Second-in-Command (2iC), First in Excellence

Table of contents

1. Cover Page
2. Endorsement Page
3. Half Title page
4. Title Page
5. Copyright Page
6. Dedication
7. Contents
8. Figures
9. Preface
   1. Inspiration for the Book
10. Foreword
    1. Connection With the Author
    2. From 2iC to Colonel in the U.S. Army
    3. Supporting Your First-in-Command—Words of Advice
    4. Anticipating Friction and Opportunities—Words of Advice
    5. A Duty of Care—Words of Advice
    6. 2iC as a Perpetual Learner—Words of Advice
    7. Enhancing the Use of 2iCs in Your Organization
11. Acknowledgments
12. About the Author
13. Why This Book?
    1. Choose Your Approaches Carefully
    2. The Wrong Tools Make for a Miserable Experience
    3. There Has to Be Another Way
    4. What Is a Second-in-Command (2iC)?
    5. Why Have 2iCs in Your Organization?
    6. Going it Alone
    7. Part-Time Employee
    8. Full-Time Employee
    9. Crossing Over the Line to Phenomenal Success
    10. Self-Taught 2iC
    11. Trained 2iC
    12. 2iC Chain
    13. Bringing Value to Your Organization with 2iCs and 2iC Chains
    14. Book Structure
    15. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
14. Phase A Preparation
    1. Stage 1 Seeing a Few Steps Ahead
       1. Seeing a Few Steps Ahead: What It Means in Action
          1. The Value of Seeing Ahead
          2. Planning vs. Success
          3. Time, Money, and Reputation Saved by Seeing Ahead
       2. Benefits of Seeing Ahead
          1. It Feels Good to Be Prepared and Get It Right
          2. Staying Ahead Is Better Than Catching Up
          3. Project Hindsight
       3. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
    2. Stage 2 Planning Obsessively
       1. Planning Obsessively: What It Means in Action
       2. The Value of Planning Obsessively
          1. Planning, Preparation, and Planning Obsessively
       3. Benefits of Planning Obsessively
          1. It Feels Great to Be Prepared
          2. Preparation Skills Have Benefits Beyond the Workplace
          3. Making Mistakes Feels Crummy
       4. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
    3. Stage 3 Efficient Financial Strategy
       1. Developing an Efficient Financial Strategy: What It Means in Action
          1. Leading the Development of an Efficient Financial Strategy
          2. The First Iteration of an Efficient Financial Strategy Isn’t Perfect
          3. Agree on the Floor of Revenues
          4. Estimate Slightly Higher for Expenses
          5. Net Profits That Cause Movement
       2. The Value of Having an Efficient Financial Strategy
          1. Priority Mismatches Lead to Confusion and Avoidance
          2. The 2iC’s Role in Financial Strategy
          3. Keeping the Ball Rolling
          4. Transparent Financial Strategies Make Information Accessible
          5. Timing Is Everything
       3. Benefits of Efficient Financial Strategies
          1. The Truth Is the Truth
          2. It Should Be Criminal to Delay a Financially Viable Project
          3. The Opportunities Don’t Get Better Than This One
       4. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
15. Phase B Communication
    1. Stage 4 Obvious and Hidden Information Gathering
       1. Obvious and Hidden Information Gathering: What It Means in Action
          1. Direct Diplomacy
          2. Kind Collaborators to the Rescue
       2. The Value of Obvious and Hidden Information Gathering
          1. Obvious Information
          2. Hidden Information
          3. The Devil’s in the Details
       3. Benefits of Obvious and Hidden Information Gathering
          1. Meeting Lovers
          2. Answering the Question You Should Have Asked
       4. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
    2. Stage 5 Overcommunicating
       1. If at First You Don’t Succeed
       2. Overcommunicating: What It Means in Action
       3. The Value of Overcommunicating
          1. Message Received?
          2. Same Message, Different Words and Approach
       4. Benefits of Overcommunicating
          1. Filling in the Information Gaps
          2. Gathering Information of Your Own
          3. The Impact of Undercommunicating
       5. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
