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Radical Humility: Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human
"A game-changing book that redefines leadership in the modern world." --Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers50 #1 Executive Coach and New York Times bestselling author of The Earned Life, Triggers , and What Got You Here Won't Get You There When veteran executive coach, professor, and ultraendurance champion Urs Koenig signed up to be a NATO peacekeeping commander and United Nations peacekeeper in his fifties, he thought he knew a thing or two about leadership. What he discovered was a new way of thinking that replaces the top-down, "heroic" leadership of the past with a more human-centered approach that views humility as a strength and key to achieving goals in today's complex world. The deeply researched Radical Humility framework centers on making five Shifts that will help you elevate your leadership from Heroic (THEN) to Humble (NOW): » 1. Dig Deep --from blind spots (THEN) to self-awareness (NOW)
» 2. Tough on Results, Tender on People --from heavy-handed (THEN) to high-touch, high standards (NOW)
» 3. Lead Like a Compass --from micromanaging (THEN) to empowerment (NOW)
» 4. Full Transparency --from secrecy (THEN) to open doors (NOW)
» 5. Champion a Fearless Culture --from afraid to speak up (THEN) to fearless (NOW)
With a flair for storytelling that has inspired teams at Amazon, Starbucks, Microsoft, and the Society of Human Resource Management, Koenig shares his own compelling leadership journey as well as those of leaders from health care, government, tech, the military, professional sports, and more. Radical Humility is packed with dozens of no-nonsense tools and practical takeaways, making it the ultimate actionable blueprint for a new type of leader for a new type of world.
» 2. Tough on Results, Tender on People --from heavy-handed (THEN) to high-touch, high standards (NOW)
» 3. Lead Like a Compass --from micromanaging (THEN) to empowerment (NOW)
» 4. Full Transparency --from secrecy (THEN) to open doors (NOW)
» 5. Champion a Fearless Culture --from afraid to speak up (THEN) to fearless (NOW)
With a flair for storytelling that has inspired teams at Amazon, Starbucks, Microsoft, and the Society of Human Resource Management, Koenig shares his own compelling leadership journey as well as those of leaders from health care, government, tech, the military, professional sports, and more. Radical Humility is packed with dozens of no-nonsense tools and practical takeaways, making it the ultimate actionable blueprint for a new type of leader for a new type of world.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published March 19, 2024
53 people are currently reading
332 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
January 25, 2024
Excellent, excellent. If you can love a leadership book then I loved this book. Referencing the significant leadership books of the past, this framework provides a fresh way of thinking about leadership - tough on results and gentle on people. Provides the why and practical examples of how to use the framework. Highly recommended. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for a DRC.
June 24, 2024
Radical Humility: Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human by Urs König
I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley with the expectation, but not requirement, that I write a review. The opinion is my own.
The book is about how to be soft on people and hard on results. The author has his own life experiences from athletics, business experience and coaching, and the Swiss military. He was most deeply shaped by the example of his father, who evidently was one of the OGs of demonstrating radical humility and is the real inspiration for the book. The author has also done his homework on effective teams and research on humility (the bibliography is about 20% of the book). Empirically, environments that promote transparency and humility from executives, and psychological safety for employees tend to be more productive and have better retention. I gleaned a lot from this book on building cohesive communication within a team and leading when one has authority but not the level of experience or expertise as subordinates.
“Leadership is a set of cooperative relationships that maximizes the efforts of others to achieve something bigger and better…more simply, leadership is getting important stuff done through and with other people” (loc. 270-271). I liked that definition of leadership to differentiate it from management.
Some aspects of implementing Radical Humility may be off-putting to an introvert. It involves developing “strong personal relationships” with your colleagues, making the worksite more of a family than a job. While studies show that modern workers crave these kinds of connections and it helps improve retention, there are some caveats for me. One quote that the author could have included in the book is one I credit to Andy Stanley: “Trust is the intersection of integrity and competence.” There are a number of bosses and colleagues who I’ve opened up to on a personal level who then didn’t remember the conversation later; it was repeated. There have been other bosses who showed great empathy and even inquired about spiritual matters only to be too “hands off” when it came to doing the work, making me question whether the boss actually cared about anyone or it was just a show.
