The Imperfect CEO

 

Issue No. 680 of Your Weekly Staff Meeting (May 19, 2026) invites you to make the climb up four peaks to organizational health. Must-read: The Imperfect CEO—just published today. Plus, click here for back issues posted at the new location for John Pearson’s Buckets Blog, including my recent review of I Am Not a Robot: My Year Using AI to Do (Almost) Everything. Jim Brown writes in The Imperfect CEO: “The first two peaks—Collaborative Culture and Leadership Accountability—take you a long way. But if you miss the next peak, you’ll be stepping off a cliff.” (See Peak #3 of 4: Strategic Momentum.) [Graphic: ChatGPT]   “What you see as strong leadership, younger staff sometimes see as controlling…” I was hooked—right from the get-go. (Who reads a book’s foreword, anyway?) Yet...in the foreword, Stephen M.R. Covey writes that Jim Brown, author of The Imperfect CEO, “has a gift for making complex things simple.” Also, “He teaches principles without arrogance, and he’s relevant without the ego.” Covey’s seven-page high-five is clearly one of the most compelling book forewords I have ever read. He adds, “The world is desperately in need of leaders who are less interested in looking good and more interested in doing good.” He urges all imperfect leaders (that’s you and me) to read this powerful book.   The Imperfect CEO:  Making the Climb to Organizational Health by Jim Brown   Jim Brown writes, “The idea that an organization ought to be healthy has progressed from a novel concept to an undeniable imperative. No one wants their company to be ‘unhealthy,’ yet thousands of businesses continue to operate with painful and preventable imperfections.” Raise your hand if you know any imperfect CEOs, leaders, managers, team members, board members, and customers! (I’m in that group—and I just learned I should re-title one of my books. Mastering Mistaking-Making will now be called Mastering Learning Moments. Brilliant!) For your next weekly staff meeting (with coffee and bagels): POP QUIZ! Your assignment: Discover “the four peaks” that your organization or company must climb to be healthy. What are the four? Illustrate with three bullet points for each peak. And then describe how you will communicate this in a book with no more than 160 pages (plus notes, etc.). Do not read the rest of this email! ANSWERS! How about a business fable—a compelling story—that sounds a lot like your shop? In about 100 pages, we meet the six members of the executive leadership team of EVaant, including David, the CEO, and Carmen, the Chief People Officer. We also meet Jorge, the Chief Revenue Officer—but then he quits in a big huff! And (does this sound familiar?)…the CEO admits, “Clearly, we had the wrong guy—I picked the wrong guy—and that was costing us more than we imagined.” THE FABLE. I love business fables because I can remember the story and the relatable characters (and some are definitely characters). Think about what we learned from The One Minute Manager Meets the Monkey, by Ken Blanchard, and The Motive, by Patrick Lencioni. (Also, those memorable stories—parables—told by Jesus!) Spoiler Alert! Picture this: David, the CEO, is meeting with his board chair, Maria, and another board member, Dennis. (Not a pretty picture, because Maria is not pleased.) It’s a difficult conversation, but David is growing as a leader.  “David took it in. Part of him was defensive. But he wanted to be sure not to miss what the learning could be. He was pushing back against his default to defend. Replace judgment with curiosity, he told himself. ‘Tell me more,’ he said sincerely.” THESE FOUR PEAKS WILL PREACH! #1. Collaborative Culture (“the essential core”). The chapter, “Teamwork Can Be Tough,” spotlights the struggle to create a Collaborative Culture (one of the four peaks). The “heated exchange” between promises made by sales and the impossible deadlines foisted upon the production team—well, you’ve been there. Can this be fixed?  