Book Review: The Top Ten Mistakes Leaders Make by Hans Finzel

I am not very good at making it through nonfiction books and self-help/improvement books are among those that are even harder for me to focus on. Yet this book held my attention...in fact, I actually enjoyed it to a certain extent.

I learned that I have a Type A personality...or, at least, I am on the borderline of having a Type A personality. I do not think all the Type A personality characteristics he described apply to me, but I am routinely impatient about certain things, can be insecure about my status or position, sometimes highly competitive (especially at Wii Tennis as my friends can attest), and have times when it is impossible for me to relax. I do not like delays and sometimes have a problem with last minute changes in plans. Talk about a real eye opener. That is not, however, what made this book tolerable for me.

One of the things that struck me most is the fact that he is a Christian and he used Biblical examples and scriptural references in every chapter. In today's world, one that seems to become more hostile to Christians on a daily basis, he was not afraid to put his beliefs out there, not afraid to include the guiding Source in his life. Granted he works for a Christian company, so perhaps it is expected on some level. However, we all know that going to church does not make you a Christian. We all know there are plenty of "Christians" out there who act completely opposite of what we expect from someone claiming that status. I firmly believe that Mr. Finzel has a genuine faith and knowledge of the Word. That was very encouraging to me.

One of the mistakes he says leaders make is allowing paperwork and the everyday demands of leadership distract from the contact people need to feel valued and appreciated. He says in Chapter 2 that there is "no substitute for quiet, prolonged exposure of one soul to another." I know in my own experience that when my boss takes the time to talk to me and find out what is going on in my life, I feel valued and better as a person.

Another mistake outlined by Mr. Finzel is that of being a dictator. He says that leaders are intended to help those they lead in finding and releasing their potential. Dictators do not do that. He used his experiences in Eastern Europe to illustrate his comments. He saw the deadness that results from being undervalued in the workplace, oppressed as opposed to encouraged. This one struck me especially hard as our country regrettably seems to be headed in this direction.

A third mistake that particularly caught my eye was that of not considering the future. He pointed out that it is coming, and fast, whether we want it to or not and, though it is not easy to change, we will fail if we are not flexible. I know that in my own life I have not made decisions with the future in mind. More often than not, up to this point, I have "flown by the seat of my pants" and gone with the path that makes me happy in the here and now without regard to future repercussions.

These three things only scratch the surface of this relatively short book. I would highly recommend this read, whether you consider yourself a leader or not. Who knows? Someone may be looking up to you in such a way that makes you a leader in his or her eyes and I believe that the information in this book offers a lot of practical advice to help you improve your leadership skills.