Leading So People Will Follow

December 24, 2012
Andersen attempts an uneasy marriage of lore, fairy tales, and contemporary business practices in this overly reductive approach to defining the attributes of a good leader. Her initial premise is that "core timeless attributes" of leadership are "remarkably consistent across time and culture," and can be learned. She derives from "the folktales and fairy tales of many cultures" a prescription for the essential leadership traits: far-sightedness, passion, courage, wisdom, generosity, and trustworthiness. Self-assessment exercises are provided for readers. Andersen's experience at consulting and coaching firm Proteus International, liberally referred to throughout, indicates hands-on experience in the practical aspects of promoting leadership behavior. Several assumption merit more consideration than the glib generalities sprinkled throughout. Overall, how are people to distinguish between the patina of leadership, made shiny by public relations and press releases, and the genuine article? Andersen offers a useful tool for the "How-to" school, but offers little insight into basic questions.