Last year, I had the good fortune of being able to edit the first book in the anthology series, Today’s Inspired Leader from Fig Factor Media. As the twelve stories came in, I was in charge of reviewing and editing them, and working with the authors to get the stories in shape for publication.

Each author was an incredible leader in their own way, within their own realm and area of business. I loved the way they all “got real” in their stories and shared their challenges, dreams, and struggles so eloquently within the pages of that book. I felt honored to be, most likely, the first person outside of an acquaintance, spouse, family member or friend to review their story. And yes, I enjoyed my work immensely, and learned a lot from each and every one of them. Volume I is a virtual treasure chest of leadership, wisdom and knowledge, from people who had a vision and brought it to life.

I do recommend that you go to Amazon.com and order Today’s Inspired Leader Vol. I today. But since I’ve hopefully whet your appetite to know more, it’s only fair that I share with you my takeaways, while you hopefully await delivery of your own copy. So here goes:

  1. The best leaders lead people, not employees. Several of the authors taught that by leading with compassion, for the whole person, their leadership blossomed. They developed important relationships and made special connections that unexpectedly helped them in later life. They were rewarded through selfless mentorship and even elevated people from their darkest places.
  2. Leaders embrace resilience on the road to success. These authors have lived amazing lives! Some of them had rough starts at home and smashed through discouragement and hopelessness to find their way to their dreams. Others were the victim of personal tragedy and used their recovery to rebound with courage and determination. Others experienced business failure and struggle. They bounced back gloriously and continue to thrive today because of their resilient mindset. They inspire us all because we all face challenges in life.
  3. Leaders don’t do it alone. Almost every story acknowledged those special people in their lives who helped them get where they are. Parents, mentors, spouses, business partners, and teams are all given their due. I learned that finding support from others is absolutely a key to success, and to never give up on finding that support!
  4. Leaders go against the grain. Show me a leader and I’ll show you someone who has taken a risk in life. These authors succeeded, despite the naysayers, because of the leader’s passion. They teach that sometimes you need to follow your heart, even when your head, and everyone around you, has something else to say.
  5. Leaders stay true to their values. We all have values. That benchmark by which we measure our actions and everything in our lives. By staying true to their own values, these leaders could recognize when their lives aligned with their values. They let values be their guide to making decisions and they continually pivoted and realigned until their actions clicked with their values.

Today’s Inspired Leader Vol. I was released last year, so I guess I’m a little late with this book report. However, this blog is timely in another way because Today’s Inspired Leader Vol. II will be released next month and by coincidence, I happen to be a contributing author this time around! Revisiting the past volume has helped me gather my thoughts about what leadership means to me and how it has manifested in my life. I won’t tell you what I wrote, because what fun would that be? I’ll let you read it in print. And I have a feeling I’ll have a blog post on it soon too. So stay tuned.

And if you’re sitting on a book manuscript that is in need of editing, particularly a non-fiction business book, contact Karen Dix to discuss your needs at karen@bigideaswriting.com.