Nine Minutes on Monday by James Robbins - Book review

Nine Minutes on Monday

The Quick and Easy Way to Go From Manager to Leader

By: James Robbins

Published: September 5, 2012
Format: Hardcover, 256 pages
ISBN-10: 0071801987
ISBN-13: 978-0071801980
Publisher: McGraw-Hill











"Leadership has to be one of the most difficult, at times frustrating, yet rewarding and fulfilling roles a person can have in life. I sincerely believe that leadership is not only a privilege, but one of the highest callings a person can have", writes consultant and professional speaker James Robbins, in his very practical and concise book Nine Minutes on Monday: The Quick and Easy Way to Go From Manager to Leader. The author describes how leaders must engage and inspire people to perform at their best to achieve exceptional results; and shares the guiding principles for create that improved effectiveness and higher levels of productivity.

James Robbins understands that a manager must make the successful transition from their current managerial role to one of being a real leader. The author points out that what worked effectively in the previous position is not sufficient, and even counter-productive for a leader. James Robbins offers the concept that a person can be successful at their job, but when the individual is promoted to a leadership role, the new job is a fundamentally different one. Instead of doing the job, the leader must engage and motivate others to do those tasks effectively. James Robbins shares the strategies and principles for making the successful transformation from manager to true leadership.



James Robbins (photo left) recognizes that the fundamental skill of leadership is awareness. With that skill, a leader is aware of all that is happening and could occur within and outside of the leader's immediate scope. The leader must be aware of themselves and their own strengths and challenges, and at the same time, be aware of the needs and motivations for success of the leader's staff.

James Robbins presents the proven factors that deliver engagement and transforms the basic concepts of motivating people into a readily understood and applied formula. The author guides leaders to focus on the most basic human needs as follows:

Primary Needs:

* The need to be more than a number
* The need for mastery
* The need for recognition
* The need for purpose

Secondary Needs:

* The need for autonomy
* The need to grow
* The need to connect
* The need to play
* The need for a model

For me, the power of the book is how James Robbins combines a comprehensive guide to understanding fundamental human needs, with the practical techniques and exercises for implementing and applying these motivational concepts. The author breaks down the ideas into a basic framework that requires only nine minutes of time. The principles presented in the book are ones that any leader can learn, develop, and improve while utilizing them to guide and engage others to achieve peak performance.

James Robbins expands upon the concepts, with a complete understanding that different techniques will be more appropriate for different people. The author also shares ideas and tactics for boosting the performance of lower producing employees, while maintaining top production from the other team members. The author offers examples of the principles in action to illustrate how they work, as well as why they are so effective in enhancing engagement levels.

I highly recommend the very hands on and results oriented book Nine Minutes on Monday: The Quick and Easy Way to Go From Manager to Leader by James Robbins, to any current or aspiring leaders who are seeking a clear, easy to understand, and effective guide to improving their leadership skills. This book takes a human approach to leadership and employee engagement that creates proven and positive results.