Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek

Sinek first focuses on the Navy and how the leaders eat last. This contributes to the circle of safety that their teams feel. And those circles are important to making sure that teams can survive and thrive. Circles are our relationships, and, if people don't feel like they are in a circle, they become disconnected and disaffected. 

He talks about the fact that leaders are not always the people with the titles of "Being in Charge," and, indeed, ends the book with an admonition for us all to become leaders. 

Sometimes, we follow the people in charge, just because they look like the people who we should be following. But we need to pay attention to our own higher moral authority as well. Sinek explores a number of stories and studies where the people in charge subvert the moral authority and how people reacted. And, while we may follow the strict law of the land, that may not be the same as having a high moral character. He points to the Titanic which knew that the lifeboat laws were going to be updated soon but still set out with only enough for about 1/4 of the people on board.

Like many authors of the time, Sinek falls into a familiar trap; he more or less ignores Generation X. He speaks long about millenials and quite a bit about Boomers, but barely touches on a whole swath of the population. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 21, 2014

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

Find Your Why: A practical leadership book to bring purpose to your team by Simon Sinek, David Mead, Peter Docker

This is a companion book to Sinek's "Start with Why." This book helps you to define and refine your why. It's a long process (estimated needing at least 3 hours for individuals, 4 for teams.) It starts with stories and discovering what themes are in the stories you remember the most, what gives you pride or regret. This is best done with a facilitator and there are notes throughout the book to help them. 

One thing that stuck with me is that people's whys may sound the same on the surface and that's okay. Hows and whats will provide variety to everyone. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out September 5, 2017

Connect to Start with Why

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own

The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek

Sinek argues that we think of too many things in life, including life itself, as a finite game. As if there is a goal to get to and then you're done. He argues that we should, in fact, be thinking as if there are things in life that are infinite, that we are going to be continiually working towards goals that may be moving. 

This is a typical business-type nonfiction book with stories carefully picked to ensure that they are going to support the author's versioni of how we should be working. An interesting read and somewhat atypical in that it's not asking businesses to set a specific goal but it is another in a set of books that could have been done as a Ted Talk and didn't need to try and force an expansion.

Three stars

This book came out January 1, 2017

Borrowed as audiobook from Libby

Opinions are my own