This Is Day One

In his new book This Is Day One, Drew Dudley focuses on one day of being a leader—the first one. He advocates approaching each day as though it is your first in your journey to be a leader. In a relaxed writing style he imparts insights into what it means to lead self and others. He then provides specifics practices to facilitate the ability to be someone who has a positive impact on people. Dudley is writing for everyone. Each person, according to Dudley, has the potential and the responsibility to lead. And it starts with day one. And that day is now. There is no need to wait and no time to waste. Dudley’s processes are not complex, but they are challenging. But he cheers his readers on to take it just one day at a time. For those who persevere, positive changes will emerge for them and for those they interact with. This is a book for anyone who wants to live a life that matters.

The Meaning Revolution

The Meaning Revolution by Fred Kofman is about how to become a transcendent leader, a leader who creates the opportunity for people to find meaning through their work. Kofman not only describes what it takes to be a transcendent leader but also explains how to develop the capacity to be such a leader. Kofman provides examples of transcendent leaders and the lessons to be learned from them. He also shares his own journey that brought him to the insights he includes in the book. This is an informative and insightful read. It can also be challenging, especially the final part of the book. Here Kofman gets into the spiritual (not religious) aspects of transcendent leadership. He effectively integrates spirituality and business. More controversial for some may be his passionate case for the superiority of capitalism over any other economic system. He is not blind to the abuses that occur within capitalist economies, but he argues that these negative consequences are due to the unethical and ego-centered actions of some of the players in business and government and not due to a systemic flaw in capitalism itself. There are many who would dispute this claim. Nonetheless, this book is worth reading for the positive vision Kofman holds up for business and work. If business did operate in alignment with his vision, the results would be the opportunity for individuals to live meaningful lives within communities of purpose that contribute to the wellbeing of the entire planet.