In a captivating discussion, guest Chris Barnes, a fractional integrator and executive coach at Wolf’s Edge Integrators, delves into evolving leadership. He emphasizes the shift from mere problem-solving to fostering team development. Barnes highlights the significance of self-awareness and conscious leadership, providing actionable frameworks like The Leadership Circle. He also critiques the dangers of insecurity in leadership that stifles team growth. With practical insights, he encourages leaders to embrace continuous personal growth and proactive strategies for meaningful organizational change.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Leaders Stuck Doing It All
Many people in leadership roles remain individual contributors and do not delegate because they haven’t developed others yet.
They end up overworked with long hours trying to cover all responsibilities themselves.
insights INSIGHT
Reactive vs. Conscious Leadership
Most leaders are stuck in a reactive default mode, responding unconsciously without conscious leadership development.
This limits their effectiveness and growth potential as leaders.
insights INSIGHT
Leadership’s Crucial Role in Change
Effective change management relies heavily on leadership at the top and immediate supervisors.
Leaders must cascade clear reasons and support through all levels to successfully implement change.
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In this book, John C. Maxwell presents a framework for leadership development through five distinct levels: Position, Permission, Production, People Development, and Pinnacle. Each level builds on the previous one, requiring leaders to master different skills and behaviors. The book provides insights and practical advice on how to transition from one level to the next, emphasizing the importance of building relationships, achieving results, developing team members, and ultimately becoming a leader who inspires and develops other leaders.
The Peter principle
Raymond Hull
Laurence J. Peter
The Peter Principle, written by Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull, posits that in a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to their level of incompetence. The book argues that competent employees are promoted based on their success in previous roles until they reach a position where they are no longer competent. This concept is illustrated through various examples and satirical observations on organizational behavior. The authors introduce terms like 'Final Placement Syndrome' and 'hierarchiology' to describe the phenomena of incompetence in hierarchical structures[1][3][5].
Mindset
The New Psychology of Success
Carol S. Dweck
In this book, Carol S. Dweck introduces the concept of two mindsets: the fixed mindset and the growth mindset. People with a fixed mindset believe their abilities are static, while those with a growth mindset believe their abilities can be developed through effort and learning. Dweck shows how these mindsets influence success in school, work, sports, and personal relationships. She also discusses how to adopt a deeper, truer growth mindset, and how this can transform individual and organizational cultures. The book emphasizes the importance of perseverance, learning from failures, and embracing challenges as key components of the growth mindset[1][2][5].
Good to Great
Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't
Jim Collins
In 'Good to Great,' Jim Collins and his research team investigate why some companies achieve long-term greatness while others do not. The book identifies key concepts such as Level 5 Leadership, the Hedgehog Concept, a Culture of Discipline, and the Flywheel Effect. These principles are derived from a comprehensive study comparing companies that made the leap to greatness with those that did not. The research highlights that greatness is not primarily a function of circumstance but rather a result of conscious choice and discipline. The book provides practical insights and case studies to help businesses and leaders understand and apply these principles to achieve sustained greatness.
The Only Leaders Worth Following
The Only Leaders Worth Following
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Tim Spiker
American icon
Pat Booth
In 'American Icon', Pat Booth crafts a narrative around Kate Haywood, a character reminiscent of Martha Stewart, whose seemingly flawless life is marred by underlying complexities. The book delves into themes of perfection, personal struggles, and the public persona versus private life, making it a character-driven exploration of contemporary American culture.
On today’s episode of "How Leaders Think," Kenny Lange sits down with Chris Barnes, fractional integrator and executive coach at Wolf’s Edge Integrators, for a transformative conversation on leadership development. Together, they unpack why many leaders struggle to move beyond being high-performing individual contributors and how organizations can shift from a culture of training to true development. Chris shares practical insights on escaping the “reactive” mindset, building conscious leadership, and the importance of self-awareness and growth. With real-world stories, frameworks like The Leadership Circle, and actionable steps for both seasoned executives and emerging leaders, this episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to elevate their leadership and drive meaningful change in their organization.
Other places to find the “How Leaders Think” podcast:
Books Mentioned: American Icon: Alan Mulally and the Fight to Save Ford Motor Company: https://amzn.to/4iMTMPt Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap...And Others Don't: https://amzn.to/3RQ6AJT
How Leaders Think with Kenny Lange 
