Bill George and Peter Sims, True North: Discover Your Authentic Leadership (J-B Warren Bennis Series). Jossey-Bass, 2007.
Referenced in: Leadership Development Through Character Formation
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is a sequel to George and Sims, Authentic Leadership, and provides a richer narrative description of how the principles from the first volume express themselves in real life. It also explains the research base and process more effectively. The two volumes together contribute significantly to the genre of literature on Leader Development Through Character Formation. They all convey a character ethic and stress the importance of clarifying and operating consistently from one’s core values.
Publisher’s Description
True North shows how anyone who follows their internal compass can become an authentic leader. This leadership tour de force is based on research and first-person interviews with 125 of today’s top leaders—with some surprising results. In this important book, acclaimed former Medtronic CEO Bill George and coauthor Peter Sims share the wisdom of these outstanding leaders and describe how you can develop as an authentic leader. True North presents a concrete and comprehensive program for leadership success and shows how to create your own Personal Leadership Development Plan centered on five key areas:
- Knowing your authentic self
- Defining your values and leadership principles
- Understanding your motivations
- Building your support team
- Staying grounded by integrating all aspects of your life
True North offers an opportunity for anyone to transform their leadership path and become the authentic leader they were born to be.
Personal, original, and illuminating stories from Warren Bennis, Sir Adrian Cadbury, George Shultz (former U.S. secretary of state), Charles Schwab, John Whitehead (Cochairman, Goldman Sachs), Anne Mulcahy (CEO, Xerox), Howard Schultz (CEO, Starbucks), Dan Vasella (CEO, Novartis), John Brennan (Chairman, Vanguard), Carol Tome (CFO, Home Depot), Donna Dubinsky (CEO/cofounder, Palm), Alan Horn (President, Warner Brothers), Ann Moore (CEO, Time, Inc.) and many others illustrate the transitions that shape the type of leaders who will thrive in the 21st century.
Bill George (Cambridge, MA) has spent over 30 years in executive leadership positions at Litton, Honeywell, and Medtronic. As CEO of Medtronic, he built the company into the world’s leading medical technology company as its market capitalization increased from $1.1 billion to $60 billion. Since 2004, he has been a professor at the Harvard Business School. His 2004 book Authentic Leadership (0-7879-7528-1) was a BusinessWeek bestseller. Peter Sims (San Francisco, CA) established “Leadership Perspectives,” a course on leadership development at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and cofounded the London office of Summit Partners, a leading investment firm.
From the Inside Flap
“Just as a compass points toward a magnetic field, your True North pulls you toward the purpose of your leadership. When you follow your internal compass, your leadership will be authentic, and people will naturally want to associate with you. Although others may guide or influence you, your truth is derived from your life story and only you can determine what it should be.”
Editorial Reviews
“In True North, Bill George once again provides a roadmap for leadership in the 21st Century. The future belongs to leaders who want to win, without ever losing track of their own values. We live in a day when the best people can work anywhere. They will follow only authenticity—a person who leads with passion and purpose.” —Jeff Immelt, CEO, General Electric
“True North is an awe-inspiring gift to the world. The 125 men and women whose leadership journeys are so beautifully rendered in this book show us that we can have enormous impact without compromising our values—indeed, that we are more successful when we stay true to our ideals. Every aspiring leader (or leader who aspires to become even better) will draw strength and wisdom from this wonderful book.” —Rosabeth Moss Kanter, Harvard Business School professor and best-selling author of Confidence: How Winning Streaks & Losing Streaks Begin & End
“True North is about the power of authentic leadership. Great leaders are defined by a sense of passion and purpose and by a profound desire to make a difference. Anyone can find their own True North, if you care deeply and love what you do. This book is a wonderful roadmap for how to get started on the journey.” —Andrea Jung, chairman and CEO, Avon Products, Inc.
“If you want to move your leadership in the right direction, read True North. Drawing on the personal stories of some of the world’s most effective leaders, the book shows that you become a successful leader when you stay on course with your highest self.” — Ken Blanchard, coauthor of The One Minute Manager® and Leading at a Higher Level
“True North provides a new leadership paradigm and a window into the stories and approaches of dozens of our nation’s best leaders. It is an inspirational, invaluable source of guidance for those who want to make a significant impact.”— Wendy Kopp, president and founder of Teach for America
“True North reveals just how powerful authentic leadership can be and, best of all, how to achieve it.” — Warren Bennis
About the Authors
Bill George is professor of management practice at the Harvard Business School and former chairman and CEO of Medtronic, the world’s leading medical technology company. Under his leadership, Medtronic’s market capitalization grew from $1.1 billion to $60 billion, averaging 35 percent a year. He is the author of the best-selling Authentic Leadership and a board member of Goldman Sachs, Target, and Novartis. George has been recognized as “Executive of the Year” by the Academy of Management Director of the Year” by the National Association of Corporate Directors, and one of Public Broadcasting’s Top 25 Leaders of the Past 25 Years.
Peter Sims established “Leadership Perspectives,” a class on leadership development at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and cofounded the London office of Summit Partners, a leading investment firm. He was also part of the Deloitte Touche Tomatsu Global Strategy Team and has contributed to numerous publications including the Harvard Business Review.
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