The five “Coaching Questions” and five “Exercises” in this chapter are gutsy. Example: “Reflect on a time when you prioritized your department’s goals over the organization’s collective goals.” The recommended exercise: develop a “Collaboration Charter” for your leadership team. Note: Gratefully, Brown does not just inspire and motivate—he gives away the store. The book is filled with “Coaching Highlight” notations—and links to online resources. #2. Leadership Accountability (“the pivot point”). I’m so tired of hearing CEOs and other leaders apologize to the media for their missteps with the well-worn PR answer, “I will be holding myself accountable.” (My opinion: that’s meaningless. Don’t say that!) In Brown’s business fable, instead, we get a realistic view of what leadership accountability—as a team—looks like. Read why accountability can be framed as “leadership homework.” By the way—the four peaks on the climb to organizational health DO NOT magically appear after the leader comes down from the mountain with staff marching orders. You’ll love the give-and-take (disagreement, wrestling, strong opinions) that emerges as the CEO shuts-his-mouth and steps back to allow everyone to engage—as the four peaks slowly emerge. (This is a brilliant story.) Early in the fable, Carmen takes a risk and tells her CEO, “I think you’re accustomed to speaking to your employees with confidence and clarity and having them appreciate your leadership authority.” Then she paused and continued, “In case you haven’t noticed, the world changed. Confidence and clarity are often seen by Gen Zs and millennials as if you think you know it all and that you get to order people around. What you see as strong leadership, younger staff sometimes see as controlling—and they make up most of this company.” #3. Strategic Momentum (“the rudder”). The three bullet points:    • Clear strategy    • Sustainable profitability    • Proactive adaptability Discussing the “proof of a good strategy,” the author quotes Ken Blanchard and Peter Drucker in the same paragraph. That’s a TwoFer! I named Blanchard, Drucker, Lencioni, and Jim Collins to my “Mount Rushmore of Leadership Legends” list. Similar to Jim Brown’s book, The Imperfect Board Member (I named this one of 18 “best board books”), the fable and the model are applicable both for nonprofit organizations and for-profit companies. “For an organization to be healthy, it has to be fruitful.”    Two-Thumbs-Up! Carmen, the Chief People Officer notes, “I love how some people say that nonprofits should stop labeling themselves by what they aren’t and start declaring what they are—‘for-impact’ rather than ‘not-for-profit.’ So Strategic Momentum for them would be about the impact they’re making in the world.” (Or…as others have said, “Nonprofit is a tax designation, not a management philosophy.”) #4. Talent Magnetism (“the beacon”). In “The Model,” the second part of the book, I found my favorite chapter, “Talent Magnetism.” Brown lists seven “Case in Point” examples of the talent magnetism principles, including:    • An Australian software company features “ShipIt” days when staff “are encouraged to set aside their regular tasks for 24 hours to tackle any project that excites them.” (And yes…it includes a show-and-tell segment.)    • Mastercard encourages “reverse mentoring programs, where senior leaders pair with young leaders to learn about emerging trends and new technologies.”    • And the unorthodox interview settings that Southwest Airlines uses to discern the core values of applicants—how they’ll really react in real life.  There’s More!    • The Two-Minute Rule. “Encourage team members to take collaborative actions that can be completed in two minutes or less."    • Read why Jimmy Mellado, Compassion International CEO, says The Imperfect CEO is “a must-read,” and why Jay Bransford, CEO of Best Christian Workplaces, writes, “This book doesn’t shy away from the tough stuff.”    • You’ll appreciate the CEO’s “learning moments” with his grandson—which may prompt you to read the book, The Neurodiversity Edge (see my review).    • Accountability Exercise: “Pick a recent costly misstep. Map out who was consulted before the decision. Identify whose input was missing and how earlier listening could have prevented the error. Present findings to the leadership team.” Honest! Out of the 50 or more “Coaching Highlights” and “Coaching Questions,” I could easily have selected any 10 statements or questions—and delivered 20 take-aways. (Maybe I should have done that!) Example: “When was the last time you adjusted your approach based on feedback from team members? What did you learn from that experience?" So…how many imperfect CEOs and imperfect Leaders do you know? How many copies of this book should you order? (And as Stephen M.R. Covey reminds us, “The great thing is that you don’t need to be a CEO to benefit from this book! Any leader can benefit.") TO ORDER FROM AMAZON, click on the title for The Imperfect CEO: Making the Climb to Organizational Health, by Jim Brown. (And thanks to the author for hand-delivering a signed review copy!)   BONUS! Free eNewsletters: “The Imperfect Church Leader” and “The Imperfect Board.” BONUS! Listen to the "Life After Ministry" podcast (May 17, 2026) featuring an interview with Jim Brown about his new book. Listen here.   YOUR WEEKLY STAFF MEETING QUESTIONS: 1) Chief People Officers, I predict, will buy this book for every executive leadership team member. In the business fable, Carmen reminds David, the CEO, what he learned from John Maxwell: “Everything rises and falls on the leader.” Jim Brown lists 30 books in the “Sources and Inspirations” notes. Question: How many of these books are in our Staff Resource Library? 2) Jim Brown writes: “The first two peaks—Collaborative Culture and Leadership Accountability—take you a long way. But if you miss the next peak, you’ll be stepping off a cliff.” (Re: The Strategic Momentum Peak.) Question: Do our board members and leadership team members know and own our strategy? (Read more: Ram Charan’s Question #5 of 14: Does Our Board Really Own the Strategy?)       SECOND READS: Fresh Solutions From Classic Books You have changed—and your problems have changed—since you read this the first time! Book #48 of 99: The Speed of Trust For your team meeting this week, inspire a team member to lead your “10 Minutes for Lifelong Learning” session by featuring Book #48 of 99 in our series, “Second Reads.” The big idea: REREAD TO LEAD! Discover how your favorite books (and articles) still have more to teach you and the people you’re coaching and mentoring. The Speed of Trust:  The One Thing That Changes Everything   by Stephen M.R. Covey (Oct. 17, 2006)   Covey says that “leadership is getting results in a way that inspires trust.” His 13 behaviors tell you how to do that.     • Read my review in Issue No. 186 (June 7, 2010).    • Order book from Amazon.    • Management Bucket #8 of 20: The Culture Bucket “Contrary to what most people believe,” writes Covey, “trust is not some soft, illusive quality that you either have or you don’t; rather, trust is a pragmatic, tangible, actionable asset that you can create—much faster than you probably think possible.” His content is very deep (character isn’t enough, you must also pair it with competence). His four cores of credibility will preach: Integrity, Intent, Capabilities, and Results. Bonus! Covey (and his co-authors) wrote another bestseller in 2022, Trust and Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others. Watch for my review! CLICK HERE FOR BOOKS BY JOHN      On page 89 in the Culture Bucket chapter of Mastering the Management Buckets Workbook, you'll find "11 Confidential Questions to Assess Your Culture." Question #6: "We squander too much time in unnecessary meetings." NOTICE! Effective Oct. 1, 2025, all 657 eNews issues, previously archived on Typepad.com are slowly (!) being moved to a new website here. New book reviews will also be archived at John Pearson’s Buckets Blog. Or, click here for John’s recent book reviews on Amazon. Chopsticks & Fulcrums: The Board Chair/CEO Relationship “The board chair-CEO relationship is like a pair of chopsticks,” writes Michael Naufal. “One is much more effective with the support of the other.” Read my blog post at ECFA’s “Governance of Christ-Centered Organizations” blog. 5 Teasers & 4 Confessions I urge someone on your team to read this book—and inspire your organization to take a look in the mirror. Read my four confessions and my five teasers in my review of The Neurodiversity Edge: The Essential Guide to Embracing Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Neurological Differences for Any Organization, by Maureen Dunne. See more reviews at the Pails in Comparison Blog.

