Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest

by William Vanderbloemen, John C. Maxwell (Foreword)

“This book is one of the most worthwhile and immediately usable reads I have come across in a long time.” –Kiplinger

Want to stand out from the crowd? We have studied 30,000 top leaders and have discovered the 12 habits they share that make them as rare as a unicorn. Learn these habits, and you’ll be one of the best at whatever you do!

How do I stand out? How do I become irreplaceable? With a crowded workforce, an unstable job landscape, and the rise of AI, these questions are the ones that everyone either is or should be asking.

William Vanderbloemen has asked these questions over the past 15 years while running one of the world’s top executive search firms. Through extensive research of over 30,000 top leaders and proprietary data, Vanderbloemen has identified the 12 habits that the best of the best have in common. Traits such as authenticity, responsiveness, agility, and the ability to problem solve, among others.

Each habit includes information on What We Know (the hard data behind why the habit is so transformative), What We’ve Seen (first-hand accounts by high-achieving professionals on how they live the habit), and What We Do (simple ways to build this habit into your daily routine).  Be the Unicorn will help

Discover the top twelve soft skills the most successful leaders, the top 1%, have. Understand how to develop these soft skills in your own life for better job success. Learn how to apply soft skills to interpersonal relationships outside of work. Understand how these soft skills can be applied in different work environments and job fields, especially with the rise of AI technology.

Genres: Leadership, Business, Nonfiction, Self Help, Personal Development, Professional Development, Audiobook

237 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 14, 2023

Reviews

[CatReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

William Vanderbloemen is a pastor-turned-executive-recruiter for religious leadership roles. In his 2023 leadership development book Be the Unicorn, where he leveraged his connection to get a glowing forward by John Maxwell, he presents findings from extensive surveys he's conducted of "unicorns" - people who stand out in various facets of the business world by being exceptional at various traits including likeability, persistence, and responsiveness. He presents each of the 12 unicorn traits with many personal anecdotes, some of which really shouldn't be lauded (like how he and his firm test candidates' response times by sending them late night texts and rewarding those who respond right away -- neglecting boundaries and common phone do not disturb settings). He also namedrops quite a bit, like wringing out the anecdote of how he met former US president Bill Clinton over several different unicorn traits. I think the biggest flaw of the book, however, is that what's a so-called unicorn trait for one job may be something totally undesirable or detrimental for a different job, which Vanderbloemen fails to point out. For instance, if you're looking for an executive assistant who's responsive 24/7 and has no personal boundaries they're unwilling to cross, by all means test them by sending them an 11 PM text, but if you're looking for an executive director whose primary strength should be honing your organization's vision and big picture output, you're unlikely to find many in that camp who'll respond to 11 PM texts before they're even hired and getting paid (or even after).

Overall, lots of better business and leadership development books out there told with more humility and circumspection. A few of my top recommendations are:

Strategize to Win: The New Way to Start Out, Step Up, or Start Over in Your Career by Carla Harris
So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love by Cal Newport
Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success on Your Own Terms by Shellye Archambeau

My statistics:
Book 108 for 2025
Book 2034 cumulatively

[Dana K · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my real life, I'm a VP in a global medical company so I'm always on the lookout for a good business related books. It's hard these days to find one that isn't full of fluff and clichés or just a recycle of ideas that have been around forever. When I saw this one, written by someone who ran a top executive search firm and was offering data driven advice, I thought it might be worth my time. Vanderbloemen offers us 12 traits that the best leaders exhibit and some tips on how to cultivate those skills. 

Each chapter offered case studies, examples of famous or successful people and how they emulate that characteristic, the study data on that trait and some strategies of how you the reader can improve in that area. I think the 12 traits are all ones that are useful for a leader and what I liked is that these were all things that men and women could use. Oftentimes. I feel business books are written by white men for white men and this felt really accessible. It's also easily readable, I was able to finish it in one trans-Atlantic flight.

