The Winding Road to Excellence

Name: The Sun and Her Flowers
Author: SumNext

Leadership Lessons Learned from Life's Potholes

By G.T. “Toby” Stansell

Published 08/2023

Personal Development

Corporate Culture

Management & Leadership

About the Author

G.T. “Toby” Stansell is a seasoned business leader with a wealth of experience in various executive roles. His journey through different leadership positions has equipped him with valuable insights and practical wisdom that he shares in his book, "The Winding Road to Excellence: Leadership Lessons Learned from Life’s Potholes." Stansell’s ability to blend personal experiences with strategic business advice makes his work both relatable and impactful. His emphasis on authenticity, humility, and a continuous pursuit of excellence has inspired many to rethink their approach to leadership.

Main Idea

"The Winding Road to Excellence" revolves around the concept that great leaders are architects of a thriving corporate culture. Through a series of thought-provoking mantras, Stansell offers guidance on achieving personal and professional excellence, building valuable teams, and fostering a positive and sustainable organizational culture. The book emphasizes the importance of authenticity, humility, and learning from failures as crucial elements in the journey towards leadership excellence.

Part 1: Personal and Professional Excellence: People Who Do
Chapter 1: Never Give in to Fear
Chapter 2: Making the Most of What You Have
Chapter 3: It’s Either Results or Excuses
Chapter 4: People Who Do Simply Believe They Can
Chapter 5: The Test of Personal and Professional Maturity
Chapter 6: Being Right is Overrated
Chapter 7: Humility is More Important than Visibility
Chapter 8: Your Greatest Weakness May Be an Unprotected Strength
Chapter 9: Failure Is an Early Indicator Of Impending Success
Chapter 10: Responsible Decision-Making
Chapter 11: The Four Cs of Teamwork
Part 2: Leadership Excellence: Lead from the Middle
Chapter 12: Everybody from The Janitor to The King Deserves to Be Treated Well
Chapter 13: Authentic Leaders Measure Results, Not Style
Chapter 14: An Organizational Chart May Give You a Position, But Only People Can Grant You Power
Chapter 15: Great Leaders Learn How to Think Beyond
Chapter 16: The Test of Authentic Leadership
Part 3: Organizational Excellence: Culture Trumps Strategy
Chapter 17: Culture = Organizational Personality
Chapter 18: The Seven Seas (Cs) Of Hiring
Chapter 19: Digital Communication and The Demise Of Genuine Dialogue
Chapter 20: Technically Priceless But Practically Worthless
Part 4: Sales Excellence: Customers Don’t Want to Be Sold; They Want To Be Served
Chapter 21: The Reverse-Negative Selling Model
Chapter 22: Sales Is A Science, Not A Science Project
Part 5: Business Excellence: Find Something You Do Well and Perfect It
Chapter 23: Crooked Wire Value
Chapter 24: Decision-Making by The Numbers
Chapter 25: Many Times, The Things We Want to do the Least Are the Things We Ought to Do the Most
Conclusion: Be Present

Part 1: Personal and Professional Excellence: People Who Do

Chapter 1: Never Give in to Fear

In the first chapter, Stansell emphasizes the importance of overcoming fear to seize opportunities. He suggests that confidence grows from confronting fears and encourages leaders to adopt mantras such as:

“Stop trying to draw attention and start paying attention” - G.T. “Toby” Stansell

“Humility is more important than visibility” - G.T. “Toby” Stansell

These principles guide leaders towards a quiet confidence that drives extraordinary results without seeking the limelight.

Chapter 2: Making the Most of What You Have

Stansell argues that everyone has a balance of assets and liabilities, and comparing oneself to others is futile. He advises leaders to be competitive without being comparative, focusing instead on leveraging their unique strengths.

Key takeaways include:

Acknowledging that everyone's assets and liabilities are equally distributed but differently visible.
Fostering self-improvement rather than envy or ego boosts.

Chapter 3: It’s Either Results or Excuses

Here, Stansell discusses the importance of accountability and results-oriented culture. He highlights the necessity of balancing empowerment with accountability and introduces the concept of the six Cs: