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    Lead Like Water: Many Can Manage, Few Can Lead
    Lead Like Water: Many Can Manage, Few Can Lead
    Lead Like Water: Many Can Manage, Few Can Lead
    Ebook78 pages47 minutes

    Lead Like Water: Many Can Manage, Few Can Lead

    By James Bird Guess

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    About this ebook

    What is it that makes some leaders remarkably better than others? The most successful authentic leaders are like water—instead of just being powerful, they are essential. When they leave organizations, others follow them, even to competitors. When they leave prematurely, teams get dehydrated, morale dries up, and entire departments and organizations collapse. Just like water, they are vital. Can you name one living thing that can survive without water? Today’s successful companies and organizations also cannot survive without authentic leaders. Since nothing can survive without water, it’s imperative that we learn from water.
    Best-selling author and highly sought-after organizational development consultant James Bird Guess reveals his insights, ideas, and observations from training and coaching more than 20,000 supervisors, managers, and senior-level executives from around the world.
    As you drink from the pages of this book, you’ll discover:
    • How to influence without intimidation
    • What today’s employees need to stay motivated and boost morale
    • Making organizational vision and values contagious
    • The essential qualities of authentic leaders
    • The #1 skill today’s business leaders must develop: adaptability
    • Cultivating a work environment of trust, respect, open communication, and more

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJames Bird Guess
    Release dateAug 25, 2014
    ISBN9780989770910
    Lead Like Water: Many Can Manage, Few Can Lead
    Author

    James Bird Guess

    Homeless after high school and at rock bottom of his life, James Bird Guess discovered a success process called Grinding, in which a person creates success using ambition, vision, strategy and perseverance. Starting with only $1,000, poor credit, and a dream to become a millionaire, James single-handedly built a quarter million dollar enterprise selling products from the trunk of his car. Deciding to pursue his passion more than profit, he founded James Bird Guess International Success Academy, a leadership training and research company that trains thousands of managers and business leaders from organizations across the world, with one goal - to inspire the best performance out of people. From homeless to successful boot-strapping entrepreneur, to a world-renowned speaker and trainer, James is also the best-selling author of the book, How I Made a Quarter Million Dollar$ From the Trunk of My Car.

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      Book preview

      Lead Like Water - James Bird Guess

      Lead-Like-Water-1600-Barnes-and-Noble.jpg

      LEAD LIKE WATER

      MANY CAN MANAGE,

      FEW CAN LEAD

      JAMES BIRD GUESS

      Lead Like Water

      Copyright © 2014 by James Bird Guess International Success Academy LLC. All rights reserved.

      First Smashwords Edition: August 2014

      This eBook is licensed for the personal enjoyment of the original purchaser only. This eBook may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this eBook and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      James Bird Guess International Success Academy

      391 E. Las Colinas Blvd.

      Suite 130-350

      Irving, TX 75039

      www.JamesBirdGuess.com

      www.InternationalSuccessAcademy.com

      For information about author appearances or bulk discounts, please visit our website, www.InternationalSuccessAcademy.com, or e-mail us at

      info@internationalsuccessacademy.com.

      Editor: Jill Becker (www.jillbecker.net)

      Cover and formatting: Streetlight Graphics (www.streetlightgraphics.com)

      This publication is designed to provide educational information regarding the subject matter covered. However, it is sold with the understanding that the author and publisher are not engaged in rendering legal, financial, or other professional advice. Laws and practices often vary from state to state and if legal or other expert assistance is required, the services of a professional should be sought. The author and publisher specifically disclaim any liability that is incurred from the use or application of the contents of this book.

      Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.

      — Bruce Lee

      Dedication

      Here’s to those who lead authentically regardless of power, title, or authority.

      And to those who hunger for insight to start the process of authentic leadership.

      Acknowledgments

      GOD!

      Introduction:

      Leading Like Water

      In today’s workplace, many can manage, but few can lead. And many organizations are deficient in authentic leaders, the type of leaders who can influence others without intimidation and motivate teams to achieve remarkable results without having to use money or rewards as a motivator.

      These authentic leaders are not born, but made. Does that mean anyone can be an authentic leader? Yes! However, all of us have various degrees of potential that will distinguish the average from the good and the good from the great, but all of us have the potential to be authentic leaders. You must recognize your leadership potential and grind for it. Leadership is not an event, not a two-day seminar or a corporate retreat, not reading a best-selling book, but rather a process of growth. Growth only occurs during the process of change. And change begins with awareness, desire, and deliberate practice.

      What is it that makes some leaders remarkably better than others? The most successful authentic leaders are like water. Instead of being powerful, they are essential. More than likely, you have encountered a few authentic leaders in your professional career or maybe even worked for one. Remember, they were the ones who left and other employees followed them wherever they went, even to other organizations. When they do leave prematurely, teams get dehydrated, motivation dries up and shrivels, and entire departments and organizations collapse. Just like water, they are essential. Can you name one living thing that can survive without water? And since nothing can survive without water, it’s imperative that we learn from water.

      Water is essential to all things, just as authentic leaders are essential to all successful organizations. Water covers more than 60 percent of the earth’s surface. Water also makes up more than 60 percent of a human’s body weight.

      Water always flows to the lowest level. Authentic leaders are servants; they eat last, stay humble, put others first, and seek input from the lowest levels in organizations.

      Water is adaptable. It has the ability to adapt to meet changing circumstances. Depending on the situation, water can be a solid, liquid, or gas. Authentic leaders are flexible and can adapt to different personality styles and workplace situations.

      Water can be hard, like ice, when it needs to be. Authentic leaders know when to be

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