Learn Like a Leader: Today's Top Leaders Share Their Learning Journeys

Each year, a group of best-selling authors, thought leaders and management experts-among them James Collins, Warren Bennis and David Ulrich-meet to share their defining moments on leadership with one another. As this annual meeting of the minds became a tradition, one theme quickly emerged: great leaders seize the opportunity to learn, over and over again. These remarkable stories form the basis of Learn Like a Leader, a close look at why some people are able to grow in their careers, overcome setbacks and soar to the top, whereas others never fully reach their potential. The book offers powerful lessons reflecting key learning moments in the lives and careers of each of the contributors. Learn Like a Leader portrays the power of storytelling in teaching, training and mentoring.

Publishers Weekly

In these riveting essays, 35 prominent figures in management and organizational development across the globe share the private epiphanies and learning experiences that shaped their characters, careers, and leadership styles. From academics to bestselling authors, contributors candidly reveal their vulnerabilities: Frederick M. Hudson, founder of the Hudson Institute of Santa Barbara, reveals how physical therapy to recover movement after contracting polio at age nine gave him a purpose that transformed his life; and Warren Bennis (Leaders), former president of the University of Cincinnati, recalls how as a depressed and friendless child, “removed from hope or desire,” his life was altered by the support of his eighth-grade teacher. Organized thematically into such sections as “Developing Self-Knowledge” and “Seeing Yourself as Others Do,” the storytelling format provides a vibrant and experiential dimension, along with accompanying discussion questions for the reader. A must-read for anyone interested in leadership, management, organizational design, or personal development, this inspiring collection of stories will enable individuals and groups to find deeper meaning in the work they do. (Oct.)