Leading or aspiring to lead? Invest in 'The Power of Communication' - (Book Review)

Author Helio Fred Garcia, Executive Director of Logos Institute for Crisis Management and Executive Leadership has written an important book for individuals who are in positions of leadership, and for those aspiring to leadership roles.  

This excellent work has already received some pretty hefty endorsements and positive reviews from business leaders and luminaries such as: Jeffrey Bleustein - Retired Chairman and CEO, Harley Davidson Inc and Amy C. Edmondson - Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management, Harvard Business School...among numerous others.  

I hardly think the opinion of Canadian Soapbox warrants comparison, but regardless I am more than pleased to suggest that reading this book will provide those committed to improving their leadership skills with invaluable tools and insight.  

There are many books that can help seekers of success: The 7 Habits of Successful Highly Effective People, The One Minute Manager, How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Art of War.  That's just a few titles and there are many more.  

Helio Fred Garcia's 'The Power of Communication - Skills to Build Trust, Inspire Loyalty, and Lead Effectively' belongs on the same shelf for those looking to hone their leadership skills.

Mr. Garcia uses examples from politics, business, entertainment and the military to illustrate how leaders in today's world require not just effective, but outstanding communication skills if they're to succeed at winning the hearts and minds of stake holders in our hyper connected world.  Using the USMC's publication 'Warfighting' as his template, the author applies the Marine Corp's philosophies on military engagement to teach readers how to prevail in situations where leadership and communication are key.  

Effective communication has always been important, but in today's digital age with so many tools and avenues available it is beyond essential.  This book provides more than just insight, readers are given practical tools and checklists to assist them in their quest for improvement.  

It doesn't mater whether you're the CEO of a multinational corporation, the manager of a small sales force, or even coaching a sports team.  Effective leadership requires effective communication skills.  You can have all the know how and expertise in the world, but if you can't get buy in from individual stake holders, then you're operating with a serious handicap.  

The best athletes practice their craft constantly, those interested in being the best possible leaders need to do the same. Reading and applying the lessons in The Power of Communication will provide serious aspirants with invaluable tools to help them excel at communicating and ultimately leading.

Full disclosure as always.  I received zero compensation for the writing of this review, only a copy of the book which I intend to revisit again and again.  

If you'd like to purchase the book you can visit this link:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/013288884X/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d18_g14_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1QWJVQH4X7WGZTZ30K09&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=470938631&pf_rd_i=507846

Pro Choice abortion advocates can breathe easy...for now‏

On Wednesday Canada's Parliament voted down a motion put forward by Conservative MP Stephen Woodworth that called for the creation of a committee to study at what point human life begins. Had the motion passed it opened up the possibility that a fetus could be given legal recognition.  In turn that could have led to restrictions being placed on when an abortion can take place. 

For those who believe in a woman's right to access abortion services under any circumstances, for any reason and at any point during pregnancy, they can relax.   But not for too long.  

A new motion was put forward by Conservative MP Mark Warawa which asks Parliament to condemn the practice of abortion being used for sex selection. If this new motion does comes to a vote, it won't be for another year or more. 

The obvious question is whether abortions take place in Canada for reasons of gender. The Canadian Medical Association thinks so, having recently suggested postponing the disclosure of a baby's sex until after 30 weeks based on statistics that suggest some ethnic groups are terminating pregnancies only when the fetus is female. 

Pro Choice militants will undoubtedly be all over this. Condemning a woman's right to abort a female fetus runs counter to the preferred status quo where there are no legal restrictions on abortion whatsoever.  Delaying the disclosure of the sex of a fetus takes away choice.  And it could mean a dangerous delay for those wishing to abort a fetus based on gender.  Its common knowledge that if an abortion is chosen, it is best performed early in pregnancy and not later.  

The issue of abortion is a divisive one certainly, even for members of Harper's Conservatives. Of the 91 votes supporting Mr. Woodworth's motion, 87 came from the Tories, with 10 cabinet ministers breaking ranks with the Prime Minister and voting in favour. 

