The Truth about Leadership: The No-fads, Heart-of-the-Matter Facts You Need to Know

As the title indicates this is a book about leadership. The authors distill their research and learnings in this area into ten truth "about leadership and becoming an effective leader".One of the main premises in the book is: "We tell our audiences that as much as the context of leadership has changes, the content of leadership has not changed much at all. The fundamental behaviors, actions, and practices of leaders have remained essentially the same since we first began researching and writing about leadership over three decades ago. Much has changed, but there's a whole lot more that's stayed the same."The authors then go on to introduce the ten truths:1- You make a difference2- Credibility is the foundation of leadership3- Values drive commitment4- Focusing on the future sets leaders apart5- You can't do it alone6- Trust the rules7- Challenge is the crucible for greatness8- You either lead by example or you don't lead at all9- The best leaders are the best learners10- Leadership is an affair of the heartWhat sets this book apart is the amount of research set forth to bring forward these conclusions in a concise and direct manner. The truths are further supported by stories to further exemplify the behaviors and attributes of leadership. A must read in the area of leadership and remember: "Leadership can be learned"!Below are some excerpts from the book that I found particularly insightful:1- "Leadership is not about who you are or where you come from. It's about what you do."2- "The five practices of exemplary leadership...1- Model the way 2- Inspire a shared vision 3- Challenge the process 4- Enable others to act 5- Encourage the Heart."3- "Before they are going to voluntarily heed your advice, take your direction, accept your guidance, trust your judgement, agree to your recommendations, buy your products, support your ideas, and implement your strategies, people expect that you will measure up to these criteria."4- "The capacity to imagine and articulate exciting future possibilities is the defining competence of leaders. Leaders are custodians of the future. They are concerned about tomorrow's world and those who will inherit it."5- "Here are four actions to keep in mind (trust): Behave predictably and consistently...Communicate clearly...Treat promises seriously...Be forthright and candid."6- "This means that you need to find a goal that can sustain your interest and the interest of those around you, for some considerable time. To be the most successful, you and your constituents must have a passion for a purpose and the perseverance to hang with it for the long term. This focus gives meaning to sticking through the hard times and to dealing with the often-inevitable disappointments and setbacks that accompany any significant significant accomplishment."7- "Leadership can be learned. It is an observable pattern of practices and behaviors, and a definable set of skills and abilities. Skills can be learned, and when we track the progress of people who participate in leadership development programs, we observe that they improve over time. They learn to be better leaders as long as they engage in activities that help them learn how."

This is a must read book for all leaders! Whether you are an experienced leader or simply an aspiring leader, you need to understand these basic truths about leadership. As an author of a leadership book myself (Victory Principles: Victory Principles: Leadership Lessons from D-Day), I was pleased to see that Kouzes and Posner have concluded from their extensive research over the last thirty years many of the same fundamental principles that I learned from practical experience during my own journey as a leader. As any experienced leader will tell you, there is no magic leadership formula, but there are fundamental principles that all leaders follow. You can find out about them here in this easy to read book which I highly recommend to anyone who is serious about the subject of leadership.

What two names are automatically associated with the word "leadership?" Answer: Kouzes and Posner. Their landmark works, The Leadership Challenge and Credibility stand head and shoulders above other leadership books. Their latest book, The Truth About Leadership continues to encourage principle-centered leadership.Patrick Lencioni rightly says, "This book cuts through the clutter and reminds us of what really matters." Kouzes and Posner immerse their readers in to fundamental leadership truths:Truth # 1: You make a differenceTruth # 2: Credibility is the foundation of leadershipTruth # 3: Values drive commitmentTruth # 4: Focusing on the future sets leaders apartTruth # 5: You can't do it aloneTruth # 6: Trust rulesTruth # 7: Challenge is the crucible for greatnessTruth # 8: You will lead by example or you don't lead at allTruth # 9: The best leaders are the best learnersTruth # 10: Leadership is an affair of the heartOnce again, the authors are quick to point out the necessity of credible leadership that empowers and inspires people. I cannot recommend this book high enough. However, my encouragement is to read Kounzes' and Posner's earlier works before tackling this one.Highly recommended!

I've been using and teaching from The Leadership Challenge, now in its fourth edition, since the early 90's. Kouses and Posner have done excellent work with great research grounding and anecdotal support. This book is a bit more accessible (more compact and direct) than their large tome, though both have their place in the literature of leadership. I really like this resource to share with young leaders! It picks up the best of their materials on Leadership and Credibility. By the way, the latest version of The Leadership Challenge is also an excellent revision, as it has been tightened up just a bit. These two books are at the very top of the leadership literature from my perspective!

The language and style is simple and yet speaking to both the scholar and the lay person seeking insights on leadership and not high sounding academic discourse. The book addresses itself to practical leadership issues which concern leaders at diverse level. The leadership nuggets are easily adaptable to the diverse situations and scenarios of operation by leaders. The book has open relevance and appeal.

This book is definitely not the type of book that you read and think WOW! I never knew that. It's exactly what it says, "heart-of-the-matter facts. They're things we all know, but need to be reminded of. A must read for business students.

Can be read in a day and makes you question if you are up to the real task of leading people?You should feel slightly uncomfortable reading it, if it’s to have any impact. Can be read in a day but takes years to digest, I bought my team members a copy each!

I've read multiple books on the topic and I find this to be the most insightful and practical.

The book summarizes the essence of leadership! Well written. The author explains what is needed to become a great leader.

Great

Après avoir étudié des cohortes de managers efficicaces, Kouzes et Posner montrent que c'est l'incarnation de la confiance, l'expression des valeurs ainsi que la capacité à se remettre en cause qui font la différence. Cet ouvage met particulièrement l'accent sur l'intelligence émotionnelle et l'exemplarité du leader. Ce sont deux leviers qui donnent encore plus d'impact à l'action.[...]