Personally, I think I score pretty well on 11 out of the 12. Likability is the one I'll need to work on. That's never been something that is important to me, thinking that my productivity and drive would make up for that, but the author made some compelling arguments so I'll need to think about that...

Thanks to HarperCollins Leadership for gifted access via NetGalley. All opinions above are my own.

[Jackson Terrell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty standard as far as leadership/ self-help books go. Definitely makes some good points, but overall I think the book is light on the advice about how to take on the traits it’s preaching about. If you want to read a secular workplace leadership book, you could definitely find something worse to read. But if you’re looking for something groundbreaking and mindset-altering, look elsewhere.

[Ali Gates · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book felt like a click-bait article that was turned into a business book just to promote the business. No science, no case studies, no original thought. The only reason I’m not giving it one star is because I turned the book back into a clickbait article for my own nefarious purposes.

[Joanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dale Carnegie would approve! Well structured book that gives good advice on skills needed to make it in the business world. …and you don’t need an MBA for any of them. Kind of pitiful that becoming a ‘unicorn’ -a rare breed who you should hire- involves a lot of pretty simple kindnesses and pleasantries.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was well laid out and an easy read. However, it felt like a lot of common sense with not a ton of data behind it. Also, there didn’t need to be 12 traits, some felt duplicative and like they could have been combined and then dug into deeper.

[MJ Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4) I enjoyed this book because it was easy to read, provided clear definition and examples of each characteristic and in a way felt actionable to becoming or ensuring you’re on the path to being a unicorn. Great and simple leadership book.

[Pinar Yildiz Budakoglu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nothing you wouldnt anticipate however good to see them all together and to remember👍 Some of these traits you dont find in people but still see them in executive positions - well, luck or life:)

[Abigail Cofer · Rating 1 out of 5]

This sneaky religious book is the Fox News of self-help books. “Data-Driven” is in the title, but there was not a single citation in sight. He could have made up his mediocre stories for all we know! Vanderbloemen took the time to write an unnecessarily detailed index, but couldn’t be bothered to include a bibliography. I would have moved it to the DNF shelf, but alas, I have to lead a book club on this lukewarm book without an original thought to be found.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good reminder that often what sets some people apart from others, are a set of habits we already know are good to do. It’s not what you know but rather what you do with what you know. I like how Vanderbloemen has used his decades of experience to boil down what exactly traits separate the best from the rest.

[Synthia Salomon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beneficial Blinkist Book of the Day! Listened to the audiobook as mid-winter recess is coming to an end and I need to transition back teaching/work mode!


Being a successful leader today requires a specific set of soft skills that set you apart. Vanderbloemen has identified twelve key skills, six of which are

the ability to act quickly,
to adapt to change, and
to anticipate the future, as well as
knowing yourself,
nurturing curiosity, and
building connections. 

Individuals who can master these skills have what it takes to become rare and valuable Unicorns that organizations desperately seek. They’re the Blake Mycoskie, Ursula Burns, Lynsi Snyder, and Bill Rosenzweigs of the world – flexible, self-aware, forward-thinking leaders who thrive on change.

You now hold the blueprint for developing those very same talents within yourself. The question is, how will you leverage these ideas to maximize your potential? Will you commit to overcoming inertia and self-doubt to act swiftly when opportunities arise? Will you lean into curiosity and diverse perspectives? 

The door to personal and professional growth lies open before you. Embrace the challenge to become the very best version of yourself. Unleash your inner Unicorn!

[Mandy B · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Be the Unicorn is a solid summary of leadership qualities, though it doesn’t introduce anything groundbreaking. That said, it’s written in a clear and digestible way.

The book got off to a rough start for me when the first characteristic highlighted was “act fast.” The example given—a person responding immediately to a 10 p.m. text—didn’t align with my views on work boundaries, which I’m very transparent about. However, Vanderbloemen redeemed the chapter by expanding on fast decision-making in a broader sense, which made it more compelling.

