Leadership Is Overcoming the Natural

JOE JUDGE is an executive coach and thought partner whose extraordinary approachability and compassion have helped business leaders and teams at the highest levels. He assists C-level officers and business owners with life planning, executive retreats, and keynote addresses as well as coaching behind the scenes, challenging successful senior executives to resolve persistent issues and move themselves and their work to the next level. This book captures his unique mix of business insight and integrity-focused confidential coaching.MICHAEL D. MERRIL just can’t stop learning. He has advanced degrees in journalism, medicine, epidemiology, and business. He’s worked as a reporter, volunteer professor, physician, columnist, hospital administrator, and chief medical officer.

“Leadership Is Overcoming the Natural reminds me of the flight attendant before takeoff who instructs passengers that in a moment of turbulence, please first secure your oxygen mask, before attempting to assist others. The same rules apply to leadership. So often society pushes the ‘till the wheels fall off’ mentality, but doesn’t warn you of the aftermath of when the wheels really fall off (i.e., health issues, divorce, toxic atmosphere, failed leadership, bankruptcy, etc.). The book guides you on how to harness and leverage the natural power of taking care of your mental, physical, and spiritual well-being, before attempting to ‘lead’ others.” -- Joshua Reid, CEO & Founder, Inphlu, Inc

• Preface by Joe Judge GREAT LEADERSHIP IS NOT NATURAL LEADERSHIP IS A DECISION—MAKE SURE YOU’RE READY EVERY LEADER SHOULD HAVE A CABINET PEOPLE FOLLOW THOSE WHO DEMONSTRATE EMOTIONAL AWARENESS THE WAY YOU DO ONE THING IS THE WAY YOU DO EVERYTHING THE LAST PERSON TO GET YOUR PERSONAL FEEDBACK IS YOU DON’T ENJOY BEING RIGHT PEOPLE AT WORK CANNOT HEAL YOU FEAR OF SUCCESS IS FEAR OF SEPARATION YOUR SHADOW SIDE IS DEATHLY DANGEROUS ANXIETY AND FEAR ARE PART OF BEING HUMAN YOUR RAT BRAIN WILL TRY TO SABOTAGE YOU BECOME YOUR BETTER SELF ENERGY HAS LIMITS; SO DO YOU PEOPLE PLEASERS TEND TO PLEASE THE WRONG PEOPLE HARD DOESN’T MAKE IT WRONG DOING THE RIGHT THING IS THE BURGER, NOT THE KETCHUP BE THE PERSON OTHERS WANT TO HEAR LISTENING WELL REQUIRES SELF-AWARENESS FEELINGS FOLLOW THOUGHTS YOUR MENTAL MODELS MAKE YOU LAZY ALWAYS UPDATE THE STORIES YOU TELL UNCERTAINTY IS NOT NECESSARILY A BAD THING THERE ARE TEN RIGHT ANSWERS TO EVERY PROBLEM YOU MUST CONTINUALLY LEARN AND ADJUST TRUST AND RESPECT ARE NONNEGOTIABLES BELIEVE IN YOUR TEAM ENOUGH TO SPEAK THE TRUTH OTHER PEOPLE DETERMINE YOUR LEVEL OF SUCCESS SILOS GROW BACK DIVERSITY HELPS YOU DEAL WITH UNCERTAINTY KNOW WHY YOU’RE MEETING YOU SHOULD NOT BE FRIENDS WITH THOSE YOU LEAD BOUNDARIES SOLVE MORE PROBLEMS THAN WE IMAGINE FRIENDLY IS BETTER THAN FRIENDS YOU ARE PAID NOT TO AVOID CONFLICT IF YOU DON’T AGREE WITH YOUR BOSS, HIDE IT ASK YOURSELF WHAT YOU ARE MISSING BY NOT THINKING JUDGE LEADERS BY HOW THEY PROMOTE OTHERS YOUR JOB IS TO MAKE YOUR BOSS LOOK GOOD DON’T LET YOUR INTELLIGENCE BE DEVILISH BE THE CEO OF YOURSELF DON’T SOLVE YOUR TEAM’S PROBLEMS SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE THRIVE ON ACCOUNTABILITY WHEN PEOPLE DON'T DO WHAT THEY SHOULD,THEY PROBABLY DON'T KNOW HOW BAD FIT DOESN’T MAKE BAD PEOPLE THE DIRECTION IS ALWAYS FORWARD MOVE FROM TACTICAL TO EXPLORATORY CONVERSATIONS VISION IS ABOUT LONG-TERM SERVICE TO HUMANITY ACT ON THE OBVIOUS, AND YOU CAN CHANGE THE WORLD HELP PEOPLE THRIVE DON’T GROW OLD WAITING FOR AN APOLOGY DON’T STEP ON OTHER PEOPLE’S VALUES REFLECTION IS A BETTER TEACHER THAN EXPERIENCE CHOOSE A PATH TO DEVELOP YOURSELF THE WORK OF DEVELOPMENT IS NEVER COMPLETE Acknowledgments