- On January 25, 2022, I released The Lovable Leader: Build Great Teams with Trust, Respect, and Kindness.
- On August 5th, 2023, I finished recording the audiobook version.
The audiobook should be available on Audible and other platforms soon, though I don’t have a definitive date yet.
The audiobook version will come with a variety of extras that were not available at the time of release for the eBook and Paperback. The extras include a PDF bundle of all cheatsheets from the end of each chapter, a workbook, a substantial recommended reading list, and a free 15-minute coaching session.
The completion of the audiobook marks a point of significance in this journey.
For those of you thinking of writing a book, or interested in some of the behind the scenes, I’d like to share some of what I learned from publishing my first book.
Reflections: On the Process
Since publishing my book, I’ve been asked a number of times about my process for writing the book. My biggest piece of advice to anyone looking to write a book is to ignore anything resembling a directive about how the process should work. My recommendation is that if you want to write a book, write it YOUR way. That means everyone’s advice is little more than an option to consider.
Everyone’s situation is different, everyone has different bio-rhythms and neuro-types, everyone has unique strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, everyone’s process will look different.
For instance, I’m a hyperfocus/blitz writer churning out thousands of words at once, on a totally irregular writing schedule. The advice to write 1,000 words per day at some prescribed time of day is laughable for how my schedule and brain work. In writing this book, I learned enough about what did and did not work in my process that I can now safely ignore anyone else’s advice.
When I go to write my next book I can lean into my own process. My advice is to find what feels right for you, then ignore everyone else’s advice and stop worrying if you’re doing it right.
Reflections: On an Imperfect Book
I already knew that it would be impossible to write a perfect book but it was only through the process of writing it that I discovered why.
Here is an excerpt from my closing author’s note for the audiobook version.
This is an imperfect book. In fact, all books are imperfect. Every book represent a snapshot in time for the author.
For me, this book was composed over several very different seasons in my life. It began while I was running my agency, continued after my agency was acquired, and was completed after I’d left the world of marketing and agency life behind.
Since writing the first words of this book…
- I’ve become even more critical of the established dogma we’re fed at our business schools, and more conscious of how heartless and exploitative the pursuit of profit is.
- I’ve seen how hollow most mission, vision, and values work is once a business has to sacrifice even a little bit of growth.
- I’ve seen how companies started DEI programs in the wake of George Floyd’s murder, and shuttered the programs once it seemed all of the good PR opportunities died down and they could hide behind the cover of inflation or a looming recession.
- I saw how the world responded to a global pandemic and the rush to bring people back into the office before it was safe.
- I watch in horror as we collectively ignore the existential threat of climate change and biodiversity collapse.
As I reflect back on this book there are many things that I would tighten up, a few things I would add, and a bunch of things I would either delete or provide a lot more context for.
To write something TRULY timeless is almost impossible as every idea is nested within the window of time when the author captured their ideas in words. As I was recording the audiobook version, I found plenty of ideas that I wish I’d been more clear about, taken bolder positions on, or omitted entirely.
But I also didn’t know what I didn’t know at the time of writing. At some point, you must accept imperfect and push the book out into the world. I still absolutely LOVE my book and have no regrets at all. What I do have is a greater appreciation for why a perfect book is impossible.
So, my only advice is to put 100% of yourself into the book, avoid playing it safe, and be ready to look back on some of the ideas with a newer, deeper understanding after it’s published.
Reflections: On Multi-Modal Reading
The final thing I want to share is how important it is to interrogate your own work through various mediums. Along the way to publishing my book, I have had to read through it various times both digitally and in print. Listening to the draft of my audiobook gave it an entirely different flavor and I noticed things that I’d missed in reading in print.
In the paperback, I could hear my own voice in my head, but found myself questioning how others would read it or how they would interpret the tone of my words. The audiobook, by contrast, comes with a built-in tone and cadence. I was able to emphasize certain words and give personality to the writing by way of changing the pitch of my voice or a carefully placed dramatic pause.
Because I listen to so many audiobooks, I also felt more comfortable reviewing my book this way and had an easier time picking out what was missing or needed more context. This lead to the addition of two audiobook-only author’s notes that added much needed context and clarifications for things I believe could be misinterpreted throughout the book.
My advice is that regardless of what type of work we’re doing, but especially with writing, changing the way we review our work by adding new mediums can give us different types of understanding about it.
What’s Next?
I believe that the audiobook version of The Lovable Leader will likely be the most popular format of my book and in my own personal opinion, the best representation of my ideas. This is due to my narration and the added author’s notes. So, for what it’s worth, I hope you pick up a copy on audiobook when it comes out.
Walking out of the studio, I felt an immense sense of accomplishment but it was paired with something else. On the drive home from the studio, I finally felt ready to begin working on my next book. There’s a concept I’ve been thinking about for a few years but have put off to the side while I focused exclusively on The Lovable Leader.
I’m in the midst of outlining it now and I’m excited to tell you about it in the near future.
And if you’re thinking of writing a book…
I wish you luck. It’s difficult but it’s also totally worth it.
If you need something to help get you started, here are two Notion templates you can duplicate and start using:
