View from the Top: An Inside Look at How People in Power See and Shape the World

by D. Michael Lindsay

Learn leadership from the proven insights from the power elite in business, government, and beyond.

View from the Top brings listeners inside the corridors of power and relates the personal stories and powerful findings from the Platinum Study, a groundbreaking study of 550 elite American CEOs, senior government leaders, and nonprofit executives based on 10 years of research. The largest study of its kind, the Platinum Study delves into the domains of the elite with stories that illustrate both the use and misuse of power across the landscape of prominent American institutions such as AT&T, Harvard University, UnderArmour, JP Morgan Chase, Bain & Company, and the White House. The book explores not only how leaders wield power, but it also provides listeners with insight into applying the strategies of the successful in their own lives.

In the United States, only a few thousand individuals make the decisions that influence the lives of over 300 million people. View from the Top explores the lives of the elite and the worlds they inhabit, revealing lessons about influence at the top. The results of the Platinum Study include unexpected truths, such

Being born into wealth is a poor predictor of leadership success One program can set you on the path to leadership It doesn't matter what college you attend A leader's best work never sees the light of day Crisis is the quickest way for a leader to shape an institution Working longer does not mean working better The book examines the different paths to power and describes the essence of leadership and the fundamental traits that distinguish a leader from the pack. For anyone seeking sharpen their leadership skills and impact the world around them, View from the An Inside Look at How People in Power See and Shape the World provides the road map to taking charge and inspiring change.

Genres: Leadership, Business, Sociology

Audible Audio

First published April 18, 2014

Reviews

[Thomas Chung · Rating 3 out of 5]

View from the top is about how the leaders of today act at the top and also what they did and acted like to get there. I liked this book because it gave me insight on how to become and think like a leader. However, one part I did not like about the book was how much it talked about White House Fellows. Yes, they are a good experience, but I thought that writing a lot about it wasn't very useful. Overall, I believe that the book was very good and I will take the things that I learned from this book and I will use it later on in my life.

[Hannah Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! MG Hager did an excellent job!

[Mckinley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leadership is the exercise of influence in the service or a shared cause.
- act personally (principles to take interest in lives of others), but think institutionally (implement new approach and others follow)
- maximize opportunities (for self), but leave something behind (for others to also benefit)
- great leaders sacrifice (willingness to trade privileges in exchange for more substantal influence

[Zee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given the book’s title and the breadth of the author’s leadership study, this book did not live up to its potential but is still a very good short read on generalist leadership as shaped by experience, connections and mindset.

[Brad Layland · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have reread this book after about 10 years and based on my own place in leader ship, I found the book to be extremely helpful. I also know a bunch of the people the doctor Lindsay talks about and I know Dr. Lindsey the book was really great.

[Nick Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. More descriptive than prescriptive, but still good.

[Robert Crow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Author describes his rubbing-shoulders withs celebs and politicos, and his impressions of how decisions are made. Somewhat interesting, but provides little useful insight into leadership.

[Ivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Act personally, think institutionally.”

[Reid Mccormick · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Leadership is not handed down, and there is not one right path to make it to the top.”

College presidents have a unique role. They must run the academy while being the top donor relations person, the lead representative to the community, and voice for the future. They also need to manage a campus filled with medical teams, counselors, safety officers, janitors, and landscapers. A Christian college president has an incomparable experience, as they must succeed in all the former duties listed they need to be the chief spiritual director for all faculty, staff and students. I relish any opportunity to read a book by Christian college president, especially on leadership.

D. Michael Lindsay is the president of Gordon College, a Christian college just north of Boston, Massachusetts, and in his book View from the Top, Dr. Lindsay summarizes the result from a decade long leadership study that covers over 500 influential leaders.

Each chapter in the book is a summary of an idea followed by numerous responses and examples from leaders ranging from non-profit CEOs to difference makers in the halls of the White House and Congress. It was incredibly interesting to hear all these experiences and stories, in fact my one complaint is the overload of stories. I would have love to dig deeper into the experiences of these amazing leaders.

I will definitely keep this book on my shelf in my office and look at it periodically to inspire through the difficult times of leadership.

[Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's impossible for me not to really enjoy this book, given the amount of work I put into it. In fact, I recognize much of my work in the book, and so I very much appreciated reading the book. This book is an analysis of senior leaders in America, and does a wonderful job of putting their stories and the findings from interviews with them in the context of a picture of what those people look like. Ultimately, this isn't a "how to" book designed to make people CEOs, but a book that helps pull back the curtain on what these peoples' lives are like such that it dispels misconceptions we might have about them. It's a short book, so for someone with interest in what senior leaders look like, it's worth the read.

[Audra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually heard Mr. Lindsay speak at my church and really enjoyed hearing about some of the fascinating people he has interviewed! His insights into the world of the uber successful were fascinating. I look forward to putting some of his principles into practice.

[Gurvan · Rating 1 out of 5]

One word: boring !

Frankly, I struggled to finish it...

[Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is incredible, it really gave me a better perspective on the upper-class.

[Andrew Canavan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good look into the daily habits, practices, and philosophical foundations for a wide range of high-level leaders.

[Marci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well researched. Tidbits from 550 interviews, organized by leadership lessons learned.