October 2006

Let's Write a Book Together                                               October 2006

I’m not a huge fan of details. Those people who know me very well probably would agree that I don’t often get bogged down in the minutia of an issue. But if the issue is big enough, I research every detail of every aspect of the issue before I make a decision. On those rare occasions, I’ve been known to be stricken with analysis paralysis.

Once I’ve analyzed every angle and made my decision, it’s not easy to change my mind. In fact, if you were to ask my wife, she would probably say I can be rather stubborn once I’ve made up my mind. Since I’ve invested a lot of time and energy into the decision, I don’t want to have to go back to the drawing board and start over.

Planning my first book on leadership was one of those issues big enough to get bogged down in the minutia. I looked at all my options in great detail, and decided self-publishing was the best option. I had written part of the book, and was making arrangements to self-publish. I was executing my well-researched plan, and was well on my way.

On June 27th of this year, someone came along and threw a wrench into my plan. A senior editor from a mainstream publisher approached me about doing a book together. Although it seemed exciting, my first reaction was to defend my initial decision and move forward with my original plan. To consider another option would require me to go back to the drawing board and get bogged down in the minutia again.

To fast forward to the end of the story, last week I flew to New York to sign a book deal granting the worldwide distribution rights to my first book, entitled Engaged Leadership, to John Wiley & Sons. This outcome was certainly different than my initial plan, and provided many lessons, including:

Be flexible with your plan

I had it all figured out. You’ve all been there. You’ve analyzed something to death, and you're dedicated to the plan. When something comes along that may knock us off course, our first reaction is to find excuses to not consider another option. When opportunities arise, you must be willing to change course.

Don't forget your original purpose

The reason I wanted to write a book in the first place was to reinforce the work I do as a professional speaker, trainer and consultant. I speak to well over 10,000 people a year, and wanted to provide a book to reinforce my message to those in my audiences. I had to remind myself of how many people I could reach using a mainstream publisher. This book will have the potential of getting into the hands of people I’ve never met, in cities I’ve never been.

Know when to leave it to the pros

Last year my wife and I decided we’d like to have a small water fall in our front yard. We decided to do it ourselves. The result was a pond that looked like it was done by two people who didn’t know how to build a pond! After having to admit we probably should have had a professional do it in the first place, we had a company come out and build a great water fall. I’m sure I could have created a self-published book of which I could be proud, but this time I figured I’d leave it to the pros. When my book is published in June 2007, John Wiley & Sons will be celebrating its 200th anniversary in the publishing industry. I’m hoping they’ve already made all the mistakes in 200 years that I would make in the first year!

Enthusiastically, 

Clint Swindall - President & CEO

*Book Review

The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness, by Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval

Here's what I've been reading lately ...

I picked up this book in an airport bookstore and read it on the plane on my way home from Boston. The book is entitled The Power of Nice: How to Conquer the Business World with Kindness. Quite frankly, when I first read the title, it didn't grab my attention. However, the subtitle made me curious enough to pick it up.

Hardly a day goes by without at least one person making a comment to me about how people just aren't as nice as they used to be. It seems as though some people have forgotten how to say thank you, and many would rather walk on the other side of the street than to have to look you in the eye and say hello. When it comes to business, it often feels so cutthroat and competitive that some people go out of their way to be mean.

This book does a great job of showing that the saying "nice guys finish last" isn't all that true. While there may not be any ground-breaking information in this book, it serves as a great reinforcement for those people who live their life being nice to others, hoping to get ahead. I certainly hope it serves as an eye-opening read for those who believe that being nice makes you weak, and that success only comes when you force people to follow.

*It's Official!

Engaged Leadership to Be Published June 2007

As mentioned in the opening article of this eNewsletter, an agreement has been reached with John Wiley & Sons to publish my first book on leadership. The book, entitled Engaged Leadership, will be on bookstore shelves in June of 2007.

I am proud to be partnering with Wiley on this venture. Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc. provides must-have content and services to customers worldwide. Its core businesses include scientific, technical, and medical journals, encyclopedias, books, and online products and services; professional and consumer books and subscription services; and educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Wiley has publishing, marketing, and distribution centers in the United States (New Jersey, California, Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio), Canada, Europe (England, Germany, and Russia), Asia, and Australia.

Well-known company imprints include the For Dummies series, CliffsNotes study guides, Webster's New World dictionaries, Jossey- Bass, Frommers, Betty Crocker cookbooks, and Weight Watchers cookbooks. The company's worldwide headquarters are located in Hoboken, New Jersey, just across the river from Manhattan. Wiley is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and can be found on the web at www.wiley.com.

*Quotes

Inspirational thoughts

“Be kind to unkind people. They need it the most."
- Ashleigh Brilliant

"To be kind to all, to like many and love a few, to be needed and wanted by those we love, is certainly the nearest we can come to happiness."
- Mary Stuart“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.”
- Plato

*Question to Ponder

Some time to think

The book I shared in the Book Review above addresses how we can conquer the business world with kindness. I think before we can use kindness to enhance our business lives, we should use kindness to enhance our personal lives.

Some people just aren't friendly. They're just plain rude, and you know who I mean. However, most people have the capacity to be nice, but they let this one thing get in the way of kindness: comparison. It seems we are constantly comparing ourselves to others to justify our own place in the world. They may have a nicer house, but we live in a safer neighborhood. She may make more money, but I am able to work better hours. They may have an expensive car, but at least our insurance rates are lower.

If we are successful in convincing ourselves that we have won the comparison, we are OK with it. But what happens when we lose the comparison? Do we unconsciously (or consciously) lose our ability to be nice?