As a U.S. Foreign Service Officer assigned to a two or three year tour in an office with locally-employed (ie: native) staff who work there as a career, it can be challenging to figure out how to lead in such a way that gets results but does not overdrive the office or call for unnecessary stress such as restructuring. The local staff may also have had abusive experiences with previous managers and are wary of being vulnerable. My last two work roles involved managing much of the day-to-day of an office in which I was the backup to the Senior Manager but had no direct reports of my own. In both instances, I spent Day 1 having one-on-ones with the other employees to learn what they liked/disliked about the job and what their challenges and goals were. I found this worked well to build rapport and trust, similar to what Koenig discusses in this book and I further used his data and anecdotes to make this concrete in my leadership style. Like König, I agree of the importance of showing that you’ll not ask a team member to do something you’re not willing to do yourself; to lead by example.
“Psychological safety” is a buzzwork I hear more of in my government workplace. A senior Director mentioned it on a call with other managers this year; she explained it and the importance of trying to utilize it amongst staff. I agree with the author that it’s absolutely necessary for people to have the freedom to speak up without fear of backlash or retribution. I appreciate his quoting from Ray Dalio and others, as well as presenting exercises in how to lead an office in developing radical transparency. How many lives would be saved and disasters averted if that were the culture in major corporations? Sadly, I’m quite certain it’s not made its way into the Foreign Service culture.
But cultural nuances vary. While Latin American colleagues were very quick to open up about their families, health struggles, and frustrations, I’ve found less enthusiasm initially sharing in Eastern Europe and Asia. In my personal experience learning from the many other American managers in my career, it’s hard to be “tough on results” when you’re friends with colleagues on a deeper level. I had a good manager who cared about people on a personal level, but was never one to hang out after hours or attend activities, making it clear from her past experiences that she could not be “friends” with colleagues whose achievements she rated; it led to conflict and hurt feelings. This aspect goes unexplored in the book. It’s one thing to be able to be a military peacekeeper and give direct orders to your troops, but another when it’s a voluntary job.
The real weakness of the book is that the author tries to tackle too much with one swing of the bat. He easily could have three books from the material in the book. It is denser than it needs to be with a bit too many acronyms and lists. There is also a bit of repetition at the end that makes it redundant rather than reinforcing. It’s also one of my pet peeves when an author writing in Chapter 13 refers back to an obscure concept from a previous chapter with a simple “Remember Chapter 2?”
I made many highlights, it was all helpful content, but it was a bit much. The authors’ ideas and personal stories deserve to be bestsellers, but bestsellers are more compact and easier to digest. I wouldn’t hesitate to hire him as a coach and I hope that he continues writing (and finding strong editors) so that he improves his presentation. I will sign up for his newsletter 3.5 stars.
I received an advanced copy of this book via NetGalley with the expectation, but not requirement, that I write a review. The opinion is my own.
The book is about how to be soft on people and hard on results. The author has his own life experiences from athletics, business experience and coaching, and the Swiss military. He was most deeply shaped by the example of his father, who evidently was one of the OGs of demonstrating radical humility and is the real inspiration for the book. The author has also done his homework on effective teams and research on humility (the bibliography is about 20% of the book). Empirically, environments that promote transparency and humility from executives, and psychological safety for employees tend to be more productive and have better retention. I gleaned a lot from this book on building cohesive communication within a team and leading when one has authority but not the level of experience or expertise as subordinates.
“Leadership is a set of cooperative relationships that maximizes the efforts of others to achieve something bigger and better…more simply, leadership is getting important stuff done through and with other people” (loc. 270-271). I liked that definition of leadership to differentiate it from management.
Some aspects of implementing Radical Humility may be off-putting to an introvert. It involves developing “strong personal relationships” with your colleagues, making the worksite more of a family than a job. While studies show that modern workers crave these kinds of connections and it helps improve retention, there are some caveats for me. One quote that the author could have included in the book is one I credit to Andy Stanley: “Trust is the intersection of integrity and competence.” There are a number of bosses and colleagues who I’ve opened up to on a personal level who then didn’t remember the conversation later; it was repeated. There have been other bosses who showed great empathy and even inquired about spiritual matters only to be too “hands off” when it came to doing the work, making me question whether the boss actually cared about anyone or it was just a show.
As a U.S. Foreign Service Officer assigned to a two or three year tour in an office with locally-employed (ie: native) staff who work there as a career, it can be challenging to figure out how to lead in such a way that gets results but does not overdrive the office or call for unnecessary stress such as restructuring. The local staff may also have had abusive experiences with previous managers and are wary of being vulnerable. My last two work roles involved managing much of the day-to-day of an office in which I was the backup to the Senior Manager but had no direct reports of my own. In both instances, I spent Day 1 having one-on-ones with the other employees to learn what they liked/disliked about the job and what their challenges and goals were. I found this worked well to build rapport and trust, similar to what Koenig discusses in this book and I further used his data and anecdotes to make this concrete in my leadership style. Like König, I agree of the importance of showing that you’ll not ask a team member to do something you’re not willing to do yourself; to lead by example.
“Psychological safety” is a buzzwork I hear more of in my government workplace. A senior Director mentioned it on a call with other managers this year; she explained it and the importance of trying to utilize it amongst staff. I agree with the author that it’s absolutely necessary for people to have the freedom to speak up without fear of backlash or retribution. I appreciate his quoting from Ray Dalio and others, as well as presenting exercises in how to lead an office in developing radical transparency. How many lives would be saved and disasters averted if that were the culture in major corporations? Sadly, I’m quite certain it’s not made its way into the Foreign Service culture.
But cultural nuances vary. While Latin American colleagues were very quick to open up about their families, health struggles, and frustrations, I’ve found less enthusiasm initially sharing in Eastern Europe and Asia. In my personal experience learning from the many other American managers in my career, it’s hard to be “tough on results” when you’re friends with colleagues on a deeper level. I had a good manager who cared about people on a personal level, but was never one to hang out after hours or attend activities, making it clear from her past experiences that she could not be “friends” with colleagues whose achievements she rated; it led to conflict and hurt feelings. This aspect goes unexplored in the book. It’s one thing to be able to be a military peacekeeper and give direct orders to your troops, but another when it’s a voluntary job.
The real weakness of the book is that the author tries to tackle too much with one swing of the bat. He easily could have three books from the material in the book. It is denser than it needs to be with a bit too many acronyms and lists. There is also a bit of repetition at the end that makes it redundant rather than reinforcing. It’s also one of my pet peeves when an author writing in Chapter 13 refers back to an obscure concept from a previous chapter with a simple “Remember Chapter 2?”
I made many highlights, it was all helpful content, but it was a bit much. The authors’ ideas and personal stories deserve to be bestsellers, but bestsellers are more compact and easier to digest. I wouldn’t hesitate to hire him as a coach and I hope that he continues writing (and finding strong editors) so that he improves his presentation. I will sign up for his newsletter 3.5 stars.
April 11, 2024
Rivetting!
I've read a few books and could easily say that most of what the authors says... I have already read or train on, yet...
This book is a must read for all people managers, especially first time supervisors.
The author references the best mental models across a variety of topics and puts them together in an easy to understand and apply way... to give leaders a clear way forward on HOW to become a radically humble and simultaneously awesome/badass leader.
Practical without being preachy - my kinda book!
I've read a few books and could easily say that most of what the authors says... I have already read or train on, yet...
This book is a must read for all people managers, especially first time supervisors.
The author references the best mental models across a variety of topics and puts them together in an easy to understand and apply way... to give leaders a clear way forward on HOW to become a radically humble and simultaneously awesome/badass leader.
Practical without being preachy - my kinda book!
November 3, 2024
I have recently read Urs Koenig's book "Radical Humility: Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human." I came across Urs's book at a time of deep inner search for me. I found Urs's book to be captivating, moving, and transformative.
Urs's literary product incorporates extensive research on the topic of leadership, with emphasis on humility leadership. Urs graciously quotes from established leadership theorists, such as Amer Kaissi, Brene Brown, Kim Scott, Ray Dalio, or Amy Edmondson, while providing pertinent examples from the activity of companies like Bridgewater Associates, Coinbase, Boeing, or Google, to name just a few. Urs pleads the case for humility leadership with the eloquence of a defense attorney, whereas offering practical exercises, quizzes, and suggestions for implementation.
To think that Urs's book is a cut-and-dry manual on leadership, though, one would be far from the truth. In fact, Urs's text reads like an engrossing action novel, as the author does not forget to draw on his personal experiences participating in endurance sports, and working as a speaker, trainer, and international military peacekeeper. Incidentally, Urs's life unfolds in front of his readers' eyes like the story of a mythical hero spun by elders gathered around the hearth of a community.
As readers learn about the value and impact of humility leadership, they perceive the struggle of the author, who had left his native land as a young man to discover himself away from the shadow of a strong father figure. Readers further see the author embracing the responsibility of his coaching, speaking, athletic, and peacekeeping career, along with that of fatherhood. Lastly, readers discover an author profoundly shaken by the plight of his father in older age, pouring his heart and soul into writing his eulogy.