Pro abortion status quo advocates have reason to be concerned in my opinion. The potential for Mr. Warawa's motion to garner even greater support is very real. There are people who are generally supportive of the Pro-Choice argument, but still have issues with abortion being used for reasons like sex selection. 

The Pro-Life anti abortion lobby obviously does not have an ally in Canada's Prime Minister. If the PMO uses its power this new motion will never see the light of day and things can remain as they are now. Pro-Life Conservatives may not like it, but Pro-Choice advocates would be able to breathe easier and for a longer period of time.

The Harper government's growing say-do gap

We Canadians are a forgiving lot, we elect governments all the time that back track and flip flop on election promises...then we elect them again.

Pierre Trudeau campaigned against wage and price controls, then brought them in.  Brian Mulroney  said he had no interest in pursuing a free trade agreement with the United States before negotiating one.  And Jean Chrétien of course pledged to erase the GST before leading the Liberals to power.

No matter that all three said one thing and did another, Canadians re-elected them.  All three however were smart enough to go out on top, resigning their leadership while occupying the  Prime Ministers office.  Eventually Canadians get fed up with hypocrisy, and long stints in power often sees ruling parties becoming both tired and arrogant.  

Which brings us to the Harper Conservatives.  

Our current Prime Minister hasn't yet enjoyed the longevity of Messieurs Chrétien, Mulroney or Trudeau.  And it might just be the gap between Mr. Harper's rhetoric and the actions of his government that will keep him from repeating past electoral success.

Canadians have already witnessed a large separation between the words and actions of Harper's Conservative governments.  

He promised to leave income trusts alone, sounding off on the Liberal plan to tax them, then after getting elected...yep, he taxed them.  (Article Here)

After riding to power on a wave of voter disgust over Liberal waste with the Ad-Scam scandal, the Conservatives turned around and built a $2 million dollar fake lake during the G8 summit.  (Article Here)  

More recently they were found to have doled out  close to a million bucks to a meat processing company to help them buy new equipment that will keep sausages from exploding.  (Article Here)

There's more of course, turning a large surplus into a massive shortfall after pledges to never engage in deficit financing.  Or becoming the king of patronage after deriding the Liberals for so long about Senate appointments.

Will Canadians reach the tipping point over the next four or so years?  Hard to say, its a long  time.  

In the interim they can consider the Prime Minister's pledge to let science make the decision regarding the Northern Gateway pipeline.  Stephen Harper 'says' science will decide.  But what does he do?  He guts the very agencies charged with conducting the science so that it can't be done.   (Article Here)

We Canadians are a forgiving bunch, but eventually we do get fed up.

Canada's housing bubble bursting 'right now' - CBC story‏

Robert Shiller of Yale University predicted the US housing crash in 2005, a year before it happened. He is quoted by the CBC as saying that he is worried that we're now experiencing a slow motion version of the US crash.

The same article cites Don Drummond, a former chief economist at TD bank as saying the Canadian bubble is bursting right now. You can read the whole story here: 

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/09/20/f-rfa-macdonald-housing-prices.html

Timing the market is difficult at the best of times, if not entirely impossible. That's because economics is as much about psychology as it is about number crunching. So long as people are convinced that real estate prices are going to keep climbing, they'll dive into the housing market even while bitching that prices are insane. Then the worm turns and buyers choose to sit on the sidelines and wait out lower prices.

Here in Quebec City I drive past condos where for sale signs are sprining up like dandelions. I don't doubt that many of the units were built pre-contruction by speculators looking to make a quick buck. That's life, when you play the market...any market, there are risks. Given Canada's demographic make up with so many baby boomers heading into their depends years I'm thinking it might be another 20 years before we see real estate providing good value as a vehicle for investment.

Warnings of a Canadian housing bubble have been around for at least the past couple of years, but its been on the fringes with most government types and so called market experts calling for contiued price appreciation or the so called 'soft landing'. 

By the time experts weigh in with bearish forecasts its likely too late for those who bought in over the past few years, paying top dollar and mortgaging themselves to the hilt.

Sometimes its worth reading pathetic little blogs.