Book Summary Preview : TRUST ME

The Big Idea
These days, where the corporate jungle metaphor has transformed into a definite jungle on its own, leadership has become one statement synonymous to corporate success. This book recognizes the leadership qualities that are inherent to everyone. Leadership is everywhere. But then, only a few are able to climb up the ladder and become really great ones.

What are the qualities common to great and successful leaders like Jack Welch, Abe Lincoln and even Babe Ruth? Ron Potter and Wayne Hastings will show you that effective leadership is simply rooted on the following time-tested principles: humility, development, commitment, focus, compassion, integrity, peacemaking and endurance. These principles, as you would observe, are nothing but condensed versions of what is popularly known from the Bible as The Beatitudes.

Key ideas

1. Humility

The Way of the Humble
Humility is the most essential principle accentuated in this book. The logic is basic– effective leadership is generally based on trust. Trust that is effortlessly earned once a humble disposition radiates within the organization. What then are the traits that make up a humble leader? Accordingly, a humble leader should be teachable, flexible and should have a receptive attitude towards change.

The Pitfalls of Pride
Pride is the exact opposite of humility. It is every leader’s enemy. It only makes one resistant to change. Why? Because a proud leader only wants self-initiated change, fears failure and is hesitant to come out of his comfort zone. Growth becomes stagnant if such attitude is maintained. A leader who wishes to be effective should quickly discard such traits.

Focus on What People Can Become
An effective leader should learn how to set aside personal goals. He should aim his target towards unleashing the best out of people. To achieve this, a leader should recognize the uniqueness of each individual; know what he wants and set goals towards the achievement of such; maintain a receptive attitude and know how to listen; promote honest communication and reward it; learn to accept mistakes and translate them in learning; pursue a commitment to develop others; and, provide a venue for other’s to sparkle.