“Great book. Truly a must-read.” — Eric Jacobson on Leadership Step by Step

  • Post category:Leadership

Eric Jacobson writes an award-winning leadership blog, "Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership: Tips, ideas and techniques for leaders and managers" and reviews books. Yesterday, he posted a review of Leadership Step by Step. It begins Yes, it will take you some time to read Joshua Spodek's new book, Leadership Step by Step. Yes, it will be a little like doing "homework." Yes, this is a book you'll read and likely need to revisit a few times for the concepts to fully sink in. Yes, this is a book you must read if you want to become the person others…

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An educational, learning perspective on Leadership Step by Step from the Better Leadership Better Schools podcast

Daniel Bauer of the Better Leaders Better Schools podcast interviewed me and posted it today. As Daniel helps develop school leaders, mainly K-12, he approached Leadership Step by Step and my work from a more learning and educational perspective than most of the business and personal development approaches of other interviews. It's a natural perspective since I'm teaching, so I'm glad he did. The interview touched on a lot of where my material came from, and at least one very vulnerable moment I don't often share because it was such a difficult time---actually, one particular painful, tearful day that I…

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Join my workshop at the New York Public Library, Sunday February 19!

You've heard a lot about my book, Leadership Step by Step, its 5-star reviews, and how its exercises change people's lives. I may have told you about the standing ovation I got at Saturday's workshop with Marshall Goldsmith. Now you can see me at a public workshop where I'll cover one of my book's most popular (and fun to learn) exercises. Here are the details. Be sure to register! (You can buy a copy of Leadership Step by Step first to prepare for it and for me to sign there.) Meaningful Connection: A Workshop Time: Sunday, February 19, 2017, 2 -…

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Listen to my second Join Up Dots podcast interview with David Ralph!

Today, David Ralph of the Join Up Dots podcast, posted our second interview, "Finding Passion Through Leadership." He interviewed me in January 2015 in my first podcast interview, “A Man Who Thrives One Step After Anxiety,” his 271st podcast. Today's interview is his 653rd. In the intervening two years we've both developed and the new interview shows. We're both more free to speak openly and have more fun.. The interview was a delight! Listen to Finding Passion Through Leadership! Here are the interview notes: My guest today, on the Steve Jobs inspired Join Up Dots free podcast interview is with a man…

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How I will measure the success of my book

People keep congratulating me on publishing my book, for selling copies, for celebrities mentioning me. I like those things, but the book is a medium of communication. I consider it a means to an end. The point of the book is to give people tools to improve their lives, to develop the skills of empathy, compassion, responsibility, self-awareness, discipline, creating meaning, value, importance, purpose, passion, and related social and emotional skills that traditional education doesn't teach. "Leadership" is the closest word to it, but conjures up mental images of a man in a business suit giving orders for many people…

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The Leadership Podcast interviewed me. What great interviewers!

The Leadership Podcast---hosted by Jan Rutherford and Jim Vaselopulos---posted their interview of me today, "What An Ivy League Degree Can’t Teach You." Jan and Jim have clear passions and experience for leadership and interviewing. Their questions got to the heart of what I teach, what my book, Leadership Step by Step, is about, my goals in teaching, my motivations, and the inside story. Highly recommended! Here's their introduction and description on their page with the interview Professor and scientist, Josh Spodek, created specific exercises that teach emotionally intelligent behaviors   Summary & Ideas for Action Co-hosts Jan Rutherford and Jim…

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Becoming Your Best Podcast interviews me!

Steven M. Covey said about Steve and Rob Shallenberger's work and book: “The 12 Principles are crucial to the success of any leader, in any organization, in any industry!” Steve and Rob run Becoming Your Best, and Steve interviewed me in their podcast. He got to some of my formative experiences and the views that emerged from them. They introduced the interview as follows: If you are going to become a good pianist it takes practice. If you want to be a good athlete it takes practice. The same goes for becoming a good leader. Joshua Spodek earned such praise…

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Medium awarded me “Top Writer” in three categories

I'm honored that Medium awarded my column "Top Writer" in three categories. "Great Work, Joshua Spodek. Congratulations! You are now a top writer in Leadership." "Great Work, Joshua Spodek. Congratulations! You are now a top writer in Inspiration." "Great Work, Joshua Spodek. Congratulations! You are now a top writer in Self Improvement." You can do what I did to earn it I wrote my book, Leadership Step by Step, to walk you through the steps of being able to inspire others and lead them through their self-improvement. I didn't write it "just" to engage you with inspirational writing, but to…

