Review: How Will You Measure Your Life?

How Will You Measure Your Life? by Clayton M. Christensen

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Quick read about the goals you set for your life and how you can apply them in all areas. I especially enjoyed the section called, "What Makes Us Tick". It was all about motivation, for both yourself and others. Some of his thoughts for job satisfaction that really resonated with me:

Is this job meaningful to me?
Is this job going to give me a chance to develop?
Am I going to learn new things?
Will I have an opportunity for recognition and achievement?
Am I going to be given responsibility?

Good thoughts around parenting, work, and life. Three stars.



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Leadership Transformed: How Ordinary Managers Become Extraordinary Leaders

Leadership Transformed: How Ordinary Managers Become Extraordinary Leaders by Peter Fuda

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Hmmm. I listened to this one on audio. It covers a lot of basic ideas and might be useful for new managers.

Not a lot of groundbreaking new information here, but his seven steps can be applied if you have a leader who is struggling in a certain area. He has a companion website that goes along with the steps, and it felt like a big advertisement for it. Lots of anecdotal evidence of how his seven analogies can be applied in various situations.

They say the true test of another man's intelligence is how much he agrees with you. I don't disagree with anything in this book, so there you have it.



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Captain's Fury (Codex Alera #4)

Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Hail Gaius Octavian! We journey back to Alera, and lots of things happen. To everyone.
Tavi is outed. Kitai still kicks ass, and I love her. Everyone gets character development, and the world grows. If you are reading this series, you obviously love it so I don't need to sell you on how great it is. If you aren't, you shouldn't be reading a review for book 4 in a series, so move along. Nothing for you to see here.

A love letter to Jim Butcher:

Dear Jim,
Alera is my favorite place, and you are my favorite author. I love you. Not in a scary stalker, wear your face as a mask way, but in a let's be best friends and have coffee and you can tell me all of your book ideas kind of way.

P.S. Please don't contact the authorities, I am harmless. But let's be best friends. Call me!





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Cursor's Fury (Codex Alera #3)

Cursor's Fury by Jim Butcher

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I adore everything about this series. Jim Butcher, I love you. Not in a weird, trap you in my basement way, but in a "thank you for building this world and these characters and sharing them with us" way.

Tavi has graduated from the Academy and is now serving Gaius Sextus and Alera as a cursor for the realm. He is sent undercover as Captain Rufus Scipio to work with the First Aleran Legion and quickly finds himself fighting to preserve the Realm and their way of life. Classic Tavi, always smack in the middle of conflict.

Almost all of your favorites are back, and there are some major character developments by the end. Some of the battle scenes wind on for too long, keeping me from rating this 5 stars, but it is still the Alera you know and love. The battle scenes are crucial for moving the plot to the next book so hunker down and get through them because the payoff at the end is perfect. Once you finish, you will immediately want to start on the next book...the sign of a great series.



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The Way of Kings (The Stormlight Archive #1)

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Wow, what a beginning! This book is a time investment, but it's good. Really good.

We are following 4 main characters: Szeth, Kaladin, Shallan and Dalinar; seemingly unrelated characters whose lives come together over the course of the story. Sanderson builds a large, complex world full of military strategy, magic, and morality tales, and one not easily forgotten.

My favorite storyline is Kaladin, by far. He's a flawed, everyman hero who usually does the right thing. He is my favorite kind of character, and the reason I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

Stick with the confusing web of characters and stories at the beginning, and you will be glad you took the journey. Good stuff.



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Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead

Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to like this book. Actually, I wanted to love this book. But I didn't. I am all for more women in leadership. I love my job and feel businesses need to continue to cultivate diversity in all areas, including diversity of thought. I am a wife, and mother, and have been in leadership my entire career, so I thought this book would be amazing and inspirational. I hoped it would be one I could recommend to my peers. Unfortunately...

This book showed me that I think, and often act, like the men Sheryl Sandberg has worked with throughout her career. Rarely did any of her stories or perspectives resonate with me. I would read her anecdote, pause, and think, "Huh. Do most women in business feel that way? I have never had that thought." Or, "I can't believe that was her reaction. I would have lost respect for her in that moment." If most women have similar thoughts, feelings, and reactions, it's no surprise that they struggle to achieve high levels of leadership success.

On the flip side, it did help me gain perspective on how some of my female peers might feel in the workplace. I can possibly use this to encourage differently, or help other women leaders work through some of their career stallers and provide an alternate point of view.

Overall, too much hype and a let-down for me. Men, if you read this book, do not assume every woman feels, thinks, or acts this way. Please and thank you.

TL:DR--I might be a man. Or Sheryl Sandberg is a big baby.

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Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun

Leadership Secrets of Attila the Hun by Wess Roberts
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Fast read, but no new info on leadership here.

1) Beyond a list of leadership qualities that you can adapt for any industry and argue they will lead to success, we are given bon mots like "you've got to want to lead" and "pick your enemies wisely".
2) Dress for the job you want, not the job you have. Be sure you conduct yourself accordingly, because you are always being watched.
3) Take responsibility, be decisive, delegate, negotiate, be resilient, and reward and recognize great performance. Learn from your failures, and move on.

I have just saved you an hour of reading time. Go forth and lead.

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