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Discover Your True North
“One of the 25 Best Leadership Books of All-Time.” – Soundview
The Leadership Classic, Discover Your True North, expanded for today's leaders Discover Your True North is the best-selling leadership classic that enables you to become an authentic leader by discovering your True North. Originally based on first-person interviews with 125 leaders, this book instantly became a must-read business classic when it was introduced in 2007. Now expanded and updated to introduce 48 new leaders and new learning about authentic global leaders, this revisited classic includes more diverse, global, and contemporary leaders of all ages. New case studies include Warren Buffett, Indra Nooyi, Arianna Huffington, Jack Ma, Paul Polman, Mike Bloomberg, Mark Zuckerberg, and many others. Alongside these studies, former Medtronic CEO Bill George continues to share his personal stories and his wisdom by describing how you can become the leader you want to be, with helpful exercises included throughout the book.
Being a leader is about much more than title and management skills—it's fundamentally a question of who we are as human beings. Discover Your True North offers a concrete and comprehensive program for becoming an authentic leader, and shows how to chart your path to leadership success.
Once you discover the purpose of your leadership, you'll find the true leader inside you. This book shows you how to use your natural leadership abilities to inspire and empower others to excellence in today's complex global world. Discover Your True North enables you to become the leader you were born to be, and stay on track of your True North.
The Leadership Classic, Discover Your True North, expanded for today's leaders Discover Your True North is the best-selling leadership classic that enables you to become an authentic leader by discovering your True North. Originally based on first-person interviews with 125 leaders, this book instantly became a must-read business classic when it was introduced in 2007. Now expanded and updated to introduce 48 new leaders and new learning about authentic global leaders, this revisited classic includes more diverse, global, and contemporary leaders of all ages. New case studies include Warren Buffett, Indra Nooyi, Arianna Huffington, Jack Ma, Paul Polman, Mike Bloomberg, Mark Zuckerberg, and many others. Alongside these studies, former Medtronic CEO Bill George continues to share his personal stories and his wisdom by describing how you can become the leader you want to be, with helpful exercises included throughout the book.
Being a leader is about much more than title and management skills—it's fundamentally a question of who we are as human beings. Discover Your True North offers a concrete and comprehensive program for becoming an authentic leader, and shows how to chart your path to leadership success.
Once you discover the purpose of your leadership, you'll find the true leader inside you. This book shows you how to use your natural leadership abilities to inspire and empower others to excellence in today's complex global world. Discover Your True North enables you to become the leader you were born to be, and stay on track of your True North.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 10, 2015
577 people are currently reading
2447 people want to read
About the author
Bill George
21 books56 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Bill George is an executive fellow at Harvard Business School, where he has been a Professor of Management Practice and Senior Fellow teaching leadership since 2004. He is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Medtronic. He joined Medtronic in 1989 as president and chief operating officer, was chief executive officer from 1991-2001, and board chair from 1996-2002. Earlier in his career, he was a senior executive with Honeywell and Litton Industries and served in the U.S. Department of Defense.
Bill is the author of: Emerging Leader Edition of True North, Discover Your True North and The Discover Your True North Fieldbook, Authentic Leadership, True North, Finding Your True North, 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis and True North Groups.
He has served on the boards of Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil, Novartis, Target,and the Mayo Clinic. He is a life director of the Guthrie Theater, and is an executive committee and board member of YMCA of the North. He has served on the board ofWorld Economic Forum USA, and board chair for Allina Health System, Abbott-Northwestern Hospital, United Way of the Greater Twin Cities, and Advamed.
In 2014, the Franklin Institute awarded him the Bower Award for Business Leadership and he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2012. He was named one of the "Top 25 Business Leaders of the Past 25 Years" by PBS; "Executive of the Year-2001" by the Academy of Management; and "Director of the Year-2001-02" by the National Association of Corporate Directors. Bill is a frequent contributor to CNBC, Fortune Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal and makes frequent appearances on television and radio.
He received his BSIE with high honors from Georgia Tech, his MBA with high distinction from Harvard University, where he was a Baker Scholar, and honorary PhDs from Georgia Tech, Mayo Medical School, University of St. Thomas, Augsburg College and Bryant University. During 2002-03 he was professor at IMD International and Ecole Polytechnique in Lausanne, Switzerland, and executive-in-residence at Yale School of Management.
He and his wife Penny reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Bill George is an executive fellow at Harvard Business School, where he has been a Professor of Management Practice and Senior Fellow teaching leadership since 2004. He is the former chairman and chief executive officer of Medtronic. He joined Medtronic in 1989 as president and chief operating officer, was chief executive officer from 1991-2001, and board chair from 1996-2002. Earlier in his career, he was a senior executive with Honeywell and Litton Industries and served in the U.S. Department of Defense.
Bill is the author of: Emerging Leader Edition of True North, Discover Your True North and The Discover Your True North Fieldbook, Authentic Leadership, True North, Finding Your True North, 7 Lessons for Leading in Crisis and True North Groups.
He has served on the boards of Goldman Sachs, ExxonMobil, Novartis, Target,and the Mayo Clinic. He is a life director of the Guthrie Theater, and is an executive committee and board member of YMCA of the North. He has served on the board ofWorld Economic Forum USA, and board chair for Allina Health System, Abbott-Northwestern Hospital, United Way of the Greater Twin Cities, and Advamed.
In 2014, the Franklin Institute awarded him the Bower Award for Business Leadership and he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2012. He was named one of the "Top 25 Business Leaders of the Past 25 Years" by PBS; "Executive of the Year-2001" by the Academy of Management; and "Director of the Year-2001-02" by the National Association of Corporate Directors. Bill is a frequent contributor to CNBC, Fortune Magazine, and The Wall Street Journal and makes frequent appearances on television and radio.
He received his BSIE with high honors from Georgia Tech, his MBA with high distinction from Harvard University, where he was a Baker Scholar, and honorary PhDs from Georgia Tech, Mayo Medical School, University of St. Thomas, Augsburg College and Bryant University. During 2002-03 he was professor at IMD International and Ecole Polytechnique in Lausanne, Switzerland, and executive-in-residence at Yale School of Management.
He and his wife Penny reside in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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December 23, 2015
At first I was a bit skeptical about this book. It looked like one of those self-help kind of books that just state the obvious and are nothing more than a positive feedback loop. Nonetheless, it came highly recommended to me from one of my friends taking Bill George's course on Authentic Leadership at Harvard Business School. To my surprise, the book was excellent. If you read this book with an open mind focused on improving yourself, then there is a lot that can be learned here. Not sure? Here's a summary of my thoughts on the book as well as the lessons learned.
Your Life Story
Bill George begins by explaining that leadership follows from understanding your 'True North' (purpose). While this may seem obvious, it's actually not very often practiced. Many people want to be leaders just to be important or climb the ranks in a company. Often people want to be leaders because that seems to be what one ought to aspire to. Bill George uses the lift stories of other iconic leaders and shows how that the best cases of leadership are derived from following your True North. The best example is that of Howard Schultz (CEO of Starbucks). Schultz says:
For those familiar with the business of Starbucks, Starbucks provides health-coverage to even part-time workers. In addition they have a world-renowned training program that many Starbucks employees have called 'life-changing'. This has led to many Starbucks employees and executives looking up to Schultz as a true leader. I doubt Schultz would have been seen as the iconic leader he is if he didn't derive his leadership from identifying and following his True North. The moral of this chapter? Reflect on your life story and examine how it shapes you and your reason to lead.
Losing Your Way
This chapter ties in very well to the previous one. We all have at least a somewhat decent understanding of our True North, but more often than not we forget about it. We become grotesque as Sherwood Anderson explains in Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life (an excellent read). The grotesque is simply a metaphor how we often let society distract us from our True Purpose. This can happen because we start to chase extrinsic rewards such as money and fame. This can also happen because we become a slave to others' expectations of us, instead of doing what we really want. Bill George gets it right in his analysis of the fallen-from-grace Rajat Gupta who went from being an iconic leader of McKinsey to being in jail for insider trading. He writes:
It is important to not lose your way and become one of the grotesque. By following your True North, you will inevitably end up a more fulfilled person.
Crucibles
We are often defined by our biggest moments of failure or loss. Sometimes we let this define us in a negative way. We let these moments fill us with rage, hate, and resentment. Even worse, we let it distract us from our True North. Instead, we must see these as opportunities to learn and make the world a better place. Bill George uses the story of Marilyn Nelson (owner of Carlson Inc.) and how she was able to use her daughter's untimely death to make the world a better place for others. Bill George puts it best when he says:
It may sound cliche, but it's nonetheless true.
