because they brought life to a wealth of business and life wisdom that could have been overwhelming. By putting it all in a real-life context, it was easy to absorb and integrate. How many business books do you remember, hmm?

What I most appreciate about the book is Sharma's very spiritual interpretation of success. As one of the top leadership coaches in the country, I was delighted to find a philosophy that would be right at home in don Miguel Ruiz's "The Four Agreements". Sharma urges each of us to find balance in our inner lives to give us the energy to launch our gifts into the world. He encourages us to look at our work and our surroundings with fresh eyes, and see the possibility in every situation, and to do our best. We don't need titles or degrees - just find what needs to be done, whether at work or in the world, and do it.

Another aspect of the book that impressed me was the integrity of the message. It is not about quick fixes or shortcuts to success. It is a game plan for success that needs to be followed consistently over time. Sharma offers us the distillation of his enormous wisdom to show how each of us can be a leader in our own sphere and inspire those around us. This is a powerful book on the kind of leadership we need in the world by a leader who walks his talk. If we heed Sharma's call to be this change, collectively we can make a more wonderful world.

Don't get turned off by the fable and it's not a mere pattern that Robin Sharma uses fable. His message is so straightforward, yet so hard to receive that he has to use fable as a curve ball.

Robin said it took him 15 years to write this book and I believe it. This book is fully packed with life wisdom. You'll be amazed with the overflow of his philosophy.
Take a word who's read all of his books, and blogs, listened all podcasts, watched vlogs. This book is need to be read over and over.

My favorite part is "The 10 Human Regrets" (P34). It brings me to the realization that I have to live my utmost best. I'd like to give away everything I was given. For me, this book works as a mental reminder; I'd like to give away everything I was given.

Would it be sensational if school use this book as a textbook? I would like to see that happen.

This guy has an ability to bring you in to the story like a great story teller, with no ego and a lot of awe. The message is great!