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Why Business Leaders Should Think Like A Venture Capitalist

The book,   The Venture Mindset , is all about how to make smarter bets and achieve extraordinary growth. The authors,  Ilya Strebulaev   and   Alex Dang , explain that if any company wants to win big in competitive times, they need to think differently. They need to think like a venture capitalist (VC).   “This book teaches you to spot new opportunities, nurture the right talent, foster a culture of innovation, and take calculated risks,” say Strebulaev and Dang.   In their book, the authors share  nine distinct principles inspired by the unique way VC’s think :  Home Runs Matter, Strikeouts Don’t Get Outside the Four Walls Prepare Your Mind Say No 100 Times Bet on the Jockey Agree to Disagree Double Down or Quit Make the Pie Bigger Great Things Take Time  These nine principles drive VC’s unique behaviors that have flourished in an ecosystem of thousands of startups, some of which went on to disrupt or create entirely new industries, accordi...
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How To Be A Servant Leader

Check out the  definitive book on servant leadership . It's a curated collection of incredibly insightful and motivational perspectives on servant leadership via essays by 44 servant leaders. Edited by  Ken Blanchard  and  Renee Broadwell ,  Servant Leadership in Action , includes the personal stories from some of the most well-respected authorities on leadership: Patrick Lencioni John C. Maxwell Marshall Goldsmith Stephen M. R. Covey Plus, you'll read keen advice from celebrated sports coaches, company CEO's, pastors and retired military leaders. Each of the  44 stories/chapters  stands strong on its own. However, Blanchard and Broadwell group them within  six parts : Fundamentals of Servant Leadership Elements of Servant Leadership Lessons in Servant Leadership Examples of Servant Leadership Putting Servant Leadership to Work Servant Leadership Turnarounds Get your pen or highlighter ready. You're sure to take lots of notes as you capture advice...

Eight Ways To Demonstrate You Value Your Employees

There are  eight specific actions  business leaders can take to  show that they value their employees , according to  Andrew Leigh , author of the book,   Ethical Leadership -- Creating and Sustaining an Ethical Business Culture . Those  eight behaviors  are: Attention  -- Pay attention to what people say to show your interest. Listen  -- Make time to hear what colleagues, peers and employees have to say to show you care. Positive Language  -- Find words and phrases to show employees they're needed.  Examples are, "We couldn't have accomplished this without you," "That was really useful." Document  -- Put praise in writing to increase its impact.  Make clear where the credit belongs. Micro Sessions  -- Create two-way communication sessions. Visits  -- Schedule visits to teams and work areas. Stories  -- Share stories that highlight unusual contributions and provide your personal response to them. Invite...

How To Negotiate Disagreement Without Giving Up Or Giving In

  In today’s age of rising division and polarization, disagreement often feels like a zero-sum game.  Unable or unwilling to negotiate conflict with skill, we ignore it or avoid it for as long as possible; when we are forced to face it, we escalate everyday disagreements and temporary flare-ups as if they’re life-and-death. Neither approach addresses underlying issues, promotes stronger relationships, nor yields satisfying results.  It’s no wonder we try to avoid conflict and have a challenging time finding consensus. Conflict is getting the better of us.  But what if conflict could be reframed—not as an obstacle to be overcome but as an opportunity to forge stronger relationships?  In the new book, Conflict Resilience: Negotiating Disagreement Without Giving Up or Giving In , two former Harvard faculty—internationally-recognized negotiator, mediator and conflict management expert Robert Bordone , a Senior Fellow at Harvard Law School, and leading behavi...

How To Be A Healthy Leader

In  Bob Rosen ’s book,  Grounded: How Leaders Stay Rooted In An Uncertain World , he explains that there are  six dimensions of being a healthy leader : Physical health : how you live. How you manage your mind and body – managing your energy and living a peak performance lifestyle. Emotional health : how you feel. This is about being self-aware and having positive emotions and the ability to be resilient, catching yourself when you have a counterproductive thought. This also includes seeking feedback from others about how you act and trying to be more reflective. Intellectual health : how you think. This is about asking questions, being deeply curious and seeing changes as an opportunity to grow, learn and reassess the way you see and talk about the world. Social health : how you interact. This is about authenticity. How do you build relationships? Are you being honest about yourself? Are you comfortable being vulnerable? Do you consider other people’s viewpoints? Vocatio...

Seven Ways To Be A Collaborative Leader

Edward M. Marshall 's book,  Transforming The Way We Work -- The Power Of The Collaborative Workplace , remains relevant today, more than a decade after Marshall wrote it. Particularly useful is the book's section that teaches readers  how to be a collaborative leader . Marshall says that there are  seven different, important roles and responsibilities of collaborative leaders when leading teams , and those leaders should select the appropriate style to meet the team's needs. The seven roles are : The leader as sponsor  -- You provide strategic direction, boundaries and coaching for the team. You also monitor progress and ensure integrity in the team's operating processes. The leader as facilitator  -- You ensure that meetings, team dynamics, and interpersonal relationships function effectively. You also ensure internal coordination of activities among team members. The leader as coach  -- You provide support and guidance and you serve as a sounding board. ...

How To Be A Radical Listener To Create True Connections

I just read the best book I have ever read about how to be a great listener. It is called Radical Listening by authors Prof. Christian Van Nieuwerburgh (PhD) and Dr. Robert Biswas-Diener . This book will expertly guide you to move from being an active listener to becoming a radical listener.  Radical listening is a profound practice that moves beyond simply hearing words to actively co-creating meaning.  “Most of us recognize the value of great listening. In fact, most people are familiar with approaches to ‘active listening’ and employ conversational techniques such as maintaining eye contact, nodding, and repeating speaker statements,” explain the authors.  “In our book, we present an alternative approach that builds on traditional active listening but extends it in dynamic ways. We present a simple but powerful framework for listening that includes attention to a listener’s motivation as well as to both the mental and behavioral aspects of listening.”  ...