Self Awareness
It is at this point in the book that Bill George starts to tie in the idea behind one's True North to leadership. Here, Bill George makes the distinction between Authentic Leadership and Leadership. Many of us are leaders, but not many are authentic leader. What's the difference? It should be obvious if you've ever met a leader that isn't authentic. Something just feels off about certain leaders and that is usually because of a lack of authenticity. It is important to be an authentic leader. People follow authentic leaders much better than leaders who are not authentic. The key to building this authenticity is self-reflection. Many leaders have a natural tendency to try and appear invincible and even have a holier-than-tho air about them. This is a mistake for two reasons. It makes you appear not authentic AND it breaks you down as a person when you fail to use any of the existing support structures around you. He writes:
John Bryant (CEO of Hope) explains that vulnerabilities left untouched are weaknesses. But, vulnerabilities exposed to your support structure and peers can actually be strengths. He says:
Values
We all have values that are important to us, as derived from our True North. Bill George says:
When being a leader it is important that we let our values define how we act, not letting how we think a leaders should act define how we act. This makes a leader authentic and able to lead with purpose.
Sweet Spot
The Sweet Spot can be viewed as a culmination of the lessons mentioned above. It is important to identify what makes us tick and use it as a basis for acting on our values. Once we do this, we can truly lead. Bill George uses Warren Buffet as an example. Being one of the most successful people in finance, one may think Charles Schwab is just in it for the money. It turns out, that's not true in the least. His sweet spot was helping others. He founded his company with the purpose of trying to end the "thieving" he saw rampant on Wall Street. He sought to make financial independence an achievable goal for even the average American through a variety of financial tools. By leading from his sweet spot he ended up wildly successful, likely much more successful than if he led from just the desire to make money.
Support Team
As Bill George mentioned earlier, part of being authentic is exposing and talking about your vulnerabilities. From this follows the necessity of a support team. These are people who you can trust for honest feedback and will stick around you even (and especially) in times of failure. They will help you stay on the path of your True North. In this chapter he uses a host of different examples of how to take advantage of and where to find support teams.
Integrated Life
This chapter serves as a necessary example that a good leader isn't just a person that works relentlessly 24/7. A good leader needs to have a well-rounded life. This includes making time for friends, family, exercises, personal time, and hobbies. Most of this should be obvious and going into the science behind why well-rounded people are actually more productive than pure workers isn't really necessary here. Nonetheless, this is an important chapter that will illuminate how you may be able to live a happier and at the same time a more productive life.
I to We
This is one of the most important chapters in the book. Here, Bill George presents the idea of a servant leader. That is a leader that serves others in order to lead the group forward. In order to do this, a leader must make the transition from I to We. It should be a bit eye-opening to think:
One may think that now that they are a leader (whatever that means) that it is finally about THEM; that now they are the important one. This couldn't be further from the truth. One shouldn't view leadership as a manifestation of power in one's self. It's incomplete. Instead, one should view view leadership as a manifestation of power in one to help others achieve. By thinking on the we level instead of the I level, one can truly become a great and influential leader.
Purpose
Bill George explains here that in order to lead an organization, we must have a strong idea of purpose. He says:
It is important to have a clear and defined purpose, otherwise everyone is simply running in every direction. By having a purpose the transition from I to We can become a lot smoother.
Global Leadership
Here, Bill George talks about the value of being a global leader in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected. Personally, it was difficult for me to find value in or apply any of these lessons since in order to be a global leader you need to be fairly far along in your journey. Nonetheless, exposure to this idea was very important and this section could be very important to others.
Empowerment
This the final section that brings the book full-circle. Once one has made this journey, it is important that we always focus on empowerment and creating other leaders. This is a critical aspect of going from I to We and becoming a servant leader. If leaders focus on empowering others, than those that follow them will do so happily and everyone will prosper in the end.
All in all, a great read. The most important tip I have is to actually write down answers to the questions at the end of each chapter. The self-reflection is very useful and will immediately result in the book becoming relevant to your daily life.
UPDATE: I also highly recommend his book on authentic leadership (by that title).
Your Life Story
Bill George begins by explaining that leadership follows from understanding your 'True North' (purpose). While this may seem obvious, it's actually not very often practiced. Many people want to be leaders just to be important or climb the ranks in a company. Often people want to be leaders because that seems to be what one ought to aspire to. Bill George uses the lift stories of other iconic leaders and shows how that the best cases of leadership are derived from following your True North. The best example is that of Howard Schultz (CEO of Starbucks). Schultz says:
My inspiration comes from seeing my father broken from the 30 terrible blue-collar jobs he had over his life, where an uneducated person did just not have a shot.
For those familiar with the business of Starbucks, Starbucks provides health-coverage to even part-time workers. In addition they have a world-renowned training program that many Starbucks employees have called 'life-changing'. This has led to many Starbucks employees and executives looking up to Schultz as a true leader. I doubt Schultz would have been seen as the iconic leader he is if he didn't derive his leadership from identifying and following his True North. The moral of this chapter? Reflect on your life story and examine how it shapes you and your reason to lead.
Losing Your Way
This chapter ties in very well to the previous one. We all have at least a somewhat decent understanding of our True North, but more often than not we forget about it. We become grotesque as Sherwood Anderson explains in Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life (an excellent read). The grotesque is simply a metaphor how we often let society distract us from our True Purpose. This can happen because we start to chase extrinsic rewards such as money and fame. This can also happen because we become a slave to others' expectations of us, instead of doing what we really want. Bill George gets it right in his analysis of the fallen-from-grace Rajat Gupta who went from being an iconic leader of McKinsey to being in jail for insider trading. He writes:
Maybe he started to define himself by his net worth instead of self-worth.
It is important to not lose your way and become one of the grotesque. By following your True North, you will inevitably end up a more fulfilled person.
Crucibles
We are often defined by our biggest moments of failure or loss. Sometimes we let this define us in a negative way. We let these moments fill us with rage, hate, and resentment. Even worse, we let it distract us from our True North. Instead, we must see these as opportunities to learn and make the world a better place. Bill George uses the story of Marilyn Nelson (owner of Carlson Inc.) and how she was able to use her daughter's untimely death to make the world a better place for others. Bill George puts it best when he says:
Use the event to transform your wound into a pearl.
It may sound cliche, but it's nonetheless true.
Self Awareness
It is at this point in the book that Bill George starts to tie in the idea behind one's True North to leadership. Here, Bill George makes the distinction between Authentic Leadership and Leadership. Many of us are leaders, but not many are authentic leader. What's the difference? It should be obvious if you've ever met a leader that isn't authentic. Something just feels off about certain leaders and that is usually because of a lack of authenticity. It is important to be an authentic leader. People follow authentic leaders much better than leaders who are not authentic. The key to building this authenticity is self-reflection. Many leaders have a natural tendency to try and appear invincible and even have a holier-than-tho air about them. This is a mistake for two reasons. It makes you appear not authentic AND it breaks you down as a person when you fail to use any of the existing support structures around you. He writes:
To protect yourself from harm, you may develop a false self by building protective layers. In doing so, you become less authentic. Without being aware of your vulnerabilities... it is easy to go off the track of your True North...
John Bryant (CEO of Hope) explains that vulnerabilities left untouched are weaknesses. But, vulnerabilities exposed to your support structure and peers can actually be strengths. He says:
If I've got nothing to hide and admit my faults before you can call them out, what are you going to do to me?
Values
We all have values that are important to us, as derived from our True North. Bill George says:
Leadership principles are values translated into practice.
When being a leader it is important that we let our values define how we act, not letting how we think a leaders should act define how we act. This makes a leader authentic and able to lead with purpose.
Sweet Spot
The Sweet Spot can be viewed as a culmination of the lessons mentioned above. It is important to identify what makes us tick and use it as a basis for acting on our values. Once we do this, we can truly lead. Bill George uses Warren Buffet as an example. Being one of the most successful people in finance, one may think Charles Schwab is just in it for the money. It turns out, that's not true in the least. His sweet spot was helping others. He founded his company with the purpose of trying to end the "thieving" he saw rampant on Wall Street. He sought to make financial independence an achievable goal for even the average American through a variety of financial tools. By leading from his sweet spot he ended up wildly successful, likely much more successful than if he led from just the desire to make money.
