Dennis Mossburg has a worked over 18 years in corrections and is an Incident Command System (ICS), Type III Operations Section Chief. Dennis is also the founder of Grey Moose Leadership Group. As a member of an incident management team, Dennis has responded to emergencies throughout Washington State, the Kilauea Volcano in Hawai’i, and Hurricane Florence in North Carolina.
Dennis has lead teams in pre-planned uses of force in the corrections setting, assisted the Island of Hawai’i in responding to the Kilauea volcano and in North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Florence. His proudest moments are helping the mistreated. Dennis has been a long-time volunteer at Dachshund Rescue NW.
Dennis enjoys cycling, weightlifting, spending time with his dogs and wife. So far his tested leadership skills do not affect the dogs or his wife.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you ended up writing a book?
I spent over a decade as a supervisor and team leader in high-stress environments. Seeing the results of leaders around me, I wanted to learn more about what it meant to be a leader.
So I went back to college and earned a Master of Science in Management and Leadership. I learned many great things about leadership from an academic standpoint, now I wanted to learn what great leaders said about leadership.
I began collecting quotes and gathering information about some of history’s leaders, such as Lao Tzu, Marcus Aurelius, and Julius Caesar. I also found great quotes from more recent leaders like Eleanor and Theodore Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, and Colin Powell.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
I wanted this information to bridge the knowing and doing gap for the reader. Each chapter provides information about how to apply the wisdom of the quote.
Many chapters include Action Steps readers can take to put the wisdom into action.
Given all of this, I want readers to take away from my book is that I want you to be the leader your followers deserve, and I want to help.
What are the top three tools you are currently using to write, publish, and promote your books?
For writing my book, (particularly my new book), I am using the And, But, Yet, Therefore, framework.
Start writing with, And, this is the current situation. But, something happened. Yet, I have a solution. Therefore, apply this solution.
I published the paperback and ebook versions of my book through IngramSpark. They have been extremely helpful and have allowed me great flexibility. They have made my book available through every online retailer I have found.
Marketing my book has taken several forms.
Because I bought ISBNs in bulk directly through Bowker, it was easy for me to create a sell sheet that includes my ISBN, to my local book stores to ask them to stock my book. Typically they will stock a few copies if you have an ISBN and the book is returnable.
Your local bookstore will also be happy to let you sign the books. This generally makes them more attractive to shoppers.
Another marketing route is to post links to online sellers on social media. Find the groups that would find your book most useful. Try various versions of your narrative. Keep posting. Do not assume that every member of the group sees every post.
Market your book on podcasts, no matter how small. Do not hold out for the biggest shows. Build your library of appearances. You will learn about being interviewed. You also never know what opportunities will present themselves.
One podcast appearance leads to an opportunity to appear as a regular guest on a panel discussion.
What were the top mistakes you made writing or publishing your book?
I didn’t make these mistakes, but it is worth saying again, buy real ISBNs from Bowker. It seems expensive, but you retain the rights to your intellectual property.
And your books are seen as more legitimate.
Also, ensure your physical books are returnable. If bookstores cannot return your books, they will not stock them.
Mistakes I made on my ebooks were not hiring a book editor and a book designer. I think I am a good editor. But, even good editors can get too close to a book. I read the books so much that I stopped seeing errors and typos.
A good book designer is also priceless. They know what a book needs to look like and how to put it in the right format.
Trust your subject matter experts. There is a reason you hired them.
The biggest mistake is forgetting why you wrote the book. Few of us think we will be the next Stephen King. I wrote my book to help people be better leaders. If I make some money along the way, then so be it.
When will you consider your book a success?
When I receive letters, emails, phone calls, texts, carrier pigeons, or any other messages from a leader saying that I helped them be the leader their followers deserve, then I will have been successful.
The cherry on top would be receiving a message from a follower thanking me for helping their leader improve.
Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one. Marcus Aurelius
In typical stoic tradition, this is a short quote . . . there are two important lessons.
First, if there is something you want to do or be, do it. Don’t waste time arguing about it; do it. If your team needs a leader, step up and do it.
Second, . . . Don’t let anyone stop you. Imposter syndrome is everywhere. Everyone feels it, including Roman emperors.
Do your research, but don’t overthink it. I set small achievable goals. When I reached one, I reassessed, then set the next goal.
After I published my book, I found a checklist letting me know what to do 30, 60, and 90 days from publication.
I saw that I hadn’t done most of the 90 tasks. I responded by deleting the link.
That path was someone else’s. There was probably good information there, but I was not going to beat myself up for not doing what someone I don’t know is telling me to do.
What is the one thing you wish you knew before publishing your first book?
Before I published, I was worried about what my friends would think. I was worried that they would think that I had no business publishing a leadership book.
I could not have been more wrong. I’ve received overwhelming support from my friends. That has been a huge relief.
Cross-posting on various social media sites. Change your copy with each posting and always include a link to your book. Look up the most popular hashtags and include them in your post, don’t overdo it.
Your copy explains how your book solves one of their problems. Make the copy about them, not you.
Find social media groups that allow members to post questions about your area. Answer questions as fully as you can in the space, then refer them to your book for more answers.
Provide value, but tell them where they can find more.
If you had the chance to start your career over again what would you do differently?
Don’t go down this road. I mean it. I’ve got scars on my body, my heart, and my soul. Every one of those scars is a lesson that I had to learn the hard way.
I would not be the person I am today and I would not appreciate everything I have without those scars.
Don’t live in the past, there’s nothing you can do about it. Your past is context. Learn the lessons and move on.
Can you recommend a book, a podcast, and a course for entrepreneurs and why?
This may sound odd, but I have read several books about statistics and I am not a mathematician. All of these books have helped me develop critical thinking. These books have helped me challenge the thinking of experts, and most importantly, of myself.
The most recent book is, “The Signal and the Noise,” by Nate Silver. Silver does an excellent job of explaining why most predictions fail and how we can improve our own predicting and forecasting.
I listen to a wide variety of podcasts. Each one brings something different to the table. From a marketing standpoint, I would go with, “The Brainy Business,” with Melina Palmer. She talks about behavioral economics and how to apply them to your small business.
I cannot recommend any courses because I have not taken any. I would recommend that you find one that makes you feel a little uncomfortable. Find one that is going to challenge you, but is attainable. Especially if it challenges your beliefs.
That’s just good advice for all of life.
What helps you stay driven and motivated to finish writing your book?
If not me then who? People say,
Someone should do something about . . .
Last I checked, you are someone.
When you don’t know what to do, go help someone.
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
Set some limit. In my case, it was writing a 50,000 workbook in thirty days.
I also don’t binge-watch television or play video games. If you do want to do those things, make it a reward for having written 1500 words that day.
Up the ante by assigning something punitive for not completing the task. Give to a charity you don’t like. Mow the lawn of the neighbor no one likes. Whatever it is, make it stick.
What are you learning now? Why is that important?
I have just started reading, “Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Dummies,” by Branch and Wilson. (It’s an English title.)
It’s important because I have an insatiable desire to learn new things and find ways to connect them to what I know from other fields.
As a leadership coach, I’m hoping to learn new ways to reach my clients. As someone who very likely has undiagnosed PTSD, I am hoping to do some self-work.
If you only had 1000 dollars to promote a new book, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
Start a podcast. Establish yourself as the subject matter expert in your field.
What is your favorite quote?
Never argue with a fool. Onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.
– Mark Twain
Who should we interview next and why?
My wife, Margo Mossburg. She’s been rescuing Dachshunds since 1990. So far she’s rescued over 2200 dogs.
If you want to learn how to run your small business on a shoestring, she’s the person to talk to.
How can we get in touch with you?
It’s very easy to reach me. I’m on most of the socials, all under the handle, Dennis Mossburg. My website is DennisMossburg.com. My email is Dennis.Mossburg@gmail.com.
If you are looking for me on the internet and you keep finding shotguns, you’ve misspelled my last name. It’s M-o-s-s-b-U-r-g.
I love hearing from people. Reach out to say hello. If you are looking for leadership coaching, drop me a line and we’ll see how I can help you be the leader your followers deserve.
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