Reviews of the Book
Review by Cathy A Murray
R.N. at Headwaters Homecare, Headwaters Homecare, University of Phoenix, Belfountain, Ontario, Canada
"What an empowering book in so many ways!
Holland writes with so much to give, it is enlightening. This author provides knowledge that is mind blowing! It engaged me immediately and stimulated learning about myself. After this read, I feel closer to self actualization!
In my opinion, Holland's book is successful because he incorporates multiple referenced methods and resources on which to exercise one's brain and soul.
He references the mental health world through Rogers, Freud, Hahn, Koffa and Berne. He acknowledges related works such as Robbins and Gladwell and works from spirituality and mindfulness. In the process of reading, Holland outlines to us, how to find our inner genius.
This book is encouraging and people-changing! It powerfully provides the reader with plenty of resources and exercises to methodically use. I loved it! I'm ready to read it again!"
Review by Bill Veltrop
Co-founder of Monterey Institute for Social Architecture (MISA).
Monterey Institute for Social Architecture (MISA)
"I’ve spent over 40 years engaged in innovative organization design and leadership development on three continents.
In Cracking Great Leaders Bruce Holland spins stories that repeatedly focus on the essence of great leadership. It’s a deceptively simple and enormously powerful way of seeing yourself and those you touch. I admit to feeling a touch of envy for Bruce's storytelling skill.
This book is not only for those in a position to guide, lead, manage, coach, teach or otherwise impact the lives of other humans. It’s really for everyone.
7 Reasons Why I Especially Appreciate This Book
Review by Michael John Horner
"Found this one of the most engaging books I have read for many years. Obviously written from personal experiences, Bruce shares his journey through life in an open and honest way that role models what he is recommending to readers. The analogy of the Buddha Hunter that forms a key component of the way we can approach our own development is a simple and effective metaphor. (Do not be alarmed if you think this is a religious calling - it is not. Read the book and you'll see what I mean !) Content is relevant to all ages - none of us are ever too old to learn."
Review by Peter Robertson
"Do you want ordinary people in your team to do extraordinary things to benefit your organisation? Then read Bruce Holland's 'Cracking Great Leaders'. An easy style read with step by step processes to help you find your personal core of greatness. Enjoy the success of a rare breed of manager - who is strong, secure and energising those around them to liberate their inner strengths and attain new horizons. There is something for everyone on this book written by a quality individual with a passion to impart his learnings to others. Highly recommended."
Review by Amazon Customer
"This is a book to savour. During the week that I read it I was fully immersed in it - and many parts of it still linger with me today, several weeks on.
Although this book is especially useful for people leaders it has many life lesson gems for everyone.
It sure is an aspirational book - it makes you feel great hope and it is really uplifting. With its easy to follow practical guides and tips, this book really made me believe that I can be my best self, and that all leaders can really grow “humming” and happy teams and that we can transform our world into the kind of world that we all know we want to and should be living in.
It's the best book of its kind that I have ever read - although in saying that, it's really in a category of its own.
A must read. This book changed the way I think, act and perform as a manager in a busy corporate environment."
Review by Howard Moore
"Bruce Holland has sat down, thought and written about what he has learned from around 30 years of experience, reading and observation. His personal digest of how people think, behave and interact is both honest and accessible. To illustrate his points he draws on and integrates a large number of scientific studies from all manner of disciplines, without getting lost in scientific jargon.
He presents the book in three parts in a way that (it seems to me) has a strong parallel with sports motivation, where athletes aim to excel through training their minds as much as their bodies.
The first part explains and illustrates how each of us is capable of thinking and working more effectively. The second part describes exercises and techniques that we can adopt to achieve this improvement. The third considers the impact we might then have in the workplace and the community.
Bruce's language is friendly and deliberately a little vulnerable, which he explains without apology. At times he uses short stories to illustrate his points. Now and then he presents an idea that immediately resonates; one for me was “In many organisations, managers see themselves as managers of assets. In organisations that achieve Organisational Greatness, managers see themselves as managers of energy.”
I think this is a valuable book. Like me, some readers will skip the exercises and look for the quick answers, but even they should find something here that is easy to adopt and rewarding to pursue. That makes the book worth keeping. It's a book I intend returning to as my own experience, reading and thinking matures."
Review by Stephen Alagaratnamon
"I have not come across management literature that integrates the power of the soul in unleashing talent. Bruce does it well with fine narration and excellent metaphors. It's about time that people realize that it is not " As you think so you are BUT As your soul IS, so you think and you are! Bruce enlightens them!"
Review by Eric Waterson
“This is a book to savour. During the week that I read it I was fully immersed in it - and many parts of it still linger with me today, several weeks on. Although this book is especially useful for people leaders it has many life-lesson gems for everyone.
It sure is an aspirational book - it makes you feel great hope and it is really uplifting. With its easy to follow practical guides and tips, this book really made me believe that I can be my best self, and that all leaders can really grow “humming” in happy teams and that we can transform our world into the kind of world that we all know we want to and should be living in.