    3. Stage 6 Managing Cross-Functional Teams
       1. Managing Cross-Functional Teams: What It Means in Action
          1. They Pre-Game
          2. They Listen
          3. They Have Empathy
          4. They Build on Each Pinpoint to Get Results
       2. The Value of Managing Cross-Functional Teams
          1. The 2iC as a Cross-Functional Team Manager
       3. Benefits of Managing Cross-Functional Teams
          1. The Problem No One Wants
          2. You’ll Likely Be the Only Cook in the Kitchen
          3. You’ll Become a “Go-to” Person for the More Challenging Problems
          4. You Can Build on Your Accomplishments
       4. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
16. Phase C Empathy
    1. Stage 7 Compassionate Ambition
       1. Compassionate Ambition: What It Means in Action
          1. Enhancing Strengths
          2. Distracting Disadvantages
          3. Motivating Momentum
          4. Compassionate Ambition in the Overlaps
       2. The Value and Benefits of Compassionate Ambition
          1. Leading by Executive Order
          2. Employee-Centered Management
       3. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
    2. Stage 8 Nothing Good Came From Being Too Nice
       1. The Nice Trap
       2. Nothing Good Came From Being Too Nice: What It Means in Action
          1. Turning the Narrative
       3. The Value of the Concept That Nothing Good Came From Being Too Nice
       4. Benefits of Nothing Good Came From Being Too Nice
          1. The Advantage of Pushing Back
       5. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
    3. Stage 9 Leveraging Curmudgeons
       1. Jack-Ass Wednesday
       2. Leveraging Curmudgeons: What It Means in Action
          1. What Curmudgeons Have in Common
          2. Bringing the Curmudgeon Into the Fold
       3. The Value of Leveraging Curmudgeons
          1. The Negative Energy of Curmudgeons
       4. Benefits of Leveraging Curmudgeons
          1. Taking Control of the Curmudgeon Narrative
       5. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
17. Phase D Quality
    1. Stage 10 Trust but Verify
       1. Trust but Verify: What It Means in Action
          1. A Case in Point—The Problem
          2. A Case in Point—My Solution
       2. The Value of Trust but Verify
          1. Six Sigma
          2. Perfection Isn’t Possible, but Verifying Helps
          3. A Fresh Perspective Through Verification
       3. Benefits of Trust but Verify
          1. When Verification Is Skipped, More Mistakes Occur
          2. Accuracy Requires Being in the Right Headspace
       4. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
    2. Stage 11 Crosschecking
       1. Crosschecking: What It Means in Practice
          1. The Absence of Information
          2. A Micro-Macro Approach
          3. Using Federal Submissions as a Benchmark
       2. The Value of Crosschecking
       3. Benefits of Crosschecking
          1. Figure Out What Your 1iC Will Want to Know
       4. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
    3. Stage 12 Protecting Your #1
       1. Protecting Your #1: What It Means in Action
       2. The Value of Protecting Your #1
       3. Benefits of Protecting Your #1
          1. Seconds-in-Command in Sports: Football
          2. 2iCs in Travel
       4. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
18. Blazing New Trails
    1. Emergency Planning
       1. Emergency Planning: What It Means in Action
       2. The Value of Emergency Planning
          1. Costly Rework and Late Work
          2. Fixing the Problem So It Doesn’t Get Bigger
       3. Benefits of Emergency Planning
       4. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
    2. Forming Second-in-Command Chains
       1. What Is a 2iC Chain?
       2. The Value of Forming Second-in-Command Chains
       3. Benefits of Forming Second-in-Command Chains
          1. Moving Through the Infinity Loop Multiple Times
       4. 2iC Chain—Encore
          1. How to Identify Potential Seconds-in-Command
       5. Annual Assessment of Employees for the 2iC Role
       6. Take Action—Progress Over Perfection
          1. Questions for Reflection and Discussion
19. References
20. Let’s Connect
21. Index