Ep. 125 Overcoming Challenges in Federal Technology Leadership

If you do a Google search on “Leadership” you get five billion results. Seems like a topic that has been given tons and tons of attention.

A better way to gain an understanding of leadership is to seek out examples of poor leadership and try to avoid them. Enter, How NOT to Lead: Lessons Every Manager Can Learn from Dumpster Chickens, Mushroom Farmers, and Other Office Offenders. The latest book from Dr. Chase Cunningham

This is an interview with Dr. Chase Cunningham where he gives his reasons for authoring the book and the origin of many of his stories. He has a fascinating background that includes being raised on a farm in Texas, working in sensitive military areas, and completing a Ph.D.

Some of the chapter titles look like a setup from a professional comedian. He has chapter titles like

Do not be a Dumpster Chicken

Go Slow to Be Fast

Beware the Brilliant Jerk

Do not be a mushroom farmer.

Do not chase unicorns.

Yes, the chapter titles are brash and so are Chase’s recommendations.

Let us one tiny aspect of the book:  the idea of starting a company, getting investors, and becoming a millionaire.  That certainly is the goal of millions and millions of entrepreneurs.

Chase has seen investors and innovators in action. He has seen naïve startups get dazzled with investment dollars give up control of companies, and become employees to a demanding task master. Wait a minute, one of the reasons for starting a company was to become independent.

Chase tells the untold part of the “rags to riches” story of technology startups. An innovator may produce an idea and surround themselves with a core group that develops and makes the company grow. Many are hired with the promise of riches when the company goes public.

What can happen is the founder falls for the trap where the company’s value gets diluted, and the promises made to the initial group have been cast aside.

When you buy and read this book you will be drawn into memorable stories about roping cattle, small boar maintenance, and keyboard warriors.

Buy this book today to help you become a successful entrepreneur, a better leader, and a decent human being.