What do you think?
Rate this book
Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For
"Required reading for anyone who wants to do more than merely manage people. Good Authority is a modern classic, and it will redefine what it means to be the boss." - Seth Godin, Author, Linchpin
Imagine a world where personal and professional growth are one thing, where improving your relationships and owning your strengths at work translate directly into the rest of your life.
Creating a company culture like that is not a dream. Through personal stories and real-life conversations, Jonathan takes you into the room with managers and employees where real culture change happens, and shows you a new kind of employee mentoring where each person gets the real-time feedback, support, and clear boundaries we all need to get beyond the patterns that hold us back.
In this provocative and timely new book, Jonathan brings together what he has learned over a twenty-year journey as an executive, entrepreneur, team leader and leadership trainer.
Combining his experience as the CEO and CBO of EMyth where he led the transformation of a global coaching brand with the lessons learned along his own personal growth journey, Jonathan walks us through a step-by-step approach that integrates the leading edges of both. You ll discover a way to lead your team that is both profoundly human and results-oriented at the same time.
Whether you re a CEO or business owner, executive, team leader, consultant, or coach, Good Authority will give you new ideas and inspiration you can put into practice. Most importantly, it will give you permission to be more of who you are at work than you ever thought possible.
Imagine a world where personal and professional growth are one thing, where improving your relationships and owning your strengths at work translate directly into the rest of your life.
Creating a company culture like that is not a dream. Through personal stories and real-life conversations, Jonathan takes you into the room with managers and employees where real culture change happens, and shows you a new kind of employee mentoring where each person gets the real-time feedback, support, and clear boundaries we all need to get beyond the patterns that hold us back.
In this provocative and timely new book, Jonathan brings together what he has learned over a twenty-year journey as an executive, entrepreneur, team leader and leadership trainer.
Combining his experience as the CEO and CBO of EMyth where he led the transformation of a global coaching brand with the lessons learned along his own personal growth journey, Jonathan walks us through a step-by-step approach that integrates the leading edges of both. You ll discover a way to lead your team that is both profoundly human and results-oriented at the same time.
Whether you re a CEO or business owner, executive, team leader, consultant, or coach, Good Authority will give you new ideas and inspiration you can put into practice. Most importantly, it will give you permission to be more of who you are at work than you ever thought possible.
175 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 4, 2016
207 people are currently reading
4704 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
July 17, 2016
Leadership is a topic near to my heart and one I spend a lot of time reading, writing, thinking, and discussing. Due to this it's rare when I come across a leadership book that has something really new and memorable to say, but Good Authority does that and more.
Jonathan Raymond, who has plenty of hands-on leadership experience himself, explains that to be the type of leader your team needs, you need to give them the room to find their own answers. Leaders who practice good authority lead with questions. They understand that their job is not to know all the answers or do all the work themselves; instead, their job is to support their team and guide them with the right questions, then get out of their way so that they can learn and grow.
Not only will this type of leadership help your team become their best selves, which in itself is a win-in, but this is also the only way that you can get fully engaged employees. And from my experience--both as a leader and as an employee--I know this to be true.
The book shares so many other great anecdotes and tips and is a must-read for any current leader/manager, or anyone aspiring to these roles.
Jonathan Raymond, who has plenty of hands-on leadership experience himself, explains that to be the type of leader your team needs, you need to give them the room to find their own answers. Leaders who practice good authority lead with questions. They understand that their job is not to know all the answers or do all the work themselves; instead, their job is to support their team and guide them with the right questions, then get out of their way so that they can learn and grow.
Not only will this type of leadership help your team become their best selves, which in itself is a win-in, but this is also the only way that you can get fully engaged employees. And from my experience--both as a leader and as an employee--I know this to be true.
The book shares so many other great anecdotes and tips and is a must-read for any current leader/manager, or anyone aspiring to these roles.
June 3, 2019
I don't think I saw this recommended anywhere but it was available as an audiobook through the library so I went through it. Surprisingly great book, so glad I did. One of the few that I decided to order a hard copy of to have as a resource for myself and coworkers.
