Hardly! I haven’t forgotten you at all. I just didn’t want to drag you through the recent rewrites of Chief Leadership Officer over the past 45 days or so.

In fact, you remain at the top of mind as I'm writing and working on the business matters around the book. Your angel investment in this book has given me comfort to write and be in a better posture with potential publishers. By the way, I'm in discussions with several. Before I make a publisher (or self-publish) decision, I want the publishers to make a more informed assessment about the book as planned and the marketing investment they want to make in it.

The core content of Chief Leadership Officer remains true since the beginning. Writing a narrative or parable-style book adds an extra layer of complexity.  The content may be amazing but if the story line falls flat it can diminish the message. I’m not setting out to be the next great novelist. No, I’m a business and leadership author who knows busy people prefer quick and lightly entertaining reading. I also know the power of a strategic story to engage the heart and mind.

Facts inform, stories transform. By design Chief Leadership Officer is so innovative that it opens a new category of business leadership. Some will view the message as iconoclastic and unrealistic–something to be repudiated and destroyed. Others will embrace it as the refreshing future and hope for the business sector and will welcome it with open arms.

Anticipating this controversy and potential for divisive responses I know the story needs to hold up well or the opportunity for transformation will be delayed or missed altogether. Yes, I feel the pressure to produce a thought provoking, easy to read, entertaining, groundbreaking book. No small feat. But with The On-Purpose Person I’ve done it once before.  That time, however, I was at least twenty years ahead of society.

Today, I see the wave coming and cresting soon. Patience has been at work. I purchased the domain name for chiefleadershipofficer.com on October first of 2001. I’ve waited for 15 years to write the book. My immediate goal is to have the first draft finished on or before October 1, 2016.

So here’s the short version of the update. The chapter previews you read over the summer have changed. Not once, not twice, but three times. Here’s why:

·      The story line was falling flat. As endearing as Pops is, the two-way conversation between a Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandchild didn’t provide sufficient spark and dynamics for a solid reader experience.

·      Some readers shared with me that the Pops character was hard to relate to, probably because most people don’t know a centenarian.  I actually know several because my 89-year old mother lives in a retirement community where I interact with several of them.  One woman I talk with from time-to-time is 105.  She looks 75-years old, walks unassisted and is amazingly clear-minded. I’ve keep Pops alive for the story line but I’ve downplayed his role.

·      Point of view matters.  In the original chapters lacked a clear reader point of view. The current version clearly offers a reader perspective.  You’re an observer who is in the story but more a fly on the wall than the protagonist.

So where does the first draft of the now fourth revision stand?  I’m happy to report that this latest version of the book is a solid story line that’s taking on a delightful life of its own.  The writing is at least 50% finished.  This means this phase of the manuscript process is about 80% complete. The upfront story set-up is very slow writing because I’m laying a foundation for the principles and story to follow. 

Over the next week I expect to knock out the rest of the first draft, if only my business advisory clients will leave me alone. How rude! Just teasing, love ‘em.  Once the draft is done, we’ll do some basic proofreading and post up the first draft chapters for your feedback… and then on to further editing!

Be On-Purpose!

Kevin