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Stellar reviews of other courses I’ve taught like Leadership Step by Step

Pre-order Leadership Step by Step on Amazon! or Register for a free webinar on the course! Reviews of Other Courses of Joshua Spodek Below are anonymous reviews by people who did the progression of exercises of other courses that I teach in the same style as Leadership Step by Step. They range from first year undergraduates to graduate students to adult learners to adult clients. (Not all are native English speakers.) -- “This is one of the greatest classes I have ever taken. It was engaging, thought provoking, challenging, and fun. Josh is an incredible teacher, mentor, and friend to everyone…

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Reviews of Leadership Step by Step: the Course

Leadership Step by Step on Amazon Below are anonymous reviews by people who did the book's exercises. They range from first year undergraduates to graduate students to adult learners to clients in their 60s who have sold businesses. (Not all are native English speakers.) “This course really changed by definition of “Leadership.” Joshua is an amazing professor. He taught this class in a way that we learned about ourselves and then to understand others. He taught us how to find the real emotions and beliefs behind someone's behavior and use that emotion to lead them and make them feel understood.”…

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Blurbs and Endorsements for Leadership Step by Step

Reviews of Leadership Step by Step By Joshua Spodek Buy Leadership Step by Step on Amazon! https://youtu.be/3n2gecJha6o Great leaders aren’t born with a ‘leadership gene’; great leaders develop the necessary skills and gain confidence through practice and hard work. In Leadership Step by Step Joshua Spodek presents a thoughtful approach to becoming a highly effective leader that emphasizes the importance of experiential learning. It will serve as a valuable resource for leaders at all levels in any profession. Indeed, Joshua’s practical exercises will help prospective, as well as experienced leaders, to master their craft and ultimately to succeed in leading…

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Reflections on writing

One of my online communities had a thread on writing a book this year. It led me to reflect on writing in a way that might help someone where I was before starting to write. I consider what I wrote relevant to practicing any craft or developing one's passion. Here's what I wrote: Last year was my big year for writing and finishing my book, Leadership Step by Step. It launches on Amazon a month from tomorrow. I got my first hardcovers from the printer a couple weeks ago. Last week I learned that Booklist is giving it a starred…

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Stealing Happiness Back from Comfort

I guest posted today with the Lead Change Group, whose vision and mission are: Our Vision The Lead Change Group is a global, virtual community dedicated to encouraging and showcasing great ideas and helping leaders in their own professional growth. Mission We will encourage, energize and equip one another to leading change – in ourselves, in others, and in our communities. We want to be a resourceful, supportive community sharing and multiplying powerful leadership content. They have monthly themes, and this month's was “five thieves of happiness” (control, conceit, consumption, coveting, and comfort), after one of its member's book's title.…

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Stop Unwanted Beliefs From Sabotaging Your Self-Improvement: Read my guest post in Tanveer Naseer’s blog

Tanveer Naseer is the recipient of several awards and recognitions as one of the top thinkers/writers in the leadership sphere, including being recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the Top 100 Leadership and Management Experts, earning a #3 ranking on HR Examiner’s Top 25 Online Influencers in Leadership, and being consistent ranked on numerous lists as one of Top 15 Leadership Bloggers in the world. He read an advanced copy of my book and asked me to write a guest post for his blog. I wish we could have recorded our conversation about leadership, writing, and teaching. I agreed and…

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Listen to a wonderful interview of me by Sami Honkonen of Boss Level podcast

Sami Honkonen records Boss Level Podcast Interviews with interesting people doing awesome things Boss Level is a podcast on people and organizations aiming for the boss level. Boss level is the status a person or an organization achieves by making a better quality of life for themselves and others by doing what they need to do regardless of all the haters and obstacles out there. I love his interview of me, "Joshua Spodek and seven years of burpees," which he posted today. If you like my material and, especially, if you're curious about my long-term direction and goals for it---my…

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Op/ed Friday: How climate change scientists are failing climate change initiatives

I teach leadership and I am passionate about reducing global warming. Global warming is a global effect meaning changing it will require global efforts, meaning changing behavior on a global scale. Changing behavior is leadership. In other words, changing global warming patterns requires leadership, no matter what technological solutions we find. Global warming leadership: is there any? I've been asking people lately to name effective leaders---people achieving their goals by motivating and influencing people---in the field of global warming. I recommend pausing reading to think of names yourself. After you guess, I'll tell you who is leading most effectively by…

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Booklist starred review for my book, Leadership Step by Step: “This is practical training made perfect. Bravo!”

