Everyone who wants a fulfilling career needs a mentor -- someone who has
seen it all before, someone who can share hard-won experiences and teach
valuable lessons.
In this expanded and enhanced version of his best-selling book, Monday
Morning Leadership, David Cottrell packs all of the wisdom of his
wide-ranging business experience into this inspirational story. Cottrell
introduces us to Jeff, a successful corporate manager who has hit a
major wall. Jeff has been leading his team, quarter after quarter, to
great sales and better profits for several years -- until now. The
tricks that used to work wonders have lost their magic; Jeff is in a
slump and is at a loss to find his way out of it.
Overworked, stressed, and feeling that his personal and professional
lives are at risk, Jeff reaches out to the father of a college buddy, a
retired and tremendously accomplished former executive named Tony. Tony
and Jeff agree to meet every Monday for ten weeks to work through Jeff's
problems and get his career back on track.
In the course of these intimate sessions, Jeff discovers the secrets of
real leadership: "Until I accept total responsibility -- no matter what
-- I will not be able to put plans in place to accomplish my goals."
And, "My success is the result of making better choices and recovering
quickly from poor choices."
Tony leads Jeff through tough lessons in how to manage his people, how
to manage his own time, how to manage his superiors, and how to escape
from "management land." Most of all, Jeff learns that his success is
intimately bound with the success of his people and that tolerating
lackluster performance in himself and others on the team only leads to
discontent from his most prized and productive employees.
Through Jeff's mentoring sessions, the reader meets a character of
integrity who dispenses homespun but effective wisdom. Spend time with
Tony and Jeff at their Monday morning meetings, and you will find
yourself on the road to becoming a better leader and being more
successful at work.
