Welcome to the Doing the Right Things Right Book Club!

Leader Guide – Doing the Right Things Right by Laura Stack (PDF)

Discussion Guide – Doing the Right Things Right by Laura Stack (PDF)

Here are some answers to frequently asked questions that might be helpful as you form your club:

1. GROUP FORMATION. How should I form the groups?

  • Some organizations begin an open enrollment “book club” and provide this program as an optional developmental opportunity.
  • Some target the roll-out to an emerging or specific leadership team.
  • Others have focused a concerted effort on improving strategic execution within the senior leadership team or specific departments, and then rolled it out to a larger population (e.g., virtual discussion groups at multiple sites around the country).

2. GROUP SIZE. How many people should be in a group?

  • The ideal size is between five to seven people per discussion group (if you have 25 people show up for a book club meeting, divide the larger group into five smaller groups).
  • I don’t suggest permanent teams, since some people may go on vacation or are forced to miss a meeting due to other conflicts.

3. LOCATION. Where should I hold the book club meetings?

  • If you have logical geographical teams, you can hold them onsite in any conference room or common area.
  • If your teams are remote, you can hold meetings via phone, video conference, GoToMeeting.com, or some other virtual platform.

4. FREQUENCY. How often should the discussion groups meet?

  • The book is divided into three parts, so I’d recommend a weekly meeting for four weeks, starting with an introduction/kick off meeting to distribute materials and give instructions, followed by parts 1-3.
  • If a weekly meeting seems to be too much, you could meet every other week, which would result in a two-month program. Feel free to adjust the timing to the needs of your groups, holidays, other initiatives, etc.

5. LENGTH. How long should the meetings run?

  • One hour seems to work best, although some prefer 45 minutes. If discussions tend to run long, you can set aside 90 minutes to be safe.

6. SPEAKING. Can Laura “kick off” the program and speak at the first meeting?

  • Absolutely. I would be delighted to chat with you about this option. Email [email protected] or call 303-471-7401. Depending on the number of books you purchase, we can work with you on the speaking fee.

7. RESOURCES. Does the program use other resources in addition to the book, Doing the Right Things Right: How the Effective Executive Spends Time?

  • Yes, download the Discussion Guide at www.3TLeadership.com and send it to each person. As participants read the book, the workbook will lead them through a practical application of the material to their jobs and your organization. They answer the questions for each chapter at the conclusion of each.
  • Participants can also subscribe to a complementary video and audio series, download additional articles, and receive bonus materials from other thought leaders at www.3TLeadership.com.
  • Ask participants to take the 3T Leadership Assessment from the book (use the link at www.3TLeadership.com) and bring their individual results to the meetings. We can also create a special URL for your team (for a small extra fee), so we can analyze your collective results. Email Christine at [email protected] about this option.

8. DEVELOPMENT. How do we tie this into development plans?

  • The workbook may be part of a developmental plan to heighten the four keys to effective strategy execution.
  • Leaders can take the assessment online to evaluate a team member in a 360 fashion (simply answer the questions as they relate to the person being evaluated).
  • Make mentors aware of the book club, so they can engage in discussions as well.
  • Ask some of your more experienced leaders to be “guest speakers” at meetings to share their insights.
  • Executive coaching with Laura is also available.

9. CULTURE. How should we follow up to “hard wire” the learning or provide training?

  • You can discuss actual case studies and best practices at staff meetings, project updates, websites, and blogs.
  • Post stories and best practices on your intranet.
  • The Productivity Pro, Inc. offers a one-year continuity program if you’re interested in implementing a larger initiative.
  • Train-the-trainer curriculum is available for half-day and full-day training sessions.

10. REWARDS. How can we encourage participation from the beginning to the end?

  • If you wish, we have digital “prizes” and bonus resources we can donate (such as eBooks, videos, and MP3s), for any participant who attends all sessions.