Authentic Leadership: Rediscovering the Secrets to Creating Lasting ValueISBN: 978-0-7879-6913-4
Hardcover
240 pages
August 2003, Jossey-Bass
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George candidly recounts his experiences as chair and CEO of Medtronic, a medical technology producer, and makes a case that we need new, authentic business leaders. The five essential dimensions of "authentic" leaders are purpose, values, heart, relationships, and self-discipline. In the scorched, post-Enron corporate world, this motivational how-to will help developing business leaders find the path to personal and business success. (Best Business Books 2003, Library Journal, March 15, 2004)
George, a former Medtronic CEO, sets the tone early in his book:
"Somewhere along the way we lost sight of the imperative of
selecting leaders that create healthy corporations for the long
term." It would be wonderful if George then provided readers hungry
for change with a blueprint for how this could happen; alas, such
is not the case. George's thesis - too many CEOs think only in the
short term and of the stock price, eventually losing a company's
focus in the hurtling pursuit of all Street validation - is not a
bad one. His proposal: a call for "authentic leadership," that is,
finding a leader who doesn't try to emulate the greats, because
such copycatting will never result in authenticity or honest
leadership. It all gets a bit fuzzy at times, and George (who
BusinessWeek recognized as a top-25 manager in 1998) relies far too
much on his experience at Medtronic, a medical technology producer.
Although George's company seems a good example of what he's talking
about (he once made headlines by boldly declaring "Shareholders
come third," after customers and employees), there's not a
rigor9ous enough attempt here to make that example universally
applicable. Though superbly moral and inspiring, this volume is not
as helpful as it could be. (Aug.)
Forecast: With appearances on Meet the Press and Talk of the
Nation, George has a recognizable name in the media, and scheduled
interviews on NPR and the Charlie Rose Show will only help with
book sales. (Publishers Weekly, July 7, 2003)
"There is a great deal of valuable insight in Authentic Leadership. One can only wish that Mr. George had written it five years ago, before so many chief executives led their companies so badly astray." (New York Times, July 27, 2003)