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- SiMPL #004 Flight Delays, Leadership Pipelines, and Weekly Wrap-up
SiMPL #004 Flight Delays, Leadership Pipelines, and Weekly Wrap-up
Reflections on leadership, a weekly wrap-up, and a missed flight that sparked new insights.
Joel Barsallo
September 22, 2024
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Soo, I missed my connection flight. But, looking on the bright side, I got some time to grab a brisket burger, a beer, and kickstart this piece. Welcome to SiMPL’s fourth newsletter! I have to say, I’m really thankful for all of you who have joined this journey. We’re still a small but growing community, and the feedback so far has been incredibly helpful.
Now, there’s something about feedback that I’m passionate about. To me, it’s one of the most powerful tools out there—when you really listen to it. It’s not about praise or applause (though, hey, I won’t complain if you throw some of that my way). It’s about understanding how people connect with what you’ve put out there, how they react, and the emotions it stirs up.
Pro tip: Good feedback doesn’t just mean someone liked it. It means they cared enough to engage, even if it’s to tell you they didn’t!
As part of the SiMPL community, you have exclusive access to my guide Feedback Unlocked: SiMPL Steps to Improve and Grow, along with a feedback tracking template. You’ll receive it in your inbox after confirming your email here.
Not a subscriber yet? No problem! Just click here, enter your email, and we’ll confirm your subscription. You’ll automatically receive an email with the guide and template—hassle-free, because that’s how we do it at SiMPL. Whether you’re already a subscriber or signing up for the first time, you’ll get instant access to this exclusive content.
What I’ve Learned So Far:
1. Some of you are really looking forward to reading and listening recommendations each week. Don’t worry, I got you! As long as it resonates, I’m committed to keeping this a regular part of every newsletter.
2. One of our readers mentioned they’d love more content about investing and finance, and I get it—staying on top of the market is key! While that’s not our main focus here at SiMPL, I’ve got a great resource for you: The Daily Rip by Stocktwits. This newsletter delivers clear, actionable insights on everything finance-related, from stocks to market trends. If you’re looking for smart, digestible content that can help you navigate the financial world, I highly recommend checking it out. They’ve got some solid answers!
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3. A close friend mentioned how the Leadership Pipeline reference in last week’s edition felt like it was speaking directly to his current situation. So, for this week’s book recommendation, let’s dive into The Leadership Pipeline by Ram Charan.
The Leadership Pipeline by Ram Charan: A Simple Breakdown
The Leadership Pipeline outlines how leaders evolve through various stages in their careers. From managing yourself to leading others, and then leading leaders, the book explains how the skills you need change at each level. Ram Charan emphasizes that each step requires a shift in thinking and priorities, which is key to succeeding as you move up the ladder.
Since this is SiMPL, here’s the ultra-simplified version! 😄 The book discusses six stages in the corporate ladder:
Managing Self – Individual contributor stage
Managing Others – Transitioning to managing a small team
Managing Managers – Leading leaders who manage teams
Functional Manager – Overseeing a function or department
Business Manager – Managing an entire business unit
Enterprise Manager – Leading the entire company at the executive level
And now…My Story:
About 15 years ago, when I was working as an IT Process Manager at Panama’s social security agency, my manager introduced me to Ram Charan’s book. At the time, I shrugged it off—young, confident, and absolutely convinced I had life all figured out (spoiler: I didn’t). Fast forward to joining a Fortune 500 company, and those lessons I’d once ignored started hitting me like a ton of bricks!
The book really shifted my perspective as I moved through my career. As a middle manager, I had to juggle my own tasks while also guiding a team—a tricky balance. Ram Charan perfectly captures this challenge when he says:
“The challenge of middle management is learning to get things done through others. The best managers understand that they can’t just be problem solvers—they need to develop the people under them to solve problems too.” (Chapter 4: Leading Others)
That really stuck with me because it showed that leadership isn’t about solving every problem yourself—it’s about empowering others to step up and handle things. And yes, I had to look up the quote—I definitely didn’t have it memorized word for word!
