The C2 factor for leadership : how the alchemy of curiosity and courage helps leaders become champions and lead meaningful lives

Packed with nuggets of wisdom from the experiences of champion-level leaders across industries, Dr. Irving demonstrates how champion leaders engage their curiosity and courage to learn from the past, enhance the present and anticipate the future. ―Marshall Goldsmith, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Triggers, Mojo, and What Got You Here Won’t Get You There and Thinkers 50 #1 Executive Coach Curiosity and courage are unstoppable forces. In this insightful book, Joanne Irving deftly shows how to enlist them to become a leader fit for the future. ― Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of WHEN and DRIVE The cover graphic is a trailer for this profound book. The magical power of leadership is the effective blend of the courage of a lion with the curiosity of a cat. This myth-busting book will alter your leadership perspectives and practices by providing cutting edge substance, compelling examples, and insightful tools. ― Chip R. Bell, author of Inside Your Customer’s Imagination All we know with absolute certainty is that we live in complex, uncertain, and rapidly changing times. Despite our best attempts to predict the future, we are often caught off-guard and surprised when it arrives. Whether a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, global economic shifts, political upheaval, or technological evolution, as senior leaders we must navigate these tumultuous times and make tough decisions to guide our organizations to success. Champion leaders want to be truly exceptional regardless of the maelstrom of change they are experiencing. Not only do they want their organizations to succeed, but they also want to live fulfilling lives. They want the same for those in their organizations and personal lives as well. How do we effectively lead in times of constant, often dramatic change? And, equally important, how do we simultaneously create a satisfying, meaningful life? The C2 Factor – the synergistic application of curiosity and courage – offers a path to both. This book reveals that when leaders manifest both traits, they embrace the professional and personal opportunities the future brings . When the landscape is shifting beneath our feet the C2 Factor enables us to lead more effectively and helps us cultivate more fulfilling personal lives. While other books have looked at curiosity and courage separately, The C2 Factor for Leadership examines how, when combined, profound curiosity and relentless courage lead to remarkable outcomes. One enhances the other in a powerful alchemy that improves our outcomes, how we show up as leaders in our organizations and as human beings in our personal lives. Beginning with ourselves and expanding to our relationships, our teams, our organizations, and to the world, this book demonstrates how the C2 Factor can be applied for superior results.To be a truly exceptional leader, to live a satisfying life, we must have profound curiosity and relentless courage. We must exercise the C2 Factor. Without it, we run the risk of being leaders who are robotic, academic, or reckless. With the C2 Factor, we can be champions. Cover Endorsement Page Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Acknowledgments About the Author Introduction Chapter 1 The Myths You May Believe about Curiosity and Courage that Can Lead You Astray Four Myths about Curiosity that Muddle Your Understanding Myth 1: You Either Are or Are Not Curious Myth 2: We Should Emulate 3-Year-Olds Myth 3: School Is a Wet Blanket Myth 4: Curiosity Is a Waste of Time Four Myths about Courage that Defeat Your Attitude Myth 1: Courage Is the Same as Fearlessness Myth 2: You Either Are or You Are Not Courageous Myth 3: Courage Is Always Recognized Myth 4: Courage Can’t be Learned Notes Chapter 2 The Alchemy of Curiosity and Courage You Gotta Have Courage to be Curious 1. Admitting You Don’t Know 2. Encountering Unpleasant Discoveries It Helps to be Curious if You Want to be Brave 1. Curiosity Is the Bravery Elixir 2. Using Curiosity to Persevere The C2 Factor Lacking the C2 Factor 1. The Robotic Leader: Neither Curious nor Courageous 2. The Academic Leader: Lots of Curiosity, Little Courage 3. The Reckless Leader: All Courage, No Curiosity The Champion Leader: Curious and Courageous 1. Tackling Terror in the Supply Chain 2. Postscript: The C2 Factor Does Not Stand Alone 3. Where Are You and Where Do You Want to Go? Notes Chapter 3 The C2 Factor Begins at Home: Start with You Gazing at Our Navels with the C2 Factor 1. Meditation, Mindfulness, and the Courage to be Bored 2. Feelings? What Feelings? 3. Using the Beginner’s Mind and Embracing Ambiguity Shining the C2 Factor Beyond the End of Your Nose 1. Heuristics and Cognitive Biases 2. Fighting the Dunning–Kruger7 Effect 3. Extending Self-awareness beyond 15 Minutes Enriching Your Life with the C2 Factor 1. Inspiring Competence 2. Opening to Where You Haven’t Been, and What You Haven’t Done 3. The Antidote to Boredom and a Key to Happiness Notes Chapter 4 People Who Need People: The Alchemy of Relationships with the C2 Factor When First We Meet: Applying the C2 Factor to Build Relationships 1. Empathy without Curiosity Is Merely Projection 2. Newness + the C2 Factor = The Honeymoon 3. Networking without the C2 Factor Doesn’t Work When the Bloom Is Off the Rose: Applying the C2 Factor to Maintain Relationships 1. They Aren’t Cars; They’re Gardens 2. Weeding Your Garden 3. Tending Someone Else’s Garden Yay! Conflict! Using the C2 Factor to Embrace Conflict 1. We Are All Foreigners 2. Another Damn Growth Opportunity 3. Neither a Bully nor a Doormat Notes Chapter 5 High-Performance Teams and Creative Problem-Solving with the C2 Factor Simple but Not Easy 1. Engaging the C2 Factor 2. Wait ... What’s the Problem? 