I saw the CEO reading this, so I picked it up. (talk about mimetic desire.) I am not friends with self-help books, so I was at first hesitant what the book would uncover for me. But it was actually different.
Unlike other business self-help authors, Howortz tackles with the real challenge of leadership. Not generic formulas or simple answers. But uncertain, messy, and emotionally taxing realities of leadership. The ones without clear solutions.
Howortz argues that the hard thing about businesses is not hiring talent, recruiting top engineers, or designing a perfect pitch deck. But the emotionally difficult choices: laying people off, handling entitlement from top performers, resolving when teams function bad, and enduring psychological strain when things go wrong.
My Notes
Main Challenges Described:
- Making decisions with no easy or right answers, often while under stress and uncertainty.
- Handling failures and setbacks openly and honestly, both with the team and yourself.
- Leading people through layoffs, pivots, or crises, while maintaining trust and morale.
- Managing your own psychology and emotional endurance when you have the company’s well-being on your shoulders.
Some Takeaways I noted down:
- There is no universal recipe for dealing with each hard challenge. Leadership requires adaptability and the courage to act decisively in chaotic situations.
- Honesty and transparency, even when difficult, are essential to making tough decisions and earning respect.
- Building a culture where people matter, even in tough times, is crucial to long-term success.
In short, the hard things are about confronting and dealing with the toughest, emotionally draining aspects of business.
And yes, now I approach reading different genres differently. I mostly take notes when I am reading actually great "self-help" books.