The book – – is an interesting and unexpected engaging read. For many leadership books “tout” perfect ways of doing things, they suggest that stress and conflict is only for the weak. Snyder takes a more pragmatic approach to explaining some of the tensions and how to navigate them.
In this book review I explore the structure and some of the key messages.
In his introduction Snyder starts out by saying how spellbound he was looking at the first public demonstration of Lisa, Apple’s first computer with a graphical user interface. We later found out that behind jobs is charisma and bravado jobs was deeply conflicted and struggling within Apple about the positioning of their then Lisa and Macintosh computers, along with social and personal conflicts.
It is examples like this sheer brilliance and personal struggle that appears to be at the heart of many successful leaders.
Snyder’s book is based around what he calls the pathway to adaptive energy. This starts with the struggle which combines change with tensions and being out of balance. Through the application of grounding processes the individual then becomes grounded becoming grounded is like gaining a mooring on the struggle and restoring balance. Once grounded can start exploring practices and through exploring practices we can explore the pathways. Looking at new pathways allows us to reimagine the situation to discover a new creative path, to reinvent ourselves, to overcome our blind spots and to heal ourselves conflict. Finally through the use of deepening practices we can learn to deepen adaptive energy stop this is about realising that the leadership journey is a marathon not sprints. The journey becomes more enjoyable and rewarding with each more as we learn and adapt and apply the deepening practices, this helps us prepare for what lies ahead and wholeness the power of discipline. In the end celebrating what precious to us.
The tension map – Leadership and Art of Struggle By Steven Snyder
This is based on a full box grid where across a horizontal we have traditions for the past mean to aspirations for the future and on vertical from our identity in which tours relationships outward in our balance between these four factors. Snyder suggests that looking at the tensions we encounter on this model can help us prepare and both reflect the successes and failures
Celebrate what precious – Leadership and Art of Struggle By Steven Snyder
In the final chapter of the book Snyder encourages us to reflect on what is truly precious to each of us. What is worthy of our time effort and energy. For what is precious is more about a moment anything or journey. Often identifying what is precious to each of us is not within our business world, but within our family and relationships around us. In the closing remarks to the book Snyder states that many of us will have met some very special interests Lizzie says at the end of the day is best not to judge ourselves by how our own lives measures up to that of any of these individuals. Instead more useful yardstick is how well we find a unique path, tapping into our potential, becoming the best person we can possibly be. For the to struggle lies not in achievements but in the ripples from the journey and how we have grown along the way, the lives we touched the kindness was shown, the ways we bought to life our most important base.
Summary – Leadership and Art of Struggle By Steven Snyder
whilst there is a certain amount of repetition in this book is therefore focus and consistency whilst the times the tone appears to be a little eccentric, the messages are well formed and grounded. It’s a book which recognises that not all is easy to do nor is perfection required but the fact that everything we do in order to be successful requires balance and compromise.
Leadership and Art of Struggle By Steven Snyder is a great book for those who believe they have all the answers and for those who feel like they are constantly pushing water uphill, for throughout the struggle there will be in can be successes if were prepared to sit up and look.
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