Head, Heart and Guts

This book reveals the three most important capabilities leadersmust demonstrate today: the ability to set strategy, empathize withothers, and take risks—all at the same time. In Head, Heart,and Guts, leadership experts David Dotlich, Peter Cairo, andStephen Rhinesmith—who teach and coach CEOs and executiveteams throughout the world—argue that to be successful in acomplex, matrixed, fast-moving world, "whole" leaders must setstrategy, develop trusting relationships with others, andconsistently do the right thing based on personal values. "Partial"leaders, often the product of traditional executive programs, maybe successful in the short run, but their companies lose over time. Filled with case studies of companies such as Bank of America,Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, and UBS, Head, Heart, and Gutslays out specific steps and actions for leaders who want to growbeyond their "leadership comfort zone" and an action plan forcompanies that want to move beyond tried-and-true leadershipdevelopment in order to develop "whole" leaders throughout theirleadership pipeline. The authors argue that globalization, complexstructures, and constantly changing business models require leaderswho can "lead from the front," take a clear position, createmeaningful relationships, and "rethink the way we do things" whilesimultaneously building businesses and delivering results. Because employees want leaders who are authentic, inspire trust,and set high standards, "whole leaders" must balance people andbusiness needs, motivate people from diverse backgrounds, andcreate real trust through unyielding integrity and transparentlybalancing risk and reward. Based on research and coaching withthousands of leaders in Mercer Delta Executive Learning Centerprograms, the authors argue that traditional leadership developmentfocuses too much on the "head," and it is now critical that leadersuse other capabilities to achieve results in an era defined byparadox, ambiguity, and unpredictability. Head, Heart, and Guts isthe definitive handbook for individuals and organizations seeking anew model of leadership and a road map to achieve it.