Liquid Leadership: Inspirational lessons from the world's great leaders

Liquid Leadership: Inspirational lessons from the world's great leaders

by Damian Hughes
Released June 2009
Publisher(s): Capstone
ISBN: 9781906465438

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Book description

A practical, jargon-free and easily accessible book on making a difference as a leader, Damian Hughes’ Liquid Leadership draws on a diverse list of leaders in everyday life (Kim England, National Sales Training Manager at Unilever), to showbiz celebrities (John Lennon, Walt Disney), to renowned historical leaders (Shackleton, Eisenhower, Steve Jobs). 

There are no stuffy theories here. Instead, the book jumps energetically between film references from the Wizard of Oz, Alfie and Superman to the leadership styles of World-Cup winning coaches Alf Ramsay and Clive Woodward. Speckled throughout are examples of ‘Liquid Leaders’, from people you know – like James Timpson, head of the UK-wide group of key-cutting and shoe repair outlets – to people we don’t know, including Fergus Findlay of Barnardo’s in Ireland. This book offers you a joyous diversion that pushes home important theory effortlessly.  It ends with practical exercises designed to galvanise the reader into identifying how they need to change, as well as a very useful annotated bibliography.

Both of Damian’s books have been credited with helping people build their own houses, fight cancer and run marathons, so come on and be a fellow Liquid Leader!

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. Acknowledgements
  3. About the author
  4. Foreword
  5. Preface
  6. Why read this book?
  7. 1. WELL OF COURAGE
    1. 1.1. Show your struggle
    2. 1.2. Be a contender
    3. 1.3. Find your friends
    4. 1.4. Celebrate bravery
  8. 2. LIQUID ASSETS
    1. 2.1. What is your question?
    2. 2.2. What are your values?
    3. 2.3. Prioritize them
    4. 2.4. Are they helpful?
  9. 3. LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY
    1. 3.1. A vision is not a short-term fix
    2. 3.2. A vision is different from a mission
    3. 3.3. A vision shouldn't contain lots of facts and figures
    4. 3.4. A vision shouldn't be focused on what you don't want
    5. 3.5. A vision must be exciting
    6. 3.6. A vision should be true and consistent with what you stand for
    7. 3.7. A vision must be credible
    8. 3.8. A vision should be persuasive
    9. 3.9. A vision must be relevant
    10. 3.10. A vision must be easily understandable
    11. 3.11. A vision must make you go "wow!"
  10. 4. SAILING BY THE NORTH STAR
    1. 4.1. Meaning
    2. 4.2. T-shirt law
    3. 4.3. Bayern Munich FC: More than 1–0
    4. 4.4. Waldorf Astoria Hotel: Creating customers for life
    5. 4.5. Southwest Airlines: To democratize the skies
  11. 5. DRIP EFFECT
    1. 5.1. The 60 per cent rule
  12. 6. WATER GAUGE
    1. 6.1. Small details = big answers
    2. 6.2. Identify what is most valuable
    3. 6.3. Instinct
    4. 6.4. Regular revision
  13. 7. LIQUID SUNSHINE
    1. 7.1. Personal vs external
    2. 7.2. Permanent vs temporary
    3. 7.3. Pervasiveness vs specific
  14. 8. MAKE A SPLASH!
    1. 8.1. Exercise
  15. 9. TAKE HORSES TO WATER
    1. 9.1. Most human beings expect to be led
    2. 9.2. Four-minute warning
    3. 9.3. Lead by example
  16. 10. DEEP DIVE
  17. 11. FLUIDITY
    1. 11.1. Suspend your immediate judgement
    2. 11.2. Look to understand
    3. 11.3. Try to build
      1. 11.3.1. Exercise
        1. 11.3.1.1. Answers
  18. 12. SET SAIL!
  19. Personal postscript
  20. Exercises
    1. 12.1. Liquid assets exercise (page 22)
    2. 12.2. Liquid crystal display exercise (page 29)
    3. 12.3. Sailing by the north star exercise (page 51)
    4. 12.4. Drip effect exercise (page 63)
    5. 12.5. Water gauge exercise (page 69)
    6. 12.6. Liquid sunshine exercise (page 83)
    7. 12.7. Make a splash exercise (page 93)
    8. 12.8. Take horses to water exercise (page 103)
    9. 12.9. Deep dive exercise (page 117)
  21. Recommended reading

Product information

  • Title: Liquid Leadership: Inspirational lessons from the world's great leaders
  • Author(s): Damian Hughes
  • Release date: June 2009
  • Publisher(s): Capstone
  • ISBN: 9781906465438