Tackles accountability in the workplace head on. Short book, packed with very practical steps and examples.
Tackles accountability in the workplace head on. Short book, packed with very practical steps and examples.
March 21, 2021
Kniha prioritne pre people manažerov, ale ak si ju prečítajú aj bežní ľudia v týme, môže to tiež veľmi pomôcť celkovému fungovaniu. "Šéfovia" tu môžu načerpať množstvo inšpirácie k tomu ako viesť ľudí, ako s nimi komunikovať, ako ich posúvať ďalej. V rámci sebareflexie im kniha pomôže určiť typ mamanžera, ktorý ich najviac charaktrerizuje a vďaka tomu môžu zlepšiť svoje slabšie stránky. "Podriadení" si zasa môžu predstaviť ako by mohol vyzerať lepší šéf a pomáhať svojmu aktuálnemu dostať sa tam (alebo si radšej pohľadať lepšieho niekde inde). Dobrí manažéri existujú, ale ako sa hovorí o knihách - život je krátky na to, aby sme čítali zlé knihy, tak nie je nevyhnutné, aby sme sa nechali deprimovať zlými šéfmi.
Naozaj, ak vediete ľudí, vzdelávajte sa, čítajte, posúvajte sa ďalej. Iba tak môžete posunúť ďalej aj ľudí, za ktorých ste zodpovední.
Naozaj, ak vediete ľudí, vzdelávajte sa, čítajte, posúvajte sa ďalej. Iba tak môžete posunúť ďalej aj ľudí, za ktorých ste zodpovední.
December 17, 2018
I’d say that 4.5 of these 5 stars are due to the fantastic and fluff-free content in this book. The other 0.5 star is probably because I couldn’t have read this at a better time. Good Authority filled in gaps I didn’t realized existed in my perspective of leadership and managing. I’m so glad I came across this book and I’ll certainly be reading it again to let it soak in.
Quick read. Loads of good information. Very actionable.
Quick read. Loads of good information. Very actionable.
November 9, 2018
This is one of the best leadership books I have read in the last year, but it is much more than a book about a system or method, it is a book about reaching into others, reaching into those we lead and manage every day and to help them become more of who they and who they can be. In some ways, this is a very "spiritual" book. It has a soul to it. Raymond recognizes that people, as much as organizations may have hoped, never separate who they are when they walk through the doors and we as leaders need to look beyond organizational numbers and systems to see people...people who are desperate to be seen, engaged with, grow, and bring all of who they are to their work. Good authority should change lives and Jonathan Raymond's book points to the way. I would encourage you to get and read this book. Not only will you be the better for it, but those you lead, the organizations they work within, and ultimately the customers and bottom line you serve. Growth is a byproduct of health and this book points the way to becoming a healthy leader. The kind of leader your team is waiting for.
November 23, 2021
“To be a manager is to be part detective. The clues are everywhere, the skill is in reading them." This is a refreshingly different leadership book which gave quite a few points to think about. I did enjoy the generally positivistic style. When something did not work out as expected then leader should start by looking at his/her own actions and if something could have been done better for the message/direction to get across as intended. It also provides various examples of the importance of empathy (blind spots prevent us from seeing the situation from others perspective). Considerable focus is put on organizational culture. One of the best leadership books I have read this year.
“Great employee development is focused far more on who people are and how they relate to others, and far less on overseeing projects, tasks, and deadlines. It’s a conversation that can’t wait for quarterly reviews—and oftentimes even weekly reviews are too far past the moment when things are ripe and ready for change. Ideally it starts in a person’s first week on the job, and it doesn’t end for as long as they’re on your team. Your goal is to create a world where mentoring, accountability, and support are the norm.”
“As a manager, the more you talk about something without following up with action, the less those words will matter.”
“In my new business, this is one of the things we work actively with CEOs to see: how one idea from the top can spiral into 100 projects for the team and overwhelm them in ways the CEOs can’t even imagine.”