3. Beautiful Questions 4. Attitude Is Everything What Are We Afraid of? 1. Silence Is Golden if We Can Tolerate It 2. Stupid Questions Who Are We Afraid of? 1. Scapegoats 2. Eccentrics and Other Difficult People Exercising the C2 Muscle 1. Break the Adage 2. Practice, Practice, Practice Notes Chapter 6 Champion Leadership with the C2 Factor Who Do You Want to Be? 1. The C2 Leader Diagnostic 2. Champion Leaders Business as Usual Gets in the Way 1. Too Busy 2. Too Expert 3. Too Fast Engaging the C2 Factor – An Imperative for Strategic Thinking 1. Anticipate 2. Challenge 3. Decide 4. Interpret, Align, and Learn 5. The Strategy Landscape Notes Chapter 7 Ensuring Prosperity with a C2 Factor Culture Confronting Corporate Constraints 1. Too Successful 2. Too Standardized 3. Too Focused (on the wrong things) Established, Fostered, and Sustained through Conscious Commitment 1. Hiring 2. Enabling 3. Rewarding 4. Modeling, Mentoring, and Sponsoring Notes Chapter 8 The Astounding Potential of Omnipresent C2 Heroes with Super C2 Factor But for Us Mortals ... 1. Prosocial Organizations 2. Not Your Father’s Rotary Applying the C2 Factor in a Humanitarian Start-up 1. The Poop Story 2. Social Entrepreneurs Need the C2 Factor Design Thinking and the C2 Factor: One Marriage Made in Heaven Conclusion Notes Index Packed with nuggets of wisdom from the experiences of champion-level leaders across industries, Dr. Irving demonstrates how champion leaders engage their curiosity and courage to learn from the past, enhance the present and anticipate the future. --Marshall Goldsmith, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Triggers, Mojo, and What Got You Here Won't Get You There and Thinkers 50 #1 Executive Coach Curiosity and courage are unstoppable forces. In this insightful book, Joanne Irving deftly shows how to enlist them to become a leader fit for the future. --Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of WHEN and DRIVE The cover graphic is a trailer for this profound book. The magical power of leadership is the effective blend of the courage of a lion with the curiosity of a cat. This myth-busting book will alter your leadership perspectives and practices by providing cutting edge substance, compelling examples, and insightful tools. --Chip R. Bell, author of Inside Your Customer's Imagination All we know with absolute certainty is that we live in complex, uncertain, and rapidly changing times. Despite our best attempts to predict the future, we are often caught off-guard and surprised when it arrives. Whether a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic, global economic shifts, political upheaval, or technological evolution, as senior leaders we must navigate these tumultuous times and make tough decisions to guide our organizations to success. Champion leaders want to be truly exceptional regardless of the maelstrom of change they are experiencing. Not only do they want their organizations to succeed, but they also want to live fulfilling lives. They want the same for those in their organizations and personal lives as well. How do we effectively lead in times of constant, often dramatic change? And, equally important, how do we simultaneously create a satisfying, meaningful life? The C Factor - the synergistic application of curiosity and courage - offers a path to both. This book reveals that when leaders manifest both traits, they embrace the professional and personal opportunities the future brings. When the landscape is shifting beneath our feet the C Factor enables us to lead more effectively and helps us cultivate more fulfilling personal lives. While other books have looked at curiosity and courage separately, The C Factor for Leadership examines how, when combined, profound curiosity and relentless courage lead to remarkable outcomes. One enhances the other in a powerful alchemy that improves our outcomes, how we show up as leaders in our organizations and as human beings in our personal lives. Beginning with ourselves and expanding to our relationships, our teams, our organizations, and to the world, this book demonstrates how the C Factor can be applied for superior results. To be a truly exceptional leader, to live a satisfying life, we must have profound curiosity and relentless courage. We must exercise the C Factor. Without it, we run the risk of being leaders who are robotic, academic, or reckless. With the C Factor, we can be champions The COVID pandemic reminded us that despite our best attempts at predicting the future, we are often caught off guard, surprised when it arrives. We can only guess at the impact of such changes as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, 3-D printing, and computer/human merging in an interconnected, on-demand world. All we know is that we live in complex, uncertain, and rapidly changing times. Nonetheless, as senior leaders, we must chart a course for our organizations that will support both financial success and the quality of life for ourselves and those around us. There is no field guide, no development program that will prepare us to respond to changes regardless of what they are. It's not only about IQ or EQ. Something more is needed. What is needed is the C2 Factor - the synergistic application of curiosity and courage. The C2 Factor for Leadership reveals that when leaders manifest both traits, they can embrace the opportunities the future brings. Having only one of these traits without the other leaves leaders ineffectual or reckless. The C2 Factor enables us to make tough decisions when we are inundated with data and opinions from multiple sources with different points of view. The C2 Factor provides a compass to navigate the ever-changing social/geopolitical seas. With the C2 Factor we can cultivate fulfilling personal lives as it enables us to experience ourselves and our relationships in meaningfully new ways. While other books have looked at curiosity and courage separately, the C2 Factor examines how they enhance and are enhanced by each other and how both must be present for optimal performance. Beginning with ourselves and expanding to our relationships, our teams, our organizations, and to the world this book demonstrates how the C2 Factor can be applied for superior results. To be a truly exceptional leader, to live a satisfying life, we must have profound curiosity and relentless courage. We must exercise the C2 Factor. Without it, we run the risk of being leaders who are robotic, academic, or reckless. With the C2 Factor we can be champions.