It's the best book of its kind that I have ever read - although in saying that, it's really in a category of its own. A must read. This book changed the way I think, act and perform as a manager in a busy corporate environment.”
Review by Brent Anderson
“In his book “Cracking Great Leaders,” Bruce Holland lays out a blueprint to take managers and management practice into another realm. Simply, with the injection of some wonderful stories, he explains personal greatness (or genius). He gets the reader comfortable with the terminology and with making the most of his or her greatness.
Indeed at one point he asks the reader to stop reading his book to discover their individual greatness/genius before moving up the pathway to organisational and finally collective greatness. His book takes the reader into practical learning without missing a beat.
Bruce, in a very personal manner, underlines the power of relationships to release Human Energy at Work. This book is highly recommended to leaders, managers and potential managers, in fact anyone who wants to contribute to making their workplace a far better place in which to spend time.”
Review by un-named Amazon Customer
“I have read many books ranging from subjects on religion to quantum physics. They have focused primarily on the comprehension and understanding of the mechanics of the Human cell, the human mind, quantum physics and human behaviour.
I found the book “Cracking Great Leaders” a book where the author takes a look from a big picture view point to arrive at a refreshing opportunistic solution which recognises that we as a species have the ability to reach further than our supposed daily circumstances. We have the ability to grow within to fulfil our purpose in life what ever that may be rather than being resolved to what our immediate external environment is said to dictate. The Author challenges the reader to understand their own inner capabilities without fear but for the pure enjoyment of the journey that can be and should be undertaken by each and every one of us.
However it also challenges people who are in Management that their role in life is to give and assist those around them being fellow workers or associates to achieve their own personal dreams and growth.
The end result is it will be found to increase the purpose of the entity in which the individual works which will assist to cement the culture and values within the business. Then watch the level of Productivity, Profitability and Quality climb. But leaders cannot stand back. They need to roll their sleeves up and lead by example.”
R.N. at Headwaters Homecare, Headwaters Homecare, University of Phoenix, Belfountain, Ontario, Canada
"What an empowering book in so many ways!
Holland writes with so much to give, it is enlightening. This author provides knowledge that is mind blowing! It engaged me immediately and stimulated learning about myself. After this read, I feel closer to self actualization!
In my opinion, Holland's book is successful because he incorporates multiple referenced methods and resources on which to exercise one's brain and soul.
He references the mental health world through Rogers, Freud, Hahn, Koffa and Berne. He acknowledges related works such as Robbins and Gladwell and works from spirituality and mindfulness. In the process of reading, Holland outlines to us, how to find our inner genius.
This book is encouraging and people-changing! It powerfully provides the reader with plenty of resources and exercises to methodically use. I loved it! I'm ready to read it again!"
Review by Bill Veltrop
Co-founder of Monterey Institute for Social Architecture (MISA).
Monterey Institute for Social Architecture (MISA)
"I’ve spent over 40 years engaged in innovative organization design and leadership development on three continents.
In Cracking Great Leaders Bruce Holland spins stories that repeatedly focus on the essence of great leadership. It’s a deceptively simple and enormously powerful way of seeing yourself and those you touch. I admit to feeling a touch of envy for Bruce's storytelling skill.
This book is not only for those in a position to guide, lead, manage, coach, teach or otherwise impact the lives of other humans. It’s really for everyone.
7 Reasons Why I Especially Appreciate This Book
- It’s a joy to read: Pour yourself a glass of wine or a cup of tea and settle down with this book. It’s like the hanging with a wise shaman who has spent years practicing in organizational jungles and drawing from the work of other luminaries
- Bruce follows Einstein’s advice beautifully: ‘Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.’ Some of Bruce’s stories are both relevant in the C-suite and also great for reading to your children at bedtime
- It can change your life, and help change the many other lives you touch — at work, at home — wherever you choose to be fully who you are
- It’s up close and personal: Bruce is wonderfully revealing of himself throughout his many stories. This level of disclosure and vulnerability shows the way for those of us who are more cautious in ‘guarding our perimeter'
- It’s very hopeful, philosophically robust — and wonderfully pragmatic
- It’s memorable: Bruce’s sticky juicy metaphors and stories are woven throughout the book in a ways that will stay with you
- It’s propagatable: Bruce shares how you can use the material in a way that will spread within your circle of influence
Review by Michael John Horner
"Found this one of the most engaging books I have read for many years. Obviously written from personal experiences, Bruce shares his journey through life in an open and honest way that role models what he is recommending to readers. The analogy of the Buddha Hunter that forms a key component of the way we can approach our own development is a simple and effective metaphor. (Do not be alarmed if you think this is a religious calling - it is not. Read the book and you'll see what I mean !) Content is relevant to all ages - none of us are ever too old to learn."