If you’re looking for an easy refresher on leadership traits, this is a good pick.

[Jaimie Engle · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow! I AM a Unicorn!

This book was absolutely incredible. I loved the way it was set up, the multitude of examples, it’s use of broad examples from many walks of life, and the easy to digest concepts explored in each chapter. What I learned from this book is that I do many of these things and that is very helpful to now because now I can work on the attributes that I would like to be stronger. It also allows me to have more empathy for people who may not have the same attributes that come so easily to me. I will definitely go back and reread this book many times! At least now I know how I get so much done with such efficiency: I AM a Unicorn!

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book helped me see attributes of leadership that I hadn’t considered could hold so much weight. I think it’s worth the read if you want to be a better leader whether it’s at home, work or in a volunteer space.

There are a lot of personal opinions in this book and I had moments where I thought ‘ok, I get the point’. So some of this was more skim worthy!

[Savannah Flack · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ I overall liked the traits that were discussed but I wish he backed it up with more data. Some of his examples were kinda interesting choices but overall, it made for good book club discussion. If I wasn’t discussing it in book club, I would have felt like it was lacking though.

[Ben Miner · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not every CEO needs to write a book on his/her “Data driven” buzzword leadership traits, especially as superficial and shallow as this. The amount of information was certainly not worth the time to turn 200 pages for.

2 pages in to this “manual” as he calls it, and this guy, the CEO, tells a bit on how he does something called the “text-test” - whilst vetting a potential hire, the hire will receive a text from someone on this guys team. They intentionally do this late at night, he says 10:30 or so. The message will be a weird question in that it has nothing to do with anything about the company or the hire at all, the example he used was the time they texted a guy a question about baseball stats.

While he does say if he doesn’t answer, it doesn’t mean he won’t get the job, he does go to say they get “bonus points” for how quickly they respond.
He does respond. Because of this, this guy says that he knows that this potential hire
A. Ridiculously responsive (he calls this a great indicator of success)
B. They’ve “wow’d” him
C. They’ve shown solution side living (again, the text is a question about baseball)
D. They’ve shown “contagious fun”

He goes on to say that the text test is “one of the best and easiest tools we have to predict a candidate’s success.”

He also says “if you get a text after hours, answer it right away. If you get a call, pick it up. If that’s going to make you crazy, then we want to test for it right away.”


So, that’s the craziest thing I’ve ever read. If you’re not readily available for your job at any given point as demonstrated by this guys stupid arbitrary “text test”, then you don’t get “bonus points” and let’s be honest, probably won’t be hired. Basically, this guy seems to want to hire company people who are ready to bend for the company at any given point on account you should always be “ridiculously responsive”.

The worst thing, is he intentionally won’t tell the candidate about any test. As far as candidate knows, he had an interview that day and maybe he thinks it went well, just to get a weird entrapping text later that night that’s secretly a “putting our values into real life situations and seeing what happens” as this guy says.

Later in the chapter, he goes on :

“Fear loves to make you overthink. Overthinking makes you safer, right? You’re more likely to get the right answer or work out all the possible scenarios if you over think. ‘Thinking’ is valuable, ‘overthinking’ is not. Some of my favorite people are over thinkers. The work they do is studied in flawless, they put so much care into how the audience will interpret their response. Unfortunately, it’s no use to the company when I needed a yes or no within the hour on the first day.”

So maybe you have a serious anxiety problem at your wonderful company, where your employees can’t exist in fear of screwing up, just for you to write a book about them being useless to you?

This book presents common sense how-to-be-a-employable-human “habits” and provides nothing groundbreaking. He vaguely reinvents the wheel of basic human interaction and spices it up with buzzword phrases and ramblings on how they’ll make you stand out. I’d say this book falls in the middle of the pack of the genre, but that’s generous - this book is an example of why so many people scoff at CEO written “self help” books.

These suit and tie corporate books are a dime a dozen, most often flavorless as the society they came from. It’s always interesting to hear the opinions of CEOs who are out of touch but this one really takes the cake.