“Most managers make the innocent mistake of starting at the opposite end. They try to address individual performance and cultural issues through group announcements: generic statements about the need to own your work, care more about the customer, be a better communicator, etc. Managers hope that these messages will reach their intended audience, that they will move people to take action and change unproductive behaviors. But they mostly don’t. It’s not because people don’t care or don’t want to grow. It’s because that’s not how growth happens, especially the personal kind. Those group announcements, at best, point to something that needs to change. But they do nothing to show people how to make the changes themselves."
“Why, with all this good intention, does it still feel so muddy when we talk about culture, what it is, and how to make it better? It’s because we’re trying to bring personal growth and spiritual ideas into the workplace without first changing the underlying agreement that governs it.”
“Step one: The CEO or owner has to open the door. The only way to do that is to admit that they don’t know how. It’s a moment of vulnerability. It’s only one moment, but I’ve seen CEOs put it off for decades. All it is is this: “Hey guys, I really want to make this a great place to work. And, as you know, I’ve tried a lot of things over the years. But the truth is, even though the business has gotten better in some ways, when it comes to the culture—how people feel about coming to work here—I know it hasn’t changed in the ways you need it to. I don’t know how to change it but I want to start a new conversation with you about it. Okay?”
“Here are a few patterns you may have seen that indicate the person you’re managing is avoiding their next step of growth: covering up or attempting to brush off the severity of a mistake; hoarding data; embedding themselves as a go-to person (aka: bottleneck) by creating a system or process that only they know how to use; resorting to quick fixes instead of asking questions and looking for root causes; asking for more time or resources beyond what was agreed on in order to complete a project, instead of coming to you to talk about what went wrong so you can work together to improve it; letting tension build with a teammate or between departments instead of coming to you for advice on how to handle it.”
“People who have a choice will no longer work to serve your reasons, your goals. They will not work to serve your authority, they will only work to serve their own.”
“Cultural listening is the skill of being able to see beyond the symptom to the underlying dynamic. It’s an extremely powerful tool to develop as a leader, whether you’re the CEO, a team leader, or a solopreneur just starting out.”
“I can’t find good people” becomes “I can’t know who my A players are until I challenge them to find out.” “Nobody cares as much as I do” becomes “I haven’t figured out how they care in their own way that can harmonize with the way that I do.” “I can’t afford to invest time in someone who is just going to leave anyway” becomes “I don’t have time to do anything else.” “I’m not a therapist, I don’t have the skills to help them with their personal problems” becomes “I’m not a therapist, but I am two steps ahead of this person as a professional and can help them grow by sharing the things I’ve learned along the way.” “We just need better systems and more communication” becomes “We don’t need more communication. We need to start speaking a different language.”
“A clear and current organizational chart, with some discussion, can clear up far more of the culture challenge than you might think."
“Keep your focus and theirs not on checking tasks off of lists, but on finding root causes. Hold them accountable for personal behavior; don’t let them indulge in excuses or blame the system. Show them how taking ownership of their work and taking ownership of their life are exactly the same thing.”
“Great employee development is focused far more on who people are and how they relate to others, and far less on overseeing projects, tasks, and deadlines. It’s a conversation that can’t wait for quarterly reviews—and oftentimes even weekly reviews are too far past the moment when things are ripe and ready for change. Ideally it starts in a person’s first week on the job, and it doesn’t end for as long as they’re on your team. Your goal is to create a world where mentoring, accountability, and support are the norm.”
“As a manager, the more you talk about something without following up with action, the less those words will matter.”
“In my new business, this is one of the things we work actively with CEOs to see: how one idea from the top can spiral into 100 projects for the team and overwhelm them in ways the CEOs can’t even imagine.”
“Most managers make the innocent mistake of starting at the opposite end. They try to address individual performance and cultural issues through group announcements: generic statements about the need to own your work, care more about the customer, be a better communicator, etc. Managers hope that these messages will reach their intended audience, that they will move people to take action and change unproductive behaviors. But they mostly don’t. It’s not because people don’t care or don’t want to grow. It’s because that’s not how growth happens, especially the personal kind. Those group announcements, at best, point to something that needs to change. But they do nothing to show people how to make the changes themselves."
