Leading the Unleadable

About the Author

Alan Willett is a seasoned professional in the tech industry, where he has spent over two decades building and delivering integrated software-hardware products. His journey quickly led him to management roles due to his exceptional organizational skills and commitment. Willett was part of the management team that created Xerox’s first digital print production system. As a consultant, he has worked with executives and leading experts globally, bringing his wealth of experience to bear in helping organizations tackle some of their most challenging issues.

Main Idea

"Leading the Unleadable" by Alan Willett is a guide for managers and leaders on transforming difficult employees into productive team members. It outlines practical steps and mindsets that can help leaders turn even the most challenging individuals into assets for their teams.

Table of Contents

1. The Call to Exceptional Leadership
2. Mastering the Mindset to Lead the Unleadable
3. Spotting and Dealing with Trouble
4. Taking Proper Action
5. Deciding to Remove or Improve
6. Preventing Trouble

The Call to Exceptional Leadership

Exceptional leadership goes beyond just managing daily tasks and responsibilities. It involves embracing a passionate mission that transcends ordinary results. Exceptional leaders measure success by the positive impact on customers, the growth and retention of top talent, and the prevalence of constructive conflict over destructive behaviors.

“Leadership isn’t just making a series of decisions (choices) on a daily basis. The very essence of being a leader and how you lead is itself a choice.” – Alan Willett

In this call to exceptional leadership, Willett emphasizes that leaders must be fearless, build a community of like-minded leaders, stop whining, love the challenge of transforming troublesome individuals, and understand that learning and growth come with setbacks.

• Be fearless: Exceptional leaders make bold decisions and stand by them, even in the face of adversity.
• Build a community: Surround yourself with other exceptional leaders to share experiences and learn from each other.
• Stop whining: Focus on solutions rather than complaints.
• Love the challenge: View difficult employees as opportunities for growth and transformation.
• Accept setbacks: Understand that setbacks are part of the learning process and keep moving forward.

Mastering the Mindset to Lead the Unleadable

To lead the unleadable, it is essential to adopt the right mindset. This involves changing how we think about difficult individuals and situations. Willett presents several key elements of the mindset required to effectively manage troublesome employees: