What to Ask the Person in the Mirror: Critical Questions for Becoming a More Effective Leader and Reaching Your Potential [Kindle Edition]

I had been looking for a book that would offer actionable advice and
suggestions on how to better manage my time and set priorities for me and my
team. Starting with a "clean sheet of paper" has been one of the
most valuable exercises in the book. I have read books about leadership
before, but they always seemed very academic and so abstract that they
weren't actually relevant in the real world- or to me and my work in particular- but
this book is different. It's obvious from the start that Kaplan is
someone who has been there and understands what its like
to actually run an organization. I could have used this book when I was just starting out!

I have to say I was extremely excited to buy this book; as a leadership coach and a fan of Kaplan's work, the title really appealed to me. I am always seeking information on critical questions leaders can ask of themselves to become better at what they do. However, after reading the first half of the book, not only was I disappointed at the lack of critical questions that leaders should be asking themselves, but I was surprised at how "basic" the information of the book is. There is really nothing new here. Yes, there is good info on creating and communicating your vision, giving and receiving feedback, and the importance of succession planning but nothing that cannot be found in countless other books out there on leadership. I expected much more from a Harvard Business / Robert Steven Kaplan book.

For than 2,000 years, those who mastered the Socratic method of inquiry have demonstrated the value of asking the right questions in the right way. It is a skill that anyone can master. What we have in this volume is still another explanation of how and why framing the right questions can help aspiring leaders, especially, to take greater ownership of what is most important to them. They do so by completing a process that consists of a series of questions:

o What do I need to know? Why?
o Where and how can I obtain the information I need?
o How and when will I take action on what I have learned?
o To what extent (if any) will I need assistance?
o How can I best measure the progress and impact of my efforts?

Robert Steven Kaplan has carefully organized his material within seven "areas of focus" that are most relevant to the fulfilling the career ambitions and personal fulfillment of aspiring leaders. He devotes a separate chapter to each and then, in Chapter 8, he explains how to "bring it all together" in the proper perspective. His stated purpose is to formulate a "menu of potential inquiry" and create a process by which key questions can be framed and debated. I fully agree with Kaplan that the challenge is twofold: "framing the right questions, and, getting in the regular habit of stepping back and asking them." It's that simple...and that difficult.

How so "difficult"? Consider the nature of a crisis: It frequently occurs unexpectedly and requires immediate attention. With rare exception, there is an insufficiency of information initially; pressure and stress intensify exponentially while a response is being determined. The right answers, the best decisions, require asking the right questions. The system that Kaplan proposes can do much to help managers prepare for a crisis, first by anticipating it, then by creating a contingency plan based on answers to the right questions, and then by training everyone who would probably be involved, and finally by having sufficient resources available, if and when needed.

With appropriate modifications, the same system can also be effective during any planning process any organization or manager may need. In fact, I think it would be especially helpful to those now preparing for a career because, once again, identifying, framing, and then obtaining answers to the right (i.e. most important) questions are required. Whatever the given objective(s) may be, readers will appreciate Kaplan's skillful provision of various devices such as boxed guidelines, bullet point clusters of key questions, checklists of key points, and especially the "Suggested Follow-Up Steps" section at the conclusion of each chapter and then the Appendix in which Kaplan reviews the critical questions for each of the seven areas.

With regard to the title, it refers to anyone who seeks both knowledge and wisdom that will improve quality of life as well as standard of living. What Kaplan offers in abundance is assistance with framing questions that can help to achieve those worthy objectives. Those who read the book will be much better prepared to ask them; better yet, they will be much better prepared to obtain the right answers to them.