You Are Doing It Wrong! – Stop Managing and Start Leading by Richard Levene aims to help leaders become true leaders. Focusing on skills like emotional intelligence and hope, his book differs from other books that may be more focused on “telling” or “fixing” those who follow you. With this unique, empathic approach to leadership, readers will find this book to be refreshing. Practice makes perfect, and the goal of this book is for readers to reach their full potential! We’ve asked Richard Levene some questions to learn more about him and his book.
Where did the idea for your book come from?
I got the idea for the book when I was working at a company where I felt like my leadership didn’t care about me or my people and they cared more about their profits, products, and processes. I felt like they didn’t believe in me, and it made me feel terrible. I wanted to get my story out so that other people could be inspired by it—to show them that if you have a great leader, you can be happy at work.
How would you describe your book’s ideal reader?
My book is for anyone who wants to take the next step in their journey. It’s also for anyone who wants to learn more about how they can improve their life, and it doesn’t matter what age you are. I’ve found that many people think they’re stuck in a rut, but in reality, they just need someone to show them the
way out. And lastly, it’s a light read! I didn’t write this book in an academic style—it’s meant to be easy and accessible for all readers regardless of their background or education level.
Is there any popular entrepreneurial advice that you agree/disagree with? Why?
If it is not backed by science or research, I steer clear. Advice is usually just one person’s preferred way to do something. I believe there is almost always more than one way to do something.
What’s your definition of success?
Broadly, success to me is helping another person get what they want, and in return, I will get what I want. For the book, literary success looks like having a reader who is not only engaged in the text but also inspired by it. It means having someone who really understands what I’m trying to say and what I hope to accomplish with my writing. And if I can make them think about things differently, or even just take away one thing that they didn’t know before… that’s when I know I’ve succeeded.
What was your most significant ‘A-ha’ moment so far?
People don’t buy what you sell, they buy why you do it. I stole that from Simon Sinek’s book, Start with Why, and I have found it to ring true.
Who is the one entrepreneur that is your most prominent example and inspiration?
My dad. He owned his own business for 40 plus years. He did it with purpose and passion. I didn’t realize that until much later in my life. I wish I had better understood him in my youth.
Do you ever get impostor syndrome, and how do you deal with it?
Here is my best answers to this… yes. When I was a corporate vice president, I oversaw logistics and safety for North America. I was crowned “guru” without earning the title. I was smart enough to surround myself with smart people who were specialists. Yet, everyone came to me for expert advice about logistics or safety and lived on whatever I said. As soon as I transitioned to the field to operate a business unit, and not reside in corporate’s ivory tower, I become an idiot overnight. Job location in the organization determined my intellectual level. It was sad to experience this.
To what do you owe your success?
Faith, perseverance. An unwillingness to quit or surrender. And sometimes I do this to a fault, not realizing I should give up on a failing project before I get too far in.
What’s more important: innovation or integrity?
Integrity! You cannot steal integrity, but you can steal ideas to be innovative. Innovation must come from a place of integrity, otherwise it is not innovation.
How did you come up with the title for your book?
I knew it had to be negative as negative thoughts stick in the brain twice as long as positive thoughts do. I wrote out at least 100 titles, shared them with friends and family, slowly narrowing it down to where I chose: You Are Doing It Wrong! Stop Managing and Start Leading. I am also counting on getting the attention of bosses who think they have it figured out, will see my title, and be challenged to read it to uncover why they might be doing it wrong.
What books do you recommend for every entrepreneur to read?
Start with Why – Simon Sinek
Everybody Matters – Bob Chapman
The Heart of Business – Hubert Joly
The Culture Code – Daniel Coyle
Act Like a Leader Think Like a Leader – Hermina Iberra
What motivates you to keep going?
My family motivates me. I don’t want to let them down, and they need me as their leader. They are all depending on me to provide them with hope and faith every day.
How do you manage the stress?
I exercise in the morning, 6 to 7 days a week, for 60 minutes. I also journal, meditate, eat well, and make time for family and friends. You must have some balance in your life to keep the mind fresh.
Do you hear from your readers much?
This is my first book, so time will tell! I hope to hear from them.
How do you manage your work-life balance?
I set up my schedule for balance; me-time, work, family, and friends. Each has a place, and each gets their allocated time.
What are your values and ideals?
Personally- faith, family, friends in that order.
For leading others – trust, hope, humility, EQ, and empathy.
How do you deal with self-doubt and doubt from others?
The key to success, in my opinion, is being able to fight through your fear and get comfortable with the uncomfortable. In order to go places you’ve never been before; you have to do things you’ve never done. And the easiest way is just to start doing it! You can’t think your way into getting somewhere new—you must act on your ideas and take action. And yes, you will make mistakes along the way, but those are how we learn and grow as people and professionals. I think it’s important to remember that haters are going to hate. They’re going to tell you that it can’t be done, and that it’s impossible for you to accomplish the goals you have set for yourself. But if you dream so big that your dreams scare even the haters, then no one will stand in your way.
When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?
When I was pursuing my master’s degree at St. Edwards University, I knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I was sick and tired of conventional managerial manipulation and aspiration, and I knew there had to be a novel approach. That’s when I discovered my master’s degree in leadership and change, which enabled me to put my abilities and skills to better use than ever before.
I had worked as a manager for years before coming across this program, but once I started studying it, everything changed for me. It opened my eyes up to the reality that we have more control over our lives than we think we do—and with the right education and skills, we can do amazing things!
What do you enjoy most about entrepreneurship?
I love the freedom to think critically and not be challenged by some specialist who can only think about their one and only honed skilled. I like the freedom to think outside the box and come up with ideas that have never been thought of before.
What do you find the hardest about it?
I find the most difficult part of entrepreneurship to be keeping the sales pipeline full. I am an operations guru, and I love processes but doing sales and marketing has never been my strong suit. I tend to go to the sales pitch too quickly and scare buyers away.
