Leadership Wipeout: The Story of an Executive's Crash and Rescue

by Chuck Bolton

No Synopsis Available.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1931945446
• ISBN13: 9781931945448
• Release Date: November 2005
• Publisher: Expert Publishing
• Length: 154 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.8" x 0.8" x 6.0"

Customer Reviews

Business Leader's Delight

From John Howard Prin, author of Secret Keeping: Overcoming Hidden Habits and Addictions Take a highly stressed corporate executive whose job is in jeopardy because of his ineffective leadership role and put him on the ski slopes of Vail with an instructor who surprises him with far more than ski techniques. This is Chuck Bolton's innovative premise, and it's a good one. We learn through narrative and dialogue the lessons Ben gains from Ed, his mentor on the slopes and (as Ben discovers) in the boardroom. A business leader's function involves managing and motivating people, his/her team. There's the high-pressure, fear-based approach and there's the person-centered, sensitive approach. Stuck in the former approach, Ben comes to learn the many benefits of the latter, thanks to Ed's role model and sage advice. With each ski run and its challenges, Ben learns parallel parables to his near-disaster predicament back at the office. As he gains insights into viewing each colleague as a person with unique needs, and discovers ways to use emotional intelligence and mindfulness in his leadership styles with individuals, Ben creates a superior working environment that yields far better results. As a bonus, it became clear to me that ALL relationships -- family, parental, marital, social, political -- can benefit from the wisdom in this slim, pithy book.

A great metaphor all leaders can learn from

Chuck's extensive experience and unique perspective allows us to see the real story underlying careers of so many executives. He shows how "going for it" doesn't have to mean "going for broke. Leadership Wipeout is a critical read, now at a time when we all are reassessing our ourselves and our world. If only we could better learn from other's mistakes. This book offers the perfect example and takeaways to help us avert our own crash and burn.

An Antidote for Those Heading Down the Path of Self-Destruction

Author, Chuck Bolton shares invaluable leadership insights gained in his career as a human resource executive and executive coach. In this, his first book, "Leadership Wipeout," Bolton pens a story about Ben Stevens, a Division President, whose life is careening out of control. Stevens justifies his workaholic behavior as necessary to provide his family with a comfortable life style - a common justification for most over-achievers - and also a convenient deception masking an underlying drive for achievement at any cost. Steven's wife surprises him with a "get away from it all" ski trip to Vail...a trip which could not have come at a better/worse time. His boss tells him that he is not leading, not executing; and by colleagues through a 360 review that he uses people through a hub and spoke leadership style that kills any hope of teamwork. Then, as he walks out the door for Vail, a key executive resigns and a crisis emerges that engulfs his division and his career. While at Vail, Ben takes a serious fall while skiing leaving him feeling vulnerable and wrestling with the realization his life was upside down and needs a serious overhaul. At this low ebb, Ed Davis, a senior ski instructor enters his life. Ed, a retired public relations executive, is really enjoying life presenting a real contrast to what Ben is feeling. As they get to know one another, Ed opens up to Ben confessing he was once fired as a result of being unprepared to lead others and creating a toxic work environment. Davis then at Ben's urging goes on to share insights he gained after his own "wipeout" as a leader. Author Bolton, through Davis, proceeds to share timeless wisdom about leadership, mindfulness, and being centered. Ben is transformed by the advice and puts what he has absorbed into practice with immediate success. Bolton (aka Davis) asks us to explore what drives our way of being? Every of minute of every day we have a choice to choose between two basic human emotions - fear or love. What we choose determines our behavior. When motivated by fear, behavior is characterized by negativity and limitations, blinding us to the reality of others as we focus on ourselves. Fear does not win hearts! However, when we are motivated by love, we are enlightened, seeing others as genuine people with real aspirations, dreams, cares and feelings. And good things follow. Bolton, like all sages, also suggests we take time each morning to clear our mind and get centered. His proposed exercise includes expressing gratitude and focusing on our real purpose - enrich the lives of others by making a contribution to their life. I have followed a routine like this for years and can endorse this "sacred time" as the best way to get anyone's day started. "Leadership Wipeout" is a quick read, packed with checkpoints for all, and will serve as a good reference well beyond the first reading.

Time well spent! A fresh message on improving results at work and in life..

Chuck Bolton is on target with this tale of a leader finding his way back to top form. It's a quick read that won't disappoint.

Highly Recommended!

Can leaders learn to listen? Does there come a point where executives feel there is nothing more to learn, that they've been at it too long? Is it really true that there comes a point where you as a leader believe that you've "been there, done that?" Having been an executive myself for more than 35 years, I can say that at least for me (and I suspect many other executives) the answer is "yes"--just as it was for Ben Stevens, the central character in Bolton's book. Stevens is stressed out, but doesn't know what to do about it. He's losing ground personally and professionally and the last thing he needs is a ski vacation. There are too many mountains to climb both at home and at the office. But it's a gift from his family, so he goes. There's an old saying, "When the student is ready, the teacher appears." And for Ben that teacher comes in the form of retired CEO turned ski instructor, Ed Davis. The lessons don't come easy and lots must happen to get his attention. It is said that fatigue makes cowards of us all. Fatigue and stress certainly cloud Ben's judgment as he attempts a double black diamond expert slope, probably on the theory that when you know how to ride a bike, you can always ride a bike. But that depends on where you choose to ride. Ben's disastrous "mother of all wipeouts" finally brings him to the point where he is ready to hear what he needs to hear and learn what he needs to learn to transform his personal and professional life. The practical lessons of personal and professional renewal will be welcomed by many leaders who truly want to add value and make a difference in their organizations--and homes, but who have been so busy that they've lost sight of what's important to stay focused on what seems urgent. Armchair Interviews says: We highly recommend Leadership Wipeout.