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One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership Hardcover – October 18, 2011
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Based on leadership expert Mike Figliuolo's popular "Leadership Maxims" training course, One Piece of Paper teaches decisive, effective leadership by taking a holistic approach to defining one's personal leadership philosophy. Through a series of simple questions, readers will create a living document that communicates their values, passions, goals and standards to others, maximizing their leadership potential.
- Outlines a clear approach for identifying a concise and meaningful set of personal leadership maxims by which leaders can live their lives
- Explains and applies four basic aspects of leadership: leading yourself, leading the thinking, leading your people, and leading a balanced life
- Generates a foundational document that serves as a touchstone for leaders and their teams
Simple, applicable, and without pretense, One Piece of Paper provides a model for real leadership in the real world.
- Print length256 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherJossey-Bass
- Publication dateOctober 18, 2011
- Dimensions6.2 x 1 x 9.1 inches
- ISBN-101118049594
- ISBN-13978-1118049594
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
―Roland Smith, president and CEO, Wendy's / Arby's Group
"One Piece of Paper elegantly tackles the complex topic of leadership and makes it real, practical, and powerful for leaders in all walks of life. Leadership is about relationships. The approach explained in this book will help you build a strong foundation for the relationships you have with your team."
―Mike Krzyzewski, head coach, Duke University
"In One Piece of Paper, Mike Figliuolo brushes aside the buzzwords and offers a clear path to becoming a truly authentic leader. If you want your team to work both harder and smarter―not just because you're the boss, but because you're a trusted ally―buy this book."
―Keith Ferrazzi, author, Who's Got Your Back and Never Eat Alone
"Because Mike Figliuolo is a leader himself, he truly understands the challenges leaders face in the real business world. His guidance and advice are practical, and in One Piece of Paper he zeroes in on the skills leaders need to compete effectively in today's global environment."
―Gail Leiber, director, Global Learning & Development Consulting Practice, Abbott Laboratories
"With professional ease, Mike joins with his reader through the building of leadership maxims, with a promise of collection into ‘one piece of paper’ at the end. The book feels like a conversation between two old friends, one of them being you."
―John Galvin, General, U.S. Army, Retired and Former Supreme Allied Commander Europe
"With his unique insights from decades of experience as a combat arms officer, management consultant, Fortune 500 executive, and entrepreneur, Mike Figliuolo has hit the mark with a must-read for leaders at all levels who want to radically improve their effectiveness."
―The Honorable David McCormick, Under Secretary of the U.S Treasury (2007-2009)
"Once I began it, I could not put Mike's book down as I learned how to learn about myself. Beginning with establishing an honest, personal introspective foundation, One Piece of Paper provides a hands-on, actionable guide to credible, effective leadership."
―Jack Partridge, president, Columbia Gas of Ohio, Inc.
"Dynamic leaders at all levels will benefit from Mike Figliuolo's experience and powerful approach. If you are ready to take ownership of defining your authentic style of leadership, then One Piece of Paper is the place to begin."
―Kim Gravell, vice president, Strategy Management, Cardinal Health
"One Piece of Paper is exceptionally framed, forward-thinking, and thought provoking. Mike Figliuolo provides key leadership insights and perspectives that are real. This book represents concise, practical, and effective thinking on leadership, and plainly said, this approach works."
―Darcie Zeliesko, group leader, Heinz North America
"Mike Figliuolo's maxims approach to leadership provides a simple yet profound template for developing the kind of synergy, trust, and confidence essential for successful organizations."
―Robert F. Foley, Lieutenant General, U.S. Army, Retired
From the Inside Flap
Leadership seems complicated to many. With competing philosophies and methods, as well as a rapidly changing workplace, is it possible to clearly, succinctly, and simply convey your personal approach to leading others?
One Piece of Paper provides an authentic, accessible model for any leader to do just that. Simple, applicable, and without pretense, it's real leadership for the real world.
Based on leadership expert Mike Figliuolo's popular "Leadership Maxims" training course, One Piece of Paper guides you through a simple approach for creating, articulating, and living your personal leadership philosophy--one that can be shared on a single piece of paper. Figliuolo's model distills leadership to four easy-to-understand aspects:
Leading yourself: What motivates you and what are your rules of personal conduct? What do you want the "future you" to look like and stand for?
Leading the thinking: Where are you taking your organization and how will you innovate to drive change?
Leading your people: How can you lead a team as individuals rather than as faceless cogs in a machine?
Leading a balanced life: How do you define and achieve equilibrium between work and personal obligations?
By answering simple, provocative questions that guide anyone to a set of personal leadership maxims, you build a living document that communicates your personal passions, goals, and standards that define your leadership style. The result: one piece of paper that provides an accessible touchstone for both you and your team, enabling you to work together effectively, build your organization, and achieve great results.
With the simplicity of its approach and the powerful, deeply meaningful set of leadership maxims that it inspires, One Piece of Paper will help anyone achieve his or her true potential as a leader.
