Inspired, Not Retired

Leadership Lessons from Father to Son

Non-Fiction - Memoir
213 Pages
Reviewed on 12/20/2019
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Author, editor, speaker; scholar, practitioner, leader; Soldier, warrior, patriot. These all describe Dr. Burl Randolph, Jr., DM. He took his 32 years of military leadership including three combat tours in Iraq, and applied that experience to leader coaching, organizational planning, corporate training , government contracting, and Legacy Expression.

Expanding his work, Dr. Burl R. has recently authored two works in 2022. Inspired, Not Retired: The Audiobook, and Inspired, Not Retired: The Workbook - A Guide to Developing Your Leadership Lessons.

He loves presenting from Inspired, Not Retired on topics such as:

- Hard Work: It Won't Kill You - The Mind of an Author
- Cornbread, Burl, and Me: Discovering the Entrepreneur in You
- Faith: A Combat Multiplier

Dr. Burl loves to share the stories that made him a successful. Since retiring from the Army in 2014, he transitioned from Colonel to Mr. to Dr. Randolph, the Founder and President of MyWingman, LLC, a Business Leadership and Management Consulting company that Helps Leaders Design Legacies That Last (c). Visit the Author Page at mywingmanllc.com.

He holds a Doctor of Management in Organizational Leadership (DM), a Master of Strategic Studies (MSS), and a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Dr. Burl published in the Global Business and Organizational Excellence (GBOE) entitled Mentoring Leaders Across Race and Gender Lines: Insight from US Army Officers.

Dr. Randolph also authored Changing Steps: A Reflective Journey in Transition published in The Journal of Global Health Care Systems and co-authored Can God Trust You with Trouble? in 2015.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Vernita Naylor for Readers' Favorite

Our life teaches us so many lessons that we can't even count. If we were to grasp and learn from these lessons, we would be greater managers and leaders. And did you know that those lessons that we're learning are not necessarily only for us but to help others? The inspirational memoir, Inspired, Not Retired: Leadership Lessons from Father to Son by Burl Randolph Jr, gives an up-close-and-personal account of the life lessons that he learned from his father that he has passed on to his sons and now wants to share with readers. This book is easy to read and is broken down into three sections: The Insight, The Inspiration, and The Application. The reader will learn over fifteen principles in being a leader of quality from humility, responsibility, and trust to faith. With the combination of words of wisdom from his father and military experience, the author displays best practices for leaders in weathering the various storms that life has to offer.

"The world needs positive stories about familial relationships, hope, and promise created by great parenting, regardless of race or ethnicity," says the author, and this book offers this and more. It was not only these words that sold me and created within me an appreciation of the essence of the material contained but also how the author delivered the information was key. Did you know that in various aspects of our lives we're all managers and leaders? To be effective in these roles it takes creativity, open-mindedness, and willingness to lead even when it's difficult. In Inspired, Not Retired, Burl Randolph Jr provides space for notes to enhance your learning experience. Remember, retirement is not the end; it's only the beginning. Enjoy.

Jamie BJ - Amazon Top 500 Reviewer

January 6, 2020
Format: Paperback
What a beautiful tribute this author has given his father! This leadership book has an unusual basis. Most leadership books I've seen come from a strictly business angle, but this book has its roots in the lessons that the author learned from his father when he was a boy and a teenager. The book is divided into chapters that are mostly about a single leadership—or perhaps one could even say a personal development—topic, things like humility, hard work, and education. Each chapter is broken down into distinct parts: a small introduction, the insight, the inspiration, and the application. The Insight section is where something flipped in the author's mind while he was having a particular experience with his father, giving him a particular insight. From there, the inspiration section shows his takeaways from that insight and what that means. He shares his thought process on the topic and that pivotal moment, doing a little soul searching at times; the insight section is reflective in nature, looking at the greater lessons learned. Then the final section of each chapter is the application of the insight and the inspiration, how he has used those in his personal and professional life going forward.

The book is full of personal stories, which I love. The author has also shared a multitude of photographs of himself, his father, his family, and his military days. I like that, too, as this book is intensely personal. There is definitely a very strong military slant to this book, which makes sense because the author served in the US Army for 32 years. While I think the concepts that he talks about are universally applicable, those with a military background will probably appreciate those military stories and aspects even more.

The book did have some issues with grammar, punctuation, and usage, enough to be distracting at times. All in all, though, I found this to be a fantastic book that gets you thinking about some of these concepts, not just in terms of leadership but also in terms of a well-lived life. I like books that get me thinking in that way.

I received a free copy, but that did not affect my review.

Amazon Customer

Inspired for sure!
January 1, 2020
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
Dr. Burl's direct and likable style made the book hard to put down. Enjoyed the real life family stories and how the lessons learned can be put into action. The book is full of useful tools for new and experienced leaders. Many ah-ha moments when the author goes deep on concepts most of us take for granted. Too often people think being a leader requires complex formulas - when in reality, as the author shows us, it can be the simplest concepts that inspire individuals and teams to exceed. I highly recommend this book for individuals who seek to be better and do better in their profession, family and community.

Vicki W.

Essential for current and aspiring leaders
December 19, 2019
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I highly recommend this book. It is suitable both for current leaders looking for motivation or improvement as well as for aspiring leaders, and is not limited to the military. Some stories/lessons that I enjoyed are:
• Leadership is a verb
• Creativity in leadership
• The Working Retired
• Always be prepared
• Disagreeing vs disobeying

There are many memorable and interesting stories and leadership lessons here, learned while growing up and throughout a career. Dr. Burl is practical, approachable, and relatable, and has a way of telling a story that engages and stays with you.

The photos throughout the book are a nice, personal touch.

AF - Amazon Customer

Interesting stories and great advice
December 16, 2019
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
The author does a nice job telling personal stories that teach leadership lessons. I liked reading about the family dynamics, funny stories, and lessons learned the hard way. It all comes together to paint a really great picture of what you can learn from your parents—from childhood to adulthood. I also liked all the photos that help bring the stories to life.

Melissa

Real-life examples illustrate leadership best practices
December 19, 2019
Format: Paperback
I really enjoyed the author's use of personal stories to illustrate key leadership lessons. It makes the ideas and concepts come to life. I would recommend this book for anyone looking to improve their leadership skills - and easy, insightful read!

TML

A book of great lessons

December 18, 2019
Format: Paperback
The author is a great story-teller and kept me engaged the entire time. The book made me rethink my role as a parent and how I am my children's greatest leader and mentor. They will grow up and become a reflection of the values and lessons I have taught them. This book is very inspiring.

D. Williams - Amazon Customer

Powerful piece!!!

December 13, 2019
Format: Paperback
“ Leadership should inspire us to begin another chapter while continuously serving others”. In leadership it is important to recognize that we are here to serve others and not serve ourselves. People are our greatest resource, and we must recognize as to use them wisely and to empower them to be better. Great book that helps shine line on where we are in our leadership building.