Pick a Fight: How Great Teams Find a Purpose Worth Rallying Around
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Pick a Fight: How Great Teams Find a Purpose Worth Rallying Around Audible Audiobook – Unabridged

David Burkus (Author, Narrator), Audible Studios (Publisher)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 18 ratings
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Why are some people and teams more motivated, more innovative, and more successful than others?

Why do some teams of talented and seemingly compatible people fall short against lesser teams with less suitable members? Why do some leaders cast bold inspiring visions that fail to materialize, while other, seemingly inconsequential leaders rally their teams to victory? More often than not, it's actually quite simple:

They picked a fight.

From battlefields to boardrooms and everywhere in between, leaders who frame their mission as a fight to be won against a threat that must be removed have been able to bring together even the most divided teams and push them to the highest levels of performance. They've tapped into something more inspiring - and more visceral - than casting a visionary strategy or struggling to get buy-in on a mission statement. They're fighting to remove an injustice. They're fighting to make their customers' lives better. Sometimes, they're even just fighting to survive. But, surprisingly, they're rarely framing their fight as a battle for market share against the competition.

Those who pick the right fight don't have to manipulate their people; they inspire them. And the people who follow don't do it because they have to; they follow because they choose to fight alongside.

People don't want to join a company; they want to join a crusade.

In this persuasive and provocative new work, David Burkus, argues that what a team is fighting for is a powerful and potent driver of performance and collaboration, but not just any fight will do. Drawing on decades of social science research and real-life examples from billion-dollar companies, French pirates, Olympic champion curling teams (you read that right), and more, Burkus weaves together a clear picture of how people are inspired, how movements are led, and how organizations win.

The most motivated and bonded teams know what they're fighting for, but too many organizational leaders don't know how to communicate that crusade.

This book is for anyone who wants to inspire their people or themselves. It won't just teach you why to pick a fight; it'll teach you how to pick the right fight as well.

Previous page
  1. Listening Length
    2 hours and 4 minutes
  2. Author
    David Burkus
  3. Narrator
    David Burkus
  4. Audible release date
    February 25, 2020
  5. Language
    English
  6. Publisher
    Audible Studios
  7. ASIN
    B084Z6JDNS
  8. Version
    Unabridged
  9. Program Type
    Audiobook
  10. See all details
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Product details

Listening Length 2 hours and 4 minutes
Author David Burkus
Narrator David Burkus
Audible.com Release Date February 25, 2020
Publisher Audible Studios
Program Type Audiobook
Version Unabridged
Language English
ASIN B084Z6JDNS
Best Sellers Rank #255,030 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals)
#3,292 in Leadership (Audible Books & Originals)
#14,693 in Leadership & Motivation

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
18 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

NWADude
5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific Book with Practical Applications
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2020
Verified Purchase
Excellent Book and Audible
This is a really practical guide to rallying teams (large and small) around a common vision and get them taking action.

Really loved how actionable every single chapter is and how it guides you through very real scenarios and how other people have really navigated the challenges.

Add this book to your library and reference tools as a Leader immediately.
One person found this helpful
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kyle a sanders
5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for leaders!
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2020
Verified Purchase
David is a great story teller that brings the concepts and lessons of this book to life.
A must read for any company wanting to inspire authentic drive and passion inside their organization.
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Donald Dunnington
5.0 out of 5 stars A gutsy leadership book for unprecedented times
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2020
Even for David Burkus, with three successful business books and countless articles in premier business publications from the Harvard Business Review to The Wall Street Journal, "Pick a Fight" is a gutsy title. To get past what may sound like an invitation to a brawl, you have to read the subtitle: "How Great Teams Find a Purpose Worth Rallying Around."

"Fight" is really a leadership book, and like the title, Burkus intends to provoke a response from leaders. It reminds me of the ancient oral tradition of moral fables—those lessons on how to behave (or not) handed down from one generation to the next. Each chapter presents a "fight" story, told by a good story teller. But the stories aren’t fables, and Burkus supports his examples with research results that demonstrate how and why you need to pick a worthy fight. That’s the point of this brief audio book: you have to pick the right fight. People are looking for "something bigger than just winning against the competition," Burkus says.

In the final chapter Burkus declares the fight he picked: "I’m fighting to make work not suck." He says work sucks because leaders habitually and often unthinkingly point us at insignificant enemies. When leaders pick the wrong fight, people don’t get engaged in their work, and that disengagement drags down life for everyone.

"Pick a Fight" is currently available only as an Audible book. I never thought I’d want to listen to a book but was willing to take a chance on Burkus. I’m glad I did. For me, Burkus more clearly articulated an idea that is as ancient as a fable and as new as the viral menace stalking the world today. This is an unprecedented leadership book that could help us get through unprecedented times. If leaders don’t just claim to listen but really listen.
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Brad Barbera
5.0 out of 5 stars Great message with solid structure
Reviewed in the United States on April 17, 2020
The central theme -- that strong organizational performance needs a strong, clear, and common mission -- is captured so well in this book. Burkus pounds home the point that the BS "mission statements" that so many companies put in their annual reports and in reception-area framed posters are useless for aligning, coordinating, and motivating anyone. Simplifying the concept into the question "what are we fighting for?" makes it clear that there is a critical difference between the purpose/mission he is talking about and the watered-down, legal-reviewed-and-approved, marketing drivel that far too many organizations publish and call their mission. He then breaks down the kinds of effective purposes that are actually worth fighting for. He provides solid examples for all of his points, provoking thought in the listener's mind about what it is they get up to fight for on a Monday morning. Excellent work, presented in a compelling and concise way.
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Mark Chaudhry
5.0 out of 5 stars Purpose and leadership – The abstract and hard made simple and easy (to understand and practice)
Reviewed in the United States on March 31, 2020
In his audiobook – Pick a Fight – David Burkus took me for a head first dive and brisk swim into such fluffy topics as philosophy, cause or purpose as well as psychology / motivation and behavioral design (let us call this: Leadership). When I consume content with the intent to learn, I generally ask three things of the author: Are you able to connect me to the concepts? Are you able to convey the concepts, so they are easy for me to understand and joyful to learn about – even if the topics are abstract and complex? Are you able to ensure that I can try out the presented concepts right after I finish consuming them without any assistance? David did not answer upfront – but his audiobook answered three times yes. Thank you, David, for your book and for the practical resources to try out the concepts.
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Danny Iny
5.0 out of 5 stars I love this short audiobook!
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2020
First of all, I love that it's short - that means quickly digestible, and you can transition straight to action.

It's direct and to the point: the best way to rally people around your organization or mission is to frame it as a fight for something that matters. The author explains the different types of fights you can cast yourself in (ally fight, underdog fight, etc.), and shares great examples of each.

It's a no-brainer. Grab it, listen to it, enjoy it, and apply what you learn!
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KH Sonrisa
5.0 out of 5 stars Research-backed motivation
Reviewed in the United States on April 21, 2020
As always, David Burkus delivers his signature combination of research and insights. The stories that back each concept are fresh and packed with important points of learning. This book entitled "Pick a Fight" is really about unity of purpose, and Burkus introduces three categories of "fights" around which teams can rally. Especially in these days of virtual teams, this book can help leaders re-evaluate the deeper purpose of their work to more deeply engage the entire organization.
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JaysonGaignard
5.0 out of 5 stars I've been waiting for something like this for a while...
Reviewed in the United States on February 26, 2020
I once heard a talk on "how to create a movement". It had some incredible principles that were easily transferrable to business. Unfortunately, I never heard the topic come up since...

Well... luckily, David decided to write the playbook on getting people to rally around a cause. I can't wait to dig in!
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