What do the little engine that could, insurance managers and a scoutmaster have in common? They all fit into the prose of the book “Born2Lead” by Michael Koscielny, Jr.
Mike is a “retired” insurance executive. That could be a long road, as he has retired to start his own business, write two books, teach insurance courses, become president of SITE (Society of Insurance Trainers and Educators) and represent the college at which he got his MBA. Whatever you would call this act in Mike’s life, you must call him an author. I’ve had his book sitting on my desk for too long, but since I finished reading it, I wanted to share my thoughts on it.
In all transparency, Mike is also a lecturer at the Academy of Insurance and will be presenting a session based on his book on June 27th. You can register for this class here. I also consider him a mentor and friend. I think I’m giving his book a fair review, but I also need to be open about our connection.
There is no shortage of leadership books. Just search your favorite bookstore (online or in person) and you’ll find more leadership books than you can handle, but you won’t find one more personal and relatable than this one. Mike tells us his life story, from his immigrant grandfather to his own failures and mistakes to the people who helped him get to where he is today.
13 stories, 13 principles
Through the book, you will meet several people from Mike’s life, including the aforementioned grandfather, his father, an elementary school teacher, and more. Each person taught Mike a life lesson that would guide him for years to come.
One story that struck a chord with me was about how he secretly smuggled a radio into school so he could listen to a World Series game for his beloved Cubs (although we don’t blame him for that). The lesson he learned there was to take responsibility and be responsible for his actions.
Born to be a leader or not
Its basic premise is that leadership is a joint effort of the personality traits that a person is born with and begins to display early in life, and the formation and development of particular talents and skills throughout life. No one is a born leader and anyone who wants to can be a leader.
I agree. I have seen too many people who do not appear to be natural leaders follow their calling and become leaders who inspire others to take action. I have also seen those who seem to be natural leaders fall apart under the difficult circumstances that leaders can handle. Leadership is like any skill that can be learned.
It’s worth reading
In conclusion, I would recommend this book to everyone inside and outside of the insurance industry. It’s not just a book by insurance people. However, if you are an insurance professional, I would recommend supporting one of our own books. It’s an easy read and anyone who takes 10-15 minutes a day can read it in a few weeks. If you’re a dedicated reader, you can probably read it in an afternoon.
It’s a relatable read about a person who made mistakes but learned from them. He worked hard and made sacrifices, sometimes the wrong ones. In the end, he learned that leadership is easy and really hard work. You can find more of my notes on LinkedIn.
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2024-06-06 12:00:48
www.insurancejournal.com