“Why, with all this good intention, does it still feel so muddy when we talk about culture, what it is, and how to make it better? It’s because we’re trying to bring personal growth and spiritual ideas into the workplace without first changing the underlying agreement that governs it.”
“Step one: The CEO or owner has to open the door. The only way to do that is to admit that they don’t know how. It’s a moment of vulnerability. It’s only one moment, but I’ve seen CEOs put it off for decades. All it is is this: “Hey guys, I really want to make this a great place to work. And, as you know, I’ve tried a lot of things over the years. But the truth is, even though the business has gotten better in some ways, when it comes to the culture—how people feel about coming to work here—I know it hasn’t changed in the ways you need it to. I don’t know how to change it but I want to start a new conversation with you about it. Okay?”
“Here are a few patterns you may have seen that indicate the person you’re managing is avoiding their next step of growth: covering up or attempting to brush off the severity of a mistake; hoarding data; embedding themselves as a go-to person (aka: bottleneck) by creating a system or process that only they know how to use; resorting to quick fixes instead of asking questions and looking for root causes; asking for more time or resources beyond what was agreed on in order to complete a project, instead of coming to you to talk about what went wrong so you can work together to improve it; letting tension build with a teammate or between departments instead of coming to you for advice on how to handle it.”
“People who have a choice will no longer work to serve your reasons, your goals. They will not work to serve your authority, they will only work to serve their own.”
“Cultural listening is the skill of being able to see beyond the symptom to the underlying dynamic. It’s an extremely powerful tool to develop as a leader, whether you’re the CEO, a team leader, or a solopreneur just starting out.”
“I can’t find good people” becomes “I can’t know who my A players are until I challenge them to find out.” “Nobody cares as much as I do” becomes “I haven’t figured out how they care in their own way that can harmonize with the way that I do.” “I can’t afford to invest time in someone who is just going to leave anyway” becomes “I don’t have time to do anything else.” “I’m not a therapist, I don’t have the skills to help them with their personal problems” becomes “I’m not a therapist, but I am two steps ahead of this person as a professional and can help them grow by sharing the things I’ve learned along the way.” “We just need better systems and more communication” becomes “We don’t need more communication. We need to start speaking a different language.”
“A clear and current organizational chart, with some discussion, can clear up far more of the culture challenge than you might think."
“Keep your focus and theirs not on checking tasks off of lists, but on finding root causes. Hold them accountable for personal behavior; don’t let them indulge in excuses or blame the system. Show them how taking ownership of their work and taking ownership of their life are exactly the same thing.”
May 4, 2021
A snappy read about employee mentoring done right by leading your team that is both profoundly human and results-oriented at the same time. Big focus of the book was on accountability, but not as a typically utilized punishment tool, but a step-by-step list of behaviors you can follow to hold your team accountable through support, feedback and setting clear boundaries.
The only negative aspect for me were the overly unrealistic conversation examples cause they seemed quite “easy and polite” in a typical corporate world.
The only negative aspect for me were the overly unrealistic conversation examples cause they seemed quite “easy and polite” in a typical corporate world.
June 12, 2019
Gutes Buch über moderne Führung. Und was es bedeutet ein guter Chef zu sein.
June 3, 2023
Excellent book to learn not only about management skills but also about ourselves. Highly recommend it!
July 8, 2022
Really interesting leadership book about how letting go of assumptions, control, and doing other people’s work is the best approach to leadership. It’s about being more of a Yoda than a Superman or Superwoman, less micromanagement, and avoiding being the Fixer, the Fighter, or the Friend as a leader — or at least understanding which one you are.
July 20, 2018
Mixed feelings
I have to say that I have mixed feelings with this book. Some parts are excellent but then there is some very slim stuff there. Read it yourself though and tell if you think differently.
I have to say that I have mixed feelings with this book. Some parts are excellent but then there is some very slim stuff there. Read it yourself though and tell if you think differently.
