Rick Miller - Be Chief: Its a Choice, Not a Title

Its one thing for a leader such as the Dalai Lama to remind us that human being is every bit as important to life success as is human doing, but its another when a successful business leader nails it too: the being, not just the doing of BE CHIEF has a pervasive if not oceanic effect on success throughout any enterprise. Not since Peter Drucker declared that our most important managerial assignment is the management-ofself do we have a volume that gives us a roadmap to elevate the positive power of anyones sheer presence. Being Chief is a choice, not a title, says Rick Millerand it pervades everything a leader does from living your values to creating workplaces of viral engagement. This is a great teaching tool.

David L. Cooperrider, Director, Fowler Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit and co-Creator of Appreciative Inquiry, Weatherhead School, Case Western Reserve University

An easy to follow guide that can help leaders at any level unlock the potential in their teams.

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com Inc., and New York Times bestselling author of Delivering Happiness

A must read for anyone looking for an impactful briefing on a lifetime of leadership lessons.

Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers50 #1 world thought leader in leadership

Reading Rick Millers unconventional insights and advice on leadership and how to create a winning culture in todays hyperconnected, hyper-competitive world is like having one head slapping ah-ha moment after another. More than a business book, BE CHIEF is a valuable reference and resource guide that you will find yourself turning to time and again.

Jim McCann, Founder and CEO of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM

BE CHIEF offers a simple and compelling roadmap of options for each of us to unlock our potential while being our authentic selves. As women, we have traditionally been more likely to help others succeed to be Chief rather than focus on ourselves. This special book offers valuable examples of women who do both!

Betsy Myers, Founding Director of the Center for Women & Business at Bentley University, former Director of the White House Office for Womens Outreach, author of Take The Lead

This book reminds us that wherever you sit, its possible to stand up and lead.

Adam Grant, Wharton professor and New York Times bestselling author of Originals, Give and Take and Option B

By redefining what it means to be a Chief, Rick Miller explains what it takes to truly be successful at workand in life. Rick makes power a good word again, and teaches us how to have and use it to bring out the best in ourselves and in others.

Susan Cain, Co-founder of Quiet Revolution, and New York Times bestselling author of QUIET: The Power of Introverts in A World That Cant Stop Talking

Read this one carefullyit is book to think about, not finish. Rick has an inimitable way of getting truth across.

Srikumar Rao, author of Happiness at Work and creator of Creativity and Personal Mastery

Rick Miller is one of the most brilliant business thinkers and leaders of today.

TEDxWallStreet

For the new manager or the veteran leader, Rick provides thoughtful insights and true stories about rebooting your approach to the challenge right in front of you.

Gail McGovern, President and CEO, American Red Cross

The leadership values and skills of a chief need not be confined to the C-suite. Rick Millers outstanding new book, BE CHIEF, is a guide to ways in which you can bring your leadership skills up to the highest level, and inspire those around you to do the same. Dont wait for someone to hand you the title, be Chief now!

Daniel H. Pink, New York Times bestselling author of Drive and To Sell Is Human

Universal truths combined with practical tips and advice based on first-hand experience over decades of driving successful turnarounds. Read this book!

Jack Canfield, co-creator, Chicken Soup for the Soul Book Series and The Success Principles, How to Get From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

Rick Miller has written an engaging text tha t feels more like a conversation with a friend who wants us to succeed. This book is not about techniques, but of character, and the difference it makes to effective leadership.

John Hamre, President and CEO, Center for Strategic and International Studies

Experience-tested guide for bringing back pride, discipline, creativity, and values to your organization and added meaning to your life.

James Heskett, Baker Foundation Professor Emeritus, Harvard Business School, author of The Culture Cycle

I love Rick Millers new book, Be Chief. Being Chief is what I would call an inside-out process. Its an inner feeling of powerbut its not about control. Its about being confident in your own strengths and in the ability to engage and thrive in your environment. Its attainable whether or not you are in chargeand its transferable to everyone around you. With personal revelations, case studies, and an easy writing style, Rick shows readers how to be Chief right where they are in any organization.

Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The New One Minute Manager and Servant Leadership in Action

BE CHIEF

Its A Choice, Not A Title

RICK MILLER

Published by Motivational Press, Inc.

1777 Aurora Road

Melbourne, Florida, 32935

www.MotivationalPress.com

BE CHIEF

Copyright 2018 by Rick Miller. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from Rick Miller, except as

provided by the United States of America copyright law or in the case of brief quotations embodied in articles and reviews.

Th e scanning, uploading and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law.

Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encoura ge electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

Your support of the authors rights is sincerely appreciated.

Design, graphics and photography

michael black | BLACK SUN www.michaelblack.com

ISBN: 978-1-62865-566-7

See simplicity in the complicated.

Seek greatness in the small things.

Lau Tzu

To Diane for teaching me the truth,

and to Jack and Casey for teaching me how to laugh.

Acknowledgements

My journey toward being Chief has been blessed with many great mentors and coaches. In addition to Diane, Jack, and Casey to whom Ive dedicated this book, there are countless people to acknowledge and thank for all the help I have gratefully received along the way.

Not surprisingly, learning about being Chief started at home. My folks were strong role models in persistence. My dad built a reputation as a trusted business and community leader over years of service. In a very different set of circumstances, my mother fought decades of serious health challenges that easily could have beaten a lesser woman. She was a fighter. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for the many lessons you taught me and thanks to my two brothers, Ted and Jeff, for the lessons you continue to teach me. I love you all.

I would also like to thank the friends, teachers, and coaches who taught me so much during my time in the Marlboro, Massachusetts public school system and at Bentley University and Columbia University.

Thanks to the many mentors, coworkers, partners, and customers I met during my time at Sperry, Unisys, AT&T, Opus, Lucent, and Being Chief. Thanks also to the many nonprofit leaders and young people I met through The Balance & Stretch Center.