10 Leading Tools: Rules, Tools and Habits for Leading Yourself and Leading Others by K.G. Butler
Entrepreneur and consultant K.G. Butler, an admitted student of leadership history and theory, sets out to simplify and demystify the topic in his book 10 Leading Tools: Rules, Tools and Habits for Leading Yourself and Leading Others. Butler argues that leaders perform their functions based on different facets of their lives — there’s a situational aspect to it; leadership has context. “Understanding your circumstances and changing with them is as important as understanding your core leadership style or default behavior,” he says.
Butler has created what he calls The Modern Leaders Model, which, rather than answering the question of what leadership is, attempts to answer what it means to be a leader every day. He suggests that readers be open to changing the way they think, and the tools he offers — tools being as much ideas and shared visions as they are tangible things — have the potential to be life-altering. Why do some people, he asks, have the guts to continue to challenge the status quo and be bold enough to succeed while others do not?
ADVICE COMPILED FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
The book is written not only for experienced leaders or leaders in waiting, but for anyone who wants to improve his or her life through self-reflection and action. It is presented in two parts: a discussion on leadership theory and then the 10 tools themselves.
The 10 leading tools are a potpourri of topics and tips. “Purpose” has been becoming a business buzzword, and Butler describes its importance in his first tool. The mission of the company, its purpose, should guide decisions rather than the implementation of any specific tasks.
The tools themselves are not so much best-kept secrets as they are mainstream concepts. The value of the book, however, is more realized in what Butler has to say about each of the tools — his perspective from study, his personal experience and his telling of anecdotes and examples to make his points. Is it any coincidence that “Telling Different Stories” is one of his mantras? Several tools define personality traits: be agile, be real and be bold. He also adds, “Be Vanilla,” or build consistency through habits and rituals, which will lead to impressive results.
What does Butler mean in his tool entitled “Create Currents”? Read his words to capture the lesson.
A PLAYBOOK FOR MODERN LEADERS
In 10 Leading Tools, Butler has created what he calls a playbook for modern leaders. It is well written, easily grasped and spot on in its messages — for veterans looking to hone their leadership skills and beginners looking to develop them.
Remember, much has been written about leadership and little is known about “the right formula” for success.
Butler quotes writer, editor and technologist Jeff Duntemann in saying, “A good tool improves the way you work. A great tool improves the way you think.” But tools can only take you so far. If you embrace this book, you’ll always have them, but how you use them and keep them in your professional toolbox is up to you.
About K.G. Butler:
K.G. Butler is from a small North Texas town and now finds himself half a world away in Sydney, Australia. His story is of a journey that began with a tragic accident outside Augusta, GA, which set him on a path to discover a set of tools and principles that have guided his success as a husband, father, TV producer, entrepreneur and consultant. Now he is on a mission to share his successes, failures and learnings as a way to pay it forward. That’s why 10 Leading Tools exists. This project became his passion and is now his purpose. If he can impact one life to think differently about his or her ability to be a leader, then he will have done his job. Visit www.kgbutlermedia.com.