Support Team
As Bill George mentioned earlier, part of being authentic is exposing and talking about your vulnerabilities. From this follows the necessity of a support team. These are people who you can trust for honest feedback and will stick around you even (and especially) in times of failure. They will help you stay on the path of your True North. In this chapter he uses a host of different examples of how to take advantage of and where to find support teams.
Integrated Life
This chapter serves as a necessary example that a good leader isn't just a person that works relentlessly 24/7. A good leader needs to have a well-rounded life. This includes making time for friends, family, exercises, personal time, and hobbies. Most of this should be obvious and going into the science behind why well-rounded people are actually more productive than pure workers isn't really necessary here. Nonetheless, this is an important chapter that will illuminate how you may be able to live a happier and at the same time a more productive life.
I to We
This is one of the most important chapters in the book. Here, Bill George presents the idea of a servant leader. That is a leader that serves others in order to lead the group forward. In order to do this, a leader must make the transition from I to We. It should be a bit eye-opening to think:
You have to realize, it's not all about you.
One may think that now that they are a leader (whatever that means) that it is finally about THEM; that now they are the important one. This couldn't be further from the truth. One shouldn't view leadership as a manifestation of power in one's self. It's incomplete. Instead, one should view view leadership as a manifestation of power in one to help others achieve. By thinking on the we level instead of the I level, one can truly become a great and influential leader.
Purpose
Bill George explains here that in order to lead an organization, we must have a strong idea of purpose. He says:
Purpose is the motivating force that binds people together to drive the organization toward common goals.
It is important to have a clear and defined purpose, otherwise everyone is simply running in every direction. By having a purpose the transition from I to We can become a lot smoother.
Global Leadership
Here, Bill George talks about the value of being a global leader in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected. Personally, it was difficult for me to find value in or apply any of these lessons since in order to be a global leader you need to be fairly far along in your journey. Nonetheless, exposure to this idea was very important and this section could be very important to others.
Empowerment
This the final section that brings the book full-circle. Once one has made this journey, it is important that we always focus on empowerment and creating other leaders. This is a critical aspect of going from I to We and becoming a servant leader. If leaders focus on empowering others, than those that follow them will do so happily and everyone will prosper in the end.
All in all, a great read. The most important tip I have is to actually write down answers to the questions at the end of each chapter. The self-reflection is very useful and will immediately result in the book becoming relevant to your daily life.
UPDATE: I also highly recommend his book on authentic leadership (by that title).
May 30, 2021
یکی از بهترین کتابها در زمینه رهبری شخصی و سازمانی است.
.
چیزی که من از این کتاب دستگیرم شد:
کتاب با این موضوع شروع میشود که هرکسی نویسنده زندگی خود است و میتوان با یادگیری و تعهد مسیر زندگی را مطابق با ارزشها هدایت کرد تا به رهبری اصیل دست پیدا کرد.
با الهام گرفتن از داستان زندگی خود میتوان آن چیز که برای آن آمدیم را پیدا کرد و اصطلاحا به چرایی زندگی خود رسید.
در ادامه نباید توسط انحرافات و شکستها مسیر را گم کنیم، بلکه میتوان آزمون سخت زندگی را پلهای برای گامهای بعدی قرار داد.
موفقیت اصولا چیزی نیست که جامعه آن را میشناسد، اجتماع حاضر نیاز به بازتعریف موفقیت دارد و این ممکن از راه خودآگاهی و خودشناسی اتفاق میافتد؛ زندگی با تظاهر و دروغ مشکلی است که جوامع با آن درگیرند و مردم از خود واقعی خودشان فاصله گرفتهاند.
زندگی اصیل شخص باید دارای ارزشها و اصول مشخصی باشد، تعیین ارزش و اصول برای خود همان تعیین استراتژی است که انسان را تحت شرایط سخت راهنمایی میکند. بهعنوان مثال اگر صداقت برای شخصی ارزش محسوب میشود، وقتی در شرایط دشواری قرار میگیرد که منافعش در خطر است، آیا به اصول خود پایبند خواهد ماند؟
برای دستیابی به لذت زندگی شغلی و حرفهای بهتر است نقطهی طلایی را پیدا کرد! یعنی چیزی که هم علاقه به آن و هم استعداد آن وجود داشته باشد. کتاب برای این موضوع وارن بافت را مثال میزند که از نظر من هم مثال بسیار خوبی است.
از نظر من مهمترین موردی که نویسنده کتاب به آن میپردازد، موضوع ارتباطات با نزدیکترین افراد زندگی است. در مواقع سخت است که انسان میتواند نیاز به یاور و همراه را به خوبی درک کند. همراه خوب کسی است که انسان را بهخاطر خود او دوست داشته باشد و نه دستاورد و شکستها و ... .
یکپارچهسازی زندگی موضوعی است که اکثر رهبران با آن درگیر هستند، چراکه هیچ فرمول مشخصی برای آن وجود ندارد و انسان محدودیتهای زیادی در زمان و توانایی خود دارد و نمیتواند همهی کارها را انجام دهد. متعادل سازی زندگی شغلی، خانوادگی، دوستانه و ... چیزی است که به اولویتهای ما در زندگی بر میگردد و بطور غیر مستقیم بر بازده عملکرد تاثیر زیادی دارد.
دو بخش اول کتاب بیشتر در مورد رهبری شخصی است ولی در بخش آخر فصلهایی که وجود دارد بیشتر جنبهی رهبری سازمانی به خود میگیرد و موضوعاتی مهمی در این مورد میپردازد؛ برای مثال در مورد اینکه چرا باید رهبری از "من محور" به "ما محور" تبدیل شود؛ هدف و رسالت رهبری چگونه باشد؛ ارتباطات رهبری با اطرافیان به چه صورت باشد و ... .
نویسنده در مورد رهبری جهانی صحبت میکند که به شخصه برای من موضوع جدیدی بود.
و در سخن پایانی به "جک ما (بنیانگذار علیبابا)" پرداخته میشود که چگونه به پول و منفعت شخصی فکر نمیکند بلکه در فکر کمک به مردم جامعه و ذینفعان دیگر است.
.
امیدوارم مفید واقع شود.
در پناه خرد
محمد هاشمی
.
چیزی که من از این کتاب دستگیرم شد:
کتاب با این موضوع شروع میشود که هرکسی نویسنده زندگی خود است و میتوان با یادگیری و تعهد مسیر زندگی را مطابق با ارزشها هدایت کرد تا به رهبری اصیل دست پیدا کرد.
با الهام گرفتن از داستان زندگی خود میتوان آن چیز که برای آن آمدیم را پیدا کرد و اصطلاحا به چرایی زندگی خود رسید.
در ادامه نباید توسط انحرافات و شکستها مسیر را گم کنیم، بلکه میتوان آزمون سخت زندگی را پلهای برای گامهای بعدی قرار داد.
موفقیت اصولا چیزی نیست که جامعه آن را میشناسد، اجتماع حاضر نیاز به بازتعریف موفقیت دارد و این ممکن از راه خودآگاهی و خودشناسی اتفاق میافتد؛ زندگی با تظاهر و دروغ مشکلی است که جوامع با آن درگیرند و مردم از خود واقعی خودشان فاصله گرفتهاند.
زندگی اصیل شخص باید دارای ارزشها و اصول مشخصی باشد، تعیین ارزش و اصول برای خود همان تعیین استراتژی است که انسان را تحت شرایط سخت راهنمایی میکند. بهعنوان مثال اگر صداقت برای شخصی ارزش محسوب میشود، وقتی در شرایط دشواری قرار میگیرد که منافعش در خطر است، آیا به اصول خود پایبند خواهد ماند؟
برای دستیابی به لذت زندگی شغلی و حرفهای بهتر است نقطهی طلایی را پیدا کرد! یعنی چیزی که هم علاقه به آن و هم استعداد آن وجود داشته باشد. کتاب برای این موضوع وارن بافت را مثال میزند که از نظر من هم مثال بسیار خوبی است.
از نظر من مهمترین موردی که نویسنده کتاب به آن میپردازد، موضوع ارتباطات با نزدیکترین افراد زندگی است. در مواقع سخت است که انسان میتواند نیاز به یاور و همراه را به خوبی درک کند. همراه خوب کسی است که انسان را بهخاطر خود او دوست داشته باشد و نه دستاورد و شکستها و ... .
