SPIKE by René Carayol Book Review

Released: 12th June 2017

Genre: Non-Fiction, Leadership, Motivational

Number of Pages: 347

Taking stock of major changes in the workplace and wider society, the renowned speaker and leadership coach René Carayol shares his new philosophy for leadership in challenging times. He delivers an interesting look at skillsets, personal qualities and ambitions.

SPIKE stands for Strengths, Positively, Identified, Kickstart, Excellence; Carayol emphasises that we all have them and by playing to our best elements there need not be any losers in the modern workplace. With a combination of personal stories and acquaintances, the author pulls us into the moments that shaped him and how we can do the same. Each of these tales is well organised across five parts.

From venturing into war-torn Gambia to meet his mother to dealing with friction within his corporate roles, Rene has had a colourful career. Each chapter is based on a specific lesson he learned from experience and concludes with a set of summary notes on how to play to your own SPIKEs. It maintains a strong interest throughout, though some stories will resonate more than others. The ways the author lifts others up, acting as a mentor while still listening to different perspectives will make the biggest impact. When we turn to the corporate world, it becomes more difficult to connect. Many of us don’t work senior positions in companies, but the lessons still carry through.

Recommended?

YES: Through many lived experiences, René Carayol offers some compelling lessons in leadership. He tells each story with great detail and gusto, with each one identifying key traits that we should all look to adopt in our own work. It’s a varied and intriguing book with a strong central message; the only downside is how it sometimes pivots to the private sector. It may be tricky for some readers to latch onto the ideas fully, depending on their area of work.

Rene attended a recent leadership conference in October 2023 and I watched his presentation up in Manchester, receiving a free copy of this book afterwards. He is an excellent speaker and I was really taken in by his insights and endlessly positive attitude.