The Magic Question by David Cottrell - Book review

The Magic Question

A Simple Question Every Leader Dreams of Answering

By: David Cottrell

Published: December 19, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 112 pages
ISBN-10: 0071806164
ISBN-13: 978-0071806169
Publisher: McGraw-Hill












"'How can I help?' Isn't that the question every leader longs to hear?" writes CEO and President of CornerStone Leadership Institute, David Cottrell, in his timeless leadership wisdom filled and very transformational book The Magic Question: A Simple Question Every Leader Dreams of Answering. The author describes how to connect and engage people to get real and tangible results through establishing The Magic Question as part of the organizational culture.

David Cottrell recognizes that leadership is full of complexities because of the necessity of dealing with teams of very unique people. As a result, the author removes the complexity from the role of leadership and breaks it down into six key components. Fie David Cottrell, the six principles are in the form of answering the six crucial questions that are asked constantly by team members. The questions are deeply rooted in human psychology, and revolve around employees wanting to know what is happening within the organization, their role within it, and how well they are performing their responsibilities. David Cottrell provides evidence that leaders who answer these six questions with clarity, will establish teams that work together better, are more engaged, and achieve superior results.



David Cottrell (photo left) understands that if a team is actively engaged and working with enthusiasm, that employees will have higher levels of morale, greater job satisfaction, and are less likely to leave the organization. The leader who answers the six questions clearly will connect with team members and begin to the hear what the author calls The Magic Question. That question is "How can I help?"

The author presents the following six questions, that team members ask whether the leader is present or not, to which leaders must respond:

* The first question: What is REALLY important?
* The second question: How am I doing?
* The third question: How is our team doing?
* The fourth question: Do you care?
* The fifth question: What difference do we make?
* The sixth question: Are you worth following?

For me, the power of the book is how David Cottrell combines proven leadership ideas and wisdom with the practical and hands on steps to put them into action. The author simplifies the often over analyzed concept of leadership. Instead of making the principles of leadership and engaging team members into an overly complicated exercise, David Cottrell breaks the concepts down into six basic questions asked by employees. Those six basic questions, once answered with clarity and consistency on the part of the leader, lead to the ultimate Magic Question. To his credit, the author warns leaders that getting to that Magic Question will not be easy.

Instead, David Cottrell guides leaders on that journey, that is much about learning about themselves, as it is about learning about the needs, goals, and desires of the team members. The author provides important introspective questions, as well as team based questions, in every chapter to ensure that leaders work toward connecting with their staff members. David Cottrell also shares important insights, action plans, and practices to ensure that the leader maintains the confidence of the team, and builds that all important employee engagement.

I highly recommend the very clear and concise book The Magic Question: A Simple Question Every Leader Dreams of Answering by David Cottrell, to leaders at all levels of their organizations who are seeking a hands on and readily applied guide to achieving effective leadership of teams. This book will give leaders the basic tools they need to establish the trust and connection necessary to start hearing The Magic Question.