Do you want to truly be a remarkable leader? (Win the book!)

GTY I don't ask the question lightly.  It's no small commitment.  To genuinely be a leader, you have to go far beyond reaching your organizational goals or profitability targets.

To be an extreme leader, you have to be ready to love.  As my friend Steve Farber would say…

“Real leadership is an extreme act rooted in love and motivated by a desire to create a better world…Truly great leaders in life become so because they cause others to be greater than themselves.”

In today's world…we need those kinds of leaders more than ever.  Do you have what it takes to be one?

That's the challenge that Steve's new book, Greater Than Yourself puts on the table for all of us.  In a style that is uniquely his, Farber's business parable takes on a journey we won't soon forget.  Like his earlier books, Radical Leap (my vote for best leadership book) and Radical Edge — this book moves at an incredible pace and you'll find yourself completely enveloped in the story and the lessons within.

It's not just a feel good or inspirational read.  You'll find actionable steps that will lead you to putting the book into practice.

There's also free resources to help you get started at the Greater Than Yourself website.  Be sure you watch Steve's video interviews with Patrick Lencioni (The Five Dysfunctions of a Team, The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family), and Matthew Kelly (The Dream Manager, The Rhythm of Life: Living Every Day with Passion and Purpose) and his own GTY project partner, Tommy Spaulding.

Get the book today.  Pay for the super fast shipping.  Then, prepare to be different and better leader.

I have three copies of the book to give away.  To enter, leave a comment and if you will — tell us about someone who lifted you up to be even better than you were.

Update:  Congrats to our book winners — Chris O, Peter K and Janet G.

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

16 comments on “Do you want to truly be a remarkable leader? (Win the book!)

  1. Chris O. says:

    “It’s not just a feel good or inspirational read. You’ll find actionable steps that will lead you to putting the book into practice.”

    Phew… not a feel good book. I love actionable.

    best,
    Twitter= @christopherott

  2. Janet Green says:

    I had the opportunity to share this story just yesterday with someone I had just met. It sounds kind of silly at first, but it still brings my emotions to the fore. My daughter Stephanie, who is 15, continues to lift me up to be better than I ever would have been without her. Here is my favorite example:

    A few years ago, I was learning to ride a motorcycle and was going through a lack-of-confidence crisis. I had dropped the bike twice (at slow speeds, no injuries), both times in the same situation, but could not figure out what I was doing wrong. I let the bike sit that year from mid-June all the way into late the next Spring before getting on it again, and finally decided, I either have to ride it or sell it.

    I took the bike to a nearby parking lot to practice, with my husband and Stephanie in tow. I was sitting on the bike with the engine running, clutch pulled in, with tears running down my face – I was scared, and mad. I was near the point of just saying ‘forget it,’ when I looked over and noted Stephanie sitting on the curb, looking at me, and it occurred to me: What would she learn if I gave up because this was difficult? And, what would she learn if she saw me, knew I was scared, and pushed through it anyway to accomplish my goal?

    Although it was my own idea to learn to ride, it was my daughter’s completely innocent presence at the right moment and in the right place that pushed me forward. She made me better than I was, and continues to do so with moments just like this, almost every single day. Thanks, Drew, for the chance to share.

    Janet G.

  3. I learn something from every person I meet, be it do’s or don’ts. We all have or know a special something that only we do, so we have a lot to learn from others. I try to follow that rule, for what it’s worth.

    Thanks, Drew, for the giveaway.

  4. Eric J. says:

    I love the blog, and read every post. Growing up, someone who helped mold me into something better than I had been was my grandmother.

    My grandmother had an aggressive view towards life. After beating breast cancer she continued to live her life like normally, spending as much time as possible with those she cared about most. She was the spunky kind of grandma who loved her sports, and could blow away the weekend with us grandkids watching the Cubs choke away a lead. She always took an interest in our lives and challenged us to work hard and push our potential in school and extracurriculars.

    When a second round of cancer hit, she didn’t let it slow her down, and often refused to ask for help even when she could barely get up. It was this determination that I always admired most from her. My family knew it was her time and panicked to spend their last moments with her. It was an emotional display of the effect my grandma had on those around her. However, my grandma never showed fear, and fought to enjoy her time with her family and friends as she always had. Growing up she taught me to value the time and opinions of others, even those I disagreed with like pesky younger sisters.