August 30, 2025
!! This book was won in a giveaway hosted by GoodReads !!
Jonathan Raymond's book, Good Authority, discusses how an individual can be a good leader and practice good authority skills. Throughout this book, readers are able to learn better ways to manage and lead their teams, while also acknowledging that they are not the only one on their team.
I am not a business owner or company boss, so this book was not as beneficial to me as it might be to a business owner, company lead, or CEO. Even so, I think this book still had lots of wonderful information. Even an employee should know some of the information found in this book! It is useful and helps open your eyes more to your coworkers and the world around you.
I really do like this book and I feel as if it is full of wonderful information and knowledge for people to learn. I love how Raymond is mature throughout the entire book and includes actual scenarios relating to whatever topic he discusses. He does not use the real name of the individuals, but still tells of his experience in a realistic manner. He does not bring up religion or any specific bias throughout this book, which is another wonderful aspect of it! He sticks solely to the purpose of this book and does not try to intertwine any other theme or purpose beside teaching good authority and good leadership skills!
Thank you GoodReads for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful book. I believe all business leaders, managers, CEO's, and leaders of any type should buy this book and read it to gain helpful insight and tips into being the best possible leader with good authority skills! I do recommend this book and am glad I was able to read it.
Jonathan Raymond's book, Good Authority, discusses how an individual can be a good leader and practice good authority skills. Throughout this book, readers are able to learn better ways to manage and lead their teams, while also acknowledging that they are not the only one on their team.
I am not a business owner or company boss, so this book was not as beneficial to me as it might be to a business owner, company lead, or CEO. Even so, I think this book still had lots of wonderful information. Even an employee should know some of the information found in this book! It is useful and helps open your eyes more to your coworkers and the world around you.
I really do like this book and I feel as if it is full of wonderful information and knowledge for people to learn. I love how Raymond is mature throughout the entire book and includes actual scenarios relating to whatever topic he discusses. He does not use the real name of the individuals, but still tells of his experience in a realistic manner. He does not bring up religion or any specific bias throughout this book, which is another wonderful aspect of it! He sticks solely to the purpose of this book and does not try to intertwine any other theme or purpose beside teaching good authority and good leadership skills!
Thank you GoodReads for giving me the opportunity to read this wonderful book. I believe all business leaders, managers, CEO's, and leaders of any type should buy this book and read it to gain helpful insight and tips into being the best possible leader with good authority skills! I do recommend this book and am glad I was able to read it.
April 5, 2022
This book resonated with me a lot. After pausing the audible version to clip parts so often, I will get the physical book too. If you are interested in leadership that isn’t about asserting power over others, that genuinely impacts individuals, and helps them to grow and develop, read this.
It a world when “coaching”, “mentioning” and “culture”seem to have turned into marketing buzz words for companies, it was refreshing to hear straightforward but not often practiced concepts of (genuine) leadership. The author has laid out in a simplistic and engaging way that feels current with the inclusion of newer common trends and considerations for them.
The title says it perfectly, this book really does describe “the leader your team is waiting for.” From the perspective of an employee, I can say there are many notes of common issues I’ve seen play out first hand the way he uses for illustration to warn against.
From a development perspective, I enjoyed his concise summaries as well as the Accountability Dial concept. The format is great for quickly noting down a powerful blurb, referencing back to concepts as a refresher or motivation in a specific area.
He did lose me a bit at the end when trying to put people into Archetypes. To his credit, he admits he was reluctant to put the chapter in the book and that is why I didn’t hold it against the rating. He openly acknowledges personality typing systems aren’t without their flaws, people don’t always fit neatly into groups and that some lose site of the purpose with these systems. He notes his hope is to have it used only as a resource but those frictions were in my mind through the whole section, even with a disclaimer.
It a world when “coaching”, “mentioning” and “culture”seem to have turned into marketing buzz words for companies, it was refreshing to hear straightforward but not often practiced concepts of (genuine) leadership. The author has laid out in a simplistic and engaging way that feels current with the inclusion of newer common trends and considerations for them.