[Jenny Thompson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good ideas, but very little data or practical tips for developing the traits. The discussion is mostly general, and each chapter is only really helpful if you already know how to practice the trait.

[Renee F · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the simplicity & actionable items. It's not any secret game to success but instead 12 things you can actually do and achieve to be the best you.

[Melissa Volpone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was great! Super easy to follow, broke down 12 habits that hiring managers look for in top candidates and how to create a good work environment.

[Maria Mattaini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great message and ideas but GOD what a fail… not interesting. Felt like he chat GPTed “make my ideas longer and relatable to young people” then slapped them in a book. Should be one star but two for good ideas.

[Fred Fontz · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Be the Unicorn" by William Vanderbloemen is a book that falls right in the middle of the pack when it comes to the genre it belongs to. While it has its merits, it seems to aspire to be a modern-day "How to Make Friends and Influence People" but falls short of achieving that lofty goal.

One of the book's strengths lies in its research, examples, and the real-life stories it presents. Vanderbloemen draws from a wealth of experiences to illustrate his points, making the content relatable and engaging. The inclusion of these anecdotes adds depth to the book.

However, "Be the Unicorn" has its share of downsides. The book tends to rely heavily on quotes from customers, which, after a while, can start to feel repetitive and less impactful.

Another concern is the statistics in the book, which largely come from self-reporting. This can raise questions about the reliability of the data and the potential for bias in the results. How many people can accurately identify what their greatest trait is? Is there someone who identifies as being purpose-driven when their only purpose is to complete the task at hand?

Some of these traits are left open to interpretation as to whether they're even positive or not. Having purpose in your work is an easy positive. For a book written after the pandemic, being "agile" seems like an obvious postiive. Then there is "fast-responding" where Vanderbloemen mentions a secret test. He (or a team member) sends a text late at night (think 10:30 PM) and waits to see what the response time is. Apparently, a slow response time 'doesn't hurt" a potential candidate, but a fast time (less than 1 hour) is a huge bonus. For starters, getting "bonus points" for doing something means that it's detrimental for those who don't. More importantly, I think the fast-response at that level is arguably detrimental. One person may see that as being dedicated, in touch, etc. Another could, reasonably, see it as being overconnected, lacking boundaries, and setting yourself up for burnout.

Another significant issue is the implication that anyone can possess all 12 traits discussed in the book. Realistically, expecting anyone to exhibit all 12 traits is a bit unreasonable and may set unrealistic expectations for readers.

This was an easy and enjoyable read that provides some valuable insights. The book contains memorable quotes and relatable stories, but it may not be the game-changer it aspires to be. While it's worth a read for those interested in the subject matter, it may not set you apart or guarantee instant success. It's an average addition to the genre, offering some nuggets of wisdom but not quite reaching the heights of the classics it seeks to emulate.

[Scott Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Vanderbloemen and his team culled their extensive experience to find the behavioral and character nuggets that make particular people those successful go-to heroes in our organizations. A Unicorn, according to Vanderbloemen, is the “rare” individual who successfully gets the job and succeeds in the job. He describes several attributes of the Unicorns and also reports how these Unicorns view themselves, how they described themselves.

His first case study is the Fast Responder. He claims those types get the job. Admittedly only 2.6% of those surveyed thought they were Fast Responders. However, the most common complaint among job candidates is that the organizations take too much time to respond and decide. Does that mean the deliberative, not-wanting-to-risk-a-hiring-mistake companies lose out “winning” the Fast Responding Unicorn? Because the Fast Responder is not going to wait for the organization to decide. How does Vanderbloemen coach his organizational clients not to lose this type of Unicorn? And if you need Unicorns to be successful, does that mean his clients, if they’re like typical hiring organizations, aren’t?

