Dr. Lance Secretan researched some of the greatest leaders in history to uncover their secrets of leadership. He wanted to learn what compelled followers to dedicate themselves with such passion to the visions of Jefferson, Washington, Christ, Buddha, Gandhi, Confucius, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela. We know that Martin Luther King did not say, "I have a strategic plan!" And Mother Teresa didn’t have a quality program – she didn’t need one. He learned that their seven common success traits and shares them with you in this work.
A reader from Austin, Texas, USA wrote this review for Amazon.com:
This book presents a new story and vision for managers and leaders in the 21st Century. It is a simple read that provokes thought, questions, and most of all, change. I am a big fan of Lance's work, but this one really breaks new ground.
During the last forty years we have become experts at identifying the needs of customers. In the process we have spawned entire fields of inquiry and practice such as marketing, selling, customer service and quality. We have learned to perfect the science of identifying needs and motivating customer response. Secretan proposes that the sophisticated marketing techniques such as double-blind studies, focus groups, market testing and empirical research, be matched by similar efforts with employees before launching initiatives that affect them. He proposes that if we invest the same level of sophistication, innovation, financial capital and sensitivity with employees as we have customers, the art of leadership may become as effective as marketing. When we realize that employees are customers too, and accurately identify and meet their needs, they will rise to unparalleled performance. A new science is about to be born.
Lance will share his discoveries: Great leaders develop a vision, so compelling that it becomes a magnet for passion – a Cause. They do not develop cookie-cutter or connect-the-dots approaches nor do they reiterate spiels from motivational tapes. In fact, they do not motivate - they inspire. They combine visceral energy with a clear and focused vision, founded on strong spiritual beliefs and values. This combination forges a heat so intense that followers find it irresistible. They do not need to recruit because their vision becomes a beacon, attracting people from far and wide, drawn by the leader’s dream. Modern corporate examples abound – The Body Shop, W. L. Gore, Southwest Airlines, Centura Health, Mount Carmel Health System, Patagonia, Whole Markets Foods, Baptist Health Care and SAS Institute. The best-led organizations of our time consist of inspired individuals and teams who epitomize the new paradigm of leadership. They are inventing the new standards of leadership for which employee-customers are yearning.