I went from Managing Self to Managing Others. Then, as an entrepreneur, I became a Business Manager and later an Enterprise Manager—okay, it was a micro-company, but still! As Charan puts it:
“Leaders at higher levels need to think more about long-term strategy and less about day-to-day operations.” (Chapter 6: Leading the Enterprise)
This part of my journey taught me some real-world lessons: being self-employed means you’re responsible for everything—if you don’t deliver, you can’t pay your staff. If you charge too little, you lose. The world is a tough teacher, and trust me, nothing humbles you faster than running out of cash while trying to make payroll—just ask my 2013 self!
Fast forward to today, I’m back in the corporate world in a Functional Manager. I’m still learning, but here’s the thing: the pipeline is ideal, but life doesn’t always follow the script. You can move up and down, and every step brings new insights.
Pro tip #2: I highly recommend The Leadership Pipeline, even if it’s not the most up-to-date book, it’s still super relevant if you’re in a corporate environment. Highlight the parts that resonate with you today, but also think about the “future you”—trust me, the insights will make sense as you grow.
Oh, and speaking of up-to-date: there’s now a newly revised version of the book, released in 2024, called The Leadership Pipeline: Developing Leaders in the Digital Age. It says it has 80% new material! you can get it here. I’ll be reading it soon, so stay tuned for an updated review!
By the way, the same day I finished writing this piece, I spotted a new book at the airport called Leaders Leap by Steve Dennis . It was published in April 2024. Coincidence? Maybe. If you want a review, just let me know—I’ve already added it to my reading list!
Or, if you’re more about being your own boss, check out The Pathless Path by Paul Millerd, check my review here —fun fact, there’s always a book that speaks to your needs, you just have to find it!
Subscribe to get more SiMPLified insights and follow us on X for updates. See you out there!
SiMPL’s Weekly World Wrap-Up (Sep16-Sep22/24)
Nike’s Big Comeback Move: Elliott Hill Returns as CEO—Shares Surge!: Nike just announced a big shakeup! Long-time veteran Elliott Hill will take over as CEO, replacing John Donahoe, after 32 years at the company. Known for his leadership of the Jordan brand, Hill’s return is expected to help the sportswear giant regain momentum after recent sales pressure. Shares jumped 8% following the news, with analysts and investors optimistic about his impact on Nike’s future. Check the article here.  Gif by republicrecords on Giphy | iPhone 16 Released, But Without the Most Hyped AI Perk. The iPhone 16 is finally out, but here’s the catch—those cool AI features Apple hyped? Yeah, not available just yet. Tim Cook promised the phone would be all about “Apple Intelligence,” but it looks like we’ll have to wait a bit longer for that. Features like visual search and Image Playground are rolling out in stages, starting in October. And if you’re rocking an iPhone 15, no worries—you’ll still get access to these upgrades. Here’s the full article. |
First Beepers, Now Walkie-Talkies—What’s Next? Twin Explosions Rock Lebanon: In a shocking escalation, walkie-talkies detonated in Lebanon just a day after deadly pager explosions killed 12 and injured thousands. At least 20 were killed and over 450 wounded in the latest attack, with Israel quietly confirming this signals a “new era” of warfare. As tensions soar, Lebanon fears these attacks could be an introduction to war. Check the article here | Other big news from Beirut: Hezbollah’s top commander, Ibrahim Aqeel, was killed in an Israeli airstrike. Aqeel, known for orchestrating bombings in the ’80s that killed hundreds, was meeting with other senior leaders when the attack happened. This is a major escalation, with Israel clearly shifting its focus to Lebanon. Hezbollah confirmed his death, calling Aqeel a leader ‘full of struggle and victories.’ Things are definitely heating up in the region. More here |
After Venezuela and Brazil, Now It’s Elon vs. Cards Against Humanity: First Venezuela, then Brazil—and now a game company? Cards Against Humanity is the latest to take on Elon Musk, suing SpaceX for $15 million over alleged trespassing on their Texas land. The game company alleges that SpaceX dumped construction equipment on their private property, which was originally purchased to protect it from former President Trump’s border wall project. CAH claims SpaceX treated the land as its own, offering a lowball deal before being met with a swift rejection: “Go f— yourself, Elon Musk.” More here.
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