Reflections on “DO/LEAD” by Les McKeown

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash

“Do Lead: Share your vision. Inspire others. Achieve the impossible” by Les McKeown is a wonderful short book that explores the concept of leadership and provides practical guidance on how to become an effective leader.

McKeown emphasizes that leadership is not limited to a specific role or position within an organization and that anyone can become a leader by taking initiative and inspiring others. The book introduces the “Lead-Do-Be” model, as a framework for individuals to develop their leadership skills and maximize their impact.

Key Takeaways:

1. Leadership is a choice: Leadership is not a job title or a position, but a choice that individuals make to take responsibility and influence others. Everyone has the potential to be a leader, regardless of their role or status within an organization. McKeown helpfully defines leadership as “Helping any group of two or more people achieve their common goals” — a useful axiom to bear in mind.
2. The Lead-Do-Be model: This is a framework that consists of three essential elements: leading yourself, performing tasks, and embodying leadership qualities. The model suggests that individuals should first lead themselves, then focus on tasks and execution, and finally, develop the qualities that define a leader.
3. Leading yourself: To lead others effectively, individuals must first learn to lead themselves. This involves understanding their strengths and weaknesses, setting clear goals, making decisions, and taking responsibility for their actions. Leading oneself requires insight and emotional self-regulation.
4. Taking initiative: The book emphasizes the importance of taking initiative and proactively seeking opportunities to contribute. It encourages individuals to step up and take on challenges, even when not explicitly assigned to do so. By demonstrating initiative, individuals can gain the trust and respect of others as a pathway to create positive change within their organizations.
5. Inspiring others: A key aspect of leadership is the ability to inspire and motivate others. Leaders should focus on creating a compelling vision, communicating this effectively, and building strong relationships. By doing this, leaders can create a sense of purpose and commitment within their teams, leading to increased productivity and success.
6. Building effective teams: Effective leadership involves building and managing teams that are aligned with a common purpose. This highlights the importance of selecting individuals with diverse skills and perspectives, promoting collaboration, and fostering a culture of trust and transparency. Leaders need to provide feedback and support to enable their teams to perform at their best.
7. Developing leadership qualities: Leadership is not a “fixed” trait, but a collection of knowledge, attributes and behaviours that can be developed over time. The key leadership qualities are integrity, resilience, adaptability, and empathy. Individuals should continuously work on improving these qualities through self-reflection, learning, and seeking feedback.

In summary, “Do Lead” is a phenomenal little book that offers practical advice and actionable steps for anyone looking to develop their leadership skills. By focusing on leading themselves, taking initiative, inspiring others, building effective teams, and developing leadership qualities, individuals can become effective leaders and achieve success in their personal and professional lives.

Let me know your thoughts if you’ve read it!