یکپارچهسازی زندگی موضوعی است که اکثر رهبران با آن درگیر هستند، چراکه هیچ فرمول مشخصی برای آن وجود ندارد و انسان محدودیتهای زیادی در زمان و توانایی خود دارد و نمیتواند همهی کارها را انجام دهد. متعادل سازی زندگی شغلی، خانوادگی، دوستانه و ... چیزی است که به اولویتهای ما در زندگی بر میگردد و بطور غیر مستقیم بر بازده عملکرد تاثیر زیادی دارد.
دو بخش اول کتاب بیشتر در مورد رهبری شخصی است ولی در بخش آخر فصلهایی که وجود دارد بیشتر جنبهی رهبری سازمانی به خود میگیرد و موضوعاتی مهمی در این مورد میپردازد؛ برای مثال در مورد اینکه چرا باید رهبری از "من محور" به "ما محور" تبدیل شود؛ هدف و رسالت رهبری چگونه باشد؛ ارتباطات رهبری با اطرافیان به چه صورت باشد و ... .
نویسنده در مورد رهبری جهانی صحبت میکند که به شخصه برای من موضوع جدیدی بود.
و در سخن پایانی به "جک ما (بنیانگذار علیبابا)" پرداخته میشود که چگونه به پول و منفعت شخصی فکر نمیکند بلکه در فکر کمک به مردم جامعه و ذینفعان دیگر است.
.
امیدوارم مفید واقع شود.
در پناه خرد
محمد هاشمی
March 8, 2018
[3.5/5]
Background: Last year while at HBS we had a session with Thomas DeLong which I found very profound and powerful while many of the alpha males who were in the program with me thought it was just fluff. In the session DeLong mentioned Bill George's True North more than once and I immediately went on Amazon and ordered it. I finally got around to reading it now.
Quick review: I totally believe in the concepts in True North. It is important for a leader to be able to frame his life story and fine tune his self awareness, without which you will not be able to continually succeed neither in career or life. This book is a very good base to begin from. The first step is to accept the need for change or improvement. I'm not sure reading through dozens of short stories from known global leaders is the way though. However, if you stick with the main concepts and use them as a foundation to conduct an impartial self-assessment of your life and career, it could be very helpful.
One constant that comes up a lot in this book is the need for spirituality, be it religion or otherwise. If that's not your thing, don't let it stop you. It's not overly emphasized but it comes back again and again because the author and many of the leaders he chose to include in the book hold religion and spirituality as an important part of their life and guiding values. The book is a very quick 270 pages, but you'll probably have to read it another time and make notes if you're going to use it as a guide.
Background: Last year while at HBS we had a session with Thomas DeLong which I found very profound and powerful while many of the alpha males who were in the program with me thought it was just fluff. In the session DeLong mentioned Bill George's True North more than once and I immediately went on Amazon and ordered it. I finally got around to reading it now.
Quick review: I totally believe in the concepts in True North. It is important for a leader to be able to frame his life story and fine tune his self awareness, without which you will not be able to continually succeed neither in career or life. This book is a very good base to begin from. The first step is to accept the need for change or improvement. I'm not sure reading through dozens of short stories from known global leaders is the way though. However, if you stick with the main concepts and use them as a foundation to conduct an impartial self-assessment of your life and career, it could be very helpful.
One constant that comes up a lot in this book is the need for spirituality, be it religion or otherwise. If that's not your thing, don't let it stop you. It's not overly emphasized but it comes back again and again because the author and many of the leaders he chose to include in the book hold religion and spirituality as an important part of their life and guiding values. The book is a very quick 270 pages, but you'll probably have to read it another time and make notes if you're going to use it as a guide.
February 12, 2018
Bill George is so full of shit that I had to wipe my hands off with toilet paper after I finished his book.
He has to update this book periodically because so many of the "authentic leaders" he interviews are arrested for fraud.
His "insights" are mostly applicable to living a life of unbelievably extreme privilege and wealth (none of which he acknowledges even for a second), and the exceptions to this theme are universally people who've grown completely cynical about capitalism and left industry entirely.
If I hadn't had to read this for a class, I wouldn't have finished it.
He has to update this book periodically because so many of the "authentic leaders" he interviews are arrested for fraud.
His "insights" are mostly applicable to living a life of unbelievably extreme privilege and wealth (none of which he acknowledges even for a second), and the exceptions to this theme are universally people who've grown completely cynical about capitalism and left industry entirely.
If I hadn't had to read this for a class, I wouldn't have finished it.
March 10, 2017
(read for a work book club)
If you're going to read a business book, there are far worse and far more vapid bools to read. Likewise, if you're going to be in management, you might as well do it for a reason beyond wealth, short term stockholder value, and employee exploitation. While this book is a little too heavy on vague anecdotes and glittering generalities, it's at least consistent in its message that you shouldn't become a leader unless you have a well thought out moral code and a strong purpose and that you should try to work for an organization that is consistent with those morals and that purpose.
If you're going to read a business book, there are far worse and far more vapid bools to read. Likewise, if you're going to be in management, you might as well do it for a reason beyond wealth, short term stockholder value, and employee exploitation. While this book is a little too heavy on vague anecdotes and glittering generalities, it's at least consistent in its message that you shouldn't become a leader unless you have a well thought out moral code and a strong purpose and that you should try to work for an organization that is consistent with those morals and that purpose.
May 29, 2017
Sigh, this book was supposed to change my life, according to my mentor. But, despite its best attempts it's really written for men, and beyond that I find myself lacking the things this book takes as a given, and chock full of the things this book suggests that everyone is seeking. So, I'm not finding myself radically altered, but the points are well taken.
June 9, 2018
I’ll concede I am probably not the author’s target demographic. It’s written for a type A aspiring CEO bro (CE-bro?) who could use a values transplant. (People are important! Listen to them! Except when they’re patients who are suing your pharma company for harming them. Listen to them. Put your family first.... Except when you are goaded into taking a global role a world away from your spouse.)
It’s unfortunate that many of the principles, such as leading with values & purpose, are directly contradicted by examples of leaders pursuing shareholder value over social good. But hey, if the topic speaks to you - don’t let this review put you off. This book was just not for me.
It’s unfortunate that many of the principles, such as leading with values & purpose, are directly contradicted by examples of leaders pursuing shareholder value over social good. But hey, if the topic speaks to you - don’t let this review put you off. This book was just not for me.
February 23, 2023
While this book isn't super relevant to me or my career - it did give me good ideas for leading where I am. I am no CEO, but there is good advice in here and there are plenty of examples of professionals who readers can learn from. From failures to successes, Bill George includes great examples of some of the best leaders in the world. I am not even a middle manager and I have only managed interns, so a lot isn't applicable to my career. But maybe someday that will change and I will remember the lessons learned from this book. I will definitely keep this book on my book shelf and hope to refer to it again someday!
November 24, 2021
Sách này giúp mình mở mang thêm cái nhìn về lãnh đạo, các cạm bẫy của nhà lãnh đạo. Mình rất ấn tượng dòng này trong sách ” bạn rất dễ rơi vào cái bẫy tự cho mình là người quan trọng mà không nhận ra rằng : người khác thấy bạn quan trọng chỉ bởi cái vị trí mà bạn đang nắm giữ…Khi bạn lâm vào hoàn cảnh khó khăn và bị tước sạch mọi vũ khí phòng vệ, bạn sẽ nhận ra ai và điều gì là quan trọng đối với mình. Đó là thời điểm bạn cần phải quay về với các điểm xuất phát và các giá trị của bạn”. Chính Bắc xuất phát từ những niềm tin, giá trị và nguyên tắc mà bạn tin tưởng sâu sắc.
‘Chính Bắc’ – chiếc la bàn nội tâm (internal compass) giúp bạn định hướng thành công trong cuộc đời, lãnh đạo khởi đầu từ tính đích thực, từ cái tôi chân thực của bạn.
‘Chính Bắc’ là một mốc phương hướng – tiêu điểm cố định của bạn trong thế giới xoay vần – giúp bạn luôn đi đúng hướng trên con đường lãnh đạo. Như Warren Bennis đã nói:“Bạn chính là tác giả của đời mình”.
Việc khám phá ‘Chính Bắc’ của bản thân đòi hỏi sự cam kết và học hỏi cả đời. Khi va chạm với thử thách trong cuộc sống, bạn mong muốn nhìn mình trong gương và thấy một con người đáng trân trọng hài lòng với cuộc đời đã chọn. Cuộc sống sẽ có lúc này lúc khác, nhưng chỉ cần chân thực với bản thân thì bạn có thể đương đầu với mọi khó khăn trong cuộc đời.
Cuốn sách này được viết cho những ai muốn trở thành người lãnh đạo đích thực qua quá trình khám phá ‘Chính Bắc’ của bản thân.
Bài học rút ra từ quyển sách này:
1/ Sống chính trực/ nhất quản/ duy nhất ở mọi môi trường
2/ Tập trung vào điều quan trọng
3/ Tìm ra điểm giao thoa bằng cách hiểu động lực và ưu thế/ thế mạnh của bản thân
4/ Cuộc sống đích thực hài hòa trọn vẹn
5/ Sức mạnh khi được cởi mở tấm lòng: chấp nhận nhược điểm
6/ Nhóm Chính Bắc: những người nói cho bạn sự thật và lắng nghe sự thật
7/ Servant leader: Lãnh đạo phục vụ để chuyển từ lãnh đạo tôi sang lãnh đạo chúng ta. Tự hỏi 3 câu hỏi: Cuộc sống của mình có ý nghĩa đối với ai không? Mục đích sống của mình là gì? Mình có để lại di sản gì không?
8/ 7 yếu tố của lãnh đạo toàn cầu - GQ
9/ Các phong cách lãnh đạo
HN, ngày 24/11/2021
‘Chính Bắc’ – chiếc la bàn nội tâm (internal compass) giúp bạn định hướng thành công trong cuộc đời, lãnh đạo khởi đầu từ tính đích thực, từ cái tôi chân thực của bạn.
‘Chính Bắc’ là một mốc phương hướng – tiêu điểm cố định của bạn trong thế giới xoay vần – giúp bạn luôn đi đúng hướng trên con đường lãnh đạo. Như Warren Bennis đã nói:“Bạn chính là tác giả của đời mình”.
Việc khám phá ‘Chính Bắc’ của bản thân đòi hỏi sự cam kết và học hỏi cả đời. Khi va chạm với thử thách trong cuộc sống, bạn mong muốn nhìn mình trong gương và thấy một con người đáng trân trọng hài lòng với cuộc đời đã chọn. Cuộc sống sẽ có lúc này lúc khác, nhưng chỉ cần chân thực với bản thân thì bạn có thể đương đầu với mọi khó khăn trong cuộc đời.
Cuốn sách này được viết cho những ai muốn trở thành người lãnh đạo đích thực qua quá trình khám phá ‘Chính Bắc’ của bản thân.
Bài học rút ra từ quyển sách này:
1/ Sống chính trực/ nhất quản/ duy nhất ở mọi môi trường
2/ Tập trung vào điều quan trọng
3/ Tìm ra điểm giao thoa bằng cách hiểu động lực và ưu thế/ thế mạnh của bản thân
4/ Cuộc sống đích thực hài hòa trọn vẹn
5/ Sức mạnh khi được cởi mở tấm lòng: chấp nhận nhược điểm
6/ Nhóm Chính Bắc: những người nói cho bạn sự thật và lắng nghe sự thật
7/ Servant leader: Lãnh đạo phục vụ để chuyển từ lãnh đạo tôi sang lãnh đạo chúng ta. Tự hỏi 3 câu hỏi: Cuộc sống của mình có ý nghĩa đối với ai không? Mục đích sống của mình là gì? Mình có để lại di sản gì không?
8/ 7 yếu tố của lãnh đạo toàn cầu - GQ
9/ Các phong cách lãnh đạo
HN, ngày 24/11/2021
November 12, 2019
Meh. I didn’t much like it at all.
After hearing so many great things about this book and how essential it is for leadership learning, and how great of an individual Bill George is, I was very disappointed when this book did entirely nothing for me.
Who knows, maybe I just need to read it 15 years from now and it will all come together. But when I read this, I felt it was mostly platitudinous, saying a lot of “well, duh” things to make the reader feel good about overcoming their “crucibles.” The book uses a lot of short stories from successful business leaders who talk about overcoming major challenges - the only problem is that when the stories are over, George doesn’t actually elaborate any kind of lesson or application for the reader. He basically just tells a story from an interview, then says, “gee, what a great story!” I was never able to take any lessons and learn to apply them to my own life and work.
Additionally, a lot of the book and stories within (and, thus, the author) seem exceptionally out-of-touch. 7 times out of 10, when Bob Smith, CEO of Company X, finds himself at a crossroads of morals or difficult decisions, he just decides to hop off on a 6 month sabbatical to “spend more time with his family and think about what really motivates him about his work.”
News flash, Bill: I don’t have months of vacation time. If I miss two paychecks, I lose my apartment. I can’t just quit for funsies and then have zero trouble re-integrating into a comparable or better role after my self-discovery trip. I can’t relate to these CEO’s and Presidents who have golden parachutes to ease the fall from their mountainous challenges.
At the very least, don’t read this until you’re 40 years old and in upper management at a Fortune 500.
After hearing so many great things about this book and how essential it is for leadership learning, and how great of an individual Bill George is, I was very disappointed when this book did entirely nothing for me.
Who knows, maybe I just need to read it 15 years from now and it will all come together. But when I read this, I felt it was mostly platitudinous, saying a lot of “well, duh” things to make the reader feel good about overcoming their “crucibles.” The book uses a lot of short stories from successful business leaders who talk about overcoming major challenges - the only problem is that when the stories are over, George doesn’t actually elaborate any kind of lesson or application for the reader. He basically just tells a story from an interview, then says, “gee, what a great story!” I was never able to take any lessons and learn to apply them to my own life and work.
Additionally, a lot of the book and stories within (and, thus, the author) seem exceptionally out-of-touch. 7 times out of 10, when Bob Smith, CEO of Company X, finds himself at a crossroads of morals or difficult decisions, he just decides to hop off on a 6 month sabbatical to “spend more time with his family and think about what really motivates him about his work.”
News flash, Bill: I don’t have months of vacation time. If I miss two paychecks, I lose my apartment. I can’t just quit for funsies and then have zero trouble re-integrating into a comparable or better role after my self-discovery trip. I can’t relate to these CEO’s and Presidents who have golden parachutes to ease the fall from their mountainous challenges.
At the very least, don’t read this until you’re 40 years old and in upper management at a Fortune 500.
December 23, 2019
Leadership starts with being authentic, the genuine you.
If you are guided by an internal compass that represents your character and values, you re going to be fine. Let your values guide your actions and dont ever lose your internal compass. Everything isnt black or white. There are a lot of gray areas in business - Sara Lee B
Rather than waiting to get to the top to become leaders, they looked for every opportunity to lead and to develop themselves. Without exception, these leaders believed being authentic made them more effective and successful.
No one can be authentic by trying to be like someone else.
The hardest person you will ever have to lead is yourself. Once you are fully comfortable with who you are-and feel good in your own skin-leading others authentically becomes much easier.
Authentic leaders who follow ther True North have learned from their crucibles and setbacks. They ve the resillence to resist pressures and seductions.
Your life story is your foundation.
1. How you frame your life story -> reflection
2. The risk of losing your way
3. The role crucibles play in shaping your leadership
(Your most significant and your most painful experience present the greatest opportunities for your personal growth)
If you are guided by an internal compass that represents your character and values, you re going to be fine. Let your values guide your actions and dont ever lose your internal compass. Everything isnt black or white. There are a lot of gray areas in business - Sara Lee B
Rather than waiting to get to the top to become leaders, they looked for every opportunity to lead and to develop themselves. Without exception, these leaders believed being authentic made them more effective and successful.
No one can be authentic by trying to be like someone else.
The hardest person you will ever have to lead is yourself. Once you are fully comfortable with who you are-and feel good in your own skin-leading others authentically becomes much easier.
Authentic leaders who follow ther True North have learned from their crucibles and setbacks. They ve the resillence to resist pressures and seductions.
Your life story is your foundation.
1. How you frame your life story -> reflection
2. The risk of losing your way
3. The role crucibles play in shaping your leadership
(Your most significant and your most painful experience present the greatest opportunities for your personal growth)
October 31, 2018
I read this book for a work book club. It just wasn't for me. A review previously posted said it best...
"It’s written for a type A aspiring CEO bro (CE-bro?) who could use a values transplant. (People are important! Listen to them! Except when they’re patients who are suing your pharma company for harming them. Listen to them. Put your family first.... Except when you are goaded into taking a global role a world away from your spouse.)"
