Leaders Eat Last

By Simon Sinek

"Empathy is a second by second, minute by minute service that we owe to everyone if we call ourselves a leader"

"Leadership is not a license to do less; It is a responsibility to do more. And that's the trouble. Leadership takes work. It takes time and energy. The effects are not always easily measured and they are not always immediate. Leadership is always a commitment to human beings."

I'm going to take copious notes from this book as it has much to remember.

There are places where Sinek has a tendency to rant. He has much criticism against the Boomers and their "Me first" stereo types and the damage this has done to government and industry

We need to feel safe at work. If we don't feel safe at work, then we spend too much of our time and energy defending ourselves against our coworkers. We need to focus our energy on our true competition.

Endorphin masks physical pain-- runners high. Laughing releases Endorphin. It's hard to laugh and be afraid at the same time.
Dopamine is a reward in anticipation of hitting a goal.
Serotonin is the feeling of pride. It makes us feel strong and confident. It is the feeling we get when we perceive that others like or respect us.
Oxytocin is the feeling we get when we do something nice for someone.

Our goals must be tangible

Lesson 1, As the culture goes, so goes the company.
Lesson 2, As the leader goes, so goes the culture.
Lesson 3, Integrity Matters.
Lesson 4, Friends Matter.
Lesson 5, Lead the People, no the numbers.

"Social media is a really easy way to feel excluded. Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat make me hyper-aware of the activities I wasn't invited to partake in and less involved in the activities that are actually in front of me."

"We must all be leaders. "Let us all be the leaders we wish we had."

1. Keep meetings free of cell phones
2. Encourage Notetaking on Paper instead of Computers.
3. Teach Leadership
4. Teach How to give and receive feedback.
5. Lead by Example
6. Talk about your failures.
7. Give your team opportunity to fall
8. Offer more opportunities to develop people skills
9 Help the love them selves.
10. Take a chance on them.
11. Your employees are the leaders of the future. 

Pitch Anything

By Oren Klaff

This book shares a common stream of thought with "Thinking Fast, Thinking Slow." That we have two parts to our brain. First, we have a croc brain that thinks fast and emotionally. It worries about threats, social status and saving calories. It will hijack the deep thinking part of our brain at a moments notice. The croc brain is lazy, fights hard to let the deep thinking part of our brain do work.

We fail to pitch ideas because we present information, ignoring the croc brain. People only pay attention, when they are curious. You can only sustain interest for about 20 minutes, no matter how interesting the topic.

The croc brains reaction to a pitch is...
1. Ignore if possible.
2. Only focus on the big picture. It needs high-contrast and well differentiated options to choose between.
3. Emotional. Most of the time that emotion is fear.
4. Focused on the here and now with short attention span that craves novelty.
5. in need of concrete facts. It look for verified evidence and doesn't like abstract concepts.

There is a large section in the book about frame control-- controlling conversations.

In most business conversations there are three frames...
1. Power Frame
2. Time Frame
3. Analyst Frame

Recognize these themes and deploy
1. The power-busting frame.
2. Time constraining frame
3. Intrigue Frame.
4. Prize Frame

Discussions about Beta-traps. The little things that pop up in conversation that demonstrate your are inferior to someone else. That you are not the alpha.

For example, if a decision maker is late to a meeting, you can wait. This demonstrates that you are inferior to the decision maker. Or, you can reschedule, which says your time is valuable and you have other options.

If someone says "Be brief. I only have fifteen minutes." Respond. "That's OK. I inly have 10."

Persistence is important, but constantly trying to close the deal shows that you are desperate.

Pitches have to be short. 20 minutes or less.
1. Introduce yourself and the big idea: 5 minutes
2. Explain the budget and the secret sauce: 10 minutes
3. Offer the deal: 2 minutes
4. Stack the frames for hot cognition: 3 minutes.

Mindset

By Carol S. Dweck Ph.D.

We can learn and grow throughout or life. It's an endless task. We have to keep learning and growing, forgiving, forgetting, taking one step forward each day. We do not have to be who we are today if we put constant effort into learning.

When you make a mistake, or want to learn something, don't just vow to do better next time. Come up with a vivid, concrete plan.

Not "I am going to stay away from Facebook." but "When I am on my phone, I will do X, Y or Z. I will put timers on social medial to limit their use." or "When I get up, I will have a cup of coffee and then I will sit at my laptop, open up Word and start working on such and such."

In relationships, we have to get out of the trap of treating each other like they are stuck. We have to push our selves to constantly grow.

Keep your internal monologue away from judging yourself or others. Think about how you could improve things. Go for it. Make it happen. Develop your skills. Pursue your dream. Put in extra effort. 

My Morning Routine

By Benjamin Spall.

Morning routines are very personal. Everyone needs to accomplish something different. Some ideas...

Don't check email and social media first thing in the morning. Save that time for deep work, reading and thinking about your most important problems and decisions.

Make important decisions in the morning to avoid decision fatigue.

Make a todo list the night before. Or maybe, make the todo list in the early evening the day before. Ensure every incomplete task, goal or project has been reviewed and that for each you have confirmed that either you have a plan you trust for its completion, or it's captured in a place where it will be revisited when the time is right.

Shut down in the evening. 

Try to stretch/exercise/madidate in the morning. If you have the discipline, you can do this later in the day. Most of us do not. Consider meditating on your morning commute.