True Leaders: How Exceptional Ceos and Presidents Make a Difference by Building People and Profits

by Bette Price and George Ritcheske

At a time when companies are facing a shrinking workforce and a limited pool of highly skilled employees, leadership is everything. To achieve low turnover, high productivity, and sustained financial... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 079314826X
• ISBN13: 9780793148264
• Release Date: December 2001
• Publisher: Dearborn Trade
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Refreshing Values-Based Approach

I've read a lot of books about leadership that use exemplary leaders to make the author's points. Most turn out to be biographical anthologies. True Leaders is different. This tightly written (read: no fluff to bulk-up the book's size) book is organized around a set of values, which the authors found to be central to corporate success. With a focus on core values, leaders operate differently than those who are focused on what the bottom line will look like at the end of the next reporting period. Their results are stronger and more sustainable in the long run. Satisfaction levels-for them and for the people working for them-are much higher. Trust runs deep. True leadership is at work.The authors interviewed 25 CEOs from both private and public sector organizations. They confirmed that ten core values are the essence of their work: Passion is a prerequisite. See what is not yet visible. Care enough to connect and convey. Treat learning like dirty dishes. Do what's right and tell the truth. Trust is a must. Recognize and build people. Trust your intuition. Risk to respond and grow. Respect the importance of balance. And those core values are the chapters of the book.In each of the chapters, the authors explain the value and its importance, illustrating and reinforcing the concepts through stories from the CEOs. These perspectives are woven into the fabric of each chapter in a way that is very comfortable for the reader. The input from the CEOs brings the values to life, inspiring as well as educating the reader. The presentations are never "in-your-face," but fit nicely into the pattern of the reader's experience with the book. Just about the time you'll feel like you've completed the book and are ready to close the cover with a silent "thanks" to the authors, you'll discover there's more. Over thirty more pages are organized into appendices talking about Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), a leadership evaluation, a one-on-one discussion card, an attitudes and values graph, and profiles of the companies represented by the CEOs used in the book. And, of course, there's an index. Nice package. You might want to get two copies of this book, one to keep on the shelf, and one to loan to friends. shelf, and one to loan to friends.

A "Must Read" For All Executives

"True Leaders" is one of the best books that I've ever read on leadership and management behavior! Price and Ritcheske have done an outstanding job delineating the difference between managers and leaders, as well as wannabe leaders and "true leaders." The book is insightful, exceptionally well written, and will cause anyone aspiring to key leadership roles to seriously reevaluate their approach to the people vs. profits equation. I especially enjoyed the real-world stories offered by the diverse group of executives that were profiled. "True Leaders" is a "must read" for all corporate executives!

Great lesson for basics in Leadership.

I found this book to be very easy to read, made basic common sense with an enhanced use of ideas and the credibility of the CEO's interviewed first rate.I especially liked the questions at the end of each chapter as, food for thought for the reader and a guideline for improvement as well. It is a book well thought out and enjoyable to read.I highly recommend it to all aspiring leaders,to executives for their review and for their management staff.

Practical guide to becoming a better leader

A great book. It has practical advice from interviews with 30 company presidents and CEOs on how to become a better leader. What makes the book different is that these leaders were selected because of their commitment to people and profits (in that order). These leaders where drawn from the Fortune list of The 100 best companies to work for as well the authors personal contacts. Another factor that I found appealing about the book was the broad group of executives that were drawn on with significant difference in lines of business, industries, and company size. The book is written in a very approachable manner. Some leadership books are exciting and inspirational, but don't really provide any steps for becoming a leader. This book is exciting and inspirational because it provides practical steps for becoming a better leader. It addresses both personal and business culture related topics that are necessary to define a true leader. The book defines a true leader as having the following traits: Social - Lover of people and the desire to build others Utilitarian - Value money and the return on investment Individualistic - Desire to control one's destiny and influence the destiny of others. Traditional - Strong belief system of doing the right thing. The book is not a instant recipe for success, but rather a guide through a series of practical steps to improving leadership. I found it to be a useful exercise to take the chapters in the book and modify then slightly to form a rough leadership checklist. Here is that list: o Passion is a Prerequisite o See what is not yet visible o Care enough to connect and convey o Treating learning like dirty dishes o Do what's right and tell the truth o Trust is a must o Recognize and build people o Trust your intuition o Risk to respond and grow o Respect the importance of balance Leadership styles and fads come and go. Bottom line who would not want management to treat them based on the list above. And if you are management what employee would not want to be treated based on the list above.

True Leaders

Got this book as a gift. This book talks about the exact kind of leadership that we need today! It is enjoyable to read, gives great quotes from top leaders and actually provides useful tips on how to be a really effective leader. There are plenty of company leaders that would benefit tremendously from reading this book. LOVED it!