Everything you need to know and more.

Thorough, exact, focused on results! A read that could save a leader 100's of hours of heartache and sweat. I wished I had this 25 years ago!

There are two striking dimensions to Dick Daniel's book. The first thing that struck me is that Mr. Daniels writes about leadership from a moral core. The second striking dimension is its practicality. I am using his principles and ideas not only in my own organization but also with the nonprofit boards on which I serve.

Aw, heck. Just when you think you can pontificate on all-things leadership, along comes a phenomenal book that hammers your ego. I still have much to learn.

Case in point: Ask me how to build a healthy culture on your team--and I can give you three steps and three books. Ask Dick Daniels the same question and he delivers eight core elements and seven steps. (Where does he get this good stuff? It's off-the-chart insightful--and packaged brilliantly.)

In his book, Daniels says that "building a healthy culture requires a carefully crafted blueprint." He starts with four foundational building blocks: vision, mission, values...and one more we often minimize: leadership. Then in less than a page, he outlines the four sides of organizational framing: strategy, structure, staffing, and systems. He notes, "Staffing follows structure. A change in strategy leads to a change in structure which impacts staffing."

But...there's more! His seven steps to building culture are short and crisp (three to five lines each), yet comprehensive. The outline:

1. Declare it.
2. Define it.
3. Model it.
4. Defend it.
5. Expect it.
6. Measure it.
7. Reward it.

He elaborates: "Culture is evidenced in specific and measurable behaviors. People consistently perform according to what is measured."

That's Chapter 3 on organizational culture--a feast in just four pages, plus an eye-catching "Leadership Debrief" three-line chapter summary on the fifth page. (Some chapters--with equal punch--are just two pages. My kind of book!)

Leadership Briefs by Dick Daniels covers all the topics one can imagine having a connection with leadership, such as the social graces of memorable leaders, questions for leaders and followers, developing leadership capacity, a leader's most valuable asset, or sustaining leadership. The content is quite exhaustive and hardly any facet of leadership is left untouched. In each of these areas, the pertinent questions are identified and appropriately answered. Rather than an open ended discussion on leadership, what is envisaged here, I think, is a closed examination of one's preparedness to meet the challenges of leadership. The price one should be prepared to pay for becoming a leader is also discussed. Whether it is criticism, challenge, gossip, or rumor, the leader should be ready to face all.

Leadership Briefs by Dick Daniels is written as a quick reference but also as a holistic guide. The book is replete with bulleted lists, important pointers, and procedural steps to ginger up the topic under study. The author has further enlivened the discussion by including intelligent quotations at all appropriate places, heralding his unique approach. For example, while discussing communication, the quotation from George Bernard Shaw, 'The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place' is given, I think, to show that there are many hidden pitfalls in communication, while the message you wish to pass on may be simple. Aphorisms of such nature are provided in many places, signaling the approaching topic.