The Truth about Leadership: The No-Fads, Heart-Of-The-Matter Facts You Need to Know

by James M. Kouzes, Barry Z. Posner

A fresh look at what it means to lead from two of the biggest names in leadershipIn these turbulent times, when the very foundations of organizations and societies are shaken, leaders need to move beyond pessimistic predictions, trendy fads, and simplistic solutions. They need to turn to what's real and what's proven. In their engaging, personal, and bold new book, bestselling authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner reveal ten time-tested truths that discuss what every leader must know, the questions they must be prepared to answer, and the real-world issues they will likely face.In the book, you'll based on thirty years of research, more than one million responses to Kouzes and Posner's leadership assessment, and the questions people most want leaders to answer Explorations of the fundamental, enduring truths of leadership that hold constant regardless of context or circumstance-leaders make a difference, credibility, values, trust, leading by example, heart, and more Demonstrations of emerging leaders and what they need to know to be effective Fans of The Leadership Challenge will find a dynamic new look at the real challenges leaders face today. The book draws from cases spanning three generations of leaders from around the world. It's an indispensable resource leaders can use to do their real and necessary work-bringing about the essential changes that will renew organizations and communities.

Genres: Leadership, Business, Nonfiction, Management, Professional Development, Self Help, Psychology

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 15, 2010

About the author

Jim Kouzes has been thinking about leadership ever since he was one of only a dozen Eagle Scouts to be selected to serve in John F. Kennedy's honor guard when Kennedy was inaugurated President of the United States. Kennedy's inaugural call to action -- "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." -- inspired Jim to join the Peace Corps, and he taught school in Turkey for two years. That experience made Jim realize that he wanted a career that offered two things: the chance to teach and the opportunity to serve. It was in his first job back in the U.S. training community action agency managers that Jim found his calling, and he has devoted his life to leadership development ever since.
Jim Kouzes is the coauthor with Barry Z. Posner of the award-winning and best-selling book, The Leadership Challenge, with over 3.0 million copies in print. He's a Fellow of the Doerr Institute for New Leaders at Rice University and also served as the Dean's Executive Fellow of Leadership, Leavey School of Business, Santa Clara University. Jim and Barry have coauthored many bestselling leadership books including A Leader's Legacy, Encouraging the Heart, The Truth About Leadership, and Credibility. They are also the developers of The Leadership Practices Inventory—the bestselling off-the-shelf leadership assessment in the world. Their books are extensively researched-based, and over 500 doctoral dissertations and academic studies have been based on their original work.
Not only is Jim a highly regarded leadership scholar, The Wall Street Journal cited Jim as one of the twelve best executive educators in the U.S. He is the 2010 recipient of the Thought Leadership Award from the Instructional Systems Association, listed as one of HR Magazine’s Most Influential International Thinkers, named one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders in Trustworthy Business Behavior by Trust Across America, and ranked by Leadership Excellence magazine as one of the Top 100 Thought Leaders. Jim was presented with the Golden Gavel, the highest honor awarded by Toastmasters International, and he and Barry are also the recipients of the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD) Distinguished Contribution to Workplace Learning and Performance Award, presented in recognition of their extensive body of work and the significant impact they have had on learning and performance in the workplace.

Reviews

[Fernando · Rating 1 out of 5]

OK book. Talks about leadership traits which are quite obvious and the experiences of other people. The book development is non-existent, it pretty much just states a trait and tries to back it up with examples from other people and some rather over simplified statistics. I agree with the traits mentioned but it seems to me that most of them are also common sense.

I feel the book could've been much better with some carefully crafted scenarios that explored different paths one could take and how each path affects or portrays leadership. Also, there are plenty of dark sides to leadership and this is barely discussed in the book. It's not all fun and happiness, there are plenty of hard choices one has to make in the road to "self believed success" and even more distasteful actions one has to perform in order to please the standards imposed by society.

The book is fine, you can save yourself a lot of time by reading the last page of every "truth". Also, you can learn a lot more about leadership (and enjoy it more) by analyzing the jedis in the star wars series and the choices they made, why they made them and the outcomes.

[Austin · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some great takeaways from this book. The chapters are somewhat superfluous though—you can read the intro and the final paragraph of each chapter and probably get the same information.

[Wendi Lau · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book has merit, it does. But the authors keep referencing business leaders from mainland China—not Hong Kong, not Taiwan—hardcore Communist China China. Yes, I typed that twice. We’ve known about Chinese companies lying, cheating, and stealing for years. Not a stereotype, FACT. And China does involuntary human organ harvesting and other human rights violations.

Maybe I can just read around the examples, I thought. But the authors are academics, not experienced in industry like Michael Hyatt, and the book is based on thousands of surveys.

And then Monsanto is mentioned on page 92 and I was done. Monsanto bullies small, independent farmers over its own seed creep to neighboring crops, and has stringent requirements over each season’s seed purchases. In addition, the neonicotinoids in Monsanto’s Round Up products kills human gut bacteria causing fat, immune, and mental clarity side effects.

What does all that have to do with leadership? The book is about crucial leadership basics like honesty, integrity, and making your people better. Yet the authors use examples from industry and global actors who use gang-type intimidation tactics.

Thanks, but no, thanks, Professors Kouzes and Posner.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This if one of the best leadership books I've ever read (and I've read a lot!)

Kouzes and Posner spell out what they call "the no-fads, heart-of-the-matter facts you need to know" about leadership, and I think they get it right!

The Ten Truths are...

1. You make a difference
2. Credibility is the foundation of leadership
3. Values drive commitment
4. Focusing on the future sets leaders apart
5. You can't do it alone
6. Trust rules
7. Challenge is the crucible for greatness
8. You either lead by example or you don't lead at all
9. The best leaders are the best learners
10. Leadership is an affair of the heart

I especially loved how the authors summarized their thoughts about the truths at the end of each chapter.

There is far too much for me to try and capture here, but I will share just a few of my favorite thoughts...

"Before you lead others, you have to lead yourself and believe that you can have a positive impact on others. You have to believe that your words can inspire and your actions can move others. You have to believe that what you do counts for something."

"It's one thing to follow someone because you think you have to 'or else' and it's another when you follow a leader because you want to"

"Above all else, people must be able to believe in their leaders. They must believe that your word can be trusted, that you are personally passionate and enthusiastic about the work that you're doing, and that you have the necessary knowledge and skill to lead"

"Do what you say you will do"

"It takes more than toughness to keep going when the going gets touch. It's also vital that you find purpose and significance in what you do."

"You have to find your own voice. You cannot speak in someone else's"

"Leaders take their dreams seriously and act to make them happen"

"A positive difference can only be made by a positive leader"

"No leader single-handedly ever gets anything extraordinary done"

"You won't be a leader very long if you only do what you want to do"

"Trusting others encourages them to trust you. Distrusting others persuades them to distrust you"

"Leadership and challenge are simply inseparable"

"Leaders see open doors while others see brick walls. Leaders seize the opportunities that hide inside adversities"

"Learning doesn't take place in the absence of mistakes"

"You have to model the way you want others to feel, think, and act. You have to show others that you are going to do exactly what you are asking them to do"

"No matter how good you are, you can always get better"

"You have to have a passion for learning in order to become the best leader you can be"

"Those who are the very best became that way because they spent more time learning and practicing, not less time learning"

"What keeps the top performers going during the often grueling practice sessions is not the fun that they're having, but the knowledge that they're improving and getting closer to their dream of superior performance"

"Leadership can't grow in a culture that isn't supportive of continuing development"

"Leaders are in love: in love with leading, in love with their organizations' products and services, and in love with people"

"One of the most significant ways in which you can show others that you care and appreciate other's efforts is to be out there with them"

[Cynthia Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a perfectly ok read that you can easily digest in a flight from San Francisco to LA. It's a good reminder of some core leadership traits - identify your values, build trust, lead by example, have vision, etc. - and it doesn't present itself as offering anything new; after all, Kouzes and Posner are basing it on their research and consistent findings over the past several decades. I was startled by some of the people they chose to quote (a marketing communications coordinator from Monsanto? Really?) and overall the book felt a little stuffy to me, but I guess it beats business school. Disclaimer: I used to work for Jossey-Bass and know a ton of the folks who are mentioned in the credits. They are all great leaders so something must have rubbed off on them!

[Jillian Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought the results of the study would have become the focal point of the entire book, but the book became very repetitive quoted basically anyone they possibly could have. Decent read if you’re new to leadership but nothing special.

[Gregg · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is not anything new in this book. The Marine Corps instills and reinforces these habits of thought and habits of action every day. I wish there was something new or some objective evidence of effectiveness but this book was simply a retread with anecdotes.

