Each quarter I post a review of a leadership/motivational book I recommend to colleagues and friends. Some may be old favorites, others are hot off the press. I am always open to suggestions for books to review. If you have a favorite you'd like to share with others, please contact me.

It's Your Move: Dealing Yourself the Best Cards in Life and Work
By Cyndi Maxey and Jill Bremer
2003, Financial Times Prentice Hall.

“Too many people think about what they could do someday.”

So begins a wonderfully readable and motivating book by Chicago authors and businesswomen Cyndi Maxey and Jill Bremer. If you haven't already picked up this book and you are looking to make some positive changes in your life, now is the time to buy.

How many times have we said that to ourselves--"someday, I'd like to ______" or "if my life were just less (more), I'd _____"

"Someday" and "tomorrow" are words that keep us from moving forward--words that keep us in place. Maxey and Bremer believe that waiting for someday can put dreams on hold indefinitely.

IT'S YOUR MOVE provides the motivated reader with strategies, encouragement and support for taking steps toward a more fulfilling life, both personal and professional, today.

IT'S YOUR MOVE encourages the reader to take both a long and short term view and begin work a "steps everyday" strategy.

This is a book about more than goal setting and following through. It is about exploring, increasing awareness in a variety of areas of your life and through that awareness, making behavioral changes which result in larger changes. This is a book about taking action.

No need to be a card player to "get" this book or understand the metaphor. Whenever we begin to play a game, especially one we have not played before, what is the first step? Read the rules

What are the rules? That life is an ever-changing process and the rules are changing too.

Chapter 1 introduces the reader to six people with whom they will travel--people who grow and discover talents, knowledge and courage within as they play the various hands...just as the reader will.

One of the things I particularly liked about IT'S YOUR MOVE, is that it is written for readers at every and on every stage: from those starting out to those starting again to those wondering where to start.

Each chapter is laid out in a similar fashion. Each offers:

• A number of cards outlining strategies to help you become more effective in that particular area.
• Examples from one or more of the six people and how they played the cards
• A short sketch of a famous person and how they worked a particular aspect of the chapter focus
• The opportunity to draw a card and complete one of the activities on it.
• A place to record your results in the back of the book.

HOW CLEVER! So often we don't acknowledge or give ourselves credit for the changes we make, or the results we achieve. We don't tell the story of our efforts and successes.

Without actually saying so, IT'S YOUR MOVE encourages us to acknowledge our forward movement by asking us to record our results. This is another example of the awareness building the authors encourage. By recording our results, we hold ourselves accountable and acknowledge our efforts.

How you play the game is up to you-- you choose the hands you want to play. The authors give autonomy to the reader with one caveat: you need to have a goal in mind because your goal will direct your strategy.

This makes the book more than a one-time read. New goal? Select a new hand.

What are the hands you're invited to play?

• Preparation
• Attitude
• Visibility
• Style
• Presentation
• Listening
• Learning
• Balance
• Flexibility

PREPARATION:

Lays the groundwork for the best use of the other hands. While the other hands can be played in any order, the Preparation Hand is best played first for it is here you are asked to:

• Step back from the all-too-familiar routines of life.
• "Dream and define your values
• What is your dream? WHAT TUGS AT YOU--NOT A SHOULD, BUT AN "IF ONLY."
• Write your goals and plan in pieces
  Writing produces thought, thought produces action and action produces success
• Think and write both LONG and SHORT TERM goals.
• Short: what do you want to achieve THIS YEAR? What can you do each day to move toward it.
• Know the goals of people in power position around you/define yourself
  Why? Because these people have influence on your rate of success.
  Define yourself means become aware of impression management: wardrobe, grooming, behavior, attitude, and comm. skills. Communicate a cohesive message.
• Make family time:
  to stay grounded and balanced.

ATTITUDE HAND:

• Examines the importance of attitude.
• How do you look at failure: as a learning tool, as a reason to quit, or as a way to build character?
• Awareness of self-talk. Our perceptions of and reactions to life's events.
  You have control over both (reactions and perceptions). What are you stressing over? Become aware. Are they things you can control?

VISIBILITY HAND:

• Begins by saying "winners show up" then asks you to become aware of all the opportunities you have to show up. Each opportunity is a place where you can find potential.
• I liked the encouragement around "go anyway," going when you are tired after work and you want to give in to the temptation to just go home. Go anyway, say Maxey and Bremer--dig deep, find your positive attitude, and talk to people you don't know--you never know what you will discover

STYLE HAND

• Perceptions are reality. Perceptions are based on stereotypes of every conceivable human attribute or choice. Every day we make adjustments to feel comfortable and accepted. The authors ask, "why not make these adjustments with intention?"
  Being aware of image choices and planning them ahead of time can affect how you are perceived and treated. It can impact your success.
• A wonderful quote: "It's important to accept you are the whole message--and that message determines whether or not you will get what you want in this life."
  Companies take great care in selecting shapes, styles, and colors which will appeal to others. Think of yourself in the same way. Clothing should be a backdrop, never the star.

PRESENTATION HAND:

• Provides tips, techniques and ideas for speaking to groups (a suggestion made in the Visibility hand),

LISTENING HAND

• One of the most challenging hands. Looks in-depth at a topic vital to success, but not often addressed. Strong on ways to become a better listener. 
  "A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while, he gets to know something." Wilson Mizner
• Listening is not only polite, the authors remind us, it is wise. Listeners have power in relationships because they have understanding. Listening is a learned skill. It takes practice.
• Awareness is the first step to better listening. When do you catch your thoughts drifting? Do you catch them?

LEARNING HAND

• We are never too old to learn. Awareness plays a key role in this hand. Where can we learn outside the classroom?
• while stepping back (preparation hand)
• while listening to others (Listening hand)
• when we show up and get involved (visibility hand)
• talking to people of other generations
• when we ask for help (A sign of strength and healthy self-esteem, not weakness)

BALANCE HAND

• Why is it children can say "no" so easily and adults cannot--even to ourselves? In this hand, the reader is asked to compare the life he/she is leading to the principles and goals described in the Preparation Hand.
• Creating a life based on what you value, you will move closer to creating a life of balance. Knowing what we want, knowing our goals, can help us set boundaries and say no more easily.

Why do I recommend this book?

• focus on awareness and acknowledgment of results
• straightforward, do-able strategies
• the reader gets to choose
• many examples from all walks of life
• not a continuous read
• good for more than one go-round

I liked the coincidence of 52 cards and 52 weeks in the year. A card a week will help me move forward without that feeling of another "must do."

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