Management literature at the moment is big on the idea of authentic leadership. In a world in which trust in institutions is at an all-time low and engagement levels have plummeted, authenticity is seen as a prerequisite for leading organisations and the people who run them.
This book is written in that context by Bill George, the former chief executive of Medtronic and now a senior fellow at Harvard Business School. George has form in this area with four former bestselling leadership titles and this one is an update on a 2007 volume of the same name.
That was written on the cusp of the global financial crisis and George seemed even more convinced now that authenticity is the gold standard for leadership.
As he notes here, the hierarchical directive leadership style so prevalent in the 20th century is fading fast in favour of today’s collaborative leaders, who believe in distributed leadership at all levels.
We are favoured, he believes, with much higher calibre leaders today – individuals blessed with high levels of emotional intelligence.
Short-term earnings
Contrast that with the poor chief executive choices made in the 1990s, he notes, when under pressure from Wall Street to maximise short-term earnings, boards of directors frequently selected leaders for their image, style and charisma rather than their substance and character.
Many put their companies at risk by focusing on the spoils and trappings of leadership rather than building their organisations for the long term.
His metaphor of true north is defined as your orienting point – your fixed point. It is derived from your most deeply held beliefs, your values, and the principles you lead by. In this scheme of things, when you follow your internal compass, your leadership will be authentic and people will naturally follow you.
Finding true north is hard work requiring introspection, support and feedback of friends and colleagues but ultimately it requires taking responsibility for your own actions.
The book comprises three distinct sections, covering the journey of leadership, developing as an authentic leader and finally a section entitled “Your True North meets the World”, the latter focusing on global leadership challenges.
Each section includes personal case studies or “lead stories” as they are styled here. Individuals as diverse as former South African president Nelson Mandela, chief executive and chairman of Xerox Ann Mulcahy and chief executive of Unilever Paul Polman feature here.
Leaders can sustain the effectiveness of their organisations only if they empower employees around a shared purpose.
As a leader, you must convey passion for your business every day while maintaining clarity about the mission of your organisation.
Embracing mindfulness
While the book has some practical ideas about embracing concepts such as mindfulness, it takes less of a ‘what to do’ and more a ‘what to consider’ approach.
A strong theme emerges here around finding broader meaning in organisational life and becoming a stakeholder in society.
Unilever’s Polman quoted here sums up this thinking when he says that it’s not enough any more to say that you contribute to a better world.
“You actually have to be part of the solution, and solve some of the issues to resolve what is happening,” he said. “Instead of thinking how you can use society to be successful, you have to start thinking how you can contribute to society and the environment to be successful.”
Ultimately, George concludes, the goal of leaders is to make the world a better place for everyone who inhabits it.
