Written by Jeff Golden Published by American Leadership Forum Book Review by Heath Henwood Everything we know about leadership is less than we still have to learn. The book is more a reflection of the leadership journey and practices of ALF (American Leadership Forum), than strategies for leadership development. Without being critical of the ALF program, the book is a marketing tool for the program. It outlines, in broad strokes, the processes of the program and some of the strategy behind the activities and values. Having said that, if you read beyond the American marketing hype, there are strategies that a business or community leader can take out, to further their leadership skills and improve their organisation and community. Topics cover include the primacy of relationships, particularly taking relationships to a deeper level, having a common purpose, and working for the greater good of society. Inner reflection and personal growth again encourages the participant to go to a deeper level. One of the key messages is the need for leaders to come together to address important issues facing their communities. A major strength of the book it its utilisation of the power of personal testimonies to illustrate points. The book is full of stories of how the ALF experience helped them to grow and become better leaders. Two questions remain. Firstly whether the book will span cultural differences. From my experience, I don’t think the book will be popular in Australia, however with adaptions the program may find some support in the major cities. Secondly, is the book worth reading, or is it a marketing tool for an American leadership program. There is a lot of material available on leadership, and “Everything we know about Leadership” doesn’t stack up. Did it teach me anything about leadership - No, but it did remind me of a few prior learnings that are alwys good to implement.
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AuthorHeath Henwood consults and speaks on Leadership, Strategic Planning and Management techniques. He has a Masters in Leadership, and is a Doctorial Candidate focusing on Leadership Development Strategies. He has extensive experience in private business and serves on several boards. Archives
January 2020
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