Book Review: Discover Your Subtle Leadership (This Is Day One)

Discover Your Subtle Leadership: Use the "Day One" model to be aware of your own values and become a more impactful person
This Is Day One : A Practical Guide to Leadership That Matters
Author: Drew Dudley
Original Author: Drew Dudley
Published Date: 2019/10/03

Book Recommendation Website: http://moo.im/a/7afCJN)

Preface:

This is the thirteenth book I've read this year.

Does one need to be in a management position to learn leadership? Whether it's leadership or influence, it represents how you influence others through your own actions. In many cases, everyone influences others in the lives of others, to a greater or lesser extent. How are these influences created, and how many people have influenced your life? This series of questions guides you and is very suitable for careful consideration through this book.

Content Summary and Thoughts:

Remember this sentence: The greatest impact you have on those around you and the organization you belong to is almost always an accidental result of everyday, unintentional actions.

Most people think of leadership too narrowly, believing that they haven't done great things and aren't in high positions, and that they need external halos such as wealth, titles, and influence to be considered leaders. However, this ability is actually possessed by everyone, and is even used every day, but it is due to old thinking and educational brainwashing that has diminished their own importance and leadership ability.

From a macro perspective, every journey in the workplace or in life (such as quitting alcohol, maintaining physical and mental health, and even starting a business) requires the blessing of leadership. A former top student who followed the standards and expectations of worldly success and suffered from alcoholism, obesity, and bipolar disorder, leadership expert Drew Dudley discovered the "Day One" leadership philosophy in the process of changing himself, that is, to maintain a "Day One" positive attitude in everything you do, you can consistently implement your personal core leadership values, lead yourself to make changes, and then influence others.

Chapter Outline

Part 1: Start from This Day

Do you remember your first day of class, your first day of work? What actions and behaviors do you want to use to let others know your attitude towards work? This is about personal leadership, that is, you can influence the people around you through your own behavior and attitude.

You don't need a high position or a big stage. Many times, just doing your best or "doing a little more" can demonstrate personal leadership and then influence others. The example of a company's car machine is mentioned:

A primary school bus driver who had been on duty for decades was carrying a 22-year-old young man one day. He was curious and asked the young man why he was on the bus, but the young man replied: "I'm going to study at Harvard University's graduate school next year, and I want to thank you, because you like to sing while driving, no matter how the students laugh at you, you still enjoy singing every day. You made me believe that I don't need to care about what others think, and I should work hard to be myself."

Day One is the first day you want to change yourself, the first day you want to influence others. Because the second day is often a continuation of the first day, this chapter explores how you will use your influence on this "Day One" to influence others.

Part 2: Six Key Values of Leadership

In this chapter, the author uses the six key values of leadership to make you think about the concretization and value of personal leadership. By asking yourself the following six questions every day, you can gradually build your own micro-leadership.

• Impact: What did I do today to influence others?
• Courage: What did I do today that may not be very valuable, but I took a chance on?
• Empowerment: What did I do today to bring others closer to their goals?
• Growth: What did I do today that could help others learn?
• Class: What did I do today that could improve rather than escalate conflict?
• Self-respect: What did I do to treat myself well?

Part 3: How You Define Yourself

Regarding defining yourself, the author first suggests the following three methods:

• "Hypothetical Key Values"
  • Imagine someone is following you, and what qualities would they think you have in a month. For example, "responsibility", "adventure", "record"...
• Your "Bedside Advice"
  • If today is the day your son (daughter) is going to study away from home and become independent. Then what personal advice would you give them?
• Best and Worst
  • Review your life and find the best and worst states you have performed so far.

These questions not only help define yourself, but also help you understand your strengths and advantages. Then find the qualities that you are suitable for influencing others to help others.

Thoughts:

This book was also because I read certain passages that resonated with some of my own life experiences. We were once influenced by certain people or things, and of course, we may also influence others. Here I share two events that I am very impressed with.

"What's the point of doing this now?"

My first job was working for a foreign company (American company), working on multimedia playback software products. Due to changes in the environment, the product was constantly shrinking, and the company eventually laid off employees. I still remember the day the layoff announcement was made. Although I was in a bad mood, I still wanted to finish the work I had on hand. When I went to discuss it with my colleagues on the same project, I got the response:

"What's the point of doing this now?"
"What's the point of doing this now?"
"What's the point of doing this now?"

I was actually quite shocked at the time, and then I silently walked back to my seat. Then I told myself that I decided to stick to what I wanted to do, or what I should do. No matter how the environment changes, we should not give up at that time.

"But, I just can't get over it"

Also, the inspiration I got from my first job, I was managing an OEM project at the time. Although the product was close to shrinking, problems still occurred. At this time, I asked my boss at the time how I should respond to the customer? I saw him, although he really wanted to go home. But he still said a sentence that impressed me deeply.

I can also just let it go and ignore this matter. But I just can't get over it!

It was after this incident that I understood even more. "In life, there are things to do, and things not to do." Our persistence and stubbornness create our personality traits. Everyone will give up, and everyone will want to get by. But true persistence and stubbornness can make us successful, and I hope these little stories can influence you who are reading this article.

Everyone influences others, and I hope we can all bring positive influences to those around us.