Life continues to be busy in the most pleasant of ways. Lots of WANT TOs and very few HAVE TOs…the way time should be spent. One of the things I did of late that falls squarely into the WANT TO category is the completion of my third e-book in the Commanding Cooperatively series, The Cooperative Leadership Model. As I look back through my posts, I realize that I never made mention of the second book, Leading Upon Arrival. The oversight might give you some insight into the level of interest I have in selling these books. And though I am not focused on selling them, I am extremely interested in sharing them and am doing so for three reasons:

  • Reliving Good Times: I believe in the message being shared and sharing this story affords me the opportunity to relive the best tour of duty to date
  • My Oxytocin Addiction: Sharing feels good and oxytocin is a chemical that the body releases when we see or experience acts of generosity
  • Reciprocity Matters: I consume a great deal of content and it seems selfish to consume without creating

Book 3 Intro…

Early on in my career, I was taught to keep my head on swivel, look for leaders worthy of emulation, identify leadership practices that were less than inspirational, and take good notes along the way. I have been fortunate to have spent most of my career working with great leaders, so my notebook has a more complete listing of what to do, as opposed to what not to do. That said, I have witnessed enough negative leadership to know as much about the leader I do not want to be as I do the leader to which I aspire to become. Prior to taking command, I spent some time refining my leadership list into four common threads. Those four threads evolved into what I refer to as The Cooperative Leadership Model. Complementary to, but distinct from the four threads that make up this model should not be confused with the four command values highlighted in Book Two, Leading Upon Arrival, these two lists partnered to provide the foundation that shaped the culture we ultimately shared. The four components of The Cooperative Leadership Model remain:

  • Overcommunicating the Why
  • Competence Over Collar Device
  • Rewarding Failure
  • 360 Degree Feedback

Whether or not you choose to read more than the intro, I hope that by sharing I might encourage you to do the same. You may be surprised how quickly writing can turn from the HAVE TO it often is in school and at work into a WANT TO that affords the opportunity to think critically, refine communication skills, and connect with people from across the globe. It wasn’t that long ago that I hit the WANT TO tipping point and it continues to be fun watching guest bloggers on this site begin to tip in the same direction.

Thank you for reading, thank you for corresponding, and thank you for sharing in the journey. I look forward to hearing how you might modify The Cooperative Leadership Model to meet your unique challenges as a leader.

  • How are you sharing what you learn?
  • What leadership models resonate with you?
  • Do you have a leadership model of your own?

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