The title says it perfectly, this book really does describe “the leader your team is waiting for.” From the perspective of an employee, I can say there are many notes of common issues I’ve seen play out first hand the way he uses for illustration to warn against.
From a development perspective, I enjoyed his concise summaries as well as the Accountability Dial concept. The format is great for quickly noting down a powerful blurb, referencing back to concepts as a refresher or motivation in a specific area.
He did lose me a bit at the end when trying to put people into Archetypes. To his credit, he admits he was reluctant to put the chapter in the book and that is why I didn’t hold it against the rating. He openly acknowledges personality typing systems aren’t without their flaws, people don’t always fit neatly into groups and that some lose site of the purpose with these systems. He notes his hope is to have it used only as a resource but those frictions were in my mind through the whole section, even with a disclaimer.
August 15, 2021
Last week I finished listing to the audiobook "Good Authority: How to Become the Leader Your Team Is Waiting For" by Jonathan Raymond.
In this book the author suggests that good authority encompasses -
* The presence to name the things that most people overlook
* The kindness to speak up today instead of waiting until tomorrow
* The patience to meet each person where they are on the journey
* The generosity to challenge them to go a bit further
* The fortitude to not accept excuses in place of responsibility
* The curiosity to ask questions that you don't know the answers to
* The wisdom to resist the comfortable answers and hold out for the right ones
* The willingness to make an unpopular stand if it helps one person grow
* The transparency to share what you feel with each member of the team
* The strength to wait for others to discover their own truth for themselves
* The integrity to never ask someone to live up to a standard that you don't yourself
* The vulnerability to say what you feel even if you think it won't change anything
* The audacity to think that you can change the world
* The humility to be wrong about all and start over tomorrow
Source: http://www.dragon-bishop.com/2021/08/...
In this book the author suggests that good authority encompasses -
* The presence to name the things that most people overlook
* The kindness to speak up today instead of waiting until tomorrow
* The patience to meet each person where they are on the journey
* The generosity to challenge them to go a bit further
* The fortitude to not accept excuses in place of responsibility
* The curiosity to ask questions that you don't know the answers to
* The wisdom to resist the comfortable answers and hold out for the right ones
* The willingness to make an unpopular stand if it helps one person grow
* The transparency to share what you feel with each member of the team
* The strength to wait for others to discover their own truth for themselves
* The integrity to never ask someone to live up to a standard that you don't yourself
* The vulnerability to say what you feel even if you think it won't change anything
* The audacity to think that you can change the world
* The humility to be wrong about all and start over tomorrow
Source: http://www.dragon-bishop.com/2021/08/...
October 14, 2020
The book covers and debunks the traditional perception of authority and how it can be adapted to create a better and more productive environment for your team.
The Good Authority Manifesto:
1. The presence to name the things that most people overlook
2. The kindness to speak up today instead of waiting until tomorrow
3. The patience to meet each person where they are on the journey
4. The generosity to challenge them to go a bit further
5. The fortitude to not accept excuses in place of responsibility
6. The curiosity to ask questions that you don't know the answers to
7. The wisdom to resist the comfortable answers and hold out for the right ones
8. The willingness to make an unpopular stand if it helps one person grow
9. The transparency to share what you feel with each member of the team
10. The strength to wait for others to discover their own truth for themselves
11. The integrity to never ask someone to live up to a standard that you don't yourself
12. The vulnerability to say what you feel even if you think it won't change anything
13. The audacity to think that you can change the world
14. The humility to be wrong about all and start over tomorrow
The Good Authority Manifesto:
1. The presence to name the things that most people overlook
2. The kindness to speak up today instead of waiting until tomorrow
3. The patience to meet each person where they are on the journey
4. The generosity to challenge them to go a bit further
5. The fortitude to not accept excuses in place of responsibility
6. The curiosity to ask questions that you don't know the answers to
7. The wisdom to resist the comfortable answers and hold out for the right ones
8. The willingness to make an unpopular stand if it helps one person grow
9. The transparency to share what you feel with each member of the team
10. The strength to wait for others to discover their own truth for themselves
11. The integrity to never ask someone to live up to a standard that you don't yourself
12. The vulnerability to say what you feel even if you think it won't change anything
13. The audacity to think that you can change the world
14. The humility to be wrong about all and start over tomorrow
June 25, 2022
"True leadership is a gift that gives both ways: You become more of who you are by helping others do the same. You do it by meeting each person where they are, pushing them to go just a little bit further, and letting them know that you'll be there when they fall. Not to catch them and tell them not to feel bad. But to help them figure out why they did, to steady themselves and to give it another go. And then, when they're ready, when they take the leap and realize they had it in themselves all along, you can rest and celebrate as they do."