From the Back Cover
"If you want your team to work both harder and smarter buy this book." KEITH FERRAZZI
One Piece of Paper
LEADERSHIP seems complicated to many. With competing philosophies and methods, as well as a rapidly changing workplace, is it possible to clearly, succinctly, and simply convey your personal approach to leading others?
One Piece of Paper provides an authentic, accessible model for any leader to do just that. Simple, applicable, and without pretense, it's real leadership for the real world.
Based on leadership expert Mike Figliuolo's popular "Leadership Maxims" training course, One Piece of Paper guides you through a simple approach for creating, articulating, and living your personal leadership philosophy one that can be shared on a single piece of paper. Figliuolo's model distills leadership to four easy-to-understand aspects:
- Leading yourself: What motivates you and what are your rules of personal conduct? What do you want the "future you" to look like and stand for?
- Leading the thinking: Where are you taking your organization and how will you innovate to drive change?
- Leading your people: How can you lead a team as individuals rather than as faceless cogs in a machine?
- Leading a balanced life: How do you define and achieve equilibrium between work and personal obligations?
By answering simple, provocative questions that guide anyone to a set of personal leadership maxims, you build a living document that communicates your personal passions, goals, and standards that define your leadership style. The result: one piece of paper that provides an accessible touchstone for both you and your team, enabling you to work together effectively, build your organization, and achieve great results.
With the simplicity of its approach and the powerful, deeply meaningful set of leadership maxims that it inspires, One Piece of Paper will help anyone achieve his or her true potential as a leader.
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Jossey-Bass; 1st edition (October 18, 2011)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 256 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1118049594
- ISBN-13 : 978-1118049594
- Item Weight : 14.4 ounces
- Dimensions : 6.2 x 1 x 9.1 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #638,630 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7,004 in Leadership & Motivation
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
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Mike Figliuolo is the founder and managing director of thoughtLEADERS, LLC, a professional services firm specializing in leadership development, and a nationally-recognized speaker and blogger on the topic of leadership. An Honor Graduate from West Point, Figliuolo served in the U.S. Army as a combat arms officer. Before founding his own company, he was an assistant professor at Duke University, a consultant at McKinsey & Co., and an executive at Capital One and Scotts Miracle-Gro.
Mike actively blogs about leadership, strategy, communications, innovation, and other critical business skills at http://www.thoughtleadersllc.com/blog/. His work has been featured on Inc.com, Forbes.com, SmartBrief, The Huffington Post, and many other well-recognized media outlets.
He lives in Columbus, Ohio.
Customer reviews
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To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the book's practical approach to leadership style useful for new leaders. They describe it as an engaging read with relatable examples and straightforward language. Readers appreciate the author's simple, straightforward approach that helps them create concise, actionable maxims. The storytelling is praised as relatable and down-to-earth.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers find the book's leadership style helpful. They say it teaches a practical method for identifying a leadership philosophy and the importance of communicating it. The book leads you through a course of self-examination that results in a clear understanding of how you lead. It is easy to read, with a logical way to assess yourself on one piece of paper. Readers appreciate the thought-provoking questions and stories. They find the book inspiring and motivating, helping them look into themselves to understand why they are the person they are and how they lead.
"...better results for your organization, or just being a better leader for your team, this is the first book you should be reading." Read more
"On page 13 of this wonderful and inspiring book by leadership consultant Mike Figliuolo he says, "If you are serious about trying a new approach to..." Read more
"...I'm reading it for the first time and appreciate the introspective approach, not to mention Mike's great storytelling...." Read more
"...It goes beyond philosophy to deal with the day to day activities and decisions that actually create your leadership style." Read more
Customers find the book easy to read and engaging. They say it's a great guide for new managers, with relatable examples for each principle. The chapters are well-written, making it worthwhile to keep reading.
"...The author is refreshingly down-to-earth. Simple language; real examples; tangible guidance. The book is exceedingly practical...." Read more
"On page 13 of this wonderful and inspiring book by leadership consultant Mike Figliuolo he says, "If you are serious about trying a new approach to..." Read more
"...reading this with the rest of our leadership team, and the experience is fantastic...." Read more
"...each chapter of 'One Piece of Paper' each week, and it's truly been impactful, not just for our own growth as leaders, but to also for getting to..." Read more
Customers appreciate the book's simple approach to a complex subject. They find it interesting and thought-provoking, encouraging them to take their time and reflect on themselves. The book offers a roadmap with relatable examples for each principle.
"...No flowerly terms like "synergy" and "mission-driven."..." Read more
"...his authentic, transparent, and highly personalized leadership style, approach, and storytelling ability...." Read more
"I am still reading, but the content of the book is easy to follow, and focuses on a clear set of criteria or principles to guide one's actions...." Read more
"...Each chapter is very well-written, with funny and relatable examples for each principle that the author draws from his own experience...." Read more
Customers appreciate the author's storytelling ability. They find the book relatable, funny, and actionable. The author is down-to-earth with simple language and real examples.
