The Winding Road to Excellence

Leadership Lessons Learned from Life’s Potholes

Narrated by Zack Sage
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Pub Date Aug 08 2023 | Archive Date Aug 08 2023
Forbes Audio | Forbes Books

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Description

In this readable and relatable collection of savvy business advice on developing a corporate culture where people genuinely want to perform at their best and keep the interests of the business top of mind, Toby Stansell develops a series of pithy, memorable “Mantras for Excellence.” The mantras he has developed take the form of “one-liners” that capture “learning experiences” in which he had willingly participated or grudgingly endured. From these memorable shorthand mantras, Stansell then develops the ideas and practical applications at their core. Recognizing that an authentic leader must start by being an authentic person, Stansell shares informative stories of how he came to form these mantras — often by falling into the potholes life so often offers up — and from them builds a framework that leaders can put to work in transforming their companies. A transformational leader elevates companies that are desirable to work for, cultivating a culture in which everyone―throughout the organization―is empowered to use their talents to live and work at their best.

As CEO of Cargo LLC and the former CEO and President of companies ranging from Finance to Apparel and High - Tech to Manufacturing, Stansell knows what it takes to lead in a manner that assists people in achieving their best. Stansell has proven an expert at learning how to transform his own life and those around him, taking what on the surface appear to be liabilities and shaping them into key assets. The book is based on the principle that if we look at everything life hands us, good and bad, as an opportunity, we can begin to build a positive, principle-based framework for successful leadership. Stansell writes, “We are extraordinarily honored to have others put their trust in us and place us in positions of leadership. We are wise to be humble, careful, and considerate as to how we apply the influence our positions offer us to positively impact and hopefully make better the lives of those around us.”

Stansell possesses an innate ability to develop and deploy innovative approaches to an organization’s most pressing challenges, and his leadership infuses an indelible culture within commercial, civic, and cultural entities that motivates, galvanizes, and unifies the organization’s personnel to fulfill its true purpose. Stansell’s primary objectives when leading an organization are to impart a sustainable positive and productive culture, identify and capitalize upon transformative opportunities, and optimize efficiencies and financial performance. A raconteur at heart, Stansell will keep readers laughing and repeating stories they encounter, even as they learn approaches that can transform their businesses.

In this readable and relatable collection of savvy business advice on developing a corporate culture where people genuinely want to perform at their best and keep the interests of the business top of...


Advance Praise

“Things do not always go ‘right’ and rarely do they go as planned. Toby exemplifies the importance of positive thinking and adaptability as key aspects of leadership during periods of rapid change. He has instilled these traits in my everyday activities and is proof a smile goes a long way!”
SCOTT MOSS, Merger and Acquisition Executive

“Things do not always go ‘right’ and rarely do they go as planned. Toby exemplifies the importance of positive thinking and adaptability as key aspects of leadership during periods of rapid change...


Available Editions

EDITION Audiobook, Unabridged
ISBN 9798887502335
PRICE $19.99 (USD)
DURATION 6 Hours, 41 Minutes, 43 Seconds

Available on NetGalley

NetGalley Shelf App (AUDIO)

Average rating from 8 members


Featured Reviews

I enjoyed the consistent structure of each chapter. There was no jumping around so it was easy to follow along with the topics and the book built nicely, a simple read. I felt motivated and entertained by the enthusiastic narrator and the message. It combined advice from leaders, facts, personal accounts and mantras/quotes to see the positive in any situation. Atomic Habits is one of my favorite "self help" books and this ranks right up there with it. When the physical/kindle version is released I plan to purchase as well so that I can use the book as a motivational reference.

This review has already been posted to Goodreads.

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This book was full of lots of encouragement motivation for anyone who is trying to reach a high level of success and is feeling a bit discouraged because they didn't reach their goal on the first try. I love the part where it talked about how culture of a company eats strategy for breakfast. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with the world.

Thank you so much to #Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced listening copy for an honest review.

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I really enjoyed this look into various areas of business operations and improvement. I wished I had the physical or digital book as I had to keep stopping to audiobook to take notes. I got several excellent nuggets from Stasnell’s time at an array of companies. I was slightly annoyed that he would repeat the same quotations from other people across multiple chapters. It felt as if he’d run out of original material. Overall, I would recommend this book to others and I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it.

Thank you NetGalley.

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A Winding Road to Excellence is a book that offers some interesting insights, particularly for readers who are familiar with the Southern business landscape and its unique perspectives. As a reader, I appreciate the author's ability to tell stories and draw metaphors that resonate well within my realm of familiarity.

However, it is important to note that a significant portion of the book tends to reiterate common sense principles, making it somewhat repetitive. Not only are the same points made throughout the chapters, but entire paragraphs seem to have been copy-pasted without much variation. It is unclear whether this was an oversight or a deliberate choice, but it does affect the overall reading experience.

Nonetheless, the last few chapters of the book redeem it to some extent. Here, the author delves deeper into selling insights and presents a more focused strategy, making these chapters the most engaging and thought-provoking of the entire book. It leaves the reader wanting more, eagerly anticipating a follow-up that could be dedicated solely to sales professionals.

In conclusion, A Winding Road to Excellence offers valuable perspectives and entertaining storytelling, but it falls short on originality and structure. With some refinement and further development of the author's selling insights, it has the potential to become a more comprehensive and impactful book within the realm of sales professionals.

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This was a pretty standard, entry level business book that applies to all business types. It follows the structure of: share a quote or quotes, simply state what that quote means to the author, share some antidotes, and repeat the message again. One thing that I disliked was the frequent references to his religion. That may work for some, but I don't feel it belongs in general business books.

The book has a lot of repetition, which makes it a good audio book for a distracted listener, though it was tedious at times, and felt like the book was being padded. The author does stay at the start that he has no real ‘original’ material, and it’s all things he’s come across in his career. I appreciated the honesty, as most books like this are filled with things that are passed around and around without credit. I will say that this one had a few things I hadn’t heard yet, so that was appreciated.

The narration was done well.

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