January 8, 2008 21 Comments

Understanding Strategy and Applying It

DavidMaister
Photo by Steve Garfield

Famed leadership guru and successful author David Maister spoke at PodCamp Boston2 in October 2007, and immediately won over a lot of really appreciative new friends. The room where he spoke was packed and people were standing out in the hallways with their ears pressed to the door. Those who knew his previous books were there to hear where he was going. Those who’d yet to meet him, wanted to hear about strategy.

David’s latest book is out. Strategy and the Fat Smoker is about helping us understand why we don’t do the things we know we should, and ways to get ourselves (and our organizations) on track. (More about the book here, including how to get an eBook.)

One thing I love about the book is the simple definition David uses to warm us up to the idea of what strategy is. He says that strategy isn’t the goal of losing weight; it’s the diet and course of exercise we choose to get there. But there’s more.

Maister takes us through understanding client relationships, our own leadership styles, and other people’s, and then ties it all together into a call to focus on people, passion, and principles. Along the way, we learn more and more about what we should look for in our actions, in the systems that guide our organizations, and how we should consider our leaders. We can’t change every step in the system if we’re not on top, but there are even some tips and ideas on how to guide people towards a better solution.

The section on leadership is a must read for folks looking to better understand their boss, or for being a boss.

I’m excited that my friend, Julien, helped me learn more about David and his work. Turns out he lives only about 45 minutes from me, and so who knows? Maybe I’ll bother him over beverages and ask him more about the book.

Related posts:

  1. Understanding Community Development Strategies
  2. Consider Your Media-as-Business Strategy
  3. Whats Your Social Media Strategy
  4. A Basic Social Media Strategy
  5. New Strategy R2

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  • Anonymous

    Thanks for yet another great book recommendation, Chris. Now that I have worked through those Amazon gift vouchers I have to dig into the bank. If only there was a time bank too … it’s early 2008 and I am already behind!

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for yet another great book recommendation, Chris. Now that I have worked through those Amazon gift vouchers I have to dig into the bank. If only there was a time bank too … it’s early 2008 and I am already behind!

  • http://www.servantofchaos.com Gavin Heaton

    Thanks for yet another great book recommendation, Chris. Now that I have worked through those Amazon gift vouchers I have to dig into the bank. If only there was a time bank too … it’s early 2008 and I am already behind!

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  • http://stephenshores.org/ Stephen

    Hmm, I didn’t see a pointer to the e-book version through that link. Care to enlighten me, if it’s still available?

  • http://stephenshores.org/ Stephen

    Hmm, I didn’t see a pointer to the e-book version through that link. Care to enlighten me, if it’s still available?

  • http://stephenshores.org/ Stephen

    Hmm, I didn’t see a pointer to the e-book version through that link. Care to enlighten me, if it’s still available?

  • http://stephenshores.org/ Stephen

    Oh, THERE it is. It’s the link that says ‘e-book’. :P

  • http://stephenshores.org/ Stephen

    Oh, THERE it is. It’s the link that says ‘e-book’. :P

  • http://stephenshores.org/ Stephen

    Oh, THERE it is. It’s the link that says ‘e-book’. :P

  • http://stevegarfield.com Steve Garfield

    Hi Chris,
    Good job on photo credit. People are able to follow the link to flickr and comment and/or see the CC license I have on it.

    One more thing that would make it perfect would be to have CC BY-NC-SA right beside my name, since the license actually requires that you put the same CC license on you photo that I have on mine.

    As for David Maister’s book, I recently finished it, and loved the leadership chapter too. It’s a great read and a good lens for examining the presidential candidates through.

    If you get together with David, maybe you can make it an open meet up where more people can come too.

    I’d love it.
    –Steve

  • http://stevegarfield.com Steve Garfield

    Hi Chris,
    Good job on photo credit. People are able to follow the link to flickr and comment and/or see the CC license I have on it.

    One more thing that would make it perfect would be to have CC BY-NC-SA right beside my name, since the license actually requires that you put the same CC license on you photo that I have on mine.

    As for David Maister’s book, I recently finished it, and loved the leadership chapter too. It’s a great read and a good lens for examining the presidential candidates through.

    If you get together with David, maybe you can make it an open meet up where more people can come too.

    I’d love it.
    –Steve

  • http://stevegarfield.com Steve Garfield

    Hi Chris,
    Good job on photo credit. People are able to follow the link to flickr and comment and/or see the CC license I have on it.

    One more thing that would make it perfect would be to have CC BY-NC-SA right beside my name, since the license actually requires that you put the same CC license on you photo that I have on mine.

    As for David Maister’s book, I recently finished it, and loved the leadership chapter too. It’s a great read and a good lens for examining the presidential candidates through.

    If you get together with David, maybe you can make it an open meet up where more people can come too.

    I’d love it.
    –Steve

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    Maybe I’ll bother him over beverages and ask him more about the book.
    ne more thing that would make it perfect would be to have CC BY-NC-SA right beside my name.

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    Thanks for yet another great book recommendation

  • http://savetubevideo.com youtube downloader

    Thanks for yet another great book recommendation