[Shane Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

These leadership concepts are just true! The topic of leadership has become heavily saturated with books that contain statements that sound good on paper, but are not true when put into practice. This book is supported by research, and all the concepts are applicable to real-world leadership. Leadership is not a pursuit of glamor; it is a pursuit of the heart. Get ready to be exposed to what it means to lead in a world where people generally do not want to be led.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was alright. It seemed somewhat academic but lacked the balance academic works normally have. It was more in the genre “Rah, you too can do it!” I could recommend it for college undergraduates or recent high school graduates. It was well-written and contained very standard leadership advice.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very mediocre, boring book. I’d read their work a bit in grad school. There’s nothing new here, whether or not you’ve read these authors before. The 10 truths are incredibly general and broad, with no real level of detail or helpful, actionable advice. As others have pointed out, you could just read the closing paragraph of each chapter and get the gist.

My other criticism of this book is that it’s clearly written from a position of privilege. If you’re starting from a position of privilege, you can achieve all this, but what if you’re not? They have a pull yourself up by your bootstraps and be positive and you can overcome all odds kind of vibe that I didn’t love.

Also, the relentless emphasis on positivity and saying yes was frustrating. A leader who tries to spin things too much when shit is bad will just be mocked. It’s okay to not put on a happy face 110% of the time. And saying yes to everything isn’t always healthy!

Oh and the book seemed outdated too. “Millennials use Facebook to talk to friends! LOL isn’t that funny?!” k it wasn’t funny, and we don’t now. Bye.

[Michelle Marvin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read with ten positive essentials for leadership. The book was encouraging, and spoke with both timeless wisdom and insight for today's global challenges. My two qualms are perhaps the overly simplified conversational manner of the book and the naively picturesque image that is presented of what it's like to lead a group. It would be great if everyone under leadership was enthusiastic, competent, and capable, but unfortunately that's often not the realistic group of 'talents' that many leaders find themselves managing. The leadership essentials in this book are geared toward the ideal leadership situation, where a leader has the ideal team under his or her guidance, willing to be lead. If you're looking for a book on addressing any of the management/shepherding aspects of leadership, you will need to look elsewhere.

[Ioana Lily Balas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe a bit too no-fad. Catchy, punchy, strong, yet somehow unoriginal and unfulfilled because it is lacking in examples that would truly bring the ideas home. Due to how open to interpretation everything regarding leadership is, I would not recommend this - it reads like a recipe book.

The content is fine for the most part but there was also a specific idea that I completely disagreed with - the idea that people can only be as strong as their weaknesses, and that they are limited by their weaknesses so leaders can’t overlook them and have to fix them. I disagree with the ‘have to fix’. I would encourage a perspective that looks at the effect of this weakness and how it affects the opportunities and growth this person is getting, and then assess what kind of a mitigation is truly necessary.

[Olivia · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Truth about Leadership was required reading for one of my classes. I think this book is an important resource for those trying to learn leadership skills. The book is split into ten “truths about leadership” which are based on the research done over the course of many years. Though informative, the book read like a novel. I liked how the authors put quotes from leaders they have interviewed throughout the book. All this being said, I thought it was entirely too long. The chapters were very repetitive, basically saying the title of the chapter over and over again. I think this book could have very easily been submitted as a paper instead. I would have enjoyed it more if it was more concise and straight to the point.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rather than pet theories about leadership, this book is based on 20 years of research, case studies, and leadership training experiences. The ten principles can seem deceptively simple but in fact are distillation of reality. It's actually true that weaknesses can derail you. People need to see you walking the talk. Setting a vision from on high doesn't necessarily motivate followers. And so on. What sound like cliches at first are fleshed out with data and clear examples. Read it and measure other leadership theories against this slim volume of wisdom.

[Paul C. Stalder · Rating 3 out of 5]

It does what it sets out to do; trim all the fat from leadership advice to get to the core tenants. It does come off as a little simplistic because of this, but not necessarily in a bad way. I would have liked to see a little bit of conversation about when these "truths" don't work. But you can't do much of that with a page count under 200. At the end of the day, a quick read with some solid information, good examples, and approachable style.

[Katherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filled with great ideas, communicated clearly and convincingly (who could argue with over a million data points?!). If you want a reminder of what it takes to lead, or are stepping up to a new leadership challenge, pick up this book.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great foundational information and very challenging book on the core of leadership and how to improve as a leader. However, the book was quite repetitive. I think it could have easily been 100 pages shorter.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no doubt that these authors are experts on the matter based on their years of leadership. I just found this book very dry and hard to finish. Their points seem correct but I didn't find myself having many "aha" moments.

[Frank Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting but not particularly enlightening. Perhaps I've been reading too many business books because they are all starting to sound the same...