--
Great and insightful book about what it is to be a great leader, how to step up your leader game and how to find what kind of leader you are. Not only there are good thoughts and things that make you think and analyze yourself, there are practical examples and tasks one to use in practice. Loving it!
--
Great and insightful book about what it is to be a great leader, how to step up your leader game and how to find what kind of leader you are. Not only there are good thoughts and things that make you think and analyze yourself, there are practical examples and tasks one to use in practice. Loving it!
June 26, 2022
I was going to rate this book three stars. Then I backtracked. Here’s why:
All business books are the same. They provide a story of learning from a mistake, then perfecting those lessons and turning them into a lesson for others.
This book is no different. So, on that regard, it’s almost “predictable”.
Then, there’s the feeling I get from those authors who take credit and make themselves the heroes of the story. It’s not that it didn’t happen. It could have happened that the authors were right but it’s unnecessary. Too much taking credit can also be a bad sign.
Having said that, this book provides valuable answers that aren’t hard to apply. That’s what I find most important. It will teach you obtainable results and that’s crucial nowadays, when some books can feel impossibly optimistic.
So, in this balance, the takeaway is bigger than its weaknesses. 4 stars.
All business books are the same. They provide a story of learning from a mistake, then perfecting those lessons and turning them into a lesson for others.
This book is no different. So, on that regard, it’s almost “predictable”.
Then, there’s the feeling I get from those authors who take credit and make themselves the heroes of the story. It’s not that it didn’t happen. It could have happened that the authors were right but it’s unnecessary. Too much taking credit can also be a bad sign.
Having said that, this book provides valuable answers that aren’t hard to apply. That’s what I find most important. It will teach you obtainable results and that’s crucial nowadays, when some books can feel impossibly optimistic.
So, in this balance, the takeaway is bigger than its weaknesses. 4 stars.
September 13, 2019
Good Authority, covers a lot of ground. Of particular note I found useful the chapter on the accountability dial and it's example conversations that laid a framework for coaching an employee who is under performing. Later chapters cover manager and employee archetypes, and those earlier cover broader aspects of culture from how to listen to how to think.
One such example was on open office culture where the counterpoint was brought up that not having offices also means not having safe spaces for escalation.
This was a fantastic read on culture building and working with people, there is a lens of technology that it looks through but the author stays general and the strategies are applicable accross sectors.
One such example was on open office culture where the counterpoint was brought up that not having offices also means not having safe spaces for escalation.
This was a fantastic read on culture building and working with people, there is a lens of technology that it looks through but the author stays general and the strategies are applicable accross sectors.
October 25, 2019
My take away: The biggest hurdle of becoming good at leading people is the loss of your self-worth as you previously defined via being good at the things your team should do now instead of you.
Bad managers either go back to where they felt valued for (e.g. hands on codebase) and miss opportunities to grow into the new role. Or they micromanage their team to achieve the exact outcome as if they would have done it - gambling with the trust of their team in the process and ignoring that they might not know all the facts and best practices anymore.
Good leaders embrace the discomfort and cluelessness to find new ways of determining their value for the team and organization and becoming the leader their team deserves.
Bad managers either go back to where they felt valued for (e.g. hands on codebase) and miss opportunities to grow into the new role. Or they micromanage their team to achieve the exact outcome as if they would have done it - gambling with the trust of their team in the process and ignoring that they might not know all the facts and best practices anymore.
