Leadership Two Words at a Time

Description

For newcomers and upper management alike, leadership can be overwhelming and overcomplicated. By building core tenets of leadership around two key words for each chapter, Bill Treasurer simplifies the equation.Congratulations, new leader! You’ve joined the ranks during an exceptionally complicated time.
Our current workplace climate is fraught with political divisions, economic disparities, and ever-shifting social dynamics. Leaders are managing remote teams across larger geographic distances and facing new roadblocks to onboarding, giving performance feedback, and nurturing healthy relationships.
Leadership Two Words at a Time speaks directly to the plight of the new leader and is divided into three parts: Leading Yourself, Leading People, and Leading Work. Rather than overintellectualize the practice, Bill Treasurer breaks up the concept into essential and understandable learning nuggets—summed up by two-word headers—that provide the practical guidance and support that leaders often don’t get. The result is time-tested wisdom that new leaders can grasp immediately and implement easily—and, with a little practice, master completely. Consider it a personal leadership playbook.
This book gives you the basic building blocks to gain both competence and confidence, take on greater responsibility, and learn what it takes to be and stay a leader. ContentsForeword by Elaine Biech
Introduction: The Plight of New Leaders
Part I: Leading Yourself1. Know Thyself: Transform Your Leadership with Self-Awareness
2. Model Principles: Live the Values You Want Others to Live By
3. Aspire Higher: Continually Lift People, Performance, and Profits
4. Gain Control: Be Better for Everyone through Self-Mastery
5. Practice Humility: Prevent Hubris by Keeping Your Ego in Check
6. Cultivate Composure: Purify Your Motives with Daily Reflection
Part II: Leading People7. Trust First: Build Trust by First Being Trustworthy
8. Create Safety: Promote Courage with Psychological Safety
9. Nurture Talent: Develop People So They Can Add More Value  
10. Promote Inclusion: Create a Just, Fair, and Equitable Workplace
Part III: Leading Work11. Love Business: Keep Learning and You’ll Enjoy the Adventure!
12. Get Results
13. Master Management: Apply Fundamentals to Have More Impact
14. Lead Up: Succeed by Supporting Your Boss’s Success
Final Words: Be Courageous “If you’re just starting out on your leadership journey, Leadership Two Words at a Time is the book for you! It’s loaded with road-tested, practical, concise lessons that normally take years and years to learn. Consider this book your own personal leadership playbook and Bill as your personal leadership coach.”
—David M. R. Covey, CEO, SMCOVEY, and bestselling coauthor of Trap Tales 
“I have read many books on leadership during my career, but none have provided the practical guidance reflection and call to action that Leadership Two Words at a Time does. Bill’s passion for developing new leaders shines through in every chapter. This is truly a must-read playbook, if you will, for every new leader. In fact, it’s a wonderful resource for all leaders.”
—Jeff Hayes, President and CEO, The Myers-Briggs Company 
“This timely, relevant, and actionable content is precisely what new leaders need to see and hear to be ready for the challenges of today’s marketplace. Even more compelling is the alignment with the new generation’s value- and purpose-driven career foundations. It’s good—really good.”
—Mark Breslin, CEO, United Contractors 
“Some people make leadership too complicated. Others, too simplistic. It takes a gift to find the sweet spot and make it simple, accessible, and powerful. Bill Treasurer speaks some timeless truths in his new book.”
—Michael Bungay Stanier, author of the bestseller The Coaching Habit 
“Leadership Two Words at a Time hits all the right notes. It’s full of practical wisdom that new leaders can immediately draw upon and seasoned leaders can use to remind themselves about why they wanted to lead in the first place. As CEO of a global organization dedicated to developing leaders, I found myself nodding yes many times as I turned the pages.”
—Tacy M. Byham, PhD, CEO, Development Dimensions International 
“While Bill has written this book for new leaders, the wisdom packed into Leadership Two Words at a Time is equally beneficial for those who have been in leadership for many years (or decades). These concepts are time-tested, memorable, and easily applied for any leader at any level. This book is akin to having fourteen robust mentorship sessions with a coach you trust and respect. Highly recommended.”
