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I’ve been working on improving my leadership skills lately. It started after reading the 7 habits and realizing that whether I became a manager or not, I was going to be thrust into a leadership role when my son came along.

The Leadership Challenge is the book I’m currently reading. It’s required reading at my work for all managers. I’m very impressed with it. It covers the same stuff as the 7 habits when it comes to leadership, but it does so in more detail. Kouzes and Posner cover some very heady concepts but manage to keep it interesting and quick by filling this book with stories and anecdotes that reinforce the point they’re trying to make.

I’ve barely scratched part one of this book, yet I’ve found so many places where I need to pay attention. I find too easily that I go into a critical mode or that I will tell a co-worker what the ideal process would be to get the job done, yet when in the same situation and under the gun, I take the shortcut. If I don’t change that part about me, there is no way I will be able to get anyone in my group to believe in my vision and to help transform us after the departure of our last great manager.

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