Lead Like a Pirate!
Christopher Novak
CornerStone Leadership Institute

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Christopher Novak’s „Lead Like a Pirate!“ Leadership Secrets of the Pirates of St Croix is a small, fast paced book bringing together the writer’s thoughts regarding the leadership qualities of 17th and 18th centuries and the modern business world.

Novak offers training programs including one titled Pirates of St Croix, a learning seminar instructing in critical business skills including teamwork, delegation, leadership, attention to detail, problem solving and creativity. „Lead Like a Pirate!“ Leadership Secrets of the Pirates of St Croix is based on that pirate theme: Novak believes we can gain real world insight into leadership, teamwork and no excuse results if we study the workings of the pirate crews of old. Pirates enjoyed a long, history filled with measurable team success despite ever changing circumstances.

These 80 or so pages of prose are divided into sections bearing titles Leaders, Legends and Loot, Pirate Team Leadership Model, Secret 1: The Captain, Secret 2: The crew, Secret 3: The Mission, Secret 4 The Strategy, Secret 5 The Treasure, Scorecard, Extended Insights, „Lead Like a Pirate!“ Training Ideas, Notes from the Captain’s Log, About the Author and Bring Pirates to your Next Event! That is a lot to cover in a short space.

By introducing the reader to Pirate Crews led by colorfully named Captain Sara sly, Captain Tiger Eye Taylor, Crazy Jack Rack and Dreadlocks Darby; Novak uses humor, example and well written, easily read prose to present his knowledge of leadership principles.

Captain Tiger Eye Taylor is featured on the cover, and discussed at some length in the work as Novak recounts how this fictional leader respected by his peers the man struck fear in the competition through his ability to outmaneuver with innovative strategies, tactics and actions. While history does not reveal what became of the Captain, Novak notes; he left a written record of his leadership style in the form of journals filled with challenges, tales and insights. He tested his shipmates to be certain they understood his five secrets, and rewarded them with doubloons if their answers were the ones he wanted.

It is Captain Taylor’s five Secrets which Novak sets down for the reader to use as a model. Each of the crew aboard his ships were given a medallion listing exactly what was expected. The five secrets are based on the verbiage found on the medallion; 1 Captain: Leadership, Vision, Courage, Expertise; 2 Crew: Specialists, Followers, Future Captains; 3 Mission: Build reputation, wealth and team; 4 Strategy: Opportunistic, Speed, Skill, No Excuses, Intelligently Simple; 5 Treasure: Share wealth, adjust reward, sail on.

While Novak’s pirate clan may be fictitious the reality of Teamwork was an imperative aboard a pirate ship. The main purpose of pirate life was to gain treasure, without teamwork the crew would be nothing more than a crowd of people all working to their own advantage, teamwork brought the advantage, a crowd of me first individuals would not. The key to transforming a crowd aboard ship to a force to be reckoned with was teamwork, each of the actual pirate captains of historical fact were obviously masters of leadership, and not only because of a heavy hand. Mutiny was a real problem for captains who led only by force.

Scattered throughout the book are a collection of notes, parchment look-alikes filled with notes and hints and the like.

Novak provides insight for how to choose a crew, and how to train them to success. At first glance Novak’s book may seem to be nothing more than one of those boring how to lead works that glut the shelves; not so. Quick, to the point suggestions, follow up, and examples provide more than a smattering of good usable idea for those who would like to better their own leadership skills. Mutiny today often surfaces as it did in the past when leadership is only accomplished by threats, force or intimidation, teamwork is the result of good leadership.

Happy to recommend Christopher Novak’s „Lead Like a Pirate!“ Leadership Secrets of the Pirates of St Croix.