"...The author is refreshingly down-to-earth. Simple language; real examples; tangible guidance. The book is exceedingly practical...." Read more
"...and highly personalized leadership style, approach, and storytelling ability...." Read more
"...and appreciate the introspective approach, not to mention Mike's great storytelling...." Read more
"...Mike's book is actionable. When I first read the book, I created my own maxims. It was an interesting and useful exercise...." Read more
Reviews with images
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Buzzwords out!
Top reviews from the United States
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- Reviewed in the United States on December 21, 2011I love this book.
Most books on leadership have two main flaws: first, they're full of pablum (or "BS," as Mike Figliuolo describes it - and get used to that; he calls a spade a spade). Second, they usually represent one person's view of leadership, with the underlying assumption that what worked for them will work for you.
One Piece of Paper is a very good book because of its content. But what gets it from 4 stars to 5 is that it is the only book on leadership I've ever read that avoids both of these flaws. The author is refreshingly down-to-earth. Simple language; real examples; tangible guidance. The book is exceedingly practical.
More importantly, Mike understands that leadership is an intensely personal characteristic. Trying to emulate General Patton, or Jack Welch, or Carly Fiorina is a recipe for disaster for the obvious reason that you are not them. You have different motivations, different strengths, different communication styles, and you probably face different challenges. One Piece of Paper is a guide to understanding and developing your own personal leadership style.
As other reviewers have noted, reading this book requires you to roll up your sleeves and work. You don't become a leader by osmosis. Mike challenges you to think hard about what really matters to you, what you believe in, and what kind of leader you aspire to be. Then he asks you to commit pen to paper and codify those maxims in plain language that can be easily understood and described. No flowerly terms like "synergy" and "mission-driven." And then he asks you to share the results of that process with others, especially those on your team, so they can hold you accountable for it.
I've used this approach myself, and have seen firsthand the impact it has when others use it. If your goals for 2012 include personal development, career advancement, delivering better results for your organization, or just being a better leader for your team, this is the first book you should be reading.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2012On page 13 of this wonderful and inspiring book by leadership consultant Mike Figliuolo he says, "If you are serious about trying a new approach to leadership and you are committed to writing your own set of (leadership) maxims, you need to think of this as a 'WORKbook' and not (just) a 'reading book'."
Well, I have to admit that the first time I quickly read through this book a few months ago, I failed to take his advice and just thought of it as a "reading book." Doing so, I found his approach interesting and thought-provoking (i.e., his central premise of separating leadership into four aspects: leading yourself, leading the thinking, leading your people, and leading a balanced life), and I enjoyed his authentic, transparent, and highly personalized leadership style, approach, and storytelling ability.
But this weekend I decided to pick it up again, this time taking his advice seriously and using it as a "workbook" -- and I'm so glad I did! Willing to put in "the WORK" and play along at home, the powerful end result is that I now have my own set of personal leadership maxims -- words, phrases, and images that succinctly represent and communicate to myself and to others who I am, and what I believe, as a leader - all written out on One Piece of Paper!
So in addition to the many valuable leadership lessons learned from READING this book, going through the reflective exercises inspired by the book simply reinforced the fact once again that if you truly want to develop your leadership capabilities, you really need to be willing to make the time, and take the time to do the work.
Having experienced its power first-hand, I will now gladly recommend this book to my clients and to my NYU students as an essential addition to their leadership development toolkits.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 2, 2021This book is a must-read for leaders at every level. I'm reading it for the first time and appreciate the introspective approach, not to mention Mike's great storytelling. This book makes me feel a certain level of discomfort (reflection can be hard!) AND joy by crafting my personal values into leadership maxims that make sense and have meaning for ME.
Pro Tip: this really should be thought of as a "work book", but read through it fully once and make some notes. Then come back on a second read to form your maxims.
Like other reviewers, I am also reading this with the rest of our leadership team, and the experience is fantastic. I highly recommend this approach to learn more about your colleagues and get a better sense of how values align. Plus, we get some pretty funny experience stories out of it! A few of my colleagues are reading One Piece of Paper for a second or third time with several years in between reads, and they are enjoying how their maxims change over time with new experiences. Looking forward to doing the same a few years down the road.
- Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2013I am still reading, but the content of the book is easy to follow, and focuses on a clear set of criteria or principles to guide one's actions. It goes beyond philosophy to deal with the day to day activities and decisions that actually create your leadership style.
Top reviews from other countries
- G.C.Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 4, 2015
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
OK
- CarolineReviewed in the United Kingdom on April 8, 2013
4.0 out of 5 stars Understand who you are as a leader
This book is thought-provoking and very readable. So often we randomly evolve as a leader. This book guides you through the process of understanding who you are as a Leader and how you want to further develop.