In this chapter, he touts those companies who were first in the market as exemplars for would=be Unicorns. Unfortunately in our Information era, the longest-life technology companies like Alphabet (Google), Apple and Meta (Facebook) were not first-in-market in any of their endeavors. They found the glaring gaps in consumer experience with the then market leaders and surpassed their competencies and created competitive advantages that their competitors didn’t know the market demanded. Likewise, current auto manufacturing behemoths were not the first in market either. Perhaps the other characteristics of Unicorns should be prioritized.

Vanderbloemen claims you can learn to be a Unicorn. Most great leaders postulate that it’s their job to create Unicorns. I once had a lengthy discussion with a CEO who claimed he could not find any good employees. After nearly an hour of inquiry, I concluded, “I guess I’ve been lucky that 98% of my employees have been great.” You get what you expect to get and what you project, such as trustworthiness. We are all subject to confirmation bias: you only see what you believe you’ll see. In one fable, a gas station manager is asked by two different visitors what the townspeople are like. After he asks them what their hometown neighbors are like, one describes a wonderful group of people while the other describes unhelpful, gossipy, backbiting busybodies. He tells each that his neighbors are exactly the same. What the visitors experienced in their hometown said more about what they expected to see than what reality was. Teachers learn that if they teach their students as if they expect them to get very good grades, the students will excel. Likewise, great leaders can create unicorns. So were Vanderbloemen’s unicorns able to pick up those traits on their own or were they lucky enough to have good mentors, while the rest of the candidates weren’t given a chance to shine==they didn’t work for organizations that valued promptness or admitting mistakes?

We know the commonalities among the successful candidates Vanderbloemen studied. We don’t know whether those commonalities are absent from the pool of unsuccessful candidates. They weren’t studied.

Like other business studies touting the keys to success, it fails to have a control group. The author notes that his recruiting methodology reduces the candidate pool to a hundred and then they conduct lengthy interviews. It’s these interviews that provide the data for his analysis of how to become a “unicorn.” This is like throwing 10,000 tennis balls into a swimming pool, skimming off the top 500 and then measuring what made them float. The differences in those floating tennis balls are nonexistent. The reason for their selection had to do with the selection algorithms—the surface area of the swimming pool, their random placement in the group determining whether they were first in the water or last, and the skimming method. Those things determined which ones were included in the study, not anything inherent in the study’s subjects.

Likewise, if we take a group of undoubtedly successful leaders familiar to Vanderbloemen from his divinity school days—the disciples of Christ—and apply the author’s rules for success, we might come up with different recommendations. Christ did not select twelve of the most prepared and qualified rabbinical students. He pulled them from non-religious careers mostly. They may not have made it to the round of interviews to be considered to be in a pool of Unicorns. Were they fast-responding, authentic, agile, etc.? Later when Judas Iscariot had to be replaced (Acts chapter 1), what was the criteria? Just that a person had to have a good character and have been with them the whole time. Two people were named that we modern readers had never heard mentioned in the gospel accounts. Did they run them through a battery of assessments and panels of interviews? They rolled the dice basically. Even with this “slipshod” method of determining candidates to lead a movement, they built one that has endured for millennia and grown exponentially from a few hundred to a few billion.

Let’s even apply the Unicorn traits to the most touted evangelist in the New Testament: Paul. If Vanderbloemen had been a 1st-century recruiter and career counselor, would he have suggested something like this? “You know, Paul, you’ve been expelled from cities, almost assassinated, stoned and jailed. Shouldn’t you stick with making tents? You seem to be really good at that.” Would Paul have made Vanderbloemen’s top one hundred candidates and gotten to the next round—the lengthy interview—and qualified to be included in his study reported in this book, or would he have been disqualified based on his spotty record?

Perhaps the main commonality between Vanderbloemen’s successful candidates and those of the 1st-century church is that those people were taught, mentored/disciples by a great leader at some point in their career. Might we all aspire to be such a great leader and turn others into Unicorns.

There’s nothing that’s new here. Vanderbloemen’s perspective is helpful in terms of how hiring managers view these behaviors and character traits.

