Your Leadership Guide to Getting Results and Building Relationships.
Becoming a more effective leader doesn t have to be difficult or painful. The Square and the Triangle provides you with a unique model to recognize your strengths, build authentic relationships, and develop teams that get things done.
The Square and the Triangle approach uses two competencies to cover the entire leadership
The Square Relationships
-The Triangle Results
Leaders are naturally better at either results or relationships. Once you isolate which of these you excel at, you ll be able to create a clear leadership style that s more impactful and less stressful. The Square and the Triangle is a powerful book that any leader will find highly beneficial.
Keep It Simple Stupid. (My choice of words.) Mark Stevens has a theory of leadership that covers two competencies. His says they are basic – build relationships and get results. There is something to be said of the simplicity of them. Leadership encompasses many aspects of our lives – not just the CEO of a large organization. Mark challenges assumptions about how leaders can achieve the best results possible – not just for themselves but for their organizations as well. The first few minutes establishes the relationship between the square and the triangle so paying close attention is important. On instinct I know I’m more of a square and there was advice on how to strengthen my triangle skills as well as advice on how to improve if you’re a sharp triangle.
Some of the advice was actionable – and in fact he encourages action. He suggests dedicating time every week to the improvement of these skills because otherwise time always slips away and the personal growth never happens. He also talks about loving leadership – something that can feel counterintuitive, especially if you’re not a natural leader. He also gives plenty of suggestions on how to build a strong team. Again, practical suggestions.
Mark narrates the book and his enthusiasm for the subject is clear. Sometimes I’m leery of authors who narrate but Mark’s natural oratory skills carry well through the book and I enjoyed listening to it.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, I've read a lot of books about leadership and relationships and I was expecting something that said much the same things. That's not what I got, this book is different, far from the complicated models on most books this books concept is simple and easy to understand and apply. I wish I'd found this book and it's concept years ago.
It's simplicity is what has made it so easy to apply it my life, most books I find a gem or two in, but with this book it was all useful and all usable, both for understanding my strengths and for understanding the behaviors of other people.
Having the author as the narrator worked really well, his passion for the subject comes through, it was engaging to listen to.
I received a free copy of this book from the author and/or narrator and/or publisher and I voluntarily wrote this honest review.