The Winding Road to Excellence: Leadership Lessons Learned from Life’s Potholes by G.T. Toby StansellMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Solid, insightful, and practical business advice...
Lessons Learned from Life’s Potholes" by G.T. Stansell offers a collection of insightful business advice focused on fostering a corporate culture where employees are genuinely motivated to excel while keeping the company's interests at the forefront. Stansell presents a series of concise "Mantras for Excellence" that encapsulate valuable learning experiences, from personal choices to life's challenges. He then expands upon these one-liners, providing practical applications and in-depth insights. Stansell's approach emphasizes that authentic leadership starts with being an authentic person, and he shares personal stories that led to the development of these mantras, often through the bumps and potholes of life. Through this, he constructs a framework that leaders can employ to transform their organizations into places where everyone is empowered to leverage their talents and perform at their best.
With a wealth of experience as CEO of Cargo LLC and former leadership roles across various industries, Stansell offers profound insights into effective leadership. He understands the transformative power of turning apparent liabilities into valuable assets. Stansell's book hinges on the belief that every experience, whether positive or negative, can be an opportunity to build a positive, principle-based foundation for successful leadership. He emphasizes the importance of humility, care, and consideration in applying one's influence as a leader to positively impact the lives of others.
G.T. Stansell's talent for developing innovative solutions to complex challenges and his knack for instilling a unifying culture within organizations shine through in this book. He is not only a storyteller at heart but also a leader who infuses commercial, civic, and cultural entities with motivation and unity. While the book occasionally delves into repetitive territory, especially in restating common-sense principles, it gains momentum in its final chapters. Here, Stansell offers deeper insights into selling strategies, making these sections particularly engaging and thought-provoking. "The Winding Road to Excellence" provides leaders with a foundational philosophy of excellence in action and a practical roadmap for transforming their businesses into more efficient, joyful, and competitive workplaces. Highly recommended.
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