In today’s episode of The Small Business Show, authors Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio join us to discuss key takeaways from their latest book, Lead It Like Lasso: A Leadership Book for Life.
People aren’t born leaders; it’s a learned skill. Stockman and Coniglio believe everyone can become a leader–they need to sharpen their leadership skills to level up. And more importantly, there is more than one way to lead.
Stockman and Coniglio’s true test of their leadership abilities began in 2019 when they co-founded a software company. At the time, neither were industry experts in the field, and they experienced a genuine ‘fish out of water’ experience as they navigated the business operations. Within three years, they scaled their business to a multi-million dollar company and sold it, a testament to their leadership skills and determination.
Throughout their leadership journey, they noticed a gap in the personal development and leadership literature. Coniglo notes that many leadership principles presented in these books are misguided. The principles discussed are often based on research conducted in controlled studies.
While they’re a great baseline, they don’t always translate into real-world situations. They’re often based on the business models of larger Fortune 500 companies and may not be practical for smaller businesses.
Stockman and Coniglio compiled their knowledge into a book. They framed their experiences through the lens of the popular television show Ted Lasso. This comedy-drama spoke volumes about the power of effective leadership, positivity, and relationship-building.
Many of the exercises within the book will help the reader identify what type of leader they are and where there may be strengths and opportunities based on their leadership type. It provides actionable items and suggestions to the reader.
Stockman emphasizes that it’s critical to leadership development to define oneself by reflecting and understanding how one operates. This self-reflection is not only beneficial but also necessary for personal growth and effective leadership.
Some great self-reflection questions include the following:
- What am I trying to accomplish?
- How do I best work?
- How do I fit in or contribute to the bigger goal at my organization, within my team, or my family?
Answering these questions can help an individual better understand their strengths and weaknesses and determine what skills–particularly soft skills–need improvement.
Often, individuals get overwhelmed with developing soft skills as there are so many. It can also present an additional challenge if those soft skills clash with innate nature or with their core values.
Coniglio emphasizes that we’re in the midst of a “character revolution,” in which our world is undergoing a digital transformation. Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more sophisticated with each passing day. While it’s a helpful tool, it’s replacing jobs and can do many technical hard skills.
Individuals who put in the work now to strengthen their soft skills will be the ones to stand out amongst the crowd.
"People aren't born leaders; it's a learned skill."– Nick Coniglio