A piece of advice for the reader: do not try to develop and exhibit all of the traits. Even the surveyed Unicorns acknowledge one as a top trait though they may practice the others at times. So pick one or two to work on and develop those in order to be attractive to the types of organizations that appreciate them.

[Jules · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Unicorn: something that is highly desirable but that is difficult to find or obtain”

In honor of my first semester of grad school starting soon, I was so excited to get this ARC!

I found this book to be insightful on the soft skills needed to stand out as a leader and how to develop said skills. However, I believe using a control group and testing studies would’ve been productive in backing up the claim that “anyone can learn to be a unicorn”.

It’s one thing to observe habits these “unicorns” possess and write a book about what they all have in common. It’s another to conduct studies across multiple companies and use control groups to back up this statement.

The stories shared seem to show what works best for Vanderbloemen’s company along with a few individual statements, a story here and there, and surveys for each habit rather than showing a wide variety of companies.

While all good practices to keep in mind, what makes an individual a “unicorn” to one company may not be the same for another company. I would’ve loved to see more exploration into the “unicorns” of other companies and industries.

Though a quick and easy read, nothing about this book stands out. Dale Carnegie’s “How To Win Friends & Influence People” did this genre of business books increasingly better. (There’s a reason it’s still a timeless classic that people still refer to!) William Vanderbloemen’s “Be The Unicorn” is rather generic and reads like just about every other book in this genre.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

It takes good habits to be a unicorn leader. This book distills these habits into a comprehensive guide that defines exceptional executives. It underscores the importance of qualities like authenticity, agility, problem solving skills, anticipation, self awareness, and curiosity, and what you can do to strengthen them. The book emphasizes that these traits are essential not only for personal success but also for fostering healthier work environments and stronger team dynamics.

[jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like I did not learn anything new from this book. They are good reminders for sure. But I feel like some parts are questionable. Seems like their company doesn’t have healthy boundaries. I am not the type of person who will be at my company beck and call. Does that not make me a unicorn? Prob for them. As an employee, you always hope that when you do a good job, you don’t get rewarded with more work lol. But the reality is, you do and you carry everyone else. I have lived by the mentality of work smarter, not harder. I don’t know how they feel about that motto, but I have learned not to burn myself out for any company.

[Scott Sauls · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent

[Michael Chanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Helpful Gut Check for Leaders (and Aspiring Leaders)

William is the real deal and his expertise shines to make this project helpful on so many levels. I really enjoyed the case studies supporting each habit and the reminder to stay humble. Highly recommend!

[PJ Wenzel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh.
“It’s all been done. It’s all been done. It’s all been done before”. So sang the Bare Naked Ladies.
It seems appropriate to reference to pop culture since that’s the kind of quote which would find itself at home in this surfacy volume.

Overall, I think this is a fine book and maybe be a good place to start if you haven’t read very widely in the self-improvement or business management space.

I really don’t have a ton of issues with it. It’s just not very original.

Two small things to know though, and these things are worth noting so you understand a little bit more of my perspective. First, this guy is a pastor or a former pastor or something like that and yeah, I was thrown off by how many references to his cultural heroes he presents who are all entirely liberal or complete morons. (Cf Greta Thunberg!!). It’s like a casting call of leftist pop culture heroes, from Trever Noah and Bill Clinton, to Thunberg and Justin Trudeau. Bizarre to be so narrowly left in his influences and also have a church background. The clinton story was really good. But some of the others were not worthy of a case study.

Secondly, I completely disagree about his use of LinkedIn and casting a wide net. He really pushes in on the idea that you cannot go wide enough. I think this is antithetical to some of what he’s trying to teach in the authenticity chapter. Of course with heroes like Greta Thunberg in his authenticity chapter maybe he didn’t quite nail that one either. Authenticity really doesn’t matter if you’re a total moron. No one likes a total fool I matter how authentic. Being authentically wrong isn’t great advice.

