I really enjoyed the way this book was laid out and easy to read. However, I do not know that it offered me anything new in the realm of leadership knowledge. That being said, if you haven't read any leadership/professional development books it would be a good one to start with!

Need massive change to your leadership style? Don't know where to begin? This is the book for you to make a U turn to better management.

If there's one reason that I most resonated with Andy Ellis's upcoming leadership release "1% Leadership," it's that Ellis makes it perfectly clear that Ellis says "that there are no “irrefutable laws” of leadership or power; there is no secret." In a world that often seeks immediate results and/or a step-by-step journey toward promised greatness, "1% Leadership" keeps it straightforward and surprisingly basic by providing dozens of practical lessons that anyone, at any stage of their career, can use continuously make tiny “1% at a time” improvements. Each practically lesson is anywhere from 1 to 3-4 pages and lacks the arrogance that I often find in books with a similar intent.

" 1% Leadership is a handy guidebook that business readers can regularly apply to identify blind spots, boost morale (both personal and among teams and organizations), and solve problems at work.," a description provided by the publisher that accurately describes this handy, informative, encouraging, and engaging book on leadership.

Ellis divides the book into three sections, or really aspects of leadership - personal leadership, team leadership, and organizational leadership. Within each section, he infuses the book with relatable practical steps that don't necessarily lead to one path to leadership but can help guide you to 1% increments of growth in leadership skills and a readiness to lead when the opportunity arises.

I found myself starting to read "1% leadership" right as I'd received a promotion from a more entry-level supervisory position with a government agency into a a position within an agency's leadership team that offered greater opportunities for supervision, project development, team-building, and guiding the organization's vision. While not every practical lesson I read here applied or resonated, I found myself experiencing several of those beloved "Aha!" moments along the way. Even as I'm in the early phases of this transition, I found myself approaching even the transition differently and recognizing, in some ways, blind spots from my previous position. Recognizing these areas will undoubtedly help me as I move forward.

If there's a weakness, and I'm honestly hesitant to call it that, it's the inherent weakness in a book like "1%" leadership that offers dozens of short lessons rather than an overarching narrative - not every lesson applies and, at times, this caused a bit of a disconnect from the material. It was a minor issue, because inevitably I found myself back immersed in Ellis's guidance and experiences as the former CSO for Akamai and now as a leadership consultant. I appreciated that while Ellis's level of leadership likely surpassed some who will read "1% Leadership," myself included, there's really never a point where Ellis adopts holier than thou tone and there's never really a point where I couldn't on some level relate to the material even if some lessons didn't really resonate with me.

This very much is a book that I will refer to again and again. There are quotes here I find myself going back to and there are lessons here that are helping me feel better equipped as I tackle a new level of leadership and opportunity to grow personally and professionally.

Would I recommend "1% Leadership?" Absolutely. Regardless of where you're at on the leadership spectrum, "1% Leadership" is intelligent, easy to understand, simply to relate to, and applicable. Whether you're using it to study a lesson a day or a week and whether you're a new leader or a hardcore vet, "1% Leadership" has something for you.