Beyond the well-structured plea for humility leadership in Urs's book, one can see that the author has applied the very concepts he promotes to his own life and has, thus, become transfigured. Urs's presentation of humility as a leadership core attitude is, therefore, all the more convincing. Urs met with and defied illness, injury, destruction, death, and sadness, and has returned to talk about humility and the essential function of close human relationships as buffers against the precariousness of life. I recommend Urs's book to anyone who wishes to lead in an enlightened and authentic fashion, whether in business or in their community.
Urs's literary product incorporates extensive research on the topic of leadership, with emphasis on humility leadership. Urs graciously quotes from established leadership theorists, such as Amer Kaissi, Brene Brown, Kim Scott, Ray Dalio, or Amy Edmondson, while providing pertinent examples from the activity of companies like Bridgewater Associates, Coinbase, Boeing, or Google, to name just a few. Urs pleads the case for humility leadership with the eloquence of a defense attorney, whereas offering practical exercises, quizzes, and suggestions for implementation.
To think that Urs's book is a cut-and-dry manual on leadership, though, one would be far from the truth. In fact, Urs's text reads like an engrossing action novel, as the author does not forget to draw on his personal experiences participating in endurance sports, and working as a speaker, trainer, and international military peacekeeper. Incidentally, Urs's life unfolds in front of his readers' eyes like the story of a mythical hero spun by elders gathered around the hearth of a community.
As readers learn about the value and impact of humility leadership, they perceive the struggle of the author, who had left his native land as a young man to discover himself away from the shadow of a strong father figure. Readers further see the author embracing the responsibility of his coaching, speaking, athletic, and peacekeeping career, along with that of fatherhood. Lastly, readers discover an author profoundly shaken by the plight of his father in older age, pouring his heart and soul into writing his eulogy.
Beyond the well-structured plea for humility leadership in Urs's book, one can see that the author has applied the very concepts he promotes to his own life and has, thus, become transfigured. Urs's presentation of humility as a leadership core attitude is, therefore, all the more convincing. Urs met with and defied illness, injury, destruction, death, and sadness, and has returned to talk about humility and the essential function of close human relationships as buffers against the precariousness of life. I recommend Urs's book to anyone who wishes to lead in an enlightened and authentic fashion, whether in business or in their community.
December 18, 2025
Radical Humility is a timely and sharply relevant leadership book that challenges outdated power-driven models and replaces them with a framework rooted in self awareness, courage, and human connection. Urs Koenig draws from an unusually credible blend of experience executive coaching, academia, elite endurance sport, and international peacekeeping to present leadership not as authority over others, but as responsibility to them.
The book’s greatest strength lies in its clarity. Koenig’s five Shifts from Heroic (THEN) to Humble (NOW) are practical without being simplistic, offering leaders a realistic path to evolve without losing standards or results. His emphasis on being “tough on results, tender on people” reframes accountability as something that strengthens trust rather than erodes it.
What distinguishes Radical Humility from many leadership titles is its refusal to romanticize vulnerability while still treating humility as a competitive advantage. Koenig makes it clear that humility is not passivity it is discipline, transparency, and courage practiced daily. His storytelling, drawn from real world leadership environments ranging from military operations to global corporations, grounds the ideas in lived experience rather than theory.
This is a book for leaders navigating complexity, uncertainty, and cultural change those who recognize that command and control leadership no longer works, but who still demand excellence. Radical Humility offers a credible, actionable blueprint for leading with both strength and humanity in a modern world that requires both.
Michael
The book’s greatest strength lies in its clarity. Koenig’s five Shifts from Heroic (THEN) to Humble (NOW) are practical without being simplistic, offering leaders a realistic path to evolve without losing standards or results. His emphasis on being “tough on results, tender on people” reframes accountability as something that strengthens trust rather than erodes it.
What distinguishes Radical Humility from many leadership titles is its refusal to romanticize vulnerability while still treating humility as a competitive advantage. Koenig makes it clear that humility is not passivity it is discipline, transparency, and courage practiced daily. His storytelling, drawn from real world leadership environments ranging from military operations to global corporations, grounds the ideas in lived experience rather than theory.
This is a book for leaders navigating complexity, uncertainty, and cultural change those who recognize that command and control leadership no longer works, but who still demand excellence. Radical Humility offers a credible, actionable blueprint for leading with both strength and humanity in a modern world that requires both.
Michael
November 5, 2025
A transformative, fearless guide that redefines strength through humility.