Good leaders embrace the discomfort and cluelessness to find new ways of determining their value for the team and organization and becoming the leader their team deserves.
September 1, 2022
I wasn't expecting to like this book as much as I did - leadership books written by men can often be less useful for a woman to read because we do inhabit different realities when it comes to earning or wielding authority.
But in this case I was wrong, this is a really thoughtful book about relationships, development and how authority plays into that, and much of it is genuinely good advice and better than that, actually a really positive mentality to take into the workplace.
I'll definitely be coming back to this one.
But in this case I was wrong, this is a really thoughtful book about relationships, development and how authority plays into that, and much of it is genuinely good advice and better than that, actually a really positive mentality to take into the workplace.
I'll definitely be coming back to this one.
September 30, 2022
4.5 rounded up! On one hand, this is yet again a book that groups people into categories and gives them names and oversimplifies etc. On the other hand, this approach is written with a great deal of empathy and compassion, something I find missing from a lot of leadership books. The focus here is very much on employees as real human beings with real needs, and challenges leaders to identify ways they need to push themselves to meet people where they are.
Definitely a must-read for managers or for higher-ups who have an influence on company culture.
Definitely a must-read for managers or for higher-ups who have an influence on company culture.
January 9, 2023
This feels remarkably like someone read The Leadership Pipeline: How to Build the Leadership-Powered Company and created a practical approach to getting the people moving from technical to management positions to actually do the work of transforming into people who lead. It's also remarkably nuanced and people-centric, realizing that people are, well, people, and not "just" a resource.
July 23, 2022
I didn't finish it. It made me feel very uncomfortable and realise that American and European attitudes to workplace practices and employment security are very different. Even though he mentions how unsuccessful coaching practices etc are, I still feel this is very cynical - "I'm just helping you personally to grow" hiding that ultimately you are here to make money for other people. It's just a different tactic to "we are a big family".
November 17, 2025
Good Authority is a refreshingly short and focused guide to help you evolve as a leader. I apppreciated how it emphasizes self-awareness, helping you identify your current leadership style (examples Fixer, Fighter or Friend) and aspire to improve from there. The books focus is not just around the professional growth but the connection with professional and personal development, showing how authentic leadership can empower and help staff both in personal and professional situations.
February 21, 2021
This book gave adds another perspective and insight into how to manage a team well and being a 'good authority' by identifying personal growth potential in the team members. The author also provides clear step by step process when talking to team members (with simulated role play) which can be an example when we run our own 1-on-1s and discussion on personal development with them.
April 28, 2022
Solid, simple, effective, and practical.
Long enough to include what's needed, and short enough to stay on topic without a lot of filler nonsense. (Kudos to the editor) Some of this is common sense if you've been in a leadership role for a while, but this is fantastic for first-time leaders or leaders who may find themselves stuck in a rut.
Long enough to include what's needed, and short enough to stay on topic without a lot of filler nonsense. (Kudos to the editor) Some of this is common sense if you've been in a leadership role for a while, but this is fantastic for first-time leaders or leaders who may find themselves stuck in a rut.
November 22, 2022
I liked this because a) it's short and b) it's practical advice. This is one of those books I'll be referring back to a lot as a manager and a someone who is managed. The sections on the three Leader Archetypes and the five Employee Archetypes as well as the Accountability Dial are all must reads for all managers and leaders.
December 8, 2018
This book was just okay. There is one chapter where he talks about the concept of being “more Yoda and less Superman”. That chapter alone is worth the read. The rest of the book was pretty much the same old stuff and a little dry in its presentation.
July 7, 2019
This book is very useful for anyone who's transitioning from a "maker" role into a "manager of makers". The mental shift one needs to perform is very well described here. Time for some self-reflection!
December 9, 2019
The example dialogues made me nauseous. The repetition and waffling were boring. I couldn't finish reading this book. It was sickly. Ugh. Sorry. I took away a few good ideas but overall, it didn't work for me.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews