The Objective Leader: How to Leverage the Power of Seeing Things As They Are

by Elizabeth Thornton

We are all subjective―it's human nature. We overreact to situations; we judge people too quickly and unfairly; we take something personally when it was not really meant that way. As a result, we lose relationships, reputation, money, and peace of mind. And in our ever-more-complex world, leaders must make decisions faster and with more conflicting information; widespread insecurity makes people territorial and risk-averse; and the consequences of every action are played out on a disproportionately large stage. Imagine how much more prepared Mitt Romney could have been for his landslide loss on election night, if his advisors had acknowledged the facts staring them in the face. To succeed, we must consciously seek to increase our objectivity―seeing and accepting things as they are without projecting our mental models, fears, background, and personal experiences onto them. This way, we not only avoid costly cognitive errors, but open ourselves to engage new cultures, new markets, and new opportunities. In The Objective Leader , Thornton draws on her original research, as well as her years of experience as a manager and entrepreneur, to offer proven strategies for identifying limiting and unproductive ways of thinking and creating powerful new mental models that ensure continued success.

Genres: Nonfiction, Leadership, Business, Management

256 pages, Hardcover

First published February 10, 2015

Reviews

[Rosalie Kitts · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the first few chapters I gained spot on/ unsettling insights about myself. As an engineer I think I am logical/objective about most things but I realized I am not. Using the ideas in this book I can see the world through a clear lense and be more productive and happier. I will be rereading the first few chapters for sure. Thank you Elizabeth for writing this book!!

[Cody Faldyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

In her book Thornton reveals years of research on the concept of objectivity and how it will open your world to new cultures, new markets, and new opportunities. The goal of the book is to help you improve your management skills, make decisions faster than normal, avoid bad decision making, and eliminate the fear of failure when it comes to life and business.

For your convenience, I had Elizabeth Thornton on my podcast, The Entrepreneurs Library, to give a deep dive on The Objective Leader. With Elizabeth’s experience she gives amazing insight on how to accept reality for what it is and use it to your advantage. If you would like to get a more in-depth look from the author herself check out episode 198 on the EL website or you can find the show on iTunes.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

very important