    My grandma was also adamant about making sure I always fought towards my goals in life because life would not slow down for you. Whether it was working another hour on a project for an A instead of accepting an easy B, or sticking through football even though all the players were bigger and faster than I was, she was always there telling me to keep trying.

    When I had my chance to say my final goodbyes to her, she simply said, “remember, the Cubs are always going to suck.” She had no regrets, and no fears of leaving family and friends that she had spent her life with, and our final moments seemed fitting for everything we’d experienced together.

    When looking for the motivation to get through a tough paper, watching a Drake men’s basketball team struggle after a dream season, or even trying to work things out after an argument with someone, I can always think back to my grandma to pursue on and not to let life get you down. So it’s because of her that I don’t give up today.

  5. Drew,
    Thank you for this review of Steve Farber’s Greater Than Yourself. I follow him on Twitter and have also checked out the resources from the GTY web site. Thank you for inviting us to share.

    I am grateful and appreciative to quite a number of people who’ve lifted me up. Some are within my circle of loved ones and some were people I didn’t really know that well which reinforced my faith in humanity. But I’d like to showcase my mother as someone who lifted me up and continues to do so even though she passed 6 yrs ago. As a leader, she unselfishly motivated & pushed my siblings and I forward as well as her students and their parents. And a lot of them let us know that when she passed on. She always said that we can be successful while helping others and that it wouldn’t take away from us, only enhance & better us.

    Cheers and Positive Vibes, Raycent

  6. Matt M. says:

    Drew,

    Thank you for posting on Steve Farber’s new book. In regards to the question at hand, the person who lifted me up was not a member of family or significant other, but my best friend- which by extension would be family.

    Years ago I had done like many high school graduates and pondered my options and opportunity in my new life. Like a lot of “troubled youths”, I was confused where my life was heading and just how much potential I actually had to succeed. Life was real all of a sudden and very frightening. I had no grasp on what to do and furthermore, no intention on really doing anything.

    I remember all of my friends were going off to great schools and I was left behind. I didn’t know where to start, where to go and who to ask for help. I still remember to this day, my good friend did something that to many was small, but in my life now was one of the biggest events. My good friend came beating on my door one morning and practically dressed me and threw me into his car. He drove me out to a local college and helped me get enrolled and financed. I started literally the next week and it has since opened up opportunity and truly changed my life. I do not know what a testament to leadership this may be, but a great leader knows when to lift morale, help out and walk beside you to make you a better person- this is just what he did for me.

    Hope this helps!

  7. Marie Wikle says:

    Drew
    Thanks for the great post about what seems to be an awesome book.

    As someone else stated – I try to grow from everyone I meet – especially exceptional leaders. You can pick up on leaders of this type very quickly and any wise individual would do well to soak up every bit of knowledge from these leaders that they can.

    This isn’t usually hard to do – as many excellent leaders are very sharing and giving individuals. They want to be able to celebrate the success of others and are usually happy to pitch in.

    This kind of mentality has taught me to try and learn from every situation that I’m in too. Even though some instances are not pleasant – learning from those times are usually the most beneficial.

    Thank you for how you help us little guys to keep going, keep growing and stay focused.

  8. mara Roberts says:

    So awesome to find like-minded business people. I love the marketing industry and the opportunity it brings to build people up and develop them. One of the best leaders that I know is my husband- To watch how he brings people along side him- building people up in their skills and learning from them to.

    What a jy it is to work for a good leader- ad become a good leader yourself.

  9. Barb G. says:

    Hi Drew:

    Timely post. These days one wonders if the leaders going to jail for fraud had any mentors.

    I’ve had the privilege of knowing Harry Watts for over 30 years. He was the executive director of ADAI for 50 years. He is a true example of a leader who loves to help others succeed. His generosity continues to be inspiring.

    One of the best pieces of advice that he gave me was this: If you are going to be a leader, you must have a thick skin.

    In my many positions as a leader, from Sunday school teacher, scout leader, president of ADAI and other oganizations, I didn’t always have a thick skin. I got discouraged often. But knowing I might a difference in the world kept me going. Once I learned from Harry to have a thick skin, I became a better leader.

