It is said that one form of mastery is making the complex simple and easy for the user. For example, the incredibly complex technology that makes an iPhone work is made elegantly simple and easy for the user. In this little book, we are going to see complexity made elegantly simple and effective in leadership. While many have defined what makes good leaders, few have presented an actual process of becoming a good or even great leader. The process of becoming something better requires growth both personally and professionally. As most of us know, transformation for human beings is often difficult. We want to be different, expanded, better, but seem to unconsciously fall back into old familiar patterns. Emerging and even seasoned leaders face the same challenges when it comes to transforming themselves into the best leaders they can be. There is a second challenge to becoming a great leader which has been virtually invisible. It is the legacy paradigms or models for leadership themselves. We have, for the most part, defined leadership and management within the legacy top/down, directive model that long ago was made obsolete by a higher-level leadership paradigm, systems-based leadership. The reason for the emergence of this higher-level leadership paradigm is simple. Systems-based leadership creates more value in businesses than its predecessor. Stuck in the old model, we see even good execution often resulting in less-than-optimal management, leadership, and outcomes. However, this book is not about either top/down or systems-based leadership models. It is about a quantum leap to a new, higher-level leadership model: The New Agreements for Leaders. Within these four simple agreements resides this new model for leadership that creates more value in companies than either top/down or systems-based leadership models. Also, within this model is the resolution of many of the seemingly intractable people issues faced by most leaders in business today. As you will see, The New Agreements for Leaders is the application of little known leadership science. The Agreements are a mash-up of Nobel Prize-winning systems science and universal spiritual science. This model aligns with how the universe evolves and is a proven process for growing great leaders, managers, and businesses. Herein, you are introduced to a simple set of four leadership principles and seven tools (New Agreements Tools) that anyone can use to improve significantly the performance of almost any company. Critically, the use of the New Agreement Tools makes people into good and even great leaders. The use of the Tools is transformational. The Tools engage and align workers and leaders alike. They solve problems quickly and sustainably. Probably the most impactful result for leaders in using these tools is setting up their people to be successful, even wildly successful. If there is anything a good business leader must aspire to do, it is setting up his or her people and the organization for success. If you are looking to grow your managerial or leadership skill sets, look no further. What you are about to experience is the iPhone of leadership models. It comes complete with a user’s manual and a set of tools so simple and elegant that virtually anyone can be successful in becoming a good or even great manager or leader. In the process of becoming a better leader, you will also become a more evolved, skilled, happy person. In some ways, you will become magnetic, and those who interact with you, either at work or home, will be lifted in some way. That is what leaders do. They lift and set up others to be the best they can. Becoming a great leader is an inspiring and profound journey. Shall we begin? Welcome to The New Agreements for Leaders.
