HeadTrash: Cleaning Out the Junk that Stands Between You and Success

by Tish Squillaro, Timothy I. Thomas

Why do executives get stuck? Why do leaders sometimes find themselves pushing hard but not gaining traction? Frequently it's because they're working against themselves, defeating their best efforts with their own problematical thoughts and emotions. In this book, we refer to thought patterns and emotional tendencies that hinder your ability to respond to business issues in a productive and professional way as HeadTrash. Put another way, HeadTrash is the negative voice of your subconscious, engaging you in a deadly inner dialogue that only you hear, consciously or subconsciously, but which affects everything you say and do and everyone around you. HeadTrash is any pattern of self-defeating feelings and thoughts that leads you into trouble and keeps you stuck there. Even worse, depending on your level of responsibility and authority, the rest of your team or company can get stuck too. Based on their work with thousands of leaders, authors Tish Squillaro and Timothy I. Thomas discovered that some forms of HeadTrash can even produce symptoms in organizations that mirror the symptoms experienced by company leaders. Learn to probe beyond symptoms to identify the forms of HeadTrash you need to address. This book will show you how to change your behavior and become a better leader--for yourself, your business, your employees, and your family.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Self Help

160 pages, Hardcover

First published May 5, 2013

Reviews

[Chrissie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The limiting beliefs identified are important to understand and be able to identify in yourself. This book reminds me of The Leadership Gap - which, not surprisingly, is endorsed by Marshall Goldsmith (he wrote the forward to The Leadership Gap and has a quote on the cover of HeadTrash.

My complaint with The Leadership Gap was two-fold: the use of archetypes could be limiting to someone who saw themselves with multiple facets of their leadership personality, and the flip side of each archetype didn’t always make sense to me - e.g., the truth teller vs the deceiver.

While HeadTrash recognizes that people don’t always fall into one box and instead allows for someone to identify their growth opportunities across the spectrum of limiting beliefs, the overall branding of the concept falls flat. It’s cheesy where it tries to be unique and trivial where it has the potential to be really impactful. Additionally, while the authors’ examples from their own coaching practices are interesting, it would be even more compelling to use these to introduce each concept and narrate the journey from weakness to strength.

[Brian Cluster · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Headtrash book describes the main categories of internal talking to ourselves and provides key tactics to identify the methods to address the head problems that each of us has. I've read countless books on leadership and management and this book covers the psychological challenges faced by business people better than any other book.

Key head trash subcategories
1) Fear
2) Arrogance
3) Insecurity
4) Control
5) Anger
6) Guilt
7) Paranoia

Despite the gems hidden in the headtrash sections especially fitting for myself, the book can be tiring because of lack of storytelling. There was not enough stories about situations of leaders being affected by headtrash. More real stories would have highlighted the key examples and brought forward what can be learned from these situations.

Overall, I thought that it was a unique book with great insight into what is holding leaders back and believe that it is an important read for any manager/executive.

[Abdulla · Rating 3 out of 5]

A practical guide for identifying and overcoming mental and emotional barriers that affect leadership effectiveness.

[Annie · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, it tired to be witty. It tried to draw you in like 'Freakonomics', but somewhere it fell short. Its one saving grace is that it simplifies things down the bare basics. In its description it stats that, "HeadTrash is any pattern of self-defeating feelings and thoughts that leads you into trouble and keeps you stuck there." I think most of us in higher education can recognize those symptoms.

The book gives some hassel-free tips on how to defeat your 'HeadTrash.' In the chapter about fear it says to, "Take a deep breath. Take it slow. But take action." "Build up to the big decisions." "Feel the pain." "Expect to make mistakes." Nothing that good advisor or mentor won't also reveal to you. My issue with the book is that at times it seemed like it was pointing out what others say and didn't come up with anything remarkable by itself. For example it states, "Clemens points out that fear is hardly limited to the executive suite. He sees it every day and politics..." but then it goes on to quote Myers, Abraham Lincoln, and then quotes Clemens' own analysis of the situation.

I received this book for review from NetGalley, but any opinions are my own.

[Wayne McCoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Headtrash by Tish Squillaro and Timothy I. Thomas takes a look at the things that hamper leaders from leading well. Each chapter is brief, but includes checklists, examples, and lots of encouragement for change.

Chapters cover topics like control (as in control freak), insecurity, anger, etc. Each chapter is laid out basically the same. The authors tell anecdotes about clients they've worked with that have had the particular issue. There are testimonials from business leaders, and simple guidelines to check if you are experiencing this type of headtrash and ways to dig your way out.

It's a short, somewhat simplistic book, but that doesn't mean it's not of value. If it can help someone to clear out the garbage that keeps someone from success, then it has it's merits.

I was given a review copy of this book by Greenleaf Book Group and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for letting me review this book.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information, even though it's a little simplified. But honestly, a good business book doesn't need to be overly complicated. The authors have real world experience and give examples of how HeadTrash looks in a business, and some of the examples were right on the money--I saw a few examples in myself, my managers, and others I knew (because of course HeadTrash doesn't just happen at work!) Fear, anxiety, anger, insecurity, etc.--we have to fight those daily so they don't dictate our lives. Good stuff.

[Nick Constantino · Rating 2 out of 5]

A skimmer --- Business Psychology 101.

[Kyle · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bad human characteristics are bad when leaders have them. That'll be $20 please.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay..I will say it's great as to diagnosing if you have any head trash standing invite own way of success.

[Margot Note]

"Becoming complacent about the status quo is the number-one killer for all businesses. Your competitor is no complacent! To keep the energy going, you have to overcome your fear of breaking the status quo: be different, be creative, address problems, and take risks!" (13).

"Complete control is an illusion. The only things you can attempt to control are your thoughts and feelings" (60).