Book Corner

Reviewed by Gary McCoy

Bestselling author Ken Blanchard has written many books on servant leadership and in 2022 he delivered his latest book, “Simple Truths of Leadership: 52 Ways to Be a Servant Leader and Build Trust” with his co-author Randy Conley, an expert on building trust.

As the authors argue, “Effective leadership comes down to implementing every day, common sense practices to help organizations thrive—and yet so many leaders are still missing these fundamental principles from their personal and professional lives.”

In the introduction to the book, Blanchard said they originally wanted to title the book: “Duh: Why Isn’t Common Sense Leadership Common Practice?” Blanchard said when he mentioned the title to audiences where he spoke that people would roar with laughter because they recognized the truth in the title. The publisher ultimately rejected the alternative title.

I love their book because it is all about simplicity, what 2016 World Series winning Cubs manager Joe Maddon deemed in his catchphrase: “Do Simple Better.” Blanchard and Conley disclose the simple truths about leadership they have gathered during their careers to help bring common sense into common practice.

The book is organized into 52 simple truths, one for each week of the year. On the left page the authors identify a simple truth about servant leadership (written by Blanchard) or building trust (written by Conley). On the right page, the authors describe the puzzling lack of use of the concept, and briefly explain why it is important. The final element is a call to action, what they deem: “Making Common Sense Common Practice.” This is where the authors break down the concept into ideas that leaders can easily apply on the job.

Here are some good quotes from the book:

“The key to developing people is to catch them doing something right and praise their progress.”

“Create autonomy through effective boundaries that channel the individual’s power and energy.”

“Model servant leadership by owning mistakes and accepting responsibility.”

“Use different strokes (leadership styles) for different folks, depending on their commitment and competence.”

I think you will find this to be an enjoyable book to read and discuss with your leadership and management team. n

Have a favorite business book you would like to tell us about or review? Send your suggestions to Springs magazine editor Gary McCoy at gary@smihq.org.