Reviewer Michelle Kaye Malsbury:
Michelle was born in Champaign, IL. Currently, she resides in Asheville, NC
and is in her second year of doctoral studies at Nova Southeastern
University in Ft. Lauderdale with specialization/concentration in
conflict resolution and peace studies. She has over six hundred
articles published on the web and one book published thus far with
many more in the wings. Hobbies include; reading, writing, music, and
playing with her Australian Cattle Dog, Abu.
Author: Roger E. Hawkins Ph.D
Author: Roger E. Hawkins Ph.D
Sanctuaried is comprised or a number of interviews conducted over a trio of decades, with men in leadership positions, by Dr. Hawkins. He states in the opening [paraphrase] (2010, p.13) that he could very accurately determine the IQ’s of people he dealt with and that he began to write this book to ascertain if he might quantify those skills into meaningful results. Doing so meant finding ways to measure his results. Dr. Hawkins decided that he would use what he terms SLE’s, or Significant Life Events, to prioritize events that occurred in each interviewee’s life. These SLE’s and at what age those events happened add relevance to his findings and set the stage for what comes next.
According to Doctor Hawkins SLE’s are “…an emotionally defining event that prepares and equips people to endure and overcome what their career and life will present later on.” (2010, p.17) He goes on to state that each person has their own “coping limit”. Coping limits [paraphrase] tell us when to stop and sometimes they tell us to change direction or do something entirely different than what we had been. SLE’s are; life experiences, educational levels and achievements, product and business knowledge, and interpersonal skills. They [SLE’s] can be assigned to five categories; family, career, spiritual, military, and educational. (2010, p.20)
Dr. Hawkins has erected the following as career markers; establishing oneself, stabilization, midlife, renewal, and consolidation. (2010, p.21) In our getting established stage most people are trusting and assured. When we hit the stabilization phase we become more self-confident, we decide who we can and cannot trust or depend on, and begin to set parameters for choices we will make later on. (p.22) By midlife we come to terms with our mortality realizing time is more precious, achievements are priority one, and the decisions we make are win-lose. (p.23) Renewal prepares us for the changes in our own lives and organizations we are affiliated with, but also makes us of some of the things we have learned along the way. Experiences allow us to make faster, better decisions. (p.24) Consolidation finds us stuck between exodus from work [retirement] and our ability to translate our knowledge and critical thinking skills to the incoming managers and leaders, helping them to find success. This is our “power sharing” stage.
Hawkins states that “Power is the ability to galvanize a group of people into accomplishing something no single person could do.”. (2010, p.25) Toward this end he believes that effective leaders are a rare bunch. And that “A personality is a sum total of all of our unique past experiences.” (p.29) Effective [paraphrase] leaders will understand what he/her behavior is and how that translates down to those around us.
The
remainder of this book dissects some of the interviewee’s abilities
and follows their progression through the various stages ones
undergoes throughout ones career. Some of these tales were
entertaining and points where I could see I’ve already been through
career-wise or may soon come into. For anyone seeking a little
insight into their life make-up, based on one’s SLE’s, and
business decision making as a result of same this may be a fun read.
Will it set the business world on fire? I seriously doubt it!