No Bullsh*t Leadership summary

Now that you know where you are and where you want to go, it’s time to figure out how you’re going to navigate the rough seas between the start and end points of your voyage. But leadership is about doing, not talking about it. So avoid endless hours of pointless meetings where different strategies are discussed. As captain, you’re not going to be predicting the weather based on complex environmental science; you can leave that to the meteorologists. Your job is to sail the ship – in other words, to get stuff done.

Now, simply executing decisions is often easier than it sounds; deciding between different courses of action can be a daunting task, particularly when the risk of failure is high. So how do you know which decision is the right one to take?

The cultural aspect of any organization is extremely important, as it defines the ways in which team members act both as individuals and in groups. But while many businesses define their company cultures with elaborate mission statements and lists of “values,” these don’t necessarily have anything to do with the way a company actually functions.

For your organization to avoid this fate, you’ll need to foster a cultural shift through actions, not words, and the best way to do this is by setting an example. That’s crucial, because the culture you want to create is one where decision-making thrives at all levels of your organization – and if you as a leader are a person of action, then everyone else is likely to follow suit.

While adopting an open organizational culture may be the best way to achieve your goals as a leader, any cultural shift will be less effective if you don’t have the right people on your team. This is why it’s necessary to broach the taboo topic of removing people from your team who are getting in the way of your organization’s success.

Luckily, ex-CEO of GE Jack Welsh came up with two questions that will help you determine who is holding you back: First, does an employee fit in with the culture of your organization? And second, does he deliver results? If the answer is yes to both questions, then this person is obviously a great fit. And it’s equally clear that those who don’t get your culture and don’t deliver need to be let go.

In many ways, leading is akin to hill-climbing. As a leader, it’s your job to convince your team that a hill is worth climbing; then, once you’ve reached the summit, you have to be able to point out yet another hill in the distance that the team will be climbing next. Along the way, some of the team may stumble and fall face-first into the ground, but it’s your job as a leader to get them back on their feet again.

As you plow through the peaks and troughs of the journey, times will undoubtedly get tough. But when this happens, it’s more crucial than ever that a leader keeps radiating the kind of energy and resilience that will inspire those who follow.  

Today’s world is one of constant disruptions. Whole industries are being shuttered, and ancient corporate behemoths are getting replaced by innovative competitors. But while many companies have fallen victim to the transformational changes occurring around us, some have weathered the storm and come out on top.

Such success stories hinge on successful change management, where new leaders come in to failing companies and attempt to turn things around. The author has over ten years of experience doing just this, and he has identified a number of strategies that leaders can employ when trying to fix broken businesses.