I read a lot. I read a lot about a lot. I’m one of those people who can lose days to Wikipedia – you read one article then click on a link that takes you off on a tangent, then from that article another link takes you on another tangent, and so on. This is bad and good, depending on what else you should be doing.
I also get quite passionate when I read something that really inspires me. So I thought I would share the joy. This post is the first in an occasional series that I am calling ‘Bibliosnaps’. Bibliosnaps are brief, shutter-open, dip into my life’s bibliography. They are a high-level look at a book, an author, a blog, an article, or even a single tweet that inspires me and I want to share. Where possible they also contain the authors answers to 10 questions which I think give you a lightening-flash insight into their heads.
First up is Hauke Borow. Hauke blogs about leadership. Which a lot of people do. Only Hauke is an engineer, and approaches his subject with such method and insight that you are left with nothing but clarity of the problem, and relavation in the solution. And I know that sounds a bit hippie, but read his blog and you will see:
Effective Tools for Holistic Leadership
Earlier this week, Hauke also very kindly answered my stock Bibliosnap questions to let you into his world:
1. Who are you in one sentence?
I’m a curious German industrial engineer who works as executive in a German machinery company.
2. What do you write about and more importantly, why that?
I’m writing about all the issues concerning management, leadership and personal development. I think good executives in all kinds of organizations should have a basic understanding of these issues as far as they really want to be effective and successful leaders. The combination of management, leadership and personal development is more than the sum of the single parts. It’s something amazing that I call Holistic Leadership.
Holistic Leadership will hopefully change the business world because nowadays we have to many low-quality “managers” who are only motivated by things like status symbols and money.
We urgently need leaders again whose personalities are based upon values, virtues, performance principles and the urgent need for personal development.
We all need leaders who motivate themselves by striving for higher and noble ideals. My target is to help people to become such great authentic personalities.
3. What is the Big Lesson you learnt most recently?
No matter how difficult it seems: If you want to be effective you must learn to avoid a rage attacks by learning how to distance yourself from the situation.
To learn how to deal with wounded pride is one of the big challenges in our life.
4. What are you NOT going to do ever again?
I will never ever try to change people. People must change themselves. I’m only going to coach them.
5. What is the first thing you try when you need to up your productivity level?
Rising up at 4:30 a.m. and just eating healthy food (protein!) in order to avoid tiredness and to be able to work many hours.
6. What do you do to put a smile on your face when you start your day?
I’m thinking about one person that probably has gained a new insight on my blog. An insight that inspired and motivated him or her to strive for more personal development in order to become a good executive.
7. Where would you rather be right now?
Nowhere.
8. What is the best thing you have ever read?
That’s a difficult question! I like many various texts very much. But one of the best things I’ve ever read was definitely the blog of Steve Pavlina. He inspired me to launch my own blog.
9. What is the best thing you have ever written?
I guess it was a love poem I wrote for my wife for Christmas in 2008.
10. What soundtrack shall I listen to when I read your work?
I think classical music would be a good choice because the virtues and ideals I’m trying to convey are classical too.
