Are you an authentic leader? Too many companies are managed not by
leaders but by mere role players and faceless bureaucrats. What would it
take to replace these empty suits with real leaders--men and women who
are confident in who they are and what they stand for and who truly
inspire people to achieve extraordinary results? Rob Goffee and Gareth
Jones argue that leaders don't become great by aspiring to a list of
universal character traits. Rather, effective leaders are authentic:
they deploy individual strengths to engage followers' hearts, minds, and
souls. Authentic leaders are skillful at consistently being themselves,
even as they alter their behavior to respond effectively to changing
contexts. In short, the authors present a powerful case: that it takes
"being yourself, in context, with skill" to be a successful, authentic
leader--and they show you how to do exactly that. In this lively and
practical book, Goffee and Jones draw from extensive research to reveal
how to hone and deploy your unique leadership assets while managing the
inherent tensions at the heart of successful leadership: when to show
emotion and when to withhold it, how to get close to followers while
maintaining an appropriate role distance, and maintaining your
individuality while "conforming enough" to gain traction and lead
change. Underscoring the inherently social nature of leadership, the
book also explores how leaders can stay attuned to the needs and
expectations of followers. Why Should Anyone Be Led by You? will
forever change how we view, develop, and practice the art of leadership,
wherever we live and work.
