Is there any room in your Cup?

I just recommended three leadership books to a young man who is being moved more and more into leadership at his work and has been specifically told that delegation and scheduling are two areas where he needs to improve.  I'm sure there are many other books which would more precisely address these two issues but here are the ones that came immediately to my mind:

• The Greatest Management Principle
• Switch
• Execution

Of course there are many others, such as The Leadership Challenge, which provide a broader foundation of leadership, yet, these three would definitely be at the top of my "to read" list for new leaders, especially if they already had strong relational skills.

Relational skills is where many struggle and if that were the problem, then, of course, the reading list would be a little different:

• How to Win Friends and Influence People
• 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
• The Greatest Management Principle

What's sad is that the Greatest Management Principle, found on both of these lists, is out of print.  However, Amazon lists used copies for as cheap as a penny.  If you don't own this book you are missing out. 

 Probably the biggest challenge isn't in which books you've read or should read as much as putting what you have learned into practice.  Taking the theory into the real world is where the rubber meets the road.  Finding someone with whom you can talk about the theory and how you've tried to implement it can be extremely useful and allow you to more quickly reach a level of competence.  This person is typically called a mentor.  Don't wait for a mentor to find you and impart their great wisdom, instead seek out one or more mentors and place yourself intentionally in their life. 

I'm reminded of a scene from a movie where a young man holds out a cup to be filled, but the older man pouring the drink continues to pour even after the cup reaches the top.  The message of this is that if your cup is already full, i.e. if you already think you know everything, how can any more be added?  I wonder how many of us suffer from this blind self-confidence (pride) which does not allow any room for new, or wiser, thoughts.