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Each chapter identifies and unpacks one small habit. The habit is surfaced and examples provided to bring it to life. Then, different strategies are presented to course-correct on this habit. Each chapter is short in nature and easily digestible. This book can be read cover-to-cover or picked through chapter by chapter in any order desired. It is also designed to be read once all the way through with leaders identifying habits that speak to them and returning to those chapters as needed.
List of contents
Preface
Introduction: Even Effective Leaders Have Blinds Spots and Bad Habits
Chapter 1: Being Inconsistent
Chapter 2: Relying Too Much on Email
Chapter 3: Talking About How Busy You Are
Chapter 4: Failing to Give Gratitude
Chapter 5: Inappropriate Social Media Use
Chapter 6: Making Hiring Decisions Based on Implicit Bias
Chapter 7: Conflating Authority with Influence
Chapter 8: Neglecting Mental and Physical Self-Care
Chapter 9: Avoiding Difficult Conversations
Chapter 10: Engaging in Subtle Favoritism
Chapter 11: Trying to Always Win an Argument
Chapter 12: Devaluing Support Staff and their Impact
Chapter 13: Not Holding People Accountable
Chapter 14: Having an Overwhelming Need to be "Me"
Chapter 15: Not Being Solid with your Family
Chapter 16: Talking Way Too Much
Chapter 17: Managing Too Much Minutiae
Chapter 18: Unprofessional Dress Habits
Chapter 19: Accepting Silence as Agreement
Chapter 20: Being Consistently Late to Meetings
Chapter 21: Transferring Ownership for Poor Outcomes
Chapter 22: Not Adapting Language to Fit your Audience
Chapter 23: Getting on the Wrong Side of Important Gatekeepers
Chapter 24: Associating Mistakes with Failure Rather than Opportunity
Chapter 25: Not Intentionally Planning and Scheduling
Chapter 26: Tolerating Poor Organizational Culture
Chapter 27: Throwing Others Under the Bus
Chapter 28: Failing to Focus on Continuous Improvement
Chapter 29: Delegating Up
Chapter 30: Misreading Reality
Chapter 31: Being a Bad Communicator
Chapter 32: Lack of Patience with Outcomes
Chapter 33: Rating Employees by One's Own Personal Measuring Stick
Chapter 34: Seeking Comfort over Discomfort
Chapter 35: Tolerating Subpar Performance
Chapter 36: Focusing on how Things "Should Be" Rather than How they Are
Chapter 37: Overthinking How to Move Forward
Chapter 38: Confusing Others' Interests with Your Own
About the Author
About the author
Larry Dake is a district-level administrator in upstate New York who, over the last dozen years, has served as a curriculum coordinator, building principal, and assistant superintendent. Prior to that, he was a high school social studies teacher. Additionally, he has taught in the Binghamton University Educational Leadership program since 2017.
Summary
The aspiring leader, early career leader, and the veteran leader will all benefit from reflecting upon these small habits and their own leadership practices.