I was pleasantly surprised by my publisher, Amacom, yesterday to learn that my book, Leadership Step by Step, received a starred review from Booklist. Booklist will publish the full review in their February 1st issue, so I can't quote the whole thing, but I'll quote what Amacom quoted: This is practical training made perfect. Bravo! For those who don't know much about Booklist, like I didn't before looking them up, I'll quote this Slate article, "Book Report:How four magazines you've probably never read help determine what books you buy": Look up a book on Amazon.com, and the first media review…

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Take my leadership course in person this spring at NYU, Wednesdays starting February 8

For those who live near New York and want to improve how they lead others (and themselves), you have multiple options this spring. Besides my online course, I am offering my leadership course at NYU this spring at NYU's School of Professional Studies Wednesdays 6pm - 9pm February 8 - May 10 (14 sessions) Here is the syllabus Register here! Limited seats available (13 last I checked) Student reviews from my courses The course will show you why my courses get reviews like: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fxo-msa9dGQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnblmP_VlHg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzm7iL6reFY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoL4zWav8Hw Register here! Limited seats available (13 last I checked) “This is one of…

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Broaden and Deepen Your Network Using This Simple Hack

Today on Inc., my fellow columnist, Dave Kerpen, CEO of Likable Media, followed up on my recent article about sending gratitude emails. He pointed out how the practice works beyond what we expected, since he promotes gratitude exercises too. Read the article to see how the practice led us to meet and immediately and easily connect because of it. In particular, we found ourselves in the middle of a tighter circle of mutual connections of valuable people than either expected. The article, "Broaden and Deepen Your Network Using This Simple Hack," begins Broaden and Deepen Your Network Using This Simple…

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What You Thought Graduates of Elite Schools Have, But Probably Don’t

I guest posted today in SuccessVets.com, "What You Thought Graduates of Elite Schools Have, But Probably Don't." I wrote the piece for service-members transitioning to civilian leadership, but it applies to many people who worry about competing with graduates of elite schools. The guest post begins: It's easy to look at people who went to school while you served and think they're ahead of you, which can cause anxiety. As a professor with an MBA and PhD who teaches and coaches leadership and entrepreneurship at elite schools like Columbia Business School and New York University, I want to point out…

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Do Leaders Need Emotional Intelligence?

  • Post category:Leadership

Check out my interview in Joe Byerly's blog, From the Green Notebook, today, "Do Leaders Need Emotional Intelligence?" It's a fascinating blog with many perspectives on leadership, mainly from a military perspective. As you know from my posts, I consider active, experiential learning essential to face and overcome the social and emotional challenges inherent to leading others, and military training essentially involves active, experiential parts classrooms and readings don't. The interview begins, Joe: I’ve heard the term “emotional intelligence” mentioned in a lot of leadership conversations over the last couple of years, but what exactly does it mean?  Josh: Let…

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Listen to John Ramstead of Eternal Leadership’s podcast of me

I was honored to be a guest of John Ramstead---Former Navy Fighter Pilot, Leadership Coach, international Podcast Host and Author of Top 100 Leadership Blog for Executives, Managers and CEOs--in his Eternal Leadership podcast, which he posted today. Here's the link to the podcast. Here's John's podcast page image: Here's John: A few words about this extraordinary man: What sets John Ramstead apart from other coaches? His extraordinary military record as a Navy fighter pilot and naval aviation instructor His experience on the executive team of three successful start-ups as well as the management team for a Fortune 100 company His management…

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The success of leaders grading themselves

Some teachers ask students to grade peers. Some ask for student input on grading. I go further. Radical self-grading I have students in my leadership courses grade themselves---not just give some input. They choose their grades. Moreover, I tell them that I will defend to the administration that they deserve them even if they all give themselves A's. I also add that this loyalty and defense requires backup from them. I don't just ask them their opinion at the end of the course. I have them write me at the beginning of the course what grade they target for themselves…

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