    Steve Faber is right, leading is about making the world a better place. But I know it isn’t easy. When complaints fly and work that has been delegated doesn’t get done and disappointment after disappointment make me want to quit, I remember Harry’s advice. My thick skin helps me stay focused on the goal and not the obstacles.

  10. Oana York says:

    With the risk of sounding too cliche, I will say that the person who most lifted me up and motivated to be the best I can be was my Mom. She always believed in me and told me that I could do anything I would put my energy into. She trusted me and gave me the freedom to be my own person and go after my own dreams.

    Her blind faith in my capabilities was a fueling force behind my successful school records, my unexpected admission to one of the best high-schools in my hometown of Cluj Napoca, Romania and get admitted at a University where there were 5 candidates competing for one spot, making me the first to graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in her family.

    Beaten down by life and naysayers, I almost forgot her message until I met TJ, a life coach and personal trainer. He pulled me from the darkness of grief after my Mom’s death by telling me exactly what she told me all those years growing up: ‘You have everything you need to make your dreams come true’.

    I am now a mid-level marketing professional, with not only a bachelor degree, but also having graduated my MS in the United States with honors… and, most importantly, I now do believe that I can do anything I set my mind to.

  11. Hi Drew,

    This sounds like a terrific book. You certainly cannot lead for long if you’re self-focused or self-aggrandizing.

    This whole topic was brought home to me yesterday when I went to see an exhibit of photos from the civil rights movement. A mix of people who appeared born to lead (e.g., King, Abernathy) and thousands of
    ordinary people who chose to do extraordinary things. It’s my reminder that true leadership requires stepping up and stepping out ahead of the crowd simply because it’s right or necessary.

    Best,
    Daria

  12. Jimmy Chan says:

    I had a problem and still face a problem leading people… but with Ur latest article commenting that bringing the best out of people genuinely makes you a leader.

    On reflection I remember A Senior Lecturer who brought out the best of me not in a challenging manner but very supportive manner and allow me to practice the skill I gain and acknowledge me for that and with that I achieved the CIM qualification when I was much younger.

    The concept theoks holds is definitely right and I would like to get my hands on it…Thanks.

  13. Sounds like an awesome book.

    A couple of years ago, my husband lifted me up to be something greater than myself. I was just starting to write a book and the task seemed unbelievably daunting. There were so many pieces. It had to come together word by word, page by page, chapter by chapter (on top of my day job), and that’s before any of the editing, design and publishing could begin. At the end of hard days, I had no faith I would finish it.

    At the time, my husband was training for a marathon, and had just done an Ironman triathlon. He kept comparing his training to my working on the book. I would argue that he gets daily benefits from training but I won’t see a book payoff for years.

    But it was one single day of his months of training that got my butt in gear. He was tired and felt like he was getting a cold, but a run was on the schedule. There was no way around it. He put on his running clothes, inserted headphones in ears and went on the run. It was an incredibly powerful reminder for me that a big accomplishment comes together one very small piece at a time. It’s all those little pieces that add up to a successful marathon, book or anything else. That in effect helped me “eat the elephant” one bite at a time – and finish the book.

    Casey

  14. Drew,

    My four and six year old sons lift me up to be a better person every day.

    It was my four year old who gave me the courage to start a nonprofit (www.dylanssmile.com) and reach out to others faced with a birth defect of the head or face. It was Dylan who smiled in the midst of multiple surgeries and took his treatments in stride.

    It was our six year old son who never “noticed” his baby brother was different.

    It’s my husband and parents who are always in the stands for me – my biggest fans.

    Fabulous post – thank you for the gentle reminder, even if just a happy accident, to nudge us back to those who have made us who we are.

  15. Justin Brady says:

    Thanks for the giveaway! You are quite a generous guy. Someone who lifted me up to be better than I was, is my elementary Art teacher Karen Kehoe.

    When I was interested in graphic design in school, she let me do some art projects in that area! She even created a graphic design program the year after. It was a great encouragement to me, and was one factor that contributed to me going to get a graphic design degree!

  16. Thank you — all of you. Your stories are so heartfelt and wonderful. I thank you for sharing them with us all. And I hope that each of you can be the same kind of mentor to someone else.

    Let’s all embrace Steve’s idea of being a remarkable leader by making someone even better than we will ever be.

    Drew

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *