Brilliant Leadership

Brilliant Leadership provides a great view of multiple methods / models of leadership, illustrating that a one-sized fits all approach to leadership will not work in our diverse work environment. Suzanne Martin uses easy to understand examples and writes in a way that is easy to understand for those looking to up their leadership game. I especially enjoyed the team exercises provided in the book to help teams better understand each other and how to improve over time. This was an enjoyable read filled with strong references, theories, and leadership techniques. Thank you for the opportunity to be an advanced reader.

Are you getting tired of leadership books that offer nothing but glib promises? Throw them all away and read this one. It's the best, and sorely needed in a leadership starved world.

This is a thought-provoking read and useful leadership skills guide or refresher depending on how much you already know about or read up on leadership, workplace dynamics, etc.).

I appreciated the reflection questions at the end of each chapter that also serve as a summary of what was covered. I also enjoyed learning about the practices at Google the author shared (for instance, their scale for prioritizing tasks which I will incorporate into my work). Not everything resonated with me but of course the examples and suggested exercises the author shares can be adjusted for many workplaces.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

Brilliant Leadership offers a combination of self-discovery tools and practical guidance that can be useful for both new and experienced leaders. I particularly appreciated the wealth of real stories and examples, opportunities for self-reflection, and attention given to the importance of leadership values.

Specifically, Martin emphasizes the importance of diversity in leadership, providing a variety of successful models that challenge the notion of a single "good leader" archetype. She provides clear, practical tips and exercises that can be readily implemented to improve leadership skills. The inclusion of real-world examples and practices used at Google, adds further value.

Overall, Brilliant Leadership is a thought-provoking practical guide for anyone looking to develop their leadership skills.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

There is a lot to be gained from reading this book. The author recommends several resources to help the reader determine their values and leadership style. She also gives a lot of reflection prompts and useful tips for how to improve as a leader. Something I really liked about it was the explanation that there isn’t just one way of being a good leader, but instead there are many ways, and we just need to find the way that aligns best with who we are and what we believe in.

I did have a few issues with some parts of this book that felt outdated and for an older generation. For one thing, the team building exercises that the author pushed as so vital were all focused on being in person. She seems to be of the opinion that in person work is the preferred option. Another part of the repeatedly recommended team building activities that I found problematic was the stress on basically forcing introverts, quieter employees, and those with social anxiety to participate in a way that would make them uncomfortable. The author lists psychological safety as a key requirement of a strong team, but then puts no effort into making sure that people who aren’t extroverts can feel psychologically safe. I would be surprised if Suzanne Martin has read Quiet by Susan Cain, because she does seem to undervalue introverts in the workplace.