How To Do The Inner Work | Book Review 

“I had been working way too much and my habits
and thinking patterns caused me to feel intense pressure
on a daily basis. I wanted to be the perfect manager
who didn't let anyone else down - no matter what." (p. 1)

Susanne Madsen's deeply personal and introspective work may be mistakenly labeled a self-help work but rather focuses on commonly neglected leadership behaviors vital to our influence and effectiveness. Let's briefly examine two forms of leader conduct, energy management and decision-making.

Madsen reminds us that when our basic need for love, acceptance, and safety isn't met in certain situations, our survival instinct kicks in (p. 13). During an Academy Leadership Energize2Lead (E2L) workshop, the significance of our instinctive needs quickly surfaces, and this dimensional profile is summarized as: 

• Motivational needs
• Learning style
• Survival instincts
• What we LISTEN FOR 

Like a drowning victim, survival becomes an overwhelming priority, leaving no energy for listening, learning, or for anyone else. We must take care of ourselves first, even though it's easy to get fooled into thinking that the answer to our problems lie outside of us (p. 5).

Jim Collins' hierarchy diagram from BE 2.0 serves as an eternal guide regarding a leader's decision-making process. Vision, strategy, and tactics can change over time; enduring organizations adapt to evolve and survive.  What does not change, however, are our core values and beliefs.

This review primarily focuses on Madsen's Chapter 2: Restoring Your Energy Levels & Chapter 3: Living By Your Core Values.

Energy

Madsen observes if you consistently use more energy than you generate, your tank will begin to run empty, and you will feel tired and unhappy (p. 24).

Tony Schwarz's energy diagram from The Power of Full Engagement is helpful. Madsen is likely describing negative uses of energy, frequently encountered in environments where we feel pressure to be "on" 24/7. Look at the lower left quadrant of the energy diagram. These feelings and behaviors occur when we remain in our E2L instinctive dimension. If there is too much stress and obligation in your life, you'll stay stuck in survival mode. That will cost you a lot of energy and can have a detrimental effect on your physical, mental, and emotional health in the long-term (p. 25).

Madsen's findings mirror Schwartz's: It may feel counterintuitive to slow down and take time out for yourself where there is so much you want to do, but if you keep running, your will make matters worse, and you won't be able to free up mental space for a new level of thinking to energy (p. 27). We should toggle between the right two quadrants, counter to false pressure to be professionally busy. One of the beliefs I picked up in my childhood is that being busy and productive is always good, and rest and relaxation is lazy (p. 33).

Values

Look at the small intersection in the Passion Circle illustrated on page 65.

Effective leaders frequently take time to reflect, or discover where passion, curiosity and professional skill intersect. We're more likely to discover this area when we're in a positive and relaxed state, perhaps capturing our thoughts in a journal. Madsen suggests we iterate with the passion circle exercise until finding the intersection that allows us to best express our values and live our purpose (p. 69).

This may sound similar to developing a Personal Leadership Philosophy (PLP). As we continue growing as leaders, we'll increasingly make decisions based on our PLP, or our core values, regardless of other circumstances. While you might think you need to make a huge, expensive lifestyle change to feel different, often it's the small things in life that have the biggest difference on our wellbeing (p. 45).

Additional Nuggets

Madsen's personal experiences describe how she has mastered occupying a positive, yet lower energy state of mind. Breathwork is one of the most powerful, quick, and accessible ways to help you center yourself whenever you feel tense, emotional, or stressed (p. 81).

Madsen also reminds us that we're in control of our decision making process, or how we react to events. With mindful awareness, we can take a step back, observe ourselves, dialogue with the emotion, and choose a different response (p. 146). This reminds us of the [relatively new] Retake Your Pen dialogue skill found in the 3rd edition of Crucial Conversations. We can choose our response after landing in our instinctive E2L dimension.

Summary

We can't lead or influence others without first understanding self:

But instead of clinging to external events and physical things,
let that something be your own inner resources
and the strength of your spirit. (p. 155) 

Thank you Tom Corson-Knowles for providing a copy of Susanne’s book for review.