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Consiglieri - Leading from the Shadows: Why Coming Top Is Sometimes Second Best
The key to success lies in getting to the top. Right? Wrong.Not everyone can be in charge but, more importantly, not everyone should want to be. Richard Hytner, deputy chairman of Saatchi & Saatchi, thinks it's time to celebrate the second-in-command, the Merlin to King Arthur, Al Gore to Bill Clinton, Rasputin to the Russian Royal Family. These are the deputies, Vice-Presidents, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Department Heads, First Lieutenants and First Violins whose influence determines the fate of countries, companies and individual ventures all over the world.After all, supremacy comes with drawbacks (one of which is that everyone wants your job) and influence, authority and power can be found in much more interesting places than behind the CEO's desk. Consiglieri brings together historical examples from Thomas Cromwell to Cardinal Richelieu, conversations with the second-in-commands of Tony Blair and Sir Alex Ferguson, insights into Stalin, JFK, Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore, interviews with leaders in sport, business, politics and music and cutting-edge research from psychologists and academics to produce a fresh (and refreshing) approach to leadership in the mould of Obliquity or Thinking, Fast and Slow.If you fancy yourself as a contemporary Machiavelli or Bismarck, make this stylish, clever and entertaining guide to finding your ideal role in a company your first choice. This is the first (not second) funny business book for a long time.
288 pages, Paperback
First published May 27, 2014
60 people are currently reading
266 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 13, 2015
I picked up this book as part of my continuing exploration of followership. While Hytner's depiction of the second-chair leader-counselor ("consiglieri") raises some helpful points of awareness in boss-subordinate relations, I found his scheme of consiglieri archetypes to be too convoluted to be useful: four main categories, with a variety of subcategories for each, and no clear connection between them in order to help establish this paradigm as a clear framework for personal awareness within my own mind.
His encouragement of leader-follower relationship evaluation and communication is valuable, and his long list of sample questions may appeal to those who are looking for a stepping stone in how to engage with their leader (or follower) in this manner.
Overall, this book is not a bad read, but not terribly insightful either. Most of the author's case studies and examples are British sports figures and politicians, and his literary citations require a pretty astounding breadth of familiarity (beef up on your Shakespeare!) in order to fully appreciate his points. This book can be safely skimmed without risk of missing crucial points or wisdom.
His encouragement of leader-follower relationship evaluation and communication is valuable, and his long list of sample questions may appeal to those who are looking for a stepping stone in how to engage with their leader (or follower) in this manner.
Overall, this book is not a bad read, but not terribly insightful either. Most of the author's case studies and examples are British sports figures and politicians, and his literary citations require a pretty astounding breadth of familiarity (beef up on your Shakespeare!) in order to fully appreciate his points. This book can be safely skimmed without risk of missing crucial points or wisdom.
May 2, 2021
Written for those who might consider building a life and career as the second-in-command; celebrating those who work behind the scenes to make the magic happen. A unique perspective, with a very thorough unpacking with very vivid case references (notably from: sports, entertainment, governmental, and corporate industries).
Hytner provides deep insights using the symbolic role of a "Consiglieri" (a unique advisory leadership role within the mafia next to the boss, with the unique authority to challenge and maneuver on behalf of the family). In the corporate world, this might be ascribed to the chief of staff, style roles, and the types of peoples whose very roles influence how the top-decision maker acts (often the CEOs).
Hytner draws on his years of experience(s) as well as in-depth expert interviews with second-in-commands from his past lives in his time at Saatchi & Saatchi, where we excelled in this role, to establish his authority to speak to this topic.
Ultimately, Richard Hytner leaves no stone unturned as he establishes a wide base for future leadership theorists to consider: why becoming the number 2 is as great an ambition as being number 1; how this is done and the dynamic managed.
Hytner provides deep insights using the symbolic role of a "Consiglieri" (a unique advisory leadership role within the mafia next to the boss, with the unique authority to challenge and maneuver on behalf of the family). In the corporate world, this might be ascribed to the chief of staff, style roles, and the types of peoples whose very roles influence how the top-decision maker acts (often the CEOs).
Hytner draws on his years of experience(s) as well as in-depth expert interviews with second-in-commands from his past lives in his time at Saatchi & Saatchi, where we excelled in this role, to establish his authority to speak to this topic.
