Synopsis

An edgy and inspirational take on leadership development that challenges the normal paradigms of what qualities leaders should have.

This book is for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and front-line managers alike. It aims to support people who don’t like rules and know that there are better ways of going about creating successful businesses and high functioning teams other than the norms that have been circulating throughout the years.

Rise of the Misfit Leader & the 10 Truths That Guide Them will be a navigation tool for all of the entrepreneurs and leaders who feel as though they must wake up at 4 am, work 60+ hours a week, and sacrifice their personal time to get ahead in the world. This book will provide real-world scenarios and tools that will help guide the reader through the ‘noise’ that society says is a must in order to be successful.  

As an HR professional in various industries, Nakeesha has seen the effects on employees and leaders who succumb to the pressures of the ‘norms’  and will reveal these truths, in a no bullshit honest approach. You’ll learn how to dance to the beat of your own drum and feel confident in doing so.

Outline

Introduction

A misfit is defined as “a person whose behavior or attitude sets them apart from others in an uncomfortably and conspicuous way.” Misfit leaders have a hard time with societal standards of excellence. They see the bullshit in traditional methods of building leadership amongst his team and understands that the power in leadership is in the individuality of the person.

Chapter 1: I’m a misfit too
The book opens with Nakeesha’s journey; how being a misfit in corporate america and in Human Resources often felt like she was swimming upstream. She couldn’t conform to the “idea” of how an HR person should act and often wondered why there were no resources to validate why her being a misfit was actually her best leadership quality.

Chapter 2: Truth 1 - Spirituality is the Foundation
Misfits understand that spirituality is the foundation of transformation. They do not care how their views on self-love, living in the light, and setting boundaries make other people feel uncomfortable.

Chapter 3: Truth 2 - Passion over Everything (POE)
Misfits need to follow their passion. It does not need to be in their full-time job; but it is a priority in their lives which often conflicts with the demands of a full-time role. Their creativity and productivity comes from their passions, so when demands of corporate america prevent them from following, it affects them in a negative way.

Chapter 4: Truth 3 - No Fucks Given
Misfits embrace their authenticity to the fullest. Conforming is not an option, it is actually not even a thought. They don’t go out of their way to please people. They show respect and give respect, but popularity is not important to them.

Chapter 5: Truth 4 - Love to Fail
Misfits are not afraid to fail. They are risks takers, innovators, and master learners. Being in environments where they are encouraged to fail increases their creativity and thus becomes a catalyst for them to innovate with purpose.

Chapter 6: Truth 5 - Perfection doesn’t exist
Misfits embrace their imperfections. Misfit leaders don’t buy into the notion that every leader should possess all the traits that society deems as ‘leadership qualities’. They use their imperfections to build teams with diverse skill sets to fill in those gaps. However, even knowing that they have these imperfections, misfits are not above constant improvement of their own shortcomings.

Chapter 7: Truth 6 - Walk it Like I Talk it
Misfits don’t provide lip service. They live life like their own gospel. As part of their authenticity, misfit leaders live their gospel. They don’t impose their own agenda onto others and reject it when others try to impose on them. They have values and morals that they embody everyday and know the importance of leading by example.

Chapter 8: Truth 7 - There is no box
Misfits know that the box does not exist; which is why they can’t conform or deal well with generalized labels. Corporate and societal norms are outside the misfits purview but often feels pressure to partake in the norms.

Chapter 9: Truth 8 - Life is all there is
Misfits know that work-life balance is not a thing; there is just life. Prioritization of time and energy will ebb and flow, but their values regarding self-care, spending quality time with family and friends, and working on passion projects like a business or volunteering will usually take precedence over work.

Chapter 10: Truth 9 - Pimpin’ ain’t easy
Misfits know that the right choice isn’t always the easiest. Some will be hurt by the right choice, but as leaders, knowing that decisions are NEVER one size fits all makes them great at what they do.

Chapter 11: Truth 10 - Global citizen
Misfit leaders know that in order to be successful and innovative you cannot live in a vacuum of homogeneous ideas. Diversity is a must and they actively work diligently to ensure that their teams have the best diverse minds.

Chapter 12: 80/20 Rule
Misfit leaders understand that true leadership happens by way of transformation (80%) and is a fluid life long practice; the skills needed to apply that transformation into the management of their teams can be learned at anytime during the heavy lifting through means of coaching, mentorship, or online learning (20%).

Chapter 13: Your Truth
Weather or not you agree with all of the truths outlined in this book, the most important thing is that you follow your own truth. However you define success that should be the only roadmap you follow.

Audience

This is a book for millennial entrepreneurs, middle managers, and organizational leadership.