"It’s written for a type A aspiring CEO bro (CE-bro?) who could use a values transplant. (People are important! Listen to them! Except when they’re patients who are suing your pharma company for harming them. Listen to them. Put your family first.... Except when you are goaded into taking a global role a world away from your spouse.)"
May 23, 2022
I read this book as supplemental reading for an educational leadership academy cohort (I just finished it late). While
I think the boom had great gems and things to put into practice I had a harddddd time relating to all of the millionaire and billionaire CEO’s and organization founders. I’m a blank woman who is a social worker in education lol lol so it was a bit hard to get through.
I think the boom had great gems and things to put into practice I had a harddddd time relating to all of the millionaire and billionaire CEO’s and organization founders. I’m a blank woman who is a social worker in education lol lol so it was a bit hard to get through.
October 17, 2017
Good vocabulary and charts if you want to think about leadership as relationship based practice.
It’s a bit repetitive in that name drops CEO’s constantly and seems to use American business as the main perspective.
Easy read with good questions at end to help you along.
It’s a bit repetitive in that name drops CEO’s constantly and seems to use American business as the main perspective.
Easy read with good questions at end to help you along.
March 20, 2022
There are many interesting anecdotes in the book, which is its strength. There is no clear structure to the book as a whole though. Occasionally there are lists, but they are not the helpful type. My biggest gain from reading this was getting a glimpse into people's life paths and why they may have made certain decisions about those paths.
August 28, 2020
A great book in reflecting our self-leadership as foundation of becoming a great leader.
Integrating pivotal moments to reflect it means is great and I used this book to reflect with others, which just worked great :-)
Integrating pivotal moments to reflect it means is great and I used this book to reflect with others, which just worked great :-)
February 27, 2023
finally just gonna mark this done since I only read chunks of it for class last semester and I don’t wanna finish it or mark it dnf🤓 didn’t love this but some good stories and thoughts, automatically loses a star bc I ~had~ to read it
October 7, 2024
A solid book with a solid take on leadership. I do feel it is a bit of a misnomer. The really leadership heavy section doesn’t come until part 3. The first two parts I think anyone can relate to. It will help someone who is lost in life and needs to find their true north. If you don’t feel the need for leadership tips, I still highly encourage you to read parts 1 and 2 of this book
December 23, 2020
Leadership isn’t about you, but about empowering others to lead. Being an authentic leader isn’t about getting supporters to help move you along; it’s about motivating others to reach their full potential.
Sometimes it seems as if the great leaders of the world are guided by a supernatural hand. They seem too focused, too smart, too right all the time to make decisions?
No
Rather, these leaders manage to concentrate on the right things; they know which issues are most important and stay focused on them. How? They follow their leadership purpose - called True North.
Always ask yourself: how would I feel if this entire situation, including transcripts of our discussions with all the juicy details?
Once you know what matters in your life, you are well equipped to establish the leadership principles that will define your leadership style. In essence, these leadership principles are your values translated into action.
Money and success don’t make authentic leaders forget those they’ve left behind; rather, they spur a sense of responsibility to help them.
As you start earning acclaim and the rewards that come with it, you’re at greater risk to get derailed from a path to authentic leadership.
There are five archetypal leaders who most easily lose sight of their True North: Imposters, Rationalizers, Glory Seekers, Loners and Shooting Stars. Imposters lack self-awareness and self-esteem, and accomplish success through cunning and aggression. Rationalizers’ weakness is that they deviate from their values. Glory Seekers are people we all know. They work for and are motivated by outward signs of success. Loners’ fatal flaw is their failure to develop personal support structures, such as close relationships or mentors (so, they are likely unaware that their behavior identifies them as a loner). Shooting stars rise too fast to learn from their mistakes, and they never have time for family or friends, which leaves them overwhelmed by personal and professional problems.
Then how to find out the right motivations?
There are two types of motivations: extrinsic and intrinsic. *Extrinsic motivations*, such as good grades, trophies or high salaries, are measured by the external world. *Intrinsic motivations*, on the other hand, are derived from your own sense of meaning in your life – in other words, your True North.
The key to developing as an authentic leader isn’t purging yourself of all extrinsic motivations, but balancing them with intrinsic motivations.
Sometimes it seems as if the great leaders of the world are guided by a supernatural hand. They seem too focused, too smart, too right all the time to make decisions?
No
Rather, these leaders manage to concentrate on the right things; they know which issues are most important and stay focused on them. How? They follow their leadership purpose - called True North.
Always ask yourself: how would I feel if this entire situation, including transcripts of our discussions with all the juicy details?
Once you know what matters in your life, you are well equipped to establish the leadership principles that will define your leadership style. In essence, these leadership principles are your values translated into action.
Money and success don’t make authentic leaders forget those they’ve left behind; rather, they spur a sense of responsibility to help them.
As you start earning acclaim and the rewards that come with it, you’re at greater risk to get derailed from a path to authentic leadership.
There are five archetypal leaders who most easily lose sight of their True North: Imposters, Rationalizers, Glory Seekers, Loners and Shooting Stars. Imposters lack self-awareness and self-esteem, and accomplish success through cunning and aggression. Rationalizers’ weakness is that they deviate from their values. Glory Seekers are people we all know. They work for and are motivated by outward signs of success. Loners’ fatal flaw is their failure to develop personal support structures, such as close relationships or mentors (so, they are likely unaware that their behavior identifies them as a loner). Shooting stars rise too fast to learn from their mistakes, and they never have time for family or friends, which leaves them overwhelmed by personal and professional problems.
Then how to find out the right motivations?
There are two types of motivations: extrinsic and intrinsic. *Extrinsic motivations*, such as good grades, trophies or high salaries, are measured by the external world. *Intrinsic motivations*, on the other hand, are derived from your own sense of meaning in your life – in other words, your True North.
The key to developing as an authentic leader isn’t purging yourself of all extrinsic motivations, but balancing them with intrinsic motivations.
February 14, 2020
I was given this book as an assignment for my employer's annual meeting (we all were) so I charged through it, annotating and marking discussion points, only to have the book NOT mentioned, discussed, or in any way interacted with at the entire 3-day annual meeting.
Which seems about right.
At the end of the day this isn't the worst "professional self-help" book I've ever read but it's all name dropping, platitudes, and - at the end of the day - has a strong undercurrent of the 'divine right of kings' attitude that seems common among the upper echelon. I mean, people who do well do well because they are the best people! Leaders are given leadership opportunities because they innately have "the stuff" of leadership because they are good people (and definitely, absolutely, totally NOT because of who they know or how they position themselves politically).
Which is not to say there aren't a few good stories...which is kind of a pet peeve, if I'm honest. Why are you taking other people's stories as your own, again? And using them to make yet more money for yourself? Oh, right, because you are smiled upon by God and meant to have earned your place as a leader.
So I didn't love it. I had a lot to say about it in the context of leadership in my organization but, alas, that conversation shall never be.
Which seems about right.
At the end of the day this isn't the worst "professional self-help" book I've ever read but it's all name dropping, platitudes, and - at the end of the day - has a strong undercurrent of the 'divine right of kings' attitude that seems common among the upper echelon. I mean, people who do well do well because they are the best people! Leaders are given leadership opportunities because they innately have "the stuff" of leadership because they are good people (and definitely, absolutely, totally NOT because of who they know or how they position themselves politically).
Which is not to say there aren't a few good stories...which is kind of a pet peeve, if I'm honest. Why are you taking other people's stories as your own, again? And using them to make yet more money for yourself? Oh, right, because you are smiled upon by God and meant to have earned your place as a leader.
So I didn't love it. I had a lot to say about it in the context of leadership in my organization but, alas, that conversation shall never be.
June 13, 2017
The main thing I learned from this book is that I will never be a high-powered billionaire executive. And that's okay. I do like the concept of understanding yourself and your priorities and using that to navigate your career. That's much of what we focused on during my recent leadership training at work. It's important to understand who you are and to stay grounded in that rather than getting caught up in doing what you think you need to do to get ahead. All that said, I think I'm going to stay away from the business books for a while. Books are an escape from work.
August 30, 2017
Book is written for CEOs and leaders in a business sense. I liked the connections made between a leader's personal story and her chosen leadership path. Leadership is defined as turning personal values and a real intrinsic desires into concrete actions and ways to help others. Everyone's path is different and there are many ways to do meaningful work.
