Authenticity comes at a premium nowadays, and that’s true when becoming a leader of employees, customers, or the public at large. In his new book You Lead, Minter Dial doesn’t just tell the reader how to be a leader, because it’s not that simple. He helps them discover what kind of leader they were meant to be, and gives them the tools to apply that leadership to their life.
Dial begins to explain this concept through his own path to leadership. He was already an important person with years of experience at L’Oréal in the early 2000s, but having a first-hand view of the attacks on New York in 2001 helped give him perspective. It sent him down a path of discovery, re-learning lessons from his grand-father’s experiences in World War 2, and gave him a sense of purpose in the business world. It wouldn’t be enough to lead people to a nebulous corporate target anymore; there had to be core motivation to lead from.
Although You Lead touches on many topics of leadership, it’s all rooted in the firm foundations of first discovering what has shaped and motivated you and the organization you are a part of, and building from that
If you’re not sure what that means, Dial helps you find it. He touches on the ethics that you may not have declared out loud yet, but are integral to how you operate. He speaks of crafting a “North Star”, or a couple of key elements that you, your team, or your organization should strive for. He also offers great tips on establishing a model of leadership, adapting old ideas to the digital age, and little pieces of great advice on a wide array of topics.
While the topics discussed in You Lead are many, the core of the book is never forgotten. The only real way to lead effectively is to do it from a real, authentic place. For a corporation, that means holding true to the founding ethos that created the initial business, or the one that got it over the hump. It also means spinning that philosophy into something customers will buy. For the individual, it means finding those key elements that create passion inside you, and channeling that energy and mindset to lead others.
If you’ve newly arrived in a leadership position, or you’re the chairman of a multi-national corporation, the advice held within applies either way. Dial will give you the tools to become a better leader, your way.
You Lead is now available in physical and digital forms at Amazon, Google Books, and most other leading book stores (a full list can be found at the book’s official website).