The Imperfect Board Member

 

Issue No. 11 of Your Weekly Staff Meeting (Nov. 6, 2006) features The Board Bucket and other management buckets. Do your team members understand the role of both nonprofit and for-profit boards?  Patrick Lencioni, who wrote the foreword to this week’s book, quotes the author, “a greeter at Wal-Mart gets more orientation than most board members ever do.” Also, check out the 20 management buckets (core competencies) and more book reviews at the Pails in Comparison Blog. Jim Brown writes, “Boards don’t need to hear how busy the CEO is—they need to hear about results.” BOARD MEMBER MEDDLING OR MONITORING?  The 7 Disciplines of Governance Excellence “Boards do not ask for or accept recommendations—a recommendation is a decision in disguise.  Boards DO ask people to bring options with pros and cons so they can make an informed decision,” writes Jim Brown in his new book, The Imperfect Board Member: Discovering the Seven Disciplines of Governance Excellence. With big print, mind-grabbing graphics and a story line in the tradition of Ken Blanchard and Patrick Lencioni books, you’ll value the author’s seven disciplines in this leadership fable about business boards, nonprofit boards, and faith-based boards. Example: “The best boards keep their noses in the business and their fingers out!” Brown warns, “The only way a board can responsibly do its job without meddling is by monitoring very well.” Buy a bunch and give a copy to each board member and senior executive on your team.  TO ORDER FROM AMAZON, click on the title for The Imperfect Board Member: Discovering the Seven Disciplines of Governance Excellence, by Jim Brown. Your Weekly Staff Meeting Questions: 1) Write down the top three responsibilities of our organization’s board of directors. (Then, of course, compare notes and give the correct answers.) 2) The author writes, “Typically, CEOs and executive directors considered the board to be a necessary nuisance.” How does our organization view our board? BONUS REVIEW! I also reviewed Jim Brown's book on July 24, 2018, in my blog series, "18 Best Board Books," for ECFA's Governance of Christ-Centered Organizations. (Here's the index to more than 300 blogs I wrote on board governance between 2011 and 2020.) BOOK #2 of  18: The Imperfect Board Member: Discovering the Seven Disciplines of Governance Excellence, by Jim Brown (click here to order from Amazon) - Read the blog. Jim Brown’s seven disciplines of board governance are memorable:    • Direct    • Protect    • Connect    • Expect    • Respect    • Select    • Reflect With mind-grabbing graphics and a story line in the tradition of Ken Blanchard and Patrick Lencioni books, you’ll value the author’s seven disciplines in this leadership fable about business boards, nonprofit boards, and faith-based boards. Interestingly, the “guru” in this fable is a pastor of a large church—and he’s governance-savvy. Jim Brown, a board consultant (visit OrgHealth) writes, “The best boards keep their noses in the business and their fingers out!” He adds, “The only way a board can responsibly do its job without meddling is by monitoring very well.” This story tells you how to do that. Why is this on my “Best Board Books” list?     • The story format means your board members will actually read the book.    • The story is just 156 pages (plus very helpful resources).    • Memorable one-liners: “Boards don’t need to hear how busy the CEO is—they need to hear about results.” One bonus: The graphic on page 41 gives the clearest picture of how communication, authority, and accountability work together when board members are also customers. Brilliant. BOARD DISCUSSION: The author writes, “Beware of the ‘board of protectors,’ because it will focus on minimizing risks rather than maximizing opportunities. Boards must direct and protect.” How would we rate our board on balancing risk and opportunities? MORE RESOURCES: For an index to the "18 Best Board Books" (18 good governance stimulators), click here. 2026 UPDATE! Watch for the 20th anniversary edition of The Imperfect Board Member arriving in 2026. BREAKING NEWS! Watch for my May 19, 2026, review of Jim Brown's latest book, The Imperfect CEO: Making the Climb to Organizational Health. (Pre-order from Amazon.) ================================ MORE RESOURCES: • BLOG: Pails in Comparison • SUBSCRIBE: Your Weekly Staff Meeting eNews • JOHN'S BOOK REVIEWS: on Amazon  • WEBSITE: Management Buckets • BLOG: Governance of Christ-Centered Organizations  NOTICE! Effective Oct. 1, 2025, all 657 eNews issues, previously archived on Typepad.com are slowly (!) being moved to a new website here. New book reviews will also be archived at John Pearson’s Buckets Blog. Or, click here for John’s recent book reviews on Amazon.