March 5, 2016
An excellent book on leadership. Bill George has interviewed numerous leaders and allows them to speak for themselves in this book. This is a must read for those who are supervisors, managers and business leaders.
August 30, 2018
Had to read for class. It’s very cliched and the vignettes are not very in depth and are repetitive.
If you’re looking for a “self help” book that will actually motivate you and inspire you, read Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life.
If you’re looking for a “self help” book that will actually motivate you and inspire you, read Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life.
December 16, 2022
Tôi nói lại, tôi không đọc self-help
True North (Chính Bắc), by Bill George, bác tác giả là cựu CEO Medtronic.
Medtronic là công ty thiết bị y tế toàn cầu có trụ sở tại Mỹ, ở VN thì đây là công ty tôi không có duyên những 3 lần, Tèo và chị L. đã phải lục từ HR để lôi hồ sơ của tôi lên vì HR system cho đi thẳng vô trash không được vào cả vòng giữ xe, chị L. (sếp cũ của Kh., sếp tôi ở Loreal) trước khi nghỉ Med năn nỉ mãi cho tôi một cơ hội phỏng vấn lại với bên vùng, cố cứu vớt đời tôi khỏi cái mác “job-hopper”, nhưng lúc đó đã involve hiring process để boomerang lại SE rồi nên tôi từ chối. Chị nói với tôi “Dương, chị rất muốn giúp em, cả Tèo và bé M. đều nhận xét rất tích cực về em. Chị muốn support em lắm, nhưng mà cái gì mình không thích thì mình làm mình không yên, như mình ăn nước tương mình thấy hạnh phúc, còn không quen bơ sữa có cho bánh mì đen mình cũng như nhai sỏi vậy, đúng không em.” (sau này tôi mới nhớ ra M. và biết được bé thực tập trong team tôi lúc còn làm ở Loreal cũng là cháu chị L.). Thật ra là tôi ăn được bơ sữa và không ăn được nước tương, nhưng mà tôi vẫn cảm kích so sánh của chị L.
Kh. thì nói tôi điên khi từ bỏ vị trí permanent để đi theo một job temporary (thậm chí lúc đó thôi còn chưa có offer) “chị không biết em nghĩ gì nữa Dương à, em phải thử hết các cửa, và chọn cửa nào ổn nhất, rồi 9 tháng sau, em lại bơ vơ hả Dương, chị không hiểu”. Có lẽ tôi cũng không thật sự lý giải sao tôi lại lựa chọn như thế, tôi chỉ biết một điều, việc làm khác đi, khôn ngoan hơn, như mọi người vẫn làm, tôi đơn thuần là “không làm được”, đến khi đọc cuốn Chính Bắc tôi mới tỏ những gì tôi đã trả lời Kh. lúc ấy, dại khờ có lẽ là một Chính Bắc của mình.
“Em nghĩ mình còn thích SE, em nghĩ mình muốn làm lại công việc đó, định nghĩa về thành công của em có thể không cùng chiều với số đông, nhưng dẫu vậy, em biết, mình thà lận đận nhưng happy hơn việc mưu cầu một cái gì khác tiếng lòng. Em đã cố, đã failed, và em biết đó là bản tính trời đày.”
Vài tháng trước tôi có đi phỏng vấn một công ty thiết bị y tế khác, một tập đoàn châu Á trẻ, khá tiềm năng, cuối buổi chúng tôi có nói qua một ý về giá trị, chị hiring manager phỏng vấn tôi có nói một câu, “chị cho rằng, giá trị chỉ mang tính thời điểm thôi".
Lúc về tôi có hỏi Trân.
- Chị đồng ý với cổ và chị hiểu ý cổ. Nó sẽ thay đổi tại những thời điểm nhất định tuỳ vào trải nghiệm và niềm tin của mỗi người. Nó có thể vô lý với em, nhưng nó có thể đúng với một số trường hợp khác.
- Giá trị nền tảng của chị mà theo thời điểm thì thôi em cũng ạ.
- Giá trị nền tảng đối với chị là niềm tin, nó có thể bất biến với một số người nhưng nó có thể thay đổi theo thời gian với một số người. Ý chị là có thể trải nghiệm của cô manager đó, nó là vậy. Và xét vào trường hợp đó, hệ giá trị của em và cổ khác nhau. Đây là ý của chị về lời nói của cô ấy.
- Ok.
- Cái mà chị đồng ý là chị đồng ý ở hệ quy chiếu của cổ vì nó hoàn toàn có thể xảy ra.
- Em đang nói đến giá trị cốt lõi, bản chất, thậm chí cái này cũng thay đổi? Tất nhiên, không loại trừ "điều duy nhất không thay đổi là sự thay đổi".
- Haha cho câu cuối nha. Nếu sự thay đổi về giá trị cốt lõi và bản chất là tốt hơn thì tại sao không?
- Nếu những giá trị chị đang có đã tốt sẵn rồi haha... Thực ra, cũng có chiều hướng thay đổi ngược lại.
- Mặc dù rằng có nhiều người vẫn thay đổi theo chiều hướng xấu đi do những tổn thương mà họ phải trải qua. Hơn nữa, chị vẫn cho rằng nó hoàn toàn phụ thuộc vào niềm tin tại từng thời điểm quan trọng trong cuộc đời. Mà niềm tin thì không có đúng sai. Lời nói không phải sự thật.
- Haizz, nói chung không có điểm chung nên nói chuyện với nhau hơi mệch... à, không nói chị nha.
Họ sau đó không có liên lạc lại, tôi cũng lẳng lặng cất họ vào thư mục Recruiter như cách chúng tôi lẳng lặng khước từ lẫn nhau.
"Mỗi người chúng ta đều có một quy chuẩn đạo đức - một chiếc la bàn lương tâm được "cài đặt" bởi bố mẹ, thầy cô, huấn luyện viên, ông bà, tôn giáo, bạn bè, và đồng nghiệp. Chiếc la bàn là một phần không thể thiếu trong đời, liên tục giúp chúng ta phân biệt phải trái cho đến ngày nhắm mắt xuôi tay.” - Trang 142, sđd.
True North (Chính Bắc), by Bill George, bác tác giả là cựu CEO Medtronic.
Medtronic là công ty thiết bị y tế toàn cầu có trụ sở tại Mỹ, ở VN thì đây là công ty tôi không có duyên những 3 lần, Tèo và chị L. đã phải lục từ HR để lôi hồ sơ của tôi lên vì HR system cho đi thẳng vô trash không được vào cả vòng giữ xe, chị L. (sếp cũ của Kh., sếp tôi ở Loreal) trước khi nghỉ Med năn nỉ mãi cho tôi một cơ hội phỏng vấn lại với bên vùng, cố cứu vớt đời tôi khỏi cái mác “job-hopper”, nhưng lúc đó đã involve hiring process để boomerang lại SE rồi nên tôi từ chối. Chị nói với tôi “Dương, chị rất muốn giúp em, cả Tèo và bé M. đều nhận xét rất tích cực về em. Chị muốn support em lắm, nhưng mà cái gì mình không thích thì mình làm mình không yên, như mình ăn nước tương mình thấy hạnh phúc, còn không quen bơ sữa có cho bánh mì đen mình cũng như nhai sỏi vậy, đúng không em.” (sau này tôi mới nhớ ra M. và biết được bé thực tập trong team tôi lúc còn làm ở Loreal cũng là cháu chị L.). Thật ra là tôi ăn được bơ sữa và không ăn được nước tương, nhưng mà tôi vẫn cảm kích so sánh của chị L.
Kh. thì nói tôi điên khi từ bỏ vị trí permanent để đi theo một job temporary (thậm chí lúc đó thôi còn chưa có offer) “chị không biết em nghĩ gì nữa Dương à, em phải thử hết các cửa, và chọn cửa nào ổn nhất, rồi 9 tháng sau, em lại bơ vơ hả Dương, chị không hiểu”. Có lẽ tôi cũng không thật sự lý giải sao tôi lại lựa chọn như thế, tôi chỉ biết một điều, việc làm khác đi, khôn ngoan hơn, như mọi người vẫn làm, tôi đơn thuần là “không làm được”, đến khi đọc cuốn Chính Bắc tôi mới tỏ những gì tôi đã trả lời Kh. lúc ấy, dại khờ có lẽ là một Chính Bắc của mình.