[Peyton Stafford · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written, research-based book on the characteristics of successful leaders and how to develop them in oneself and one's employees.

[5thrtb · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book was full of common sense truths. Nothing earth shattering or overly thought provoking. After stating the truth, the rest of the chapter was filled with ramblings and repetitions of the truth.

[Jasmine Koh · Rating 3 out of 5]

As the book title suggests, this is no-fads, heart-of-the-matter stuff. Based on copious research, the authors find that being honest, forward-looking, inspiring and competent are four qualities that people have consistently ranked as most important in leaders.

Being honest is about credibility, doing what you say you will do. It is about being clear about your values, while listening to and observing other people's values, and then painting a vision everyone in the right context can own. Being forward-looking requires you to actually spend time in the future, thinking about what doesn't yet exist, instead of merely responding to the day-to-day. And so forth.

Not new, but not always prevalent in the workplace either, so this book serves as a useful reminder.

[Melissa L · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally published in 2010 - skimmed it in the early 2010's and put it into a random drawer around the house. Found it when doing a deep clean a couple of months ago. Figured I would really read it this time - if nothing else to see how the Leadership lessons aged. Answer: Very well. Good read. Inspiring and focuses on actionable, visible and emotional-driven attributes of leadership. Only 4 stars, as a few times that book moves into a commercial for the authors' larger leadership business. And, I had to giggle at the comment about how millennials make connections/use Facebook to engage - and the debate as to whether social media was a passing phase.

[Colin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was supposed to be the first book of a Book Club at work that never came to fruition during the COVID pandemic. But hey, better late than never, I guess.

It's not the worst business-minded-self-help book I've read, but a lot of it is much the same: "Be an authentic, daring role model with positive virtues. Here are pages reiterating the same point in different words. Here are some examples that worked in the real world. Here are the results of a survey we did that did not have a lot of context." Some points were good, but nothing new.

What sets this apart from similar books? You can read the table of contents and get the gist of the whole thing.

[Carlos Xavier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, concise book that summarizes the core characteristics that define leadership. He fundaments them as well. They are practical in its uses but fundamentally a thing of the character. They are principles and one can’t help but remember the great Stephen Covey and his 7 Habits of Highly Efective People.
But this isn’t a copy, this book has a lot of research behind its claims. Is just that when you boil the knowledge down to it’s most estructural parts. You’ll find the real aspects of what true leadership is.

[Nathan Hildenbrandt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best books I’ve read on leadership, because it seeks to communicate the timeless truths about what leadership is, and how anyone - regardless of place or position - can grow to become a better leader. Kouzes and Posner draw from extensive research and use stories from the lives and leadership of people they have interviewed. I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for help in the early stages of learning to lead more intentionally, regardless of the context you find yourself in.

[Joshua James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey James and Barry,

Excellent job! Love how this book concisely offers so many wonderful wisdom walnuts!!

As you said, it does have some of the things mentioned in your other books but certainly not in a way that seems redundant.

Going through this, I kept thinking, "I am going to reread this book as soon as I'm done!"

Finally, the practicality here is amazing. Pick any topic and start to practice it and I personally guarantee 😉 that you will improve as a leader.

Thank you both, so much, for investing in me.

MUCH LOVE,
Joshua

[Monty Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really good book on Leadership
If you want short version the introduction gives a very good summary on the ten truths of leadership

1. You make a difference
2. Credibility if foundation of Leadership
3. Values drive commitment
4. Focusing on the future sets leaders apart
5. You can’t do it alone
6. “Trust” rules
7. Challenge is the crucible of greatness
8. You either lead by example or you don’t lead at all
9. The best leaders are the best learners
10. Leadership is an affair of the heart

One last truth : leaders are personally responsible

[Jun Yan · Rating 4 out of 5]

1. You make a difference
2. Credibility is foundation
3. Values drive commitment
4. Focusing on the future
5. You can’t do it alone
6. Trust rules
7. Challenge is the crucible of greatness
8. You either lead by example or you don’t lead at all
9. The best leaders are the best learners
10. Leadership is an affair of heart.

I think #3 and #4 were useful for me. #3 helped to think about my values based on life experience . #4 made me think.

[Erik Empson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first one of a batch of books I saved from being shredded. It is really a motivational book. Nothing challenging, nothing that insightful, just a bit of a reminder to be a human being. I typically stay away from this kind of book, but it is always good to on occasion read things other than your normal fare. One thing made me laugh, something along the lines of "If you are a leader and no one is following, you are just going for a walk".