"Don't Just Stand There, Do Something!"

Since sites and blogs are created faster than most super computers can track them, maybe you haven't yet found HumanResourcesiq.

Now, as soon as some see the words "Human Resources" in the context of most anything, they immediately tune out figuring that this is just another "feely touchy" place that produces platitudes covered with layers of wishful thinking the practicality of which is something slightly to the left of absolute zero.

I think not, or at least not when it comes to the postings featuring William Cohen.

Cohen has his own site called Heroic Leadership and given that among other things he was Drucker's first executive Ph.D. graduate as well as a Major General one would think it a subject about which he would know something.

He does.

Readers of this blog are also aware that leadership is a subject about which I have pondered and explored for a long time. Maybe because it is something about which we are all aware and yet none of us can really define. It is simply something that each of us in our own way "feels" and while there seem to be common elements of those feelings, it is nonetheless different for each of us.

In any case, over the years there seems to be a reasonable consensus that Peter Drucker probably has had as much to say on this subject as anyone, so when I came across a posting with the title Peter Drucker's Favorite Leadership Book, I definitely wanted to check it out.

As I read it, I was struck by many things, not the least of which was how it all seemed so relevant and current in terms of what executive leadership faces in today's environment, especially in terms of business leadership.

I don't want to spoil it for you, but as an added inducement, I can only tell you that it is not a book that you will find on this or last century's best seller lists and given when it was written there are few, if any, who would likely invest the time to read it in the original, but Cohen's post and his explanation of why this was Drucker's favorite should suffice for starters.

It's About the Values Stupid

One of the real drawbacks of modern communications and technology is that it makes you realize more quickly than you otherwise might just how little you know about so much.

But just when you're feeling really bad realizing that you'll never catch up, there turns out to be a real plus side.

Here's the plus: while it is crystal clear that the world is chock full of people who are ten times smarter than you'll ever be, it's okay because and doesn't matter because (dream of dreams) every now and then you stumble on one of those super smart folks and discover they agree with something you already felt, just have never been able to express it as well. Now you're pumped!

So it was for me when I discovered Stan Slap and read the excerpt from his upcoming book Bury My Heart at Conference Room B: Sweat Time at Microsoft in the August issue of Fast Company.

Heck, with a title like that I would have read it just out of curiosity alone. [Copyblogger take note.]

If you didn't happen to catch the article and you ever wondered how important personal values really are both individually and collectively, then I would urge you to simply click here.

See if you don't agree that the time spent was well invested.