Inspirational leadership: Destiny, calling and cause [Hardcover]

I really wanted to love this book, but Mr. Secretan's approach kept pushing me away . . . despite the fact that I think that having an ennobling purpose for work is the right way to go, and the way that I conduct my life. Here are a few examples of the problems I am describing. First, he uses many metaphors that didn't work for me (including astrology, parceners -- someone who shares an inheritance with others -- a legal term, and movie scenes that I didn't like when I first saw them). Second, the book itself doesn't seem to manifest its own message. For example, an inspiring leader is supposed to be serving the parcener. I didn't feel served in the book. I mostly felt lectured to and exhorted. Third, there is a distinct hostility towards quantitative methods, mission statements, planning, positive feedback, and many other standard business methods. Why can't these activities also serve an inspiring purpose? Fourth, there is a tendency to categorize people as fitting into the model or not. Life isn't that simple. Most of us have our moments when we inspire and times when we don't. Thomas Jefferson is cited as a role model, but there's not a word here about his role as a slaveowner. Surely, that's an example of the type of mixed-up people we really are.

I suspect that it is easier to articulate Mr. Secretan's message by describing one's own activities as a leader than by ascribing it others. It seems very derivative to refer to others in isolated examples. Mr. Secretan's examples of his own leadership style (especially bugging the franchisee to fill out reports for months) usually didn't make me feel like that's what an inspiring leader would do. His most positive example is hiring a passionate helicopter pilot, but not knowing what role the person was to pursue. Mr. Secretan and the man worked it all out fine, but many people wouldn't feel inspired by a leader who is that unfocused.

The book contains a seven step process:

1. Self-define the leader's destiny.

2. Define the cause that the leader wants to serve.

3. Help parceners find what calling they feel most aligned with.

4. Align the individual's calling with the organization's cause.

5. Serve parceners.

6. Focus people on what they do best.

7. Create an environment in which people are inspired by both encouraging each other and by the physical surroundings.

This list was good because it articulated a process of human interaction that would allow everyone to feel better, have more energy, and aid one another. Leaders do need to start with themselves, before they can help others.

I kept looking for customers, partners, suppliers, shareholders, and the communities the organization serves. They were mostly missing. The notion seems to be that if the parceners are inspired and supported everyone else will do well, too. That may be true, but I haven't seen it done that way.

What I have seen done is to create an inspiring purpose that all stakeholders were delighted to support. I think of Habitat for Humanity as a good role model of this approach, and that organization has been one of the most successful (by quantitative measures) of any I have studied. In fact, I was astonished to read a book about inspirational leadership that talks a lot about Medtronic, but not about Habitat for Humanity. Well, no book is perfect.

If you are interested in inspiring leadership, you can find better books to help you. As General Schwarzkopf once said, "Be the leader you would like to have."

After you read this book, make a brief list of the best leaders you have known. Where did their inspiration come from? How did they inspire you and others? What were the benefits? How could more have been accomplished? How could the leadership have been better?

Learn from the best . . . and extend on towards the limits of human potential!