Q&A With David B. Savage

I love it when publicists, agents and other authors connect me to different people to do these Q&As. Mickey Mickelson, who is a publicist for New York Times Bestselling author Tosca Lee, connected me to author David B. Savage who is the author of Break Through To Yes, Better By Design, & Ready Aim Excel. 

Q: Would it be fair to classify the books you wrote as how to succeed in business?

A: Yes. Success in business and life depends on effective collaboration. 

On Break Through to Yes: Unlocking the Possible within a Culture of Collaboration, Kirkus Reviews states; “Canadian collaboration expert Savage … offers a work that couldn’t be timelier. While it addresses organizational collaboration, this book could be interpreted more broadly as a treatise on building a cooperative culture within families, groups, businesses, and government… The author supplements his own experiences over more than four decades with extensive quotes from experts and results from surveys that he conducted; in effect, he collaborated far and wide to garner input for this volume… A valuable volume for the senior leader of any group, business, or organization who wants to build a collaborative culture.”

I highlight that collaboration is not an event. Collaboration is a healthy, innovative, engaging organizational culture.

Q: When in your life did you realize your calling to be an author, and why this particular topic?

A: Learning about and advancing successful collaborative leadership is my work life purpose.

Whether it was dysfunctions in my network, in school or in my world, I realized I want to be a positive influence. I reject emotional triggers that divide people, families, communities and our world. For too long, some leaders lead from fear. I chose love. Love of diversity, our environment, and our possibilities.

All my career. In high school, I wrote for the paper. In my first years in business, I had articles accepted for organizational publications.

For decades, I’ve been coaching, facilitating and negotiating my clients through complex challenges and turning them into significant opportunities! 

Working together better has been my purpose. 

When leaders ask themselves; “what are poor communication, conflict, and misunderstanding, limiting perspectives, misalignment of your people, lost productivity, wasted time, and wasted resources costing us? They look for help.

With my seven books on collaborative leadership, a book on leadership skills and a book on company-to-company conflict resolution, I do my best to provide insights, skills, and strategies.

For how long? Decades. Why now? Greater complexity, increasing speed of change and growing polarization damage our shared future. 

Through my consulting, writing and talks, I want to make our shared future better. Our children and grandchildren deserve it.

Q: Are you writing a new book now? If so, what is it about this time?

A: I am writing three books this year.

1.     Nobody Gets to be Right. A book about openness, innovation and breakthrough leadership.

2.     Mogry. A collaborative young adult fiction book with my grandchildren about seeing with new eyes, respecting differences and protecting our environment.

3.     A historical fiction book inspired by my ancestors’ leadership, courage, and values.

Thank you for the opportunity to connect! Here is how your audience can, davidbsavage.com