“Em nghĩ mình còn thích SE, em nghĩ mình muốn làm lại công việc đó, định nghĩa về thành công của em có thể không cùng chiều với số đông, nhưng dẫu vậy, em biết, mình thà lận đận nhưng happy hơn việc mưu cầu một cái gì khác tiếng lòng. Em đã cố, đã failed, và em biết đó là bản tính trời đày.”
Vài tháng trước tôi có đi phỏng vấn một công ty thiết bị y tế khác, một tập đoàn châu Á trẻ, khá tiềm năng, cuối buổi chúng tôi có nói qua một ý về giá trị, chị hiring manager phỏng vấn tôi có nói một câu, “chị cho rằng, giá trị chỉ mang tính thời điểm thôi".
Lúc về tôi có hỏi Trân.
- Chị đồng ý với cổ và chị hiểu ý cổ. Nó sẽ thay đổi tại những thời điểm nhất định tuỳ vào trải nghiệm và niềm tin của mỗi người. Nó có thể vô lý với em, nhưng nó có thể đúng với một số trường hợp khác.
- Giá trị nền tảng của chị mà theo thời điểm thì thôi em cũng ạ.
- Giá trị nền tảng đối với chị là niềm tin, nó có thể bất biến với một số người nhưng nó có thể thay đổi theo thời gian với một số người. Ý chị là có thể trải nghiệm của cô manager đó, nó là vậy. Và xét vào trường hợp đó, hệ giá trị của em và cổ khác nhau. Đây là ý của chị về lời nói của cô ấy.
- Ok.
- Cái mà chị đồng ý là chị đồng ý ở hệ quy chiếu của cổ vì nó hoàn toàn có thể xảy ra.
- Em đang nói đến giá trị cốt lõi, bản chất, thậm chí cái này cũng thay đổi? Tất nhiên, không loại trừ "điều duy nhất không thay đổi là sự thay đổi".
- Haha cho câu cuối nha. Nếu sự thay đổi về giá trị cốt lõi và bản chất là tốt hơn thì tại sao không?
- Nếu những giá trị chị đang có đã tốt sẵn rồi haha... Thực ra, cũng có chiều hướng thay đổi ngược lại.
- Mặc dù rằng có nhiều người vẫn thay đổi theo chiều hướng xấu đi do những tổn thương mà họ phải trải qua. Hơn nữa, chị vẫn cho rằng nó hoàn toàn phụ thuộc vào niềm tin tại từng thời điểm quan trọng trong cuộc đời. Mà niềm tin thì không có đúng sai. Lời nói không phải sự thật.
- Haizz, nói chung không có điểm chung nên nói chuyện với nhau hơi mệch... à, không nói chị nha.
Họ sau đó không có liên lạc lại, tôi cũng lẳng lặng cất họ vào thư mục Recruiter như cách chúng tôi lẳng lặng khước từ lẫn nhau.
"Mỗi người chúng ta đều có một quy chuẩn đạo đức - một chiếc la bàn lương tâm được "cài đặt" bởi bố mẹ, thầy cô, huấn luyện viên, ông bà, tôn giáo, bạn bè, và đồng nghiệp. Chiếc la bàn là một phần không thể thiếu trong đời, liên tục giúp chúng ta phân biệt phải trái cho đến ngày nhắm mắt xuôi tay.” - Trang 142, sđd.
January 2, 2017
I began reading this book because my daughter Kayla had read it as part of her Master's Degree work in human resources management. As a retired pastor, I found it to be an excellent book which integrated business principles with spiritual awareness. George does well in establishing that a business leader who only focuses on the bottom line financially, will often fail. Rather the best leaders are those who work toward a higher purpose which integrates their own giftedness with providing a service to the world, a view which he terms "finding your True North". With all that is happening today politically, with many businesses seemingly only trying to serve their stockholders and increase already high profit margins, I found this view refreshing. I also found it heartening the number of business leaders whose stories were told, who are seeking to serve a purpose in this world beyond making money. The author also speaks of the need for a greater global consciousness in business leaders, which includes learning about foreign cultures. So, it would seem that being a global business leader can actually dovetail nicely with being a Christian who believes in the multicultural aspect of the kingdom of God.
April 30, 2021
Not sure about this one. The good thoughts about values, purpose and social responsibility of companies were drowned in fluff, vagueness and repetition. So many stories about so many CEOs who made a difference. Yet, somehow this information did not come alive for me when I read it. It was just information, interesting, but with no emotional access. And that might be the reason why I perceive it as forgettable. Maybe because I did not read the previous books, I don't get the full picture about the True North idea. In the end, it is always the same: doing something meaningful, that originates and corresponds somehow from your own story of overcoming difficulties. And meaningful is when it is about more than yourself and your own wants and needs. Very good, but not very original. I wonder how many True Norths are possibly out there? It seemed all very similar. And despite the good structure and the reflective questions that end every chapter, it is less about you discovering your True North, but about others who have discovered theirs. But told in a rather sterile and abstract way. It all sounds a bit negative, but I still liked the book and many thoughts and inspiration. It just did not meet my expectations.
August 27, 2020
I really loved the book in the beginning and was skeptical of all the negative reviews this book got. However, as I progessed further into the book, the content although was really good, kept on repeating the same thing again and again and soon I was so bored that I had to stop reading it as I literally had to force myself to read the book.
I am not taking away anything from this book though, it is a well written, documented and researched book consisting of the experience of many business managers. So you can rest assured will receive an amalgam of experinces from reading this book.
However, I am just not the target audience for this book. If you are a person who is just starting/aspiring to be a leadership role when you havent read a single book about leadership, or have never been in such a position, then this book is a must read for you. Otherwise, I would also highly recommend this book for anyone who has recently failed in a leadership role and wants to have a reflection as to where he went wrong.
If you are in the given positions without a doubt take up and read this book.
I am not taking away anything from this book though, it is a well written, documented and researched book consisting of the experience of many business managers. So you can rest assured will receive an amalgam of experinces from reading this book.
However, I am just not the target audience for this book. If you are a person who is just starting/aspiring to be a leadership role when you havent read a single book about leadership, or have never been in such a position, then this book is a must read for you. Otherwise, I would also highly recommend this book for anyone who has recently failed in a leadership role and wants to have a reflection as to where he went wrong.
If you are in the given positions without a doubt take up and read this book.
May 10, 2017
An interesting book covering a wide range of ideas on how to an "authentic leader". It discusses such topics as "understanding your past" to "how to become more self-aware". It is full of stories of successful world leaders and anecdotes about successes and failures. It provides a number of thought-provoking questions and ideas to ponder.
Simply stated True North is about gaining a grounded sense of direction in one's life and holding fast to critical personal principles. If you enjoy thinking about strengths and weakness, ethics, priorities, empowerment, team dynamics, and leadership mantras... then this will be a fun read. It is a strange paradox to study leaders and preach that there is no one way to be a good leader. Perhaps some stories and accounts will resonate more than others.
To me, the book was too fluffy. I like actionable ways to implement positive attitudes, behaviors, and processes.
Simply stated True North is about gaining a grounded sense of direction in one's life and holding fast to critical personal principles. If you enjoy thinking about strengths and weakness, ethics, priorities, empowerment, team dynamics, and leadership mantras... then this will be a fun read. It is a strange paradox to study leaders and preach that there is no one way to be a good leader. Perhaps some stories and accounts will resonate more than others.
To me, the book was too fluffy. I like actionable ways to implement positive attitudes, behaviors, and processes.
March 9, 2025
I liked how George organizes the book in terms of first understanding your own story/journey, then discussing how you can use that story to develop as an authentic leader (eg through self awareness, knowing your values, establishing a support team), and finally translating that authenticity to the workplace by leading with purpose and empowering your team.
My biggest takeaway was his section on leadership styles and how it’s important to exude different styles for different situations and teams. A more direct style could be helpful for brand new analysts who aren’t as confident yet, whereas a more consensus-like style is more effective when leading a group of more experienced, independent thinkers.
Cool section as well at the end on the topic of conscious capitalism and how businesses can be more focused on creating long-term, sustained value to ALL stakeholders. Which is different than the simplistic view that shareholders should get all the returns.
My biggest takeaway was his section on leadership styles and how it’s important to exude different styles for different situations and teams. A more direct style could be helpful for brand new analysts who aren’t as confident yet, whereas a more consensus-like style is more effective when leading a group of more experienced, independent thinkers.
Cool section as well at the end on the topic of conscious capitalism and how businesses can be more focused on creating long-term, sustained value to ALL stakeholders. Which is different than the simplistic view that shareholders should get all the returns.
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