Ridiculously Practical Leadership By Nathan Magnuson

What I like most about Nathan Magnuson’s leadership books is how immediately actionable and practical his teachings are.

His latest book, Ridiculously Practical Leadership: The One-Step Approach To Immediate High Performance, is a perfect example.

There is no fluff, no theory, just straight-up practical application covering 20 skill topics ranging from decision-making to difficult conversations to giving feedback to leading change and servant leadership.

“For twenty years I’ve studied leadership development. I’ve had a front row seat to many incredible leaders and others who meant well but got stuck in the all-too-familiar rut of too-long training classes emphasizing theory over application with little to show for the investment,” says Magnuson.

That’s why I wrote Ridiculously Practical Leadership. So, if you’re looking for an approach to leadership development that CEOs, CFOs and CHROs can all support and team leaders can't live without, this is it,” adds Magnuson.

The 20 skill topics are from Magnuson’s Leadership-in-a-Box® performance toolkit and training program. Each topic has its own chapter in the book. And Magnuson focuses on the single most crucial step a leader should take related to each chapter topic.

All chapters also feature a Key Takeaway section, Skill Application Question and Team Discussion Question.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book include:

The most effective way to initiate a difficult conversation on a critical issue is to start with facts.
The key to active listening is confirming your understanding of each essential message before providing a response.
The quickest way to develop someone’s talent is to build their competence in the core tasks of their current role.

The full list of 20 topics/chapters is:

Accountability: Who + What + When
Active Listening: Confirm Before Your Respond
Building Trust: How Easily Can I Get the Information I Need?
Coaching for High Performance: Every Leader’s 360° Coaching Opportunity
Communication Essentials: How Will the Other Person Hear This?
Decision-Making: What Are the Safe, Bold and Creative Options?
Delegation: Every Destination Begins with a Single Step
Developing Others: Equip Each Person with the Skills to Succeed
Difficult Conversations: Start with Facts!
Emotional Intelligence: What Does This Person (or Situation) Need from Me?
Engaging & Retaining Teams: Win the Heart!
Giving Feedback: How Can I Get It Right Next Time?
Influence & Persuading Others: Make the Right Way the Easy Way
Leading Change: Communicate Change with Clarity and Empathy
Managing Stress & Wellbeing: Recognize the Impact of Stress on the Team’s Performance
Managing Your Career: Turn Career Aspirations into Meaningful Conversations
New Leader Fundamentals: Quick Wins Aren’t Cliché, They’re Critical!
Servant Leadership: Results and Relationships in Action
Teamwork Essentials: Great Teammates Collaborate!
Time Management & Productivity: Productivity Is About Effectiveness

Nathan Magnuson

Magnuson shares these additional insights with us:

Question: Which skills are the most critical?

Magnuson: These are the five most utilized topics in order: Accountability, Difficult Conversations, Leading Change, Engaging & Retraining Teams, and Time Management & Productivity. But the most critical skills for you are the ones that have the most direct impact on your team or organization’s highest-priority performance goals.

Question: Do the skills build on each other?

Magnuson: Absolutely. Look for the common threads in the context of your team’s work. For example, how does trust affect engagement? How does influence affect change? How does delegation affect time management?

Question: Which type of leader is the book written for?

Magnuson: The book was actually written specifically for executive-level leaders. But the book is really for every person who leads something or someone…or who aspires to. It will help you identify which step to take and equip you to begin right away, regardless of the support you have around you.
___

Magnuson has worked as a talent leader for several Fortune 500 organizations, was a consultant in the national intelligence space and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom as a member of the U.S. Army Special Operations.

Thank you to Nathan Magnuson for sending me a complimentary copy of the book.

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