Leadersmithing: Revealing the Trade Secrets of Leadership

by Eve Poole

Shortlisted for the Business Book Awards 2018

'Leadership' is in danger of becoming a tired phrase in the world of management - it may sound cerebral and important, but more often comes across as static and trite. Which might explain why so many 'leaders' feel like imposters; they may have a vision or masterplan, but the reality is daily messiness, acute uncertainty and fragile loyalty from team members. Often, they have been parachuted in to transform a complex situation, or promoted in unexpected circumstances. Are there more effective ways in which people can learn the art of being a great leader?

Being an effective leader is about the daily grind, and it is a far from glamorous existence, but it can be hugely rewarding if leaders are realistic about the choices they face. In many trades and professions, mastery of the subject can take a lifetime; leadership is no different. An apprenticeship approach can breathe life into the development of leaders, day in, day out.

Using insights gained by Ashridge Business School about how leaders really learn, Leadersmithing guides readers through the process of becoming more precisely job-ready and more effectively resourced for the challenges they face. The result is a more confident leader, more perceptive as to their vocation and mandate, and able to maintain the most effective position at the very top of their game.

Genres: Leadership

226 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 9, 2017

Reviews

[Mark Griffiths · Rating 5 out of 5]

It wasn't quite what I expected, but that didn't stop it being very useful. The exercises are clearly built on solid research and I will be recommending this to all who lead in the Church in Wales.

[Richard Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Leadership” is a word which is much used nowadays, in many walks of life: politics, business, education, the military, and even the church. According to Eve Poole in this fascinating book, the very use of the word is problematic. It implies a mysterious quality that people either have or don’t have. Instead she coins the term “Leadersmithing” to indicate her belief that the qualities, skills, and characteristics required of a leader can be learned and honed, just like any trade. Her book is designed to help both current and aspiring leaders - in any field - to do just this.

The book is divided into two parts, the first theoretical, the second practical. Poole encourages her readers to delve into it as they wish, though it does repay reading all the way through. Two things struck me from part one. First, she utilises the discipline of neuroscience to demonstrate that we learn best in high stress situations, where the heartbeat and breathing are increased. The memories of these “critical incidents”, as she calls them, are particularly strong and so it is easier for the brain to recall the experiences learned in future such incidents. (For this reason, try reading a book after you’ve been for a run or the gym and see if it makes a difference to doing so when relaxed!). In her coaching, Poole simulates these critical incidents with the use of actors; but those without access to her expertise can replicate it by, for example, accompanying a colleague to difficult meeting to experience something of the stress of the situation. The second takeaway from part one was her comparison of “leadersmithing” to the apprentices of old. As an apprentice, you learned from a master at whatever craft; you spent time finding out what the different tools were, and what they are used for; and you would ‘have a go’ at making something before you were fully accepted as a craftsman or woman. All of this can be applied to the craft of being a leader.

Part two then takes us through the various tools and their uses. Poole identifies 52 skills, techniques, or characteristics that are needed by the leader. Each one is assigned to a value of a pack of cards (the ace of diamonds, for example, is knowing your strengths). Diamonds are all about personal resources; clubs relate to your physical impact on others; spades are practical tools and techniques; and hearts are about putting others at ease. I found all of these fascinating, and I agreed with so much that Poole said about them. An appendix helpfully indicates what “hands” of cards you need to deploy for the various “critical incidents” described in part one. To be honest, I felt rather overwhelmed by the sheer number - 52 - of things one needs to master. However, the beauty of Poole’s work is that it can be treated as a workbook, where you can continually go back and brush up on areas which need improvement. Charts at the beginning of each chapter describing the “suits” encourage you to give yourself a score for each “card”.

I would highly recommend this book for anyone wishing to develop both themselves as a human being, and their career, in whichever walk of life you find yourself.

[Amie · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting approach to leadership and what it is that really appealed to me and the format is very useful for repeat use. It's a book I return to often to guide me in various situations I find myself in.