THE LEADERSHIP PIN CODE

A psychologist/management consultant offers advice to business leaders in this how-to guide.

In this solid debut, Solheim distinguishes up front between “entitled” and “engaged” leaders. This simple yet meaningful distinction underlies a guide that delivers useful counsel on how to become a more engaged leader by remembering an equation: “Persuade, Influence, Negotiate = PIN,” likened to a “PIN Code.” The concept gains traction as the book progresses. Solheim relies on the so-called rule of three to suggest a simple way to put PIN into practice; she employs the letters ABC to represent three concepts that she examines: approach and advance planning, body language and behavior, and conversation. An early chapter could disconcert inept managers—it features an overview of inferior if not damaging leadership styles—though its descriptions of “dysfunctional” entitled leaders and “enlightened” engaged leaders are likely to strike home for employees who have worked for them. Solheim then advocates for “emotional intelligence”—a topic that may be overfamiliar by now to some readers—as a linchpin of effective, engaged leadership. The bulk of the book elaborates on how leaders can develop the “ABC” areas, offering detailed examples and advice, much of it based on the author’s background in psychology. For example, a section in a chapter on a leader’s “approach” discusses the roles of fantasy and visualization in decision-making. “Fantasy” is an intriguing topic that, for leadership purposes, can be defined as “a learned thought process that allows individuals to create a type of mental picture” and can help managers “think strategically about the end goal or big picture…and identify the road map to the execution of the goal.” Such insights set this work apart from more conventional perspectives on leadership. Also illuminating is its material on body language, the “physical environment” in which business interactions occur, and “six types of questions” that “Socrates posed” that can help leaders better understand the views of people with whom they work.

The “PIN Code” analogy, while a bit gimmicky, should still resonate with managers.