Ultimately, Richard Hytner leaves no stone unturned as he establishes a wide base for future leadership theorists to consider: why becoming the number 2 is as great an ambition as being number 1; how this is done and the dynamic managed.
October 21, 2025
Reading is thinking with someone else's head instead of one's own - and Consiglieri by Richard Hytner absolutely transformed how I think about leadership. As someone who's spent decades leading international teams, this book was a revelation about the power of being the trusted advisor rather than always being the one in the spotlight.
Hytner brilliantly argues that the best leaders often aren't the CEOs but the strategic right-hand people who make things happen behind the scenes. The book dismantles the myth that you need the top title to have real impact. What resonated most was his framework for building influence through expertise, loyalty, and strategic thinking rather than positional authority.
Having worked across multiple cultures and regions, I found his insights on navigating complex organizational dynamics especially valuable. Consiglieri should be required reading for anyone who wants to lead effectively without needing to be the person with the biggest office.
Hytner brilliantly argues that the best leaders often aren't the CEOs but the strategic right-hand people who make things happen behind the scenes. The book dismantles the myth that you need the top title to have real impact. What resonated most was his framework for building influence through expertise, loyalty, and strategic thinking rather than positional authority.
Having worked across multiple cultures and regions, I found his insights on navigating complex organizational dynamics especially valuable. Consiglieri should be required reading for anyone who wants to lead effectively without needing to be the person with the biggest office.
May 19, 2020
Most o business & leadership related books focus of the "leader", the person standing in front, forgetting that all movements starts with a first follower. Perhaps this reflects the general population desire to reach the top, ignoring what the top means, and that there is a ladder, and sometimes hierarchies. Hence why I thought the premise of this book was interesting, the person immediatelly behind.
The book gives a few interesting examples of second-in-command and advisors, and their importance to their "A", as the author describes, and some important characteristics. However, the book is confusing and sometimes it is hard to draw a clear line or paradigm.
Could have been better organized and more clear.
The book gives a few interesting examples of second-in-command and advisors, and their importance to their "A", as the author describes, and some important characteristics. However, the book is confusing and sometimes it is hard to draw a clear line or paradigm.
Could have been better organized and more clear.
March 19, 2022
An interesting idea about the power of number 2 and something that I can relate to. At one level is not entirely surprising in (increasingly) complex environments and it is interestingly to see it rationalised.
The translation of the idea into a book is IMHO less than ideal. I am all in favour of examples but if you use them in excess, and you need the knowledge of the example as well to make sense of the idea that the book is bringing then it defeats the purpose of their use.
July 20, 2020
It’s 3.5 really - definitely enjoyed the concept of the A and C collaboration, and especially the suggestion that you can interchange between both... but really you know deep down which one you are. Some nice anecdotes... it just lost momentum by the end so not 4*. However for anyone who operates as a polyvalent C, this is a good book to read!
December 25, 2024
3.5.
I'd read this before pre-Goodreads and would have given it a 4 then, but coming back to it I found it less well argued than I had remembered. It has some good ideas but at times the examples just seem to be unconvincing and it was never clear to me that if the same person can operates as main leader and support how to know when to take on which role.
I'd read this before pre-Goodreads and would have given it a 4 then, but coming back to it I found it less well argued than I had remembered. It has some good ideas but at times the examples just seem to be unconvincing and it was never clear to me that if the same person can operates as main leader and support how to know when to take on which role.
January 27, 2018
A really good idea for a book (and title) - almost everyone answers to someone higher up. And there are some really good pointers here. But there is a lot more to be mined around the ideas of team leadership, 'managing up', and generally being the trusted adviser.
September 1, 2019
Surprisingly a good book with a lot of practical advice from ex executive of Saatchi&Saatchi, who changed role of executive to consiglieri. The book is full of instances not only fom business sphere, but also from culture, sports and politics
November 14, 2019
Unclear, hard-to-read.
November 17, 2019
Interesting concept with flashes of brilliance and great primary sources. But overall, it doesn't feel like a finished idea. Would love to read more on this topic, though.
March 8, 2021
Interesting concepts around advisory roles, though it did feel a bit specific to high level execs at times
February 23, 2023
A helpful perspective but some parts left me feeling uncomfortable. Didn't need to be as long as it was. Got fed up with the football and x factor illustrations.
September 23, 2023
I have been looking forward to reading this book for quite a while and I wasn't disappointed. It facilitated the validation of some of my beliefs. Great book!
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews