"Are you an entrepreneur looking for a new way to motivate and guide your team? Sam Calagione, CEO of Dogfish Head, the iconic craft-brewery, has done just that; as he shares in his new book 'Off-centered Leadership'. For 20 years, Sam has followed his gut, but now he's ready to explain why he's changing his approach. Find out what he's learnt, and how it can help you make your own business thrive!"

Off-Centered Leadership: The Dogfish Head Guide to Motivation, Collaboration and Smart Growth

Since its inception in 1995, Dogfish Head has been synonymous with risk-taking, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to creativity. Having grown from a humble brewpub into a nationally-recognized craft brewery, Dogfish Head has stayed true to its off-centered roots and continued to push the boundaries of traditional brewing practices. Over the past two decades, founder and CEO Sam Calagione has been the guiding light of the operation, but now, he’s defining a new era of leadership at Dogfish Head.

For 20 years, Sam Calagione steered Dogfish Head according to his gut, addicted to the buzz that comes with risk and uncertainty. In this book, he explains why he’s changing his ways.

Calagione’s new approach to leadership – which he calls “Off-Centered Leadership” – is rooted in the core values of creativity, collaboration, and smart-growth. He outlines how leaders can create an innovative and collaborative culture that empowers employees and fosters sustainable growth. Here’s a look at the key elements of off-centered leadership:

Creativity

Calagione has always believed in the power of following your intuition and staying true to your convictions. He advises leaders to use their ingenuity and originality to come up with innovative solutions to problems. He also stresses the importance of being open to trying new things and taking calculated risks.

• Encourage experimentation and “pushing the envelope.”
• Take on a project that you wouldn’t normally take on, challenge yourself and your team.
• Be a problem solver, not a problem creator.

Collaboration

Calagione believes that organizations should be built on collaboration and trust. Leaders should strive to create an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered, and where ideas and perspectives are welcomed from all angles.

• Foster a culture of collaboration, where ideas are shared freely.
• Promote team-building activities to encourage employees to work together.
• Encourage open communication, feedback and constructive criticism.

Smart Growth

As organizations grow, it’s important to focus on sustainable,thoughtful growth. Calagione advises that leaders focus on building a long term strategy and developing a team of reliable and capable partners. This will help organizations to identify opportunities, and take advantage of them in an efficient and effective manner.

• Utilize the skills and expertise of the existing team.
• Expand the team with focused and knowledgeable people.
• Create a long-term plan for economic and market growth.

Throughout the book, Calagione discusses his own experiences at Dogfish Head and how off-centered leadership has empowered the team and enabled them to take on new challenges and opportunities. He also offers practical advice on how to build a culture of collaboration, creativity, and smart growth, backed up by tangible examples from the Dogfish Head model. It’s a compelling read – valuable for leaders of any organization.

At its core, off-centered leadership is about recognizing the value in taking risks and embracing uncertainty. It’s about being open to different perspectives and cultivating an atmosphere of creativity and collaboration. Dogfish Head’s approach to leadership provides a useful framework for any leader or CEO to consider, as they blaze a new trail within their own organization.