leadership – Scott J. Pearson’s Book Review

Servant Leadership: A Journey into the Nature of Legitimate Power & Greatness

By Scott J. Pearson | November 15, 2025November 15, 2025 by Scott J. Pearson

When observing the world, many see that true leadership does not reflect positions of power; rather, it reflects a quality of personal character. Robert Greenleaf looked at 1970s America and the 1970s world and observed a lack of leadership. We had educated talent out the wazoo, but lacked people able to usher in lasting, good change. He wrote this book to cultivate such leadership qualities in its readers. Leadership, to him, was of a servant’s…

Simply Managing: What Managers Do- and Can Do Better

By Scott J. Pearson | November 12, 2025November 12, 2025 by Scott J. Pearson

Most contemporary management books from scholars tend to center on a central “secret of management” upon which an entire philosophy is built. Henry Mintzberg instead flips the idea on its head and observed dozens of managers from various industries in the field. Then he tried to describe what they were doing empirically. Then he made that into a framework. In this bottom-up approach, he observed managers doing all sorts of things throughout a day, without…

Leadership Management-Business Presentation

Power Cues: The Subtle Science of Leading Groups, Persuading Others & Maximizing Your Personal Impact

By Scott J. Pearson | October 4, 2025October 4, 2025 by Scott J. Pearson

We’d like to think that our social lives and businesses are meritocracies, but they clearly aren’t. The best ideas don’t always win, and much depends on how one presents themselves. In a world where people make quick judgments about leaders, quickly conveying trust matters more than ever before. Communications expert Nick Morgan teaches us how to master those soft skills of leadership. Generally, this book is filled with solid advice about public speaking in settings…

Leadership Management-Business

The Power of Going All-In: Secrets for Success in Business, Leadership & Life

By Scott J. Pearson | September 22, 2025September 22, 2025 by Scott J. Pearson

This book’s conclusion encourages readers to reread this book again at a later time. At the beginning of the book, I would find that admonition a bit pompous; even halfway through, I would have laughed at the suggestion. However, the book finishes much stronger than it begins, and in that light, I can see the value of rereading it for several reasons. First, this quick read is organized in short, digestible segments that are easy…

Leadership Management-Business

Managing & Leading People through Organizational Change: The Theory & Practice of Sustaining Change through People

By Scott J. Pearson | July 8, 2025July 8, 2025 by Scott J. Pearson

Leading people through change remains a huge leadership issue in today’s quickly evolving world. Gaining soft skills to manage change also remains an essential leadership skill. Most books topping the bestseller lists inspire readers to help their organizations adapt better. This book is not one of those inspirational pieces. Rather, Julie Hodges guides readers through the entire field to see the diverse approaches required to help their people adapt. Instead of just triggering those with…

Leadership Management-Business

Scaling Leadership: Building Organizational Capability & Capacity to Create Outcomes that Matter Most

By Scott J. Pearson | April 24, 2025April 24, 2025 by Scott J. Pearson

For anyone, leadership is a journey, not a destination. It’s more of an art than a series of steps to implement. We all break down as much as we build up. It helps to have intelligent partners to dialogue with, but those are often hard to come by. Good books certainly provide helpful sparring partners to hone one’s style. This book seeks to help leaders advance their personal leadership by advancing how they build leaders…

Kids Leadership Religion-Philosophy

The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict

By Scott J. Pearson | February 15, 2025February 15, 2025 by Scott J. Pearson

Leadership is a tricky task. No amount of technical excellence makes a good leader. The Arbinger Institute, a leadership research group, suggests that a heart at peace internally is the most important component for individuals to lead effectively. They contend this assertion applies to almost every realm of leadership, from parenting and organizations to world politics. And they show exactly how in this leadership fable. This story tells about a group that resolves family conflicts…

Kids Leadership

The Three Big Questions for a Frantic Family: A Leadership Fable About Restoring Sanity to the Most Important Organization in Your Life

By Scott J. Pearson | February 11, 2025February 11, 2025 by Scott J. Pearson

Organizational leadership is well-studied because it has such a wide impact. Many professionals spend time perusing books and other materials to glean actionable insights. However, many of those same people don’t spend any time learning how their families work. To reply, leadership author Patrick Lencioni points out that families are just another sort of organization. Yes, family dynamics are different than those of businesses; they deserve a different approach. As with organizations, the skill of…

Leadership Management-Business Psychology

Leadership & Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box

By Scott J. Pearson | February 8, 2025February 8, 2025 by Scott J. Pearson

Many blindly go into leadership roles to achieve a level of social prestige and power over others. However, that attitude does not last long as the spoils of ego satisfaction fade away quickly. To contrast, the Arbinger Institute offers a better way: service to one’s fellow human beings, centered around getting results for the company. When an organizational catches on to this purpose, its effectiveness can skyrocket. This fictional story illustrates how such a mindset…

Leadership

Trust & Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others

By Scott J. Pearson | January 20, 2025January 20, 2025 by Scott J. Pearson

Today’s leadership, as practiced, often includes an approach borrowed from the Industrial Age and popularized by Frederick Winslow Taylor’s “scientific management.” It seeks to have a leader in complete “command and control” of all aspects of production. However, in the postmodern age, interdisciplinary knowledge workers often conduct every step along the way, and any leader does not and cannot know every step of the journey. Coupled with human nature, command and control tactics inhibit productivity…