Review Buku: Unleashed by Anne Morriss and Frances Frei - “Leadership is not for everyone,” it’s an infamous phrase we’ve all heard, if not to ourselves than to someone we know.

Growing up there is some truth in it, leadership certainly is challenging quality to have and a skill to forever polish, so not everyone can master it. However, more often everyone will experience being in a leadership position.

Growing up there is some truth in it, leadership certainly is challenging quality to have and a skill to forever polish, so not everyone can master it. However, more often everyone will experience being in a leadership position.

This book holds particular significance for me as a female leader. Women are often underrepresented in leadership roles.

When they do achieve them, they might feel compelled to be apologetic due to fear of being underestimated, or conversely, they may adopt a firm stance to counteract that fear.

Having grappled with the latter, I found the self-reflective segments of this book instrumental in reshaping my mindset.

Without further delay, this review will cover 3 mains parts of this inspiring book: signs of failing leadership in ourselves, empowering through devotion and empowering through changing the way people think.

Anne Morriss and Francis Frei introduces the definition of leadership; it does not derive from personal capability alone but rather from one’s ability to empower others. They empathize empowerment as a pillar and the need for authenticity

To begin, the book brings in 4 reflective keys that I agree was unique and often looked over.

First, not being able to to sustain genuine interest in people’s idea, second, continuously updating your list of imperfections, third, pessimism as the first reaction and lastly, the sense that reality has become tedious.

One of the the things i thought about while reading this part was how dangerous yet unnoticeable the first point was. Someone who can’t be interested in others, would not be the kind of person to acknowledge it.

When I didn’t trust my team, I relied on my ideas to carry the progress and it made me disregard my peers, always subjecting them to to my personally strict criticism before it can even reach my ears. Little did I know, this was tiring on my side and only deteriorated my relationships.

It helps to just forcefully interrupt your thoughts and listen.

Manifesting a positive future is another take away. Always assuming the best for today and better for tomorrow can energize ourselves and our members.

Once we enter a space where “what can go wrong” is the first thought in our head, than we’ve taken a step back from leadership.

Empowering Through Devotion

A neglecting relationship doesn’t bear fruits, professional relationship is no exception! Francis use a very touching analogy, if we were to find ourselves in neglect, we essentially are faced with only two options - invest in it or respectfully sever it. With colleagues we can’t do the latter so how can we turn back time?

The key is proactive communication. Show commitment by expressing genuine curiosity. The authors suggest ways to support our colleagues, like inquiring about optimizing their tasks and granting them some autonomy.

This could mean allocating timed areas where we collectively understand assignments. On a smaller scale, gestures like offering food or using inclusive language ("we" instead of "I") can go a long way.

There should be this realization that leadership is not just some kind of extension to our life, but an intrinsic part of our lives. Its follows all the little to big interactions in our daily life.

Because, you can’t be generous to people only when you’re in the office, the desire to be genuine should thrive even outside, better yet make it my personal goal.

Empowering through changing the way people people think

Empowering through changing the way people people think. What made this chapter exceptionally helpful was that the examples can be taken as a step by step solution for your team itself.

One of the biggest challenge for hard leaders is the feeling that you can only rely on yourself, well the best way to overcome that is to know that your team is capable - in other words shaping the work culture.

"Culture defines an organization, so it becomes a thing when people realize that something about their culture needs to change"

Unleashed

Culture as the Frances puts it, establishes the rules of engagements after leadership leaves the room.

Here are 3 steps to try out:

1. 1. Keep it to yourself

   Announcing tough data in an unorganized way can make people quickly lose momentum

1. 2. Intention, design, execution:

   These are the 3 core elements to pilot a good culture :

   Intention: demonstrate that success is possible

   Design: picking out leadership teams that are as eager as you and most capable or fast action

   Execution: be as creative and audacious as possible

"To get people to reliably behave the way you want - even in your absence- you have to get them to reliably think the way you want"

Unleashed

1. 3. Involve everyone in the solution

   Tell everyone the good news - the plan. Focus your explanation on the optimistic path, there shouldn’t be condemning parties or cynical motives when we try to invite broad participation

Its good to always remember that leadership position is not just some kind of physical throne, there is a reason for your position - impact change and growth.

Like all workings, good leadership is a process, nobody says its easy. I certainly wouldn’t say it is, but it is worth it to invest in. So this is something for you to take: Never be at the forefront. Always put other people first.