Review by Peter Robertson
"Do you want ordinary people in your team to do extraordinary things to benefit your organisation? Then read Bruce Holland's 'Cracking Great Leaders'. An easy style read with step by step processes to help you find your personal core of greatness. Enjoy the success of a rare breed of manager - who is strong, secure and energising those around them to liberate their inner strengths and attain new horizons. There is something for everyone on this book written by a quality individual with a passion to impart his learnings to others. Highly recommended."
Review by Amazon Customer
"This is a book to savour. During the week that I read it I was fully immersed in it - and many parts of it still linger with me today, several weeks on.
Although this book is especially useful for people leaders it has many life lesson gems for everyone.
It sure is an aspirational book - it makes you feel great hope and it is really uplifting. With its easy to follow practical guides and tips, this book really made me believe that I can be my best self, and that all leaders can really grow “humming” and happy teams and that we can transform our world into the kind of world that we all know we want to and should be living in.
It's the best book of its kind that I have ever read - although in saying that, it's really in a category of its own.
A must read. This book changed the way I think, act and perform as a manager in a busy corporate environment."
Review by Howard Moore
"Bruce Holland has sat down, thought and written about what he has learned from around 30 years of experience, reading and observation. His personal digest of how people think, behave and interact is both honest and accessible. To illustrate his points he draws on and integrates a large number of scientific studies from all manner of disciplines, without getting lost in scientific jargon.
He presents the book in three parts in a way that (it seems to me) has a strong parallel with sports motivation, where athletes aim to excel through training their minds as much as their bodies.
The first part explains and illustrates how each of us is capable of thinking and working more effectively. The second part describes exercises and techniques that we can adopt to achieve this improvement. The third considers the impact we might then have in the workplace and the community.
Bruce's language is friendly and deliberately a little vulnerable, which he explains without apology. At times he uses short stories to illustrate his points. Now and then he presents an idea that immediately resonates; one for me was “In many organisations, managers see themselves as managers of assets. In organisations that achieve Organisational Greatness, managers see themselves as managers of energy.”
I think this is a valuable book. Like me, some readers will skip the exercises and look for the quick answers, but even they should find something here that is easy to adopt and rewarding to pursue. That makes the book worth keeping. It's a book I intend returning to as my own experience, reading and thinking matures."
Review by Stephen Alagaratnamon
"I have not come across management literature that integrates the power of the soul in unleashing talent. Bruce does it well with fine narration and excellent metaphors. It's about time that people realize that it is not " As you think so you are BUT As your soul IS, so you think and you are! Bruce enlightens them!"
Review by Eric Waterson
“This is a book to savour. During the week that I read it I was fully immersed in it - and many parts of it still linger with me today, several weeks on. Although this book is especially useful for people leaders it has many life-lesson gems for everyone.
It sure is an aspirational book - it makes you feel great hope and it is really uplifting. With its easy to follow practical guides and tips, this book really made me believe that I can be my best self, and that all leaders can really grow “humming” in happy teams and that we can transform our world into the kind of world that we all know we want to and should be living in.
It's the best book of its kind that I have ever read - although in saying that, it's really in a category of its own. A must read. This book changed the way I think, act and perform as a manager in a busy corporate environment.”
Review by Brent Anderson
“In his book “Cracking Great Leaders,” Bruce Holland lays out a blueprint to take managers and management practice into another realm. Simply, with the injection of some wonderful stories, he explains personal greatness (or genius). He gets the reader comfortable with the terminology and with making the most of his or her greatness.
Indeed at one point he asks the reader to stop reading his book to discover their individual greatness/genius before moving up the pathway to organisational and finally collective greatness. His book takes the reader into practical learning without missing a beat.
Bruce, in a very personal manner, underlines the power of relationships to release Human Energy at Work. This book is highly recommended to leaders, managers and potential managers, in fact anyone who wants to contribute to making their workplace a far better place in which to spend time.”
Review by un-named Amazon Customer
“I have read many books ranging from subjects on religion to quantum physics. They have focused primarily on the comprehension and understanding of the mechanics of the Human cell, the human mind, quantum physics and human behaviour.
I found the book “Cracking Great Leaders” a book where the author takes a look from a big picture view point to arrive at a refreshing opportunistic solution which recognises that we as a species have the ability to reach further than our supposed daily circumstances. We have the ability to grow within to fulfil our purpose in life what ever that may be rather than being resolved to what our immediate external environment is said to dictate. The Author challenges the reader to understand their own inner capabilities without fear but for the pure enjoyment of the journey that can be and should be undertaken by each and every one of us.
However it also challenges people who are in Management that their role in life is to give and assist those around them being fellow workers or associates to achieve their own personal dreams and growth.
The end result is it will be found to increase the purpose of the entity in which the individual works which will assist to cement the culture and values within the business. Then watch the level of Productivity, Profitability and Quality climb. But leaders cannot stand back. They need to roll their sleeves up and lead by example.”