Fail-Safe Leadership by Linda Martin and Dr. David G Mutchler is a short but powerful treatise targeting the growing problem of the lack of true leadership in businesses today. In just 138 pages the authors manage to challenge our current concepts of what constitutes successful leadership and present a clear strategy for addressing the leadership drought.

Martin and Mutchler begin by redefining leadership claiming that “your definition of leadership must change if you plan to keep pace with the times.” Their definition, which becomes the basis for the remainder of the book is this:Leadership is no longer about possessing certain personal characteristics, but rather about the ability to set goals and achieve desired results. Their contention is we have defined leadership around certain traits but need to reconfigure our understanding to focus on results instead. In other words, the true leader is not the one who possesses the ability to get things done; he or she is the one who actually sees that the goal is achieved.

The remainder of the book outlines a straightforward strategy to develop leaders who have the ability to get results. Instead of attempting to develop leadership qualities in people then hoping they will produce results, their strategy leads one to define the desired results then grow the people and processes to ensure those results. In the authors’ words, “The reason that this model is so powerful is that it links and aligns the vision and strategy with the people and processes that will ensure that the vision is realized.”

This is a very easy to read book that can be knocked out in just a couple of hours. However, I believe it is one to which many will refer to time and again as they seek to improve leadership within their own organizations. With tongue in cheek, the authors have interjected a bit of humor by titling their chapters: The Old Grey Mare, She Ain’t What She Used to Be, United We Stand/Divided We Fall, and The Little Engine that Could. But don’t be fooled by the lightness of the chapter titles or the shortness of this book. This is a powerful tool that ought to be in every leaders arsenal.

Fail-Safe Leadership: Straight Talk About Correcting the Leadership Challenges in Your Organization by Linda L. Martin and Dr. David G Mutchler was originally published in 2001 with its eighth printing in 2009. The book is published by Delta Books, retails for $15.95 and is available at www.ResourceAssociatesCorp.com.


(Originally Published on this web site October 27, 2011)

©2011 Michael C Mahan

The United States is still viewed by many as the land of opportunity. Stories of fame and fortune abound from immigrants of generations past who migrated to this country with little more than the clothes on their backs. Through determination and perseverance along with blood, sweat and tears, those individuals and families became entrepreneurs and business owners who established a comfortable financial situation for themselves and their heirs. Seizing the hope of that history, people from abroad still come to America with such a dream in their hearts.

That dream beats in the hearts of others in our nation as well: Men and women who faithfully got out of bed early every morning and suffered through gridlock on the highway to arrive at a business that supplied a cubicle, basic supplies and a long “to do” list. Giving eight or more of the best hours of their day, these faithful employees worked hard to insure the success of the corporation for which they toiled. But one day, often without warning, those men and women arrived at the office only to be handed the dreaded pink slip and informed they were the victims of “downsizing,” or “outsourcing,” or some other euphemism that simply meant they were now out of a job. Not willing to give up, many focused on the “American Dream” and set their sights on establishing their own business.

Other small business owners made the decision to operate their own business because they wanted the freedom to work for themselves. Some disagree with the policies or practices of a large corporation while others desire to keep more of the fruit of their labors for their own family. And there are a myriad of reasons in between why men and women are starting up new businesses every day. According to the Small Business Administration – Office of Advocacy around 600,000 new small businesses are created each year. These are people just like you and your neighbors who want to capture that American Dream.

If you are a small business owner, you know the dream is often interrupted with many nightmares. Lisa and I are experiencing that with our own business. We have to learn how to navigate the tax laws for small businesses and the self-employed. Securing health insurance has proven to be time consuming and costly. I’m constantly opening another piece of mail from the federal government, the state, or the county that contains yet another form to complete or another regulation to which I have to comply. As any small business owner knows, you only generate income when you are using your time to produce your commodity or provide the service you market. You don’t get paid to investigate the tax laws, complete forms, or shop around for the services you need to keep your business afloat.

I’ve learned I cannot be an expert in everything. So, here at the Mahan 9 Group we have an established relationship with a financial advisor, a CPA, an insurance broker and a lawyer. Yes, I have to pay them to perform the tasks I send their way, but they are professionals and they can accomplish the task in less than a fourth of the time it would take me to muddle through it. And I know they have done the job correctly. That allows Lisa and me to focus on what we do best and to utilize our time to generate income.

As a small business owner, you may be tempted to try to do everything that is required for the success of your business. My encouragement would be to focus on what you do best and search out others to assist you with the matters that, while vitally important, are not your forte. And, if in the process of determining what tasks to hire out to others you decide to look for assistance with your web presence or public relations, I hope you’ll drop us an email or give us a call to see what we can do for you!

Our hope for you is that not only does the American Dream beat in your heart but that it shines forth in the success of your business.

(Originally Published on this web site August 22, 2011)

©2011 Michael C Mahan