In 2016, Millennials became the largest generation in the labor force and make up approximately 35% of the workforce and by 2025 will comprise 75% of the workforce. A survey conducted by American Express states that Millennial leaders are setting the stage for a shake-up of the traditional C-Suite. Millennial leaders are defining success differently than previous generations before, thus signaling a shift in the mindset of how businesses are conducted.  

Millennials have grown up in a globalized population, are technology driven, and have unique experiences that have shaped their perspectives on how to lead.

• Purpose-driven - nearly 7 out of 10 want to make a positive difference in the world. 81% believe that in order to be successful, there must be a purpose behind the business.
  
• Well-being - millennials are not just focused on physical health, but also mental, emotional, and financial health.
  
• Investing in employees - 94% of millennials are willing to invest in employee development as managers; 87% would invest in executive education
  
• Success defined - millennials love challenges but are not so work focused as previous generations. 62% define success as enjoying their work, while 58% says it’s having a balanced life.
  

While the data suggests that millennials do think differently when it comes to how leadership will be defined, most of the information out there still support the old paradigm of leadership which focuses on steps, habits, soft skills, etc. rather than focusing on where real change happens - transformation.

In order for leaders of the next generation to truly become transformational, the focus must be on the real work which is 80% transformational and 20% skill set. This book addresses the 80% portion in a fun, truthful, and unapologetically way that will resonate with the millennial leader.

Promotion

Nakeesha has a network of friends, family, and colleagues which includes 1100 people on LinkedIn, 1000 followers on Instagram, 300 followers on Facebook and a weekly Youtube vlog.

This book is an extension of Nakeesha’s existing business “Firestarter, LLC” where she provides leadership coaching, career/job search coaching, and online courses.

Nakeesha is launching two online course in August 2018, conducting a live webinar for her 1:1 leadership coaching in September 2018, and launching two group coaching services in January 2019.

Nakeesha plans on promoting this book through a combined effort of social media marketing, Facebook/Instagram advertising (with video), and tapping into targeted friends, family, and colleague networks as well.

Competition

The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F*ck by Mark Manson. Harper, Second Edition September 13, 2016.

In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger shows us that the key to being happier is to stop trying to be “positive” all the time and instead to become better at handling adversity.  For decades we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. But those days are over. “Fuck positivity,” Mark Manson says. “Let’s be honest; sometimes things are fucked up and we have to live with it.” For the past few years, Manson—via his wildly popular blog—has been working on correcting our delusional expectations for ourselves and for the world.You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life by Jen Sincero. Running Press Adult, April 23, 2013.

Bitesize chapters full of hilariously inspiring stories, sage advice, easy exercises, and the occasional swear word, helping you to: Identify and change the self-sabotaging beliefs and behaviors that stop you from getting what you want, Create a life you totally love. And create it NOW, Make some damn money already. The kind you've never made before.Spark: How to Lead Yourself and Others to Greater Success by Angie Morgan, Courtney Lynch, Sean Lynch, Frederick W. Smith. Mariner Books; Reprint Edition January 2, 2018.

“Sparks” are the doers, thinkers, innovators, and key influencers who are catalysts for personal and organizational change. But these extraordinary individuals aren’t defined by the place they hold on an organizational chart—they are defined by their actions, commitment, and will. With SPARK as a blueprint, anyone can become a catalyst for change, and any organization can identify and develop Sparks.

The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness by Lolly Daskal. Portfolio, May 30, 2017.

After decades of advising and inspiring some of the most eminent chief executives in the world, Lolly Daskal has uncovered a startling pattern: within each leader are powerful abilities that are also hidden impediments to greatness. She’s witnessed many highly driven, overachieving leaders rise to prominence fueled by well-honed skill sets, only to falter when the shadow sides of the same skills emerge. Using psychology, philosophy, and her own experience, Daskal offers a breakthrough perspective on leadership. She’ll take you inside some of the most cloistered boardrooms, let you in on deeply personal conversations with industry leaders, and introduce you to luminaries who’ve changed the world. Her insights will help you rethink everything you know to become the leader you truly want to be.

The Power of Positive Leadership: How and Why Positive Leaders Transform Teams and Organizations and Change the World by Jon Gordon. Wiley, April 21, 2017.

We are not positive because life is easy. We are positive because life can be hard. As a leader, you will face numerous obstacles, negativity, and tests. There will be times when it seems as if everything in the world is conspiring against you and your vision seems more like a fantasy than a reality. That’s why positive leadership is essential! Positive leadership is not about fake positivity. It is the real stuff that makes great leaders great. The research is clear. Being a positive leader is not just a nice way to lead. It's the way to lead if you want to build a great culture, unite your organization in the face of adversity, develop a connected and committed team and achieve excellence and superior results.