In Radical Humility: Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human, Urs Koenig delivers a powerful manifesto for the modern leader. Through five essential Shifts, he illuminates how empathy, openness, and courage can turn traditional leadership on its head and create cultures where both people and performance thrive.
Koenig’s background as an executive coach, professor, and peacekeeper lends remarkable depth to his message. His stories from NATO missions to corporate boardrooms demonstrate that humility is not the opposite of strength but its truest form. Each chapter offers actionable tools, reflective insights, and a compelling vision for a leadership model that is as fearless as it is compassionate.
Radical Humility is more than a leadership manual, it’s a movement. Koenig’s writing is grounded, motivating, and deeply human, inviting readers to lead with integrity and purpose in every sphere of life.
A vital, inspiring, and unforgettable contribution to twenty-first-century leadership.
In Radical Humility: Be a Badass Leader and a Good Human, Urs Koenig delivers a powerful manifesto for the modern leader. Through five essential Shifts, he illuminates how empathy, openness, and courage can turn traditional leadership on its head and create cultures where both people and performance thrive.
Koenig’s background as an executive coach, professor, and peacekeeper lends remarkable depth to his message. His stories from NATO missions to corporate boardrooms demonstrate that humility is not the opposite of strength but its truest form. Each chapter offers actionable tools, reflective insights, and a compelling vision for a leadership model that is as fearless as it is compassionate.
Radical Humility is more than a leadership manual, it’s a movement. Koenig’s writing is grounded, motivating, and deeply human, inviting readers to lead with integrity and purpose in every sphere of life.
A vital, inspiring, and unforgettable contribution to twenty-first-century leadership.
June 4, 2024
I like to think I’m a humble guy, but I know I can do a lot better. That’s why I can’t recommend ‘Radical Humility’ by my new friend Urs Koenig highly or humbly enough.
It’s an absolutely awesome book that I’ve immediately added to my mental bookshelf, right alongside some of my humble favorites:
📚 Humility Is The New Smart by Edward Hess
📚 Humble Inquiry by Edgar Schein
📚Humbitious by Amer Kaissi, Ph.D.
📚 Right Kind of Wrong by Amy Edmondson
Here are three of my favorite nuggets from the book:
💡 When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.
💡 Leadership is a thinking person’s sport.
💡”I am because we are.” – Zulu saying
And Urs is giving away some really fantastic resources to help readers apply some of his fantastic frameworks themselves: https://www.urskoenig.com/book
5/5 and two thumbs up!
It’s an absolutely awesome book that I’ve immediately added to my mental bookshelf, right alongside some of my humble favorites:
📚 Humility Is The New Smart by Edward Hess
📚 Humble Inquiry by Edgar Schein
📚Humbitious by Amer Kaissi, Ph.D.
📚 Right Kind of Wrong by Amy Edmondson
Here are three of my favorite nuggets from the book:
💡 When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.
💡 Leadership is a thinking person’s sport.
💡”I am because we are.” – Zulu saying
And Urs is giving away some really fantastic resources to help readers apply some of his fantastic frameworks themselves: https://www.urskoenig.com/book
5/5 and two thumbs up!
September 7, 2024
One of my LinkedIn connections shared her takeaways from this book, and I was so intrigued that I immediately bought the book and contacted the author to be on my podcast. I was not disappointed. Urs has an incredibly diverse leadership background that I have no doubt inspired the advice he provides in this book. In a world where soft skills in leadership seem to be overlooked, this is a must read for any business leader interested in developing his/her toolkit for impactful people leadership. Vulnerability, relationship building, psychological safety, and deep self awareness are all skills Urs highlights in his book as the skills of “badass” leaders who also happen to be good humans. I put this book down feeling inspired by Urs and grateful that I have some solid tools to take with me on my leadership journey.
July 4, 2024
For business leaders who are struggling to understand the new values of workers in post pandemic America, there is a lot to learn from this book.
Like most books in this genre, there is a lot of things that are self-evident and don't require a book to learn about them. However, this book makes a case for leading with a gentle, understanding hand. In a sense, "to lead well is to serve well." Allow others to shine and the leader shines along with them.
There is a win/win scenario here.
Like most books in this genre, there is a lot of things that are self-evident and don't require a book to learn about them. However, this book makes a case for leading with a gentle, understanding hand. In a sense, "to lead well is to serve well." Allow others to shine and the leader shines along with them.
There is a win/win scenario here.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews