The World's Best Book Summaries
Building a team where everyone can make decisions sounds great in theory. But it works only when people have the skills and judgment to back up those choices. L. David Marquet discovered this firsthand as a submarine commander, and his observations reveal how leaders can systematically improve competence in their teams. Continue reading to learn how to develop the kind of competence that makes distributed authority powerful instead of risky.
The leadership model most organizations still use was designed for a different era—one where work meant physical labor, not complex problem-solving. Retired US Navy Captain L. David Marquet explains why traditional leadership fails for modern knowledge work: It wastes human potential, creates organizational fragility, and can’t scale to meet today’s challenges. Keep reading to explore the deeper forces that keep this broken system in place—and what it would take to move beyond it.
Traditional leadership often operates on a “leader-follower” model, where those at the top hold the reins while the front lines simply execute orders. To build a resilient organization, leaders must shift this power dynamic and decentralize authority to the people actually doing the work. By moving decision-making closer to the source of information, organizations can move faster and more effectively. Read on to see how L. David Marquet’s transformation of the USS Santa Fe reveals how decentralizing authority creates a culture of ownership where every team member is empowered to act like a leader.
In today’s fast-paced knowledge economy, traditional top-down management often stifles innovation by treating employees as passive followers. Transitioning to a leader-leader model fundamentally shifts this dynamic by distributing decision-making authority to those closest to the information, transforming a disengaged workforce into a proactive team of empowered problem-solvers. By implementing a leader-leader model, organizations move away from a “one brain” system where only the top executive thinks and everyone else executes. Instead, every individual is encouraged to take initiative and act as a leader within their own domain of responsibility. Continue reading to see how this approach fosters a culture of
When faced with difficult decisions, most of us fall into the same trap: We choose the least bad option from whatever alternatives we’re given, then wonder why we’re still not satisfied with the outcome. But what if there were a way to create better options rather than simply choosing between existing ones? In their book Creating Great Choices, Jennifer Riel and Roger L. Martin explore what integrative thinking is and how it differs from conventional decision-making approaches. They also examine why our usual methods of making tough choices often fail us, creating the problems that integrative thinking is designed to
Do you want to fix the slowdowns, bottlenecks, and everyday hassles that drain organizations? How do you know when friction is a costly drag versus a helpful safeguard? In their book The Friction Project, Robert I. Sutton and Huggy Rao answer those questions by giving you a clear path for diagnosing, reducing, or adding friction so your team can work smarter and avoid avoidable frustration. This article will discuss the authors’ advice on becoming a friction fixer. First, we’ll explain what friction is, its costs, and its benefits. Then, we’ll discuss how to determine an appropriate level of friction for
In both sports and business, the key to victory is not raw talent, but the two “big Cs”: character and coaching. In their book You Win in the Locker Room First, Jon Gordon and former NFL coach Mike Smith discuss the unseen work of building trust, commitment, and shared purpose that lays the groundwork for future triumphs. This overview categorizes Gordon and Smith’s principles for success under those two big Cs. We’ll discuss why team members must be fully dedicated to each other and the team, and we’ll explain how your coaching methods can help that group of dedicated people
Being a CEO means juggling countless responsibilities. It’s a role that demands both boldness and careful planning, vision and execution, leadership and humility. In CEO Excellence, McKinsey & Company partners Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra distill insights from 67 top-performing chief executives into practical wisdom you can apply. Whether you’re already in the C-suite or aspiring to get there, keep reading to discover strategies that will help you lead more effectively while protecting your own well-being.
Do you want to improve the way your teams work in the office? How can you get complete strangers to work together effectively? Working with teams today in a constantly changing environment demands a flexible approach that traditional teamwork can’t provide. In Teaming, Amy C. Edmondson offers a solution: dynamic collaboration that brings together diverse expertise without requiring years of shared work history. Read more in our overview of Teaming.
Are you tired of DEI programs that sound good on paper but fail to create real change? What does it actually take to build a workplace that champions diversity, equity, and inclusion? Lily Zheng’s DEI Deconstructed: Your No-Nonsense Guide to Doing the Work and Doing It Right cuts through the noise with a no-nonsense approach to diversity work. The book reveals why most corporate initiatives backfire and offers a practical roadmap for organizations ready to move beyond surface-level gestures. Read on to discover how to transform your workplace into one where meaningful progress replaces empty promises.