An early Moose on the Table reader e-mailed me that she quite liked the book. But she bitterly complained about not being in a position of power and authority as Pete Leonard (the central character) and the other characters in the book.

She was very right about this book being directly applicable to those in supervisory or management roles. I targeted that group because they are the ones who so often disempower themselves even though everyone else in the organization sees them as more powerful than they often see themselves. Pete’s experiences were to provide a model for that group. Pete’s experiences were also to provide a broader model for anyone wrestling with communication and courage as he does in the story.

One of my earlier books, Growing the Distance: Timeless Principles for Personal, Career, and Family Success is written very broadly for anyone anywhere in an organization – or in life – to apply many of the same principles that Pete used in Moose on the Table (it’s also the first book in which I started using some fictional stories and fables). Growing the Distance is actually being used by many high schools, colleges, and universities for students and faculty, and numerous organizations are giving them to all staff. There is also a Growing the Distance: Self-Study System available to help apply the book’s main approaches.

Unfortunately, this Moose on the Table reader may have fallen into the trap of believing that power and authority comes from position. I have long emphasized that leadership is an action, not a position. You can peruse a selection of my articles on this theme here (e.g. “Leaders Make It Happen”).