However, he does parrot a lot of thr good advice out there in the world today. He mentions some excellent insight from Keith Ferazzi and John Maxwell. He gives a lot of feedback from real life case studies of the people that he’s interviewed, which is probably the most unique portion of the book. Not all of those little snippets of advice are what I would consider a great wisdom, but it’s definitely a unique approach and one that only someone with a staffing firm like his could accomplish in this way. So I applaud that original application.

Would I recommend this book? Maybe. But I think this is definitely one that you could get the last page of every single chapter and read and then benefit pretty well from. It’s not peppered with amazing insights buried deep in chapters. This is the kind of book that ChatGPT was made to eliminate.

[Jung · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits That Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest" by William Vanderbloemen is a book that delves into the essential soft skills that set exceptional leaders apart from the rest. The author draws on his extensive experience in talent-spotting to identify twelve teachable skills that can transform you into a standout, magnetic individual in the workforce.

In this summary, we explore six of these key skills:

1. Be quick: Successful leaders are those who don't hesitate to seize opportunities. Acting fast doesn't mean making impulsive decisions; it's about making quick, decisive calls based on sound judgment. Staying connected and avoiding the fear of imperfection are essential to cultivating this skill.

2. Be adaptable: Agility is critical in a rapidly changing world. Embracing change, thinking innovatively, and fostering a diverse team are essential aspects of this skill. As individuals, we can maintain our adaptability by constantly learning and expanding our interests.

3. Anticipate the future: Leaders who can anticipate change and adapt accordingly are invaluable. This skill involves recognizing patterns, envisioning various scenarios, and being flexible in response to potential futures.

4. Know yourself: Self-awareness is crucial for personal and professional growth. Recognizing your strengths, limitations, and emotional triggers can help you position yourself effectively, contribute positively to your organization's culture, and be an effective leader.

5. Foster curiosity: Curiosity sparks innovation and creativity. It encourages us to ask questions, seek diverse perspectives, and stay open to new ideas. Cultivating curiosity in all areas of life can lead to personal and professional growth.

6. Network and connect: Building strong relationships with others is essential for success. Genuine connections based on mutual understanding and trust can provide invaluable support and open doors to new opportunities.

In conclusion, mastering these soft skills can help you become an exceptional leader who stands out in today's competitive workforce. By embracing these habits, you can unleash your inner Unicorn and achieve personal and professional success.

[J Kromrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest” is a compelling read for anyone looking to elevate their leadership skills in a rapidly evolving business landscape. Author William Vanderbloemen taps into his extensive experience in executive search to distill the essence of what makes a leader truly exceptional—akin to the mythical unicorn in its rarity and value.

The book is structured around twelve key habits that are backed by data and real-world examples, making it a practical guide for aspiring leaders. Vanderbloemen’s approach is both analytical and anecdotal, providing a balanced view that is both informative and engaging. Each habit is explored through the lens of “What We Know,” “What We’ve Seen,” and “What We Do,” offering readers a clear path to not only understanding these traits but also implementing them.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its inclusivity. The habits discussed are universally applicable, transcending gender, industry, and cultural boundaries. This makes “Be the Unicorn” a refreshing departure from the typical business tome that may cater to a narrower audience.

However, the book is not without its critiques. Some may argue that the emphasis on being first to market, as highlighted in the case study of the “Fast Responder,” may not always align with the success stories of today’s tech giants, which have thrived by identifying and filling gaps left by their predecessors. This raises questions about the adaptability of these habits in different contexts and the potential need for a more nuanced approach to leadership.

In conclusion, “Be the Unicorn” is a thought-provoking exploration of leadership in the modern age. It challenges readers to introspect and strive for continuous improvement. Whether you’re a seasoned executive or an emerging leader, this book offers valuable insights that can help you stand out and succeed in an increasingly competitive world. With its data-driven framework and actionable advice, it’s a worthy addition to any leader’s library.