—Chris Maslin, Vice President of HR and Organizational Development, The Biltmore Company 
“Bill has turned leadership advice on its head—giving real and practical steps for you to follow to become a better boss, starting today. Whether you’re a new or veteran leader, if you’re struggling to get help for your team and company, read this book and follow its advice!”
—Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers 50 #1 Executive Coach and two-time #1 Leadership Thinker 
“Wherever you are on your leadership journey, you will benefit from reading Leadership Two Words at a Time. Bill Treasurer’s new book will accelerate your progress and maximize your leadership potential.”
—Skip Prichard, CEO, OCLC, Inc., and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Book of Mistakes 
“Before you become a leader, you talk with coworkers about the boss. When you are the leader, you become the subject of their conversations, for good or bad! Leadership Two Words at a Time is the blind-spot protection every new leader can use, a gentle guide to navigate yourself, your work, and your people as you take pressure from all sides.”
—Becky Pluth, President and CEO, The Bob Pike Group 
“Many new leaders find themselves confronting the same overwhelming question: ‘Now that I’m in charge, what in the world do I do next?’ In this honest, funny, and deeply insightful book, Bill Treasurer delivers profound answers and, like the great coach that he is, poses plenty of challenging questions that deepen his impact on the reader even more.”
—John R. Ryan, former President and CEO, Center for Creative Leadership 
“New leaders don’t know what they don’t know. Bill Treasurer has consolidated the most essential leadership lessons for new leaders in Leadership Two Words at a Time. Reading his unique insights made me wish I had had this book when I started my leadership journey in the US Air Force. I also recommend it for seasoned leaders to be reenergized and inspired by Bill’s creative way of making leadership fun again!”
—Pamela Eyring, President, The Protocol School of Washington 
“While this book is a great resource for new leaders, I found it invaluable for existing and senior leaders, especially as we are living through these unprecedented times. Leadership Two Words at a Time reinforces that we will find our way through by keeping our leadership focused on the right things—with perseverance.”
—John Oswald, President and CEO, Mills Manufacturing 
“Leadership Two Words at a Time is easy to read, creates space for reflection, and enables the reader to turn fresh insights into practical actions. The bonus tips provide easy reference to leadership gems that Bill recaps based on his vast experience and his wonderful storytelling skills. Engaging from start to finish, Bill’s latest book is a valuable how-to guide for today’s new and emerging leaders!”
—Howard Farfel, CEO, TalentSmart 
“Every new leader needs timely, helpful guidance. But not every leadership book delivers such a great combo of actionable, credible, useful content in a palatable, digestible, easy-to-process-and-recall form. With pithy two-word wisdom, accessible down-to-earth explanations, relevant stories and examples, and lots of calls to action (even invitations to make and keep promises!), Leadership Two Words at a Time delivers what every new leader needs. My two-word review: ‘Read it!’”
—Halelly Azulay, leadership development strategist; CEO, TalentGrow; and host of The TalentGrow Show leadership podcast 
“Aldridge Electric has been a client of Bill Treasurer’s for over fifteen years. His messages always resonate with our leaders because he gets to the heart of what actually works. Leadership Two Words at a Time will keep you focused on what matters most.”
—Alex Aldridge, CEO, Aldridge Electric Inc. 
“Bill Treasurer takes age-old wisdom and makes it breathe and make sense! He does this against the backdrop of these crazy, busy, worrisome times and leaves his readers with solid and practical ideas that can be implemented over a lifetime. Turn to Leadership Two Words at a Time when you (as a new leader) think:
•       Why did I ever say yes to this role?
•       There has to be a better way!
•       How would someone else handle that?
•       This is way harder than I ever thought!
•       Egads, I need a good leadership coach!
If any of these made you smile, get this book!”
—Beverly Kaye, coauthor of Love ’Em or Lose ’Em and Association of Talent Development Lifetime Achievement Award winner Bill Treasurer is the chief encouragement officer (CEO) at Giant Leap Consulting, a firm that specializes in leadership development, strategic planning, and team building. His clients include NASA, eBay, Lenovo, Aldridge Electric, SPANX, Southern Company, the Social Security Administration, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Treasurer has served in numerous management roles, including as the first internal executive coach at Accenture and the captain of the US high-diving team. He is the author or coauthor of A Leadership Kick in the Ass, Leaders Open Doors, The Leadership Killer, and Courage Goes to Work. US