Leadership and Failure: De-railed Book Review
If you are a leader, you will fail. But, that failure does not have to be catastrophic. Tim Irwin has written a wonderful documented book on lessons we can learn from the catastrophic failure of others, including the high profile Carly Fiorina (Hewlett Packard) and the more recently in the news again Frank Raines (Fannie Mae).
These examples, plus others, give a good basis for an interesting study in how failure gets on its own track and eventually derails. The most interesting observation to me is that it is so easy to notice from the outside but difficult to see for one’s self. This is probably because the first two stages of the process involve a slow failure of self-/other-awareness and pride. Derailment is a process not usually a single event.
As someone who as found his own train off the tracks, I wish I would have had this information years ago. It is not just a book to keep you on the tracks but one that attempts to make you a better leader. From helping leaders deal with stress to making better decisions, De-railed expounds on the lessons learns and then works to help you develop the habits to stay on the track.
Leaders have to be more open to feedback, develop a great system for self-/other-awareness, listen to early warnings (this book tells you what they are) and foster accountability in themselves and others. (As an added bonus: the publisher offers two additional “freebies” for download.)
